वरुण उवाच - मुञ्च राजञ्छुनःशेपं स्तुवन्तं मां भृशातुरम् । यज्ञोऽयं परिपूर्णस्ते रोगमुक्तो भवात्मना
Varuṇa said: Release Śunaḥśepa, O king, who praises me and is greatly afflicted; your sacrifice is fulfilled, and you are freed from disease.
इत्युक्त्वा वरुणस्तूर्णं राजानं विरुजं तथा । चकार पश्यतां तत्र सदस्यानां सुसंस्थितम्
Having spoken thus, Varuṇa swiftly made the king free from disease, in the presence of the well-seated assembly.
विमुक्तोऽसौ द्विजः पाशाद्वरुणेन महात्मना । जयशब्दस्ततस्तत्र सञ्जातो मखमण्डपे
That twice-born was released from Varuṇa’s noose by the great soul; then, a cry of victory arose in the sacrificial pavilion.
राजा प्रमुदितः सद्यो रोगान्मुक्तः सुदारुणात् । यूपान्मुक्तः शुनःशेपो बभूवातीव संस्थितः
The king, immediately joyful, was freed from his severe illness; Śunaḥśepa was released from the sacrificial posts and stood there, greatly composed.
राजा त्विमं मखं पूर्णं चकार विनयान्वितः । शुनःशेपस्तदा सभ्यानित्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः
The king, with humility, completed the full sacrifice; at that time, Śunaḥśepa addressed the assembly, with hands joined in reverence.
भो भोः सभ्या सुधर्मज्ञाः ब्रुवन्तु धर्मनिर्णयम् । वेदशास्त्रानुसारेण यथार्थवादिनः किल
O noble assembly, you who know dharma well, declare the determination of dharma, speaking truthfully according to the Vedas and scriptures.
पुत्रोऽहं कस्य सर्वज्ञाः पिता के कोऽग्रतः परम् । भवतां वचनात्तस्य शरणं प्रव्रजाम्यहम्
O all-knowing ones, whose son am I? Who is my father, who stands foremost? By your words, I shall seek refuge with him.
इत्युक्ते वचने तत्र सभ्याः प्रोचुः परस्परम् । सभ्या ऊचूः - अजीगर्तस्य पुत्रोऽयं कस्यान्यस्य भवेदसौ
When these words were spoken, the assembly discussed among themselves: 'He is the son of Ajīgarta; how could he be the son of another?'
अङ्गादङ्गात्समुद्भूतः पालितस्तेन भक्तितः । अन्यस्य कस्य पुत्रोऽसौ प्रभवेदिति निश्चयः
Born from Aṅga and nurtured by him with devotion, how could he be the son of anyone else? This is the determination.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वामदेवस्तु तानुवाच सभासदः । विक्रीतस्तेन तातेन द्रव्यलोभात्सुतः किल
Hearing this, Vāmadeva spoke to the assembly: 'This son was sold by his father, out of greed for wealth.'
पुत्रोऽयं धनदातुश्च राज्ञस्तत्र न संशयः । अथवा वरुणस्यैष पाशान्मुक्तोऽस्त्यनेन वै
He is the son of the donor of wealth, the king; there is no doubt about this. Or else, he is Varuṇa’s, for he was freed from Varuṇa’s noose by him.
अन्नदाता भयत्राता तथा विद्याप्रदश्च यः । तथा वित्तप्रदश्चैव पञ्चैते पितरः स्मृताः
He who gives food, protects from fear, bestows knowledge, gives wealth—these five are remembered as fathers.
तदा केचित्पितुः प्राहुः केचिद्राज्ञस्तथापरे । वरुणस्येति संवादे निर्णयं न ययुश्च ते
Then, some spoke of the father, some of the king, and others of Varuṇa; in the debate, they did not reach a conclusion.
इत्थं सन्देहमापन्ने वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । सभ्यान्विवदतस्तत्र सर्वज्ञः सर्वपूजितः
When such doubt arose, Vasiṣṭha, honored by all and all-knowing, spoke his words to the debating assembly.
शृणुध्वं भो महाभागा निर्णयं श्रुतिसम्मतम् । निःस्नेहेन यदा पित्रा विक्रीतोऽयं सुतः शिशुः
Hear, O greatly fortunate ones, the determination approved by the scriptures: when the child was sold by his father without affection,
सम्बन्धस्तु गतस्तस्य तदैव धनसंग्रहात् । हरिश्चन्द्रस्य सञ्जातः पुत्रोऽसौ क्रीत एव च
The relationship was severed at that moment, due to the acquisition of wealth; thus, he became the son of Hariścandra, purchased indeed.
यूपे बद्धो यदा राज्ञा तदा तस्य न वै सुतः । वरुणस्तु स्तुतोऽनेन तेन तुष्टेन मोचितः
When he was bound to the sacrificial post by the king, he was no longer his son; Varuṇa was praised by him, and, pleased, released him.
तस्मान्नायं महाभागा ह्यसौ पुत्रः प्रचेतसः । यो यं स्तौति महामन्त्रैः सोऽपि तुष्टो ददाति च
Therefore, O greatly fortunate ones, he is not the son of Pracetasa; whoever praises another with great mantras, that one, pleased, grants [boons].
धनं प्राणान्पशून् राज्यं तथा मोक्षं किलेप्सितम् । कौशिकस्य सुतश्चायमरिष्टे येन रक्षितः
He grants wealth, life, cattle, kingdom, and the desired liberation; this is the son of Kauśika, who was protected in adversity.
मन्त्रं दत्त्वा महावीर्यं वरुणस्यातिसङ्कटे । व्यास उवाच - श्रुत्वा वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्य बाढमूचुः सभासदः
By giving the powerful mantra in Varuṇa’s great distress—Vyāsa said: Hearing Vasiṣṭha’s words, the assembly replied, 'So be it.'
विश्वामित्रस्तु जग्राह तं करे दक्षिणे तदा । एहि पुत्र गृहं मे त्वमित्युक्त्वा प्रेमपूरितः
Viśvāmitra then took him by the right hand, saying, 'Come, my son, to my house,' his heart overflowing with affection.
शुनःशेपो जगामाशु तेनैव सह सत्वरः । वरुणस्तु प्रसन्नात्मा जगाम च स्वमालयम्
Śunaḥśepa quickly departed together with him; Varuṇa, his mind at ease, returned to his own abode.
ऋत्विजश्च तथा सभ्याः स्वगृहान्निर्ययुस्तदा । राजापि रोगनिर्मुक्तो बभूवातिमुदान्वितः
The priests and the assembly members also left for their own homes at that time; the king, freed from illness, became filled with great joy.
प्रजास्तु पालयामास सुप्रसन्नेन चेतसा । रोहिताख्यस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वृत्तान्तं वरुणस्य ह
He protected his subjects with a mind made thoroughly happy; Rohita, hearing of Varuṇa's affair,
आजगाम गृहं प्रीतो दुर्गमाद्वनपर्वतात् । दूता राजानमभ्येत्य प्रोचुः पुत्रं समागतम्
came home, delighted, from the difficult forest and mountains; messengers approached the king and announced that his son had returned.
मुदितोऽसौ जगामाशु सम्मुखः कोसलाधिपः । दृष्ट्वा पितरमायान्तं प्रेमोद्रिक्तः सुसम्भ्रमः
Joyful, the lord of Kosala hurried forward; seeing his father approaching, he was overwhelmed with love and reverence.
दण्डवत्पतितो भूमावश्रुपूर्णमुखः शुचा । राजापि तं समुत्थाप्य परिरभ्य मुदान्वितः
He fell prostrate on the ground, his face filled with tears of sorrow; the king raised him up, embraced him, and was filled with happiness.
तमाघ्राय सुतं मूर्ध्नि पप्रच्छ कुशलं पुनः । उत्सङ्गे तं समारोप्य मुदितो मेदिनीपतिः
Smelling his son's head, he again inquired about his well-being; the delighted lord of the land seated him on his lap.
उष्णैर्नेत्रजलैः शीर्षण्यभिषेकमथाकरोत् । राज्यं शशास तेनासौ पुत्रेणातिप्रियेण च
He then performed an ablution on his head with warm tears from his eyes; together with his beloved son, he ruled the kingdom.
वृत्तान्तं नरमेधस्य कथयामास विस्तरात् । राजसूयं क्रतुवरं चकार नृपसत्तमः
He narrated in detail the story of the human sacrifice; the foremost king performed the great Rājasūya sacrifice.