ब्राह्मणानाञ्च वरणं तथैव प्रतिपाद्य च । ब्रह्माध्वर्युस्तथा होता प्रस्तोता विधिपूर्वकम्
One should mentally select the brāhmaṇas, appointing the Brahmā, Adhvaryu, Hotṛ, and Prastotṛ, all according to rule.
उद्गाता प्रतिहर्ता च सभ्याश्चान्ये यथाविधि । पूजनीयाः प्रयत्नेन मनसैव द्विजोत्तमाः
The Udgātṛ, Pratihartṛ, and other members of the assembly, all according to tradition, should be honored with care—these best of twice-born, all within the mind.
प्राणोऽपानस्तथा व्यानः समानोदान एव च । पावकाः पञ्च एवैते स्थाप्या वेद्यां विधानतः
The five fires—prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna, and udāna—should be established on the altar in the prescribed manner.
गार्हपत्यस्तदा प्राणोऽपानश्चाहवनीयकः । दक्षिणाग्निस्तथा व्यानः समानश्चावसथ्यकः
At that time, prāṇa is the gārhapatya fire, apāna is the āhavanīya, vyāna is the dakṣiṇāgni, and samāna is the āvasathya fire.
सभ्योदानः स्मृता ह्येते पावकाः परमोत्कटाः । द्रव्यञ्च मनसा भाव्यं निर्गुणं परमं शुचि
Udāna is considered the fire of the assembly; these five fires are supremely powerful. The offering too should be conceived in the mind as formless, supreme, and pure.
मन एव तदा होता यजमानस्तथैव तत् । यज्ञाधिदेवता ब्रह्म निर्गुणं च सनातनम्
At that time, the mind itself is the Hotṛ, the sacrificer as well; the deity of the sacrifice is Brahman, formless and eternal.
फलदा निर्गुणा शक्तिः सदा निर्वेददा शिवा । ब्रह्मविद्याखिलाधारा व्याप्य सर्वत्र संस्थिता
The fruit-giving, attribute-less Power is ever bestowing detachment and auspiciousness; she is the foundation of all knowledge of Brahman, pervading and abiding everywhere.
तदुद्देशेन तद्द्रव्यं हुनेत्प्राणाग्निषु द्विजः । पश्चाच्चित्तं निरालम्बं कृत्वा प्राणानपि प्रभो
With that intention, the twice-born should offer the substance into the fires of the vital breaths; afterwards, having made the mind free from support, O Lord, even the vital breaths.
कुण्डलीमुखमार्गेण हुनेद्ब्रह्मणि शाश्वते । स्वानुभूत्या स्वयं साक्षात्स्वात्मभूतां महेश्वरीम्
Through the path of the mouth of the Kundalini, let him offer into the eternal Brahman, by his own direct experience, the great Goddess who is identical with his own self.
समाधिनैव योगेन ध्यायेच्चेतस्यनाकुलः । सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि
By samadhi alone, through yoga, let him meditate with an undisturbed mind on the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in the Self.
यदा पश्यति भूतात्मा तदा पश्यति तां शिवाम् । दृष्ट्वा तां ब्रह्मविद्भूयात्सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणीम्
When he sees the Self in beings, then he sees that auspicious One; having seen her, he becomes a knower of Brahman, of the form of existence, consciousness, and bliss.
तदा मायादिकं सर्वं दग्धं भवति भूमिप । प्रारब्धं कर्ममात्रं तु यावद्देहं च तिष्ठति
Then, O King, all things beginning with Maya are burned up; only the karma already begun remains as long as the body endures.
जीवन्मुक्तस्तदा जातो मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । कृतकृत्यो भवेत्तात यो भजेज्जगदम्बिकाम्
Then he becomes liberated while living; when dead, he attains liberation. He becomes one who has accomplished his purpose, O dear one, who worships the Mother of the universe.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन ध्येया श्रीभुवनेश्वरी । श्रोतव्या चैव मन्तव्या गुरुवाक्यानुसारतः
Therefore, with all effort, the glorious Lady of the world should be meditated upon, listened to, and reflected upon, according to the words of the Guru.
राजन्नेवं कृतो यज्ञो मोक्षदो नात्र संशयः । अन्ये यज्ञाः सकामास्तु प्रभवन्ति क्षयोन्मुखाः
O King, a sacrifice performed thus grants liberation—there is no doubt of this. Other sacrifices, being desire-driven, are subject to decline.
अग्निष्टोमेन विधिवत्स्वर्गकामो यजेदिति । वेदानुशासनं चैतत्प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
One should perform the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice according to rule, desiring heaven—this is the instruction of the Vedas, and the wise declare it thus.
क्षीणे पुण्ये मृत्युलोकं विशन्ति च यथामति । तस्मात्तु मानसः श्रेष्ठो यज्ञोऽप्यक्षय एव सः
When merit is exhausted, they enter the world of death according to their inclination; therefore, the mental sacrifice is superior and indeed imperishable.
न राज्ञा साधितुं योग्यो मखोऽसौ जयमिच्छता । तामसस्तु कृतः पूर्वं सर्पयज्ञस्त्वयाधुना
That sacrifice is not fit to be accomplished by a king desiring victory; the serpent sacrifice you performed earlier was tamasic.
वैरं निर्वाहितं राजंस्तक्षकस्य दुरात्मनः । यत्कृते निहताः सर्पास्त्वयाऽग्नौ कोटिशः परे
The enmity of the wicked Takṣaka has been carried out, O King; for his sake, countless other serpents were slain by you in the fire.
देवीयज्ञं कुरुष्वाद्य विततं विधिपूर्वकम् । विष्णुना यः कृतः पूर्वं सृष्ट्यादौ नृपसत्तम
Now, perform the Devi-sacrifice, properly established according to rule, O best of kings, as was done formerly by Vishnu at the beginning of creation.
तथा त्वं कुरु राजेन्द्र विधिं ते प्रब्रवीम्यहम् । ब्राह्मणाः सन्ति राजेन्द्र विधिज्ञा वेदवित्तमाः
Likewise, you should do so, O king of kings; I will declare the procedure to you. Brahmins are present, O king, who are most learned in the rules and the Vedas.
देवीबीजविधानज्ञा मन्त्रमार्गविचक्षणाः । याजकास्ते भविष्यन्ति यजमानस्त्वमेव हि
They are skilled in the establishment of the Devi's seed, and expert in the path of mantra; they will be the officiating priests, and you alone will be the sacrificer.
कृत्वा यज्ञं विधानेन दत्त्वा पुण्य़ं मखार्जितम् । समुद्धर महाराज पितरं दुर्गतिङ्गतम्
Having performed the sacrifice according to rule, and given the merit gained from the rite, O great king, rescue your father who has fallen into misfortune.
विप्रावमानजं पापं दुर्घटं नरकप्रदम् । तथैव शापजो दोषः प्राप्तः पित्रा तवानघ
The sin arising from disrespecting Brahmins, difficult and leading to hell, as well as the fault arising from the curse, has been incurred by your father, O sinless one.
तथा दुर्मरणं प्राप्तं सर्पदंशेन भूभुजा । अन्तराले तथा मृत्यूर्न भूमौ कुशसंस्तरे
Likewise, when the king met a terrible death from a snakebite, death did not come to him on the ground, nor on a bed of sacred grass.
न सङ्ग्रामे न गङ्गायां स्नानदानादिवर्जितम् । मरणं ते पितुस्तत्र सौधे जातं कुरूद्वह
He did not die in battle, nor while bathing or giving gifts in the Ganges; his death, O best of the Kurus, occurred there in the palace, deprived of such rites.
कृपणानि च सर्वाणि नरकस्य नृपोत्तम । तत्रैकं कारणं तस्य न जातं चातिदुर्लभम्
All the sufferings of hell, O best of kings, have one cause there; and for him, that exceedingly rare cause did not arise.
यत्र यत्र स्थितःप्राणो ज्ञात्वा कालं समागतम् । साधनानामभावेऽपि ह्यवशश्चातिसङ्कटे
Wherever the breath remains, knowing that death has arrived, even in the absence of means and in great distress, one is helpless.
यदा निर्वेदमायाति मनसा निर्मलेन वै । पञ्चभूतात्मको देहो मम किञ्चात्र दुःखदम्
When, with a pure mind, one attains dispassion and thinks, 'This body made of the five elements—what sorrow is there in it for me?'
पतत्वद्य यथाकामं मुक्तोऽहं निर्गुणोऽव्ययः । नाशात्मकानि तत्त्वानि तत्र का परिदेवना
'Today, as it falls as it will, I am liberated, without qualities, imperishable; since the elements themselves are perishable, what is there to lament?'