वैरस्य कारणं तेषां किं मे ब्रूहि पितामह । निमित्तेन विना क्रोधं कथं कुर्वन्ति सत्तमाः
What was the cause of their enmity? Tell me, O Grandsire. How could the noble ones act in anger without a reason?
वैरं पुरोहितैः सार्धं कस्मात्तेषामजायत । नाल्पहेतोर्हि तद्वैरं क्षत्रियाणां भविष्यति
Why did that enmity arise with their priests? For Kṣatriyas, such enmity would not occur for a trivial reason.
अन्यथा ब्राह्मणान् पूज्यान्कथं जघ्नुरनागसः । बाहुजा बलवन्तोऽपि पापभीताः कथं न ते
Otherwise, how could they have slain the Brāhmaṇas, who were worthy of worship and innocent? Though strong and powerful, how were they not afraid of sin?
स्वल्पेऽपराधे को हन्याद्वाडवान्क्षत्रियर्षभः । सन्देहो मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ कारणं वक्तुमर्हसि
Who would kill Brāhmaṇas for a small offense, O best of Kṣatriyas? I am doubtful, O best of sages; you ought to tell me the reason.
सूत उवाच इति पृष्टस्तदा तेन राज्ञा सत्यवतीसुतः । उवाच परमप्रीतः कथां संस्मृत्य चेतसा
Sūta said: Thus questioned by the king, the son of Satyavatī, filled with great delight, recalled the story in his mind and spoke.
व्यास उवाच शृणु पारिक्षिते वार्तां क्षत्रियाणां पुरातनीम् । आश्चर्यकारिणीं सम्यग्विदितां च पुरा मया
Vyāsa said: Hear, O Pārikṣit, the ancient tale of the Kṣatriyas, wondrous and well-known, which I once learned.
कार्तवीर्येति नाम्नाभूद्धैहयः पृथिवीपतिः । सहस्रबाहुर्बलवानर्जुनो धर्मतत्परः
There was a Haihaya king named Kārtavīrya, mighty as Arjuna of a thousand arms, devoted to righteousness.
दत्तात्रेयस्य शिष्योऽभूदवतारो हरेरिव । सिद्धः सर्वार्थदः शाक्तो भृगूणां याज्य एव सः
He was a disciple of Dattātreya, like an incarnation of Hari; accomplished, bestower of all desires, devoted to Śakti, and the sacrificer for the Bhṛgus.
यज्वा परमधर्मिष्ठः सदा दानपरायणः । ददौ वित्तं भृगुभ्योऽसौ कृत्वा यज्ञाननेकशः
A great sacrificer, supremely righteous, always devoted to giving; he gave wealth to the Bhṛgus after performing many sacrifices.
धनिनस्ते द्विजा जाता भृगवो नृपदानतः । हयरत्नसमृद्ध्याढ्याः सञ्जाताः प्रथिता भुवि
Those Bhṛgu Brāhmaṇas, honored by the king, became wealthy, renowned on earth, rich in horses, jewels, and prosperity.
स्वर्याते नृपशार्दूले कार्तवीर्यार्जुने पुनः । हैहया निर्धना जाताः कालेन महता नृप
When Kārtavīryārjuna departed this world, O tiger among kings, the Haihayas became impoverished after a long time.
धनकार्यं समुत्पन्नं हैहयानां कदाचन । याचिष्णवोऽभिजग्मुस्तान्भूगूंस्ते हैहया नृप
Once, a need for wealth arose among the Haihayas; those Haihayas, being in want, approached the Bhṛgus and begged for land.
विनयं क्षत्रियाः कृत्वाप्ययाचन्त धनं बहु । न ददुस्तेऽतिलोभार्ता नास्ति नास्तीतिवादिनः
Even after showing humility, the Kshatriyas begged for much wealth; but those who were excessively greedy and declared 'there is nothing, there is nothing,' did not give.
भूमौ च निदधुः केचिद्भृगवो धनमुत्तमम् । ददुः केचिद्द्विजातिभ्यो ज्ञात्वा क्षत्रियतो भयम्
Some of the Bhrigus placed their excellent wealth in the ground; some, fearing the Kshatriyas, gave it to the twice-born.
कृत्वा स्थानान्तरे द्रव्यं ब्राह्मणा भयविह्वलाः । त्यक्त्वाऽऽश्रमान्ययुः सर्वे भृगवस्तृष्णयान्विताः
The Brahmins, overwhelmed by fear, moved their possessions elsewhere; abandoning their hermitages, all the Bhrigus, driven by desire, departed.
याज्यांश्च दुःखितान्दृष्ट्वा न ददुर्लोभमोहिताः । पलायित्वा गताः सर्वे गिरिदुर्गानुपाश्रिताः
Seeing the priests distressed, those deluded by greed did not give; all fled and took refuge in mountain fortresses.
ततस्ते हैहयास्तात दुःखिताः कार्यगौरवात् । भृगूणामाश्रमाञ्जग्मुर्द्रव्यार्थं क्षत्रियर्षभाः
Then, O dear one, the Haihayas, distressed but bound by duty, went to the hermitages of the Bhrigus, seeking wealth, these foremost of Kshatriyas.
भृगूंस्तु निर्गतान्वीक्ष्य शून्यांस्त्यक्त्या गृहानथ । चखनुर्भूतलं तत्र द्रव्यार्थं हैहया भृशम्
Seeing that the Bhrigus had left and their houses were empty, the Haihayas dug up the ground there intensely in search of wealth.
खनताधिगतं वित्तं केनचिद्भृगुवेश्मनि । ददृशुः क्षत्रियाः सर्वे तद्वित्तं श्रमकर्शिताः
While digging, they found treasure in a Bhrigu's house; all the Kshatriyas, exhausted by their efforts, saw that wealth.
यत्र यत्र समुत्पन्नं भूरि द्रव्यं महीतलात् । तदा ते पार्श्वभागस्थब्राह्मणानां गृहाण्यपि
Wherever abundant wealth arose from the earth, they also entered the houses of Brahmins living nearby.
निर्भिद्य हैहया द्रव्यं ददृशुर्धनलिप्सया । ब्राह्मणाश्चुकुशः सर्वे भीताश्च शरणं गताः
The Haihayas, breaking in out of greed for wealth, found treasure; all the Brahmins, terrified, fled for refuge.
अतिचिन्वत्सु विप्राणां भवनान्निःसृतं बहु । निजघ्नुस्ताञ्छरैः कोपाद्वाडवाञ्छरणागतान्
As much wealth as emerged from the Brahmins' houses while they searched, in anger they struck down those who had taken refuge, like horses at the stable, with arrows.
ययुस्ते गिरिदुर्गांश्च यत्र वै भृगवः स्थिताः । आगर्भादनुकृन्तन्तश्चेरुश्चैव महीमिमाम्
They went to the mountain fortresses where the Bhrigus had taken shelter, cutting down from the womb onward, and roamed this earth.
प्राप्तान्प्राप्तान्भृगून्सर्वान्निजघ्नुर्निशितैः शरैः । आबालवृद्धानपरानवमन्य च पातकम्
All the Bhrigus they found, young and old, they struck down with sharp arrows, not considering it a sin.
एवमुत्पाट्यमानेषु भार्गवेषु यतस्ततः । हन्युर्गर्भांश्च नारीणां गृहीत्वा हैहया भृशम्
As the Bhrigus were being uprooted everywhere, the Haihayas, taking the women, even killed the unborn children in their wombs.
रुरुदुस्ताः स्त्रियः कामं कुरर्य इव दुःखिताः । गर्भाश्च कृन्तिता यासां क्षत्रियैः पापनिश्चयैः
Those women wailed in distress like grieving curlews; those whose wombs were cut open by the Kshatriyas with evil intent.
अन्येऽप्याहुश्च तान्दृप्तान्मुनयस्तीर्थवासिनः । मुञ्चन्तु क्षत्रियाः क्रोधं ब्राह्मणेषु भयावहम्
Other sages dwelling at holy places said of those arrogant men: 'Let the Kshatriyas abandon their wrath toward the Brahmins, which brings fear.'
अयुक्तमेतदारब्धं भवद्भिः कर्म गर्हितम् । यद्गर्भान्भृगुपत्नीनां निहन्युः क्षत्रियर्षभाः
'This act you have begun is improper and condemned; that the best of Kshatriyas would slay the unborn children of the Bhrigu women.'
अत्युग्रपुण्यपापानामिहैव फलमाप्नुयात् । तस्माज्जुगुप्सितं कर्म त्यक्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छता
'Here, those of extreme merit or sin receive the result immediately; therefore, one who desires prosperity should abandon such a detestable deed.'
तानाहुर्हैहयाः क्रुद्धा मुनीनथ दयापरान् । भवन्तः साधवः सर्वे नार्थज्ञाः पापकर्मणाम्
Then the enraged Haihayas said to those compassionate sages: 'You are all virtuous, but ignorant of the ways of the wicked.'