एभिर्हृतं धनं सर्वं पूर्वजानां महात्मनाम् । वञ्चयित्वा छलाभिज्ञैर्मार्गे पाटच्चरैरिव
All the wealth of the great ancestors was taken by these, deceiving them with cunning tricks, just as travelers on the road are cheated by highwaymen.
एते प्रतारका दम्भास्तादृशा बकवृत्तयः । उत्पन्ने च महाकार्ये प्रार्थिता विनयेन ते
These impostors, full of hypocrisy and the ways of herons, when a great need arose, were humbly entreated.
न ददुः प्रार्थितं विप्राः पादवृद्ध्यापि याचिताः । नास्तीतिवादिनः स्तब्धाः दुःखितान्वीक्ष्य याज्यकान्
The Brahmins, even when respectfully begged with folded hands, did not give what was requested; stubborn, denying, and unmoved, they looked upon the sacrificers in distress.
धनं प्राप्तं कार्तवीर्याद्रक्षितं केन हेतुना । न कृताः क्रतवः किं तैर्दानं चार्थिषु भूरिशः
The wealth obtained from Kārtavīrya—by what reason was it guarded? No sacrifices were performed with it, nor was it generously given to those in need.
न सञ्चितव्यं विप्रैस्तु धनं चापि कदाचन । यष्टव्यं विधिवद्देयं भोक्तव्यं च यथासुखम्
Brahmins should never hoard wealth at any time; it should be used for sacrifices according to rule, given in charity, and enjoyed as is fitting.
द्रव्ये चौरभयं प्रोक्तं तथा राजभयं द्विजाः । वह्नेर्भयं महाघोरं तथा धूर्तभयं महत्
In wealth, there is the fear of thieves, the fear of kings, the terrible fear of fire, and the great fear of rogues, O twice-born.
येन केनाप्युपायेन धनं त्यजति रक्षकम् । अथवासौ मृतो याति द्रव्यं त्यक्त्वा ह्यसद्गतिम्
By one means or another, the protector abandons the wealth, or else, when he dies, he departs leaving the wealth behind, and goes to a bad state.
पादवृद्ध्या तथास्माभिः प्रार्थितं विनयान्वितैः । तथापि लोभसन्दिग्धैर्न दत्तं नः पुरोहितैः
We too, with folded hands and humility, requested them; yet, tainted by greed, our priests did not give to us.
दानं भोगस्तथा नाशो धनस्य गतिरीदृशी । दानभोगौ कृतीनां च नाशः पापात्मनां किल
The course of wealth is threefold: charity, enjoyment, and destruction; for the virtuous, charity and enjoyment, but for the wicked, destruction indeed.
न दाता न च यो भोक्ता कृपणो गुप्तितत्परः । राज्ञासौ सर्वथा दण्ड्यो वञ्चको दुःखभाङ्नरः
He who neither gives nor enjoys, but is miserly and intent on hoarding—such a deceiver, a man of suffering, is always to be punished by the king.
तस्माद्वयं गुरूनेतान्वञ्चकान्ब्राह्मणाधमान् । हन्तुं समुद्यताः सर्वे न क्रोधव्यं महात्मभिः
Therefore, we all have set out to kill these deceitful, lowly Brahmins, our elders; let the great-souled not be angry.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा हेतुमद्वाक्यं तानाश्वास्य मुनीनथ । विचेरुश्च विचिन्वाना भृगुदाराननेकशः
Vyāsa said: Having spoken these words of reason, and comforting the sages, they searched everywhere for the wives of Bhṛgu.
भयार्ता भृगुपत्न्यस्तु हिमवन्तं धराधरम् । प्रपेदिरे रुदन्त्यश्च वेपमानाः कृशा भृशम्
The wives of Bhṛgu, terrified, emaciated, weeping and trembling, fled to the Himālaya mountain.
एवं ते हैहयैर्विप्राः पीडिता धनकामुकैः । निहताश्च यथाकामं संरब्धैः पापकर्मभिः
Thus, the Brahmins were oppressed by the Haihayas, greedy for wealth, and were slain at will by those enraged, evil-doers.
लोभ एव मनुष्याणां देहसंस्थो महारिपुः । सर्वदुःखाकरः प्रोक्तो दुःखदः प्राणनाशकः
Greed, residing in the body, is indeed the great enemy of men; it is said to be the source of all suffering, the bringer of pain, and the destroyer of life.
सर्वपापस्य मूलं हि सर्वदा तृष्णयान्वितः । विरोधकृत्त्रिवर्णानां सर्वार्तेः कारणं तथा
Indeed, the root of all sin is always joined with craving; it causes conflict among the three classes and is the cause of all distress.
लोभात्त्यजन्ति धर्मं वै कुलधर्मं तथैव हि । मातरं भ्रातरं हन्ति पितरं बान्धवं तथा
Because of greed, people abandon righteousness and family duty; they even kill mother, brother, father, and relatives.
गुरुं मित्रं तथा भार्यां पुत्रं च भगिनीं तथा । लोभाविष्टो न किं कुर्यादकृत्यं पापमोहितः
One possessed by greed may kill teacher, friend, wife, son, and sister; what wrong or sinful act would he not commit, deluded by greed?
क्रोधात्कामादहङ्काराल्लोभ एव महारिपुः । प्राणांस्त्यजति लोभेन किं पुनः स्यादनावृतम्
Among anger, desire, and pride, greed alone is the greatest enemy; for the sake of greed, one even gives up life—what then can remain uncovered by it?
पूर्वजास्ते महाराज धर्मज्ञाः सत्पथे स्थिताः । पाण्डवाः कौरवाश्चैव लोभेन निधनं गताः
O great king, your ancestors, the Pandavas and Kauravas, though knowledgeable in righteousness and established on the noble path, met their end because of greed.
यत्र भीष्मश्च द्रोणश्च कृपः कर्णश्च बाह्लिकः । भीमसेनो धर्भपुत्रस्तथैवार्जुनकेशवौ
Where Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, and Bahlika were present, as well as Bhimasena, the son of Dhṛta, and likewise Arjuna and Keshava—
तथापि युद्धमत्युग्रं कृतं तैश्च परस्परम् । कुटुम्बकदनं भूरि कृतं लोभातुरैरिह
Even so, a most terrible battle was fought among them; driven by greed, those afflicted brought about the destruction of many families here.
हतो द्रोणो हतो भीष्मस्तथैव पाण्डवात्मजाः । भ्रातरः पितरः पुत्राः सर्वे वै निहता रणे
Drona was slain, Bhishma was slain, and so too the sons of the Pandavas; brothers, fathers, and sons—all were killed in battle.
तस्माल्लोभाभिभूतस्तु किं न कुर्यान्नरः किल । हैहयैर्निहताः सर्वे भृगवः पापबुद्धिभिः
Therefore, when overpowered by greed, what is there that a man would not do? All the Bhrigus were slain by the Haihayas, whose minds were evil.
हैहयानामुत्पत्तिप्रसङ्गे रमाविष्णुसंवादवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच कथं ताश्च स्त्रियः सर्वा भृगूणां दुःखसागरात् । मुक्ता वंशः पुनस्तेषां ब्राह्मणानां स्थिरोऽभवत्
Janamejaya said: How were all those women of the Bhrigus freed from the ocean of sorrow, and how did their lineage of Brahmins become stable again?
हैहयैः किं कृतं कार्यं हत्वा तान्ब्राह्मणानपि । क्षत्रियैर्लोभसंयुक्तैः पापाचारैर्वदस्व तत्
What did the Haihayas do after killing those Brahmins? Tell me, what actions were taken by those Kshatriyas, filled with greed and wicked conduct.
न तृप्तिरस्ति मे ब्रह्मन् पिबतस्ते कथामृतम् । पावनं सुखदं नॄणां परलोके फलप्रदम्
O Brahmin, I am never satisfied, drinking the nectar of your stories, which purify, bring happiness to people, and bestow rewards in the next world.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । यथा स्त्रियस्तु ता मुक्ता दुःखात्तस्माद्दुरत्ययात्
Vyasa said: Listen, O king, I will tell you a story that destroys sin—how those women were freed from that unbearable sorrow.
भृगुपत्न्यो यदा राजन् हिमवन्तं गिरिं गताः । भयत्रस्ता विभग्नाशा हैहयैः पीडिता भृशम्
When the wives of the Bhrigus, terrified and hopeless, were greatly afflicted by the Haihayas, they went to Mount Himavat, O king.
गौरीं तत्र तु संस्थाप्य मृण्मयीं सरितस्तटे । उपोषणपराश्चक्रुर्निश्चयं मरणं प्रति
There, on the riverbank, they installed an earthen image of Gauri, and, intent on fasting, resolved upon death.