तस्मान्मुञ्च महाभाग गुरोः पत्नीं मनोरमाम् । कलहस्त्वन्निमित्तोऽद्य सुराणां न भवेद्यथा
Therefore, O illustrious one, release your teacher’s lovely wife, so that today there will not be conflict among the gods because of you.
सूत उवाच सोमः शक्रवचः श्रुत्वा किञ्चित्क्रोधसमाकुलः । भङ्ग्या प्रतिवचः प्राह शक्रदूतं तदा शशी
Sūta said: Hearing Indra’s words, Soma became somewhat agitated with anger and, with a crooked smile, replied to Indra’s messenger.
इन्दुरावाच धर्मज्ञोऽसि महाबाहो देवानामधिपः स्वयम् । पुरोधापि च ते तादृग्युवयोः सदृशी मतिः
The Moon said: You are righteous, O mighty-armed one, and the lord of the gods yourself; your priest is also of such a kind, and your minds are alike.
परोपदेशे कुशला भवन्ति बहवो जनाः । दुर्लभस्तु स्वयं कर्ता प्राप्ते कर्मणि सर्वदा
Many people are skilled in giving advice to others, but it is rare to find one who acts himself when the time for action comes.
बार्हस्पत्यप्रणीतं च शास्त्रं गृह्णन्ति मानवाः । को विरोधोऽत्र देवेश कामयानां भजन्स्त्रियम्
People accept the treatises composed by Bṛhaspati; O lord of gods, what fault is there in enjoying a woman whom one desires?
स्वकीयं बलिनां सर्वं दुर्बलानां न किञ्चन । स्वीया च परकीया च भ्रमोऽयं मन्दचेतसाम्
For the strong, everything is their own; for the weak, nothing is theirs. The distinction between one’s own and another’s is a delusion of the dull-minded.
तारा मय्यनुरक्ता च यथा न तु तथा गुरौ । अनुरक्ता कथं त्याज्या धर्मतो न्यायतस्तथा
Tārā is attached to me, not so to her teacher; how can one who is devoted be abandoned, either by righteousness or by justice?
गृहारम्भस्तु रक्तायां विरक्तायां कथं भवेत् । विरक्तेयं यदा जाता चकमेऽनुजकामिनीम्
How can a household begin with one who is indifferent, whether she is attached or not? When she became indifferent, I desired another woman.
न दास्येऽहं वरारोहां गच्छ दूत वद स्वयम् । ईश्वरोऽसि सहस्राक्ष यदिच्छसि कुरुष्व तत्
I will not give up the beautiful one; go, messenger, and tell him yourself. You are the lord, O thousand-eyed one—do as you wish.
सूत उवाच इत्युक्तः शशिना दूतः प्रययौ शक्रसन्निधिम् । इन्द्रायाचष्ट तत्सर्वं यदुक्तं शीतरश्मिना
Sūta said: Thus addressed by the Moon, the messenger went to Indra’s presence and reported everything that had been said by the cool-rayed one.
तुराषाडपि तच्छ्रुत्वा क्रोधयुक्तो बभूव ह । सेनोद्योगं तथा चक्रे साहाय्यार्थं गुरोर्विभुः
Hearing this, Turāṣāḍ became filled with anger and prepared for war, seeking to aid his teacher.
शुक्रस्तु विग्रहं श्रुत्वा गुरुद्वेषात्ततो ययौ । मा ददस्वेति तं वाक्यमुवाच शशिनं प्रति
Śukra, upon hearing of the conflict and out of enmity toward the teacher, went and spoke to the moon, saying, 'Do not give.'
साहाय्यं ते करिष्यामि मन्त्रशक्त्या महामते । भविता यदि संग्रामस्तव चेन्द्रेण मारिष
I will assist you with the power of mantra, O wise one, if a battle arises between you and Indra, O Moon.
शङ्करस्तु तदाकर्ण्य गुरुदाराभिमर्शनम् । गुरुशत्रुं भृगुं मत्वा साहाय्यमकरोत्तदा
Śaṅkara, hearing of the violation against the teacher's wife, considered Bhṛgu an enemy of the teacher and then offered his support.
संग्रामस्तु तदा वृत्तो देवदानवयोर्द्रुतम् । बहूनि तत्र वर्षाणि तारकासुरवत्किल
A battle swiftly broke out then between the gods and the demons, lasting many years, just as in the case of Tārakāsura.
देवासुरकृतं युद्धं दृष्ट्वा तत्र पितामहः । हंसारूढो जगामाशु तं देशं क्लेशशान्तये
Seeing the war between gods and demons, Pitāmaha mounted his swan and quickly went to that place to bring an end to the suffering.
राकापतिं तदा प्राह मुञ्च भार्यां गुरोरिति । नोचेद्विष्णुं समाहूय करिष्यामि तु संक्षयम्
He then said to the lord of the moon, 'Release the teacher's wife; otherwise, I will summon Viṣṇu and bring about destruction.'
भृगुं निवारयामास ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । किमन्यायमतिर्जाता सङ्गदोषान्महामते
Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, restrained Bhṛgu, saying, 'Why has this unjust intention arisen, O wise one, from the fault of association?'
निषेधयामास ततो भृगुस्तं चौषधीपतिम् । मुञ्च भार्यां गुरोरद्य पित्राहं प्रेषितस्तव
Then Bhṛgu forbade the lord of herbs, saying, 'Release the teacher's wife today; I have been sent to you by the father.'
सूत उवाच द्विजराजस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा भृगोर्वचनमद्भुतम् । ददौ च तत्प्रियां भार्यां गुरोर्गर्भवतीं शुभाम्
Sūta said: Hearing Bhṛgu's wondrous words, the king of twice-born gave the beloved, auspicious, pregnant wife of the teacher.
प्राप्य कान्तां गुरुर्हृष्टः स्वगृहं मुदितो ययौ । ततो देवास्ततो दैत्या ययुः स्वान्स्वान्गृहान्प्रति
Having regained his beloved, the teacher, delighted, went to his own house; then the gods and the demons returned to their respective homes.
ब्रह्मा स्वसदनं प्राप्तः कैलासं चापि शङ्करः । बृहस्पतिस्तु सन्तुष्टः प्राप्य भार्यां मनोरमाम्
Brahmā reached his own abode, and Śaṅkara went to Kailāsa; Bṛhaspati, satisfied, obtained his charming wife.
ततः कालेन कियता तारासूत सुतं शुभम् । सुदिने शुभनक्षत्रे तारापतिसमं गुणैः
After some time, Tārā gave birth to a virtuous son, on an auspicious day and under a favorable star, possessing qualities equal to the lord of Tārā.
दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं गुरुर्जातं चकार विधिपूर्वकम् । जातकर्मादिकं सर्वं प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना
Seeing his son born, the teacher performed all the prescribed rites, such as the birth ceremony, with great joy in his heart.
श्रुतं चन्द्रमसा जन्म पुत्रस्य मुनिसत्तमाः । दूतं च प्रेषयामास गुरुं प्रति महामतिः
The sages heard from the moon about the birth of the son, and the wise one sent a messenger to the teacher.
न चायं तव पुत्रोऽस्ति मम वीर्यसमुद्भवः । कथं त्वं कृतवान्कामं जातकर्मादिकं विधिम्
This is not your son, but born from my seed; how have you performed the birth rites and other ceremonies, fulfilling your desire?
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य दूतस्य च बृहस्पतिः । उवाच मम पुत्रो मे सदृशो नात्र संशयः
Hearing the words of the messenger, Bṛhaspati replied, 'He is my son, equal to me; there is no doubt about it.'
पुनर्विवादः सञ्जातो मिलिता देवदानवाः । युद्धार्थमागतास्तेषां समाजः समजायत
Another dispute arose, and the gods and demons gathered together; an assembly was convened for battle.
तत्रागतः स्वयं ब्रह्मा शान्तिकामः प्रजापतिः । निवारयामास मुखे संस्थितान्युद्धदुर्मदान्
There arrived Brahma himself, desiring peace, the Lord of Creatures; he restrained those who, standing at the forefront, were intoxicated by battle.
तारां पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा कस्यायं तनयः शुभे । सत्यं वद वरारोहे यथा क्लेशः प्रशाम्यति
The righteous one questioned Tara: 'Whose son is this, O auspicious one? Speak the truth, O beautiful lady, so that this distress may be resolved.'