पूर्णे तु द्वादशे वर्षे ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
But when twelve years are completed, the sin of killing a Brahmin is removed.
कामतो मरणाच्छुद्धिर्ज्ञेया नान्येन केनचित्
Purification is to be understood as coming only from voluntary death, and not by any other means.
ज्वलन्तं वा विशेदग्निं जलं वा प्रविशेत् स्वयम्
One may enter blazing fire or water by one's own will.
ब्रह्महत्यापनोदार्थमन्तरा वा मृतस्य तु
Or, for the removal of the sin of killing a Brahmin, if one dies in the interim, that also applies.
दत्त्वा चान्नं स दुर्भिक्षे ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
By giving food during a famine, he removes the sin of killing a Brahmin.
सर्वस्वं वा वेदविदे ब्राह्मणाय प्रदाय तु
Or, by giving all his possessions to a Brahmin who knows the Veda.
शुध्येत् त्रिषवणस्नानात् त्रिरात्रोपोषितो द्विजः
A twice-born who fasts for three nights and bathes at the three sandhyas becomes purified.
ब्रह्मचर्यादिभिर्युक्तो दृष्ट्वा रुद्रं विमुच्यते
Engaged in celibacy and similar practices, upon seeing Rudra, one is released.
स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य पितॄन् भक्त्या ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
After bathing and worshipping the ancestors with devotion, one removes the sin of killing a Brahmin.
कपालं स्थापितं पूर्वं ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः
The skull, formerly placed by Brahma, the supreme lord—
तर्पपित्वा पितॄन् स्नात्वा मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
After satisfying the ancestors and bathing, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.
कपालं ब्रह्मणः पूर्वं स्थापितं देहजं भुवि
The skull of Brahma, formerly placed, born from the body, on the earth—
माहात्म्यं देवदेवस्य महादेवस्य धीमतः
—is the greatness of the god of gods, the wise great god.
प्रोचुः प्रणम्य लोकादिं किमेकं तत्त्वमव्ययम्
Having bowed, they said to the lord of the worlds: 'What is the one imperishable reality?'
अविज्ञाय परं भावं स्वात्मानं प्राह धर्षिणम्
Not knowing the supreme state, he spoke of his own self as the conqueror.
अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म मामभ्यर्च्य विमुच्यते
By worshipping me, the supreme Brahman, without beginning and beyond, one is released.
न विद्यते चाभ्यधिको मत्तो लोकेषु कश्चन
There is no one in all the worlds who surpasses me.
प्रोवाच प्रहसन् वाक्यं रोषताम्रविलोचनः
He spoke these words, smiling, his eyes reddened with anger.
अज्ञानयोगयुक्तस्य न त्वेतदुचितं तव
For one endowed with ignorance, this is not fitting for you.
न मामृते ऽस्य जगतो जीवनं सर्वदा क्वचित्
Without me, there is never any life in this world at any time.
मत्प्रेरितेन भवता सृष्टं भुवनमण्डलम्
By my prompting, you created the sphere of worlds.
आजग्मुर्यत्र तौ देवौ वेदाश्चत्वार एव हि
There, the two gods and the four Vedas indeed arrived.
प्रोचुः संविग्नहृदया याथात्म्यं परमेष्ठिनः
With anxious hearts, they spoke the true nature of the Supreme Lord.
यदाहुस्तत्परं तत्त्वं स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः
That which they declare as the supreme reality, that god is Maheśvara.
यमाहुरीश्वरं देवं स देवः स्यात् पिनाकधृक्
He whom they call the Lord, that god is the bearer of the bow Pināka.
योगिभिर्विद्यते तत्त्वं महादेवः स शङ्करः
The truth is known by yogis: that great god is Śaṅkara.
महेशं पुरुषं रुद्रं स देवो भगवान् भवः
Maheśa, the Person, Rudra—he is the blessed Lord Bhava.
श्रुत्वाह प्रहसन् वाक्यं विश्वात्मापि विमोहितः
Hearing this, the Soul of the Universe, though bewildered, spoke with a smile.
रमते भार्यया सार्धं प्रमथैश्चातिगर्वितैः
He delights together with his wife and with the exceedingly proud Pramathas.
अमूर्तो मूर्तिमान् भूत्वा वचः प्राह पितामहम्
Becoming embodied from the formless, he addressed Pitāmaha with words.