शृणु चान्यद्भविष्यं यद् रूपसम्पद्विधायकम् भविष्यति युगे तस्मिन् द्वापरान्ते पितामह पिप्पलादस्य संवादो युधिष्ठिरपुरःसरैः
Now hear another future event that bestows beauty and prosperity: at the end of the Dvāpara age, there will be a conversation between Pippalāda and the leaders with Yudhishthira at their head.
वसन्तं नैमिषारण्ये पिप्पलादं महामुनिम् अभिगम्य तदा चैनं प्रश्नमेकं करिष्यति युधिष्ठिरो धर्मपुत्रो धर्मयुक्तस्तपोधनम्
While residing in the Naimisha forest, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, endowed with righteousness, will approach the great sage Pippalāda and ask him a question.
कथमारोग्यमैश्वर्यं मतिर्धर्मे गतिस्तथा अव्यङ्गता शिवे भक्तिर् वैष्णवो वा भवेत्कथम्
How does one attain health, prosperity, a mind fixed in righteousness, progress, freedom from defects, devotion to Shiva, or devotion to Vishnu?
तस्योत्तरमिदं ब्रह्मन् पिप्पलादस्य धीमतः शृणुष्व यद्वक्ष्यति वै धर्मपुत्राय धार्मिकः
Hear now, O Brahman, the answer of the wise Pippalāda, which he will speak to the righteous son of Dharma.
साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र इदानीं कथयामि ते अङ्गारव्रतम् इत्येतत् स वक्ष्यति महीपतेः
Well asked by you, O fortunate one; now I shall tell you. This is called the Aṅgāra vow, and he will speak of it, O king.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमम् इतिहासं पुरातनम् विरोचनस्य संवादं भार्गवस्य च धीमतः
Here too, they recite this ancient tale: the conversation between Virocana and the wise Bhārgava.
प्रह्लादस्य सुतं दृष्ट्वा द्विरष्टपरिवत्सरम् रूपेणाप्रतिमं कान्त्या सो ऽहसद्भृगुनन्दनः
Seeing Prahlāda’s son, after sixteen years, unmatched in form and radiance, the descendant of Bhṛgu laughed.
साधु साधु महाबाहो विरोचन शिवं तव तत्तथा हसितं तस्य पप्रच्छ सुरसूदनः
"Excellent, excellent, mighty-armed Virocana! Blessings to you!" Thus, as he laughed, the slayer of gods questioned him.
ब्रह्मन्किमर्थमेतत्ते हास्यमाकस्मिकं कृतम् साधुसाध्विति मामेवम् उक्तवांस्त्वं वदस्व मे
"O Brāhmaṇa, why did you laugh so suddenly, saying 'excellent, excellent' to me? Tell me the reason for this."
तमेवंवादिनं शुक्र उवाच वदतां वरः विस्मयाद्व्रतमाहात्म्याद् धास्यमेतत्कृतं मया
To him who spoke thus, Śukra, foremost of speakers, replied: "Out of wonder at the greatness of the vow, I laughed."
पुरा दक्षविनाशाय कुपितस्य तु शूलिनः अथ तद्भीमवक्त्रस्य स्वेदबिन्दुर्ललाटजः
Long ago, when the trident-bearer was enraged for the destruction of Dakṣa, then a drop of sweat fell from his terrible brow.
भित्त्वा स सप्त पातालान् अदहत्सप्त सागरान् अनेकवक्त्रनयनो ज्वलज्ज्वलनभीषणः
Piercing the seven netherworlds, it burned the seven oceans; with countless faces and eyes, blazing, dreadful with fire.
वीरभद्र इति ख्यातः करपादायुतैर्युतः कृत्वासौ यज्ञमथनं पुनर्भूतलसम्भवः त्रिजगन्निर्दहन्भूयः शिवेन विनिवारितः
Known as Vīrabhadra, endowed with ten thousand arms and legs, he destroyed the sacrifice, was born again on earth, and as he burned the three worlds, he was restrained by Śiva.
कृतं त्वया वीरभद्र दक्षयज्ञविनाशनम् इदानीमलमेतेन लोकदाहेन कर्मणा
"You have accomplished, O Vīrabhadra, the destruction of Dakṣa’s sacrifice; now, by this act of burning the worlds, enough has been done."
शान्तिप्रदाता सर्वेषां ग्रहाणां प्रथमो भव प्रेक्षिष्यन्ते जनाः पूजां करिष्यन्ति वरान्मम
"Be the first among all planets to grant peace; people will see and worship you, receiving boons from me."
अङ्गारक इति ख्यातिं गमिष्यसि धरात्मज देवलोके ऽद्वितीयं च तव रूपं भविष्यति
"You will become known as Aṅgāraka, O son of the earth; in the world of the gods, your form will be without equal."
ये च त्वां पूजयिष्यन्ति चतुर्थ्यां त्वद्दिने नराः रूपमारोग्यमैश्वर्यं तेष्वनन्तं भविष्यति
Those men who worship you on the fourth day, your day, will receive endless beauty, health, and prosperity.
एवमुक्तस्तदा शान्तिम् अगमत् कामरूपधृक् संजातस्तत्क्षणाद्राजन् ग्रहत्वम् अगमत्पुनः
Thus addressed, he attained peace, assuming any form at will; at that very moment, O king, he became a planet again.
स कदाचिद्भवांस्तस्य पूजार्घ्यादिकमुत्तमम् दृष्टवान्क्रियमाणं च शूद्रेण च व्यवस्थितः
Once, you saw his excellent worship and offerings being performed by a Śūdra, as you stood by.
तेन त्वं रूपवाञ्जातः सुरशत्रुकुलोद्वह विविधा च रुचिर्जाता यस्मात्तव विदूरगा
Because of that, you became handsome, O best of the gods’ enemies; many kinds of beauty arose in you, surpassing all others.
विरोचन इति प्राहुस् तस्मात्त्वां देवदानवाः शूद्रेण क्रियमाणस्य व्रतस्य तव दर्शनात् ईदृशीं रूपसम्पत्तिं दृष्ट्वा विस्मितवानहम्
Therefore, gods and Dānavas call you Virocana; seeing the vow performed by a Śūdra, I was amazed at your splendid form.
साधु साध्विति तेनोक्तम् अहो माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् पश्यतो ऽपि भवेद्रूपम् ऐश्वर्यं किमु कुर्वतः
"Excellent, excellent!" he said; "Oh, what supreme greatness! Even by seeing it, one gains beauty and prosperity—what then of those who perform it?"
यस्माच्च भक्त्या धरणीसुतस्य विनिन्द्यमानेन गवादिदानम् आलोकितं तेन सुरारिगर्भे सम्भूतिरेषा तव दैत्य जाता
Because the gift of cows and other offerings was made with devotion to the son of the earth, though it was disparaged, this is the cause of your birth in the womb of the enemy of the gods, O Daitya.
अथ तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भार्गवस्य महात्मनः प्रह्रादनन्दनो वीरः पुनः पप्रच्छ विस्मितः
Then, having heard those words of the great-souled Bhārgava, the heroic son of Prahrāda, astonished, again asked him.
भगवंस्तद्व्रतं सम्यक् श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः दीयमानं तु यद्दानं मया दृष्टं भवान्तरे
Revered one, I wish to hear in full the truth of that vow, and the giving that I saw performed in a previous existence.
माहात्म्यं च विधिं तस्य यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनः प्रोवाच विस्तरात्
You should properly describe its greatness and procedure; thus, hearing those words, he again spoke in detail.
चतुर्थ्यङ्गारकदिने यदा भवति दानव मृदा स्नानं तदा कुर्यात् पद्मरागविभूषितः
On the fourth day, when it is Aṅgāraka, O Dānava, one should bathe with clay, adorned with padmarāga gems.
अग्निर्मूर्धा दिवो मन्त्रं जपन्नास्ते उदङ्मुखः शूद्रस्तूष्णीं स्मरन्भौमम् आस्ते भोगविवर्जितः
Facing north, the fire is placed as the head of the ritual, reciting mantras; the Śūdra sits silently, remembering Bhauma, abstaining from enjoyment.
तथास्तमित आदित्ये गोमयेनानुलेपयेत् प्राङ्गणं पुष्पमालाभिर् अक्षताभिः समन्ततः
When the sun has set, one should smear the courtyard with cow dung, and decorate it all around with garlands of flowers and unbroken grains.
अभ्यर्च्याभिलिखेत्पद्मं कुङ्कुमेनाष्टपत्त्रकम् कुङ्कुमस्याप्यभावे तु रक्तचन्दनमिष्यते
After worship, one should draw a lotus with eight petals using kuṅkuma; if kuṅkuma is unavailable, red sandalwood is acceptable.