तद्युद्धमभवद्घोरं देवदानवसंकुलम् जगतस्त्रासजननं युगसंवर्तकोपमम्
That battle became terrible, filled with gods and Danavas, causing terror in the world, resembling the destruction at the end of an age.
हस्तमुक्तैश्च परिघैर् विप्रयुक्तैश्च पर्वतैः दानवाः समरे जघ्नुर् देवानिन्द्रपुरोगमान्
With iron clubs thrown by hand and mountains cast aside, the Danavas struck the gods in battle, with Indra at their head.
ते वध्यमाना बलिभिर् दानवैर्जितकाशिभिः विषण्णवदना देवा जग्मुरार्तिं परां मृधे
Assailed by the Daityas, mighty and conquerors of the regions, the gods, their faces fallen, entered into great distress in battle.
ते ऽस्त्रशूलप्रमथिताः परिघैर्भिन्नमस्तकाः भिन्नोरस्का दितिसुतैर् वेमू रक्तं व्रणैर्बहु
Struck down by weapons and spears, their heads shattered by iron clubs, their chests broken by the sons of Diti, the gods fell, blood flowing from many wounds.
वेष्टिताः शरजालैश्च निर्यत्नाश्चासुरैः कृताः प्रविष्टा दानवीं मायां न शेकुस्ते विचेष्टितुम्
Enveloped in showers of arrows and rendered helpless by the Asuras, caught in the illusion of the Daityas, they were unable to move.
अस्तं गतमिवाभाति निष्प्राणसदृशाकृति बलं सुराणामसुरैर् निष्प्रयत्नायुधं कृतम्
The army of the gods, made powerless and weaponless by the Asuras, appeared as if the sun had set, their forms resembling those without life.
दैत्यचापच्युतान् घोरांश् छित्त्वा वज्रेण ताञ्छरान् शक्रो दैत्यबलं घोरं विवेश बहुलोचनः
Indra, wide-eyed, cut down those terrible arrows shot from the Daityas' bows with his thunderbolt, and entered the fierce Daitya army.
स दैत्यप्रमुखान्हत्वा तद्दानवबलं महत् तामसेनास्त्रजालेन तमोभूतमथाकरोत्
Having slain the foremost Daityas and that great host of Dānavas, he made it shrouded in darkness with a net of Tamasic weapons.
ते ऽन्योन्यं नावबुध्यन्त देवानां वाहनानि च घोरेण तमसाविष्टाः पुरुहूतस्य तेजसा
Overwhelmed by that dreadful darkness created by Puruhūta's (Indra's) power, they could not recognize one another or even the vehicles of the gods.
मायापाशैर्विमुक्तास्तु यत्नवन्तः सुरोत्तमाः वपूंषि दैत्यसिंहानां तमोभूतान्यपातयन्
Freed from the bonds of illusion, the best of the gods, striving with effort, struck down the bodies of the Daitya leaders, which had become shrouded in darkness.
अपध्वस्ता विसंज्ञाश्च तमसा नीलवर्चसा पेतुस्ते दानवगणाश् छिन्नपक्षा इवाद्रयः
The Daitya hosts, scattered and senseless, their brilliance darkened, fell like mountains with their wings cut off.
तद्घनीभूतदैत्येन्द्रम् अन्धकार इवार्णवे दानवं देवकदनं तमोभूतमिवाभवत्
That Daitya lord, thick with darkness like the ocean at night, became as if the slayer of gods himself was enveloped in gloom.
तदासृजन्महामायां मयस्तां तामसीं दहन् युगान्तोद्योतजननीं सृष्टामौर्वेण वह्निना
Then Maya created a great illusion, Tamasic and blazing, produced by Aurva fire, like the fire that appears at the end of an age.
सा ददाह ततः सर्वान् माया मयविकल्पिता दैत्याश्चादित्यवपुषः सद्य उत्तस्थुराहवे
That illusion, fashioned by Maya, burned all the gods; and the Daityas, assuming the forms of the sun, immediately rose up in the battle.
मायामौर्वीं समासाद्य दह्यमाना दिवौकसः भेजिरे चन्द्रविषयं शीतांशुसलिलप्रदम्
Afflicted by the Aurva illusion and burning, the gods sought the realm of the moon, which gives coolness and water.
ते दह्यमाना ह्यौर्वेण वह्निना नष्टचेतसः शशंसुर्वज्रिणं देवाः संतप्ताः शरणैषिणः
Burning with the Aurva fire, their minds lost, the gods, tormented and seeking refuge, appealed to the wielder of the thunderbolt.
संतते मायया सैन्ये हन्यमाने च दानवैः चोदितो देवराजेन वरुणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
As the army was being destroyed by the Daityas and enveloped in illusion, Varuṇa, urged by the king of the gods, spoke these words.
पुरा ब्रह्मर्षिजः शक्र तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ऊर्वः सपूर्वतेजस्वी सदृशो ब्रह्मणो गुणैः
Once, O Indra, the sage Aurva, born of Brahmarshis, performed severe austerities, radiant with former brilliance, equal to Brahmā in qualities.
तं तपन्तमिवादित्यं तपसा जगदव्ययम् उपतस्थुर्मुनिगणा दिव्या देवर्षिभिः सह
As he performed austerities like the blazing sun, the hosts of divine sages, along with the Devarṣis, approached him.
हिरण्यकशिपुश्चैव दानवो दानवेश्वरः ऋषिं विज्ञापयामासुः पुरा परमतेजसम्
And Hiraṇyakaśipu, the lord of the Dānavas, once approached that sage of supreme brilliance and made his request.
ऊचुर्ब्रह्मर्षयस्तं तु वचनं धर्मसंहितम् ऋषिवंशेषु भगवंश् छिन्नमूलमिदं पदम्
The Brahmarshis then spoke these words, imbued with righteousness: 'O venerable one, in the lines of seers, this lineage stands cut off at its root.'
एकस्त्वमनपत्यश्च गोत्रजो ऽन्यो न वर्तते कौमारं व्रतमास्थाय क्लेशमेवानुवर्तसे
You alone remain, without offspring, and no other of your lineage exists; having adopted the vow of celibacy from youth, you only continue in hardship.
बहूनि विप्र गोत्राणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् एकदेहानि तिष्ठन्ति विविक्तानि विना प्रजाः
O Brahmin, among the sages of purified soul, many lineages exist, but their bodies remain solitary, without progeny.
एवमुच्छिन्नमूलैश्च पुत्रैर्नो नास्ति कारणम् भवांस्तु तपसा श्रेष्ठो प्रजापातसमद्युतिः
Thus, with sons cut off at the root, we have no cause; but you, foremost in austerity, radiant as Prajapati, remain.
तत्र वर्तस्व वंशाय वर्धयात्मानम् आत्मना त्वया धर्मो ऽर्जितस्तेन द्वितीयां कुरु वै तनुम्
Therefore, act for the sake of your lineage; increase yourself by your own self. By your virtue, which you have acquired, create a second body.
स एवमुक्तो मुनिभिर् मुनिर् मर्मसु ताडितः जगर्हे तानृषिगणान् वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by the sages, the sage, struck to the core, reproached those groups of seers and spoke these words:
यथायं विहितो धरो मुनीनां शाश्वतः पुरा आर्षं वै सेवतः कर्म वन्यमूलफलाशिनः
As this eternal practice was established among the sages of old—serving the rishi’s way, living on forest roots and fruits—
ब्रह्मयोनौ प्रसूतस्य ब्राह्मणस्यात्मदर्शिनः ब्रह्मचर्यं सुचरितं ब्रह्माणमपि चालयेत्
For a Brahmin born from Brahma, who has realized the self, well-practiced celibacy can even shake the mind of Brahma himself.
जनानां वृत्तयस्तिस्रो ये गृहाश्रमवासिनः अस्माकं तु वरं वृत्तिर् वनाश्रमनिवासिनाम्
There are three ways of life for people who dwell in the householder stage; but for us who reside in the forest hermitage, the ascetic life is the best.
अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च दन्तोलूखलिनस्तथा अश्मकुट्टा ह्यशनकाः पञ्चातपसहाश्च ये
Those who live on water, those who live on air, those who grind with their teeth, those who pound with stones, and those who endure the fivefold heat—