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—
एते तपसि तिष्ठन्ति व्रतैरपि सुदुष्करैः ब्रह्मचर्यं पुरस्कृत्य प्रार्थयन्ति परां गतिम्
These remain steadfast in austerity, undertaking vows that are most difficult, and, with celibacy at the forefront, seek the highest state.
ब्रह्यचर्याद्ब्राह्मणस्य ब्राह्मणत्वं विधीयते एवमाहुः परे लोके ब्रह्मचर्यविदो जनाः
It is from celibacy that a Brahmin’s Brahminhood is established; thus do those who know celibacy declare in the other world.
ब्रह्मचर्ये स्थितं सत्यं ब्रह्मचर्ये स्थितं तपः ये स्थिता ब्रह्मचर्ये तु ब्राह्मणा दिवि संस्थिताः
Truth abides in celibacy, austerity abides in celibacy; those Brahmins who remain steadfast in celibacy dwell in heaven.
नास्ति योगं विना सिद्धिर् न वा सिद्धिं विना यशः नास्ति लोके यशोमूलं ब्रह्मचर्यात्परं तपः
Without yoga there is no attainment, nor is there fame without attainment; in this world, there is no root of fame greater than celibacy, nor any austerity superior to it.
यो निगृह्येन्द्रियग्रामं भूतग्रामं च पञ्चकम् ब्रह्मचर्यं समाधत्ते किमतः परमं तपः
He who restrains the group of senses and the fivefold group of elements, and establishes himself in celibacy—what austerity is greater than this?
अयोगे केशधरणम् असंकल्पव्रतक्रियां अब्रह्मचर्ये चर्या च त्रयं स्याद् दम्भसंज्ञकम्
Wearing matted hair without union, performing vows without resolve, and conduct without celibacy—these three are known as hypocrisy.
क्व दाराः क्व च संयोगः क्व च भावविपर्ययः नन्वियं ब्रह्मणा सृष्टा मनसा मानसी प्रजा
Where are wives, where is union, and where is the confusion of feelings? Was not this mental progeny created by Brahma through his mind?
यद्यस्ति तपसो वीर्यं युष्माकं विदितात्मनाम् सृजध्वं मानसान्पुत्रान् प्राजापत्येन कर्मणा
If you, who know your own selves, possess the power of austerity, then create mental sons by the act of Prajapati.
मनसा निर्मिता योनिर् आधातव्या तपस्विभिः न दारयोगो बीजं वा व्रतमुक्तं तपस्विनाम्
The womb created by the mind should be established by ascetics; for ascetics released by vows, there is neither union nor seed.
यदिदं लुप्तधर्मार्थं युष्माभिरिह निर्भयैः व्याहृतं सद्भिरत्यर्थम् असद्भिरिव मे मतम्
What you have declared here, fearlessly, abandoning righteousness and purpose, seems to me, though spoken by the good, to be as if by the wicked.