पुण्यं पवित्रमायुष्यं सर्वपापविनाशनम् पुरा मलये न कथितं तीर्थश्राद्धानुकीर्तनम्
This is holy, purifying, life-giving, and destroys all sins; in ancient times on Malaya it was not told—the recounting of the sacred rites and offerings at the holy places.
शृणोति यः पठेद्वापि श्रीमान्संजायते नरः
Whoever hears or recites this, even once, is born as a blessed and prosperous person.
श्राद्धकाले च वक्तव्यं तथा तीर्थनिवासिभिः सर्वपापोपशान्त्यर्थम् अलक्ष्मीनाशनं परम्
At the time of the ancestral rite, it should be spoken by those residing at the holy places, for the removal of all sins and the utter destruction of misfortune.
इदं पवित्रं यशसो निधानम् इदं महापापहरं च पुंसाम् ब्रह्मार्करुद्रैरपि पूजितं च श्राद्धस्य माहात्म्यमुशन्ति तज्ज्ञाः
This is pure, a treasure of fame, and the destroyer of great sins for men; even Brahma, the Sun, and Rudra honor it—the wise declare this as the glory of the ancestral rite.
सोमः पितॄणामधिपः कथं शास्त्रविशारद तद्वंश्या ये च राजानो बभूवुः कीर्तिवर्धनाः
How did Soma become lord of the ancestors, O learned one in the scriptures? And which kings of his lineage became renowned?
आदिष्टो ब्रह्मणा पूर्वम् अत्रिः सर्गविधौ पुरा अनुत्तमं नाम तपः सृष्ट्यर्थं तप्तवान्प्रभुः
Long ago, at the beginning of creation, Atri was instructed by Brahma and undertook the supreme austerity called Anuttama for the purpose of creation.
यदानन्दकरं ब्रह्म जगत्क्लेशविनाशनम् ब्रह्मविष्ण्वर्करुद्राणाम् अभ्यन्तरमतीन्द्रियम्
That which brings joy to Brahma and destroys the suffering of the world, which is the inner, transcendent essence of Brahma, Vishnu, the Sun, and Rudra—
शान्तिकृच् छान्तमनसस् तदन्तर्नयने स्थितम् माहात्म्यात्तपसा विप्राः परमानन्दकारकम्
That which brings peace, which is established in the peaceful mind and inner vision, which, by its greatness and austerity, brings supreme bliss to the sages—
यस्मादुमापतिः सार्धम् उमया तमधिष्ठितः तं दृष्ट्वा चाष्टमांशेन तस्मात्सोमो ऽभवच्छिशुः
Because the Lord of Uma, together with Uma, presided over it, seeing that, by a portion of himself, Soma was born as a child from them.
अधः सुस्राव नेत्राभ्यां धाम तच्चाम्बुसम्भवम् दीपयन्विश्वमखिलं ज्योत्स्नया सचराचरम्
From his eyes flowed downward a radiance, born of water, illuminating the entire world, both moving and unmoving, with its moonlight.
तद्दिशो जगृहुर्धाम स्त्रीरूपेण सुतेच्छया गर्भो भूत्वोदरे तासाम् आस्थितो ऽब्दशतत्रयम्
Desiring a son, the directions took up that radiance in the form of women; it became an embryo in their wombs and remained there for three hundred years.
आशास्तं मुमुचुर्गर्भम् अशक्ता धारणे ततः समादायाथ तं गर्भम् एकीकृत्य चतुर्मुखः
Unable to bear the embryo, the directions released it; then Brahma took up that embryo, united it, and—
युवानमकरोद्ब्रह्मा सर्वायुधधरं नरम् स्यन्दने ऽथ सहस्राश्वे वेदशक्तिमये प्रभुः
Brahma made him a young man, a warrior bearing all weapons; then, placing him on a chariot with a thousand horses, the Lord, endowed with the power of the Vedas—
आरोप्य लोकमनयद् आत्मीयं स पितामह तत्र ब्रह्मर्षिभिः प्रोक्तम् अस्मत्स्वामी भवत्वयम्
Having set him on the chariot, the Grandfather (Brahma) led him to his own world; there, the Brahmarshis declared, 'Let this one be our lord.'
ऋषिभिर्देवगन्धर्वैर् ओषधीभिस्तथैव च तुष्टुवुः सोमदेवत्यैर् ब्रह्माद्या मन्त्रसंग्रहैः
The sages, gods, Gandharvas, and also the herbs praised him; the deities of Soma, Brahma, and others extolled him with collections of hymns.
स्तूयमानस्य तस्याभूद् अधिको धामसम्भवः तेजोवितानादभवद् भुवि दिव्यौषधीगणः
As he was being praised, a greater radiance arose from him; from that brilliance, a host of divine herbs appeared on earth.
तद्दीप्तिरधिका तस्माद् रात्रौ भवति सर्वदा तेनौषधीशः सोमो ऽभूद् द्विजेशश्चापि गद्यते
Therefore, his radiance is always greater at night; thus Soma became lord of the herbs and is also called lord of the twice-born.
वेदधामरसं चापि यदिदं चन्द्रमण्डलम् क्षीयते वर्धते चैव शुक्ले कृष्णे च सर्वदा
The essence of the Vedas and the radiance that is the lunar orb—this waxes and wanes always, during the bright and dark fortnights.
विंशतिं च तथा सप्त दक्षः प्राचेतसो ददौ रूपलावण्यसंयुक्तास् तस्मै कन्याः सुवर्चसः
Daksha, the son of Prachetas, then gave twenty-seven daughters endowed with beauty and charm to him, all possessing splendid radiance.
ततः पद्मसहस्राणां सहस्राणि दशैव तु तपश्चचार शीतांशुर् विष्णुध्यानैकतत्परः
Then Soma, wholly devoted to meditation on Vishnu, performed austerities equal to ten thousand times a thousand lotuses.
ततस्तुष्टस्तु भगवांस् तस्मै नारायणो हरिः वरं वृणीष्व प्रोवाच परमात्मा जनार्दनः
Thereupon, the blessed Narayana Hari, pleased, spoke to him: 'Choose a boon,' said Janardana, the Supreme Self.
ततो वव्रे वरान्सोमः शक्रलोकं जयाम्यहम् प्रत्यक्षमेव भोक्तारो भवन्तु मम मन्दिरे
Then Soma chose these boons: 'May I conquer Indra's world; may the enjoyers in my abode be manifest before me.'
राजसूये सुरगणा ब्रह्माद्याः सन्तु मे द्विजाः रक्षःपालः शिवो ऽस्माकम् आस्तां शूलधरो हरः
'At my Rajasuya sacrifice, may the hosts of gods, Brahma and others, be my priests; may Shiva, the trident-bearer, be our protector.'
तथेत्युक्तः स आजह्रे राजसूयं तु विष्णुना होतात्रिर् भृगुरध्वर्युर् उद्गाताभूच्चतुर्मुखः
Having been told 'So be it,' he performed the Rajasuya sacrifice with Vishnu; Atri was the Hotṛ priest, Bhrigu the Adhvaryu, and the Four-faced One the Udgātṛ.
ब्रह्मत्वमगमत्तस्य उपद्रष्टा हरिः स्वयम् सदस्याः सनकाद्यास्तु राजसूयविधौ स्मृताः
He attained the status of Brahma; Hari himself was the overseer, and Sanaka and the others were remembered as members in the Rajasuya rite.
चमसाध्वर्यवस्तत्र विश्वे देवा दशैव तु त्रैलोक्यं दक्षिणा तेन ऋत्विग्भ्यः प्रतिपादितम्
There, the ten Vishvedevas served as Camas and Adhvaryu priests; the three worlds were given as sacrificial fees to the officiating priests.
ततः समाप्ते ऽवभृथे तद्रूपालोकनेच्छवः कामबाणाभितप्ताङ्ग्यो नव देव्यः सिषेविरे
Then, at the conclusion of the ablution, nine goddesses, their bodies inflamed by the arrows of desire and wishing to behold his form, attended upon him.
लक्ष्मीर्नारायणं त्यक्त्वा सिनीवाली च कर्दमम् द्युतिर्विभावसुं तद्वत् तुष्टिर्धातारमव्ययम्
Lakshmi abandoned Narayana, Sinivali left Kardama, Dyuti left Vibhavasu, and Tushti left the imperishable Dhata in the same way.
प्रभा प्रभाकरं त्यक्त्वा हविष्मन्तं कुहूः स्वयम् कीर्तिर्जयन्तं भर्तारं वसुर्मारीचकश्यपम्
Prabha left Prabhakara, Kuhū left Havishmat of her own accord, Kirti left her husband Jayanta, and Vasu left Marichi Kashyapa.
धृतिस् त्यक्त्वा पीतं नन्दिं सोममेवाभजंस्तदा स्वकीया इव सोमो ऽपि कामयामास तास्तदा
Dhriti abandoned Pita and Nandi, and at that time devoted herself to Soma; Soma, in turn, desired them as his own.