संतप्ते मायया सैन्ये हन्यमाने च दानवैः। चोदितो देवराजेन वरुणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
When the army was afflicted by illusion and being slain by the Daityas, Varuṇa, prompted by the king of the gods, spoke these words:
पुरा ब्रह्मर्षिजः शक्र तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्। उर्वः स पूर्वं तेजस्वी सदृशो ब्रह्मणो गुणैः
Long ago, O Indra, a son of a Brahmarṣi performed severe austerities; he was radiant, equal to Brahmā in qualities.
तं तपंतमिवादित्यं तपसा जगदव्ययं। उपतस्थुर्मुनिगणा देवा देवर्षिभिः सह
As he practiced austerity like the blazing sun, sustaining the imperishable world through his penance, hosts of sages and gods, along with divine seers, approached him.
हिरण्यकशिपुश्चैव दानवो दानवेश्वरः। ॠषिं विज्ञापयामास पुरा परमतेजसम्
Hiraṇyakaśipu, the lord of the Daityas, once approached that sage of supreme brilliance.
ऊचुर्ब्रह्मर्षयस्ते तु वचनं धर्मसंहितम्। ॠषिवंशेषु भगवंश्छिन्नमूलमिदं कुलं
Then those Brahmarṣis spoke words imbued with righteousness: 'O revered one, in the lineage of sages, this family has had its roots cut off.'
एकस्त्वमनपत्यश्च गोत्रा याऽन्यो न विद्यते। कौमारं व्रतमास्थाय क्लेशमेवानुवर्तसे
'You alone remain, without offspring, and there is no other of your lineage; having adopted the vow of celibacy from youth, you continue only in hardship.'
बहूनि विप्रगोत्राणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्। एकदेहानि तिष्ठंति विविक्तानि विना प्रजाः
'Many Brāhmaṇa lineages of self-controlled sages exist as solitary bodies, distinct and without progeny.'
एवंभूतेषु सर्वेषु पुत्रैर्मे नास्ति कारणम्। भवांश्च तापसश्रेष्ठः प्रजापति समद्युतिः
'With all these being so, there is no reason for my sons; and you, best of ascetics, are equal in splendor to a progenitor.'
तत्प्रवर्तस्व वंशाय वर्धयात्मानमात्मना। समाधत्स्वोर्जितं तेजो द्वितीयां कुरु वै तनुं
'Therefore, set forth to continue your lineage, increase yourself by yourself; establish your hard-won energy, and create a second body.'
स एवमुक्तो मुनिभिर्मुनिर्मनसि ताडितः। जगर्ह तानृषिगणान्वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by the sages, the sage, struck in his mind, reproached those groups of seers and spoke these words:
यथा हि विहितो धर्मो मुनीनां शाश्वतः पुरा। आर्षं हि केवलं कर्म वन्यमूलफलाशिनः
'As the eternal law was established for sages of old, their sole act was that of seers, subsisting on forest roots and fruits.'
ब्रह्मयोनौ प्रसूतस्य ब्राह्मणस्यात्मवर्तिनः। ब्रह्मचर्यं सुचरितं ब्रह्माणमपि चालयेत्
'For a Brāhmaṇa born from the womb of Brahmā, who follows his own path, well-practiced celibacy can even move Brahmā himself.'
जनानां वृत्तयस्तिस्रो ये गृहाश्रमवासिनः। अस्माकं च वने वृत्तिर्वनाश्रमनिवासिनां
'There are three ways of life for people who dwell in the householder stage; and for us in the forest, the way of life is that of the forest-dwelling stage.'
अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च दंतोलूखलिनस्तथा। अश्मकुट्टादयो यत्र पंचाग्नितपसश्च ये
'Some subsist on water, some on air, some grind with their teeth, some pound with stones, and some perform the penance of the five fires.'
एते तपसि तिष्ठंतो व्रतैरपि सुदुश्चरैः। ब्रह्मचर्यं पुरस्कृत्य प्रार्थयंति परां गतिम्
'These, remaining steadfast in austerity and in extremely difficult vows, with celibacy at the forefront, seek the highest state.'
ब्रह्मचर्याद्ब्रह्मणस्य ब्राह्मणत्वं विधीयते। एवमाहुः परे लोके ब्राह्मचर्यविदो जनाः
'From celibacy, the Brāhmaṇa's Brāhmaṇahood is established; thus say those in the higher world who know the practice of celibacy.'
ब्रह्मचर्ये स्थितो धर्मो ब्रह्मचर्ये स्थितं तपः। ये स्थिता ब्रह्मचर्ये तु ब्राह्मणा दिवि ते स्थिताः
'Righteousness abides in celibacy, austerity abides in celibacy; those Brāhmaṇas who abide in celibacy dwell in heaven.'
नास्ति योगं विना सिद्धिर्नास्ति योगं विना यशः। नास्ति लोके यशोमूलं ब्रह्मचर्यात्परंतपः
'There is no attainment without yoga, no fame without yoga; in this world, there is no root of fame greater than celibacy, O scorcher of foes.'
यो निगृह्येंद्रियग्रामं भूतग्रामं च पंचकम्। 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?
अयोगकेशधरणमसंकल्प व्रत क्रिया। अब्रह्मचर्या चर्या च त्रयं स्याद्दंभसंज्ञितं
Wearing matted hair without discipline, undertaking vows and rituals without resolve, and living 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 thoughts? Was not this mind-born progeny created by Brahmā through his mind?
यद्यस्ति तपसो वीर्यं युष्माकं विजितात्मनाम्। सृजध्वं मानसान्पुत्रान्प्राजापत्येन कर्मणा
If you, who have mastered yourselves, possess the power of austerity, then create mind-born sons through the act of a progenitor.
मनसा निर्मिता योनिराधातव्या तपस्विभिः। नो दारयोगं बीजं च व्रतमुक्तं तपस्विनां
The womb created by the mind should be established by ascetics; not through union with a wife or seed, for such is the vow declared for ascetics.
यदिदं लुप्तधर्माख्यं युष्माभिरिह निर्भयैः। व्याहृतं सद्भिरत्यर्थमसद्भिरिव संमतं
This so-called lost dharma, which you have fearlessly declared here, is greatly approved by the good, but regarded as false by the unworthy.
वपुर्दीप्तांतरात्मानमेष कृत्वा मनोमयं। दारयोगं विना स्रक्ष्ये पुत्रमात्मतनूरुहं
Having made my form radiant within, composed of mind, I shall create a son from my own body, without union with a wife.
एवमात्मानमात्मा मे द्वितीयं जनयिष्यति। प्राजापत्येन विधिना दिधक्षंतमिव प्रजाः
Thus, my own self will generate a second self, by the method of the progenitor, as if desiring to burn up the creatures.
वरुण उवाच। उर्वस्तु तपसाविष्टो निवेश्योरुं हुताशने। ममंथैकेन दर्भेण पुत्रस्य प्रसवारणिं
Varuṇa said: Urva, possessed by austerity, was made to sit with her thigh in the sacrificial fire; with a single blade of darbha grass, he churned the place for the birth of a son.
तस्योरुं सहसा भित्वा वरोऽसौ ह्यग्निरुत्थितः। जगतो दहनाकांक्षी पुत्रोग्निस्समपद्यत
Breaking open her thigh suddenly, that excellent fire arose—Agni, desiring to burn the world, became the son.
उर्वस्योरुं विनिर्भिद्य और्वो नामांतकोऽनलः। दिधक्षुरिव लोकांस्त्रीन्जज्ञे परमकोपनः
Splitting open Urva's thigh, the fire named Aurva, the fierce one, was born, as if wishing to burn the three worlds, exceedingly wrathful.
उत्पद्यमानश्चोवाच पितरं दीनया गिरा। क्षुधा मे बाधते तात जगद्भक्षेत्यजस्व मां
As he was being born, he spoke to his father in a plaintive voice: 'Hunger torments me, father. Let me consume the world.'