स च तस्मिन्समुद्भ्रांतो ब्रह्महत्याकृते भये । निलिल्य बिसमध्येऽसौ स्थितो वर्षगणान्बहून्
Disturbed by the fear of Brahmanicide, he hid himself in the midst of a lotus, remaining there for many years.
तया गृहीतो भो देवि निश्चेष्टः समपद्यत । तस्या व्यपोहने शक्रः प्रयत्नं च चकार ह
Seized by her, O goddess, he became motionless; Śakra made every effort to free himself from her.
न शक्तोऽभून्महादेवि ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहितुम् । तया गृहीतमात्रस्तु देवेंद्रो निष्ठरूपधृक्
But, O great goddess, he was unable to dispel Brahmanicide; seized by her, the lord of the gods remained fixed in form.
पितामहमुपागम्य शिरसा प्रत्यपूजयत् । ज्ञात्वा गृहीतं शक्रं तु द्विजप्रवरहत्यया
He approached the Grandsire and bowed his head in reverence, having realized that Śakra had been seized by the slayer of a foremost Brahmin.
ब्रह्मा संचिंतयामास तदा वै सुरसत्तमे । सा चिंत्यमाना ब्रह्माणमुपगम्याब्रवीद्वचः
Then Brahmā considered the matter regarding the best of the gods; as he pondered, she approached Brahmā and spoke these words:
प्राप्तास्मि भगवन्देव त्वत्सकाशं हि मानद । यत्कर्त्तव्यं मया देव तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
"O Lord, I have come into your presence, O bestower of honor; whatever I must do, O god, you should declare to me."
तामुवाच महाभागे ब्रह्महत्यां पितामहः । स्वरेण मधुरेणाथ संक्षेपेण यथातथम्
To her, O noble lady, the grandsire spoke regarding the sin of killing a Brahmin, with a sweet voice, briefly and truthfully.
मुच्यतां देवराजोऽयं मत्प्रियं कुरु भामिनि । ब्रूहि किं ते करोम्यद्य कामं त्वं किमिहेच्छसि
Let the king of the gods be released; do this for me, O beautiful one. Tell me, what shall I do for you today? What is your desire?
हत्योवाच। शक्रादपगमिष्यामि वचनात्ते नरोत्तम । देवदेव नमस्तेस्तु निवासं च ददस्व मे
The sin of killing replied: I will depart from Śakra at your word, O best of men. O Lord of gods, salutations to you; grant me a dwelling place.
महादेव उवाच। तथेति तां प्रतिज्ञाय हत्यां चापि पितामहः । उपायमथ शक्रस्य ब्रह्महत्यापनोदने
Mahādeva spoke: 'So be it,' and thus pledged to her, and the grandsire also. Then, he sought a means for Śakra's removal of the Brahmin-killing sin.
ततो वह्निं समाहूय ब्रह्मा वचनमब्रवीत् । शक्रहत्या चतुर्थांशं जातवेदो गृहाण भो
Then, summoning fire, Brahmā spoke: 'O Jātavedas, accept a fourth part of Śakra's Brahmin-killing sin.'
अग्निरुवाच। मम मोक्षस्य को हेतुर्ब्रह्महत्याकृते प्रभो । एतदिच्छामि विज्ञातुं तत्त्वतो लोकपूजित
Agni spoke: 'What is the reason for my liberation, O Lord, in regard to the Brahmin-killing sin? I wish to know this truly, O honored one.'
ब्रह्मोवाच। यस्त्वां ज्वलंतमासाद्य न होष्यति नरः क्वचित् । बीजौषधितिलानग्रे फलमूलसमित्कुशान्
Brahmā spoke: 'Whoever approaches you while you are blazing will never use you in any way for seeds, herbs, sesame, fruits, roots, sacrificial sticks, or kuśa grass.'
तदैव त्यक्षति त्वां च तत्रैव च निवत्स्यति । ब्रह्महत्या हव्यवाह व्येतु ते मनसो ज्वरः
At that moment, he will abandon you and remain there; O carrier of offerings, let the fever of your mind caused by Brahmin-killing depart.
ततः स परिजग्राह तद्वचो हव्यकव्यभुक् । पितामहश्च भगवान्तथा तदलभत्प्रियम्
Then, the eater of offerings accepted that command, and the blessed grandsire thus obtained his desire.
ततो वृक्षौषधितृणान्याहूय स पितामहः । इममर्थं महाभागे वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे 6.168.
Then, summoning trees, herbs, and grasses, the grandsire began to speak this matter to the noble lady.
ततो वृक्षौषधितृणैस्तथैवोक्तं यथातथम् । व्यथितान्यग्निवद्देवि ब्रह्माणं वाक्यमब्रुवन्
Then, the trees, herbs, and grasses spoke as instructed, O goddess, afflicted like Agni, and addressed Brahmā.
अस्माकं ब्रह्महत्यायाः कथयंतः पितामह । स्वभाव निहिता तस्मान्न पुनर्हंतुमर्हसि
For us, O grandsire, the Brahmin-killing sin is inherent by nature; therefore, you should not kill us again.
वयमग्निं तथा शीतं वर्षं च पवनेरितम् । सहामः सततं देव तथा छेदनभेदनम्
We endure fire, cold, rain driven by wind, O god, and also cutting and splitting, always.
ब्रह्मोवाच। अकारणं नरो यस्तु युष्मच्छेदनभेदनम् । करिष्यति महामोहात्तमेषानु प्रयास्यति
Brahmā spoke: 'If any man, out of great delusion, cuts or splits you without cause, this sin will go to him.'
महादेव उवाच। ततो महौषधितृणैरोमित्युक्तं महात्मभिः । ब्रह्माणमपि संपूज्य जग्मुश्चाथ यथागतम्
Mahādeva spoke: 'Then, as said by the great souls, the trees, herbs, and grasses, after honoring Brahmā, departed as they had come.'
आहूयाप्सरसो देवस्ततो लोकपितामहः । वाचा मधुरया प्राह सांत्वयन्निव सत्तमे
Then, summoning the Apsarases, the lord of the worlds, the grandsire, spoke with sweet words, as if consoling, to the noble ones.
इयं वृत्रादनुप्राप्ता ब्रह्महत्या वराङ्गनाः । चतुर्थमस्या भागं च मयोक्तं संप्रतीच्छथ
This Brahmin-killing sin, O beautiful ones, has come from Vṛtra; I have assigned a fourth part of it to you, accept it now.
अप्सरा ऊचुः । ग्रहणे कृतबुद्धीनां देवेश तव शासनात् । संमोक्षसमयोऽस्माकं चिंतनीयः पितामह
The Apsarases spoke: 'We are resolved to accept it, O lord of gods, by your command; but the time for our liberation, O grandsire, must be considered.'
पितामह उवाच। रजस्वलासु नारीषु यो वै मैथुनमाचरेत् । तमेषा यास्यति क्षिप्रं व्येतु वो मनसो ज्वरः
Pitāmaha said: Whoever engages in intercourse with women during their menstrual period, she will swiftly depart from him; let the fever of your minds subside.
महादेव उवाच। तथेति हृष्टमनसः प्रत्युक्ता ह्यप्सरोगणाः । स्वानि स्थानानि संप्राप्य रेमिरे शैलजे तदा
Mahādeva said: 'So be it,' replied the group of apsarases, their hearts delighted. Having reached their own places, they enjoyed themselves with the daughter of the mountain.
ततश्च लोककृद्देवः पुनरेव पितामहः । आपः संचिंतयामास ततस्ताश्च समागमन्
Then the creator of the worlds, Pitāmaha, once again considered the waters, and they came together.
ताश्च सर्वाः समागम्य ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् । इदमूचुर्वचो देवि प्रणिपत्य पितामहम्
All of them gathered and, bowing to Pitāmaha, the goddess with immeasurable energy, spoke these words to Brahmā.
इमाः स्म देव संप्राप्तास्त्वत्सकाशमरिंदम। शासनात्तव देवेश समाज्ञापय तत्प्रभो
O god, we have come to you, O destroyer of enemies, at your command, O lord of gods; instruct us, O master.
ब्रह्मोवाच। इयं वृत्रादनुप्राप्ता पुरुहूतं भयानका । ब्रह्महत्या चतुर्थांशं यूयमस्याः प्रतीच्छथ
Brahmā said: This dreadful Brahma-hatya, which came from Vṛtra, has reached Indra. You must accept a fourth part of it.