मुनिवर्याः समित्पाणि पद्मैर्धर्मक्रियोचिताम् । दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छसुमतिं सर्वज्ञं राम मंत्रिणम्
The foremost sages, holding sacrificial fuel in their hands and adorned with lotuses, observed the rites of dharma; seeing this, Sumati, the all-knowing minister of Rama, was questioned.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। सुमते कस्य संस्थानं मुनेर्भाति पुरोगतम् । निर्वैरिजंतु संसेव्यं मुनिवृंदसमाकुलम्
Shatrughna said: Sumati, whose hermitage is that which shines ahead, filled with sages, free from enmity, and attended by many beings?
श्रोष्यामि मुनिवार्तां च विदधामि पवित्रताम् । निजं वपुस्तदीयाभिर्वार्ताभिर्वर्णनादिभिः
I wish to hear the account of the sage and to perform acts of purification; I will recount my own story through their narratives and descriptions.
इति श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः । कथयामास सचिवो रघुनाथस्य धीमतः
Hearing these great words of the noble Shatrughna, the wise minister of Raghunatha began to speak.
सुमतिरुवाच। च्यवनस्याश्रमं विद्धि महातापसशोभितम् । निर्वैरिजंतुसंकीर्णं मुनिपत्नीभिरावृतम्
Sumati said: Know this as the hermitage of Cyavana, radiant with the great ascetic, crowded with peaceful beings and surrounded by the wives of sages.
योऽसौ महामुनिः स्वर्गवैद्ययोर्भागमादधात् । स्वायंभुवमहायज्ञे शक्रमानविभेदनः
He is that great sage who apportioned the share of heaven and medicine in the great sacrifice of Svayambhu, breaking the pride of Indra and the gods.
महामुनेः प्रभावोऽयं न केनापि समाप्यते । तपोबलसमृद्धस्य वेदमूर्तिधरस्य ह
The power of that great sage cannot be matched by anyone, for he is filled with the strength of asceticism and bears the form of the Veda.
श्रुत्वा रामानुजो वार्तां च्यवनस्य महामुनेः । सर्वं पप्रच्छ सुमतिं शक्रमानादिभंजनम्
Hearing the account of the great sage Cyavana, Rama’s younger brother asked Sumati everything about the one who broke the pride of Indra and the gods.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कदासौ दस्रयोर्भागं चकार सुरपंक्तिषु । किं कृतं देवराजेन स्वायंभुव महामखे
Shatrughna said: When did he give the share to the Ashvins among the gods, and what did the king of the gods do at the great sacrifice of Svayambhu?
सुमतिरुवाच। ब्रह्मवंशेऽतिविख्यातो मुनिर्भृगुरिति श्रुतः । कदाचिद्गतवान्सायं समिदाहरणं प्रति
Sumati said: In the lineage of Brahma, a sage renowned as Bhrigu is heard of; once, in the evening, he went to collect sacrificial fuel.
तदा मखविनाशाय दमनो राक्षसो बली । आगत्योच्चैर्जगादेदं महाभयकरं वचः
Then, for the destruction of the sacrifice, a powerful demon named Damana arrived and loudly spoke these terrifying words.
कुत्रास्ति मुनिबंधुः स कुत्र तन्महिलानघा । पुनः पुनरुवाचेदं वचो रोषसमाकुलः
Where is the sage’s kinsman? Where is his blameless wife? Again and again, he spoke these words, filled with anger.
तदाहुतवहो ज्ञात्वा राक्षसाद्भयमागतम् । दर्शयामास तज्जायामंतर्वत्नीमनिंदिताम्
Then Agni, knowing that fear had come from the demon, revealed to him the irreproachable wife of the sage, who was within the inner quarters.
जहार राक्षसस्तां तु रुदंतीं कुररीमिव । भृगो रक्षपते रक्ष रक्ष नाथ तपोनिधे
The demon seized her as she wept, like a hawk seizing a female curlew, crying, 'O Bhrigu, lord of ascetics, protect, protect, O treasure of penance!'
एवं वदंतीमार्तां तां गृहीत्वा निरगाद्बहिः । दुष्टो वाक्यप्रहारेण बोधयन्स भृगोः सतीम्
Seizing her as she cried out in distress, the wicked one went out, assailing the virtuous wife of Bhrigu with harsh words.
ततो महाभयत्रस्तो गर्भश्चोदरमध्यतः । पपात प्रज्वलन्नेत्रो वैश्वानर इवांगजः
Then, terrified by great fear, a child fell from her womb, his eyes blazing, like fire incarnate.
तेनोक्तं मा व्रजाशु त्वं भस्मी भव सुदुर्मते । न हि साध्वी परामर्शं कृत्वा श्रेयोऽधियास्यसि
He said to him, 'Do not go quickly; become ashes, O evil-minded one! For having touched a virtuous woman, you will not attain any good.'
इत्युक्तः स पपाताशु भस्मीभूतकलेवरः । माता तदार्भकं नीत्वा जगामाश्रममुन्मनाः
Thus addressed, he immediately fell, his body reduced to ashes; then the mother, taking her child, returned to the hermitage, her mind disturbed.
भृगुर्वह्निकृतं सर्वं ज्ञात्वा कोपसमाकुलः । शशाप सर्वभक्षस्त्वं भव दुष्टारिसूचक
Bhrigu, having learned all that had been done by Agni, became filled with anger and cursed him, saying, 'You shall become one who consumes everything, a sign of hostility toward the wicked.'
तदा शप्तोऽतिदुःखार्तो जग्राहांघ्र्याशुशुक्षणिः । कुरु मेऽनुग्रहं स्वामिन्कृपार्णव महामते
Then, afflicted by the curse and overwhelmed with great sorrow, Agni took hold of Bhrigu's feet and pleaded, 'Show me your favor, O master, ocean of compassion, great-minded one.'
मयानृतं वचोभीत्या कथितं न गुरुद्रुहा । तस्मान्ममोपरि कृपां कुरु धर्मशिरोमणे
'Out of fear I spoke an untruth, not out of malice toward my teacher; therefore, O jewel of righteousness, show me your mercy.'
तदानुग्रहमाधाच्च सर्वभक्षो भवाञ्छुचिः । इत्युक्तवान्हुतभुजं दयार्द्रो मुनितापसः
Then, granting him favor, the sage, softened by compassion, said to Agni, 'Though you consume all, you shall remain pure.'
गर्भाच्च्युतस्य पुत्रस्य जातकर्मादिकं शुचिः । चकार विधिवद्विप्रो दर्भपाणिः सुमंगलः
The virtuous Brahmin, holding darbha grass and auspicious, performed the birth rites and other ceremonies according to rule for the son who had fallen from the womb.
च्यवनाच्च्यवनं प्राहुः पुत्रं सर्वे तपस्विनः । शनैःशनैः स ववृधे शुक्ले प्रतिपदिंदुवत्
Because he had fallen (cyavana), all the ascetics called the son Cyavana; he grew gradually, like the waxing moon on the bright fortnight.
स जगाम तपः कर्तुं रेवां लोकैकपावनीम् । शिष्यैः परिवृतः सर्वैस्तपोबलसमन्वितैः
He went to perform austerities at the Reva, purifier of the worlds, surrounded by all his disciples endowed with the power of penance.
गत्वा तत्र तपस्तेपे वर्षाणामयुतं महान् । अंसयोः किंशुकौ जातौ वल्मीकोपरिशोभितौ
Having gone there, the great one practiced austerities for ten thousand years; on his shoulders grew two kimshuka trees, shining atop the anthill.
मृगा आगत्य तस्यांगे कंडूं विदधुरुत्सुकाः । न किंचित्स हि जानाति दुर्वारतपसावृतः
Eager deer came and scratched his body, but he was unaware of anything, being enveloped in irresistible austerity.
कदाचिन्मनुरुद्युक्तस्तीर्थयात्रां प्रति प्रभुः । सकुटुंबो ययौ रेवां महाबलसमावृतः
Once, Manu, intent on pilgrimage, set out for the Reva with his family, accompanied by a great host of the strong.
तत्र स्नात्वा महानद्यां संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः । दानानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च प्रादाद्विष्णुप्रतुष्टये
There, after bathing in the great river and satisfying the ancestors and deities, he gave gifts to Brahmins for the pleasure of Vishnu.
तत्कन्या विचरंती सा वनमध्ये इतस्ततः । सखीभिः सहिता रम्या तप्तहाटकभूषणा
His beautiful daughter, adorned with ornaments of refined gold, wandered in the forest there with her companions.