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 breaking of Indra’s monopoly.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कदासौ दस्रयोर्भागं चकार सुरपंक्तिषु । किं कृतं देवराजेन स्वायंभुव महामखे
Shatrughna said: When did he grant a share to the Ashvins among the gods? What did the king of the gods do at the great Svayambhuva sacrifice?
सुमतिरुवाच। ब्रह्मवंशेऽतिविख्यातो मुनिर्भृगुरिति श्रुतः । कदाचिद्गतवान्सायं समिदाहरणं प्रति
Sumati said: In the lineage of Brahma, a sage named Bhrigu is renowned; once, in the evening, he went to gather sacrificial sticks.
तदा मखविनाशाय दमनो राक्षसो बली । आगत्योच्चैर्जगादेदं महाभयकरं वचः
Then, for the destruction of the sacrifice, the powerful demon Damanaka came 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 uttered these words, filled with anger.
तदाहुतवहो ज्ञात्वा राक्षसाद्भयमागतम् । दर्शयामास तज्जायामंतर्वत्नीमनिंदिताम्
Then Agni, knowing that fear had come from the demon, revealed the sage’s blameless wife, who was within the hermitage.
जहार राक्षसस्तां तु रुदंतीं कुररीमिव । भृगो रक्षपते रक्ष रक्ष नाथ तपोनिधे
The demon seized her as she wept, like a curlew, crying, "O Bhrigu, lord of ascetics, protect me, protect me, O treasure of penance!"
एवं वदंतीमार्तां तां गृहीत्वा निरगाद्बहिः । दुष्टो वाक्यप्रहारेण बोधयन्स भृगोः सतीम्
Seizing her as she cried out in distress, he led her outside, the wicked one, assailing the virtuous wife of Bhrigu with harsh words.
ततो महाभयत्रस्तो गर्भश्चोदरमध्यतः । पपात प्रज्वलन्नेत्रो वैश्वानर इवांगजः
Then, terrified by great fear, the fetus fell from the middle of the womb, his eyes blazing, like the fire-god Vaiśvānara.
तेनोक्तं मा व्रजाशु त्वं भस्मी भव सुदुर्मते । न हि साध्वी परामर्शं कृत्वा श्रेयोऽधियास्यसि
He said to her: 'Do not go quickly; become ashes, you wicked-minded one! For having touched what is not proper, you will not attain any good.'
इत्युक्तः स पपाताशु भस्मीभूतकलेवरः । माता तदार्भकं नीत्वा जगामाश्रममुन्मनाः
Thus addressed, he immediately fell, his body reduced to ashes; the mother, taking the child, went away, her mind disturbed.
भृगुर्वह्निकृतं सर्वं ज्ञात्वा कोपसमाकुलः । शशाप सर्वभक्षस्त्वं भव दुष्टारिसूचक
Bhṛgu, learning that everything had been consumed by fire, was filled with anger and cursed: 'You shall become an eater of all things, a sign of wickedness and enmity.'
तदा शप्तोऽतिदुःखार्तो जग्राहांघ्र्याशुशुक्षणिः । कुरु मेऽनुग्रहं स्वामिन्कृपार्णव महामते
Then, stricken with extreme sorrow by the curse, she grasped his feet and, weeping, said: 'Grant 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 a false word, not out of hostility to my teacher; therefore, O jewel of righteousness, show me your mercy.'
तदानुग्रहमाधाच्च सर्वभक्षो भवाञ्छुचिः । इत्युक्तवान्हुतभुजं दयार्द्रो मुनितापसः
Then, granting her his favor, he said: 'Though an eater of all, you shall be pure.' Thus spoke the sage, his heart softened by compassion, to the fire-god.
गर्भाच्च्युतस्य पुत्रस्य जातकर्मादिकं शुचिः । चकार विधिवद्विप्रो दर्भपाणिः सुमंगलः
For the son who had fallen from the womb, the pure priest, holding darbha grass, performed all the birth rites and ceremonies in due order, with auspiciousness.
च्यवनाच्च्यवनं प्राहुः पुत्रं सर्वे तपस्विनः । शनैःशनैः स ववृधे शुक्ले प्रतिपदिंदुवत्
Because he had fallen (cyavana), all the ascetics called the son Cyavana; he gradually grew, like the waxing moon on each bright lunar day.
स जगाम तपः कर्तुं रेवां लोकैकपावनीम् । शिष्यैः परिवृतः सर्वैस्तपोबलसमन्वितैः
He went to perform austerities at the Revā river, the 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 performed austerities for ten thousand years; on his shoulders grew two kimshuka trees, shining atop an anthill.
मृगा आगत्य तस्यांगे कंडूं विदधुरुत्सुकाः । न किंचित्स हि जानाति दुर्वारतपसावृतः
Deer, coming eagerly, scratched themselves on his body; but he noticed nothing, being enveloped in irresistible austerity.
कदाचिन्मनुरुद्युक्तस्तीर्थयात्रां प्रति प्रभुः । सकुटुंबो ययौ रेवां महाबलसमावृतः
Once, Manu, intent on a pilgrimage, set out with his family for the Revā, accompanied by a great force.
तत्र स्नात्वा महानद्यां संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः । दानानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च प्रादाद्विष्णुप्रतुष्टये
There, after bathing in the great river and satisfying the ancestors and gods, he gave gifts to the Brahmins for the pleasure of Viṣṇu.
तत्कन्या विचरंती सा वनमध्ये इतस्ततः । सखीभिः सहिता रम्या तप्तहाटकभूषणा
There, his beautiful daughter, adorned with ornaments of refined gold, wandered here and there in the forest, together with her companions.
तत्र दृष्ट्वाथ वल्मीकं महातरुसुशोभितम् । निमेषोन्मेषरहितं तेजः किंचिद्ददर्श सा
There she saw an anthill, splendid beneath a great tree; she noticed a faint radiance, unmoving and unblinking.
गत्वा तत्र शलाकाभिरतुदद्रुधिरं स्रवत् । दृष्ट्वा राज्ञांगजा खेदं प्राप्तवत्यतिदुःखिता
Approaching, she struck it with sticks, and blood began to flow; seeing this, the king's daughter became greatly distressed and sorrowful.
न जनन्यै तथा पित्रे शशंसाघेन विप्लुता । स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं सा शुशोच भयातुरा
Overwhelmed by sin, she did not tell her mother or father; out of fear, she grieved for herself, alone in her heart.
तदा भूश्चलिता राजन्दिवश्चोल्का पपात ह । धूम्रा दिशो भवन्सर्वाः सूर्यश्च परिवेषितः
Then, O King, the earth trembled and a meteor fell from the sky; all directions became smoky, and the sun was surrounded by a halo.
तदा राज्ञो हया नष्टा हस्तिनो बहवो मृताः । धनं नष्टं रत्नयुतं कलहोभून्मिथस्तदा
At that time, the king's horses were lost, many elephants died, his wealth adorned with jewels was lost, and quarrels broke out among the people.
तदालोक्य नृपो भीतः किंचिदुद्विग्नमानसः । जनानपृच्छत्केनापि मुनये त्वपराधितम्
Seeing this, the king became frightened and somewhat disturbed in mind; he questioned the people, asking which sage had been offended.
पारंपर्येण तज्ज्ञात्वा स्वपुत्र्याः परिचेष्टितम् । ययौ सुदुःखितस्तत्र समृद्धबलवाहनः
Learning through tradition of his daughter's actions, he went there, deeply distressed, with his well-equipped army.