भीष्म उवाच। कथं सती दक्षसुता देहं त्यक्तवती शुभा। दक्षयज्ञस्तु रुद्रेण विध्वस्तः केन हेतुना
Bhishma said: How did Sati, the daughter of Daksha, abandon her body, O auspicious one? And for what reason did Rudra destroy Daksha's sacrifice?
एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रह्मन्कथं देवो महेश्वरः। जगामाथ क्रोधवशं त्रिपुरारिर्महायशाः
This is my curiosity, O Brahman: how did the great and renowned Lord Maheshvara, the enemy of Tripura, become overcome by anger?
पुलस्त्य उवाच। गंगाद्वारे पुरा भीष्म दक्षो यज्ञमथारभत्। तत्र देवासुरगणाः पितरोथ महर्षयः
Pulastya said: Once, at the gateway of the Ganga, Bhishma, Daksha began a sacrifice; there gathered the hosts of gods, demons, ancestors, and great sages.
समाजग्मुर्मुदायुक्ताः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः। नागा यक्षाः सुपर्णाश्च वीरुदोषधयस्तथा
All the gods, along with Indra, came together joyfully; Nagas, Yakshas, Suparnas, herbs, and plants also arrived.
कश्यपो भगवानत्रिः पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः। प्रचेतसोंगिराश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च महातपाः
Kashyapa, the venerable Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Prachetas, Angiras, and Vasishta, the great ascetic, were there.
तत्र वेदीं समां कृत्वा चातुर्होत्रं न्यवेशयत्। होता वसिष्ठस्तत्रासीदंगिराध्वर्युसत्तमः
There, having made a level altar, he established the fourfold sacrificial fires; Vasishta was the hotṛ priest, and Angiras, the best of adhvaryus.
बृहस्पतिरथोद्गाता ब्रह्मा वै नारदस्तथा। यज्ञकर्मप्रवृत्तौ तु हूयमानेषु चाग्निषु
Bṛhaspati, then the Udgātā, Brahmā, and likewise Nārada, were present at the performance of the sacrificial rites, as the fires were being kindled.
आगता वसवः सर्व आदित्या द्वादशैव तु। अश्विनौ मरुतश्चैव मनवश्च चतुर्दश
All the Vasus arrived, the twelve Ādityas as well; the two Aśvins, the Maruts, and the fourteen Manus also came.
एवं यज्ञे प्रवृत्ते तु हूयमानेषु चाग्निषु। विभूतिं तां परां तत्र भक्ष्यभोज्यकृतां शुभाम्
Thus, as the sacrifice proceeded and the fires were being offered to, that supreme and auspicious abundance of food and delicacies appeared there.
आलोक्य सर्वतो भूमिं समंताद्दशयोजनम्। महावेदी कृता तत्र सर्वैस्तत्र समन्वितैः
Observing the land all around for ten yojanas, a great altar was constructed there, with everyone assembled together.
सर्वान्देवान्शक्रमुख्यान्यज्ञे दृष्ट्वा सती शुभा। तदासानुनयं वाक्यं प्रजापतिमभाषत
Seeing all the gods, with Śakra at their head, present at the sacrifice, the virtuous Satī spoke these conciliatory words to Prajāpati.
सत्युवाच। ऐरावतं समारूढो देवराजः शतक्रतुः। पत्न्या शच्या सहायातः कृतावासः शतक्रतुः
Satī said: The king of the gods, Śatakratu, mounted upon Airāvata, has arrived here with his wife Śacī, having established his residence.
पापानां यो यमयिता धर्मेणाधर्मिणां प्रभुः। पत्न्या धूमोर्णया सार्द्धमिहायातः स दृश्यते
He who is the punisher of the wicked, the lord who rules over the unrighteous by righteousness, has come here with his wife Dhūmorṇā, and is seen.
यादसां च पतिर्द्देवो वरुणो लोकभावनः। गौर्य्या पत्न्या सहायातः प्रचेता मंडपे त्विह
The god Varuṇa, lord of the aquatic beings and creator of the worlds, has arrived here in the pavilion with his wife Gaurī.
सर्वयक्षाधिपो देवः पुत्रो विश्रवसो मुनेः। पत्न्या त्विह समायातः सह देव्या धनाधिपः
The god who is lord of all Yakṣas, son of the sage Viśravas, the lord of wealth, has arrived here with his wife, the goddess.
मुखं यः सर्वदेवानां जंतूनामुदरे स्थितः। वेदा यदर्थमुत्पन्नास्सोयं यज्ञमुपागतः
He whose mouth is that of all the gods and whose belly contains all creatures, for whose sake the Vedas were produced, has come to the sacrifice.
निऋती राक्षसेन्द्रोऽसौ दिक्पतित्वे नियोजितः। स च त्विहागतस्तात पत्न्या सार्द्धं क्रताविह
Niṛti, the king of the Rākṣasas, has been appointed as guardian of the quarters; he too has arrived here, O father, with his wife for the sacrifice.
आयुःप्रदो जगत्यस्मिन्ब्रह्मणा निर्मितः पुरा। प्राणोपानोव्यानउदानस्समानाह्वयस्तथा
The giver of life in this world, who was created by Brahmā in ancient times—prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, and samāna—has also come.
एकोनपंचाशत्केन गणेन परिवारितः। यज्ञे प्रजापतिश्चासौ वायुर्देवःसमागतः
Surrounded by a group numbering forty-nine, Prajāpati and the god Vāyu have arrived at the sacrifice.
द्वादशात्मा ग्रहाध्यक्षःचक्षुषी जगतस्त्विह। पाति वै भुवनं सर्वं देवानां यः परायणः
The twelve-formed lord, overseer of the planets, the eye of the world, who protects all the realms and is the refuge of the gods, is here.
आयुषश्च वनानां च दिवसानां पतिर्हि यः। संज्ञा पतिरिहायातो भास्करो लोकपावनः
He who is lord of life, of forests, and of days, the master of names, Bhāskara, purifier of the worlds, has arrived here.
अत्रिवंशसमुद्भूतो द्विजराजो महायशाः। नयनानंदजननो लोकनाथो धरातले
Born in the lineage of Atri, the illustrious king of the twice-born, the lord of the world on earth, who brings joy to the eyes, is here.
ओषधीनां पतिश्चापि वीरुधामपि सर्वशः। उडुनाथः सपत्नीक इहायातः शशी तव
The lord of herbs and of all plants, the lord of stars, the moon, has arrived here with his wife, O noble one.
वसवोष्टौ समायाता अश्विनौ च समागतौ। वृक्षो वनस्पतिश्चापि गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणाः
The eight Vasus have arrived, and the two Aśvins have come as well; the tree and the lord of the forest, and the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases.
विद्याधरा भूतसंघा वेताला यक्षराक्षसाः। पिशाचाश्चोग्रकर्माणस्तथान्ये जीवहारकाः
The Vidyādharas, hosts of spirits, Vetālas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Piśācas, those who perform fierce deeds, and others who seize life—
नद्यो नदाः समुद्राश्च द्वीपाश्च सह पर्वतैः। ग्राम्यारण्याश्च पशवो यदिङ्गं यच्च नेङ्गति
Rivers, streams, oceans, and islands together with mountains; domestic and wild animals, whatever moves and whatever does not move—
कश्यपो भगवानत्रिर्वसिष्ठश्चापरैः सह। पुलस्त्यः पुलहश्चैव सनकाद्या महर्षयः
Kaśyapa, the venerable Atri, Vasiṣṭha along with others; Pulastya, Pulaha, and indeed the great sages beginning with Sanaka—
पुण्या राजर्षयश्चैव पृथिव्यां ये च पार्थिवाः। वर्णाश्चाश्रमिणश्चैव सर्वे ये कर्मकारिणः
The virtuous royal sages, and all the kings upon the earth; the castes and those in the stages of life, all who perform actions—
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन ब्राह्मी सृष्टिरिहागता। भगिन्यो भागिनेयाश्च भगिनीपतयस्त्विमे
Why speak at length? The creation of Brahmā has arrived here: sisters, nephews, and the husbands of sisters—these as well.
स्वभार्यासहिताः सर्वे सपुत्रास्सह बांधवाः। त्वया समर्चिताः सर्वे दानमानपरिग्रहैः
All, together with their wives, sons, and relatives, have been honored by you with gifts, respect, and hospitality.