श्राद्धस्य लक्षणं कालमिति प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। तिलोदकांजलिर्देयो जलांते तीर्थवासिभिः
The wise declare this as the characteristic time for śrāddha; an offering of water with sesame should be given at the end of the water-ritual by those residing at the sacred place.
सदर्भहस्तेनैकेन गृहे श्राद्धं गमिष्यति। पुण्यं पवित्रमायुष्यं सर्वपापविनाशनम्
With darbha grass in one hand, one should proceed to perform śrāddha at home; it is meritorious, pure, life-giving, and destroys all sins.
ब्रह्मणा चैव कथितं तीर्थश्राद्धानुकीर्तनम्। शृणोति यः पठेद्वापि श्रीमान्संजायते नरः
And the recounting of śrāddha at sacred places was spoken by Brahmā; whoever hears or recites it becomes a fortunate man.
श्राद्धकाले च वक्तव्यं तथा तीर्थनिवासिभिः। सर्वपापोपशांन्त्यर्थमलक्ष्मीनाशनं मतं
At the time of śrāddha, this should be declared by those residing at the sacred place: it is considered to remove all sins and destroy misfortune.
इदं पवित्रं यशसो निधानमिदं महापातकनाशनं च। ब्रह्मार्करुद्रैरभिपूजितं च श्राद्धस्य माहात्म्यमुशंति तज्ज्ञाः
This is pure, a treasure of fame, and a destroyer of great sins; the wise declare that the greatness of śrāddha is honored by Brahmā, the sun, and Rudra.
भीष्म उवाच। सोमवंशः कथं जातः कथयात्र विशारद। तद्वंशे केतुराजानो बभूवुः कीर्तिवर्द्धनाः
Bhīṣma said: How did the lunar dynasty arise? Tell me this, O learned one. Which famous kings appeared in that lineage?
पुलस्त्य उवाच। आदिष्टो ब्रह्मणा पूर्वमत्रिः सर्गविधौ पुरा। अनंतरं नाम तपः सृष्ट्यर्थं तप्तवान्विभुः
Pulastya said: Formerly, Atri was instructed by Brahmā at the beginning of creation; for the sake of creation, the great one performed austerity called Anantara.
यदानंदकरं ब्रह्म भगवन्क्लेशनाशनं। ब्रह्मरुद्रेन्द्रसूर्याणामभ्यंतरमतींद्रियं
When the blessed Lord, the remover of suffering, who brings joy, who is beyond the senses and within Brahmā, Rudra, and the sun,
शान्तिं कृत्वात्ममनसा तदत्रिः संयमे स्थितः। माहात्म्यं तपसो वापि परमानंदकारकं
Having calmed his mind, Atri remained in self-control; the greatness of austerity is said to bring supreme bliss.
यस्माद्वंशपतिः सार्द्धं समये तदधिष्ठितः। तं दृष्ट्वाचष्ट सोमेन तस्मात्सोमोभवद्विभुः
Because the lord of the lineage, along with his wife, was established at that time, seeing him, Soma spoke, and from him Soma was born, the illustrious one.
अथ सुस्राव नेत्राभ्यां जलं तत्रात्रिसंभवम्। द्योतयद्विश्वमखिलं ज्योत्स्नया सचराचरम्
Then, from his eyes, water flowed forth there, born of Atri; with its radiance, like moonlight, it illumined the entire universe, all that moves and does not move.
तद्दिशो जगृहुस्तत्र स्त्रीरूपेणासहृच्छयाः। गर्भो भूत्वोदरे तासां स्थितः सोप्यत्रिसंभवः
In that place, the directions, overcome with longing, received it in the form of women; that which was born of Atri became an embryo within their wombs.
आशाश्च मुमुचुर्गर्भमशक्ता धारणे ततः। समादायाथ तं गर्भमेकीकृत्य चतुर्मुखः
The directions, unable to bear the embryo, released it; then the Four-faced One gathered that embryo together.
युवानमकरोद्ब्रह्मा सर्वायुधधरं नरम्। स्यंदनेथ सहस्तेन वेदशक्तिमये प्रभुः
Brahmā made him into a young man, a wielder of all weapons, a man; the Lord, with his own hand, set him on a chariot made of Vedic power.
आरोप्य लोकमनयदात्मीयं स पितामहः। ततो ब्रह्मर्षिभिः प्रोक्तं ह्यस्मत्स्वामीभवत्वयम्
Having placed him, the Grandfather led him to his own world; then the Brahmarṣis declared, 'Let this one become our Lord.'
ऋषिभिर्देवगंधर्वैरप्सरोभिस्तथैव च। स्तूयमानस्य तस्याभूदधिकं महदंतरम्
As he was praised by the seers, gods, Gandharvas, and likewise by the Apsarases, a great and extraordinary event occurred.
तेजोवितानादभवद्भुवि दिव्यौषधीगणः। तद्दीप्तिरधिका तस्माद्रात्रौ भवति सर्वदा
From the canopy of his brilliance arose on earth a multitude of divine herbs; because of that radiance, their glow is always greater at night.
तेनौषधीशः सोमोभूद्द्विजेष्वपि हि गण्यते। वेदधामा रसश्चायं यदिदं मंडलं शुभम्
Thus Soma became the lord of herbs, and is also counted among the twice-born; this auspicious orb is the abode of the Vedas and the essence of sap.
क्षीयते वर्द्धते चैव शुक्ले कृष्णे च सर्वदा। विंशतिं च तथा सप्त दक्षः प्राचेतसो ददौ
It always wanes and waxes in the bright and dark fortnights; and Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, gave him twenty-seven as well.
रूपलावण्यसंयुक्तास्तस्मै कन्याः सुवर्चसः। ततः शक्तिसहस्राणां सहस्राणि दशैव तु
To him, Dakṣa gave daughters endowed with beauty and charm; then, ten thousand times a thousand powers.
तपश्चकार शीतांशुर्विष्णुध्यानैकतत्परः। ततस्तुष्टश्च भगवांस्तस्मै नारायणो हरिः
The cool-rayed one performed austerities, wholly intent on meditation upon Viṣṇu; then the Blessed Lord Nārāyaṇa, Hari, was pleased with him.
वरं वृणीष्व चोवाच परमात्मा जनार्दनः। ततो वव्रे वरं सोमः शक्रलोके यजाम्यहम्
The Supreme Self, Janārdana, said, 'Choose a boon.' Then Soma chose the boon: 'May I perform sacrifices in the world of Indra.'
प्रत्यक्षमेव भोक्तारो भवंतु मम मंदिरे। राजसूये सुरगणा ब्रह्माद्या ये चतुर्विधाः
'May the gods, Brahmā and the four kinds, be my direct guests in my abode at the Rājasūya sacrifice.'
रक्षपालः सुरोस्माकमास्तां शूलधरो हरः। तथेत्युक्तः समाजह्रे राजसूयं तु विष्णुना
'Let Śiva, the wielder of the trident, be our protector, the guardian of the gods.' Thus addressed, Viṣṇu assembled the Rājasūya sacrifice.
होतात्रिर्भृगुरध्वर्युरुद्गाता च चतुर्मुखः। ब्रह्मत्वमगमत्तस्य उपद्रष्टा हरिः स्वयम्
Atri was the Hotṛ, Bhṛgu the Adhvaryu, and the Four-faced One the Udgātṛ; he attained the status of Brahman, and Hari himself was the overseer.
सदस्याः सर्वदेवास्तु राजसूयविधिः स्मृतः। वसवोध्वर्यवस्तद्वद्विश्वेदेवास्तथैव च
All the gods were members of the assembly; this is remembered as the procedure of the Rājasūya; the Vasus were Adhvaryus, and so too the Viśvedevas.
त्रैलोक्यं दक्षिणा तेन ऋत्विग्भ्यः प्रतिपादिता। सोमः प्राप्याथदुष्प्राप्यमैश्वर्यं सृष्टिसत्कृतं
He gave the three worlds as a fee to the officiating priests; thus Soma attained that sovereignty, difficult to obtain, established by creation.
सप्तलोकैकनाथत्वं प्राप्तस्स्वतपसा तदा। कदाचिदुद्यानगतामपश्यदनेकपुष्पाभरणोपशोभाम्
Then, by his own austerity, he attained lordship over the seven worlds; once, as he was walking in a garden, he saw women adorned with many flowers and ornaments.
बृहन्नितंबस्तनभारखेदां पुष्पावभंगेप्यतिदुर्बलांगीं। भार्यां च तां देवगुरोरनंगबाणाभिरामायत चारुनेत्रां
With broad hips, weighed down by the heaviness of her breasts, her limbs exceedingly weak even at the breaking of flowers, that wife of the preceptor of the gods, with beautiful, wide, charming eyes, was struck by the arrows of Love.
तारां स ताराधिपतिः स्मरार्तः केशेषु जग्राह विविक्तभूमौ। सापि स्मरार्ता सहते न रेमे तद्रूपकांत्याहृतमानसैव
Tormented by desire, the lord of stars seized Tārā by her hair in a secluded place; she too, overcome by love, could not resist nor take pleasure, her mind captivated by his beauty and radiance.