नानेन कार्यमस्माकं या तु ह्येष यथागतः। सक्रोधमशपत्काव्यो दानवेंद्रान्समागतान्
We have no further use for him; let him depart as he came. Then, with anger, Kāvya cursed the assembled Dānava lords.
त्यक्तो यथाहं युष्माभिस्तथा सर्वांश्चिरादिव। गतश्रीकान्गतप्राणान्पश्येयं दुःखजीविकान्
Just as you have cast me aside, so may I see all of you, bereft of fortune and life, living in misery for a long time.
सुघोरामापदं प्राप्तानचिरादेव सर्वशः। एवमुक्त्वा गतः काव्यो यदृच्छातस्तपोवनम्
May you all soon fall into terrible distress in every way! Having spoken thus, Kāvya departed at will to the forest of austerities.
तस्मिन्गते ततः शुक्रे स्थितस्तत्र बृहस्पतिः। पालयन्दानवांस्तत्र किंचित्कालमतिष्ठत
When he had gone, Br̥haspati remained there in the place of Śukra, protecting the Dānavas for some time.
ततो बहुतिथे काले अतिक्रांते नरेश्वर। संभूय दानवाः सर्वे पर्यपृछंस्तदा गुरुम्
Then, after a long time had passed, O lord of men, all the Dānavas gathered together and questioned their teacher.
संसारेस्मिन्नसारे तु किंचिज्ज्ञानं प्रयच्छ नः। येन मोक्षं व्रजामश्च प्रसादात्तव सुव्रत
In this worthless world, grant us some knowledge by which, through your grace, O steadfast one, we may attain liberation.
ततः सुरगुरुः प्राह काव्यरूपी तदा गुरुः। ममाप्येषा मतिः पूर्वं या युष्माभिरुदाहृता
Then the guru of the gods, who had taken the form of Kāvya, spoke: 'The same intention that you have expressed was once mine as well.'
क्षणं कुर्वंतु सहिताश्शुचीभूय समाहिताः। ज्ञानं वक्ष्यामि वो दैत्या अहं वै मोक्षदायि यत्
Remain together for a moment, purified and attentive; I will declare to you, O Daityas, the knowledge that bestows liberation.
एषा श्रुतिर्वैदिकी या ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञिता। वैश्वानरप्रसादात्तु दुःखदा प्राणिनामिह
This is the Vedic revelation, known as Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman; by the favor of Vaiśvānara, it brings suffering to living beings here.
यज्ञश्राद्धं कृतं क्षुद्रैरैहिकस्वार्थतत्परैः। ये त्वमी वैष्णवा धर्मा ये च रुद्रकृतास्तथा
Sacrifices and ancestral rites performed by the petty, intent only on worldly gain—these, and the Vaiṣṇava duties, as well as those established by Rudra—
कुधर्मा दारसहितैर्हिंसाप्रायाः कृताहितैः। अर्द्धनारीश्वरो रुद्र कथं मोक्षं गमिष्यति
How can Rudra, the Lord who is half male and half female, attain liberation when he is associated with unrighteousness, violence, and harmful acts together with his consort?
वृतो भूतगणैर्भूरिभूषितश्चास्थिभिस्तथा। न स्वर्गो नैव मोक्षोत्र लोकाः क्लिश्यंति वै तथा
Surrounded by hosts of spirits and adorned with many bones, he neither attains heaven nor liberation here; indeed, the worlds are afflicted as well.
हिंसायामास्थितो विष्णुः कथं मोक्षं गमिष्यति। रजोगुणात्मको ब्रह्मा स्वां सृष्टिमुपजीवति
How can Viṣṇu, who has taken to violence, attain liberation? Brahmā, possessed of the quality of passion, sustains his own creation.
देवर्षयोथ ये चान्ये वैदिकं पक्षमाश्रिताः। हिंसाप्रायाः सदा क्रूरा मांसादाः पापकारिणः
The gods, sages, and others who follow the Vedic path are mostly violent, always cruel, eat flesh, and commit sinful acts.
सुरास्तु मद्यपानेन मांसादा ब्राह्मणास्त्वमी। धर्मेणानेन कः स्वर्गं कथं मोक्षं गमिष्यति
These gods drink liquor, these Brāhmaṇas eat flesh—by such a dharma, who attains heaven, and how can one reach liberation?
यच्च यज्ञादिकं कर्म स्मार्तं श्राद्धादिकं तथा। तत्र नैवापवर्गोस्ति यत्रैषा श्रूयते श्रुतिः
And whatever ritual acts there are, such as sacrifices and ancestral rites prescribed by tradition—there is no liberation in those where such teaching is heard in the scriptures.
यज्ञं कृत्वा पशुं हत्वा कृत्वा रुधिरकर्दमम्। यद्येवं गम्यते स्वर्गो नरकः केन गम्यते
If, by performing a sacrifice and killing an animal, making a mess of blood, one attains heaven in this way, then by what means does one reach hell?
यदि भुक्तमिहान्येन तृप्तिरन्यस्य जायते। दद्यात्प्रवसतः श्राद्धं न स भोजनमाहरेत्
If, by another's eating here, someone else becomes satisfied, then one should offer the ancestral rite for the absent, but not partake of the food oneself.
आकाशगामिनो विप्राः पतिता मांसभक्षणात्। तेषां न विद्यते स्वर्गो मोक्षो नैवेह दानवाः
Brāhmaṇas who travel through the sky have fallen because of eating flesh; for them, O Dānavas, there is neither heaven nor liberation here.
जातस्य जीवितं जंतोरिष्टं सर्वस्य जायते। आत्ममांसोपमं मांसं कथं खादेत पंडितः
For every living being that is born, life is dear to all; how could a wise person eat flesh, which is like his own flesh?
योनिजास्तु कथं योनिं सेवंते जंतवस्त्वमी। मैथुनेन कथं स्वर्गं यास्यंते दानवेश्वर। मृद्भस्मना यत्रशुद्धिस्तत्र शुद्धिस्तु का भवेत्
How do these creatures, born from the womb, serve the womb again? O Lord of Dānavas, how can they reach heaven through intercourse? Where purification is by clay and ashes, what true purity can there be?
विपरीततमं लोकं पश्य दानव यादृशम्। विण्मूत्रस्य कृतोत्सर्गे शिश्नापाने तु शोधनम्
Behold, O Dānava, how perverse this world is: where purification is prescribed by drinking the urine from the organ after the discharge of excrement and urine.
भुक्ते वा भोजने राजन्कथं नापानशिश्नयोः
O King, when one has eaten food, why is there not purification for the mouth and the organ of urination?
क्रियते शोधनं तद्वद्विपरीता स्थितिस्त्वियम्। यत्र प्रक्षालनं प्रोक्तं तत्र तेनैव कुर्वते
Just as purification is performed there, so too is this perverse practice established; where cleansing is prescribed, they do it in just that way.
तारां बृंहस्पतेर्भार्यां हृत्वा सोमः पुरा गतः। तस्यां जातो बुधः पुत्रो गुरुर्जग्राह तां पुनः
Once, Soma took Tārā, the wife of Bṛhaspati; from her was born the son Budha, and the teacher took her back again.
गौतमस्य मुनेः पत्नीमहल्यां नाम नामतः। अगृह्णात्तां स्वयं शक्रः पश्य धर्मो यथाविधः
Indra himself took Ahalyā, the wife of the sage Gautama, by name; see how dharma is practiced.
एतदन्यच्च जगति दृश्यते पापदायकम्। एवंविधो यत्र धर्मः परमार्थो मतस्तु कः
Such things and others that cause sin are seen in the world; where such is dharma, what is the highest truth, in your opinion?
वदस्व त्वं दानवेंद्र वद भूयो वदामि ते। गुरोस्तु गदितं श्रुत्वा परमार्थान्वितं वचः
Speak, O Lord of Dānavas, speak again, I say to you; having heard the words of the teacher, endowed with the highest truth.
जातकौतूहलास्तत्र विविक्तास्तु भवार्णवात्। दानवा ऊचुः। दीक्षयस्व गुरो सर्वान्प्रपन्नान्भक्तितः स्थितान्
Those who had become curious about their birth, separated from the ocean of worldly existence, the Dānavas spoke: 'O teacher, initiate all those who have approached and stand here with devotion.'
येन वै न पुनर्मोहं व्रजामस्तव शासनात्। सुविरक्ताः स्म संसारे शोकमोहप्रदायिनि
'By your command, may we never again fall into delusion; we are thoroughly detached from worldly life, which brings sorrow and confusion.'