उद्धरस्व गुरो सर्वान्केशाकर्षेण कूपतः। कस्य देवस्य शरणं गच्छामो ब्राह्मणोत्तम
'Lift us all, O teacher, from the pit by pulling our hair; O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, to which god should we seek refuge?'
दैवतं च प्रपन्नानां प्रकाशय महामते। स्मरणेनोपवासेन ध्यानधारणया तथा
'Reveal to us, O wise one, the deity for those who have taken refuge; whether by remembrance, fasting, meditation, or concentration.'
पूजोपहारे च कृते अपवर्गस्तु लभ्यते। विरक्तास्स्म कुटुंबे तु भूयो नात्र यतामहे
'And by offering worship and gifts, liberation is attained; we are detached from family and will not strive for it again.'
एवं चैव गुरुश्छन्नस्तैरुक्तो दनुपुंगवैः। चिंतयामास तत्कार्यं कथमेतत्करोम्यहम्
Thus, concealed as their teacher, he was addressed by those leaders of the Dānavas; he began to ponder how he might accomplish this task.
कथमेते मया पापाः कर्तव्या नरकौकसः। विडंबनाच्छ्रुतेर्बाह्यास्त्रैलोक्ये हास्यकारिणः
'How should I, who am to deal with these sinful ones dwelling in hell, act? They are outside the Vedic tradition, objects of ridicule in the three worlds.'
इत्युक्त्वा धिषणो राजंश्चिन्तयामास केशवम्। तस्य तच्चिंतितं ज्ञात्वा मायामोहं जनार्दनः
Having spoken thus, the wise king began to contemplate Keśava; Janārdana, knowing his thoughts, produced an illusion of delusion.
समुत्पाद्य ददौ तस्य प्राह चेदं बृहस्पतिम्। मायामोहोयमखिलांस्तान्दैत्यान्मोहयिष्यति
He created it and gave it to him, saying this to Bṛhaspati: 'This entire illusion of delusion will bewilder those Daityas.'
भवता सहितः सर्वान्वेदमार्गबहिष्कृतान्। एवमादिश्य भगवानंतर्द्धानं जगाम ह
'Together with you, all will be excluded from the Vedic path.' Having thus instructed, the Lord disappeared.
तपस्यभिरतान्सोथ मायामोहो गतोऽसुरान्। तेषां समीपमागत्य बृहस्पतिरुवाच ह
Those Asuras, devoted to austerities, were overtaken by the illusion of delusion; approaching them, Bṛhaspati spoke.
अनुग्रहार्थं युष्माकं भक्त्या प्रीतस्त्विहागतः। योगी दिगम्बरो मुण्डो बर्हिपत्रधरो ह्ययम्
'For the sake of your favor, pleased by your devotion, I have come here; this yogi is naked, shaven-headed, and wears peacock feathers.'
इत्युक्ते गुरुणा पश्चान्मायामोहोब्रवीद्वचः। भो भो दैत्याधिपतयः प्रब्रूत तपसि स्थिताः
After the teacher spoke thus, the illusion of delusion then said: 'O chiefs of the Daityas, speak, you who are engaged in austerity.'
एहिकार्थं तु पारक्यं तपसः फलमिच्छथ। दानवा ऊचुः। पारक्यधर्मलाभाय तपश्चर्या हि नो मता
'Do you desire the fruit of austerity for worldly purposes or for something beyond?' The Dānavas spoke: 'Our practice of austerity is for gaining the dharma of the beyond.'
अस्माभिरियमारब्धा किं वा तत्र विवक्षितम्। दिगंबर उवाच। कुरुध्वं मम वाक्यानि यदि मुक्तिमभीप्सथ
'We have begun this; what else is intended here?' The naked ascetic said: 'Follow my words if you desire liberation.'
आर्हतं सर्वमेतच्च मुक्तिद्वारमसंवृतम्। धर्माद्विमुक्तेरर्होयं नैतस्मादपरः परः३५० 1.13.
'All this is worthy of the Arhats; the gateway to liberation is open. Liberation comes from dharma; there is no higher path than this.'
अत्रैवावस्थिताः स्वर्गं मुक्तिं चापि गमिष्यथ। एवंप्रकारैर्बहुभिर्मुक्तिदर्शनवर्जितैः
'Remaining here, you will attain heaven and liberation, by many such means devoid of the vision of liberation.'
मायामोहेन ते दैत्याः वेदमार्गबहिष्कृताः। धर्मायैतदधर्माय सदेतदसदित्यपि
By the illusion of delusion, those Daityas were excluded from the Vedic path; for dharma, this is adharma, and for truth, this is untruth.
विमुक्तये त्विदं नैतद्विमुक्तिं संप्रयच्छति। परमार्थोयमत्यर्थं परमार्थो न चाप्ययम्
This is not for liberation; indeed, it does not grant liberation. This is said to be the highest truth, but it is not truly the highest truth.
कार्यमेतदकार्यं हि नैतदेतत्स्फुटं त्विदम्। दिग्वाससामयं धर्मो धर्मोयं बहुवाससाम्
This is said to be duty, but it is not truly duty; this is not clear at all. The law for those who wear only a cloth is one thing, and the law for those who wear many garments is another.
इत्यनेकार्थवादांस्तु मायामोहेन ते यतः। उक्तास्ततोऽखिला दैत्याः स्वधर्मांस्त्याजिता नृप
Thus, because of the delusion of illusion, they spoke many contradictory doctrines; therefore, O king, all the demons abandoned their own duties.
अर्हध्वं मामकं धर्मं मायामोहेन ते यतः। उक्तास्तमाश्रिता धर्ममार्हतास्तेन तेभवन्
Because of the delusion of illusion, they declared my own law to be worthy; those who adopted that law became worthy through it.
त्रयीमार्गं समुत्सृज्य मायामोहेन तेसुराः। कारितास्तन्मया ह्यासंस्तथान्ये तत्प्रबोधिताः
Abandoning the path of the three Vedas, those gods, under the influence of illusion, were made to act by me; others were likewise awakened by that.
तैरप्यन्ये परे तैश्च तैरन्योन्यैस्तथापरे। नमोऽर्हते चेति सर्वे संगमे स्थिरवादिनः
By those, and by others, and by those others again, and yet others, all steadfast in their views, they said, 'Homage to the worthy one,' in the assembly.
अल्पैरहोभिः संत्यक्ता तैर्दैत्यैः प्रायशस्त्रयी। पुनश्च रक्तांबरधृन्मायामोहो जितेक्षणः
Within a few days, the demons abandoned the triple Veda; again, the one wearing red garments, whose gaze was victorious, deluded them with illusion.
सोन्यानप्यसुरान्गत्वा ऊचेन्यन्मधुराक्षरम्। स्वर्गार्थं यदि वो वाञ्छा निर्वाणार्थाय वा पुनः
He went to other gods and spoke sweet words to them: 'If you desire heaven or again wish for liberation—'
तदलं पशुघातादि दुष्टधर्मैर्निबोधत। विज्ञानमयमेतद्वै त्वशेषमधिगच्छत
Then enough of evil duties like animal slaughter; understand this: it is entirely composed of knowledge, attain the remainder.
बुध्यध्वं मे वचः सम्यग्बुधैरेवमिहोदितम्। जगदेतदनाधारं भ्रांतिज्ञानानुतत्परम्
Listen well to my words, as spoken here by the wise; this world is unsupported, its highest is not attained through deluded knowledge.
रागादिदुष्टमत्यर्थं भ्राम्यते भवसंकटे। नानाप्रकारं वचनं स तेषां मुक्तियोजितम्
Excessively corrupted by passion and other faults, one wanders in the distress of existence; various teachings were given to them for liberation.
तथा तथावदद्धर्मं तत्यजुस्ते यथायथा। केचिद्विनिंदां वेदानां देवानामपरे नृप
As he spoke such doctrines, they abandoned them accordingly; some reviled the Vedas, others the gods, O king.
यज्ञकर्मकलापस्य तथा चान्ये द्विजन्मनाम्। नैतद्युक्तिसहं वाक्यं हिंसा धर्माय जायते
Likewise, others criticized the rituals of sacrifice and the twice-born; this statement is not reasonable, for violence is said to be righteousness.
हवींष्यनलदग्धानि फलान्यर्हंति कोविदाः। निहतस्य पशोर्यज्ञे स्वर्गप्राप्तिर्यदीष्यते
Wise men say that offerings burned in fire are fruitful; if the killing of an animal in sacrifice is desired for attaining heaven—