स्वपिता यजमानेन किं वा तत्र न हन्यते। तृप्तये जायते पुंसो भुक्तमन्येन चेद्यदि
If the sacrificer’s own father is not killed there, what is the purpose? If someone else eats, it is for the satisfaction of the man.
दद्याच्छ्राद्धं प्रवसतो न वहेयुः प्रवासिनः। यज्ञैरनेकैर्देवत्वमवाप्येंद्रेण भुज्यते
If one gives a funeral offering for a traveler, the travelers do not carry it; through many sacrifices, one attains divinity and enjoys with Indra.
शम्यादि यदि चेत्काष्ठं तद्वरं पत्रभुक्पशुः। जना श्रद्धेयमित्येतदवगम्य तु तद्वचः
If wood such as Shami is eaten, then a leaf-eating animal is better; people should understand this teaching and have faith in it.
उपेक्ष्य श्रेयसे वाक्यं रोचतां यन्मयेरितम्। न ह्याप्तवादा नभसो निपतंति महासुराः
Disregard the words spoken by me if they do not please you for your welfare; for the great gods do not fall from the sky by the words of the trustworthy.
युक्तिमद्वचनं ग्राह्यं मयान्यैश्च भवद्विधैः। दानवा ऊचुः। तत्ववादे वयं सर्वे प्रपन्नास्तव भक्तितः
Words that are reasonable should be accepted by me and by others like you. The Dānavas said: We all have surrendered to you with devotion in the true doctrine.
कुरुष्वानुग्रहं चाद्य प्रसन्नोसि यदि प्रभो। संभारानाहरामोद्य दीक्षायोग्यांश्च सर्वशः
If you are pleased, O Lord, then today show us your favor. We will bring all the necessary items and those fit for initiation.
प्रसादात्तव येनाशु मोक्षो हस्तगतो भवेत्। ततस्तानब्रवीत्सर्वान्मायामोहोसुरांस्तदा
By your grace, may liberation quickly come into our hands. Then he spoke to all those Dānavas, deluded by illusion.
प्रपन्नः शासनं ह्येष मदीयो गुरुरग्र्यधीः। दीक्षां दास्यति युष्माकं निदेशान्मम सत्तमः
This one, devoted to my command, is my foremost guru, wise and excellent. By my instruction, he will grant you initiation.
एतान्दीक्षय भो ब्रह्मन्वचनान्मम पुत्रकान्। गते मोहे दानवास्ते भार्गवं वाक्यमब्रुवन्
O Brāhman, by my word, initiate these sons of mine. When their delusion was gone, those Dānavas spoke to Bhārgava.
देहि दीक्षां महाभाग सर्वसंसारमोचनीम्। तथेत्याहोशना दैत्यान्गच्छामो नर्मदामनु
Grant us initiation, O highly fortunate one, which releases from all worldly existence. 'So be it,' said Uśanas to the Daityas, 'let us go along the Narmadā.'
भोभोस्त्यजत वासांसि दीक्षां कारयितास्मि वः। एवं ते दानवा भीष्म भृगुरूपेण धीमता
O friends, remove your garments; I will perform your initiation. Thus, O Bhīṣma, those Dānavas were initiated by the wise one in the form of Bhṛgu.
आंगिरसेन ते तत्र कृता दिग्वाससोसुराः। बर्हिपिच्छध्वजं तेषां गुंजिका चारुमालिकां
There, by Āṅgirasa, they became clothed only by the directions. For them, a banner of peacock feathers and a beautiful garland of gunjā berries were given.
दत्वा चकार तेषां तु शिरसो लुंचनं ततः। केशस्योत्पाटनं चैव परमं धर्मसाधनम्
Having given these, he then plucked the hair from their heads, which is the supreme means of righteousness.
धनानामीश्वरो देवो धनदः केशलुंचनात्। सिद्धिं परमिकां प्राप्ताः सदा वेषस्य धारणात्
The god who is lord of wealth, the bestower of riches, attained the highest success by plucking the hair, and always by wearing that attire.
नित्यत्वं लभ्यते ह्येवं पुरा प्राहार्हतः स्वयम्। वालोत्पाटेन देवत्वं मानुषैर्लभ्यते त्विह
Thus, immortality is attained, as was said by the Arhata in ancient times. By plucking out the hair, divinity is gained by humans here.
किं न कुर्वीत तत्तस्मान्महापुण्यप्रदं यतः। मनोरथो हि देवानां लोके वै मानुषे कदा
Why would one not do this, since it bestows great merit? For the gods, when in the human world, this is their cherished desire.
अस्मिन्स्याद्भारते वर्षे जन्मनः श्रावके कुले। तपसा युञ्ज्महेस्मान्वै केशोत्पाटनपूर्वकम्
In this land of Bhārata, in the family of a disciple by birth, we should practice austerity, beginning with the plucking of hair.
तीर्थंकराश्चतुर्विंशत्तथा तैस्तु पुरस्कृताः। छायाकृतं फणींद्रेण ध्यानमार्गप्रदर्शकम्
The twenty-four Tīrthaṅkaras were thus honored by them, and by the serpent lord who made a shadow, showing the path of meditation.
स्तुवन्तं मंत्रवादेन स्वर्गो हस्तगतोर्हतं। मोक्षो वा भविता नूनं विचारः कोत्र कथ्यते
By praising with mantras, heaven is attained by the Arhata, or certainly liberation will occur; what doubt can there be in this matter?
कदा स्यामर्षयो भूत्वा सूर्याग्निसमतेजसः। जप्त्वा विरागिणश्चैवमनुपंचांगकं तथा
When will we become sages, equal in brilliance to the sun and fire, reciting with detachment and also the fivefold formula?
तथा तपस्यतां मृत्युं गतानां कालपर्ययात्। पाषाणेन शिरोभग्नं भवते पुण्यकर्मणाम्
Thus, for those practicing austerity, when death comes in due course, having the head struck with a stone becomes the act of the virtuous.
अरण्ये निर्जने वासःकदा वै भविता हि नः। कर्णजप्यं श्रावकाश्च करिष्यंति समाहिताः
When will we dwell in the lonely forest? The disciples, concentrated, will perform recitation in the ear.
भोभो ऋषे न गंतव्यं मोक्षमार्गी यतो भवान्। लब्धानि यानि स्थानानि भूयोवृत्तिकराणि च
O sage, you should not proceed on the path of liberation, for you have already attained positions that bring repeated worldly results.
त्याज्यानि तेन चैतानि सत्यमेव वचो हि नः। अस्मदीयेन तपसा नियमैर्विविधैस्तथा
Therefore, these positions must indeed be renounced, as our words are true; by our own austerity and various disciplines as well.
व्रजध्वं चोत्तमं स्थानं मोक्षमार्गं च यं बुधाः। विंदंति भक्तिभावेन तपोयुक्तास्तपस्विनः
Go to that supreme state, to the path of liberation, which the wise attain through devotion and austerity, being endowed with penance.
अक्षेषु निग्रहो यत्र दयाभूतेषु सर्वदा। तत्तपोधर्ममित्युक्तं सर्वा चान्या विडंबना
Where there is restraint of the senses and constant compassion toward all beings—that is called the true dharma of austerity; all else is mere pretense.
ज्ञात्वैतद्भवता साध्यं गंतव्यं परमं पदम्। यां वै तीर्थंकरा याता यां गतिं योगिनो गताः
Knowing this, you should strive and reach the highest state, which the makers of holy fords have attained, and which the yogis have reached.
एवं वै देवताः पूर्वं विद्याधरमहोरगाः। मनोरथाभिलाषांस्ते चिंतयंतो दिवानिशम्
In this way, the gods of old, the Vidyadharas, and great serpents, constantly contemplated their cherished desires day and night.
यद्येषणा वै युष्माकं संसारविरतौ कृता। परित्यजध्वं दाराणि स्वर्गमार्गार्गलानि च
If your desire for worldly existence has indeed ceased, then abandon your spouses and the obstacles to the path of heaven.
यस्यां योनौ पिता यातस्तां योनिं सेवसे कथम्। आत्ममांसोपमं मांसं कथं खादंति जंतवः
How can you serve the womb in which your father was born? How can creatures eat flesh that is like their own flesh?