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?
ततस्ते दानवा भीष्मा ऊचुः सर्वे गुरुं वचः। दीक्षस्व नो महाभाग भ्रूणकानग्रतः स्थितान्
Then all those mighty Dānavas spoke to their teacher: 'Initiate us, O blessed one, who stand here as embryos.'
तथा कृत्वा स तानाह समयेन पुरोहितः। प्रणामो नान्यदेवेषु कर्तव्यो वः कदाचन
Having done so, the priest addressed them according to the rule: 'You must never offer obeisance to any other gods at any time.'
एकस्थाने यदा भक्तं भोक्तव्यं करसंपुटे। तत्रस्थाने स्थितं तोयं केशकीटविवर्जितम्
When food is to be eaten, it should be taken in one place, with cupped hands; and the water there should be free from hair and insects.
तुल्यं प्रियाप्रियं कार्यं नान्यदृष्टिहतं क्वचित्। भोक्तव्यमेतेन विभो आचारेण तथा कुरु४०० 1.13.
One should act equally toward what is dear and not dear, never acting out of partiality; food should be taken in this manner, O lord, so practice accordingly.
भवध्वं सहिता यूयं ते तथा मोक्षभागिनः। एवमुक्त्वा स नियमान्कृत्वा तान्दनुपुंगवान्
Remain together, all of you, and thus you will partake of liberation; having spoken thus and establishing these rules, he instructed those foremost among men.
जगाम धिषणो राजन्देवलोकं दिवौकसाम्। आचचक्षे स तत्सर्वं दानवानां च कारितम्
Then Dhiṣaṇa, O king, went to the world of the gods; he reported all that had been done by the Dānavas.
ततस्ते त्वसुरा जग्मुर्नर्मदामभितो वसन्। दृष्ट्वा तान्दानवांस्तत्र प्रह्लादेन विना कृतान्
Then those Asuras went to the vicinity of the Narmadā, dwelling there; seeing those Dānavas there, except for Prahlāda.
देवराजस्ततो हृष्टो नमुचिं प्राह वै वचः। हिरण्याक्षं यज्ञहनं धर्मघ्नं वेदनिंदकम्
Then the king of the gods, delighted, spoke to Namuci these words: 'Hiraṇyākṣa, the destroyer of sacrifice, the slayer of dharma, the reviler of the Vedas—'
राक्षसं क्रूरकर्माणं प्रघसं विघसं तथा। मुचिं चैव तथा बाणं विरोचनमथापि वा
'The Rākṣasa of cruel deeds, the devourer, the glutton as well, Muci, and likewise Bāṇa, and also Virocana—'
महिषाक्षं बाष्कलं च प्रचंडं चंडकं तथा। रोचमानं तथात्युग्रं सुषेणं दानवोत्तमम्
'Mahiṣākṣa, Bāṣkala, Pracaṇḍa, Caṇḍaka, Rocamāna, the exceedingly fierce, and Suṣeṇa, the foremost of the Dānavas.'