दानं हि भूताभयदक्षिणायाः सर्वाणि दानान्यधितिष्ठतीह। तीक्ष्णे तनुं यः प्रथमं जुहोति सोनंतमाप्नोत्यभयं प्रजाभ्यः
Indeed, the gift of fearlessness to beings is the highest charity; among all gifts, it stands supreme. He who first offers his own body in sacrifice attains endless fearlessness for all creatures.
उत्तानमास्येन हविर्जुहोति अनंतमाप्नोत्यभितः प्रतिष्ठाम्। तस्यांगसंगादभिनिष्कृतं च वैश्वानरं सर्वमिदं प्रपेदे
He who offers oblations with upturned face attains endless, firm establishment. From his bodily connection, all this world receives the Vaiśvānara fire.
प्रादेशमात्रं हृदभिस्रुतं यत्तस्मिन्प्राणेनात्मयाजी जुहोति। तस्याग्निहोत्रे हुतमात्मसंस्थं सर्वेषु लोकेषु सदैव तेषु
When one offers, with the breath, in the heart the size of a thumb, the self as sacrifice, then in his agnihotra, the offering abides in himself and in all worlds, always.
देवं विधातुं त्रिवृतं सुवर्णं ये वै विदुस्तं परमार्थभूतम्। ते सर्वभूतेषु महीयमाना देवाः समर्था अमृतं व्रजंति
Those who know the god, the creator, the triple-formed, the golden, who is the highest reality—they, honored among all beings, the gods, attain immortality, being capable.
वेदांश्च वेद्यं च विधिं च कृत्स्नमथो निरुक्तं परमार्थतां च। सर्वं शरीरात्मनि यः प्रवेद तस्याभिसर्वे प्रचरंति नित्यम्
He who knows all the Vedas, what is to be known, all ritual, etymology, and the highest reality, and perceives all this in the embodied self—for him, all gods always move in accord.
भूमावसक्तं दिवि चाप्रमेयं हिरण्मयं तं च समंडलांते। प्रदक्षिणं दक्षिणमंतरिक्षे यो वेदनाप्यात्मनि दीप्तरश्मिः
He who knows that which is established in the earth, immeasurable in the sky, golden, at the end of the circle, moving to the right in the southern mid-region, and whose rays shine within himself—
आवर्तमानं च विवर्तमानं षण्नेमि यद्द्वादशारं त्रिपर्व। यस्येदमास्यं परिपाति विश्वं तत्कालचक्रं निहितं गुहायाम्
That which revolves and evolves, with six spokes and twelve rims, triple-jointed, whose mouth protects the universe—that wheel of time is set within the cave.
यतः प्रसादं जगतः शरीरं सर्वांश्च लोकानधिगच्छतीह। तस्मिन्हि संतर्पयतीह देवान्स वै विमुक्तो भवतीह नित्यम्
By whose grace the body of the world and all realms are attained—he who satisfies the gods therein becomes ever liberated here.
तेजोमयो नित्यमतः पुराणो लोके भवत्यर्थभयादुपैति। भूतानि यस्मान्नभयं व्रजंति भूतेभ्यो यो नो द्विजते कदाचित्
He who is radiant, eternal, ancient, and, out of fear of him, the world exists; from whom beings do not fear, and who never causes fear among beings—
अगर्हणीयो न च गर्हतेन्यान्स वै विप्रः प्रवरं स्वात्मनीक्षेत्। विनीतमोहोप्यपनीतकल्मषो न चेह नामुत्र च योर्थमृच्छति
He who is not to be censured, nor censures others, that brāhmaṇa should see the highest self; freed from delusion and sin, he seeks no gain here or hereafter.
अरोषमोहः समलोष्टकांचनः प्रहीणशोको गतसंधिविग्रहः। अपेतनिंदास्तुतिरप्रियाप्रियश्चरन्नुदासीनवदेव भिक्षुः
Free from anger and delusion, regarding clod and gold alike, freed from sorrow, without conflict or alliance, beyond praise or blame, moving among the pleasant and unpleasant, the mendicant wanders indifferent, like a witness.
भीष्म उवाच। यदेतत्कथितं ब्रह्मंस्तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। कमलस्याभिपातेन तीर्थं जातं धरातले
Bhīṣma said: O Brāhmaṇa, this supreme glory of the holy place which you have described, the tīrtha that arose on earth by the fall of the lotus—
तत्रस्थेन भगवता विष्णुना शंकरेण च। यत्कृतं मुनिशार्दूल तत्सर्वं परिकीर्त्तय
O tiger among sages, recount in detail all that was done there by the blessed Vishnu and Shankara.
कथं यज्ञो हि देवेन विभुना तत्र कारितः। के सदस्या ऋत्विजश्च ब्राह्मणाः के समागताः
How was the sacrifice performed there by the divine Lord? Who were the officiating priests and Brahmins who assembled?
के भागास्तस्य यज्ञस्य किं द्रव्यं का चदक्षिणा। का वेदी किं प्रमाणं च कृतं तत्र विरंचिना
What were the portions of that sacrifice, what materials were used, what was the sacrificial fee? What was the altar, and what measurements did Virinchi establish there?
यो याज्यः सर्वदेवानां वेदैः सर्वत्र पठ्यते। कं च काममभिध्यायन्वेधा यज्ञं चकार ह
Who was the recipient of the sacrifice, praised everywhere in the Vedas as the object of worship for all the gods? Which desire did the Creator contemplate when he performed the sacrifice?
यथासौ देवदेवेशो ह्यजरश्चामरश्च ह। तथा चैवाक्षयः स्वर्गस्तस्य देवस्य दृश्यते
Just as that Lord of gods is immortal and unaging, so too is his heaven seen to be imperishable.
अन्येषां चैव देवानां दत्तः स्वर्गो महात्मना। अग्निहोत्रार्थमुत्पन्ना वेदा ओषधयस्तथा
For the other gods as well, the great-souled one granted heaven; for the sake of the agnihotra, the Vedas and herbs also arose.
ये चान्ये पशवो भूमौ सर्वे ते यज्ञकारणात्। सृष्टा भगवतानेन इत्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः
All other animals on earth were created by the blessed one for the purpose of sacrifice; this is the Vedic tradition.
तदत्र कौतुकं मह्यं श्रुत्वेदं तव भाषितम्। यं काममधिकृत्यैकं यत्फलं यां च भावनां
I am curious to hear from you what desire was considered, what result and what intention were involved, as you have spoken.
कृतश्चानेन वै यज्ञः सर्वं शंसितुमर्हसि। शतरूपा च या नारी सावित्री सा त्विहोच्यते
You ought to describe fully the sacrifice performed by him; and the woman named Shatarupa is here called Savitri.
भार्या सा ब्रह्मणः प्रोक्ताः ऋषीणां जननी च सा। पुलस्त्याद्यान्मुनीन्सप्त दक्षाद्यांस्तु प्रजापतीन्
She is said to be the wife of Brahma and the mother of the sages; she gave birth to the seven sages beginning with Pulastya, and to the progenitors beginning with Daksha.
स्वायंभुवादींश्च मनून्सावित्री समजीजनत्। धर्मपत्नीं तु तां ब्रह्मा पुत्रिणीं ब्रह्मणः प्रियः
Savitri also gave birth to the Manus beginning with Svayambhuva; Brahma made her his lawful wife, beloved as the mother of his children.
पतिव्रतां महाभागां सुव्रतां चारुहासिनीं। कथं सतीं परित्यज्य भार्यामन्यामविंदत
How did Brahma, abandoning his virtuous, devoted, and noble wife with beautiful smile, seek another spouse?
किं नाम्नी किं समाचारा कस्य सा तनया विभोः। क्व सा दृष्टा हि देवेन केन चास्य प्रदर्शिता
What is her name, what are her qualities, whose daughter is she, O Lord? Where was she seen by the god, and by whom was she shown to him?
किं रूपा सा तु देवेशी दृष्टा चित्तविमोहिनी। यां तु दृष्ट्वा स देवेशः कामस्य वशमेयिवान्
What is her form, that goddess seen as enchanting to the mind, whom, upon seeing, the Lord of gods fell under the sway of desire?
वर्णतो रूपतश्चैव सावित्र्यास्त्वधिका मुने। या मोहितवती देवं सर्वलोकेश्वरं विभुम्
In color and beauty she surpasses Savitri, O sage; she bewitched the god, the sovereign of all worlds.
यथा गृहीतवान्देवो नारीं तां लोकसुंदरीं। यथा प्रवृत्तो यज्ञोसौ तथा सर्वं प्रकीर्तय
Describe in detail how the god took that woman, the beauty of the worlds, and how the sacrifice was then commenced.
तां दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मणः पार्श्वे सावित्री किं चकार ह। सावित्र्यां तु तदा ब्रह्मा कां तु वृत्तिमवर्त्तत
Upon seeing her beside Brahma, what did Savitri do? And what conduct did Brahma adopt toward Savitri at that time?
सन्निधौ कानि वाक्यानि सावित्री ब्रह्मणा तदा। उक्ताप्युक्तवती भूयः सर्वं शंसितुमर्हसि
What words did Savitri speak to Brahma in his presence then? Whether spoken or unspoken, you ought to relate everything.