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.
किं कृतं तत्र युष्माभिः कोपो वाथ क्षमापि वा। यत्कृतं तत्र यद्दृष्टं यत्तवोक्तं मया त्विह
What did you do there—was it anger, or was it forgiveness? Whatever was done, whatever was seen, whatever was said by you there, tell me here.
विस्तरेणेह सर्वाणि कर्माणि परमेष्ठिनः। श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यशेषेण विधेर्यज्ञविधिं परं
Here, in detail, I wish to hear all the deeds of the Grandfather, and fully the supreme ordinance of sacrifice.
कर्मणामानुपूर्व्यं च प्रारंभो होत्रमेव च। होतुर्भक्षो यथाऽचापि प्रथमा कस्य कारिता
The sequence of the rites, their commencement, the Hotṛ priest himself, how the Hotṛ’s portion was assigned, and for whom the first offering was made—
कथं च भगवान्विष्णुः साहाय्यं केन कीदृशं। अमरैर्वा कृतं यच्च तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
And how the Blessed Viṣṇu assisted, by whom, and in what manner; and what was done by the immortals—this you should relate.
देवलोकं परित्यज्य कथं मर्त्यमुपागतः। गार्हपत्यं च विधिना अन्वाहार्यं च दक्षिणम्
How did he leave the world of the gods and come to the mortal realm? The household fire, the prescribed Anvāhārya and Dakṣiṇa fires—
अग्निमाहवनीयं च वेदीं चैव तथा स्रुवम्। प्रोक्षणीयं स्रुचं चैव आवभृथ्यं तथैव च
The Āhavanīya fire, the altar, the ladle, the sprinkling vessel, the sacrificial spoon, and the Āvabhṛtha rite as well—
अग्नींस्त्रींश्च यथा चक्रे हव्यभागवहान्हि वै। हव्यादांश्च सुरांश्चक्रे कव्यादांश्च पितॄनपि
How he made the three fires, truly bearers of the oblations; how he made the gods the receivers of offerings, and the ancestors the receivers of ancestral rites—
भागार्थं यज्ञविधिना ये यज्ञा यज्ञकर्मणि। यूपान्समित्कुशं सोमं पवित्रं परिधीनपि
For the sake of portions, by the ordinance of sacrifice, which sacrifices and sacrificial acts were performed; the sacrificial posts, the fuel, the sacred grass, the soma, the purifier, and the enclosing sticks—
यज्ञियानि च द्रव्याणि यथा ब्रह्मा चकार ह। विबभ्राज पुरा यश्च पारमेष्ठ्येन कर्मणा
And the sacrificial materials, how Brahmā made them; and who in ancient times shone forth by the act of the Grandfather—
क्षणा निमेषाः काष्ठाश्च कलास्त्रैकाल्यमेव च। मुहूर्तास्तिथयो मासा दिनं संवत्सरस्तथा
Moments, twinklings, measures of time, and the single unit of time; muhūrtas, lunar days, months, days, and the year as well—
ऋतवः कालयोगाश्च प्रमाणं त्रिविधं पुरा। आयुः क्षेत्राण्यपचयं लक्षणं रूपसौष्ठवम्
The seasons, the conjunctions of time, the threefold measure in ancient times; lifespan, fields, decrease, marks, and beauty of form—
त्रयो वर्णास्त्रयो लोकास्त्रैविद्यं पावकास्त्रयः। त्रैकाल्यं त्रीणि कर्माणि त्रयो वर्णास्त्रयो गुणाः
The three classes, the three worlds, the threefold knowledge, the three fires; the threefold time, the three acts, the three classes, the three qualities—
सृष्टा लोकाः पराः स्रष्ट्रा ये चान्येनल्पचेतसा। या गतिर्धर्मयुक्तानां या गतिः पापकर्मणां
The worlds created, the supreme creators, and those of lesser mind; the path of the righteous, and the path of those who act wickedly—
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य प्रभवश्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षिता। चतुर्विद्यस्य यो वेत्ता चतुराश्रमसंश्रयः
The origin of the fourfold order, the protector of the fourfold order; the knower of the four sciences, the one who abides in the four stages of life—
यः परं श्रूयते ज्योतिर्यः परं श्रूयते तपः। यः परं परतः प्राह परं यः परमात्मवान्
He who is heard to be the supreme light, who is heard to be the supreme austerity; who is declared the supreme beyond the supreme, who possesses the supreme self—
सेतुर्यो लोकसेतूनां मेध्यो यो मेध्यकर्मणाम्। वेद्यो यो वेदविदुषां यः प्रभुः प्रभवात्मनाम्
He who is the bridge of all worlds, the pure among those of pure acts; the one to be known by the knowers of the Veda, the lord of those who possess mastery—
असुभूतश्च भूतानामग्निभूतोग्निवर्चसाम्। मनुष्याणां मनोभूतस्तपोभूतस्तपस्विनाम्
Who is the non-being among beings, the fire among those with fiery splendor; the mind among men, the austerity among ascetics—
विनयो नयवृत्तीनां तेजस्तेजस्विनामपि। इत्येतत्सर्वमखिलान्सृजन्लोकपितामहः
Discipline among those who practice discipline, brilliance even among the brilliant—thus, all this, the Grandfather created, the father of the worlds.
यज्ञाद्गतिं कामन्वैच्छत्कथं यज्ञे मतिः कृता। एष मे संशयो ब्रह्मन्नेष मे संशयः परः
How did he seek the fruit of sacrifice, and how was his mind set upon the sacrifice? This is my doubt, O Brahmin; this is my great uncertainty.
आश्चर्यः परमो ब्रह्मा देवैर्दैत्यैश्च पठ्यते। कर्मणाश्चर्यभूतोपि तत्त्वतः स इहोच्यते
The supreme Brahman is wondrous, recited by gods and demons alike; even as a marvel of action, he is here described in truth.