प्रारब्धं च ततो होत्रं ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः। भृगुणा सहितैः कर्म वेदोक्तं तैः कृतं तदा। तथा युगसहस्रं तु स यज्ञः पुष्करेऽभवत्
Then the sacrifice was begun by the Brahmins learned in the Vedas, together with Bhṛgu; the ritual prescribed in the Vedas was performed by them, and that sacrifice at Puṣkara lasted for a thousand ages.
"भीष्म-उवाच। तस्मिन्यज्ञे किमाश्चर्यं तदासीद्द्विजसत्तम। कथं रुद्रःस्थितस्तत्र विष्णुश्चापि सुरोत्तमः
"Bhīṣma said: O best of twice-born, what wonder occurred at that sacrifice? How were Rudra and Viṣṇu present there, O best of gods?"
आभीर:पुत्री गायत्र्या किं कृतं तत्र पत्नीत्वे स्थितया तया। आभीरा: किं सुवृत्तज्ञैर्ज्ञात्वा तैश्च कृतं मुने
"What did Gāyatrī, the daughter of the Ābhīra, do there while established as wife? And what did the virtuous knowers do, having understood this, O sage?"
एतद्वृत्तं समाचक्ष्व यथावृत्तं यथाकृतम्। आभीरैर्ब्राह्मणाचापि ममैतत्कौतुकं महत्
"Tell me this story as it happened and as it was done—by the Ābhīras and by the Brāhmaṇas; I am greatly curious about this."
"पुलस्त्य उवाच। तस्मिन्यज्ञे यदाश्चर्यं वृत्तमासीन्नराधिप। कथयिष्यामि तत्सर्वं शृणुष्वैकमना नृप
"Pulastya said: O king, I will tell you all the wonders that took place at that sacrifice; listen with focused mind."
रुद्रस्तु महदाश्चर्यं कृतवान्वै सदो गतः। निन्द्यरूपधरो देवस्तत्रायाद्द्विजसन्निधौ
Rudra performed a great wonder, having entered the assembly; the god took on a censurable form there in the presence of the Brahmins.
विष्णुना न कृतं किञ्चित्प्राधान्ये स यतःस्थितः। नाशं तु गोपकन्याया ज्ञात्वा गोपकुमारकाः
Viṣṇu did nothing, since he remained in a subordinate role; but the cowherd boys, knowing the loss of the cowherd maiden, did not approve.
गोप्यश्च तास्तथा सर्वा आगता ब्रह्मणोन्तिकम्। दृष्ट्वा तां मेखलाबद्धां यज्ञसीमव्यस्थिताम्
And all those cowherd women likewise came to Brahmā; seeing her, girded with a belt and standing at the sacrificial boundary—
हा पुत्रीति तदा माता पिता हा पुत्रिकेति च। स्वसेति बान्धवाः सर्वे सख्यः सख्येन हासखि
Then her mother cried, 'O son!' and her father, 'O daughter!'; all the relatives said, 'O sister,' and her friends, 'O friend!'
केन त्वमिह चानीता अलक्तांका तु सुन्दरी। शाटीं निवृत्तांकृत्वा तु केन युक्ता च कम्बली
"By whom have you been brought here, O beautiful one with red-lacquered feet? Who has removed your garment, and who has dressed you in a woolen shawl?"
केन चेयं जटा पुत्रि रक्तसूत्रावकल्पिता। एवंविधानि वाक्यानि श्रुत्वोवाच स्वयंहरिः
By whom, O daughter, has this matted hair been adorned with a red thread? Having heard such words, Lord Hari himself spoke.
इह चास्माभिरानीता पत्न्यर्थं विनियोजिता। ब्रह्मणालम्बिता बाला प्रलापं माकृथास्त्विह
She has been brought here by us and appointed for the sake of a wife; the girl has been entrusted by Brahma—do not utter vain words here.
पुण्या चैषा सुभाग्या च सर्वेषां कुलनन्दिनी। पुण्या चेन्न भवत्येषा कथमागच्छते सदः
She is virtuous and fortunate, a delight to the whole lineage; if she were not virtuous, how could she have come to the assembly?
एवं ज्ञात्वा महाभागन त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि। कन्यैषा ते महाभागा प्राप्ता देवं विरिंचनम्
Knowing thus, O highly fortunate one, you should not grieve; this blessed girl of yours has attained the god Brahma.
योगिनो योगयुक्ता ये ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः। न लभन्ते प्रार्थयन्तस्तां गतिं दुहिता गता
Even yogis absorbed in yoga, and Brahmins accomplished in the Vedas, do not attain that state which your daughter has reached, though they desire it.
*धर्मवन्तं सदाचारं भवन्तं धर्मवत्सलम्। मया ज्ञात्वा ततः कन्या दत्ताचैषा विरञ्चये
Knowing you to be righteous, of good conduct, and devoted to dharma, I have therefore given this girl to Virinchi.
अनया-आभीरकन्याया तारितो गच्छ! *दिव्यान्लोकान्महोदयान्। युष्माकं च कुले चापि देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये
With this Abhira maiden you shall cross over to the great and divine worlds; and in your lineage too, for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose.
*अवतारं करिष्येहं सा क्रीडा तु भविष्यति। यदा नन्दप्रभृतयो ह्यवतारं धरातले
I will perform an incarnation here; that will be my play, when Nanda and others descend to the earth.
करिष्यन्ति तदा चाहं वसिष्ये तेषु मध्यतः। युष्माकं कन्यकाः सर्वा वसिष्यन्ति मया सह
When they descend, I will dwell among them; all your daughters will remain with me.
तत्र दोषो न भविता न द्वेषो न च मत्सरः। करिष्यन्ति तदा गोपा भयं च न मनुष्यकाः
There will be no fault, no hatred, and no jealousy there; the cowherds will act, and men will have no fear.
न चास्याभविता दोषः कर्मणानेन कर्हिचित्। श्रुत्वा वाक्यं तदा विष्णोःप्रणिपत्य ययुस्तदा
Nor will there ever be any fault in her because of this act; hearing these words of Vishnu, they then bowed down and departed.
एवमेष वरो देव यो दत्तो भविता हि मे। अवतारः कुलेस्माकं कर्तव्यो धर्मसाधनः
O god, let this boon you have granted truly come to pass for me; an incarnation must be made in our lineage for the establishment of dharma.
भवतो दर्शनादेव भवामः स्वर्गवासिनः। शुभदा कन्यका चैषा तारिणी मे कुलैः सह
By your very sight, we become dwellers in heaven; and this maiden, the giver of auspiciousness, will carry my lineage across.
एवं भवतु देवेश वरदानं विभो तव। अनुनीतास्तदा गोपाः स्वयं देवेन विष्णुना
So be it, Lord of gods; your granting of the boon, O mighty one. Then the cowherds were appeased by Lord Vishnu himself.
ब्रह्मणाप्येवमेवं तु वामहस्तेन भाषितम्। त्रपान्विता दर्शने तु बन्धूनां वरवर्णिनी
In the same way, Brahma also spoke with his left hand; the beautiful one, modest before her relatives, was present at the sight.
कैरहं तु समाख्याता येनेमं देशमागताः। दृष्ट्वा तु तांस्ततः प्राह गायत्री आभीरकन्यका
By whom have I been named, and by whom have I come to this place? Seeing her, Gayatri, the Abhira maiden, then spoke.
वामहस्तेन तान्सर्वान्प्राणिपातपुरःसरम्। अत्र चाहं स्थिता मातर्ब्रह्माणं समुपागता
With her left hand, she bowed down before them all; here I stand, mother, having approached Brahma.
भर्ता लब्धो मया देवः सर्वस्याद्योजगत्पतिः। नाहंशोच्या भवत्यातु न पित्रा न च बान्धवैः
I have obtained as husband the god, the ancient lord of all the worlds; I am not to be grieved for, neither by you nor by my father or relatives.
सखीगणश्च मे यातु भगिन्यो दारकैः सह। सर्वेषां कुशलं वाच्यं स्थितास्मि सह दैवतैः
Let my circle of friends, my sisters along with their children, depart; convey my well-being to all, for I remain here together with the gods.
गतेषु तेषु सर्वेषु गायत्री सा सुमध्यमा। ब्रह्मणा सहिता रेजे यज्ञवाटं गता सती
When they had all departed, that Gayatri of beautiful form, shining together with Brahma, entered the sacrificial enclosure.