कांस्तु लोकान्गमिष्यामि अपध्यातो महात्मना। उभौ हस्तौ मुखे कृत्वा साश्रुकंठोऽब्रवीदिदम्
To which worlds shall I go, condemned by the great-souled? Placing both hands upon his face, with a throat choked by tears, he spoke these words.
नापराध्यामि रामस्य कर्मणा मनसा गिरा। स्पृष्टौ ते चरणौ देवि मम नान्या गतिर्भवेत्
I have not wronged Rama by deed, thought, or word; O Devi, I touch your feet—there is no other refuge for me.
ततः सीताऽब्रवीद्रामं त्यक्तः किमनुजस्त्वया। वैषम्यं त्यज्यतां बाले लक्ष्मणे लक्ष्मिवर्धने
Then Sita spoke to Rama: Why have you abandoned your younger brother? Let this unfairness be set aside, O child, for Lakshmana, the increaser of fortune.
राघवस्त्वब्रवीत्सीतां नाहं त्यक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मणम्। न कदाचिदपि स्वप्ने लक्ष्मणस्य मतं प्रिये
Raghava replied to Sita: I will not abandon Lakshmana; not even in a dream would I disregard Lakshmana's counsel, dearest.
श्रुतपूर्वं च सुश्रोणि क्षेत्रस्यास्य विचेष्टितम्। अत्र क्षेत्रे जनास्सत्यं सर्वे हि स्वार्थतत्पराः
And, O lovely-hipped one, I have heard before of the conduct in this land; in this field, all people are truly intent only upon their own interests.
परस्परं न पश्यंति स्वात्मनश्च हितं वचः। न शृण्वंति पितुः पुत्राः पुत्राणां पितरस्तथा
They do not see one another, nor heed words for their own benefit; sons do not listen to their fathers, nor fathers to their sons.
न शिष्या हि गुरोर्वाक्यं शिष्यस्यापि तथा गुरुः। अर्थानुबंधिनीप्रीतिर्न कश्चित्कस्यचित्प्रियः
Disciples do not heed the teacher's words, nor teachers those of the disciple; affection is bound to gain, and no one is dear to anyone.
इत्येवं कथयन्नेव प्राप्तो रेवां महानदीम्। चक्रेभिषेकं काकुत्स्थः सानुजः सह सीतया
Thus speaking, he reached the great river Reva; Kakutstha, with his brother and Sita, performed the ablution.
तर्पयित्वा च सलिलैः स्वान्पितॄन्दैवतान्यपि। उदीक्ष्य च मुहुः सूर्यं देवताश्च समाहितः
Having offered water to his ancestors and also to the deities, and repeatedly gazing at the sun, he stood with mind concentrated upon the gods.
कृताभिषेकस्तु रराज रामः सीता द्वितीयः सह लक्ष्मणेन। कृताभिषेकः सह शैलपुत्र्या गुहेन सार्धं भगवानिवेशः
Having performed the ablution, Rama shone forth, Sita beside him, together with Lakshmana; having performed the ablution with the daughter of the mountain and with Guha, the blessed one entered his dwelling.
भीष्म उवाच॥ कस्मिन्काले भगवता ब्रह्मणा लोककारिणा। यज्ञियैर्यष्टुमारब्धं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
Bhishma said: At what time did the blessed Brahma, creator of worlds, begin to perform sacrifices? You are fit to tell me this.
किं नामान ऋत्विजस्ते ब्रह्मणा ये प्रकल्पिताः। का च वै दक्षिणा तेषां दत्ता तेन महात्मना
What were the names of the priests appointed by Brahma? And what gifts were given to them by that great-souled one?
यथाभूतं यथावृत्तं तथा त्वं मे प्रकीर्तय। सुमहत्कौतुकं जातं यज्ञं पैतामहं प्रति
Tell me exactly as it happened, as it truly was; great curiosity has arisen in me regarding the ancestral sacrifice.
पुलस्त्य उवाच॥ पूर्वमेव मया ख्यातं यदा स्वायंभुवो मनुः। सृष्ट्वा प्रजापतीन्सर्वानुक्तः सृष्टिं कुरुष्व वै
Pulastya said: I have already related how, when Svayambhuva Manu had created all the progenitors, he was told: 'Create the world.'
स्वयं तु पुष्करं गत्वा यज्ञस्याहृत्य विस्तरम्। ससंभारान्समानाय्य वह्न्यगारे स्थितोभवत्
He himself went to Pushkara, gathered the materials for the sacrifice, and, assembling all the requisites, stood in the fire chamber.
गायंति नित्यं गंधर्वा नृत्यंत्यप्सरसां गणाः। ब्रह्मोद्गाता होताध्वर्युश्चत्वारो यज्ञवाहकाः
The Gandharvas always sing, and the groups of Apsaras dance; the Brahma-udgātā, hotṛ, and adhvaryu—these four carry out the sacrifice.
एकैकस्य त्रयश्चान्ये परिवाराः स्वयंकृताः। ब्रह्मा च ब्रह्मणाच्छंसी पोता चाग्नीध्र एव च
For each of them, three attendants were self-appointed; Brahma, the Brahmanācchaṃsī, the potā, and the agnīdhra as well.
आन्वीक्षिकी सर्वविद्या ब्राह्मी ह्येषा चतुष्टयी। उद्गाता च प्रत्युद्गाता प्रतिहर्ता सुब्रह्मण्यः
Ānvīkṣikī, all knowledge, and Brāhmī—these fourfold; the udgātā, pratyudgātā, pratihartā, and subrahmaṇya.
चतुष्टयी द्वितीयैषा तूद्गातुश्च प्रकीर्तिता। होता च मैत्रावरुणस्तथाऽच्छावाक एव च
This second group of four is declared for the udgātṛ; the hotṛ, maitrāvaruṇa, and acchāvāka as well.
ग्रावस्तुच्च चतुर्थोत्र तृतीया च चतुष्टयी। अध्वर्युश्च प्रतिष्ठाता नेष्टोन्नेता तथैव च
The grāvastut is the fourth here, and the third group of four; the adhvaryu, pratiṣṭhātṛ, neṣṭṛ, and unnetṛ likewise.
चतुष्टयी चतुर्थ्येषा प्रोक्ता शंतनुनंदन। एते वै षोडश प्रोक्ता ऋत्विजो वेदचिंतकैः
This fourth group of four is spoken of, O son of Śaṃtanu; these sixteen officiants are declared by those who contemplate the Vedas.
शतानि त्रीणि षष्टिश्च यज्ञाः सृष्टाः स्वयंभुवा॥ एतांश्चैतेषु सर्वेषु प्रवदंति सदा द्विजान्
Three hundred sixty sacrifices were created by the self-born; and in all these, the twice-born always recite these names.
सदस्यं केचिदिच्छंति त्रिसामाध्वर्युमेव च। ब्रह्माणं नारदं चक्रे ब्राह्मणाच्छंसि गौतमम्
Some desire the sadasya, and the trisāmā and adhvaryu as well; Nārada was made the brahma, Gautama the brāhmaṇācchaṃsi.
देवगर्भं च पोतारमाग्नीध्रं चैव देवलम्। उद्गातांगिरसः प्रत्युद्गाता च पुलहस्तथा
Devagarbha as potṛ, Agnīdhra as devala; Aṅgiras as udgātṛ, Pulaha as pratyudgātṛ.
नारायणः प्रतिहर्ता सुब्रह्मण्योत्रिरुच्यते। तस्मिन्यज्ञे भृगुर्होता वसिष्ठो मैत्र एव च
Nārāyaṇa is the pratihartṛ, Subrahmaṇya is called the utṛ; in that sacrifice, Bhṛgu is the hotṛ, Vasiṣṭha is the maitra.
अच्छावाकः क्रतुः प्रोक्तो ग्रावस्तुच्च्यवनस्तथा। पुलस्त्योद्ध्वर्युरेवासीत्प्रतिष्ठाता च वै शिबिः
Acchāvāka is named Kratu, grāvastut is Cyavana; Pulastya was the adhvaryu, and Śibi the pratiṣṭhātṛ.
बृहस्पतिस्तत्र नेष्टा उन्नेता शांशपायनः। धर्मः सदस्यस्तत्रासीत्पुत्रपौत्रसहायवान्
Bṛhaspati was the neṣṭṛ there, Śāṃśapāyana the unnetṛ; Dharma was the sadasya there, accompanied by sons, grandsons, and companions.
भरद्वाजः शमीकश्च पुरुकुत्सो युगंधरः। एनकस्तीर्णकश्चैव केशः कुतप एव च
Bharadvāja, Śamīka, Purukutsa, Yugandhara, Enaka, Tīrṇaka, Keśa, and Kutapa as well.
गर्गो वेदशिराश्चैव त्रिसामाद्ध्वर्यवः कृताः। कण्वादयस्तथा चान्ये मार्कंडो गंडिरेव च
Garga and Vedaśiras, made trisāmā and adhvaryu; likewise Kaṇva and others, Mārkaṇḍa and Gaṇḍi as well.
पुत्रपौत्रसमेताश्च सशिष्याः सहबांधवाः। कर्माणि तत्र कुर्वाणा दिवानिशमतंद्रिताः
Joined by sons and grandsons, with disciples and relatives; performing rituals there, tirelessly day and night.