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.
मन्वंतरे व्यतीते तु यज्ञस्यावभृथोभवत्। दक्षिणा ब्रह्मणे दत्ता प्राची होतुस्तु दक्षिणा
When the Manvantara had passed, the avabhṛtha of the sacrifice took place; the gift to the brahma was given, and the eastern gift to the hotṛ.
अद्ध्वर्यवे प्रतीची तु उद्गातुश्चोत्तरा तथा। त्रैलोक्यं सकलं ब्रह्मा ददौ तेषां तु दक्षिणाम्
The western gift to the adhvaryu, and likewise the northern to the udgātṛ; Brahmā gave the entire three worlds as their gift.
धेनूनां च शतं प्राज्ञैर्दातव्यं यज्ञसिद्धये। अष्टौ तु यज्ञवाहानां चत्वारिंशाधिकास्तथा
A hundred cows should be given by the wise for the completion of the sacrifice; and forty-eight sacrificial animals as well.
द्वितीयस्थानिनां चैव चतुर्विंशत्प्रकीर्तिताः। षोडशैव तृतीयानां देया वै धेनवः शुभाः
For those in the second position, twenty-four are mentioned; and sixteen auspicious cows should be given to those in the third.
द्वादशैव तथा चान्या आग्नीध्रादिषु दापयेत्। अनया संख्यया चैव ग्रामान्दासीरजाविकं
Twelve others should likewise be given to the āgnīdhra and others; and with this number, villages, female servants, and livestock.
सहस्रभोज्यं दातव्यं स्नात्वा चावभृथे क्रतौ। यजमानेन सर्वस्वं देयं स्वायंभुवोब्रवीत्
A thousand portions of food should be given after bathing in the avabhṛtha rite; the sacrificer must give all his possessions, so declared by Svāyambhuva.
अद्ध्वर्यूणां सदस्यानां स्वेच्छया दानमिष्यते। विष्णुं चाहूय वै ब्रह्मा वाक्यमाह मुदान्वितः
The giving of gifts by the officiating priests and the assistants is to be done according to their own wish; having invoked Viṣṇu, Brahmā spoke these words with joy.
अभिप्रसाद्य सावित्रीं त्वमिहानय सुव्रत। त्वयि दृष्टे न सा कोपं करिष्यति शुभानना
Having pleased Sāvitrī, O virtuous one, bring her here; when she sees you, O auspicious-faced one, she will not be angry.
स्निग्धैः सानुनयैर्वाक्यैर्हेतुयुक्तैर्विशेषतः। त्वं सदा मधुराभाषी जिह्वा ते स्रवतेमृतम्
With gentle and persuasive words, especially those supported by reasoning, you always speak sweetly—your tongue indeed drips with nectar.
यः करोति न ते वाक्यं त्रैलोक्ये न स दृश्यते। गंधर्वैः सहितो गत्वा प्रियां मम समानय
Whoever does not heed your words is not seen in all three worlds; go together with the Gandharvas and bring my beloved.