मौनी ध्यानपरो भूत्वा स कवित्वमवाप्नुयात्
By becoming silent and absorbed in meditation, he attains poetic inspiration.
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण कवित्वमुपजायते
In whose mere presence poetic inspiration arises.
रूपयौवनसंपन्ना तस्य भार्याथ कौशिकी
His wife Kauśikī was endowed with beauty and youth.
तस्य पुत्रः समुत्पन्नो ह्यग्निशर्मेति नामतः
A son was born to him, named Agniśarman.
ततो बहुतिथे काले अनावृष्टिरजायत
After a long time, a drought occurred.
ततोऽसौ सुमतिर्विप्रः सभार्यः स सुतस्तथा
Then that wise Brahmin, together with his wife and son,
आभीरैर्दस्युभिः सार्धं संगोऽभूदग्निशर्मणः
Agniśarman associated with the Ābhīras and bandits.
स्मृतिर्नष्टा गता वेदा गतं गोत्रं गता श्रुतिः
Memory was lost, the Vedas disappeared, the lineage vanished, and the sacred tradition was gone.
सप्तर्षयः पथा तेन सुव्रताः समुपस्थिताः
The seven sages, steadfast in their vows, arrived by that path.
वस्त्राणीमानि मुच्यध्वं छत्रिकोपानहौ तथा 5.1.24.
Remove these garments, as well as your cloak and shoes.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा अत्रिर्वचनमब्रवीत् वयं तपस्विनो भूत्वा तीर्थयात्राकृतोद्यमाः
Hearing those words, Atri spoke: 'We have become ascetics, intent on pilgrimage to holy places.'
पोषयामि सदा तांस्तु एतन्मे हृदि संस्थितम्
I always sustain them; this is firmly established in my heart.
यद्युष्मदर्थं क्रियते पापं तत्कस्य कथ्यताम्
If a sin is committed for your sake, tell me whose it is.
यदि ते कथयंति स्म मा मृषा प्राणिनो वधीः
If they speak, let them not lie; do not kill living beings.
युष्माकं वचसा मेऽद्य प्रतिबोधः प्रवर्तते
Today, your words awaken understanding in me.
गत्वा पृच्छामि तान्सर्वान्कस्य भावश्च कीदृशः
I will go and ask them all whose disposition is like what.
इत्युक्त्वा ताञ्जगामाशु पितरं स्वमुवाच ह
Having said this, he quickly went to his father and spoke to him.
सुमहद्दृश्यते पापं कस्य तत्कथ्यतां मम
A great sin is seen—whose is it? Tell me about it.
त्वं जानासि यत्कुरुषे कृतं भाव्यं पुनस्त्वया
You know what you have done; what has been done must again be done by you.
तयाप्युक्तं न मे पापं पापमेतत्तवैव हि 5.1.24.
She too said, 'The sin is not mine; truly, this sin is yours alone.'
तज्ज्ञात्वा हृदयं तेषां चेष्टितं चैव तत्त्वतः
Knowing their hearts and their actions in truth,
क्षिप्त्वाथ लगुडं कृष्णं येन वै जंतवो हताः
Then, having cast aside the black club by which creatures were slain,
प्रणम्य दंडपातेन ततो वचनमव्रवीत्
He bowed down with his body to the ground, and then spoke these words:
सर्वैस्तैः परिमुक्तौऽहं भवतां शरणं गतः
Freed by all of them, I have come to you for refuge.
एवं तं वादिनं दृष्ट्वा ऋषयोऽत्रिमथाब्रुवन्
Seeing him speaking thus, the sages then spoke to Atri:
भवताऽयमनुग्राह्यः शिष्यो भवतु ते मुने
This one should be accepted by you; let him be your disciple, O sage.
अनेन ध्यानयोगेन महामंत्रजपेन च संस्थितो वृक्ष मूले त्वं परा सिद्धिं गमिष्यसि
By this meditation-yoga and the recitation of the great mantra, established at the root of the tree, you will attain supreme accomplishment.
इत्युक्त्वा ते ययुः सर्वे संकामं सोऽपि तत्र वै
Having said this, they all departed as they wished, and he too remained there.
तस्योपर्यभवत्तत्र वल्मीकोऽविचलस्य च
There, above him, a termite mound formed as he remained unmoving.
उदीरितं ध्वनिं तेन वल्मीके विस्मयान्विताः 5.1.24.
A sound was uttered by him from within the mound, and they were filled with wonder.