जीर्णकंथावृतो देवि मुंडः खट्वांगधारकः कपालं च करे कृत्वा कपालकृतभूषणः
Covered with old rags, O Goddess, bald, bearing a skull-topped staff, holding a skull in his hand, adorned with ornaments made of skulls,
ब्राह्मणाश्च ततः क्रुद्धा दृष्ट्वा मां जाल्मरूपिणम्
Then the Brāhmaṇas, angered upon seeing me in the form of a beggar,
असकृत्पापपापेति गच्छगच्छ विडंबिताः
Repeatedly mocked, saying, 'Go away, sinner, go away!'
अकपालानि शौचानि इति वेदेषु गीयते
It is sung in the Vedas that those without skulls are pure.
मया प्रोक्तास्तु ते विप्राः श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तमाः
I spoke to those Brāhmaṇas: 'Listen, O best of twice-born!'
कर्त्तव्या च दया सद्भिः सर्वदा सर्वदेहिनाम्
Compassion must always be shown by the virtuous to all embodied beings.
अहं कापालिको विप्रो भस्मभूषितविग्रहः 5.2.8.
I am a Brahmin ascetic, adorned with ashes upon my body.
आराधयामि सततं महादेवं जगत्पतिम्
I constantly worship Mahadeva, the Lord of the universe.
अघघ्नं विश्रुतं लोके प्रारब्धं हि मया द्विजाः
I have undertaken the renowned ritual to destroy sin, O twice-born ones.
मदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा तैः प्रोक्तं द्विजसत्तमैः
After hearing my words, those eminent Brahmins declared thus.
कपालैर्भूषितो निंद्यो विशेषेण तु विप्रहः
A Brahmin adorned with skulls is especially condemned.
यस्मिन्यज्ञे समायाता आदित्या वसवस्तथा
In that sacrifice, the Adityas and Vasus assembled.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुः सहस्राक्षो वरुणो वायुरेव च
Brahma, Vishnu, the thousand-eyed Indra, Varuna, and Vayu also attended.
सुपर्णा गिरयो नागाः सर्वे चाकारिताः क्रतौ
Garuda, the mountains, the serpents—all were summoned to the ritual.
ब्रह्मर्षयो महाभागास्तथा देवर्षयोऽमलाः
The great Brahmin sages and the pure divine sages were also present.
अपवित्रमिति ज्ञात्वा कथं त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि
Knowing it to be impure, how can you speak thus?
इत्युक्तोऽहं यदा विप्रैर्मया प्रोक्तं वचस्तदा 5.2.8.
When I was addressed in this way by the Brahmins, I then spoke these words.
इत्युक्ते वचने देवि ताडितोऽहं भृशं तदा
When these words were spoken, O Devi, I was harshly struck at that moment.
अथ प्रहस्य तत्क्षिप्त्वा तां वेदिं दर्भसंस्तृताम्
Then, laughing, I cast aside that altar covered with darbha grass.
मयि नष्टे कपालं तत्क्षिप्तं मंडपबाह्यतः
When I was gone, the skull was thrown outside the pavilion.
एवं शतसहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च
Thus, hundreds of thousands, tens of millions, and crores occurred.
अथाहुर्ज्ञानिनः सर्वे नेदमन्यस्य चेष्टितम्
Then all the wise ones said: 'This is not the act of anyone else.'
ततोऽहं विविधैः स्तोत्रैः स्तुतो विप्रैः पृथक्पृथक्
Afterwards, I was praised by the Brahmins with various hymns, each separately.
अहं तुष्टस्तदा देवि द्विजानामनुकंपया
Then, O Devi, I was pleased out of compassion for the Brahmins.
तदा ते ब्राह्मणाः प्रोचुर्यदज्ञानाद्वधस्तव
Then those Brahmins spoke, saying that your killing was due to ignorance.
ब्रह्महत्याविनाशाय प्रसादं कुरु नः प्रभो
O Lord, grant us your favor for the destruction of the sin of killing a Brahmin.
द्विजानां च तदा तेषामग्रे कथितवानिदम् 5.2.8.
At that time, in the presence of those twice-born, you spoke these words.
अनादिलिंगं तत्रासीच्छन्नं कालविपर्यये
There was a primordial linga, concealed by the reversal of time.
कृता मयापि विप्रेंद्रा ब्रह्महत्या स्वयं पुरा
O best of Brahmins, I too once committed the sin of killing a Brahmin myself.
ब्रह्महत्या ततो जाता ममातीव सुदुःसहा
From that, the sin of Brahmin-killing arose in me, exceedingly unbearable.