जघान जमदग्निं तु कामधेनुकृते कुधीः
wicked-minded, killed Jamadagni for the sake of the wish-granting cow.
अथ पश्यंतु मे वीर्यं त्रयो लोकाः सनातनम्
Now let the three worlds witness my eternal valor.
मत्पिता निहतो येन सत्कर्मनिरतः सदा
My father, ever devoted to righteous acts, was slain by him.
इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधरक्ताक्षः कार्त्तवी र्यार्जुनं भुवि
Having spoken thus, with eyes reddened in anger, he struck down Kārtavīryārjuna on the earth.
कृत्स्नं बाहुसहस्रं च चिच्छेद भृगुनंदनः
The descendant of Bhṛgu cut off all his thousand arms.
रथस्थं पातयामास जघान नृपतिं प्रिये
He cast him down from his chariot and slew the king, O beloved.
कृत्वा निःक्षत्रियां चैव भार्गवः स महाबलः
Having made the earth devoid of Kṣatriyas, that mighty Bhārgava,
तस्मिन्यज्ञे महादाने दक्षिणां भृगुनंदनः
At that great sacrifice, in the grand act of giving, the descendant of Bhṛgu,
वारुणांस्तुरगाञ्छुभ्रान्रथं च रथिनां वरः
received pure horses of Varuṇa and a chariot, best among charioteers.
तदा तस्मिन्महायज्ञे वाजिमेधे महायशाः
Then, at that great horse-sacrifice, the illustrious one—
एवं किल पुराणेषु सर्वागमभिदादिषु
Thus indeed, in the Purāṇas and in all authoritative scriptures,
अश्वमेधेन यज्ञेन ब्रह्महत्या विनश्यति
It is said that the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa is destroyed by the Aśvamedha sacrifice.
मया पुनर्नृशंसेन बहवः प्राणिनो हताः
Yet by me, in cruelty, many living beings have been slain.
स्त्रियो वृद्धाश्च बालाश्च माता चैव विशेषतः
Women, the elderly, children, and especially my own mother.
चिंतयित्वा मुहूर्तं तु गतो रैवतकं गिरिम्
After pondering for a moment, he went to Mount Raivataka.
तथापि न गता हत्या ह्यनेकप्राणिसंभवा
Still, the sin of killing, arising from the destruction of many lives, did not depart.
सह्ये हिमालये रम्ये पुण्ये बदरिकाश्रमे
In the Sahya, in the beautiful Himalayas, and in the sacred hermitage at Badarikāśrama,
यमुनां चंद्रभागां च गंगां त्रिपथगामिनीम्
To the Yamunā, the Candrabhāgā, and the Gaṅgā, the river of three paths,
विशालां कपिलां दुर्गां गंभीरां गोमतीं शिवाम्
To the Viśālā, the Kapilā, the Durgā, the deep and auspicious Gomatī,
गयां चैव कुरुक्षेत्रं नैमिषं पुष्करं तथा
To Gayā, Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣa, and also Puṣkara,
कृतयात्रोऽपि दुःखार्त्तश्चिंतयामास भार्गवः
Even after completing these pilgrimages, Bhārgava, tormented by sorrow, reflected.
न गता ब्रह्महत्या मे कृतो धर्मो निरर्थकः यदि स्यात्सत्यमेतच्च नष्टं जातं कथं मम ।। 5.2.29.
The sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa has not left me; my righteous acts are fruitless. If this is true, how has my destruction come about?
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु नारदो मुनिपुंगवः
At just that moment, Nārada, the foremost of sages,
विषण्णवदनो दीनश्चिंतयानः पुनःपुनः
With a face cast down, dejected, and lost in anxious thought again and again,
भोभो नारद देवर्षे शृणु मे परमं वचः
O Nārada, divine sage, hear my supreme words.
पितुः पराभवाद्भूमौ भृमिपाला मया हताः
Because of my father's defeat, I have slain the rulers of the earth.
निरंतरा हता लोका विशोकेनादयालुना
Unceasingly, I have destroyed the worlds, being merciless and without sorrow.
यज्ञः कृतोऽश्वमेधश्च दत्तं दानमनेकधा
Sacrifices have been performed, the Aśvamedha completed, and many gifts given.
पर्वतेषु तपस्तप्तं हुतं जप्तं निरंतरम्
Austerities performed on mountains, offerings made, and recitations done without interruption—
परं नैव गता हत्या तस्मात्सर्वं निरर्थकम्
—do not lead to the highest state if killing has occurred; therefore, all such acts are rendered fruitless.