तस्यापि सर्वरूपाः स्युस्तनयाः पञ्चभोगिनः । यथासंख्येन पुत्रास्तु तेषामक्षाभिधानकाः ।। ५२.
He too had sons of all forms, five enjoyers; and their sons, according to their number, were called Akṣa.
एते पूर्वं दस्यवः स्युस्ततो राज्ञा वशीकृताः । अमूर्त्ता इव ते सर्वे चक्रुरायतनं शुभम् ।। ५२.
These were formerly bandits, then subdued by the king; all of them, as if without form, made a beautiful abode.
नवद्बारं पुरं तस्य त्वेकस्तम्भं चतुष्पथम् । नदीसहस्त्रसंकीर्ण जलकृत्य समास्थितम् ।। ५२.
That city had nine gates, a single pillar, and four crossroads; it was established amidst a thousand rivers, with waterworks throughout.
तत्पुरं ते प्रविविशुरेकीभूतास्ततो नव । पुरुषो मूर्त्तिमान् राजा पशुपालोऽभवत् क्षणात् ।। ५२.
Those nine, having become united, entered that city; then, in an instant, a person appeared, embodied as a king and a shepherd.
ततस्तत्पुरसंस्थस्तु पशुपालो महानृपः । संसूच्य वाचकाञ्छब्दान् वेदान् सस्मार तत्पुरे ।। ५२.
Then, residing in that city, the great king and shepherd recalled the Vedas there, indicating the words of the reciters.
आत्मस्वरूपिणो नित्यास्तदुक्तानि व्रतानि च । नियमान् क्रतवश्चैव सर्वान् राजा चकार ह ।। ५२.
The king performed all the vows, disciplines, and sacrifices spoken of as eternal and as pertaining to the true nature of the self.
स कदाचिन्नृपः खिन्नः कर्मकाण्डं प्ररोचयन् । सर्वज्ञो योगनिद्रायां स्थित्वा पुत्रं ससर्ज ह ।। ५२.
Once, the king became weary, promoting ritual actions; being omniscient, he entered yogic sleep and produced a son.
चतुर्वक्त्रं चतुर्बाहुं चतुर्वेदं चतुष्पथम् । तस्मादारभ्य नृपतेर्वशे पश्वादयः स्थिताः ।। ५२.
With four faces, four arms, four Vedas, and four crossroads, from him, the king, all creatures beginning with cattle remained under his authority.
तस्मिन् समुद्रे स नृपो वने तस्मिंस्तथैव च । तृणादिषु नृपस्सैव हस्त्यादिषु तथैव च । समोभवत् कर्मकाण्डादनुज्ञाय महामते ।। ५२.
In that ocean, in that forest, and among grasses, the king himself was present; likewise among elephants and others, he became equal, having permitted ritual actions, O wise one.
भद्राश्व उवाच । मत्प्रश्नविषये ब्रह्मन् कथेयं कथिता त्वया । तस्या विभूतिरभवत् कस्य केन कृतेन ह ।। ५३.
Bhadrāśva said: O Brahman, you have narrated the story concerning my question; whose glory was that, and by whom and how was it accomplished?
अगस्त्य उवाच । आगतेयं कथा चित्रा सर्वस्य विषये स्थिता । त्वद्देहे मम देहे च सर्वजन्तुषु सा समा ।। ५३.
Agastya said: This wondrous story has arrived, pertaining to all; it is present in your body, in mine, and in all creatures alike.
तस्यां संभूतिमिच्छन् यस्तस्योपायं स्वयं परम् । पशुपालात् समुत्पन्नो यश्चतुष्पाच्चतुर्मुखः ।। ५३.
Whoever desires its origin, let him seek the supreme means himself; from the shepherd arose the four-footed, and from them, the four-faced.
स गुरुः स कथायास्तु तस्याश्चैव प्रवर्त्तकः । तस्य पुत्रः स्वरो नाम सप्तमूर्तिंरसौ स्मृतः ।। ५३.
He is the teacher and the initiator of that story; his son, named Svara, is remembered as the seventh form.
तेन प्रोक्तं तु यत्किंचित् चतुर्णां साधनं नृप । ऋगर्थानां चतुर्भिस्ते तद्भक्त्याराध्यतां ययुः ।। ५३.
Whatever means for the fourfold purpose was spoken by him, O king, those devoted to the meanings of the Rig Veda worshipped and attained it.
चतुर्णां प्रथमो यस्तु चतुःश्रृङ्गसमास्थितः । वृषद्वितीयस्तत्प्रोक्तमार्गेणैव तृतीयकः । चतुर्थस्तत्प्रणीतस्तां पूज्य भक्त्या सुतं व्रजेत् ।। ५३.
Among the four, the first, established on four horns, is the bull; the second follows the path spoken by him, and the third likewise; the fourth, guided by him, worships the son with devotion.
सप्तमूर्त्तेस्तु चरितं शुश्रुंवुः प्रथमं नृप । ब्रह्मचर्येण वर्त्तेत द्वितीयोऽस्य सनातनः ।। ५३.
The deeds of the seventh form were heard first, O king; the second, eternal one, lives by celibacy.
ततो भृत्यादिभरणं वृषभारोहणं त्रिषु । वनवासश्च निर्द्दिष्ट आत्मस्थे वृषभे सति ।। ५३.
Then, the care of servants and others, the mounting of the bull among the three, and dwelling in the forest were prescribed, when the bull is established in the self.
अहमस्मि वदत्यन्यश्चतुर्द्धा एकधा द्विधा । भेदभिन्नसहोत्पन्नास्तस्यापत्यानि जज्ञिरे ।। ५३.
Another says, 'I am,' in fourfold, single, and dual forms; the offspring of that one were born, arising from differences and divisions.
नित्यानित्यस्वरूपाणि दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं चतुर्मुखः । चिन्तयामास जनकं कथं पश्याम्यहं नृप ।। ५३.
Having seen the eternal and non-eternal forms before, the four-faced one pondered, 'How may I see my progenitor, O king?'
मदीयस्य पितुर्ये हि गुणा आसन् महात्मनः । न ते सम्प्रति दृश्यन्ते स्वरापत्येषु केषुचित् ।। ५३.
The virtues of my father, the great soul, which existed, are not now seen in some of the descendants of Svara.
पितुः पुत्रस्य यः पुत्रः स पितामहनामवान् । एवं श्रुतिः स्थिता चेयं स्वरापत्येषु नान्यथा ।। ५३.
The son of a son is called by the name 'grandfather'; thus, this is the established tradition in the case of descendants, and not otherwise.
क्वापि संपत्स्यते भावो द्रष्टव्यश्चापि ते पिता । एवं नीतेऽपि किं कार्यमिति चिन्तापरोऽभवत् ।। ५३.
At some point, this relationship will arise; you should also see your father. Even after acting thus, he became absorbed in thought, wondering what should be done.
तस्य चिन्तयतः शस्त्रं पितृकं पुरतो बभौ । तेन शस्त्रेण तं रोषान्ममन्थ स्वरमन्तिके ।। ५३.
As he was pondering, a paternal weapon appeared before him; with that weapon, out of anger, he churned the essence nearby.
तस्मिन् मथितमात्रे तु शिरस्तस्यापि दुर्ग्रहम् । नालिकेरफलाकारं चतुर्वक्त्रोऽन्वपश्यत ।। ५३.
As soon as it was churned, he saw a head, difficult to grasp, with four faces, shaped like a coconut.
तच्चावृतं प्रधानेन दशधा संवृतो बभौ । चतुष्पादेन शस्त्रेण चिच्छेद तिलकाण्डवत् ।। ५३.
That was enveloped by the chief principle, covered tenfold; with a four-edged weapon, he cut it like a sesame pod.
प्रकामं तिलसंच्छिन्ने तदमूलौ न मे बभौ । अहं त्वहं वदन् भूतं तमप्येवमथाच्छिनत् ।। ५३.
When the sesame-like parts were thoroughly cut, nothing remained at the root; yet, saying 'I am I,' a being appeared, and he cut that as well.
तस्मिन् छिन्ने तदस्यांसे ह्रस्वमन्यमवेक्षत । अहं भूतादि वः पञ्च वदन्तं भूतिमन्तिकात् ।। ५३.
When that was cut, he saw on its part another small being, saying from nearby, 'I am the fivefold origin of beings.'
तमप्येवमथो छित्त्वा पञ्चाशून्यममीक्षत । कृत्वावकाशं ते सर्वे जल्पन्त इदमन्तिकात् ।। ५३.
Cutting that as well, he saw emptiness in the five elements; having made space, all of them began speaking thus from nearby.
तमप्यसङ्गशस्त्रेण चिच्छेद तिलकाण्डवत् । तस्मिंच्छिन्ने दशांशेन ह्रस्वमन्यमपश्यत ।। ५३.
He cut that too with a detached weapon, like a sesame pod; when that was cut, he saw another, smaller by a tenth part.
पुरुषं रूपशस्त्रेण तं छित्त्वाऽन्यमपश्यत । तद्वद् ह्रस्वं सितं सौम्यं तमप्येवं तदाऽकरोत् ।। ५३.
Cutting that person with a form-cutting weapon, he saw another; in the same way, he made that one, small, white, and gentle.