The Line of Bhrigu and the Rakshasa Puloman

Verse 1 (1.5.1)

पुराणमखिलं तात पिता तेऽधीतवान्पुरा । भारताध्ययनं सर्वं कृष्णद्वैपायनात्तदा । कच्चित्त्वमपि तत्सर्वमधीषे रौमहर्षणे ॥

purāṇamakhilaṃ tāta pitā te'dhītavānpurā | bhāratādhyayanaṃ sarvaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanāttadā | kaccittvamapi tatsarvamadhīṣe raumaharṣaṇe

"Son, long ago your father studied the whole of the Puranas, and the whole of the Bharata from Krishna Dvaipayana. Have you too studied all of it, son of Romaharshana?

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and '). The middle line (भारताध्ययनं … तदा) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 2 (1.5.2)

पुराणे हि कथा दिव्या आदिवंशाश्च धीमताम् । कथ्यन्ते ये पुराऽस्माभिः श्रुतपूर्वाः पितुस्तव ॥

purāṇe hi kathā divyā ādivaṃśāśca dhīmatām | kathyante ye purā'smābhiḥ śrutapūrvāḥ pitustava

For the Purana tells divine stories and the earliest lineages of wise men, which we heard long ago from your father.

Verse 3 (1.5.3)

तत्र वंशमहं पूर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि भार्गवम् । कथयस्व कथामेतां कल्याः स्मः श्रवणे तव ॥

tatra vaṃśamahaṃ pūrvaṃ śrotumicchāmi bhārgavam | kathayasva kathāmetāṃ kalyāḥ smaḥ śravaṇe tava

Among them I wish first to hear the line of Bhrigu. Tell that story; we are ready to listen to you."

Verse 4 (1.5.4)

यदधीतं पुरा सम्यग्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्महात्मभिः । वैशंपायनविप्राग्र्यैस्तैश्चापि कथितं यथा ॥

yadadhītaṃ purā samyagdvijaśreṣṭhairmahātmabhiḥ | vaiśaṃpāyanaviprāgryaistaiścāpi kathitaṃ yathā

"What was studied long ago by the great-souled best of brahmins, by Vaishampayana and the other foremost brahmins, and what they told just as it was;

Verse 5 (1.5.5)

यदधीतं च पित्रा मे सम्यक्चैव ततो मया । तावच्छृणुष्व यो देवैः सेन्द्रैः सर्षिमरुद्गणैः ॥

yadadhītaṃ ca pitrā me samyakcaiva tato mayā | tāvacchṛṇuṣva yo devaiḥ sendraiḥ sarṣimarudgaṇaiḥ

and what my father studied thoroughly, and I after him: listen to that first. The line which the gods with Indra, together with the seers and the hosts of Maruts,

Note on the text: Corrected सम्यक्कैव → सम्यक्चैव (misprint in Wikisource; samyak caiva, as in the critical edition).

Verse 6 (1.5.6)

पूजितः प्रवरो वंशो भार्गवो भृगुनन्दन । इमं वंशमहं पूर्वं भार्गवं ते महामुने ॥

pūjitaḥ pravaro vaṃśo bhārgavo bhṛgunandana | imaṃ vaṃśamahaṃ pūrvaṃ bhārgavaṃ te mahāmune

have honoured is the excellent line of Bhrigu, O delight of the Bhrigus. This line of Bhrigu, great sage, I shall first

Verse 7 (1.5.7)

निगदामि यथायुक्तं पुराणाश्रयसंयुतम् । भृगुर्महर्षिर्भगवान्ब्रह्मणा वै स्वयंभुवा ॥

nigadāmi yathāyuktaṃ purāṇāśrayasaṃyutam | bhṛgurmaharṣirbhagavānbrahmaṇā vai svayaṃbhuvā

set out for you in due order, drawing on the Puranas. The blessed great seer Bhrigu was born, through self-existent Brahma,

Note on the text: The second line (भृगुर्महर्षिर्भगवान् … स्वयंभुवा) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 8 (1.5.8)

वरुणस्य क्रतौ जातः पावकादिति नः श्रुतम् । भृगोः सुदयितः पुत्रश्च्यवनो नाम भार्गवः ॥

varuṇasya kratau jātaḥ pāvakāditi naḥ śrutam | bhṛgoḥ sudayitaḥ putraścyavano nāma bhārgavaḥ

from the fire at Varuna's sacrifice; so we have heard. Bhrigu's dearly loved son was Chyavana of the Bhrigu line.

Note on the text: The first line (वरुणस्य क्रतौ … नः श्रुतम्) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 9 (1.5.9)

च्यवनस्य च दायादः प्रमतिर्नाम धार्मिकः । प्रमतेरप्यभूत्पुत्रो घृताच्यां रुरुरित्युत ॥

cyavanasya ca dāyādaḥ pramatirnāma dhārmikaḥ | pramaterapyabhūtputro ghṛtācyāṃ rururityuta

Chyavana's heir was the righteous Pramati, and Pramati had by Ghritachi a son named Ruru.

Verse 10 (1.5.10)

रुरोरपि सुतो जज्ञे शुनको वेदपारगः । प्रमद्वरायां धर्मात्मा तव पूर्वपितामहः ॥

rurorapi suto jajñe śunako vedapāragaḥ | pramadvarāyāṃ dharmātmā tava pūrvapitāmahaḥ

To Ruru, by Pramadvara, was born Shunaka, master of the Vedas, a righteous man and your own forefather.

Verse 11 (1.5.11)

तपस्वी च यशस्वी च श्रुतवान्ब्रह्मवित्तमः । धार्मिकः सत्यवादी च नियतो नियताशनः ॥

tapasvī ca yaśasvī ca śrutavānbrahmavittamaḥ | dhārmikaḥ satyavādī ca niyato niyatāśanaḥ

He was an ascetic, renowned and learned, foremost among the knowers of Brahman, righteous and truthful, self-disciplined and sparing in his food."

Verse 12 (1.5.12)

सूतपुत्र यथा तस्य भार्गवस्य महात्मनः । च्यवनत्वं परिख्यातं तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥

sūtaputra yathā tasya bhārgavasya mahātmanaḥ | cyavanatvaṃ parikhyātaṃ tanmamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ

"Son of the bard, tell me, since I ask: how did that great-souled Bhargava come to be known as Chyavana?"

Verse 13 (1.5.13)

भृगोः सुदयिता भार्या पुलोमेत्यभिविश्रुता । तस्यां समभवद्गर्भो भृगुवीर्यसमुद्भवः ॥

bhṛgoḥ sudayitā bhāryā pulometyabhiviśrutā | tasyāṃ samabhavadgarbho bhṛguvīryasamudbhavaḥ

"Bhrigu's dearly loved wife was known far and wide as Puloma. In her a child was conceived, sprung from Bhrigu's seed.

Verse 14 (1.5.14)

तस्मिन्गर्भेऽथ संभूते पुलोमायां भृगूद्वह । समये समशीलिन्यां धर्मपत्न्यां यशस्विनः ॥

tasmingarbhe'tha saṃbhūte pulomāyāṃ bhṛgūdvaha | samaye samaśīlinyāṃ dharmapatnyāṃ yaśasvinaḥ

While the child was growing in Puloma, the lawful wife of that renowned man and his equal in character, O best of the Bhrigus, it happened one day

Verse 15 (1.5.15)

अभिषेकाय निष्क्रान्ते भृगौ धर्मभृतां वरे । आश्रमं तस्य रक्षोऽथ पुलोमाऽभ्याजगाम ह ॥

abhiṣekāya niṣkrānte bhṛgau dharmabhṛtāṃ vare | āśramaṃ tasya rakṣo'tha pulomā'bhyājagāma ha

that Bhrigu, foremost of those who uphold dharma, went out for his ritual bath, and a rakshasa named Puloman came to his hermitage.

Verse 16 (1.5.16)

तं प्रविश्याश्रमं दृष्ट्वा भृगोर्भार्यामनिन्दिताम् । हृच्छयेन समाविष्टो विचेताः समपद्यत ॥

taṃ praviśyāśramaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhṛgorbhāryāmaninditām | hṛcchayena samāviṣṭo vicetāḥ samapadyata

Entering the hermitage and seeing Bhrigu's blameless wife, he was overcome with desire and lost his senses.

Verse 17 (1.5.17)

अभ्यागतं तु तद्रक्षः पुलोमा चारुदर्शना । न्यमन्त्रयत वन्येन फलमूलादिना तदा ॥

abhyāgataṃ tu tadrakṣaḥ pulomā cārudarśanā | nyamantrayata vanyena phalamūlādinā tadā

The lovely Puloma welcomed the rakshasa as a guest and offered him forest fare, fruits, roots and the like.

Verse 18 (1.5.18)

तां तु रक्षस्तदा ब्रह्मन्हृच्छयेनाभिपीडितम् । दृष्ट्वा हृष्टमभूद्राजञ्जिहीर्षुस्तामनिन्दिताम् ॥

tāṃ tu rakṣastadā brahmanhṛcchayenābhipīḍitam | dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭamabhūdrājañjihīrṣustāmaninditām

But the rakshasa, O brahmin, tormented by desire as he looked at her, was filled with delight and longed to carry off the blameless woman.

Verse 19 (1.5.19)

जातमित्यब्रवीत्कार्यं जिहीर्षुर्मुदितः शुभाम् । सा हि पूर्वं वृता तेन पुलोम्ना तु शुचिस्मिता ॥

jātamityabravītkāryaṃ jihīrṣurmuditaḥ śubhām | sā hi pūrvaṃ vṛtā tena pulomnā tu śucismitā

"My purpose is achieved," he said, rejoicing, eager to carry off the fair woman; for that sweetly smiling lady had once been chosen by this same Puloman.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 20 (1.5.20)

तां तु प्रादात्पिता पश्चाद्भृगवे शास्त्रवत्तदा । तस्य तत्किल्बिषं नित्यं हृदि वर्तति भार्गव ॥

tāṃ tu prādātpitā paścādbhṛgave śāstravattadā | tasya tatkilbiṣaṃ nityaṃ hṛdi vartati bhārgava

But later her father gave her to Bhrigu according to the scriptures. That wrong always rankled in the rakshasa's heart, O Bhargava.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.5.16*217, line 3): Wikisource prints this verse with its first half-line left blank (1-5-20a is empty); the missing line "तां तु प्रादात्पिता पश्चाद्भृगवे शास्त्रवत्तदा" supplies the father's later gift of Puloma to Bhrigu that the following words refer to. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 21 (1.5.21)

इदमन्तरमित्येवं हर्तुं चक्रे मनस्तदा । अथाग्निशरणेऽपश्यज्ज्वलन्तं जातवेदसम् ॥

idamantaramityevaṃ hartuṃ cakre manastadā | athāgniśaraṇe'paśyajjvalantaṃ jātavedasam

Thinking, "This is my chance," he made up his mind to carry her off. Then he saw Jatavedas, the fire, blazing in the fire-sanctuary.

Note on the text: The first line (इदमन्तरमित्येवं … मनस्तदा) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 22 (1.5.22)

तमपृच्छत्ततो रक्षः पावकं ज्वलितं तदा । शंस मे कस्य भार्येयमग्ने पृच्छे ऋतेन वै ॥

tamapṛcchattato rakṣaḥ pāvakaṃ jvalitaṃ tadā | śaṃsa me kasya bhāryeyamagne pṛcche ṛtena vai

The rakshasa then questioned the blazing fire: "Tell me, Agni, whose wife is she? I ask you in the name of truth.

Verse 23 (1.5.23)

मुखं त्वमसि देवानां वद पावक पृच्छते । मया हीयं वृता पूर्वं भार्यार्थे वरवर्णिनी ॥

mukhaṃ tvamasi devānāṃ vada pāvaka pṛcchate | mayā hīyaṃ vṛtā pūrvaṃ bhāryārthe varavarṇinī

You are the mouth of the gods; speak, Pavaka, to one who asks. This lovely woman was chosen by me first, to be my wife.

Verse 24 (1.5.24)

पश्चादिमां पिता प्रादाद्भृगवेऽनृतकारकः । सेयं यदि वरारोहा भृगोर्भार्या रहोगता ॥

paścādimāṃ pitā prādādbhṛgave'nṛtakārakaḥ | seyaṃ yadi varārohā bhṛgorbhāryā rahogatā

Afterwards her father, the deceiver, gave her to Bhrigu. If this fair-hipped woman, found here alone, is Bhrigu's wife,

Verse 25 (1.5.25)

तथा सत्यं समाख्याहि जिहीर्षाम्याश्रमादिमाम् । स मन्युस्तत्र हृदयं प्रदहन्निव तिष्ठति ॥

tathā satyaṃ samākhyāhi jihīrṣāmyāśramādimām | sa manyustatra hṛdayaṃ pradahanniva tiṣṭhati

then tell me truly, for I mean to carry her off from the hermitage. My anger stands in my heart there as if it would burn it up,

Verse 26 (1.5.26)

मत्पूर्वभार्यां यदिमां भृगुराप सुमध्यमाम् । असंमतमिदं मेऽद्य हरिष्याम्याश्रमादिमाम् ॥

matpūrvabhāryāṃ yadimāṃ bhṛgurāpa sumadhyamām | asaṃmatamidaṃ me'dya hariṣyāmyāśramādimām

because Bhrigu has taken this slender-waisted woman who was mine before. It was done against my will; today I shall carry her off from the hermitage."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and '). The second line (असंमतमिदं … आश्रमादिमाम्) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 27 (1.5.27)

एवं रक्षस्तमामन्त्र्य ज्वलितं जातवेदसम् । शङ्कमानं भृगोर्भार्यां पुनःपुनरपृच्छत ॥

evaṃ rakṣastamāmantrya jvalitaṃ jātavedasam | śaṅkamānaṃ bhṛgorbhāryāṃ punaḥpunarapṛcchata

Having addressed the blazing fire in this way, the rakshasa, unsure whether she was Bhrigu's wife, asked him again and again:

Verse 28 (1.5.28)

त्वमग्ने सर्वभूतानामन्तश्चरसि नित्यदा । साक्षिवत्पुण्यपापेषु सत्यं ब्रूहि कवे वचः ॥

tvamagne sarvabhūtānāmantaścarasi nityadā | sākṣivatpuṇyapāpeṣu satyaṃ brūhi kave vacaḥ

"Agni, you move at all times within all beings, a witness of their merit and their sin. Speak the truth, O wise one.

Verse 29 (1.5.29)

मत्पूर्वभार्याऽपहृता भृगुणाऽनृतकारिणा । सेयं यदि तथा मे त्वं सत्यमाख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

matpūrvabhāryā'pahṛtā bhṛguṇā'nṛtakāriṇā | seyaṃ yadi tathā me tvaṃ satyamākhyātumarhasi

My former wife has been taken from me by Bhrigu, the deceiver. If this is she, you should tell me so truthfully.

Verse 30 (1.5.30)

श्रुत्वा त्वत्तो भृगोर्भार्यां हरिष्याम्याश्रमादिमाम् । जातवेदः पश्यतस्ते वद सत्यां गिरं मम ॥

śrutvā tvatto bhṛgorbhāryāṃ hariṣyāmyāśramādimām | jātavedaḥ paśyataste vada satyāṃ giraṃ mama

Once I have heard it from you, I shall carry Bhrigu's wife away from this hermitage while you look on, Jatavedas. Speak true words to me."

Verse 31 (1.5.31)

तस्यैतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सप्तार्चिर्दुःखितोऽभवत् । सत्यं वदामि यदि मे शापः स्याद्ब्रह्मवित्तमात् ॥

tasyaitadvacanaṃ śrutvā saptārcirduḥkhito'bhavat | satyaṃ vadāmi yadi me śāpaḥ syādbrahmavittamāt

Hearing these words of his, the seven-flamed fire was troubled: "If I speak the truth, a curse may fall on me from that greatest knower of Brahman;

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark (`). The second line (सत्यं वदामि … ब्रह्मवित्तमात्) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 32 (1.5.32)

असत्यं चेदहं ब्रूयां पतिष्ये नरकान्ध्रुवम् । भीतोऽनृताच्च शापाच्च भृगोरित्यब्रवीच्छनैः ॥

asatyaṃ cedahaṃ brūyāṃ patiṣye narakāndhruvam | bhīto'nṛtācca śāpācca bhṛgorityabravīcchanaiḥ

if I speak falsely, I shall surely fall into hell." Afraid of falsehood and of Bhrigu's curse alike, he spoke softly:

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark (') and a doubled danda. The first line (असत्यं चेदहं … ध्रुवम्) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 33 (1.5.33)

त्वया वृता पुलोमेयं पूर्वं दानवनन्दन । किं त्वियं विधिना पूर्वं मन्त्रवन्न वृता त्वया ॥

tvayā vṛtā pulomeyaṃ pūrvaṃ dānavanandana | kiṃ tviyaṃ vidhinā pūrvaṃ mantravanna vṛtā tvayā

"Son of the Danavas, it is true that you chose Puloma first. But you did not take her with due rite and with mantras.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 34 (1.5.34)

पित्रा तु भृगवे दत्ता पुलोमेयं यशस्विनी । ददाति न पिता तुभ्यं वरलोभान्महायशाः ॥

pitrā tu bhṛgave dattā pulomeyaṃ yaśasvinī | dadāti na pitā tubhyaṃ varalobhānmahāyaśāḥ

It was to Bhrigu that her father gave the illustrious Puloma. Her renowned father did not give her to you, for he wanted a better match for her.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 35 (1.5.35)

अथेमां वेददृष्टेन कर्मणा विधिपूर्वकम् । भार्यामृषिर्भृगुः प्राप मां पुरस्कृत्य दानव ॥

athemāṃ vedadṛṣṭena karmaṇā vidhipūrvakam | bhāryāmṛṣirbhṛguḥ prāpa māṃ puraskṛtya dānava

Then the seer Bhrigu took her as his wife by the rite the Vedas lay down, with me as witness, Danava.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 36 (1.5.36)

सेयमित्यवगच्छामि नानृतं वक्तुमुत्सहे । नानृतं हि सदा लोके पूज्यते दानवोत्तम ॥

seyamityavagacchāmi nānṛtaṃ vaktumutsahe | nānṛtaṃ hi sadā loke pūjyate dānavottama

I know that this is she; I cannot speak a lie. For a lie is never honoured in the world, best of the Danavas."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).