The Sarasvati Freed from the Curse; Indra Freed of Namuchi's Head

Verse 1 (9.44.1)

सा शप्ता तेन क्रुद्धेन विश्वामित्रेण धीमता । तस्मिंस्तीर्थवरे शुभ्रे शोणितं समुपावहत् ॥

sā śaptā tena kruddhena viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā | tasmiṃstīrthavare śubhre śoṇitaṃ samupāvahat

Cursed by the angry and wise Vishvamitra, she carried blood in that excellent and pure tirtha.

Note on the text: Corrected स शप्ता → सा शप्ता (misprint in Wikisource; the participle is feminine, CE sā śaptā) and शुभ्रं → शुभ्रे (misprint in Wikisource; the adjective agrees with तीर्थवरे, CE śubhre).

Verse 2 (9.44.2)

अथाजग्मुस्ततो राजन्राक्षसास्तत्र भारत । तत्र ते शोणितं सर्वे पिबन्तः सुखमासते ॥

athājagmustato rājanrākṣasāstatra bhārata | tatra te śoṇitaṃ sarve pibantaḥ sukhamāsate

Then Rakshasas came there, O king, O Bharata, and drinking that blood they all lived there in comfort.

Verse 3 (9.44.3)

तृप्ताश्च सुभृशं तेन सुखिता विगतज्वराः । नृत्यन्तश्च हसन्तश्च यथा स्वर्गजितस्तथा ॥

tṛptāśca subhṛśaṃ tena sukhitā vigatajvarāḥ | nṛtyantaśca hasantaśca yathā svargajitastathā

Greatly sated by it, happy and free of distress, they danced and laughed like men who have won heaven.

Verse 4 (9.44.4)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य ऋषयः सुतपोधनाः । तीर्थयात्रां समाजग्मुः सरस्वत्यां महीपते ॥

kasyacittvatha kālasya ṛṣayaḥ sutapodhanāḥ | tīrthayātrāṃ samājagmuḥ sarasvatyāṃ mahīpate

After some time, sages rich in austerity came on a pilgrimage to the Sarasvati, O lord of the earth.

Verse 5 (9.44.5)

तेषु सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु स्वाप्लुत्य मुनिपुङ्गवाः । प्राप्य प्रीतिं परां चापि तपोलुब्धा विशारदाः ॥

teṣu sarveṣu tīrtheṣu svāplutya munipuṅgavāḥ | prāpya prītiṃ parāṃ cāpi tapolubdhā viśāradāḥ

Having bathed well in all those tirthas, those bulls among sages, skilled and eager for austerity, having gained supreme joy,

Note on the text: Corrected तपोलुप्धा → तपोलुब्धा (misprint in Wikisource; प for ब, CE tapolubdhā). Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines a and c of the three-line CE verse 9.42.5; its third line (5e) is line 1 of the next verse.

Verse 6 (9.44.6)

प्रययुर्हि ततो राजन्येन तीर्थमसृग्वहम् । अथागम्य महाभागास्तत्तीर्थं दारुणं तदा ॥

prayayurhi tato rājanyena tīrthamasṛgvaham | athāgamya mahābhāgāstattīrthaṃ dāruṇaṃ tadā

went forth, O king, along the way to the tirtha that bore blood. Then, arriving at that dreadful tirtha, those greatly fortunate ones

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: line 1 is a variant of CE 9.42.5e (prayayur hi tato rājan yena tīrthaṃ hi tat tathā; Wikisource has येन तीर्थमसृग्वहम्), kept; line 2 is CE 9.42.6a.

Verse 7 (9.44.7)

दृष्ट्वा तोयं सरस्वत्याः शोणितेन परिप्लुतम् । पीयमानं च रक्षोभिर्बहुभिर्नृपसत्तम ॥

dṛṣṭvā toyaṃ sarasvatyāḥ śoṇitena pariplutam | pīyamānaṃ ca rakṣobhirbahubhirnṛpasattama

saw the water of the Sarasvati drenched with blood and being drunk by many Rakshasas, O best of kings.

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines c and e of the three-line CE verse 9.42.6 (dṛṣṭvā toyaṃ sarasvatyāḥ śoṇitena pariplutam / pīyamānaṃ ca rakṣobhir bahubhir nṛpasattama).

Verse 8 (9.44.8)

तान्दृष्ट्वा राक्षसान्राजन्मुनयः संशितव्रताः । परित्राणे सरस्वत्याः परं यत्नं प्रचक्रिरे ॥

tāndṛṣṭvā rākṣasānrājanmunayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | paritrāṇe sarasvatyāḥ paraṃ yatnaṃ pracakrire

Seeing those Rakshasas, O king, the sages of strict vows made a supreme effort to rescue the Sarasvati.

Verse 9 (9.44.9)

ते तु सर्वे महाभागाः समागम्य महाव्रताः । आहूय सरितां श्रेष्ठामिदं वचनमब्रुवन् ॥

te tu sarve mahābhāgāḥ samāgamya mahāvratāḥ | āhūya saritāṃ śreṣṭhāmidaṃ vacanamabruvan

All those greatly fortunate sages of great vows gathered, called the best of rivers to them, and spoke these words:

Verse 10 (9.44.10)

कारणं ब्रूहि कल्याणि किमर्थं ते हृदो ह्ययम् । एवमग्राह्यतां यातः श्रुत्वाऽध्यास्यामहे वयम् ॥

kāraṇaṃ brūhi kalyāṇi kimarthaṃ te hṛdo hyayam | evamagrāhyatāṃ yātaḥ śrutvā'dhyāsyāmahe vayam

"Tell us the cause, gentle lady: why has this pool of yours fallen into such a state that none can approach it? When we have heard it, we shall make up our minds what to do."

Note on the text: Speaker given to the Sages: the whole verse is their direct speech, printed without a heading. Line 2 एवमग्राह्यतां यातः श्रुत्वाऽध्यास्यामहे वयम् for CE evam ākulatāṃ yātaḥ śrutvā pāsyāmahe vayam is a recension variant, kept (the page glosses अध्यास्यामहे as "we shall resolve").

Verse 11 (9.44.11)

ततः सा सर्वमाचष्ट यथावृत्तं प्रवेपती । दुःखितामथ तां दृष्ट्वा ऊचुस्ते वै तपोधनाः ॥

tataḥ sā sarvamācaṣṭa yathāvṛttaṃ pravepatī | duḥkhitāmatha tāṃ dṛṣṭvā ūcuste vai tapodhanāḥ

Then, trembling, she told them everything just as it had happened; and seeing her in distress, those ascetics said:

Verse 12 (9.44.12)

कारणं श्रुतमस्माभिः शापश्चैव श्रुतोऽनघे । करिष्यन्ति तु यत्प्राप्तं सर्व एव तपोधनाः ॥

kāraṇaṃ śrutamasmābhiḥ śāpaścaiva śruto'naghe | kariṣyanti tu yatprāptaṃ sarva eva tapodhanāḥ

"We have heard the cause, and we have heard of the curse, blameless one. All of us ascetics will do what is called for."

Note on the text: Speaker given to the Sages: the whole verse is their direct speech, printed without a heading.

Verse 13 (9.44.13)

एवमुक्त्वा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठामूचुस्तेऽथ परस्परम् । विमोचयामहे सर्वे शापादेतां सरस्वतीम् ॥

evamuktvā saricchreṣṭhāmūcuste'tha parasparam | vimocayāmahe sarve śāpādetāṃ sarasvatīm

Having said this to the best of rivers, they then said to one another: "Let us all free this Sarasvati from the curse."

Verse 14 (9.44.14)

ते सर्वे ब्राह्मणा राजंस्तपोभिर्नियमैस्तथा । उपवासैश्च विविधैर्यमैः कष्टव्रतैस्तथा ॥

te sarve brāhmaṇā rājaṃstapobhirniyamaistathā | upavāsaiśca vividhairyamaiḥ kaṣṭavrataistathā

All those brahmins, O king, by austerities and restraints, by fasts of many kinds, by observances and hard vows,

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.42.12d*0256_01-02 (te sarve brāhmaṇā rājaṃs tapobhir niyamais tathā / upavāsaiś ca vividhair yamaiḥ kaṣṭavratais tathā).

Verse 15 (9.44.15)

आराध्य पशुभर्तारं महादेवं जगत्पतिम् । मोक्षयामासुस्तां देवीं सरिच्छ्रेष्ठां सरस्वतीम् ॥

ārādhya paśubhartāraṃ mahādevaṃ jagatpatim | mokṣayāmāsustāṃ devīṃ saricchreṣṭhāṃ sarasvatīm

propitiated Mahadeva, the lord of beasts and lord of the world, and freed that goddess, the Sarasvati, the best of rivers.

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.42.12d*0256_03-04 (ārādhya paśubhartāraṃ mahādevaṃ jagatpatim / mokṣayām āsus tāṃ devīṃ saricchreṣṭhāṃ sarasvatīm).

Verse 16 (9.44.16)

तेषां तु सा प्रभावेण प्रकृतिस्था सरस्वती । प्रसन्नसलिला जज्ञे यथा पूर्वं तथैव हि । निर्मुक्ता च सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा विबभौ सा यथा पुरा ॥

teṣāṃ tu sā prabhāveṇa prakṛtisthā sarasvatī | prasannasalilā jajñe yathā pūrvaṃ tathaiva hi | nirmuktā ca saricchreṣṭhā vibabhau sā yathā purā

By their power the Sarasvati returned to her natural state; her waters grew clear, as before; and freed, the best of rivers shone as she had of old.

Verse 17 (9.44.17)

दृष्ट्वा तोयं सरस्वत्या मुनिभिस्तैस्तथा कृतम् । तानेव शरणं जग्मू राक्षसाः क्षुधितास्तथा ॥

dṛṣṭvā toyaṃ sarasvatyā munibhistaistathā kṛtam | tāneva śaraṇaṃ jagmū rākṣasāḥ kṣudhitāstathā

Seeing the water of the Sarasvati made so by those sages, the hungry Rakshasas went to those very sages for refuge.

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: line 1 is CE 9.42.14a (dṛṣṭvā toyaṃ sarasvatyā munibhis tais tathā kṛtam); line 2 is the CE star line 9.42.14b*0258_01 (tān eva śaraṇaṃ jagmū rākṣasāḥ kṣudhitās tathā).

Verse 18 (9.44.18)

कृत्वाञ्जलिं ततो राजन्राक्षसाः क्षुधयाऽर्दिताः । ऊचुस्तान्वै मुनीन्सर्वान्कृपायुक्तान्पुनःपुनः ॥

kṛtvāñjaliṃ tato rājanrākṣasāḥ kṣudhayā'rditāḥ | ūcustānvai munīnsarvānkṛpāyuktānpunaḥpunaḥ

With joined palms, O king, the Rakshasas, tormented by hunger, spoke again and again to all those compassionate sages:

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines c and e of the three-line CE verse 9.42.14 (kṛtāñjalīs tato rājan rākṣasāḥ kṣudhayārditāḥ / ūcus tān vai munīn sarvān kṛpāyuktān punaḥ punaḥ).

Verse 19 (9.44.19)

वयं च क्षुधिताश्चैव धर्माद्धीनाश्च शाश्वतात् । न च नः कामकारोऽयं यद्वयं पापकारिणः ॥

vayaṃ ca kṣudhitāścaiva dharmāddhīnāśca śāśvatāt | na ca naḥ kāmakāro'yaṃ yadvayaṃ pāpakāriṇaḥ

"We are hungry, and cut off from eternal dharma; nor is it by our own wish that we are doers of evil."

Note on the text: Corrected पापकारिणा → पापकारिणः (misprint in Wikisource; the plural nominative agrees with वयम्, CE pāpakāriṇaḥ). Speaker given to the Rakshasas: the whole verse is their direct speech, printed without a heading.

Verse 20 (9.44.20)

युष्माकं चाप्रसादेन दुष्कृतेन च कर्मणा । पक्षोऽयं वर्धतेऽस्माकं यतः स्मो ब्रह्मराक्षसाः । योषितां चैव पापेन योनिदोषकृतेन च ॥

yuṣmākaṃ cāprasādena duṣkṛtena ca karmaṇā | pakṣo'yaṃ vardhate'smākaṃ yataḥ smo brahmarākṣasāḥ | yoṣitāṃ caiva pāpena yonidoṣakṛtena ca

"Through your withholding of favour and through wrong deeds, this side of ours grows, since we are Brahma-Rakshasas; and through the sin of women, brought about by a fault of birth."

Note on the text: Speaker given to the Rakshasas (direct speech, no heading). Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines 1-2 are CE 9.42.16a and 16c; line 3 (योषितां चैव पापेन योनिदोषकृतेन च) is a variant of CE 9.42.18e (yoṣitāṃ caiva pāpānāṃ yonidoṣeṇa vardhate), kept.

Verse 21 (9.44.21)

एवं हि वैश्यशूद्राणां क्षत्रियाणां तथैव च । ये ब्राह्मणान्प्रद्विषन्ति ते भवन्तीह राक्षसाः ॥

evaṃ hi vaiśyaśūdrāṇāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ tathaiva ca | ye brāhmaṇānpradviṣanti te bhavantīha rākṣasāḥ

"So too those among vaishyas, shudras and kshatriyas who hate brahmins become Rakshasas in this world."

Note on the text: Speaker given to the Rakshasas (direct speech, no heading).

Verse 22 (9.44.22)

शक्तिमन्तोऽपि ये केचिदाश्रितानां च रक्षणम् । न कुर्वन्ति मनुष्यास्ते सम्भवन्तीह राक्षसाः ॥

śaktimanto'pi ye kecidāśritānāṃ ca rakṣaṇam | na kurvanti manuṣyāste sambhavantīha rākṣasāḥ

"Men who, though able, do not protect those who depend on them, also become Rakshasas in this world."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension): the verse appears nowhere in CE adhyaya 9.42, including its star passages and Appendix I. Removed the stray backtick and quote mark around the verse. Speaker given to the Rakshasas (direct speech, no heading).

Verse 23 (9.44.23)

आचार्यमृत्विजं चैव गुरुं वृद्धजनं तथा । प्राणिनो येऽवमन्यन्ते ते भवन्तीह राक्षसाः ॥

ācāryamṛtvijaṃ caiva guruṃ vṛddhajanaṃ tathā | prāṇino ye'vamanyante te bhavantīha rākṣasāḥ

"Living beings who disrespect a teacher, a priest, a guru, or the elderly become Rakshasas in this world."

Note on the text: Corrected वृद्वजनं → वृद्धजनं (misprint in Wikisource; व for ध, CE vṛddhajanaṃ) and प्रणिनो → प्राणिनो (misprint in Wikisource; dropped आ, CE prāṇino). Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines a and c of the three-line CE verse 9.42.18 (the third line, yoṣitāṃ caiva …, appears in a variant form as line 3 of verse 20). Speaker given to the Rakshasas (direct speech, no heading).

Verse 24 (9.44.24)

तत्कुरुध्वमिहास्माकं तारणं द्विजसत्तमाः । शक्ता भवन्तः सर्वेषां लोकानामपि तारणे ॥

tatkurudhvamihāsmākaṃ tāraṇaṃ dvijasattamāḥ | śaktā bhavantaḥ sarveṣāṃ lokānāmapi tāraṇe

"So do us this kindness here and rescue us, best of brahmins; you are able to rescue all the worlds."

Note on the text: Speaker given to the Rakshasas (direct speech, no heading). तारणं for CE kāruṇyaṃ is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 25 (9.44.25)

तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तुष्टुवुस्तां महानदीम् । मोक्षार्थं रक्षसां तेषामूचुः प्रयतमानसाः ॥

teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā tuṣṭuvustāṃ mahānadīm | mokṣārthaṃ rakṣasāṃ teṣāmūcuḥ prayatamānasāḥ

Hearing their words, the sages praised that great river, and with composed minds spoke for the release of the Rakshasas:

Verse 26 (9.44.26)

क्षुतं कीटावपन्नं च यच्चोच्छिष्टाचितं भवेत् । सकेशमवधूतं च रुदितोपहतं च यत् ॥

kṣutaṃ kīṭāvapannaṃ ca yaccocchiṣṭācitaṃ bhavet | sakeśamavadhūtaṃ ca ruditopahataṃ ca yat

"What has been sneezed upon, or fallen into by insects, or is heaped with leftovers; what has hair in it, or has been flung aside, or is spoiled by weeping,"

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: line 1 is CE 9.42.21a (kṣutakīṭāvapannaṃ ca yac cocchiṣṭāśitaṃ bhavet; Wikisource has कीटावपन्नं, क्षुतं and उच्छिष्टाचितं, variants); line 2 is a variant of CE 9.42.21c with parts of the star lines 9.42.21d*0260 (keśāvapannam ādhūtam ārugṇam api yad bhavet / avadhūtam avijñātam …), kept as printed. Speaker as headed on the page (ऋषय ऊचुः).

Verse 27 (9.44.27)

श्वभिः संसृष्टमन्नं च भागोऽसौ रक्षसामिह । तस्माज्ज्ञात्वा सदा विद्वानेतान्यत्नाद्विवर्जयेत् । राक्षसान्नमसौ भुङ्क्ते यो भुङ्क्ते ह्यन्नमीदृशम् ॥

śvabhiḥ saṃsṛṣṭamannaṃ ca bhāgo'sau rakṣasāmiha | tasmājjñātvā sadā vidvānetānyatnādvivarjayet | rākṣasānnamasau bhuṅkte yo bhuṅkte hyannamīdṛśam

"and food touched by dogs: that is the Rakshasas' share here. A wise man, knowing this, should always carefully avoid these. He who eats food of this kind eats Rakshasa food."

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: line 1 is CE 9.42.21e (śvabhiḥ saṃspṛṣṭam annaṃ ca bhāgo 'sau rakṣasām iha); lines 2-3 are CE 9.42.22a and 22c (line 2 has यत्नाद्विवर्जयेत् for CE etāny annāni varjayet, a variant, kept). Speaker as headed on the page (ऋषय ऊचुः).

Verse 28 (9.44.28)

शोधयित्वा ततस्तीर्थमृषयस्ते तपोधनाः । मोक्षार्थं राक्षसानां च नदीं तां प्रत्यचोदयन् ॥

śodhayitvā tatastīrthamṛṣayaste tapodhanāḥ | mokṣārthaṃ rākṣasānāṃ ca nadīṃ tāṃ pratyacodayan

Having purified the tirtha, those ascetic sages urged that river on, for the release of the Rakshasas.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected to Vaishampayana: the input carried the Sages over from the previous heading, but this verse is narration (the heading ऋषय ऊचुः covers only the speech in the two preceding verses).

Verse 29 (9.44.29)

महर्षीणां मतं ज्ञात्वा ततः सा सरितां वरा । अरुणामानयामास स्वां तनुं पुरुषर्षभ ॥

maharṣīṇāṃ mataṃ jñātvā tataḥ sā saritāṃ varā | aruṇāmānayāmāsa svāṃ tanuṃ puruṣarṣabha

Knowing the mind of the great sages, that best of rivers, O best of men, brought the Aruna to be her own body.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected to Vaishampayana (narration; the input carried the Sages over from the previous heading).

Verse 30 (9.44.30)

तस्यां ते राक्षसाः स्नात्वा तनूस्त्यक्त्वा दिवं गताः । अरुणायां महाराज ब्रह्मवध्यापहा हि सा ॥

tasyāṃ te rākṣasāḥ snātvā tanūstyaktvā divaṃ gatāḥ | aruṇāyāṃ mahārāja brahmavadhyāpahā hi sā

The Rakshasas bathed in her, cast off their bodies and went to heaven; for in the Aruna, O great king, that river destroys the guilt of brahmin-slaying.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्यान्तेराक्षसाः → तस्यां ते राक्षसाः (misprint in Wikisource; words run together and misspelled, CE tasyāṃ te rākṣasāḥ). Speaker corrected to Vaishampayana (narration; the input carried the Sages over from the previous heading).

Verse 31 (9.44.31)

एतमर्थमभिज्ञाय देवराजः शतक्रतुः । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे वरे स्नात्वा विमुक्तः पाप्मना किल ॥

etamarthamabhijñāya devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ | tasmiṃstīrthe vare snātvā vimuktaḥ pāpmanā kila

Knowing this, Indra, king of the gods, the Hundred-Sacrificer, bathed in that excellent tirtha and was freed from his sin.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected to Vaishampayana (narration; the input carried the Sages over from the previous heading).

Verse 32 (9.44.32)

किमर्थं भगवाञ्शक्रो ब्रह्मवध्यामवाप्तवान् । कथमस्मिंश्च तीर्थे वै आप्लुत्याकल्मषोऽभवत् ॥

kimarthaṃ bhagavāñśakro brahmavadhyāmavāptavān | kathamasmiṃśca tīrthe vai āplutyākalmaṣo'bhavat

Janamejaya said: "Why did the blessed Shakra incur the guilt of brahmin-slaying? And how did he become free of stain by bathing in this tirtha?"

Verse 33 (9.44.33)

शृणुष्वैतदुपाख्यानं यथावृत्तं जनेश्वर । यथा बिभेद समयं नमुचेर्वासवः पुरा ॥

śṛṇuṣvaitadupākhyānaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ janeśvara | yathā bibheda samayaṃ namucervāsavaḥ purā

Vaishampayana said: Hear this tale just as it happened, lord of men, how Vasava once broke his pact with Namuchi.

Verse 34 (9.44.34)

नमुचिर्वासवाद्भीतः सूर्यरश्मिं समाविशत् । तेनेन्द्रः सख्यमकरोत्समयं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥

namucirvāsavādbhītaḥ sūryaraśmiṃ samāviśat | tenendraḥ sakhyamakarotsamayaṃ cedamabravīt

Namuchi, afraid of Vasava, entered a ray of the sun. Indra made friendship with him and spoke this pact:

Note on the text: Corrected जमुचिर् → नमुचिर् (misprint in Wikisource; the asura is Namuchi, CE namucir).

Verse 35 (9.44.35)

न चार्द्रेण न शुष्केण न रात्रौ नापि चाहनि । वधिष्याम्यसुरश्रेष्ठ सखे सत्येन ते शपे ॥

na cārdreṇa na śuṣkeṇa na rātrau nāpi cāhani | vadhiṣyāmyasuraśreṣṭha sakhe satyena te śape

"Neither with the wet nor with the dry, neither by night nor by day, shall I kill you, best of asuras, my friend; I swear it by truth."

Note on the text: Speaker given to Indra: the whole verse is his direct speech, printed without a heading. न चार्द्रेण for CE nārdreṇa tvā is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 36 (9.44.36)

एवं स कृत्वा समयं सृष्ट्वा नीहारमीश्वरः । चिच्छेदास्य शिरो राजन्नपां फेनेन वासवः ॥

evaṃ sa kṛtvā samayaṃ sṛṣṭvā nīhāramīśvaraḥ | cicchedāsya śiro rājannapāṃ phenena vāsavaḥ

Having made this pact, the lord Vasava created a mist, and with the foam of the waters, O king, he cut off Namuchi's head.

Note on the text: Corrected दृष्ट्वा नीहास्मीश्वरः → सृष्ट्वा नीहारमीश्वरः (misprint in Wikisource; दृष्ट्वा for सृष्ट्वा and a garbled नीहारम्; Indra "created" the mist, CE sṛṣṭvā nīhāram īśvaraḥ).

Verse 37 (9.44.37)

तच्छिरो नमुचेश्छिन्नं पृष्ठतः शक्रमन्वियात् । भोभो मित्रह पापेति ब्रुवाणं शक्रमन्तिकात् ॥

tacchiro namuceśchinnaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ śakramanviyāt | bhobho mitraha pāpeti bruvāṇaṃ śakramantikāt

That head of Namuchi, cut off, followed Shakra from behind, shouting at him from close by: "Ho, ho, you friend-killer, you sinner!"

Verse 38 (9.44.38)

एवं स शिरसा तेन चोद्यमानः पुनः पुनः । पितामहाय सन्तप्त एतमर्थं न्यवेदयत् ॥

evaṃ sa śirasā tena codyamānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ | pitāmahāya santapta etamarthaṃ nyavedayat

Pressed on again and again by that head, he, tormented, told this matter to the Grandsire.

Verse 39 (9.44.39)

तमब्रवील्लोकगुरुररुणायां यथाविधि । इष्ट्वोपस्पृश देवेन्द्र तीर्थे पापभयापहे ॥

tamabravīllokagururaruṇāyāṃ yathāvidhi | iṣṭvopaspṛśa devendra tīrthe pāpabhayāpahe

The teacher of the worlds said to him: "Sacrifice duly at the Aruna, Devendra, and bathe in that tirtha, which destroys the fear of sin."

Verse 40 (9.44.40)

एषा पुण्यजला शक्र कृता मुनिभिरेव तु । निगूढमस्यागमनमिहासीत्पूर्वमेव तु ॥

eṣā puṇyajalā śakra kṛtā munibhireva tu | nigūḍhamasyāgamanamihāsītpūrvameva tu

"This river, Shakra, has holy waters, made so by the sages themselves; its coming here was hidden even before."

Note on the text: Removed the opening bracket [ that Wikisource prints around these three verses (a bracketed passage). Speaker given to Brahma: the whole verse is his direct speech (the continuation of what the 'teacher of the worlds' says in the previous verse), printed without a heading. Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.42.34d*0261_01-02 (eṣā puṇyajalā śakra kṛtā munibhir eva tu / nigūḍham asyā gamanam ihāsīt pūrvam eva tu).

Verse 41 (9.44.41)

ततोऽभ्येत्यारुणां देवीं प्लावयामास वारिणा । सरस्वत्यारुणायाश्च पुण्योऽयं सङ्गमो महान् ॥

tato'bhyetyāruṇāṃ devīṃ plāvayāmāsa vāriṇā | sarasvatyāruṇāyāśca puṇyo'yaṃ saṅgamo mahān

"Then it came to the goddess Aruna and flooded her with water; and this great confluence of the Sarasvati and the Aruna is holy."

Note on the text: Speaker given to Brahma (direct speech, no heading). Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.42.34d*0261_03-04 (tato 'bhyetyāruṇāṃ devīṃ plāvayām āsa vāriṇā / sarasvatyāruṇāyāś ca puṇyo 'yaṃ saṃgamo mahān).

Verse 42 (9.44.42)

इह त्वं यज देवेन्द्र दद दानान्यनेकशः । अत्राप्लुत्य सुघोरात्त्वं पातकाद्विप्रमोक्ष्यसे ॥

iha tvaṃ yaja devendra dada dānānyanekaśaḥ | atrāplutya sughorāttvaṃ pātakādvipramokṣyase

"Sacrifice here, Devendra, and give gifts in abundance. Bathing here, you will be freed from that terrible sin."

Note on the text: Removed the closing mark ।।] (the closing bracket and a doubled danda) printed after the verse. Speaker given to Brahma (direct speech, no heading). Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.42.34d*0261_05-06 (iha tvaṃ yaja devendra dada dānāny anekaśaḥ / atrāplutya sughorāt tvaṃ pātakād vipramokṣyase).

Verse 43 (9.44.43)

इत्युक्तः स सरस्वत्याः कुञ्जे वै जनमेजय । इष्ट्वा यथावद्बलभिदरुणायामुपास्पृशत् ॥

ityuktaḥ sa sarasvatyāḥ kuñje vai janamejaya | iṣṭvā yathāvadbalabhidaruṇāyāmupāspṛśat

Told this, he, O Janamejaya, in a bower of the Sarasvati, having sacrificed in due form, the destroyer of Bala bathed in the Aruna.

Verse 44 (9.44.44)

स मुक्तः पाप्मना तेन ब्रह्मवध्याकृतेन च । जगाम संहृष्टमनास्त्रिदिवं त्रिदशेश्वरः ॥

sa muktaḥ pāpmanā tena brahmavadhyākṛtena ca | jagāma saṃhṛṣṭamanāstridivaṃ tridaśeśvaraḥ

He was freed from that sin, which had come from the killing of a brahmin, and the lord of the thirty gods went to heaven with a glad heart.

Verse 45 (9.44.45)

शिरस्तच्चापि नमुचेस्तत्रैवाप्लुत्य भारत । लोकान्कामदुघान्प्राप्तमक्षयान्राजसत्तम ॥

śirastaccāpi namucestatraivāplutya bhārata | lokānkāmadughānprāptamakṣayānrājasattama

And Namuchi's head too, bathing there, O Bharata, attained imperishable worlds that grant every wish, O best of kings.

Note on the text: Corrected कामदुधात्प्राप्तम् → कामदुघान्प्राप्तम् (misprint in Wikisource; not a word, CE kāmadughān prāptam).

Verse 46 (9.44.46)

तत्राप्युपस्पृश्य बलो महात्मा । दत्त्वा च दानानि पृथग्विधानि । अवाप्य धर्मं परमार्यकर्मा । जगाम सोमस्य महत्सुतीर्थम् ॥

tatrāpyupaspṛśya balo mahātmā | dattvā ca dānāni pṛthagvidhāni | avāpya dharmaṃ paramāryakarmā | jagāma somasya mahatsutīrtham

Having bathed there too, and given gifts of many kinds, and won dharma, the great-souled Bala, a man of noble deeds, went to the great and excellent tirtha of Soma.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page's heading reads वैशपायन उवाच (a misspelling); given as वैशम्पायन.

Verse 47 (9.44.47)

यत्रायजद्राजसूयेन सोमः । साक्षात्पुरा विधिवत्पार्थिवेन्द्र । अत्रिर्धीमान्ब्रह्मपुत्रो बभूव । होता यस्मिन्क्रतुमुख्ये महात्मा ॥

yatrāyajadrājasūyena somaḥ | sākṣātpurā vidhivatpārthivendra | atrirdhīmānbrahmaputro babhūva | hotā yasminkratumukhye mahātmā

Where in former times Soma himself sacrificed in due form with the Rajasuya, O lord of kings, and the wise Atri, son of Brahma, was the great-souled hotri priest of that foremost of sacrifices;

Note on the text: Speaker as in the previous verse (the heading वैशपायन is a misspelling of वैशम्पायन).

Verse 48 (9.44.48)

यस्यान्तेऽभूत्सुमहद्दानवानां । दैतेयानां राक्षसानां च देवैः । सङ्ग्रामो वै तारकाख्यः सुतीव्रो । यत्र स्कन्दस्तारकाख्यं जघान ॥

yasyānte'bhūtsumahaddānavānāṃ | daiteyānāṃ rākṣasānāṃ ca devaiḥ | saṅgrāmo vai tārakākhyaḥ sutīvro | yatra skandastārakākhyaṃ jaghāna

at the end of which came a very great war of the gods against the danavas, daityas and rakshasas, the terrible war called Taraka's, where Skanda slew Taraka;

Note on the text: Speaker as in the previous verse (the heading वैशपायन is a misspelling of वैशम्पायन).

Verse 49 (9.44.49)

सैनापत्यं लब्धवान्दैवतानां । महासेनो यत्र दैत्यान्तकर्ता । साक्षाच्चैवं न्यवसत्कार्तिकेयः । सदा कुमारो यत्र स प्लक्षराजः ॥

saināpatyaṃ labdhavāndaivatānāṃ | mahāseno yatra daityāntakartā | sākṣāccaivaṃ nyavasatkārtikeyaḥ | sadā kumāro yatra sa plakṣarājaḥ

where Mahasena, the destroyer of the daityas, received the command of the gods; where Karttikeya, ever a youth, dwelt in person; where stands that king of plaksha trees.

Note on the text: Corrected प्लुक्षराजः → प्लक्षराजः (misprint in Wikisource; उ for अ, CE plakṣarājaḥ). Speaker as in the previous verse (the heading वैशपायन is a misspelling of वैशम्पायन).