Agastya's Counsel to Raghunatha

Verse 1 (padma.5.8.1)

शेष उवाच। वात्स्यायनमुनिश्रेष्ठ कथा पापप्रणाशिनी । ब्रह्मण्यदेवदेवस्य सर्वधर्मैकरक्षितुः

śeṣa uvāca vātsyāyanamuniśreṣṭha kathā pāpapraṇāśinī brahmaṇyadevadevasya sarvadharmaikarakṣituḥ

Shesha said: O Vatsyayana, best of sages, this sin-destroying story of the god of the brahmins, sole protector of all dharma —

Verse 2 (padma.5.8.2)

राजानं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा कुंभजन्मा तपोनिधिः । शनैःशनैः करेणाशु पस्पर्शाश्रु जगाद च

rājānaṁ mūrcchitaṁ dṛṣṭvā kuṁbhajanmā taponidhiḥ śanaiḥśanaiḥ kareṇāśu pasparśāśru jagāda ca

seeing the king fainted, the pot-born treasury of austerity gently wiped his tears with his own hand, and said —

Verse 3 (padma.5.8.3)

भो रामाश्वसिहि क्षिप्रं किमर्थमवसीदसि । भवान्दैत्यकुलच्छेत्ता महाविष्णुः सनातनः

bho rāmāśvasihi kṣipraṁ kimarthamavasīdasi bhavāndaityakulacchettā mahāviṣṇuḥ sanātanaḥ

"O Rama, take heart at once! Why do you grieve? You are the eternal Mahavishnu, destroyer of the demon race."

Verse 4 (padma.5.8.4)

भूतं भव्यं भवच्चैव जगत्स्थास्नु चरिष्णु च । त्वदृते नास्ति संचारी किमर्थमिह मूर्च्छितः

bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ bhavaccaiva jagatsthāsnu cariṣṇu ca tvadṛte nāsti saṁcārī kimarthamiha mūrcchitaḥ

"Past, future, and present, all that moves and all that is still in the world — nothing stirs apart from you. Why then have you fainted here?"

Verse 5 (padma.5.8.5)

श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महाराजः कुंभजन्मसमीरितम् । उत्तस्थौ विगलन्नेत्र बाष्पपूरितसन्मुखः

śrutvā vākyaṁ mahārājaḥ kuṁbhajanmasamīritam uttasthau vigalannetra bāṣpapūritasanmukhaḥ

Hearing these words spoken by the pot-born sage, the great king rose up, his eyes streaming, his face filled with tears —

Verse 6 (padma.5.8.6)

उवाच दीनदीनं च विस्पष्टाक्षरविस्तरम् । त्रपाभर नमन्मूर्तिर्ब्रह्मद्रोहपराङ्मुखः

uvāca dīnadīnaṁ ca vispaṣṭākṣaravistaram trapābhara namanmūrtirbrahmadrohaparāṅmukhaḥ

and spoke most piteously, in clear and full words, his form bowed under the weight of shame, recoiling from the sin of brahmin-slaying —

Verse 7 (padma.5.8.7)

श्रीराम उवाच। अहो मे पश्यता ज्ञानं विमूढस्य दुरात्मनः । यद्ब्राह्मणकुले रूढं हतवान्कामलोलुपः

śrīrāma uvāca aho me paśyatā jñānaṁ vimūḍhasya durātmanaḥ yadbrāhmaṇakule rūḍhaṁ hatavānkāmalolupaḥ

Shri Rama said: "Alas, behold my understanding — bewildered, evil-souled! Overcome by desire, I have slain one established in a brahmin lineage."

Verse 8 (padma.5.8.8)

महिलार्थे त्वहं विप्रं वेदशास्त्रविवेकवान् । हतवान्वाडवकुलं बुद्धिहीनोति दुर्मतिः

mahilārthe tvahaṁ vipraṁ vedaśāstravivekavān hatavānvāḍavakulaṁ buddhihīnoti durmatiḥ

"For the sake of a woman I killed a brahmin, learned in the discernment of Veda and scripture — I, foolish, devoid of wisdom, evil-minded."

Verse 9 (padma.5.8.9)

इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातु ब्राह्मणो न दुरुक्तिभाक् । ईदृशं कुर्वता कर्म मयैतत्सुकलंकितम्

ikṣvākūṇāṁ kule jātu brāhmaṇo na duruktibhāk īdṛśaṁ kurvatā karma mayaitatsukalaṁkitam

"Never in the Ikshvaku line has a brahmin ever been the object of harsh words; by doing such a deed I have brought this great stain upon myself."

Verse 10 (padma.5.8.10)

ये ब्राह्मणास्तु पूजार्हा दानसम्मानभोजनैः । ते मया निहता विप्राः शरसंघातसंहितैः

ye brāhmaṇāstu pūjārhā dānasammānabhojanaiḥ te mayā nihatā viprāḥ śarasaṁghātasaṁhitaiḥ

"Those brahmins who deserved worship through gifts, honor, and hospitality — I have slain those very learned men with volleys of arrows."

Verse 11 (padma.5.8.11)

काँल्लोकान्नु गमिष्यामि कुंभीपाकोऽपि दुःसहः । न तादृशं तीर्थमस्ति यन्मां पावयितुं क्षमम्

kā~llokānnu gamiṣyāmi kuṁbhīpāko'pi duḥsahaḥ na tādṛśaṁ tīrthamasti yanmāṁ pāvayituṁ kṣamam

"To what worlds shall I go? Even the unbearable hell of Kumbhipaka is not enough; there is no sacred place capable of purifying me of this."

Verse 12 (padma.5.8.12)

न यज्ञो न तपो दानं न वा चैव व्रतादिकम् । यत्तु वै ब्राह्मणद्रोग्धुर्ममपावनतारकम्

na yajño na tapo dānaṁ na vā caiva vratādikam yattu vai brāhmaṇadrogdhurmamapāvanatārakam

"Neither sacrifice, nor austerity, nor charity, nor any vow can serve as a purifying rescue for one who has wronged a brahmin."

Verse 13 (padma.5.8.13)

यैः कोपितं ब्रह्मकुलं नरैर्निरयगामिभिः । ते नरा बहुशो दुःखं भोक्ष्यंति निरयं गताः

yaiḥ kopitaṁ brahmakulaṁ narairnirayagāmibhiḥ te narā bahuśo duḥkhaṁ bhokṣyaṁti nirayaṁ gatāḥ

"Those men who anger the brahmin clan are bound for hell; having gone there, they shall suffer great torment again and again."

Verse 14 (padma.5.8.14)

वेदा मूलं तु धर्माणां वर्णाश्रमविवेकिनाम् । तन्मूलं ब्राह्मणकुलं सर्ववेदैकशाखिनः

vedā mūlaṁ tu dharmāṇāṁ varṇāśramavivekinām tanmūlaṁ brāhmaṇakulaṁ sarvavedaikaśākhinaḥ

"The Vedas are the root of the dharmas that govern caste and life-stage; and the root of that root is the brahmin clan, the single branch bearing all the Vedas."

Verse 15 (padma.5.8.15)

मूलच्छेत्तुर्ममौद्धत्यात्को लोकोनु भविष्यति । किमद्यकरणीयं वै येन मे हि शिवं भवेत्

mūlacchetturmamauddhatyātko lokonu bhaviṣyati kimadyakaraṇīyaṁ vai yena me hi śivaṁ bhavet

"If I, out of arrogance, have cut down that very root, what will become of the world now? What must I do today, that good may come to me?"

Verse 16 (padma.5.8.16)

शेष उवाच। विलपंतं भृशं रामं राजेंद्रं रघुपुंगवम् । मायामनुष्यवपुषं कुंभजन्माब्रवीद्वचः

śeṣa uvāca vilapaṁtaṁ bhṛśaṁ rāmaṁ rājeṁdraṁ raghupuṁgavam māyāmanuṣyavapuṣaṁ kuṁbhajanmābravīdvacaḥ

Shesha said: To Rama, king of kings, foremost of the Raghus, lamenting so bitterly in his illusory human form, the pot-born sage spoke —

Verse 17 (padma.5.8.17)

अगस्त्य उवाच। मा विषादं महाधीर कुरु राजन्महामते । न ते ब्राह्मणहत्या स्याद्दुष्टानां नाशमिच्छतः

agastya uvāca mā viṣādaṁ mahādhīra kuru rājanmahāmate na te brāhmaṇahatyā syādduṣṭānāṁ nāśamicchataḥ

Agastya said: "Do not despair, O greatly resolute king, greatly wise one! There can be no sin of brahmin-slaying for one who desired only the destruction of the wicked."

Verse 18 (padma.5.8.18)

त्वं पुराणः पुमान्साक्षादीश्वरः प्रकृतेः परः । कर्ता हर्ताऽविता साक्षी निर्गुणः स्वेच्छया गुणी

tvaṁ purāṇaḥ pumānsākṣādīśvaraḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ kartā hartā'vitā sākṣī nirguṇaḥ svecchayā guṇī

"You are the primeval Being, the Lord himself, beyond material nature — creator, destroyer, protector, witness; without qualities, yet possessing them by your own will."

Verse 19 (padma.5.8.19)

सुरापो ब्रह्महत्याकृत्स्वर्णस्तेयी महाघकृत् । सर्वे त्वन्नामवादेन पूताः शीघ्रं भवंति हि

surāpo brahmahatyākṛtsvarṇasteyī mahāghakṛt sarve tvannāmavādena pūtāḥ śīghraṁ bhavaṁti hi

"Drinkers of liquor, slayers of brahmins, thieves of gold, doers of great sin — all become swiftly purified merely by the utterance of your name."

Verse 20 (padma.5.8.20)

इयं देवी जनकजा महाविद्या महामते । यस्याः स्मरणमात्रेण मुक्ता यास्यंति सद्गतिम्

iyaṁ devī janakajā mahāvidyā mahāmate yasyāḥ smaraṇamātreṇa muktā yāsyaṁti sadgatim

"This goddess, daughter of Janaka, O greatly wise one, is the great wisdom herself — by whose mere remembrance the liberated attain the good destination."

Verse 21 (padma.5.8.21)

रावणोऽपि न वै दैत्यो वैकुंठे तव सेवकः । ऋषीणां शापतोऽवाप्तो दैत्यत्वं दनुजांतक

rāvaṇo'pi na vai daityo vaikuṁṭhe tava sevakaḥ ṛṣīṇāṁ śāpato'vāpto daityatvaṁ danujāṁtaka

"Ravana too, O slayer of demons, was not truly a demon — he was your own servant in Vaikuntha; by the sages' curse he attained the condition of a demon."

Verse 22 (padma.5.8.22)

तस्यानुग्रहकर्ता त्वं न तु हंता द्विजन्मनः । एवं संचिंत्य मा भूयो निजं शोचितुमर्हसि

tasyānugrahakartā tvaṁ na tu haṁtā dvijanmanaḥ evaṁ saṁciṁtya mā bhūyo nijaṁ śocitumarhasi

"You are the one who granted him grace, not the slayer of a twice-born; thinking thus, you ought not grieve any further."

Verse 23 (padma.5.8.23)

इति श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं रामः परपुरंजयः । उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं गद्गदस्वरभाषितम्

iti śrutvā tato vākyaṁ rāmaḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ uvāca madhuraṁ vākyaṁ gadgadasvarabhāṣitam

Having heard these words, Rama, conqueror of enemy cities, spoke sweet words in a voice choked with feeling —

Verse 24 (padma.5.8.24)

श्रीराम उवाच। पातकं द्विविधं प्रोक्तं ज्ञाताज्ञातविभेदतः । ज्ञातं यद्बुद्धिपूर्वं हि अज्ञातं तद्विवर्जितम्

śrīrāma uvāca pātakaṁ dvividhaṁ proktaṁ jñātājñātavibhedataḥ jñātaṁ yadbuddhipūrvaṁ hi ajñātaṁ tadvivarjitam

Shri Rama said: "Sin is said to be of two kinds, distinguished as known and unknown; what is done deliberately is known sin, what is done unknowingly is not."

Verse 25 (padma.5.8.25)

बुद्धिपूर्वं कृतं कर्म भोगेनैव विनश्यति । नश्येदनुशयादन्यदिदं शास्त्रविनिश्चितम्

buddhipūrvaṁ kṛtaṁ karma bhogenaiva vinaśyati naśyedanuśayādanyadidaṁ śāstraviniścitam

"An act done deliberately is destroyed only by suffering its consequence; the scriptures determine that it is destroyed only through remorse — that alone, differently."

Verse 26 (padma.5.8.26)

कुर्वतो बुद्धिपूर्वं मे ब्रह्महत्यां सुनिंदिताम् । न मे दुःखापनोदाय साधुवादः सुसंमतः

kurvato buddhipūrvaṁ me brahmahatyāṁ suniṁditām na me duḥkhāpanodāya sādhuvādaḥ susaṁmataḥ

"Since I committed this most reprehensible sin of brahmin-slaying knowingly, mere words of comfort are not enough to remove my sorrow."

Verse 27 (padma.5.8.27)

प्रब्रूहि तादृशं मह्यं यादृशं पापदाहकम् । व्रतं दानं मखं किंचित्तीर्थमाराधनं महत्

prabrūhi tādṛśaṁ mahyaṁ yādṛśaṁ pāpadāhakam vrataṁ dānaṁ makhaṁ kiṁcittīrthamārādhanaṁ mahat

"Tell me, then, of such a means as would burn away this sin — whatever vow, gift, sacrifice, sacred place, or great act of worship —"

Verse 28 (padma.5.8.28)

येन मे विमला कीर्तिर्लोकान्वै पावयिष्यति । पापाचाराप्तकालुष्यान्ब्रह्महत्याहतप्रभान्

yena me vimalā kīrtirlokānvai pāvayiṣyati pāpācārāptakāluṣyānbrahmahatyāhataprabhān

"by which my stainless fame — now darkened by the taint of sinful conduct, its light struck down by the killing of a brahmin — might purify the world."

Verse 29 (padma.5.8.29)

शेष उवाच। इत्युक्तवंतं तं रामं जगाद स तपोनिधिः । सुरासुरनमन्मौलि मणिनीराजितांघ्रिकम्

śeṣa uvāca ityuktavaṁtaṁ taṁ rāmaṁ jagāda sa taponidhiḥ surāsuranamanmauli maṇinīrājitāṁghrikam

Shesha said: To Rama, having spoken thus, he whose feet are graced by the crown-jewels of bowing gods and demons, the treasury of austerity spoke —

Verse 30 (padma.5.8.30)

शृणु राम महावीर लोकानुग्रहकारक । विप्रहत्यापनोदाय तव यद्वचनं ब्रुवे

śṛṇu rāma mahāvīra lokānugrahakāraka viprahatyāpanodāya tava yadvacanaṁ bruve

"Listen, Rama, great hero, benefactor of the world! Hear the word I speak to remove the sin of slaying a brahmin."

Verse 31 (padma.5.8.31)

सर्वं स पापं तरति योऽश्वमेधं यजेत वै । तस्मात्त्वं यज विश्वात्मन्वाजिमेधेन शोभिना

sarvaṁ sa pāpaṁ tarati yo'śvamedhaṁ yajeta vai tasmāttvaṁ yaja viśvātmanvājimedhena śobhinā

"Whoever performs the horse-sacrifice crosses over all sin; therefore, O soul of the universe, perform that splendid horse-sacrifice."

Verse 32 (padma.5.8.32)

सप्ततंतुर्महीभर्त्रा त्वया साध्यो मनीषिणा । महासमृद्धियुक्तेन महाबलसुशालिना

saptataṁturmahībhartrā tvayā sādhyo manīṣiṇā mahāsamṛddhiyuktena mahābalasuśālinā

"That great seven-stranded sacrifice must be accomplished by you, lord of the earth, wise, endowed with great prosperity and mighty strength."

Verse 33 (padma.5.8.33)

स वाजिमेधो विप्राणां हत्यायाः पापनोदनः । कृतवान्यं महाराजो दिलीपस्तव पूर्वजः

sa vājimedho viprāṇāṁ hatyāyāḥ pāpanodanaḥ kṛtavānyaṁ mahārājo dilīpastava pūrvajaḥ

"That horse-sacrifice, which removes the sin of slaying brahmins, was performed also by the great king Dilipa, your own ancestor."

Verse 34 (padma.5.8.34)

शतक्रतुः शतं कृत्वा क्रतूनां पुरुषर्षभः । पदमापामरावत्यां देवदैत्यसुसेवितम्

śatakratuḥ śataṁ kṛtvā kratūnāṁ puruṣarṣabhaḥ padamāpāmarāvatyāṁ devadaityasusevitam

"Shatakratu, foremost of men, having performed a hundred sacrifices, attained his place in Amaravati, well-served by gods and demons."

Verse 35 (padma.5.8.35)

मनुश्च सगरो राजा मरुत्तो नहुषात्मजः । एते ते पूर्वजाः सर्वे यज्ञं कृत्वा पदं गताः

manuśca sagaro rājā marutto nahuṣātmajaḥ ete te pūrvajāḥ sarve yajñaṁ kṛtvā padaṁ gatāḥ

"Manu, King Sagara, and Marutta, son of Nahusha — all these ancestors of yours attained that state by performing the sacrifice."

Verse 36 (padma.5.8.36)

तस्मात्त्वं कुरु राजेंद्र समर्थोऽसि समंततः । भ्रातरो लोकपालाभा वर्तंते तव भावुकाः

tasmāttvaṁ kuru rājeṁdra samartho'si samaṁtataḥ bhrātaro lokapālābhā vartaṁte tava bhāvukāḥ

"Therefore, king of kings, do this — you are capable in every way; your brothers, like the guardians of the world, stand ready as your well-wishers."

Verse 37 (padma.5.8.37)

इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य मुनेः स भाग्यवान् रघूत्तमो ब्राह्मणघातभीतः । पप्रच्छ यागे सुमतिं चिकीर्षन्विधिं पुरावित्परिगीयमानः

ityuktamākarṇya muneḥ sa bhāgyavān raghūttamo brāhmaṇaghātabhītaḥ papraccha yāge sumatiṁ cikīrṣanvidhiṁ purāvitparigīyamānaḥ

Having heard the sage's words, that fortunate best of the Raghus, fearing the sin of brahmin-slaying and eager to perform the sacrifice, asked about the proper rite from that sage, versed in the ancient lore and celebrated of old.