The Fall of Uparichara Vasu for Declaring the Veda Sanctions Killing

Verse 1 (skanda.2.195.1)

सावर्णिरुवाच । स हि भक्तो भगवत आसीद्राजा महान्वसुः । किं मिथ्याऽभ्यवदद्येन दिवो भूविवरं गतः

sāvarṇiruvāca sa hi bhakto bhagavata āsīdrājā mahānvasuḥ kiṁ mithyā'bhyavadadyena divo bhūvivaraṁ gataḥ

Savarni said: That great king Vasu was indeed a devotee of the Lord — what false thing did he speak, because of which he fell from heaven into a chasm of the earth?

Verse 2 (skanda.2.195.2)

केनोद्धृतः पुनर्भूमेः शप्तोऽसौ पितृभिः कुतः । कथं मुक्तस्ततो भूप इत्येतत्स्कन्द मे वद्

kenoddhṛtaḥ punarbhūmeḥ śapto'sau pitṛbhiḥ kutaḥ kathaṁ muktastato bhūpa ityetatskanda me vad

By whom was he raised up again from the earth? Why was he cursed by the ancestors? And how was that king freed from it? Tell me this, O Skanda.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.195.3)

स्कन्द उवाच । शृणु ब्रह्मन्कथामेतां वसोर्वास वरोचिषः । यस्याः श्रवणतः सद्यः सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्

skanda uvāca śṛṇu brahmankathāmetāṁ vasorvāsa varociṣaḥ yasyāḥ śravaṇataḥ sadyaḥ sarvapāpakṣayo bhavet

Skanda said: Listen, O brahmin, to this story of the radiant Vasu, by the mere hearing of which the destruction of all sin comes about at once.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.195.4)

स्वायम्भुवान्तरे पूर्वमिन्द्रो विश्वजिदाह्वयः । आररम्भे महायज्ञमश्वमेधाभिधं मुने

svāyambhuvāntare pūrvamindro viśvajidāhvayaḥ ārarambhe mahāyajñamaśvamedhābhidhaṁ mune

O sage, formerly, in the Svayambhuva Manvantara, Indra named Vishvajit began a great sacrifice called the Ashvamedha.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.195.5)

निबद्धाः पशवोऽजाद्याः क्रोशन्तस्तत्र भूरिशः । सर्वे देवगणाश्चापि रसलुब्धास्तदासत

nibaddhāḥ paśavo'jādyāḥ krośantastatra bhūriśaḥ sarve devagaṇāścāpi rasalubdhāstadāsata

Animals beginning with goats, bound there, cried out in great numbers, and all the hosts of gods, too, greedy for the taste of the offerings, sat there.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.195.6)

क्षेमाय सर्वलोकानां विचरन्तो यदृच्छया । महर्षय उपाजग्मुस्तत्र भास्करवर्च्चसः

kṣemāya sarvalokānāṁ vicaranto yadṛcchayā maharṣaya upājagmustatra bhāskaravarccasaḥ

Great sages, of sun-like splendor, wandering at will for the welfare of all worlds, arrived there.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.195.7)

संमानिता सुरगणैः पाद्यार्घ्यस्वागतादिभिः । ते बृहन्मुनयोऽपश्यन्मेध्यांस्तान्क्रोशतः पशून्

saṁmānitā suragaṇaiḥ pādyārghyasvāgatādibhiḥ te bṛhanmunayo'paśyanmedhyāṁstānkrośataḥ paśūn

Honored by the hosts of gods with water for the feet, offerings, and welcome, those great sages saw those consecrated animals crying out.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.195.8)

सात्त्विकानामपि च तं देवानां यज्ञविस्तरम् । हिंसामयं समालोक्य तेऽत्याश्चर्यं हि लेभिरे

sāttvikānāmapi ca taṁ devānāṁ yajñavistaram hiṁsāmayaṁ samālokya te'tyāścaryaṁ hi lebhire

And seeing that elaborate sacrifice of the gods, who are themselves of sattvic nature, filled with violence, they were struck with great astonishment.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.195.9)

धर्मव्यतिक्रमं दृष्ट्वा कृपया ते द्विजोत्तमाः । महेन्द्रप्रमुखानूचुर्देवान्धर्मधियस्ततः

dharmavyatikramaṁ dṛṣṭvā kṛpayā te dvijottamāḥ mahendrapramukhānūcurdevāndharmadhiyastataḥ

Seeing this transgression of dharma, those best of the twice-born, out of compassion and with minds fixed on dharma, then spoke to the gods headed by Mahendra.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.195.10)

महर्षय ऊचुः । देवैश्च ऋषिभिः साकं महेन्द्राऽस्मद्वचः शृणु । यथास्थितं धर्मतत्त्वं वदामो हि सनातनम्

maharṣaya ūcuḥ devaiśca ṛṣibhiḥ sākaṁ mahendrā'smadvacaḥ śṛṇu yathāsthitaṁ dharmatattvaṁ vadāmo hi sanātanam

The great sages said: O Mahendra, together with the gods and sages, hear our word; we shall speak of the eternal truth of dharma exactly as it stands.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.195.11)

यूयं जगत्सर्गकाले ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना । सत्त्वेन निर्मिताः स्थो वै चतुष्पाद्धर्मधारकाः

yūyaṁ jagatsargakāle brahmaṇā parameṣṭhinā sattvena nirmitāḥ stho vai catuṣpāddharmadhārakāḥ

At the time of the creation of the world, you were fashioned by Brahma, the Supreme, out of sattva, as bearers of the fourfold dharma.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.195.12)

रजसा तमसा चासौ मनूंश्चैव नराधिपान् । असुराणां चाधिपतीनसृजद्धर्मधारिणः

rajasā tamasā cāsau manūṁścaiva narādhipān asurāṇāṁ cādhipatīnasṛjaddharmadhāriṇaḥ

And by rajas and tamas he created the Manus and the kings of men, and the lords of the asuras, as bearers of dharma.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.195.13)

सर्वेषामथ युष्माकं यज्ञादिविधिबोधकम् । ससर्ज श्रेयसे वेदं सर्वाभीष्टफलप्रदम्

sarveṣāmatha yuṣmākaṁ yajñādividhibodhakam sasarja śreyase vedaṁ sarvābhīṣṭaphalapradam

Then, for the welfare of all of you, he created the Veda, which teaches the procedure of sacrifice and grants every desired fruit.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.195.14)

अहिंसैव परो धर्मस्तत्र वेदेऽस्ति कीर्त्तितः । साक्षात्पशुवधो यज्ञे नहि वेदस्य संमतः

ahiṁsaiva paro dharmastatra vede'sti kīrttitaḥ sākṣātpaśuvadho yajñe nahi vedasya saṁmataḥ

In that Veda, non-violence alone is declared to be the supreme dharma; the literal slaughter of an animal in sacrifice is by no means approved by the Veda.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.195.15)

चतुष्पादस्य धर्मस्य स्थापने ह्येव सर्वथा । तात्पर्यमस्ति वेदस्य न तु नाशेऽस्य हिंसया

catuṣpādasya dharmasya sthāpane hyeva sarvathā tātparyamasti vedasya na tu nāśe'sya hiṁsayā

The Veda's intent is entirely in establishing the fourfold dharma, never in destroying it through violence.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.195.16)

रजस्तमोदोषवशात्तथाप्यसुरपा नृपाः । मेध्येनाजेन यष्टव्यमित्यादौ मतिजाड्यतः । छागादिमर्थं बुबुधुर्व्रीह्यादिं तु न ते विदुः

rajastamodoṣavaśāttathāpyasurapā nṛpāḥ medhyenājena yaṣṭavyamityādau matijāḍyataḥ chāgādimarthaṁ bubudhurvrīhyādiṁ tu na te viduḥ

Yet even so, kings under the sway of the faults of rajas and tamas, through dullness of understanding of statements such as 'one should sacrifice with a consecrated aja', took it to mean only a literal goat, and did not know that it could also mean aged grain.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.195.17)

सात्त्विकानां तु युष्माकं वेदस्यार्थो यथा स्थितः । ग्रहीतव्योन्यथा नैव तादृशी च क्रियोचिता

sāttvikānāṁ tu yuṣmākaṁ vedasyārtho yathā sthitaḥ grahītavyonyathā naiva tādṛśī ca kriyocitā

But for you, who are sattvic, the meaning of the Veda must be grasped exactly as it truly stands, not otherwise, and the practice proper for you must be of that same kind.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.195.18)

यादृशो हि गुणो यस्य स्वभावस्तस्य तादृशः । स्वस्वभावानुसारेण प्रवृत्तिः स्याच्च कर्मणि

yādṛśo hi guṇo yasya svabhāvastasya tādṛśaḥ svasvabhāvānusāreṇa pravṛttiḥ syācca karmaṇi

Whatever guna belongs to someone, such is his nature; and action proceeds in accordance with each one's own nature.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.195.19)

सात्त्विकानां हि वो देवः साक्षाद्विष्णू रमापतिः । अहिंसयज्ञेऽस्ति ततोऽधिकारस्तस्य तुष्टये

sāttvikānāṁ hi vo devaḥ sākṣādviṣṇū ramāpatiḥ ahiṁsayajñe'sti tato'dhikārastasya tuṣṭaye

Your deity, being sattvic, is indeed Vishnu himself, the Lord of Lakshmi; therefore your qualification, for his satisfaction, lies in the non-violent sacrifice.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.195.20)

प्रत्यक्षपशुमालभ्य यज्ञस्याचरणं तु यत् । धर्मः स विपरीतो वै युष्माकं सुरसत्तमाः

pratyakṣapaśumālabhya yajñasyācaraṇaṁ tu yat dharmaḥ sa viparīto vai yuṣmākaṁ surasattamāḥ

O best of gods, whatever practice of sacrifice involves the literal slaying of an animal is indeed a dharma contrary to your own nature.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.195.21)

रजस्तमोगुणवशादासुरीं संपदं श्रिताः । युष्माकं याजका ह्येते सन्त्यवेदविदो यथा

rajastamoguṇavaśādāsurīṁ saṁpadaṁ śritāḥ yuṣmākaṁ yājakā hyete santyavedavido yathā

Under the sway of rajas and tamas, resorting to demonic nature, these officiants of yours exist as though ignorant of the Veda.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.195.22)

तत्सङ्गादेव युष्माकं साम्प्रतं व्यत्ययो मतेः । जातस्तेनेदृशं कर्म प्रारब्धमिति निश्चितम्

tatsaṅgādeva yuṣmākaṁ sāmprataṁ vyatyayo mateḥ jātastenedṛśaṁ karma prārabdhamiti niścitam

It is precisely through association with them that a distortion of judgment has now arisen in you, and it is thereby that such an act has been undertaken.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.195.23)

राजसानां तामसानामासुराणां तथा नृणाम् । यथागुणं भैरवाद्या उपास्याः सन्ति देवताः

rājasānāṁ tāmasānāmāsurāṇāṁ tathā nṛṇām yathāguṇaṁ bhairavādyā upāsyāḥ santi devatāḥ

For men who are rajasic, tamasic, or demonic, deities such as Bhairava are to be worshipped, according to their respective guna.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.195.24)

स्वगुणानुगुणात्मीयदेवतातुष्टये भुवि । हिंस्रयज्ञविधानं यत्तेषामेवोचितं हि तत्

svaguṇānuguṇātmīyadevatātuṣṭaye bhuvi hiṁsrayajñavidhānaṁ yatteṣāmevocitaṁ hi tat

The prescription of a violent sacrifice, on earth, for the satisfaction of one's own deity suited to one's own guna, is indeed proper only for such people.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.195.25)

तत्रापि विष्णुभक्ता ये दैत्यरक्षोनरादयः । तेषामप्युचितो नास्ति हिंस्रयज्ञः कुतस्तु वः

tatrāpi viṣṇubhaktā ye daityarakṣonarādayaḥ teṣāmapyucito nāsti hiṁsrayajñaḥ kutastu vaḥ

Yet even among these, for those who are devotees of Vishnu — be they daityas, rakshasas, men, or others — a violent sacrifice is not proper even for them; how then could it be for you?

Verse 26 (skanda.2.195.26)

यज्ञशेषो हि सर्वेषां यज्ञकर्मानुतिष्ठताम् । अनुज्ञातो भक्षणार्थं निगमेनैव वर्तते

yajñaśeṣo hi sarveṣāṁ yajñakarmānutiṣṭhatām anujñāto bhakṣaṇārthaṁ nigamenaiva vartate

The remnant of the sacrifice, for all who perform the sacrificial rite, is permitted for consumption — this stands sanctioned by the Veda itself.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.195.27)

सात्त्विकानां देवतानां सुरामांसाशनं क्वचित् । अस्माभिस्त्वीक्षितं नैव न श्रुतं च सतां मुखात्

sāttvikānāṁ devatānāṁ surāmāṁsāśanaṁ kvacit asmābhistvīkṣitaṁ naiva na śrutaṁ ca satāṁ mukhāt

But that sattvic deities should ever eat liquor or meat — this we have never witnessed, nor have we heard from the mouths of the virtuous.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.195.28)

तस्माद्व्रीहिभिरेवासौ यज्ञः क्षीरेण सर्पिषा । मेध्यैरन्नरसैश्चाऽन्यैः कार्यो न पशुहिंसया

tasmādvrīhibhirevāsau yajñaḥ kṣīreṇa sarpiṣā medhyairannarasaiścā'nyaiḥ kāryo na paśuhiṁsayā

Therefore this sacrifice should be performed with rice-grains, with milk, with ghee, and with other pure food-essences — never through the killing of an animal.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.195.29)

तत्रापि बीजैर्यष्टव्यमजसंज्ञामुपागतैः । त्रिवर्षकालमुषितैर्न्न येषां पुनरुद्गमः

tatrāpi bījairyaṣṭavyamajasaṁjñāmupāgataiḥ trivarṣakālamuṣitairnna yeṣāṁ punarudgamaḥ

And in this, sacrifice should be performed with those seeds that bear the name 'aja' — grains that, having been stored for three years, no longer sprout again.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.195.30)

अद्रोहश्चायलोभश्च दमो भूतदया तपः । ब्रह्मचर्यं तथा सत्यमदम्भश्च क्षमा धृतिः

adrohaścāyalobhaśca damo bhūtadayā tapaḥ brahmacaryaṁ tathā satyamadambhaśca kṣamā dhṛtiḥ

Freedom from malice, freedom from greed, self-restraint, compassion for beings, austerity, celibacy, truthfulness, freedom from hypocrisy, forbearance, and steadfastness —

Verse 31 (skanda.2.195.31)

सनातनस्य धर्मस्य रूपमेतदुदीरितम् । तदतिक्रम्य यो वर्तेद्धर्मघ्नः स पतत्यधः

sanātanasya dharmasya rūpametadudīritam tadatikramya yo varteddharmaghnaḥ sa patatyadhaḥ

This is declared to be the form of the eternal dharma; whoever transgresses it is a destroyer of dharma, and he falls downward.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.195.32)

स्कन्द उवाच । इत्थं वेदरहस्यज्ञैर्महामुनिभिरादरात् । बोधिता अपि सन्नीत्या स्वप्रतिज्ञाविघाततः । तद्वाक्यं जगृहुर्नैव तत्प्रामाण्यविदोपि ते

skanda uvāca itthaṁ vedarahasyajñairmahāmunibhirādarāt bodhitā api sannītyā svapratijñāvighātataḥ tadvākyaṁ jagṛhurnaiva tatprāmāṇyavidopi te

Skanda said: Although thus respectfully instructed in the true way by the great sages who knew the Veda's secret, they, fearing to break their own prior commitment, did not accept that teaching at all — even though they themselves knew its authority.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.195.33)

महद्व्यतिक्रमात्तर्हि मानक्रोधमदादयः । विविशुस्तेष्वधर्मस्य वंश्याश्छिद्रगवेषिणः

mahadvyatikramāttarhi mānakrodhamadādayaḥ viviśusteṣvadharmasya vaṁśyāśchidragaveṣiṇaḥ

Then, on account of this great transgression, pride, anger, arrogance and the rest — the offspring of adharma, ever seeking a flaw to enter through — entered into them.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.195.34)

अजश्छागो न बीजानीत्यादि वादिषु तेष्वथ । विमनस्स्वृषिवर्येषु पुनस्तान्बोधयत्सु च

ajaśchāgo na bījānītyādi vādiṣu teṣvatha vimanassvṛṣivaryeṣu punastānbodhayatsu ca

Then, while they kept arguing 'aja means a goat, not seeds' and the like, and while the excellent sages, though disheartened, kept instructing them once more —

Verse 35 (skanda.2.195.35)

राजोपरिचरः श्रीमांस्तत्रैवागाद्यदृच्छया । तेजसा द्योतयन्नाशा इन्द्रस्य परमः सखा

rājoparicaraḥ śrīmāṁstatraivāgādyadṛcchayā tejasā dyotayannāśā indrasya paramaḥ sakhā

King Uparichara, glorious, the supreme friend of Indra, arrived there of his own accord, illuminating the directions with his splendor.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.195.36)

तं दृष्ट्वा सहसायान्तं वसुं ते त्वन्तरिक्षगम् । ऊचुर्द्विजातयो देवानेष च्छेत्स्यति संशयम्

taṁ dṛṣṭvā sahasāyāntaṁ vasuṁ te tvantarikṣagam ūcurdvijātayo devāneṣa cchetsyati saṁśayam

Seeing Vasu suddenly arriving there, traveling through the sky, the twice-born sages said to the gods, 'This one will resolve our doubt.'

Verse 37 (skanda.2.195.37)

एष भूमिपतिः पूर्वं महायज्ञान्सहस्रशः । चक्रे सात्वततन्त्रोक्तविधिनारण्यकेन च

eṣa bhūmipatiḥ pūrvaṁ mahāyajñānsahasraśaḥ cakre sātvatatantroktavidhināraṇyakena ca

This lord of the earth has formerly performed great sacrifices by the thousands, according to the procedure declared in the Sattvata Tantra and the Aranyaka procedure.

Verse 38 (skanda.2.195.38)

येषु साक्षात्पशुवधः कस्मिंश्चिदपि नाऽभवत् । न दक्षिणानुकल्पश्च नाप्रत्यक्षसुरार्च्चनम्

yeṣu sākṣātpaśuvadhaḥ kasmiṁścidapi nā'bhavat na dakṣiṇānukalpaśca nāpratyakṣasurārccanam

In not even a single one of these did the literal slaughter of an animal ever occur, nor a mere substitute for the sacrificial fee, nor any worship of the gods that was not performed directly.

Verse 39 (skanda.2.195.39)

अहिंसाधर्मरक्षाभ्यां ख्यातोसौ सर्वतो नृपः । अग्रणीर्विष्णुभक्तानामेकपत्नीमहाव्रतः

ahiṁsādharmarakṣābhyāṁ khyātosau sarvato nṛpaḥ agraṇīrviṣṇubhaktānāmekapatnīmahāvrataḥ

This king is renowned everywhere for upholding the dharma of non-violence, foremost among the devotees of Vishnu, and one of the great vow of a single wife.

Verse 40 (skanda.2.195.40)

ईदृशो धार्मिकवरः सत्यसन्धश्च वेदवित् । कथंचिन्नान्यथा ब्रूयाद्वाक्यमेष महान्वसुः

īdṛśo dhārmikavaraḥ satyasandhaśca vedavit kathaṁcinnānyathā brūyādvākyameṣa mahānvasuḥ

Such a foremost among the righteous, true to his word, and a knower of the Veda — this great Vasu could not possibly speak otherwise than truly.

Verse 41 (skanda.2.195.41)

एवं ते संविदं कृत्वा विबुधा ऋषयस्तथा । अपृच्छन्सहसाऽभ्येत्य वसुं राजानमुत्सुकाः

evaṁ te saṁvidaṁ kṛtvā vibudhā ṛṣayastathā apṛcchansahasā'bhyetya vasuṁ rājānamutsukāḥ

Having thus reached this agreement, the gods and likewise the sages, approaching suddenly, eagerly questioned King Vasu.

Verse 42 (skanda.2.195.42)

देवमहर्षय ऊचुः । भो राजन्केन यष्टव्यं पशुना होस्विदौषधैः । एतं नः संशयं छिन्धि प्रमाणं नो भवान्मतः

devamaharṣaya ūcuḥ bho rājankena yaṣṭavyaṁ paśunā hosvidauṣadhaiḥ etaṁ naḥ saṁśayaṁ chindhi pramāṇaṁ no bhavānmataḥ

The gods and great sages said: O king, with what should sacrifice be performed — with an animal, or with plants? Resolve this doubt of ours; you are held by us to be the authority.

Verse 43 (skanda.2.195.43)

स्कन्द उवाच । स तान्कृताञ्जलिर्भूत्वा परिपप्रच्छ वै वसुः । कस्य वः को मतः पक्षो ब्रूत सत्यं समाहिताः

skanda uvāca sa tānkṛtāñjalirbhūtvā paripapraccha vai vasuḥ kasya vaḥ ko mataḥ pakṣo brūta satyaṁ samāhitāḥ

Skanda said: Vasu, having folded his hands to them, asked in turn, 'Whose view is which among you? Tell me truly, with composed minds.'

Verse 44 (skanda.2.195.44)

महर्षय ऊचुः । धान्यैर्यष्टव्यमित्येव पक्षोऽस्माकं नराधिप । देवानां तु पशुः पक्षो मतं राजन्वदात्मनः

maharṣaya ūcuḥ dhānyairyaṣṭavyamityeva pakṣo'smākaṁ narādhipa devānāṁ tu paśuḥ pakṣo mataṁ rājanvadātmanaḥ

The great sages said: Our view, O king, is that sacrifice should be with grain; but the gods' view is that it should be with an animal — now, O king, tell us your own opinion.

Verse 45 (skanda.2.195.45)

स्कन्द उवाच । देवानां तु मतं ज्ञात्वा वसुस्तत्पक्षसंश्रयात् । छागादिपशुनैवेज्यमित्युवाच वचस्तदा

skanda uvāca devānāṁ tu mataṁ jñātvā vasustatpakṣasaṁśrayāt chāgādipaśunaivejyamityuvāca vacastadā

Skanda said: But Vasu, having learned the gods' opinion, and relying on their side, then spoke these words: 'Sacrifice should indeed be performed with a goat and other such animals.'

Verse 46 (skanda.2.195.46)

एवं हि मानिनां पक्षमसन्तं स उपाश्रितः । धर्मज्ञोप्यवदन्मिथ्या वेदं हिंसापरं नृपः

evaṁ hi mānināṁ pakṣamasantaṁ sa upāśritaḥ dharmajñopyavadanmithyā vedaṁ hiṁsāparaṁ nṛpaḥ

Thus, having taken up the unworthy side of those proud gods, the king, though a knower of dharma, falsely declared the Veda to be oriented toward violence.

Verse 47 (skanda.2.195.47)

तस्मिन्नैव क्षणे राजा वाग्दोषादन्तरिक्षतः । अधः पपात सहसा भूमिं च प्रविवेश सः । महतीं विपदं प्राप भूमिमध्यगतो नृपः । स्मृतिस्त्वेनं न प्रजहौ तदा नारायणाश्रयात्

tasminnaiva kṣaṇe rājā vāgdoṣādantarikṣataḥ adhaḥ papāta sahasā bhūmiṁ ca praviveśa saḥ mahatīṁ vipadaṁ prāpa bhūmimadhyagato nṛpaḥ smṛtistvenaṁ na prajahau tadā nārāyaṇāśrayāt

In that very moment, because of that fault of speech, the king suddenly fell down from the sky and entered into the earth; having gone into the midst of the earth, he met with a great calamity — yet his remembrance of the Lord did not desert him then, on account of his refuge in Narayana.

Verse 48 (skanda.2.195.48)

मोचयित्वा पशून्त्सर्वांस्ततस्ते त्रिदिवौकसः । हिंसाभीता दिवं जग्मुः स्वाश्रमांश्च महर्षयः

mocayitvā paśūntsarvāṁstataste tridivaukasaḥ hiṁsābhītā divaṁ jagmuḥ svāśramāṁśca maharṣayaḥ

Then, having released all the animals, those dwellers of heaven, fearful of violence, went back to heaven, and the great sages returned to their own hermitages.