The Sacrifice against the Rakshasas

Verse 1 (skanda.8.18.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। ततः स राजा स्वं राज्यमुत्सृज्य सह भार्यया । वनं विवेश तत्राभूत् पुरुषादो महाबलः

sanatkumāra uvāca| tataḥ sa rājā svaṁ rājyamutsṛjya saha bhāryayā | vanaṁ viveśa tatrābhūt puruṣādo mahābalaḥ

Sanatkumara said: Then that king, abandoning his kingdom, entered the forest together with his wife. There he became a mighty man-eater.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.18.2)

सोऽभक्षयत तत्राग्रे शक्तिमेव महामुनिम् । ततो भ्रातृशतं तस्य वसिष्ठस्यैव पश्यतः

so'bhakṣayata tatrāgre śaktimeva mahāmunim | tato bhrātṛśataṁ tasya vasiṣṭhasyaiva paśyataḥ

There he first devoured the great sage Shakti himself; and then, before the very eyes of Vasishtha, his hundred brothers as well.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.18.3)

ततः पुत्रवधं घोरं दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मसुतः प्रभुः । नोत्ससर्ज ततः क्रोधं वसिष्ठः कौशिकं प्रति

tataḥ putravadhaṁ ghoraṁ dṛṣṭvā brahmasutaḥ prabhuḥ | notsasarja tataḥ krodhaṁ vasiṣṭhaḥ kauśikaṁ prati

Then, having witnessed that terrible slaughter of his sons, the lord Vasishtha, son of Brahma, did not release his anger against Kaushika.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.18.4)

पुत्रशोकेन महता भृशमेवान्वतप्यत । स बद्ध्वा महतीं कण्ठे शिलां ब्रह्मसुतः प्रभुः

putraśokena mahatā bhṛśamevānvatapyata | sa baddhvā mahatīṁ kaṇṭhe śilāṁ brahmasutaḥ prabhuḥ

He was consumed with grief for his sons. That lord, son of Brahma, having bound a great stone to his own neck —

Verse 5 (skanda.8.18.5)

नद्यामात्मानमसृजच्छतरात्रं वसंस्तया । इति तां प्राहुर्मुनयः शंसितव्रताः

nadyāmātmānamasṛjacchatarātraṁ vasaṁstayā | iti tāṁ prāhurmunayaḥ śaṁsitavratāḥ

— cast himself into a river, dwelling within her for a hundred nights. Thus the sages of accomplished vows spoke of her by that name. (A portion of the verse is lost in the manuscript here.)

Verse 6 (skanda.8.18.6)

पुनः पाशैर्दृढं बद्ध्वा अन्यस्यामसृजद्वशी । तस्यां विपाशः संवृत्तो विपाशा साभवत्ततः

punaḥ pāśairdṛḍhaṁ baddhvā anyasyāmasṛjadvaśī | tasyāṁ vipāśaḥ saṁvṛtto vipāśā sābhavattataḥ

Again, having bound himself fast with ropes, the self-controlled one cast himself into another river; in her he became freed from his bonds ('vipāśa'), and from that time she became known as Vipasha.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.18.7)

ततो वापीं समागम्य निराहारो जितेन्द्रियः । वायुभक्षस्तदा तस्थौ स्वदेहं परितापयन्

tato vāpīṁ samāgamya nirāhāro jitendriyaḥ | vāyubhakṣastadā tasthau svadehaṁ paritāpayan

Then, having come to a pool, fasting and with senses conquered, subsisting on air alone, he remained there, scorching his own body.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.18.8)

अथ शुश्राव गच्छन्तं ध्वनिमेकस्य सुस्वरम् । अधीयानस्य तत्रासौ ध्यानमेवान्वपद्यत

atha śuśrāva gacchantaṁ dhvanimekasya susvaram | adhīyānasya tatrāsau dhyānamevānvapadyata

Then, as he went, he heard the sweet-toned voice of someone reciting; and he fell into deep meditation upon that sound.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.18.9)

अथैनं चारुसर्वाङ्गी पीनोन्नतपयोधरा । उपतस्थेऽग्रतः पत्नी शक्तेर्दीनाननेक्षणा

athainaṁ cārusarvāṅgī pīnonnatapayodharā | upatasthe'grataḥ patnī śakterdīnānanekṣaṇā

Then Shakti's wife, lovely in every limb, with full and high breasts, her face and eyes downcast with sorrow, came and stood before him.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.18.10)

तामुवाच कुतस्त्वं वै कस्यैवं श्रूयते ध्वनिः । सोवाच दीनया वाचा वदतां शुश्रुवं तदा

tāmuvāca kutastvaṁ vai kasyaivaṁ śrūyate dhvaniḥ | sovāca dīnayā vācā vadatāṁ śuśruvaṁ tadā

He said to her: 'Whence have you come, and whose voice is this that is heard reciting thus?' She replied in a sorrowful voice: 'I then heard the voice of one reciting.'

Verse 11 (skanda.8.18.11)

अदृश्यन्त्युवाच। यदैव सुतदुःखेन निर्गतोऽस्याश्रमाद्गुरो । तदाप्रभृत्येव चाहं भगवन्तमनुव्रता

adṛśyantyuvāca| yadaiva sutaduḥkhena nirgato'syāśramādguro | tadāprabhṛtyeva cāhaṁ bhagavantamanuvratā

Adrishyanti said: 'From the very moment, O venerable one, that you left the hermitage in grief for our son, from that time I have remained devoted, following the Blessed Lord.'

Verse 12 (skanda.8.18.12)

अधीयानस्य चैवायं ध्वनिः पौत्रस्य ते विभो । उदरस्थस्य श्रुतो मे मा दुःखं दुःसहं कृथाः

adhīyānasya caivāyaṁ dhvaniḥ pautrasya te vibho | udarasthasya śruto me mā duḥkhaṁ duḥsahaṁ kṛthāḥ

'And this sound, O mighty one, is that of your own grandson reciting, even while still in the womb — this I have heard. Do not indulge in unbearable grief.'

Verse 13 (skanda.8.18.13)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। इदानीमस्ति मे वत्स जीविताशेति सोऽब्रवीत्

sanatkumāra uvāca| idānīmasti me vatsa jīvitāśeti so'bravīt

Sanatkumara said: (one opening line of this verse is lost in the source here) — '...Now, my child, I have hope of life,' he said.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.18.14)

उवाच चैनं दुष्टात्मन् दहेयं त्वां सबान्धवम्

uvāca cainaṁ duṣṭātman daheyaṁ tvāṁ sabāndhavam

(one opening line of this verse is lost in the source here) — and he said to him: 'O evil-souled one, I could burn you along with your kin.'

Verse 15 (skanda.8.18.15)

दग्धेन च त्वया किं मे गच्छ मुक्तोऽसि दुर्मते

dagdhena ca tvayā kiṁ me gaccha mukto'si durmate

(one opening line of this verse is lost in the source here) — '...but what use to me is your burning? Go, O evil-minded one, you are released.'

Verse 16 (skanda.8.18.16)

ततः स मुक्तो दीनात्मा राक्षसः क्रूरकर्मकृत् । प्रणम्य सहसा भीतो जगाम कौशिकान्तिकम्

tataḥ sa mukto dīnātmā rākṣasaḥ krūrakarmakṛt | praṇamya sahasā bhīto jagāma kauśikāntikam

Then that wretched rakshasa of cruel deeds, thus released, bowed down and, seized with fear, went at once to Kaushika.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.18.17)

निशाचरे गते राजा प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम् । प्रसादयामास तदा स चोवाचेदमर्थवत्

niśācare gate rājā praṇamya śirasā munim | prasādayāmāsa tadā sa covācedamarthavat

When the night-wanderer had gone, the king bowed his head to the sage and sought to appease him; and then the sage spoke this meaningful word —

Verse 18 (skanda.8.18.18)

न दोषस्तव राजेन्द्र रक्षसाधिष्ठितस्य वै । कृतास्तेन कृताः पुत्रा निमित्तं तत्र राक्षसः

na doṣastava rājendra rakṣasādhiṣṭhitasya vai | kṛtāstena kṛtāḥ putrā nimittaṁ tatra rākṣasaḥ

'You are not at fault, O lord of kings, for you were possessed by a rakshasa. Whatever was done, was done by him; my sons were but the occasion — the rakshasa was the true cause there.'

Verse 19 (skanda.8.18.19)

प्रशाधि राज्यं राजेन्द्र पितृपैतामहं प्रियम् । ब्रूहि किं वा प्रियं तेऽद्य करोमि नरपुंगव

praśādhi rājyaṁ rājendra pitṛpaitāmahaṁ priyam | brūhi kiṁ vā priyaṁ te'dya karomi narapuṁgava

'Rule your kingdom, O lord of kings, the beloved realm of your father and grandfather. Tell me, O bull among men, what may I do today that pleases you?'

Verse 20 (skanda.8.18.20)

राजोवाच। इच्छामि भगवन् पुत्रं त्वयोत्पादितमच्युत । देव्यामस्यां महासत्व तत्कुरुष्व मम प्रियम्

rājovāca| icchāmi bhagavan putraṁ tvayotpāditamacyuta | devyāmasyāṁ mahāsatva tatkuruṣva mama priyam

The king said: 'O blessed, unfailing, great-souled one, I desire a son begotten by you upon this queen. Grant me this favour.'

Verse 21 (skanda.8.18.21)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। एवमस्त्वित्यथोक्त्वासौ तस्य पत्न्यां महाव्रत । पुत्रं च लोष्टकं नाम जनयामास विश्रुतम्

sanatkumāra uvāca| evamastvityathoktvāsau tasya patnyāṁ mahāvrata | putraṁ ca loṣṭakaṁ nāma janayāmāsa viśrutam

Sanatkumara said: Having said, 'So be it,' O great ascetic, he begot in that king's wife a celebrated son named Loshtaka.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.18.22)

तं लोष्टकं ततो राज्ये स्वपुत्रमभिषिच्य सः । जगाम वनमेवाथ सभार्यस्तपसि स्थितः

taṁ loṣṭakaṁ tato rājye svaputramabhiṣicya saḥ | jagāma vanamevātha sabhāryastapasi sthitaḥ

Then, having consecrated that Loshtaka, his own son, to the kingdom, he went to the forest together with his wife and remained fixed in austerity.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.18.23)

वसिष्ठस्यापि कालेन शक्तेः पुत्रः प्रतापवान् । अदृश्यन्त्यां भवत्पुत्रो नाम्ना स हि पराशरः

vasiṣṭhasyāpi kālena śakteḥ putraḥ pratāpavān | adṛśyantyāṁ bhavatputro nāmnā sa hi parāśaraḥ

In time, a mighty son too was born to Shakti, Vasishtha's son, through Adrishyanti — he indeed was named Parashara.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.18.24)

वसिष्ठं तु तदा धीमान् तातमेवाभ्यमन्यत । तात तातेति च मुहुर्व्याजहार पिता गुरुः

vasiṣṭhaṁ tu tadā dhīmān tātamevābhyamanyata | tāta tāteti ca muhurvyājahāra pitā guruḥ

That wise child regarded Vasishtha alone as his father, and again and again called out, 'Father, father' — for Vasishtha was to him both father and preceptor.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.18.25)

ततः कदाचिद्विज्ञाय भक्षितं रक्षसाशुचिम् । पितरं तपसा मन्त्रैरजरक्षकृतौ तदा

tataḥ kadācidvijñāya bhakṣitaṁ rakṣasāśucim | pitaraṁ tapasā mantrairajarakṣakṛtau tadā

Then, on one occasion, having learned that his father had been devoured by an impure rakshasa, he then resolved, through austerity and sacred formulas, upon the destruction of the rakshasas.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.18.26)

ततः कोट्यः सपंचाशद्रक्षसां क्रूरकर्मणाम् । जुहावाग्नौ महातेजास्ततो ब्रह्माभ्यगाद्द्रुतम्

tataḥ koṭyaḥ sapaṁcāśadrakṣasāṁ krūrakarmaṇām | juhāvāgnau mahātejāstato brahmābhyagāddrutam

Then that being of great splendour offered fifty crores of cruel-deeded rakshasas into the fire; thereupon Brahma swiftly arrived there.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.18.27)

सुतमभ्येत्य संपूज्य वसिष्ठसहितः प्रभुः । ऋषिभिर्दैवतैश्चैव इदमाह पराशरम्

sutamabhyetya saṁpūjya vasiṣṭhasahitaḥ prabhuḥ | ṛṣibhirdaivataiścaiva idamāha parāśaram

The lord Brahma, together with Vasishtha, the sages, and the gods, came to the son, honoured him, and said this to Parashara —

Verse 28 (skanda.8.18.28)

ब्रह्मोवाच। देवतास्तर्पयन्ति स्म यज्ञैर्मन्त्रपुरःसरैः । अष्टमं स्थानमेतद्धि देवानां मा त्वमीदृशम्

brahmovāca| devatāstarpayanti sma yajñairmantrapuraḥsaraiḥ | aṣṭamaṁ sthānametaddhi devānāṁ mā tvamīdṛśam

Brahma said: 'The gods are satisfied only by sacrifices preceded by sacred formulas. This is indeed the eighth station of the gods — do not act thus.'

Verse 29 (skanda.8.18.29)

पराशर उवाच। सह देवैरहं सर्वान् लोकान् धक्ष्यामि पावकैः । दग्ध्वाऽन्यान् प्रथयिष्यामि तत्रालोकान्न संशयः

parāśara uvāca| saha devairahaṁ sarvān lokān dhakṣyāmi pāvakaiḥ | dagdhvā'nyān prathayiṣyāmi tatrālokānna saṁśayaḥ

Parashara said: 'I shall burn all the worlds, along with the gods, with fires; having burnt them, I shall then bring forth other worlds there — of this there is no doubt.'

Verse 30 (skanda.8.18.30)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। तस्यैवं गर्वितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा देवः पितामहः । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा सान्त्वयंस्तमिदं वचः

sanatkumāra uvāca| tasyaivaṁ garvitaṁ vākyaṁ śrutvā devaḥ pitāmahaḥ | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā sāntvayaṁstamidaṁ vacaḥ

Sanatkumara said: Having heard his proud words, the god, the Grandsire, spoke these words in a gentle voice, seeking to soothe him —

Verse 31 (skanda.8.18.31)

पितामह उवाच। कृतमेतन्न सन्देहो यथा ब्रूषे महामुने । क्षन्तव्यं सर्वमेतत्तु अस्मत्प्रियचिकीर्षया

pitāmaha uvāca| kṛtametanna sandeho yathā brūṣe mahāmune | kṣantavyaṁ sarvametattu asmatpriyacikīrṣayā

The Grandsire said: 'This has indeed been accomplished, without doubt, O great sage, just as you say. But all this must now be forgiven, out of a wish to please us.'

Verse 32 (skanda.8.18.32)

यैस्ते पिता महाभाग भक्षितः सहसोदरः । त एवाग्नौ तु होतव्या विश्वामित्रस्य पश्यतः

yaiste pitā mahābhāga bhakṣitaḥ sahasodaraḥ | ta evāgnau tu hotavyā viśvāmitrasya paśyataḥ

'Those, O illustrious one, by whom your father, along with his brothers, was devoured — let only those be offered into the fire, before the very eyes of Vishvamitra.'

Verse 33 (skanda.8.18.33)

अन्येषां स्वस्ति सर्वत्र देवानां सह राक्षसैः । तस्य संकल्पसंतुष्टो मन्यं द्यतमुदाहरत्

anyeṣāṁ svasti sarvatra devānāṁ saha rākṣasaiḥ | tasya saṁkalpasaṁtuṣṭo manyaṁ dyatamudāharat

'Let there be well-being everywhere for the rest — for the gods together with the remaining rakshasas.' Pleased with his resolve, Brahma declared this further intent —

Verse 34 (skanda.8.18.34)

वसिष्ठस्य महाभाग त्वं निवारय पौत्रकम् । देवाः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे प्रणेमुस्ते महामुनिम्

vasiṣṭhasya mahābhāga tvaṁ nivāraya pautrakam | devāḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve praṇemuste mahāmunim

'O illustrious Vasishtha, restrain your grandson.' Then all the gods, with joined palms, bowed down to that great sage.

Verse 35 (skanda.8.18.35)

ऋषयश्चैव स क्रुद्धस्तपोयोगबलान्वितः । विहाय तपसो योगाद्धोष्ये दीप्ते विभावसौ

ṛṣayaścaiva sa kruddhastapoyogabalānvitaḥ | vihāya tapaso yogāddhoṣye dīpte vibhāvasau

The sages too bowed down. He, enraged though endowed with the power of austerity and yoga, then, by the very strength of that austerity and yoga, desisted from further offerings into the blazing fire.

Verse 36 (skanda.8.18.36)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः पितामहपुरस्सराः । प्रभावं तस्य ते ज्ञात्वा पराशरमपूजयन्

sanatkumāra uvāca| tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ pitāmahapurassarāḥ | prabhāvaṁ tasya te jñātvā parāśaramapūjayan

Sanatkumara said: Then the gods, together with the gandharvas, led by the Grandsire, having recognised his power, honoured Parashara.

Verse 37 (skanda.8.18.37)

हतेषु च ततस्तेषु रक्षस्सु सुदुरात्मसु । संजहार ततः सत्रं ब्रह्मणोऽनुमते सदा

hateṣu ca tatasteṣu rakṣassu sudurātmasu | saṁjahāra tataḥ satraṁ brahmaṇo'numate sadā

Thus, when those exceedingly evil-souled rakshasas had been slain, he then, ever with Brahma's consent, brought that sacrificial rite to a close.

Verse 38 (skanda.8.18.38)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। य इदं श्राद्धकाले वा दैवे कर्मणि वा द्विजान् । श्रावयेत शुचिर्भूत्वा न तं हिंसन्ति राक्षसाः

sanatkumāra uvāca| ya idaṁ śrāddhakāle vā daive karmaṇi vā dvijān | śrāvayeta śucirbhūtvā na taṁ hiṁsanti rākṣasāḥ

Sanatkumara said: 'Whoever, having become pure, causes brahmins to hear this account, whether at the time of a shraddha rite or in any sacred rite — him the rakshasas do not harm.'

Verse 39 (skanda.8.18.39)

पराशरस्येदमदीनसंभवं विशुद्धवाक्कर्मविधानसंभवम् । निशम्य रीयुः कुलसिद्धिसंभवम्

parāśarasyedamadīnasaṁbhavaṁ viśuddhavākkarmavidhānasaṁbhavam | niśamya rīyuḥ kulasiddhisaṁbhavam

This account of Parashara's birth, unbowed by misery, arising from the pure ordinance of speech and deed — having heard it (the middle portion of this verse is lost in the manuscript) ...they attained that which springs from the accomplishment of the lineage.