Critical Edition
शौनक उवाच पुराणमखिलं तात पिता तेऽधीतवान्पुरा कच्चित्त्वमपि तत्सर्वमधीषे लोमहर्षणे
M. N. Dutt: Shaunaka said: Your father read the whole of the Puranas in the days of yore. O Son of Lomaharshana, have you also made them your study?
Supplementary Passages:
1.5.1 After 1ab, D2.4 (marg.).6 ins.: *214 भारताध्ययनं सर्वं कृष्णद्वैपायनात्तदा
पुराणे हि कथा दिव्या आदिवंशाश्च धीमताम् कथ्यन्ते ताः पुरास्माभिः श्रुताः पूर्वं पितुस्तव
M. N. Dutt: There are in the Puranas interesting stories and the history of the first generations of the wise men. We have heard them all recited by your father.
तत्र वंशमहं पूर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि भार्गवम् कथयस्व कथामेतां कल्याः स्म श्रवणे तव
M. N. Dutt: I am desirous of hearing the history of the Bhrigu race. Tell us that history. We are all attention to listen to you.
सूत उवाच यदधीतं पुरा सम्यग्द्विजश्रेष्ठ महात्मभिः वैशंपायनविप्राद्यैस्तैश्चापि कथितं पुरा
M. N. Dutt: Sauti said : That which was formerly studied by the noble Brahmanas, which was studied and narrated by Vaishampayana and others.
यदधीतं च पित्रा मे सम्यक्चैव ततो मया तत्तावच्छृणु यो देवैः सेन्द्रैः साग्निमरुद्गणैः पूजितः प्रवरो वंशो भृगूणां भृगुनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: Which was also studied by my father, has been acquired by me. Hear with all attention, O descendant of the Bhrigu race, the history of your race, respected by Indra and all the celestials, all the Rishis and the Marutas. In this great race the great and blessed Rishi Bhrigu was born.
इमं वंशमहं ब्रह्मन्भार्गवं ते महामुने निगदामि कथायुक्तं पुराणाश्रयसंयुतम्
AI Translation: O great sage, I shall tell you this lineage of Bhṛgu, which is full of stories and based on the Purāṇas.
Supplementary Passages:
1.5.6 After 6, B5 ins.: *215 शृणुष्वावहितो ब्रह्मन्पुराणे यच्छ्रुतं मया N (except K0.1) ins. after 6 (B5 after 215*): *216 भृगुर्महर्षिर्भगवान्ब्रह्मणा वै स्वयंभुवा वरुणस्य क्रतौ जातः पावकादिति नः श्रुतम्
भृगोः सुदयितः पुत्रश्च्यवनो नाम भार्गवः च्यवनस्यापि दायादः प्रमतिर्नाम धार्मिकः प्रमतेरप्यभूत्पुत्रो घृताच्यां रुरुरित्युत
M. N. Dutt: Chyavana had a virtuous son, named Pramati. He had a son, named Ruru by Ghritachi.
रुरोरपि सुतो जज्ञे शुनको वेदपारगः प्रमद्वरायां धर्मात्मा तव पूर्वपितामहात्
M. N. Dutt: Ruru had a son by his wife Pramadvara. O Shaunaka, he was your grandfather; he was very virtuous and greatly learned in the Vedas.
तपस्वी च यशस्वी च श्रुतवान्ब्रह्मवित्तमः धर्मिष्ठः सत्यवादी च नियतो नियतेन्द्रियः
M. N. Dutt: He was devoted to asceticism, had great repute, was learned in the Shruti, truthful, virtuous, well-regulated in his meals and was the most eminent amongst the learned in the Vedas.
शौनक उवाच सूतपुत्र यथा तस्य भार्गवस्य महात्मनः च्यवनत्वं परिख्यातं तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः
M. N. Dutt: Shaunaka said : O Son of Suta, why was the illustrious son of Bhrigu named Chyavana? I ask you, tell me all about it.
सूत उवाच भृगोः सुदयिता भार्या पुलोमेत्यभिविश्रुता तस्यां गर्भः समभवद्भृगोर्वीर्यसमुद्भवः
M. N. Dutt: Sauti replied : Bhrigu had a very beloved wife, (named Puloma) who became quick with child by him.
तस्मिन्गर्भे संभृतेऽथ पुलोमायां भृगूद्वह समये समशीलिन्यां धर्मपत्न्यां यशस्विनः
AI Translation: When that embryo was formed in Pulomā, the wife of Bhṛgu, the virtuous wife of the illustrious one, who was of the same character as him,
अभिषेकाय निष्क्रान्ते भृगौ धर्मभृतां वरे आश्रमं तस्य रक्षोऽथ पुलोमाभ्याजगाम ह
AI Translation: When Bhrigu, the best of the upholders of dharma, had gone out for his consecration, Pulastya, the demon, came to his hermitage.
तं प्रविश्याश्रमं दृष्ट्वा भृगोर्भार्यामनिन्दिताम् हृच्छयेन समाविष्टो विचेताः समपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: He, having entered into the hermitage, saw the irreproachable wife of Bhrigu. Seeing her he was filled with lust and lost his reason.
अभ्यागतं तु तद्रक्षः पुलोमा चारुदर्शना न्यमन्त्रयत वन्येन फलमूलादिना तदा
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that a guest had come, beautiful Puloma, entertained him with roots and fruits of the wood.
तां तु रक्षस्ततो ब्रह्मन्हृच्छयेनाभिपीडितम् दृष्ट्वा हृष्टमभूत्तत्र जिहीर्षुस्तामनिन्दिताम्
M. N. Dutt: O Rishi, the Rakshasa, having seen her, burnt in lust. He was very much delighted and he determined to carry away the irreproachable lady.
Supplementary Passages:
1.5.16 K1 (om. line 1).4 Ñ V1 B Dn D1 (om. line 1).3.4.6 (om. line 1) ins. after 16: Da1, after 14ab: Da2 (which om. 14ab), after 13: *217 जातमित्यब्रवीत्कार्यं जिहीर्षुर्मुदितः शुभाम् सा हि पूर्वं वृता तेन पुलोम्ना तु शुचिस्मिता तां तु प्रादात्पिता पश्चाद्भृगवे शास्त्रवत्तदा तस्य तत्किल्बिषं नित्यं हृदि वर्तति भार्गव इदमन्तरमित्येवं हर्तुं चक्रे मनस्तदा
अथाग्निशरणेऽपश्यज्ज्वलितं जातवेदसम् तमपृच्छत्ततो रक्षः पावकं ज्वलितं तदा
AI Translation: Then in the fire-chamber he saw the blazing Jātavedas. Then the demon asked the blazing fire at that time.
शंस मे कस्य भार्येयमग्ने पृष्ट ऋतेन वै सत्यस्त्वमसि सत्यं मे वद पावक पृच्छते
AI Translation: Tell me, whose wife is she, O Agni, when asked by the truth. You are the truth, O purifier, tell me the truth when asked.
मया हीयं पूर्ववृता भार्यार्थे वरवर्णिनी पश्चात्त्विमां पिता प्रादाद्भृगवेऽनृतकारिणे
AI Translation: I had previously married this fair lady for my wife, but later her father gave her to Bhrigu, who was a liar.
सेयं यदि वरारोहा भृगोर्भार्या रहोगता तथा सत्यं समाख्याहि जिहीर्षाम्याश्रमादिमाम्
AI Translation: "If this beautiful woman is the wife of Bhrigu, who has come here alone, Then tell me the truth, for I desire to enter this hermitage."
मन्युर्हि हृदयं मेऽद्य प्रदहन्निव तिष्ठति मत्पूर्वभार्यां यदिमां भृगुः प्राप सुमध्यमाम्
AI Translation: Anger is burning my heart today. If Bhrigu has obtained this slender-waisted one, my former wife,
Supplementary Passages:
1.5.21 After 21, G2.4.5 ins.: *218 असंमतं कृतं मेऽद्य हरिष्याम्याश्रमादिमाम्
तद्रक्ष एवमामन्त्र्य ज्वलितं जातवेदसम् शङ्कमानो भृगोर्भार्यां पुनः पुनरपृच्छत
M. N. Dutt: Thus did the Rakshasa ask the flaming fire again and again, whether the lady was Bhrigu's wife.
त्वमग्ने सर्वभूतानामन्तश्चरसि नित्यदा साक्षिवत्पुण्यपापेषु सत्यं ब्रूहि कवे वचः
M. N. Dutt: “O Agni, you always dwell in every creature as the witness of their piety and impiety. Answer my question truthfully.
मत्पूर्वभार्यापहृता भृगुणानृतकारिणा सेयं यदि तथा मे त्वं सत्यमाख्यातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Bhrigu has appropriated her who was chosen by me as my wife. Tell me truly therefore, whether she is not truly my wife by first choice.
श्रुत्वा त्वत्तो भृगोर्भार्यां हरिष्याम्यहमाश्रमात् जातवेदः पश्यतस्ते वद सत्यां गिरं मम
M. N. Dutt: Hearing from you whether she is Bhrigu's wife or not, I shall carry her away from the hermitage even in your presence. Therefore, answer me truthfully."
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सप्तार्चिर्दुःखितो भृशम् भीतोऽनृताच्च शापाच्च भृगोरित्यब्रवीच्छनैः
M. N. Dutt: Sauti said: Having heard his words, the seven flamed Deity felt himself very much in difficulty. He was afraid to tell an untruth and was equally afraid of Bhrigu's curse. He at last slowly said.
Supplementary Passages:
1.5.26 After 26ab, T1 G2.4.5 ins.: *219 सत्यं वदामि यदि मे शापः स्याद्ब्रह्मवित्तमात् असत्यं चेदहं ब्रूवे पतिष्ये नरकान्क्रमात् After 26, N (except K0.2 D5; K4 marg.) T1 G2.4.5 ins.: *220 अग्निरुवाच त्वया वृता पुलोमेयं पूर्वं दानवनन्दन किं त्वियं विधिना पूर्वं मन्त्रवन्न वृता त्वया पित्रा तु भृगवे दत्ता पुलोमेयं यशस्विनी ददाति न पिता तुभ्यं वरलोभान्महायशाः अथेमां वेददृष्टेन कर्मणा विधिपूर्वकम् भार्यामृषिर्भृगुः प्राप मां पुरस्कृत्य दानव सेयमित्यवगच्छामि नानृतं वक्तुमुत्सहे नानृतं हि सदा लोके पूज्यते दानवोत्तम