लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
भरद्वाजस्तु कौन्तेय कृत्वा स्वाध्यायमाह्निकम्। समित्कलापमादाय प्रविवेश स्वमाश्रमम् ॥०३-१३८-१॥
But Bharadvāja, O son of Kunti, after finishing the daily recitation and taking a bundle of sacred sticks, entered his hermitage. (03-138-1)
तं स्म दृष्ट्वा पुरा सर्वे प्रत्युत्तिष्ठन्ति पावकाः। न त्वेनमुपतिष्ठन्ति हतपुत्रं तदाग्नयः ॥०३-१३८-२॥
Indeed, formerly all the fires used to rise up to him on seeing him. But now, when his son has been killed, the fires do not approach him. (03-138-2)
वैकृतं त्वग्निहोत्रे स लक्षयित्वा महातपाः। तमन्धं शूद्रमासीनं गृहपालमथाब्रवीत् ॥०३-१३८-३॥
But having noticed an alteration in Agnihotra, the great ascetic then addressed that house guardian, a blind śūdra who was sitting there. (03-138-3)
किं नु मे नाग्नयः शूद्र प्रतिनन्दन्ति दर्शनम्। त्वं चापि न यथापूर्वं कच्चित्क्षेममिहाश्रमे ॥०३-१३८-४॥
Śūdra, why do the fires not welcome my sight? And you also are not as before; is everything well here in the hermitage? (03-138-4)
कच्चिन्न रैभ्यं पुत्रो मे गतवानल्पचेतनः। एतदाचक्ष्व मे शीघ्रं न हि मे शुध्यते मनः ॥०३-१३८-५॥
Surely my son, who is of little understanding, has not gone to Raibhya. Please tell me this quickly, for my mind is truly not at ease. (03-138-5)
शूद्र उवाच॥
Shudra said.
रैभ्यं गतो नूनमसौ सुतस्ते मन्दचेतनः। तथा हि निहतः शेते राक्षसेन बलीयसा ॥०३-१३८-६॥
Certainly, this son of yours of dull mind has gone to Raibhya; thus, indeed, he lies slain by the stronger rakshasa. (03-138-6)
प्रकाल्यमानस्तेनायं शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा। अग्न्यागारं प्रति द्वारि मया दोर्भ्यां निवारितः ॥०३-१३८-७॥
This one, being dragged by the demon with the spear in his hand towards the fire-chamber, was restrained by me at the door with my two arms. (03-138-7)
ततः स निहतो ह्यत्र जलकामोऽशुचिर्ध्रुवम्। सम्भावितो हि तूर्णेन शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा ॥०३-१३८-८॥
Then he, impure and desiring water, was certainly slain here, having been swiftly attacked by the rakṣasa holding a spear. (03-138-8)
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
भरद्वाजस्तु शूद्रस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा विप्रियं वचः। गतासुं पुत्रमादाय विललाप सुदुःखितः ॥०३-१३८-९॥
But Bharadvāja, having heard those unpleasing words of the śūdra, took his lifeless son and lamented, greatly afflicted with grief. (03-138-9)
ब्राह्मणानां किलार्थाय ननु त्वं तप्तवांस्तपः। द्विजानामनधीता वै वेदाः सम्प्रतिभान्त्विति ॥०३-१३८-१०॥
"Surely, you performed austerity for the sake of the brāhmaṇas. Now, the Vedas appear even to the unlearned twice-born." (03-138-10)
तथा कल्याणशीलस्त्वं ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु। अनागाः सर्वभूतेषु कर्कशत्वमुपेयिवान् ॥०३-१३८-११॥
Thus, though you are of auspicious conduct, blameless among brāhmaṇas and the great-souled, you have become harsh towards all beings. (03-138-11)
प्रतिषिद्धो मया तात रैभ्यावसथदर्शनात्। गतवानेव तं क्षुद्रं कालान्तकयमोपमम् ॥०३-१३८-१२॥
O dear, I restrained him from visiting the hermitage of Raibhya; yet he went to that wretch, one who is like Death or Yama. (03-138-12)
यः स जानन्महातेजा वृद्धस्यैकं ममात्मजम्। गतवानेव कोपस्य वशं परमदुर्मतिः ॥०३-१३८-१३॥
He, of great splendor, knowing, who nevertheless was seized by anger's sway, went - that one son of mine, of the old man, whose mind was extremely perverse. (03-138-13)
पुत्रशोकमनुप्राप्य एष रैभ्यस्य कर्मणा। त्यक्ष्यामि त्वामृते पुत्र प्राणानिष्टतमान्भुवि ॥०३-१३८-१४॥
Having been overtaken by my son's grief because of Raibhya's act, O son, without you, I will abandon my most cherished life in this world. (03-138-14)
यथाहं पुत्रशोकेन देहं त्यक्ष्यामि किल्बिषी। तथा ज्येष्ठः सुतो रैभ्यं हिंस्याच्छीघ्रमनागसम् ॥०३-१३८-१५॥
Just as I will abandon my body, sinful through grief for my son, in the same way may the elder son quickly harm the blameless Raibhya. (03-138-15)
सुखिनो वै नरा येषां जात्या पुत्रो न विद्यते। ते पुत्रशोकमप्राप्य विचरन्ति यथासुखम् ॥०३-१३८-१६॥
Truly happy are those men who, by birth, have no son; having never experienced the grief of a son, they live at ease as they please. (03-138-16)
ये तु पुत्रकृताच्छोकाद्भृशं व्याकुलचेतसः। शपन्तीष्टान्सखीनार्तास्तेभ्यः पापतरो नु कः ॥०३-१३८-१७॥
But those women, whose minds are greatly disturbed by grief caused by their sons, who in their distress curse their dear friends—who indeed could be more sinful than they? (03-138-17)
परासुश्च सुतो दृष्टः शप्तश्चेष्टः सखा मया। ईदृशीमापदं को नु द्वितीयोऽनुभविष्यति ॥०३-१३८-१८॥
I have encountered enmity from others, betrayal by my own son, have been cursed, and faced treachery from a friend. Who else, indeed, would experience such a calamity? (03-138-18)
विलप्यैवं बहुविधं भरद्वाजोऽदहत्सुतम्। सुसमिद्धं ततः पश्चात्प्रविवेश हुताशनम् ॥०३-१३८-१९॥
After lamenting in many ways, Bharadvāja cremated his son; then, when the fire was well-kindled, he himself entered the sacrificial fire. (03-138-19)
