PAULOMA PARVA: Chapter 6

Birth of Chyavana, Bhrigu's curse on Agni

सौतिरुवाच अग्नेस्थ वचः श्रुत्वा तद्रक्षः प्रजहार ताम्। ब्रह्मन्वराहरूपेण मनोमारुतरंहसा॥
Sauti said: O Brahman, having heard these words of Agni, the Rakshasa assumed the form of a boar and carried her away as fast as the wind or the mind.

ततः स गर्भो निवसत्कुक्षौ भृगुकुलोद्वह। रोषान्मातुश्च्युतः कुक्षेश्च्यवनस्तेन सोऽभवत्॥
The child, of Bhrigu, who was in her womb, was very much enraged at this violence and he dropped down from his mother's womb, For this reason he got the name as Chyavana.

तं दृष्ट्वा मातुरुदराच्च्युतमादित्यवर्चसम्। तद्रक्षो भस्मसाद्भूतं पपात परिमुच्य ताम्॥
On seeing that the child had dropped from her mother's womb as shinning as the sun, he quitted the grasp of the lady. But he fell down and was burnt to ashes.

सा तमादाय सुश्रोणि ससार भृगुनन्दनम्। च्यवनं भार्गवं पुत्रं पुलोमा दुःखमूर्छिता॥
O descendant of Bhrigu, the beautiful Puloma, heing afflicted with grief, took up her child Chyavana and walked away.

तां ददर्श स्वयं ब्रह्मा सर्वलोकपितामहः। रुदतीं बाष्पपूर्णाक्षी भृगोर्भार्यामनिन्दिताम्॥
The Grandfather of all beings, Brahma himself saw the faultless wife of Bhrigu weeping with eyes full of tears.

सान्त्वयामास भगवान्वधूं ब्रह्मा पितामहः। अश्रुबिन्दूद्भवा तस्याः प्रावर्तत महानदी॥
The Grandfather of all beings, noble Brahma consoled his own daughter-in-law (Puloma) and a great river was formed from the tears thai fell from her eyes.

आवर्तन्ती सृति तस्या भृगोः पत्न्यास्तपस्विनः। तस्या मार्ग सृतवतीं दृष्ट्वा तु सरितं तदा॥ नाम तस्यास्तदा नद्याश्चक्रे लोकपितामहः। वधूसरेति भगवांश्च्यवनस्याश्रमं प्रति॥
The river followed the foot-steps of the wife of the great Rishi Bhrigu; and the Grandfather of the worlds seeing, it follow the path of his son's wife, named it himself. He called it Vadhusara and it passed by the hermitage of Chyavana.

स एवं च्यवनो जज्ञे भृगोः पुत्रः प्रतापवान्। तं ददर्श पिता तत्र च्यवनं तां च भाविनीम्। स पुलोमां ततो भार्यां पप्रच्छ कुपितो भृगुः॥
In this way was born Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu of great power. And Bhrigu saw his son (yavana aid his beautiful mother. He asked his wife Puloma in a rage.

भृगुरुवाच केनाऽसि रक्षसे तस्मै कलिता त्वं जिहीर्षते। न हि त्वां वेद तद्रक्षो मद्भार्यां चारुहासिनीम्॥
Bhrigu said : Who made you known to the Rakshasa resolved to carry you away? O lady of captivating smiles, he could not (himself) know you to be my wife.

तत्त्वमाख्याहि तं ह्यद्य शप्तुमिच्छाम्यहं रुषा। बिभेति को न शापान्मे कस्यचायं व्यतिक्रमः॥
Tell me who it was that told the Rakshasa of you, so that I may curse him from anger. Who is that one who is not afraid of my curse? By whom was this offence done?

पुलोमोवाच अग्निना भगवंस्तस्मै रक्षसेऽहं निवेदिता। ततो मामनयद्रक्षः क्रोशन्ती कुररीमिव॥
Puloma said: O Lord, I was made known to the Rakshasa by Agni. He carried me away who was weeping like the Kurari.

साऽहं तव सुतस्यास्य तेजसा परिमोक्षिता। भस्मीभूतं च तद्रक्षो मामुत्सृज्य पपात वै॥
I was rescued only by the extraordinary brightness of your son. The Rakshasa quitted his grasp and falling to the ground, was turned into ashes.

सौतिरुवाच इति श्रुत्वा पुलोमाया भृगुः परममन्युमान्। शशापाग्निमतिक्रुद्धः सर्वभक्षो भविष्यसि॥
Sauti said: Having heard this from Puloma Bhrigu became exceedingly angry and out of anger he cursed Agni, saying, “Be an all devouring (element).