आस्तीक उवाच सोमस्य यज्ञो वरुणस्य यज्ञः प्रजापतेर्यज्ञ आसीत्प्रयागे। तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारतार्थ्य पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
Astika said: O son of Parikshit, О best of the Bharata race, Soma, Varuna and Prajapati performed sacrifices at Prayaga in the days of yore, but your sacrifice, is in no way inferior to them. Blessing be upon those who are dear to us!
स्तथा परं तुल्यसंख्यं शतं वै। तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
O son of Parikshit, О best of the Bharata race, Indra performed one hundred sacrifices, but your sacrifices, is fully equal to his sacrifice. Blessings be upon those who are dear to us!
यमस्य यज्ञो हरिमेधसश्च यथा यज्ञो रन्तिदेवस्य राज्ञः। तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
O son of Parikshit, O best of the Bharata race, your this sacrifice is like the sacrifices of Yama, Harimedha and king Rantideva. Blessings be upon those who are dear to us!
गयस्य यज्ञः शशबिन्दोश्च राज्ञो यज्ञस। वैश्रवणस्य राज्ञः। तथा यज्ञोऽयं, भारतार्य पारिक्षिः स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
O son of Parikshit, O best of the Bharata race, your this sacrifice is like the sacrifices of Gaya, king Sashabindu and king Vaishravana. Blessings be upon those who are dear to us
द्यथ यज्ञो दाशरथेच राज्ञः। तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताऱ्या पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
O son of Parikshit, О best of the Bharata race, your this sacrifice is like me sacrifices of Nriga, Ajamidha and (Rama) the son of Dasaratha. Blessings be upon those who are dear to us!
युधिष्ठिरस्याजमीढस्य राज्ञः। यथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारतार्य पारिक्षित रूस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
O son of Parikshit, O best of the Bharata race, your this sacrifice is like the sacrifice of king Yudhishthira, the son of a deity and a descendant of Ajamidha race, famous even in heavens. Blessings upon those who are dear to us!
कृष्णस्य यज्ञः सत्यवत्याः सुतस्टा स्वयं च कर्म प्रचकार य: तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताये पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः॥
O son of Parikshit, O best of the Bharata race, your this sacrifice is like the sacrifice of Krishna Dvaipayana, the son of Satyavati, in which he himself acted as the chief priest. Blessings be upon those who are dear to us!
इमे च ते सूर्यसमानवर्चसः समासते वृत्रहणः क्रतुं यथा। नैषां ज्ञातं विद्यते ज्ञानमद्य दत्तं येभ्यो न प्रणश्येत्कदाचित्॥
These (learned men), that are sitting here, are as effulgent as the sun and they make your this sacrifice like the sacrifice of the slayer of Vitra (Indra). There is nothing for them to know and gifts made to them become inexhaustible.
ऋत्विक्समो नास्ति लोकेषु चैव द्वैपायनेनेति विनिश्चितं मे। एतस्य शिष्या हि क्षितिं संचरन्ति सर्वर्विजः कर्मसु स्वेषु दीक्षाः॥
There is not a Ritvija in all the worlds equal to your Ritvija Dvaipayana. His disciples, becoming Ritvijas, competent in their duties, travel over the earth.
विभावसुश्चित्रभानुर्महात्मा हिरण्यरेता हुतभुक्कृष्णवा। प्रदक्षिणावर्तशिखः प्रदीप्तो हव्यं तवेदं हुतभुग्वष्टि देवः॥
The noble bearer of libations, Vibhavasu and Chitrabhanu (Fire), having gold for his vital seed and black smokes on its way, carries these your libations of ghee to the celestial.
नेह त्वदन्यो विद्यते जीवलोके समो नृपः पालयिता प्रजानाम्। धृत्या च ते प्रीतमनः सदाहं त्वं वा वरुणो धर्मराजो यमो वा॥
There is no other king in this world equal to you in protecting his subjects. I am well pleased with your courage. You are either Varuna, Yama or Dharmaraja.
शक्रः साक्षाद्वज्रपाणिर्यथेह त्राता लोकेऽस्मिंस्त्वं तथेह प्रजानाम्। मतस्त्वं नः पुरुषेन्द्रह लोके न च त्वदन्यो भूपतिरस्ति जज्ञे॥
You are protector of all creatures in this world, like Indra himself, thunderbolt in hand. There is no man in this world so great as you. There is no king who is your equal in sacrifices.
खट्वाङ्गनाभागदिलीपकल्प ययातिमांधातृसमप्रभाव। आदित्यतेजः प्रतिमानतेजा भीष्मो यथा राजसि सुव्रतस्त्वम्॥
You are like Khatvanga, Nabhaga and Dilipa. You are like Yayati and Mandhata in prowess. You are equal to the sun in splendour. O royal sage of excellent vows, you are like Bhishma.
वाल्मीकिवत्ते निभृतं स्ववीर्ये वसिष्ठवत्ते नियतश्च कोपः। प्रभुत्वमिन्द्रत्वसमं मतं मे द्युतिश्च नारायणवद्विभाति॥
You are like Valmiki of power concealed. Like Vasishtha you have controlled your anger. Your sovereignty is like that of Indra and your splendour is like that of Narayana.
यमो यथा धर्मविनिश्चयज्ञः कृष्णो यथा सर्वगुणोपपन्नः। श्रियां निवासोऽसि यथा वसूनां निधानभूतोऽसि तथा क्रतूनाम्॥
You are learned in the administration of justice like Yama and you are adorned with all qualifications like Krishna. You are the home of the wealth that belongs to the Vasus, you are the main-spring of all sacrifices.
दद्भोद्भवेनासि समो बलेन रामो यथा शास्त्रविदस्त्रविच्च। और्वत्रिताभ्यामसि तुल्यतेजा दुप्रेक्षणीयोऽसि भगीरथेन॥
You are equal to Dambhodbhava in strength, you are learned both, in Shastras and arms like Parshurama. You are equal to Aurva and Trita in strength. You inspire terror with your looks like Bhagiratha.
सौतिरुवाच एवं स्तुताः सर्व एव प्रसन्ना राजा सदस्या ऋत्विजो हव्यवाहः। तेषां दृष्ट्वा भावितानीङ्गितानि प्रोवाच राजा जनमेजयोऽथ॥
Sauti said: Having thus adored them, Astika gratified and pleased them all, the king, the Sadasyas, the Ritvijas and the sacrificial fire. And king Janamejaya, seeing the signs and indications manifested on all sides, addressed them thus.