Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
इस प्रकार पूर्वकालमें जब कि सृष्टिके प्रारम्भका समय था, वरुण-शरीर धारण करनेवाले सुरश्रेष्ठ महात्मा रुद्रके यञ्ञमें पूर्वोक्त वृत्तान्त घटित हुआ था ।।
iti prakāraṁ pūrvakāle yadā sṛṣṭeḥ prārambhakāla āsīt, varuṇa-śarīra-dhāriṇāṁ suraśreṣṭhaṁ mahātmā rudrasya yajñe pūrvokto vṛttāntaḥ samabhavat. annam eva brahmā paśupatiḥ śarvo rudraḥ prajāpatiḥ. agner apatyam etad vai suvarṇam iti dhāraṇā.
Vasiṣṭha dijo: «Así, en los tiempos antiguos, al mismo comienzo de la creación, el suceso ya descrito ocurrió en el sacrificio del magnánimo Rudra, el más excelso entre los dioses, cuando asumió la forma vinculada a Varuṇa. El alimento mismo es tenido por Brahmā, Paśupati, Śarva, Rudra y Prajāpati; y este oro, según la convicción de todos, es descendencia de Agni.»
वसिष्ठ उवाच
The verse sacralizes essentials of life and society: food (anna) is identified with major divine powers, implying that nourishment is not merely material but a dharmic, sacred foundation. Gold (suvarṇa), linked to Agni as its 'offspring,' suggests that wealth should be understood as arising from and governed by the sanctity of fire/ritual—therefore to be used responsibly, not greedily.
Vasiṣṭha recalls an ancient incident that took place at the dawn of creation during a sacrifice performed by Rudra (described as assuming a Varuṇa-associated form). He then states the doctrinal identifications: food is regarded as Brahmā, Paśupati, Śarva, Rudra, and Prajāpati, and gold is commonly held to be born of Agni.