Shloka 9
Raibhya-putrayoḥ satra-vṛttāntaḥ — The Satra Episode of Raibhya’s Sons
Parāvasu and Arvāvasu
सोअस्मदर्थ व्रतं तात चर त्वं ब्रह्महिंसनम् । समर्थो5प्यहमेकाकी कर्म कर्तुमिदं मुने,भारत! उसने पिताके समस्त प्रेतकर्म करके पुनः यज्ञमण्डपमें आकर अपने भाई अर्वावसुसे कहा--'भैया! वह यज्ञकर्म तुम अकेले किसी प्रकार निभा नहीं सकते। इधर मैंने हिंसक पशु समझकर धोखेसे पिताजीकी हत्या कर डाली है; इसलिये तात! तुम तो मेरे लिये ब्रह्महत्यानिवारणके हेतु व्रत करो और मैं राजाका यज्ञ कराऊँगा। मुने! मैं अकेला भी इस कार्यका सम्पादन करनेमें समर्थ हूँ"
so ’smad-arthaṁ vrataṁ tāta cara tvaṁ brahma-hiṁsanam | samartho ’py aham ekākī karma kartum idaṁ mune ||
“Irmão querido, assume por mim o voto que expia o assassinato de um brāhmaṇa (brahmahatyā). Embora eu seja capaz de concluir este rito sozinho, por ilusão matei nosso pai, tomando-o por uma fera. Portanto, faz a expiação em meu nome, enquanto eu prossigo com o sacrifício do rei.”
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as accountability: even an unintended grave wrong (here framed as brahma-hatyā) demands expiation. It also shows a division of duties—one undertakes penance to restore moral order, while the other sustains the public ritual obligation—underscoring that ethical repair and social duty must both be addressed.
A speaker addresses his brother, asking him to perform an expiatory vow on his behalf because he has mistakenly killed their father, thinking him a dangerous animal. At the same time, he asserts he can complete the ongoing ritual work alone, indicating urgency to keep the sacrifice from failing while also seeking purification for the transgression.