वसिष्ठ उवाच
कृतवीर्य इति ख्यातो बभूव नृपतिः क्षितौ ॥
याज्यो वेदविदां लोके भृगूणां पार्थिवर्षभः ॥
स तान् अग्रभुजस् तात धान्येन च धनेन च ॥
सोमान्ते तर्पयाम् आस विपुलेन विशां पतिः ॥
तस्मिन् नृपतिशार्दूले स्वर्याते ऽथ कदा चन ॥
बभूव तत्कुलेयानां द्रव्यकार्यम् उपस्थितम् ॥
vasiṣṭha uvāca
kṛtavīrya iti khyāto babhūva nṛpatiḥ kṣitau ||
yājyo vedavidāṃ loke bhṛgūṇāṃ pārthivarṣabhaḥ ||
sa tān agrabhujas tāta dhānyena ca dhanena ca ||
somānte tarpayām āsa vipulena viśāṃ patiḥ ||
tasmin nṛpatiśārdūle svaryāte 'tha kadā cana ||
babhūva tatkuleyānāṃ dravyakāryam upasthitam ||
Vasishtha said: 'There was on earth a king renowned as Kritavirya, for whom the priests were the Bhrigus, knowers of the Veda — a bull among kings. At the completion of the Soma-sacrifice he abundantly satisfied those foremost ones with grain and wealth, lord of the people. When that tiger-king departed to heaven, once the descendants of his line came to be in need of wealth.'
8b070f3952b8 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:29:43 PM UTC
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Here begins the tale meant to instruct the enraged one. It is telling that Vasishtha does not rebuke his grandson directly but tells an instructive story: the wise teach not by shouting but by example from tradition. Herein lies the teacher's art — to heal anger with a tale rather than a prohibition. Telling too is the story's beginning: the king's generosity toward the priests, which [later] turned into his descendants' envy of the Bhrigus' wealth. Thus the scripture shows the opening of a new tale of enmity; and Vasishtha leads Parashara toward the knowledge of what unrestrained vengeance leads to.