SB 12.6.61

SB 12.6.61

Devanagari

वैशम्पायनशिष्या वै चरकाध्वर्यवोऽभवन् । यच्चेरुर्ब्रह्महत्यांह: क्षपणं स्वगुरोर्व्रतम् ॥ ६१ ॥

Verse text

vaiśampāyana-śiṣyā vai carakādhvaryavo ’bhavan yac cerur brahma-hatyāṁhaḥ kṣapaṇaṁ sva-guror vratam

Synonyms

vaiśampāyana śiṣyāḥ — the disciples of Vaiśampāyana ; vai indeed ; caraka named the Carakas ; adhvaryavaḥ authorities of the Atharva Veda ; abhavan became ; yat because ; ceruḥ they executed ; brahma hatyā — due to the killing of a brāhmaṇa ; aṁhaḥ of the sin ; kṣapaṇam the expiation ; sva guroḥ — for their own guru ; vratam the vow .

Translation

The disciples of Vaiśampāyana became authorities in the Atharva Veda. They were known as the Carakas because they executed strict vows to free their guru from his sin of killing a brāhmaṇa.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The disciples of Vaiśampāyana became authorities in the Yajur Veda. They were known as the Carakas because they executed strict vows to free their guru from his sin of killing a brāhmaṇa. Now appearance of the Taittirīya branch of the Yajur Veda is described. The derivation of the name Caraka is given. On behalf of their guru, they performed (cara) vows to destroy the effects of sin of killing a brāhmaṇa, that should have been undertaken by their guru. They were adhvaryu priests, expert in Yajur Veda.