उपर्याकाशगो भूत्वा विधूमः समपद्यत। दीप्ताक्षो दीप्तजिह्वश्च संप्रदीप्तमहाननः
Having become one who moves in the sky above, he appeared without smoke; with blazing eyes, a flaming tongue, and a mouth wide with fire.
दीप्तोर्ध्वकेशः पिङ्गाक्षः पिबन्प्राणभृतां वसाम्। तां स कृष्णार्जुनकृतां सुधां प्राप्य हुताशनः
With flaming, upraised hair, tawny eyes, drinking the fat of living beings—having obtained that nectar prepared by Krishna and Arjuna, the fire-god—
बभूव मुदितस्तृप्तः परां निर्वृतिमागतः। तथाऽसुरं मयं नाम तक्षकस्य निवेशनात्
Thus, Maya the Asura, having come from Takshaka’s abode, became joyful, satisfied, and attained supreme contentment.
विप्रद्रवन्तं सहसा ददर्श मधुसूदनः। तमग्निः प्रार्थयामास दिधक्षुर्वातसारथिः
Madhusudana saw him suddenly fleeing in fear, and Agni, eager to burn, requested the Wind-charioteer.
शरीरवाञ्जटी भूत्वा नदन्निव बलाहकः। विज्ञाय दानवेन्द्राणां मयं वै शिल्पिनां वरम्
Taking on a bodily form with matted hair, roaring like a storm cloud, Agni recognized Maya, the foremost of the Danava artisans.
जिघांसुर्वासुदेवस्तं चक्रमुद्यम्य धिष्ठितः। स चक्रमुद्यतं दृष्ट्वा दिधक्षन्तं च पावकम्
Desiring to slay him, Vasudeva stood ready, raising his discus; seeing the discus raised and Agni intent on burning him—
अभिधावार्जुनेत्येवं मयस्त्राहीति चाब्रवीत्। तस्य भीतस्वनं श्रुत्वा मा भैरिति धनंजयः
Maya cried out, 'Arjuna, help!' and, terrified, called for protection; hearing his frightened voice, Dhananjaya replied, 'Do not fear.'
प्रत्युवाच मयं पार्थो जीवयन्निव भारत। तं न भेतव्यमित्याह मयं पार्थो दयापरः
Partha spoke to Maya, as if granting him life, saying, 'You need not be afraid,' showing compassion.
तं पार्थेनाभये दत्ते नमुचेर्भ्रातरं मयम्। न हन्तुमैच्छद्दाशार्हः पावको न ददाह च
When Partha granted safety to Maya, the brother of Namuci, neither Dasharha wished to kill him, nor did Agni burn him.
तद्वनं पावको धीमान्दिनानि दश पञ्च च। ददाह कृष्णपार्थाभ्यां रक्षितः पाकशासनात्
Protected by Krishna and Partha, and by Indra’s command, the wise Agni burned that forest for fifteen days.
तस्मिन्वने दह्यमाने षडग्निर्न ददाह च। अश्वसेनं मयं चैव चतुरः शार्ङ्गकांस्तथा
While that forest was burning, Agni did not consume Ashvasena, Maya, nor the four Sharngakas.
किमर्थं शार्ङ्गकानग्निर्न ददाह तथा गते। तस्मिन्वने दह्यमाने ब्रह्मन्नेतत्प्रचक्ष्व मे
O Brahman, tell me why Agni did not burn the Sharngakas as the forest was being consumed.
अदाहे ह्यश्वसेनस्य दानवस्य मयस्य च। कारणं कीर्तितं ब्रह्मञ्शार्ङ्गकाणां न कीर्तितम्
O Brahman, the reason for not burning Ashvasena and the Danava Maya has been stated, but not that of the Sharngakas.
तदेतदद्भुतं ब्रह्मञ्शार्ङ्गकाणामनामयम्। कीर्तयस्वाग्निसंमर्दे कथं ते न विनाशिताः
O Brahman, this is a wondrous and auspicious thing regarding the Sharngakas; tell me how they were not destroyed in Agni’s conflagration.
यदर्थं शार्ङ्गकानग्निर्न ददाह तथा गते। तत्ते सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा भूतमरिन्दम
O subduer of enemies, I will tell you everything, as it truly happened, about why Agni did not burn the Sharngakas at that time.
धर्मज्ञानां मुख्यतमस्तपस्वी संशितव्रतः। आसीन्महर्षिः श्रुतवान्मन्दपाल इति श्रुतः
There was a great sage named Mandapala, renowned as the foremost among the righteous, devoted to austerity and firm in his vows.
स मार्गमाश्रितो राजन्नृषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्। स्वाध्यायवान्धर्मरतस्तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रियः
He followed the path of the sages who observe celibacy, devoted to study, delighting in righteousness, practicing austerity, and having conquered his senses.
स गत्वा तपसः पारं देहमुत्सृज्य भारत। जगाम पितृलोकाय न लेभे तत्र तत्फलम्
Having reached the limit of asceticism, he abandoned his body and went to the world of the ancestors, but did not obtain the fruit there.
स लोकानफलान्दृष्ट्वा तपसा निर्जितानपि। पप्रच्छ धर्मराजस्य समीपस्थान्दिवौकसः
Seeing that the worlds he had attained through austerity were fruitless, he questioned the celestial beings near Dharmaraja.
किमर्थमावृता लोका ममैते तपसाऽर्जिताः। किं मया न कृतं तत्र यस्यैतत्कर्मणः फलम्
He asked, 'Why are these worlds, gained by my austerity, closed to me? What did I fail to do, that I receive this result for my actions?'
तत्राहं तत्करिष्यामि यदर्थमिदमावृतम्। फलमेतस्य तपसः कथयध्वं दिवौकसः
There I shall do that for which this has been concealed; tell me, O gods, what is the fruit of this austerity.
ऋणिनो मानवा ब्रह्मञ्जायन्ते येन तच्छृणु। क्रियाभिर्ब्रह्मचर्येण प्रजया च न संशयः
O Brahman, hear by what means men are born as debtors; it is through rites, through celibacy, and through offspring, without a doubt.
तदपाक्रियते सर्वं यज्ञेन तपसा सुतैः। तपस्वी यज्ञकृच्चासि न च ते विद्यते प्रजा
All that is removed by sacrifice, austerity, and sons; you are an ascetic and a performer of sacrifice, but you have no offspring.
त इमे प्रसवस्यार्थे तव लोकाः समावृताः। प्रजायस्व ततो लोकानुपभोक्ष्यसि पुष्कलान्
Therefore, these worlds are withheld from you for the sake of progeny; beget children, then you shall enjoy abundant worlds.
पुन्नाम्नो नरकात्पुत्रस्त्रायते पितरं श्रुतिः। तस्मादपत्यसन्ताने यतस्व ब्रह्मसत्तम
A son saves his father from the hell called Put, so says the scripture; therefore, O best of Brahmans, strive for the continuation of offspring.
तच्छ्रुत्वा मन्दपालस्तु वचस्तेषां दिवौकसाम्। क्व नु शीघ्रमपत्यं स्याद्बहुलं चेत्यचिन्तयत्
Hearing those words of the gods, Mandapala thought, 'Where and how might I quickly obtain many children?'
स चिन्तयन्नभ्यगच्छत्सुबहुप्रसवान्खगान्। शार्ङ्गिकां शार्ङ्गको भूत्वा जरितां समुपेयिवान्
While pondering thus, he approached birds known for their great fertility; becoming a Sharngika bird, he went to Jarita.
तस्यां पुत्रानजनयच्चतुरो ब्रह्मवादिनः। तानपास्य स तत्रैव जगाम लपितां प्रति
In her, he begot four sons, knowers of Brahman; leaving them there, he then went to Lapita.
बालान्स तानण्डगतान्सह मात्रा मुनिर्वने। तस्मिन्गते महाभागे लपितां प्रति भारत
Those children, still in the egg with their mother, were left in the forest by the sage, O Bharata, as he went to Lapita.
अपत्यस्नेहसंयुक्ता जरिता बह्वचिन्तयत्। तेन त्यक्तानसंत्याज्यानृषीनण्डगतान्वने
Filled with maternal affection, Jarita was deeply troubled; she thought much about the sages, her sons, left in the egg in the forest, abandoned yet not to be abandoned.