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.
न जहौ पुत्रशोकार्ता जरिता खाण्डवे सुतान्। बभार चैतान्संजातान्स्ववृत्त्या स्नेहविक्लवा
Jarita, stricken with grief for her sons, did not abandon them in the Khandava forest; overwhelmed by love, she cared for them as they were born.
ततोऽग्निं खाण्डवं दग्धुमायान्तं दृष्टवानृषिः। मन्दपालश्चरंस्तस्मिन्वने लपितया सह
Then the sage Mandapala, together with Lapita, saw Agni coming to burn the Khandava forest as he wandered there.
तं संकल्पं विदित्वाग्नेर्ज्ञात्वा पुत्रांश्च बालकान्। सोऽभितुष्टाव विप्रर्षिब्रार्ह्मणो जातवेदसम्
Knowing Agni's intention and aware of his young sons, the Brahman sage then praised Jatavedas.
त्वमग्ने सर्वलोकानां मुखं त्वमसि हव्यवाट्
You, Agni, are the mouth of all the worlds; you are the carrier of offerings.
त्वमन्तः सर्वभूतानां गूढश्चरसि पावक। त्वामेकमाहुः कवयस्त्वामाहुस्त्रिविधं पुनः
You, O Purifier, move hidden within all beings; the wise call you one, and again, they call you threefold.
त्वामष्टधा कल्पयित्वा यज्ञवाहमकल्पयन्। त्वया विश्वमिदं सृष्टं वदन्ति परमर्षयः
Having conceived you in eight forms, they made you the bearer of sacrifice; the great sages say that this universe was created by you.
त्वदृते हि जगत्कृत्स्नं सद्यो नश्येद्धुताशन। तुभ्यं कृत्वा नमो विप्राः स्वकर्मविजितां गतिम्
For without you, O Eater of Offerings, the whole world would instantly perish; having paid homage to you, the Brahmans attain the state won by their own actions.
गच्छन्ति सह पत्नीभिः सुतैरपि च शाश्वतीम्। त्वामग्ने जलदानाहुः खेविषक्तान्सविद्युतः
Together with their wives and sons, they attain the eternal state; you, Agni, are called the cloud among the gods, moving in the sky with lightning.
दहन्ति सर्वभूतानि त्वत्तो निष्क्रम्य हेतयः। जातवेदस्त्वयैवेदं विश्वं सृष्टं महाद्युते
The forces that emerge from you consume all beings; O Jātavedas, with your great brilliance, this entire universe has been created by you alone.
तवैव कर्मविहितं भूतं सर्वं चराचरम्। त्वयापो विहिताः पूर्वं त्वयि सर्वमिदं जगत्
All that exists, moving and unmoving, is established by your actions; the waters were ordained by you in the beginning, and in you this whole world abides.