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.
त्वयि हव्यं च कव्यं च यथावत्संप्रतिष्ठितम्। त्वमेव दहनो देव त्वं धाता त्वं बृहस्पतिः
Both the offerings to the gods and to the ancestors are properly established in you; you alone are the fire, the creator, and Bṛhaspati.
त्वमश्विनौ यमौ मित्रः सोमस्त्वमसि चानिलः
You are the Aśvins, the Yamas, Mitra, Soma, and also the wind.
तुतोष तस्य नृपते मुनेरमिततेजसः। उवाच चैनं प्रीतात्मा किमिष्टं करवाणि ते
He was pleased with that sage of boundless energy, and spoke to him with a joyful heart: 'What do you desire? What shall I do for you?'
तमब्रवीन्मन्दपालः प्राञ्जलिर्हव्यवाहनम्। प्रदहन्खाण्डवं दावं मम पुत्रान्विसर्जय
Mandapāla, with joined palms, addressed the fire-god: 'As you burn the Khāṇḍava forest, spare my sons from the blaze.'
तथेति तत्प्रतिश्रुत्य भगवान्हव्यवाहनः। खाण्डवे तेन काले न प्रजज्वाल दिदक्षया
The blessed fire-god, having promised thus, did not ignite the Khāṇḍava forest at that time with the intent to burn.
ततः प्रज्वलिते वह्नौ शार्ङ्गकास्ते सुदुःखिताः। व्यथिताः परमोद्विग्ना नाधिजग्मुः परायणम्
Then, as the fire blazed, the Śārṅgaka birds were greatly distressed, agitated, and deeply anxious, unable to find any refuge.
निशाम्य पुत्रकान्बालान्माता तेषां तपस्विनी। जरिता शोकदुःखार्ता विललाप सुदुःखिता
Hearing her young sons, their ascetic mother Jaritā, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, lamented in deep distress.
अयमग्निर्दहन्कक्षमित आयाति भीषणः। जगत्संदीपयन्भीमो मम दुःखविवर्धनः
This fire, fierce and ready to burn, approaches, terrifying and igniting the world, increasing my suffering.
इमे च मां कर्षयन्ति शिशवो मन्दचेतसः। अबर्हाश्चरणैर्हीनाः पूर्वेषां नः परायणाः
And these children, weak-minded, torment me; they are helpless, lacking strength in their feet, and have no refuge from our ancestors.
त्रासयंश्चायमायाति लेलिहानो महीरुहान्। अजातपक्षाश्च सुता न शक्ताः सरणे मम
He comes, frightening and licking the trees; my sons, not yet fledged, are unable to escape with me.