आदाय च न शक्नोमि पुत्रांस्तरितुमात्मना। न च त्यक्तुमहं शक्ता हृदयं दूयतीव मे
I am unable to carry my sons and save myself; nor am I able to abandon them—my heart is torn.
कं तु जह्यामहं पुत्रं कमादाय व्रजाम्यहम्। किंनु मे स्यात्कृतं कृत्वा मन्यध्वं पुत्रकाः कथम्
Which son should I leave behind, and which should I take with me? What would be accomplished by doing so? Tell me, sons, what should I do?
चिन्तयाना विमोक्षं वो नाधिगच्छामि किंचन। छादयिष्यामि वो गात्रैः करिष्ये मरणं सह
Thinking about your rescue, I find no solution; I will cover you with my body and die together with you.
जरितारौ कुलं ह्येतज्ज्येष्ठत्वेन प्रतिष्ठितम्। सारिसृक्कः प्रजायेत पितॄणां कुलवर्धनः
The Jaritā birds' lineage is established as the eldest; Sārisṛkka is born to increase the family of the ancestors.
स्तम्बमित्रस्तपः कुर्याद्द्रोणो ब्रह्मविदां वरः। इत्येवमुक्त्वा प्रययौ पिता वो निर्घृणः पुरा
Stambamitra should practice austerity; Droṇa, the foremost among those who know Brahman. Having spoken thus, your father, long ago, departed without compassion.
कमुपादाय शक्येयं गन्तुं कष्टाऽऽपदुत्तमा। किं नु कृत्वा कृतं कार्यं भवेदिति च विह्वला। नापश्यत्स्वधिया मोक्षं स्वसुतानां तदानलात्
Taking one, I could escape this dire calamity; but what action would fulfill my duty? Distraught, she could not see any way to save her sons from the fire.
एवं ब्रुवाणां शार्ङ्गास्ते प्रत्यूचुरथ मातरम्। स्नेहमुत्सृज्य मातस्त्वं पत यत्र न हव्यवाट्
Hearing her speak thus, the Sharngas replied to their mother: 'Abandon your affection, mother, and go where the fire does not reach.'
अस्मास्विह विनष्टेषु भवितारः सुतास्तव। त्वयि मातर्विनष्टायां न नः स्यात्कुलसन्ततिः
If we are destroyed here, you will still have sons; but if you, mother, are lost, our family line will not continue.
अन्ववेक्ष्यैतदुभयं क्षेमं स्याद्यत्कुलस्य नः। तद्वै कर्तुं परः कालो मातरेष भवेत्तव
Considering both these outcomes, the welfare of our family would be secured if you, mother, survive; now is the time for you to act accordingly.
मा त्वं सर्वविनाशाय स्नेहं कार्षीः सुतेषु नः। न हीदं कर्म मोघं स्याल्लोककामस्य नः पितुः
Do not, out of affection for us, bring about the destruction of all; this act of our father, who wished for the good of the world, must not be in vain.
इदमाखोर्बिलं भूमौ वृक्षस्यास्य समीपतः। तदाविशध्वं त्वरिता वह्नेरत्र न वो भयम्
Near this tree, on the ground, there is a mouse hole; quickly enter it, for here you will have no fear of the fire.
ततोऽहं पांसुना छिद्रमपिधास्यामि पुत्रकाः। एवं प्रतिकृतं मन्ये ज्वलतः कृष्णवर्त्मनः
Then I will cover the entrance with earth, my children; in this way, I believe, you will be protected from the blazing fire.
तत एष्याम्यतीतेऽग्नौ विहन्तुं पांसुशंचयम्। रोचतामेष वो वादो मोक्षार्थं च हुताशनात्
After the fire has passed, I will return to remove the pile of earth; let this plan be agreeable to you, for it is to save you from the consuming flames.
अबर्हान्मांसभूतान्नः क्रव्यादाखुर्विनाशयेत्। पश्यमाना भयमिदं प्रवेष्टुं नात्र शक्नुमः
But a flesh-eating mouse might destroy us inside, devouring our bodies; seeing this danger, we are unable to enter.
कथमग्निर्न नो धक्ष्येत्कथमाखुर्न नाशयेत्। कथं न स्यात्पिता मोघः कथं माता ध्रियेत नः
How will the fire not burn us? How will the mouse not destroy us? How will our father not be disappointed? How will our mother be preserved?
बिल आखोर्विनाशः स्यादग्नेराकाशचारिणाम्। अन्ववेक्ष्यैतदुभयं श्रेयान्दाहो न भक्षणम्
If we enter the hole, the mouse will destroy us; if we stay, the fire that moves through the air will consume us. Considering both, burning is preferable to being eaten.
गर्हितं मरणं नः स्यादाखुना भक्षिते बिले। शिष्टादिष्टः परित्यागः शरीरस्य हुताशनात्
To be eaten by a mouse in a hole would be a disgraceful death for us; but to surrender the body to fire is prescribed by the wise.
अग्निदाहे तु नियतं ब्रह्मलोके ध्रुवा गतिः
Indeed, by dying in fire, one certainly attains the eternal realm of Brahma.
अस्माद्बिलान्निष्पतितमाखुं श्येनो जहार तम्। क्षुद्रं पद्भ्यां गृहीत्वा च यातो नात्र भयं हि वः
As the mouse emerged from the hole, an eagle seized it; grasping the small creature with its claws, it flew off—there is no danger for you now.
न हृतं तं वयं विद्मः श्येनेनाखुं कथंचन। अन्येऽपि भितारोऽत्र तेभ्योऽपि भमेव नः
We do not know how the eagle took the mouse; others here are also afraid, but for us, there is no more fear from them.
संशयो वह्निरागच्छेद्दृष्टं वायोर्निवर्तनम्। मृत्युर्नो बिलवासिभ्यो बिले स्यान्नात्र संशयः
If the fire comes, there is uncertainty; but we have seen the wind change direction. For those dwelling in the hole, death is certain—there is no doubt about this.
निःसंशयात्संशयितो मृत्युर्मातर्विशिष्यते। चर खे त्वं यथान्यायं पुत्रानाप्स्यसि शोभनान्
Mother, when death is certain, doubt is dispelled; go forth as is proper, and you will obtain worthy sons.
अहं वेगेन तं यान्तमद्राक्षं पततां वरम्। बिलादाखुं समादाय श्येनं पुत्रा महाबलम्
With speed, I saw the mighty eagle, best of fliers, seize the mouse from the hole and depart, my sons.
तं पतन्तं महावेगा त्वरिता पृष्ठतोऽन्वगाम्। आशिषोऽस्य प्रयुञ्जाना हरतो मूषिकं बिलात्
As it flew swiftly, I hurried after it, offering blessings as it carried the mouse away from the hole.
यो नो द्वेष्टारमादाय श्येनराज प्रधावसि। भव त्वं दिवमास्थाय निरमित्रो हिरण्मयः
You, who carry our enemy away, O king of hawks, you rush forth; ascend to heaven, and be without adversary, golden one.
स यदा भक्षितस्तेन श्येनेनाखुः पतत्रिणा। तदाहं तमनुज्ञाप्य प्रत्युपायां पुनर्गृहम्
When the mouse was eaten by the hawk, the winged one, I permitted him, and then returned again to my home.
प्रविशध्वं बिलं पुत्रा विश्रब्धा नास्ति वो भयम्। श्येनेन मम पश्यन्त्या हृत आखुर्महात्मना
Enter the burrow, children, confidently; there is no danger for you. The mouse has been taken by the great-hearted hawk, as I have seen.
न विद्महे हृतं मातः श्येनैनाखुं कथंचन। अविज्ञाय न शक्यामः प्रवेष्टं विवरं भुवः
Mother, we do not know that the mouse has been taken by the hawk in any way; without knowing, we cannot enter the hole in the earth.
अहं तमभिजानामि हृतं श्येनेन मूषिकम्। नास्ति वोऽत्र भयं पुत्राः क्रियतां वचनं मम
I recognize that the mouse has been taken by the hawk; there is no danger for you here, children. Let my words be followed.
न त्वं मिथ्योपचारेण मोक्षयेथा भयाद्धि नः। समाकुलेषु ज्ञानेषु न बुद्धिकृतमेव तत्
You would not release us from fear by false assurance; when knowledge is confused, that is not the work of intelligence.