न चोपकृतमस्माभिर्न चास्मान्वेत्थ ये वयम्। पीड्यमाना बिभर्ष्यस्मान्का सती के वयं तव
Nor have we benefited you, nor do you know who we are; oppressed, you bear us—what good are we to you, who are virtuous?
तरुणी दर्शीयाऽसि समर्था भर्तुरेषणे। अनुगच्छ पतिं मातुः पुत्रानाप्स्यसि शोमनान्
You are young, beautiful, capable of seeking a husband; follow your spouse, mother, you will obtain sons who bring joy.
वयमस्निं समाविश्य लोकानाप्स्याम शोभनान्। अथास्मान्न दहेदग्निरायास्त्वं पुनरेव नः
We will enter this burrow and obtain beautiful worlds; then the fire will not burn us, and you may come to us again.
एवमुक्ता ततः शार्ङ्गी पुत्रानुत्सृज्य खाण्डवे। जगाम त्वरिता देशं क्षेममग्नेरनामयम्
Thus addressed, the female bird, leaving her children in the Khandava forest, quickly went to the safe place of Agni, free from illness.
ततस्तीक्ष्णार्चिरभ्यागात्त्वरितो हव्यवाहनः। यत्र शार्ङ्गा वभूवुस्ते मन्दपालस्य पुत्रकाः
Then Agni, with sharp flames, hastened to the place where the Sharnga birds, Mandapala's sons, were.
ततस्तं ज्वलितं दृष्ट्वा ज्वलनं ते विहङ्गमाः। `व्यथिताः करुणा वाचः श्रावयामासुरन्तिकात्।' जरितारिस्ततो वाक्यं श्रावयामास पावकम्
Then, seeing the blazing fire, those birds were distressed and uttered pitiful words nearby; Jaritari then spoke to the fire.
पुरतः कृच्छ्रकालस्य धीमाञ्जागर्ति पुरुषः। स कृच्छ्रकालं संप्राप्य व्यथां नैवैति कर्हिचित्
Before a time of hardship, the wise man is vigilant; when hardship arrives, he never experiences distress.
यस्तु कृच्छ्रमनुप्राप्तं विचेता नावबुध्यते। सकृच्छ्रकाले व्यथितो न श्रेयो विन्दते महत्
But he who, when hardship comes, is confused and does not understand, is afflicted in times of difficulty and does not attain great good.
धीरस्त्वमसि मेधावी प्राणकृच्छ्रमिदं च नः। प्राज्ञः शूरो बहूनां हि भवत्येको न संशयः
You are steadfast and intelligent; this hardship of life is ours. The wise and courageous one among many is indeed unique, without doubt.
ज्येष्ठस्तातो भवति वै ज्येष्ठो मुञ्चति कृच्छ्रतः। ज्येष्ठश्चेन्न प्रजानाति नीयान्किं करिष्यति
The eldest, father, is indeed the eldest; the eldest releases from hardship. If the eldest does not know, what will the younger do?
हिरण्यरेतास्त्वरितो जलन्नायाति नः क्षयम्। सप्तजिह्वाननः क्रूरो लिहानो विसर्पति
Hiranyareta, swift and blazing, comes toward our abode; fierce, with seven tongues, he licks and spreads.
एवं संभाष्य तेऽन्योन्यं मन्दपालस्य पुत्रकाः। तुष्टुवुः प्रयता भूत्वा यथाऽग्निं शृणु पार्थिव
Thus, speaking to each other, Mandapala's sons became devoted and praised Agni; hear, O king, as they addressed the fire.
आत्माऽसि वायोर्ज्वलन शरीरमसि वीरुधाम्। योनिरापश्च ते शुक्रं योनिस्त्वमसि चाम्भसः
You are the soul of the wind, O blazing one, you are the body of plants; water is your source, and you are the seed of water.
ऊर्ध्वं चाधश्च सर्पन्ति पृष्ठतः पार्श्वतस्तथा। अर्चिषस्ते महावीर्य रश्यमः सवितुर्यथा
Your flames, O mighty one, move upward and downward, behind and to the sides, just like the rays of the sun.
माता प्रणष्टा पितरं न विद्मः पक्षा जाता नै नो धूमकेतो। न नस्त्राता विद्यते वै त्वदन्य- स्तस्मादस्मांस्त्राहि बालांस्त्वमग्ने
Our mother is lost, we do not know our father; our wings have grown, O smokebanner, but you are not our destroyer. There is no protector for us but you—therefore, O Agni, protect us children.
यदग्ने ते शिवं रूपं ये च ते सप्त हेतयः। तेन नः परिपाहि त्वमार्तान्नः शरणैषिणः
Whatever auspicious form is yours, O Agni, and your seven sources—by that, protect us who are afflicted and seek your refuge.
त्वमेवैकस्तपसे जप्तवेदो नान्यस्तप्ता विद्यते गोषु देव। ऋषीनस्मान्बालकान्पालयस्व परेणास्मान्प्रेहि वै हव्यवाह
You alone, O knower of sacrifice, are heated by austerity; no other is heated among the cows, O god. Protect us sages and children; carry us across, O bearer of offerings.
सर्वमग्ने त्वमेवैकस्त्वयि सर्वमिदं जगत्। त्वं धारयसि भूतानि भुवनं त्वं बिभर्षि च
You alone are everything, O Agni; in you is this entire world. You support all beings, you bear the universe.
त्वमग्निर्हव्यवाहस्त्वं त्वमेव परमं हविः। मनीषिणस्त्वां जानन्ति बहुधा चैकधापि च
You are Agni, the bearer of offerings; you are indeed the supreme oblation. The wise know you as manifold and also as one.
सृष्ट्वा लोकांस्त्रीनिमान्हव्यवाह काले प्राप्ते पचसि पुनः समिद्धः। त्वं सर्वस्य भुवनस्य प्रसूति- स्त्वमेवाग्ने भवसि पुनः प्रतिष्ठा
Having created these three worlds, O bearer of offerings, when the time comes, you burn them again, blazing forth. You are the origin of all the worlds; you alone, O Agni, are again their foundation.
त्वमन्नं प्राणिभिर्भुक्तमन्तर्भूतो जगत्पते। नित्यप्रवृद्धः पचसि त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
You are the food eaten by living beings, O lord of the world, entering within. Ever growing, you cook; in you all is established.
सूर्यो भूत्वा रश्मिभिर्जातवेदो भूमेरम्भो भूमिजातान्रसांश्च। विश्वानादाय पुनरुत्सृज्य काले दृष्ट्वा वृष्ट्या भावयसीह शुक्र
Becoming the sun with rays, O knower of all births, you draw up the waters of the earth and the juices born of the earth; having taken all, you release them again in due time, and, seeing, you nourish here with rain, O bright one.
त्वत्त एताः पुनः शुक्र वीरुधो हरितच्छदाः। जायन्ते पुष्करिण्यश्च सुभद्रश्च महोदधिः
From you again, O bright one, these green-leaved plants are born; the lotus ponds and the auspicious great ocean too arise from you.
इदं वै सद्म तिग्मांशो वरुणस्य परायणम्। शिवस्त्राता भवास्माकं माऽस्मानद्य विनाशय
This indeed is the abode, O blazing one, the refuge of Varuṇa. Be our auspicious protector; do not destroy us today.
पिङ्गाक्ष लोहितग्रीव कृष्णवर्त्मन्हुताशन। परेण प्रेहि मुञ्चास्मान्सागरस्य गृहानिव
O tawny-eyed, red-necked, dark-path, consumer of offerings, go beyond and release us, as from the houses of the ocean.
एवमुक्तो जातवेदा द्रोणेन ब्रह्मवादिना। द्रोणमाह प्रतीतात्मा मन्दपालप्रतिज्ञया
Thus addressed, O knower of all births, by Droṇa, the speaker of Brahman, Agni replied to Droṇa, pleased in his heart by the vow of Maṇḍapāla.
ऋषिर्द्रोणस्त्वमसि वै ब्रह्मैतद्व्याहृतं ईप्सितं ते करिष्यामि न च ते
You are indeed the sage Droṇa; this Brahman has been spoken. I will do what you desire, and not—
मन्दपालेन वै यूयं मम पूर्वं निवेदिताः। वर्जयेः पुत्रकान्मह्यं दहन्दावमिति स्म ह
You were previously introduced to me by Maṇḍapāla, saying, 'Spare my sons when you burn the forest.'
तस्य तद्वचनं द्रोण त्वया यच्चेह भाषितम्। उभयं मे गरीयस्तु ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। भृशं प्रीतोऽस्मि भद्रं ते ब्रह्मंस्तोत्रेण सत्तम
That word of his, O Droṇa, and what you have now spoken here—both are weighty for me. Tell me, what shall I do for you? I am greatly pleased; blessings to you, O best of Brahmins, for your hymn.
इमे मार्जारकाः शुक्र नित्यमुद्वेजयन्ति नः। एतान्कुरुष्व दग्धांस्त्वं हुताशन सबान्धवान्
These cats, O bright one, constantly trouble us; burn them, O consumer of offerings, along with their kin.