अथवापि समग्रेण तरन्तु तपसा मम। भवन्तः सर्व एवेह काममेवं विधीयताम्
Or, if you wish, let all of you be saved by the entirety of my ascetic merit—let it be done as you desire.
कुतो भवान्ब्रह्मचारी यो नस्त्रातुमिहेच्छसि। न तु विप्राग्र्य तपसा शक्यमेतद्व्यपोहितुम्
How is it that you, a celibate, wish to save us? This cannot be remedied even by the highest asceticism of a foremost Brahmin.
अस्ति नस्तात तपसः फलं प्रवदतां वर। संतानप्रक्षयाद्ब्रह्मन्पतामो निरयेऽशुचौ
O best of those who speak, is there or is there not any fruit of austerity? Because of the destruction of our lineage, O Brahman, we are falling into an impure hell.
सन्तानं हि परो धर्मं एवमाह पितामहः। लम्बतामिह नस्तात न ज्ञानं प्रतिभाति वै
For indeed, our grandsire has declared that progeny is the highest duty; but here, O father, we are suspended, and no knowledge appears to us.
येन त्वां नाभिजानीमो लोके विख्यातपौरुषम्। वृद्धो भवान्महाभागोयोनः शोच्यान्सुदुःखितान
By whom you, renowned in the world for your manliness, are not recognized— you, venerable and greatly fortunate— we, your ancestors, are to be pitied and deeply afflicted.
शोचते चैव कारुण्याच्छृणु ये वै वयं द्विज। यायावरा नाम वयमृषयः संशितव्रताः
And out of compassion, I grieve, O twice-born, listen: we are called the Yāyāvaras, sages devoted to strict vows.
लोकात्पुम्यादिह भ्रष्टाः सन्तानप्रक्षयान्मुने। प्रणष्टं नस्तपस्तीव्रं न हि नस्तन्तुरस्ति वै
O sage, cast down from the world due to the destruction of our lineage, our severe austerity is lost; indeed, we have no descendant.
अस्तित्वेकोऽद्य नस्तन्तुः सोऽपि नास्ति यथा तथा। मन्दभाग्योऽल्पभाग्यानां तप एकं समास्थितः
Today, we have only one descendant left, and even he is as good as lost; of little fortune among the unfortunate, he alone has taken up austerity.
जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः। नियतात्मा महात्मा च सुव्रतः सुमहातपाः
He is known as Jaratkāru, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, self-controlled, great-souled, of firm vows, and of immense austerity.
तेन स्म तपसो लोभात्कृच्छ्रमापादिता वयम्। न तस्य भार्या पुत्रो वा बान्धवो वाऽस्ति कश्चन
Because of his greed for austerity, we have come to this distress; he has neither wife nor son nor any relative.
तस्माल्लम्बामहे गर्ते नष्टसंज्ञा ह्यनाथवत्। स वक्तव्यस्त्वया दृष्टो ह्यस्माकं नाथवत्तया
Therefore, we hang over the pit, our consciousness lost, like those without support; he must be told, for you have seen us in our helpless state.
पितरस्तेऽवलम्बन्ते गर्ते दीना अधोमुखाः। साधु दारान्कुरुष्वेति प्रजायस्वेति चाभि भोः
Your ancestors depend on you, hanging over the pit, dejected and downcast; O noble one, take a wife and beget children, we entreat you.
कुलतन्तुर्हि नः शिष्टः स एकैकस्तपोधन। यं तु पश्यसि नो ब्रह्मन्वीरणस्तम्बमाश्रयम्
For only one thread of our lineage remains, a single ascetic, O Brahman, whom you see taking refuge at the grass-stalk.
एषोऽस्माकं कुलस्तम्ब आस्ते स्वकुलवर्धनः। यानि पश्यसि वै ब्रह्मन्मूलानीहास्य वीरुधः
This is our family’s pillar, sitting here, the increaser of our line; these roots you see here, O Brahman, are his shoots.
एते नस्तन्तवस्तात कालेन परिभक्षिताः। यत्त्वेतत्पश्यसि ब्रह्मन्मूलमस्यार्धभक्षितम्
These, O father, are our lineages, consumed by time; and what you see, O Brahman, is the root half-eaten.
यत्र लम्बामहे गर्ते सोऽप्येकस्तप आस्थितः। यमाखुं पश्यसि ब्रह्मन्काल एष महाबलः
Where we hang over the pit, even that one is engaged in austerity; the mouse you see, O Brahman, is mighty Time itself.
स तं तपोरतं मन्दं शनैः क्षपयते तुदन्। जरत्कारुं तपोलुब्धं मन्दात्मानमचेतसम्
He slowly gnaws at that weak ascetic devoted to austerity—Jaratkāru, greedy for penance, dull-minded and senseless.
न हि नस्तत्तपस्तस्य तारयिष्यति सत्तम। छिन्नमूलान्परिभ्रष्टान्कालोपहतचेतसः
For, O best of beings, his austerity will not save us—uprooted, fallen, and with minds afflicted by Time.
अधः प्रविष्टान्पश्यास्मान्यथा दुष्कृतिनस्तथा। अस्मासु पतितेष्वत्र सह सर्वैः सबान्धवैः
See us, who have entered below, as wrongdoers; when we have fallen here, all our kin will fall with us.
छिन्नः कालेन सोऽप्यत्र गन्ता वै नरकं ततः। तपो वाऽप्यथ चा यज्ञो यच्चान्यत्पावनं महत्
When that one, too, is cut off by Time, he will go to hell from here; whether it be austerity, sacrifice, or any other great purification.
तत्सर्वं न समं तात संतत्येति सतां मतम्। स तात दृष्ट्वा ब्रूयास्तं जरत्कारुं तपोधन
All of that, dear one, is not considered equal by the virtuous to the continuation of the lineage; therefore, upon seeing him, you should speak to that ascetic Jaratkaru.
यथा दृष्टमिदं चात्र त्वयाऽऽख्येयमशेषतः। यथा दारान्प्रकुर्यात्स पुत्रानुत्पादयेद्यथा
As you have seen this, you must fully relate it here, so that he may take a wife and produce offspring as is proper.
वा ब्रह्मंस्त्वया वाच्यः सोऽस्माकं नाथवत्तया। बान्धवानां हितस्येह यथा चात्मकुलं तथा
Or, O Brahmin, you should tell him this on our behalf, as one who is our protector, for the welfare of his kin here, just as for his own family.
कस्त्वं बन्धुमिवास्माकमनुशोचसि सत्तम। श्रोतुमिच्छाम सर्वेषां को भवानिह तिष्ठति
Who are you, O best of beings, that you grieve for us as if you were our kinsman? We all wish to hear: who are you that stands here?
एतच्छ्रुत्वा जरत्कारुर्भृशं शोकपरायणः। उवाच तान्पितॄन्दुःखाद्बाष्पसंदिग्धया गिरा
Hearing this, Jaratkaru, overwhelmed by sorrow, spoke to those ancestors with a voice choked by tears.
मम पूर्वे भवन्तो वै पितरः सपितामहाः। तद्ब्रूत यन्मया कार्यं भवतां प्रियकाम्यया
You, my ancestors and forefathers, are truly my elders; tell me what I must do to fulfill your dearest wish.
अहमेव जरत्कारुः किल्बिषी भवतां सुतः। ते दण्डं धारयत मे दुष्कृतेरकृतात्मनः
I alone am Jaratkaru, your sinful son; let me bear the punishment for my misdeeds and lack of self-control.
पुत्र दिष्ट्याऽसि संप्राप्त इमं देशं यदृच्छया। किमर्थं च त्वया ब्रह्मन्न कृतो दारसङ्ग्रहः
Son, by good fortune you have arrived at this place by chance; O Brahmin, why have you not taken a wife?
ममायं पितरो नित्यं हृद्यर्थः परिवर्तते। ऊर्ध्वरेताः शरीरं वै प्रापयेयममुत्र वै
This matter concerning my ancestors always weighs upon my heart; being celibate, I would send my body to the next world.
न दारान्वै करिष्येऽहमिति मे भावितं मनः। एवं दृष्ट्वा तु भवतः शकुन्तानिव लम्बतः
It was firmly resolved in my mind that I would not take a wife; yet, seeing you hanging like birds, I am moved.