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.
मया निवर्तिता बुद्धिर्ब्रह्मचर्यात्पितामहाः। करिष्ये वः प्रियं कामं निवेक्ष्येऽहमसंशयम्
My mind, O forefathers, was turned away from marriage by devotion to celibacy; but now I shall do your will, without doubt.
सनाम्नीं यद्यहं कन्यामुपलप्स्ये कदाचन। भविष्यति च या काचिद्भैक्ष्यवत्स्वयमुद्यता
If ever I should obtain a maiden bearing my name, who comes forward of her own accord like alms, then—
प्रतिग्रहीता तामस्मि न भरेयं च यामहम्। एवंविधमहं कुर्यां निवेशं प्राप्नुयां यदि। अन्यथा न करिष्येऽहं सत्यमेतत्पितामहाः
I will accept her, but I will not maintain her; if such a situation arises, I shall enter into marriage; otherwise, I will not do so—this is the truth, O forefathers.
तत्र चोत्पत्स्यते जन्तुर्भवतां तारणाय वै। शाश्वताश्चाव्ययाश्चैव तिष्ठन्तु पितरो मम
From that union, a being will be born for your deliverance; may my ancestors remain eternal and undiminished.
एवमुक्त्वा तु स पितॄंश्चचार पृथिवी मुनिः। न च स्म लभते भार्यां वृद्धोऽयमिति शानक
Having spoken thus to his ancestors, the sage wandered the earth, but, O Shaunaka, he could not find a wife, for he was old.
यदा निर्वेदमापन्नः पितृभिश्चोदिस्तथा। तदाऽरण्यं स गत्वोच्चैश्चुक्रोश भृशदुःखितः
When he became disheartened, having been urged by his ancestors, he went to the forest and cried out loudly in great distress.
सत्वरण्यगतः प्राज्ञः पितॄणा हितकाम्यया। उवाच कन्यां याचामि तिस्रो वाचः शनैरिमाः
Quickly entering the forest, wise and intent on his ancestors' welfare, he said, 'I ask for a maiden,' uttering these words three times slowly.
यानि भूतानि सन्तीह स्थावराणि चराणि च। अन्तर्हितानि वा यानि तानि शृण्वन्तु मे वचः
Let all beings here, both stationary and moving, and those that are hidden, hear my words.
उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्तं पितरश्चोदयन्ति माम्। निविशस्वेति दुःखार्ताः सन्तानस्य चिकीर्षया
While I was engaged in severe austerities, my ancestors urged me, distressed by suffering and desiring the continuation of the lineage, saying, 'Enter household life.'
निवेशायाखिलां भूमिं कन्याभैक्ष्यं चरामि भोः। दरिद्रो दुःखशीलश्च पितृभिः सन्नियोजितः
For the sake of settling down, I wander the whole earth seeking a maiden in alms; poor and afflicted by hardship, I have been instructed by my ancestors.