ततस्तं च मृगीं चैव रुक्मपुङ्खैः सुपत्रिभिः। निर्बिभेद शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पाण्डुः पञ्चभिराशुगैः
Thereupon, Pandu pierced both the stag and the doe with five swift, sharp arrows tipped with golden feathers.
स च राजन्महातेजा ऋषिपुत्रस्तपोधनः। भार्यया सह तेजस्वी मृगरूपेण सङ्गतः
O King, that mighty ascetic, a sage's son rich in austerity, was united with his wife in the form of deer.
स संयुक्तस्तया मृग्या मानुषीं वाचमीरयन्। क्षणेन पतितो भूमौ विललापातुरो मृगः
Joined with the doe, he uttered human speech; in a moment, fallen to the ground, the deer lamented in agony.
काममन्युवशं प्राप्ता बुद्ध्यन्तरगता अपि। वर्जयन्ति नृशंसानि पापेष्वपि रता नराः
Even those whose minds know better, when overcome by desire and anger, refrain from cruel deeds, though they may delight in sin.
न विधिं ग्रसते प्रज्ञा प्रज्ञां तु ग्रसते विधिः। विधिपर्यागतानर्थान्प्रज्ञावान्प्रतिपद्यते
Law does not overpower wisdom, but law does overpower wisdom; the wise one discerns misfortunes that come from the reversal of law.
शस्वद्धर्मात्मनां मुख्ये कुले जातस्य भारत। कामलोभाभिभूतस्य कथं ते चलिता मतिः
O Bharata, how has your mind wavered, you who were born in a noble family devoted to righteousness, now overcome by desire and greed?
शत्रूणां या वधे वृत्तिः सा मृगाणां वधे स्मृता। राज्ञां मृग न मां मोहात्त्वं गर्हयितुमर्हसि
The way of killing enemies is said to be the same as the way of killing animals; O king, do not, out of delusion, reproach me like an animal.
अच्छद्मनाऽमायया च मृगाणां वध इष्यते। स एव धर्मो राज्ञां तु तद्धि त्वं किं नु गर्हसे
The killing of animals is accepted when done openly and without deceit; that same law applies to kings—so why do you reproach me?
अगस्त्यः सत्रमासीनश्चकार मृगयामृषिः। आरण्यान्सर्वदैवत्यान्मृगान्प्रोक्ष्य महावने
Agastya, the sage, while conducting a sacrifice, hunted animals in the great forest, sprinkling them with sacred water as prescribed for all deities.
प्रमाणदृष्टधर्मेण कथमस्मान्विगर्हसे। अगस्त्यस्याभिचारेण युष्माकं विहितो वधः
By the standard of established law, why do you reproach us? By Agastya’s ritual, your act of killing us is sanctioned.
न रिपून्वै समुद्दिश्य विमुञ्चन्ति नराः शरान्। रन्ध्र एषां विशेषेण वधकालः प्रशस्यते
Men do not release arrows at enemies without cause; their vulnerability, especially at the right time, is praised for killing.
प्रमत्तमप्रमत्तं वा विवृतं घ्नन्ति चौजसा। उपायैर्विविधैस्तीक्ष्णैः कस्मान्मृग विगर्हसे
Whether inattentive or attentive, whether exposed, they are struck down with force by various sharp means—so why, O king, do you reproach me?
नाहं घ्न्तं मृगन्राजन्विगर्हे चात्मकारणात्। मैथुनं तु प्रतीक्ष्यं मे त्वयेहाद्यानृशंस्यतः
O king of men, I do not reproach you for killing animals for your own sake; but you should have waited for the mating to be complete—here you have acted with cruelty.
सर्वभूतहिते काले सर्वभूतेप्सिते तथा। को हि विद्वान्मृगं हन्याच्चरन्तं मैथुनं वने
At a time when the welfare of all beings is sought, and when all beings desire it, what wise person would kill an animal engaged in mating in the forest?
अस्यां मृग्यां च राजेन्द्र हर्षान्मैथुनमाचरम्। पुरुषार्थफलं कर्तुं तत्त्वया विफलीकृतम्
O king, in this hunt, while I was joyfully engaged in mating, seeking the fruit of human purpose, you have rendered it fruitless.
पौरवाणां महाराज तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम्। वंशे जातस्य कौरव्य नानुरूपमिदं तव
O great king, born in the line of the blameless Pauravas, O Kaurava, this act of yours is not fitting.
नृशंसं कर्म सुमहत्सर्वलोकविगर्हितम्। अस्वर्ग्यमयशस्यं चाप्यधर्मिष्ठं च भारत
This is a cruel deed, greatly condemned by all people, unworthy of heaven, infamous, and unrighteous, O Bharata.
स्त्रीभोगानां विशेषज्ञः शास्त्रधर्मार्थतत्त्ववित्। नार्हस्त्वं सुरसङ्काश कर्तुमस्वर्ग्यमीदृशम्
You, who know the distinctions of enjoyment with women, and understand the truths of law, wealth, and desire from the scriptures, are not worthy, O one like the gods, to commit such an unheavenly act.
त्वया नृशंसकर्तारः पापाचाराश्च मानवाः। निग्राह्याः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ त्रिवर्गपरिवर्जिताः
Those who commit cruelty and sinful acts, O best of kings, should be restrained by you, being devoid of the three aims of life.
किं कृतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ मामिहानागसं घ्नतः। मुनिं मूलफलाहारं मृगवेषधरं नृप
O best of men, what have I done, that you kill me here though I am innocent—a sage living on roots and fruits, wearing the form of a deer, O king?
वसमानमरण्येषु नित्यं शमपरायणम्। त्वयाऽहं हिंसितो यस्मात्तस्मात्त्वामप्यनागसः
Dwelling always in the forest, devoted to peace, I have been harmed by you; therefore, though innocent, I shall harm you as well.
द्वयोर्नृशंसकर्तारमवशं काममोहितम्। जीवितान्तकरो भावो मैथुने समुपैष्यति
For one who, overcome by desire and delusion, commits cruelty to another, the end of life will come to him while engaged in mating.
अहं हि किंदमो नाम तपसा भावितो मुनिः। व्यपत्रपन्मनुष्याणां मृग्यां मैथुनमाचरम्
I am the sage named Kindama, purified by austerity; feeling shame among humans, I practiced intercourse in the form of a deer.
मृगो भत्वा मृगैः सार्धं चरामि गहने वने। न तु ते ब्रह्महत्येयं भविष्यत्यविजानतः
Having become a deer, I wandered with other deer in the dense forest; but this is not the sin of killing a Brahmin for you, since you did not know.
मृगरूपधरं हत्वा मामेवं काममोहितम्। अस्य तु त्वं फलं मूढ प्राप्स्यसीदृशमेव हि
By killing me, who had taken the form of a deer and was overcome by desire, you, O fool, will receive a fruit just like this.
प्रियया सह संवासं प्राप्य कामविमोहितः। त्वमप्यस्यामवस्थायां प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यसि
Having attained union with your beloved, and being deluded by desire, you too will come to this same state and go to the realm of the departed.
अन्तकाले हि संवासं यया गन्तासि कान्तया। प्रेतराजपुरं प्राप्तं सर्वभूतदुरत्ययम्। भक्त्या मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ सैव त्वाऽनुगमिष्यति
At the end of your life, when you depart with your beloved, you will reach the city of the lord of the dead, which is difficult for all beings to cross; yet, O best of the wise, she will follow you there out of devotion.
वर्तमानः सुखे दुःखं यथाऽहं प्रापितस्त्वया। तथा त्वां च सुखं प्राप्तं दुःखमभ्यागमिष्यति
As you brought me, who was enjoying happiness, into suffering, so too, when you attain happiness, suffering will come upon you.
एवमुक्त्वा सुदुःखार्तो जीवितात्स व्यमुच्यत। मृगः पाण्डुश्च दुःखार्तः क्षणेन समपद्यत
Having spoken thus, overwhelmed by great sorrow, he departed from life; and Pandu, afflicted with grief, perished in a moment.
तं व्यतीतमुपक्रम्य राजा स्वमिव बान्धवम्। सभार्यः शोकदुःखार्तः पर्यदेवयदातुरः
Approaching him as one departed, the king, as if it were his own kinsman, together with his wife, stricken by grief and sorrow, lamented in distress.