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.
सतामपि कुले जाताः कर्मणा बत दुर्गतिम्। प्राप्नुवन्त्यकृतात्मानः कामजालविमोहिताः
Even those born in noble families, alas, fall into misfortune through their actions, when their minds are unprepared and they are deluded by the net of desire.
शश्वद्धर्मात्मना जातो बाल एव पिता मम। जीवितान्तमनुप्राप्तः कामात्मैवेति नः श्रुतम्
My father, always devoted to righteousness from childhood, has reached the end of his life; thus we have heard, it was due to desire.
तस्य कामात्मनः क्षेत्रे राज्ञः संयतवागृषिः। कृष्णद्वैपायनः साक्षाद्भगवान्मामजीजनत्
In the field of that king, whose mind was ruled by desire, the sage Krishna Dvaipayana, master of restraint, directly begot me.
तस्याद्य व्यसने बुद्धिः संजातेयं ममाधमा। त्यक्तस्य देवैरनयान्मृगयां परिधावतः
Now, in this calamity, my mind has become base, abandoned by the gods, as I run after this deer.
मोक्षमेव व्यवस्यामि बन्धो हि व्यसनं महत्। सुवृत्तिमनुवर्तिष्ये तामहं पितुरव्ययाम्
I resolve to seek liberation, for bondage is a great affliction; I will follow the excellent conduct of my father, which is imperishable.
अतीव तपसात्मानं योजयिष्याम्यसंशयम्। तस्मादेकाहमेकाहमेकैकस्मिन्वनस्पतौ
I will surely engage myself in intense austerity; therefore, for one day each, I will stay under each tree.
चरन्भैक्षं मुनिर्मुण्डश्चरिष्याम्याश्रमानिमान्। पांसुना समवच्छन्नः शून्यागारकृतालयः
As a sage, shaven-headed, I will wander for alms among these hermitages, covered with dust, making my dwelling in empty huts.
वृक्षमूलनिकेतो वा त्यक्तसर्वप्रियाप्रियः। न शोचन्न प्रहृष्यंश्च तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः
Dwelling at the root of a tree, having abandoned all that is dear and not dear, neither grieving nor rejoicing, equal in blame and self-praise.
निराशीर्निर्नमस्कारो निर्द्वन्द्वो निष्परिग्रहः। न चाप्यवहसन्कंचिन्न कुर्वन्भ्रुकुटीं क्वचित्
Without hope, without offering obeisance, free from dualities, without possessions; nor mocking anyone, nor ever frowning.
प्रसन्नवदनो नित्यं सर्वभूतहिते रतः। जङ्गमाजङ्गमं सर्वमविहिंसंश्चतुर्विधम्
Always with a serene face, devoted to the welfare of all beings, I will not harm any creature, whether moving or unmoving, of all four kinds.