उपपन्नं सतामेतद्यद्ब्रवीपि तपोधने। न तु दुःखमिदं शक्यं मानुषेण व्यपोहितुम्
What you say, O ascetic, is fitting for the virtuous; but this suffering cannot be dispelled by a human being.
तथापि तत्त्वमाख्यास्ये दुःखस्यैतस्य संभवम्। शक्यं वा यदि वाऽशक्यं शृणु भद्रे यथातथम्
Still, I will tell you the truth of the origin of this suffering, whether it can be remedied or not; listen, good lady, as it truly is.
समीपे नगरस्यास्य वको वसति राक्षसः। इतो गव्यूतिमात्रे।ञस्ति यमुनागह्वरे गुहा
Near this city dwells a rakshasa named Vaka; at a distance of a cow's walk from here, in a cave by the Yamuna, he resides.
तस्यां घोरः स वसति जिघांसुः पुरुषादकः। बकाभिधानो दुष्टात्मा राक्षसानां कुलाधमः
In that cave dwells that terrible, man-eating rakshasa, named Baka, wicked in soul, the lowest of the rakshasa race.
ईशो जनपदस्यास्य पुरस्य च महाबलः। पुष्टो मानुषमांसेन दुर्बुद्धिः पुरुषादकः
He is the lord of this land and of the city, mighty in strength, nourished by human flesh, evil-minded, a man-eater.
प्रबलः कामरूपी च राक्षसस्तु महाबलः। तेनोपसृष्टा नगरी वर्षमद्य त्रयोदशम्
That powerful rakshasa, able to assume any form at will, has beset the city, and now thirteen years have passed.
तत्कृते परचक्राच्च भूतेभ्यश्च न नो भयम्। पुरुषादेन रौद्रेण भक्ष्यमाणा दुरात्मना
Because of him, we have no fear from foreign armies or spirits; it is this cruel, wicked man-eater who devours us.
अनाथा नगरी नाथं त्रातारं नाधिगच्छति। गुहायां च वसंस्तत्र बाधते सततं जनम्
The city, bereft of a protector, finds no savior; and he, dwelling in a cave, constantly torments the people there.
स्त्रियो बालांश्च वृद्धांश्च यूनश्चापि दुरात्मवान्। अत्र मन्त्रैश्च होमैश्च भोजनैश्च स राक्षसः
That evil-minded rakshasa seizes women, children, the old, and the young; here, with rituals, offerings, and food—
ईडितो द्विजमुख्यैश्च पूजितश्च दुरात्मवान्। यदा च सकलानेवं प्रसूदयति राक्षसः
He is invoked and worshipped by the foremost brahmins, yet whenever the rakshasa desires, he slaughters them all.
अथैनं ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे समये समयोजयन्। मा स्म कामाद्वधी रक्षो दास्यामस्ते सदा वयं
Then all the brahmins together made an agreement with him: 'Do not kill out of desire; we will always give you.'
पर्यायेण यथाकाममिह मांसोदनं प्रभो। अन्नं मांससमायुक्तं तिलचूर्णसमन्वितम्
'In turn, as you wish, here is food with meat, O lord—rice mixed with meat and sesame flour.'
सर्पिषा च समायुक्तं व्यञ्जनैश्च समन्वितम्। सूपांस्त्रीन्सतिलान्पिण्डाँल्लाजापूपसुरासवान्
'Mixed with ghee and various seasonings—soups, sesame balls, puffed rice cakes, and liquor.'
शृताशृतान्पानकुम्भान्स्थूलमांसं शृताशृतम्। वनमाहिषवाराहभाल्लूकं च शृताशृतम्
'Cooked and uncooked jars of drink, large pieces of meat, cooked and uncooked—of forest animals, buffalo, boar, and bear.'
सर्पिःकुम्भांश्च विविधान्दधिकुम्भांस्तथा बहून्। सद्यःसिद्धसमायुक्तं तिलचूर्णैः समाकुलम्
'Various jars of ghee, and many jars of curds, freshly prepared and mixed with sesame flour.'
कुलाच्च पुरुषं चैकं बलीवर्दौ च कालकौ। प्राप्स्यसि त्वमसंक्रुद्धो रक्षोभागं प्रकल्पितम्
'From each family, one man, and two bullocks of black color—you shall receive, if you are not enraged, the portion set aside for the rakshasa.'
तिष्ठेह समयेऽस्माकमित्ययाचन्त तं द्विजाः। बाढमित्येव तद्रक्षस्तद्वचः प्रत्यगृह्णत
‘Stay here according to our agreement,’ the brahmins requested him; ‘Very well,’ said the rakshasa, accepting their words.
परचक्राटवीकेभ्यो रक्षणं स करोति च। तस्मिन्भागे सुनिर्दिष्टे स्थितः स समये बली
He protects them from foreign armies and forest dangers; in that well-defined portion, he abides by the agreement, powerful as he is.
एकैकं चैव पुरुषं संप्रयच्छन्ति वेतनम्। स वारो बहुभिर्वर्षैर्भवत्यसुकरो नरैः
Each time, they give him one man as his due; but that turn comes only after many years, and is hard for men to bear.
तद्विमोक्षाय ये केचिद्यतन्ते पुरुषाः क्वचित्। सपुत्रदारांस्तान्हत्वा तद्रक्षो भक्षयत्युत
Those who sometimes try to escape this fate—the rakshasa kills them, along with their wives and children, and devours them.
वेत्रकीयगृहे राजा नायं नयमिहास्थितः। उपायं तं न कुरुते यत्नादपि स मन्दधीः। अनामयं जनस्यास्य येन स्यादद्य शाश्वतम्
In the house of Vetrakīya, the king does not uphold justice here; that dull-witted man does not devise a means, even with effort, by which the people might have lasting safety today.
एतदर्हा वचं नूनं वसामो दुर्बलस्य ये। विषये नित्यवास्तव्याः कुराजानमुपाश्रिताः
Surely, this is the fate we deserve, we who are weak, always dwelling in the realm of a bad king.
ब्राह्मणाः कस्य वक्तव्याः कस्य वाच्छन्दचारिणः। गुणैरेते हि वत्स्यन्ति कामगाः पक्षिणो यथा
To whom should Brahmanas speak, and for whom should they act as they please? For these will remain only as long as there are virtues, just as birds stay where they wish.
राजानं प्रथमं विन्देत्ततो भार्यां ततो धनम्। `राजन्यसति लोकेऽस्मिन्कुतो भार्या कुतो धनम्। वयस्य संचयेनास्य ज्ञातीन्पुत्रांश्च तारयेत्
One should first seek a king, then a wife, and then wealth; for without a king in this world, how can there be a wife or wealth? By gathering friends, one should rescue his kin and sons.
विपीरतं मया चेदं त्रयं सर्वमुपार्जितम्। तदिमामापदं प्राप्य भृशं तप्यामहे वयम्
By my effort, I have acquired all these three—king, wife, and wealth; yet, having come to this misfortune, we are greatly afflicted.
सोऽयमस्माननुप्राप्तो वारः कुलविनाशनः। भोजनं पुरुषश्चैकः प्रदेयं वेतनं मया
Now this calamity, which destroys the family, has come upon us; I must give food and a man as payment.
न च मे विद्यते वित्तं संक्रेतुं पुरुषं क्वचित्। सुहृज्जनं प्रदातुं च न शक्ष्यामि कदाचन
But I have no wealth to buy a man anywhere, nor can I ever give a friend.
गतिं चान्यां न पश्यामि तस्मान्मोक्षाय रक्षसः। सोऽहं दुःखार्णवे मग्नो महत्यसुकरे भृशम्
I see no other way; therefore, for release from the Rakshasa, I am plunged in a great and difficult ocean of sorrow.
सहैवैतैर्गमिष्यामि बान्धवैरद्य राक्षसम्। ततो नः सहितान्क्षुद्रः सर्वानेवोपभोक्ष्यति
Today, together with these relatives, I will go to the Rakshasa; then that wretch will consume us all together.
दुःखमूलमिदं भद्रे मयोक्तं प्रश्नतोऽनघे
O blameless one, I have told you the root of this sorrow, as you asked.