प्रमतिः सह पुत्रेण तथान्ये वनवासिनः। तां ते कन्यां व्यसुं दृष्ट्वा भुजंगस्य विषार्दिताम्
Pramati, along with his son and other forest-dwellers, saw that maiden lifeless, struck down by the serpent's poison.
रुरुदुः कृपयाऽविष्टा रुरुस्त्वार्तो बहिर्ययौ। ते च सर्वे द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तत्रैवोपाविशंस्तदा
Overcome by compassion, they wept; but Ruru, stricken with grief, went outside, while all those best of twice-born sat there at that time.
तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु। रुरुश्चुक्रोश गहनं वनं गत्वाऽतिदुःखितः
While those great-souled brahmins were seated there, Ruru, deeply distressed, went into the dense forest and cried aloud.
शोकेनाभिहतः सोऽथ विलपन्करुणं बहु। अब्रवीद्वचनं शोचन्प्रियां स्मृत्वा प्रमद्वराम्
Then, overwhelmed by sorrow, he lamented much and bitterly, speaking words of grief as he remembered his beloved Pramadvara.
शेते सा भुवि तन्वङ्गी मम शोकविवर्धिनी। `प्राणानपहरन्तीव पूर्णचन्द्रनिभानना
She lies on the ground, slender-limbed, increasing my sorrow, her face like the full moon, as if she is taking away my very life.
यदि पीनायतश्रोणी पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणा। मुमूर्षुरपि मे प्राणानादायाशु गमिष्यति
If she, with full, broad hips and eyes like lotus petals, is about to die, will she swiftly depart, taking my life with her?
पितृमातृसखीनां च लुप्तपिण्डस्य तस्य मे।' बान्धवानां च सर्वेषां किं नु दुःखमतःपरम्
For my father, mother, friends, and all my kin, what greater sorrow can there be than this loss of one so dear, bereft of offerings?
यदि दत्तं तपस्तप्तं गुरवो वा मया यदि। सम्यगाराधितास्तेन संजीवतु मम प्रिया
If I have ever given, performed austerities, or properly honored my teachers, by that merit let my beloved live again.
यथा च जन्मप्रभृति यतात्माऽहं धृतव्रतः। प्रमद्वरा तथाद्यैषा समुत्तिष्ठतु भामिनी
And as I have been self-controlled and steadfast in my vows since birth, so may this radiant Pramadvara rise up today.
[एवं लालप्यतस्तस्य भार्यार्थे दुःखितस्य च। देवदूतस्तदाऽभ्येत्य वाक्यमाह रुरुं वने।।]
[As he lamented thus, grieving for his wife, a divine messenger approached Ruru in the forest and spoke these words.]
कृष्णे विष्णौ हृषीकेशे लोकेशेऽसुरविद्विषि। यदि मे निश्चला भक्तिर्मम जीवतु सा प्रिया
If my devotion to Krishna, Vishnu, Hrishikesha, Lord of the worlds, and enemy of the asuras is unwavering, let my beloved live.
विलप्यमाने तु रुरौ सर्वे देवाः कृपान्विताः। दूतं प्रस्थापयामासुः संदिश्यास्य हितं वचः
As Ruru lamented, all the gods, filled with compassion, sent a messenger, instructing him to speak words for Ruru's welfare.
स दूतस्त्वरितोऽभ्येत्य देवानां प्रियकृच्छुचिः। उवाच देववचनं रुरुमाभाष्य दुःखितम्
That pure and devoted messenger of the gods quickly approached and spoke the words of the gods to the grieving Ruru.
देवैः सर्वैरहं ब्रह्मन्प्रेषितोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम्। त्वद्धितं त्वद्धितैरुक्तं शृणु वाक्यं द्विजोत्तम
O Brahmin, I have been sent to you by all the gods; hear, best of the twice-born, the words spoken for your benefit.
अभिधत्से ह यद्वाचा रुरो दुःखान्न तन्मृषा। न तु मर्त्यस्य धर्मात्मन्नायुरस्ति गतायुषः
What you say in your grief, Ruru, is not in vain; but for a mortal, O righteous one, there is no return of life once it has departed.
गतायुरेषा कृपणा गन्धर्वाप्सरसोः सुता। तस्माच्छोके मनस्तात मा कृथास्त्वं कथंचन
Her life is gone, this unfortunate daughter of a gandharva and an apsaras; therefore, dear one, do not let your mind be consumed by grief.
उपायश्चात्र विहितः पूर्वं देवैर्महात्मभिः। तं यदीच्छसि कर्तुं त्वं प्राप्स्यसीह प्रमद्वराम्
Yet, a means has been established by the great gods in the past; if you wish to undertake it, you may yet obtain Pramadvara here.
क उपायः कृतो देवैर्बूहि तत्त्वेन खेचर। करिष्येऽहं तथा श्रुत्वा त्रातुमर्हति मां भवान्
What is the means established by the gods? Tell me truly, O celestial; hearing it, I shall do accordingly—may you be pleased to save me.
आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छ त्वं कन्यायै भृगुनन्दन। एवमुत्थास्यति रुरो तव भार्या प्रयद्वरा
O descendant of Bhrigu, grant half of your lifespan to the maiden; thus your wife Pramadvara will rise again.
आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि कन्यायै खेचरोत्तम। शृङ्गाररूपाभरणा समुत्तिष्ठतु मे प्रिया
O best of those who move in the sky, I give half of my lifespan to the maiden; let my beloved, adorned with beauty and ornaments, arise.
ततो गन्धर्वराजश्च देवदूतश्च सत्तमौ। धर्मराजमुपेत्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषताम्
Then the king of the Gandharvas and the divine messenger, both noble beings, approached the Lord of Dharma and spoke these words.
धर्मराजायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोर्भार्या प्रमद्वरा। समुत्तिष्ठतु कल्याणी मृतैवं यदि मन्यसे
O Lord of Dharma, with half of Ruru's lifespan, let his wife Pramadvara, the auspicious one, rise—if you so decide.
प्रमद्वरा रुरोर्भार्या देवदूत यदीच्छसि। उत्तिष्ठत्वायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोरेव समन्विता
O divine messenger, if you wish, let Pramadvara, Ruru's wife, rise up, endowed with half of Ruru's lifespan.
एवमुक्ते ततः कन्या सोदतिष्ठत्प्रमद्वरा। रुरोस्तस्यायुषोऽर्धेन सुप्तेव वरवर्णिनी
When this was spoken, the maiden Pramadvara arose, her complexion radiant, as if waking from sleep, with half of Ruru's lifespan.
एतद्दृष्टं भविष्ये हि रुरोरुत्तमतेजसः। आयुषोऽतिप्रवृद्धस्य भार्यार्थेऽर्धमलुप्यत
This was seen in the future: for the sake of his wife, half the lifespan of Ruru, of great splendor, who had a long life, was diminished.
तत इष्टेऽहनि तयोः पितरौ चक्रतुर्मुदा। विवाहं तौ च रेमाते परस्परहितैषिणौ
Then, on an auspicious day, their two fathers joyfully arranged the marriage, and the two, seeking each other's welfare, delighted in each other.
स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्यां पद्मकिञ्जल्कसुप्रभाम्। व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रतः
Having obtained his rare wife, radiant as the filament of a lotus, he took a vow to destroy the crooked beings, steadfast in his resolve.
स दृष्ट्वा जिह्मगान्सर्वांस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः। अभिहन्ति यथासत्त्वं गृह्य प्रहरणं सदा
Seeing all the crooked beings, filled with intense anger, he would always strike them as he was able, seizing his weapon.
स कदाचिद्वनं विप्रो रुरुरभ्यागमन्महत्। शयानं तत्र चापश्यड्डुण्डुभं वयसान्वितम्
Once, the Brahmin Ruru entered a great forest; there he saw a Dundubha lying down, aged.
तत उद्यम्य दम्डं स कालदण्डोपमं तदा। जिघांसुः कुपितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाथ डुण्डुभः
Then, raising his staff, like the rod of Time, the angry sage, intent on killing, spoke to Dundubha.