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.
नापराध्यामि ते किंचिदहमद्य तपोधन। संरम्भाच्च किमर्थं मामभिहंसि रुषान्वितः
O possessor of austerities, I have done you no wrong today; then why, filled with anger, do you wish to strike me?
मम प्राणसमा भार्या दष्टासीद्भुजगेन ह। तत्र मे समयो घोर आत्मनोरग वै कृतः
My wife, as dear to me as my own life, was bitten by a serpent; because of that, I made a terrible vow against the serpent.
भुजंगं वै सदा हन्यां यं यं पश्येयमित्युत। ततोऽहं त्वां जिघांसामि जीवितेनाद्य मोक्ष्यसे
I vowed to slay every serpent I see; therefore, I seek to kill you now—you shall lose your life today.
अन्ये ते भुजगा ब्रह्मन्ये दश्तीह मानवान्। डुण्डुभानहिगन्धेन न त्वं हिंसितुमर्हसि
Other serpents have bitten humans here, O Dundubha, but you, who bear the scent of a Dundubha, do not deserve to be harmed.
एकानर्थान्पृथग्धर्मानेकदुःखान्पृथक्सुखान्। डुण्डुभान्धर्मविद्भूत्वा न त्वं हिंसितुमर्हसि
There are various harms, different duties, many sorrows, and separate joys; O Dundubha, being one who knows righteousness, you do not deserve to be harmed.
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य डुण्डुभस्य रुरुस्तदा। नावधीद्भयसंविग्नमृषिं मत्त्वाऽथ डुण्डुभम्
Hearing these words of Dundubha, Ruru then, recognizing Dundubha as a sage, did not kill him, though he was fearful.
उवाच चैनं भगवान्रुरुः संशमयन्निव। केन त्वं भुजग ब्रूहि कोऽसीमां विक्रियां गतः
The venerable Ruru spoke to him, as if to calm him: Tell me, serpent, by what cause have you come to this state, and who are you?
अहं पुरा रुरो नाम्ना ऋषिरासं सहस्रपात्। सोऽहं शापेन विप्रस्य भुजगत्वमुपागतः
I was once the sage named Ruru, with a thousand feet; by the curse of a Brahmin, I have come to take the form of a serpent.
किमर्थं शप्तवान्कुद्धो द्विजस्त्वां भुजगोत्तम। कियन्तं चैव कालं ते वपुरेतद्भविष्यसि
For what reason did the angry Brahmin curse you, O best of serpents? And for how long will you remain in this form?
सखा बभूव मे पूर्वं खगमो नाम वै द्विजः। भृशं संशितवाक्तात तपोबलसमन्वितः
In former times, a Brahmin named Khagama was my friend; he was strict in speech, devoted to austerity, and endowed with spiritual power.