तस्य रूपं च वक्ष्यामि मुने शृणु महाफलम् तत्र ब्रह्मगिरौ कश्चिद् व्याधः परमदारुणः
I will describe its form, O sage; listen to its great merit. There, on Brahmagiri, was a certain hunter, exceedingly cruel.
हिनस्ति ब्राह्मणान् साधून् यतीन् गोपक्षिणो मृगान् एवंभूतः स पापात्मा क्रोधनो ऽनृतभाषणः
He harmed Brahmins, the virtuous, ascetics, cowherds, and animals; such was that sinful soul, wrathful and speaking falsehood.
भीषणाकृतिर् अत्युग्रो नीलाक्षो ह्रस्वबाहुकः दन्तुरो नष्टनासाक्षो ह्रस्वपात् पृथुकुक्षिकः
He was terrifying in form, exceedingly fierce, dark-eyed, with short arms, having protruding teeth, missing nose and eyes, short-legged, and broad-bellied.
ह्रस्वोदरो ह्रस्वभुजो विकृतो गर्दभस्वनः पाशहस्तः पापचित्तः पापिष्ठः सधनुः सदा
With a small belly, short arms, deformed, braying like a donkey, holding a noose, evil-minded, most sinful, always carrying a bow.
तस्य भार्या तथाभूता अपत्यान्य् अपि नारद तया तु प्रेर्यमाणो ऽसौ विवेश गहनं वनम्
His wife was of similar nature, and so were his children, O Nārada; urged by her, he entered a dense forest.
स जघान मृगान् पापः पक्षिणो बहुरूपिणः पञ्जरे प्राक्षिपत् कांश्चिज् जीवमानांस् तथेतरान्
That wicked man killed many animals and birds of various forms, threw some living ones into cages, and did likewise with others.
क्षुधया परितप्ताङ्गो विह्वलस् तृषया तथा भ्रान्तदेशो बहुतरं न्यवर्तत गृहं प्रति
Tormented by hunger, overwhelmed by thirst, wandering in confusion, he turned back toward home after a long time.
ततो ऽपराह्णे संप्राप्ते निवृत्ते मधुमाधवे क्षणात् तडिद् गर्जितं च साभ्रं चैवाभवत् तदा
Then, when afternoon arrived and the spring season had ended, suddenly there was thunder and lightning, and clouds gathered.
ववौ वायुः साश्मवर्षो वारिधारातिभीषणः स गच्छंल् लुब्धकः श्रान्तः पन्थानं नावबुध्यत
A wind blew, terrifying with showers of stones and torrents of water; as the weary hunter went, he could not find his path.
जलं स्थलं गर्तम् अथो पन्थानम् अथवा दिशः न बुबोध तदा पापः श्रान्तः शरणम् अप्य् अथ
He could not discern water, land, pit, path, or even directions; at that time, exhausted and sinful, he could not find shelter.
क्व गच्छामि क्व तिष्ठेयं किं करोमीत्य् अचिन्तयत् सर्वेषां प्राणिनां प्राणान् आहर्ताहं यथान्तकः
He thought, 'Where shall I go? Where shall I stay? What should I do? I am the taker of the lives of all beings, just like Death.'
ममाप्य् अन्तकरं भूतं संप्राप्तं चाश्मवर्षणम् त्रातारं नैव पश्यामि शिलां वा वृक्षम् अन्तिके
'Now, that which brings my end has come—this shower of stones; I see no savior, neither a rock nor a tree nearby.'
एवं बहुविधं व्याधो विचिन्त्यापश्यद् अन्तिके वने वनस्पतिम् इव नक्षत्राणां यथात्रिजम्
Thinking in many such ways, the hunter saw nearby in the forest a great tree, like the sage Atri among the stars.
मृगाणां च यथा सिंहम् आश्रमाणां गृहाधिपम् इन्द्रियाणां मन इव त्रातारं प्राणिनां नगम्
Like a lion among animals, a householder among hermitages, the mind among the senses, that tree was the protector of living beings.
श्रेष्ठं विटपिनं शुभ्रं शाखापल्लवमण्डितम् तम् आश्रित्योपविष्टो ऽभूत् क्लिन्नवासा स लुब्धकः
He took shelter under that excellent, bright tree, adorned with branches and fresh leaves, and sat down, his clothes soaked.
स्मरन् भार्याम् अपत्यानि जीवेयुर् अथवा न वा एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र चास्तं प्राप्तो दिवाकरः
Remembering his wife and children, wondering whether they would live or not, in that very moment, the sun set there.
तम् एव नगम् आश्रित्य कपोतो भार्यया सह पुत्रपौत्रैः परिवृतो ह्य् आस्ते तत्र नगोत्तमे
Taking shelter of that very tree, a dove, together with his wife, surrounded by sons and grandsons, dwelled there on that noble tree.
सुखेन निर्भयो भूत्वा सुतृप्तः प्रीत एव च बहवो वत्सरा याता वसतस् तस्य पक्षिणः
Living there, that bird passed many years, being happy, fearless, fully satisfied, and content.
पतिव्रता तस्य भार्या सुप्रीता तेन चैव हि कोटरे तन्नगे श्रेष्ठे जलवाय्वग्निवर्जिते
His wife was devoted and faithful, greatly pleased with him; in a hollow of that excellent tree, free from water, wind, and fire.
भार्यापुत्रैः परिवृतः सर्वदास्ते कपोतकः तस्मिन् दिने दैववशात् कपोतश् च कपोतकी
Surrounded always by his wife and children, the little dove lived there; on that day, by fate, both the dove and his mate...
भक्ष्यार्थं तु उभौ यातौ कपोतो नगम् अभ्यगात् सापि दैववशात् पुत्र पञ्जरस्थैव वर्तते
Both went out in search of food; the pigeon returned to the tree, but by fate, the young one remained confined in the cage.
गृहीता लुब्धकेनाथ जीवमानेव वर्तते कपोतको ऽप्य् अपत्यानि मातृहीनान्य् उदीक्ष्य च
She was captured alive by the hunter and remained so; the male pigeon, seeing his children deprived of their mother,
वर्षं च भीषणं प्राप्तम् अस्तं यातो दिवाकरः स्वकोटरं तया हीनम् आलोक्य विललाप सः
A dreadful rain arrived, the sun had set; seeing his nest bereft of her, he lamented.
तां बद्धां पञ्जरस्थां वा न बुबोध कपोतराट् अन्वारेभे कपोतो वै प्रियाया गुणकीर्तनम्
He did not realize that she was bound and caged; the pigeon began to recall the virtues of his beloved.
नाद्याप्य् आयाति कल्याणी मम हर्षविवर्धिनी मम धर्मस्य जननी मम देहस्य चेश्वरी
Even now my virtuous one, who increases my joy, who is the mother of my dharma and the mistress of my body, has not returned.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां सैव नित्यं सहायिनी तुष्टे हसन्ती रुष्टे च मम दुःखप्रमार्जनी
She alone is always my companion in dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation; smiling when pleased, removing my sorrow when angry.
सखी मन्त्रेषु सा नित्यं मम वाक्यरता सदा नाद्याप्य् आयाति कल्याणी संप्रयाते ऽपि भास्करे
She is ever my confidante in counsel, always delighted by my words; even now my virtuous one has not returned, though the sun has set.
न जानाति व्रतं मन्त्रं दैवं धर्मार्थम् एव च पतिव्रता पतिप्राणा पतिमन्त्रा पतिप्रिया
She knows not vow, mantra, destiny, or the meaning of dharma and wealth; devoted to her husband, her life is for her husband, her counsel is for her husband, and her love is for her husband.
नाद्याप्य् आयाति कल्याणी किं करोमि क्व यामि वा किं मे गृहं काननं च तया हीनं हि दृश्यते
Even now my virtuous one has not returned; what shall I do, or where shall I go? My home and the forest both appear empty without her.
तया युक्तं श्रिया युक्तं भीषणं वापि शोभनम् नाद्याप्य् आयाति मे कान्ता यया गृहम् उदीरितम्
With her, whether in prosperity or adversity, even the dreadful becomes beautiful; even now my beloved, who made the home delightful, has not returned.