कपोतो यमम् आराध्य मृत्युं पैतामहं तथा याम्यम् अस्त्रम् अवाप्याथ सर्वेभ्यो ऽप्य् अधिको ऽभवत्
The pigeon, having propitiated Yama, the lord of death and ancestor, obtained the Yama weapon and thus surpassed all others.
तथोलूको ऽग्निम् आराध्य बलवान् अभवद् भृशम् वरैर् उन्मत्तयोर् युद्धम् अभवच् चातिभीषणम्
Likewise, the owl, having worshipped Agni, became exceedingly strong; a battle of the two frenzied ones ensued, most terrifying.
तत्राग्नेयम् उलूको ऽपि कपोतायास्त्रम् आक्षिपत् कपोतो ऽप्य् अथ पाशान् वै याम्यान् आक्षिप्य शत्रवे
There, the owl hurled the Agni weapon at the pigeon, and the pigeon, in turn, cast the Yama nooses at his enemy.
उलूकायाथ दण्डं च मृत्युपाशान् अवासृजत् पुनस् तद् अभवद् युद्धं पुराडिबकयोर् यथा
Then, for the owl, the staff and the nooses of death were released; again, a battle occurred, as once between the crow and the crane.
हेतिः कपोतकी दृष्ट्वा ज्वलनं प्राप्तम् अन्तिके पतिव्रता महायुद्धे भर्तुः सा दुःखविह्वला
Heti, the pigeon-wife, seeing the flaming weapon approaching nearby, was overwhelmed with sorrow for her husband in the great battle.
अग्निना वेष्ट्यमानांश् च पुत्रान् दृष्ट्वा विशेषतः सा गत्वा ज्वलनं हेतिस् तुष्टाव विविधोक्तिभिः
Especially seeing her sons being encircled by fire, Heti approached the flame and praised it with various words.
रूपं न दानं न परोक्षम् अस्ति यस्यात्मभूतं च पदार्थजातम् अश्नन्ति हव्यानि च येन देवाः स्वाहापतिं यज्ञभुजं नमस्ये
I bow to the lord of offerings, the enjoyer of sacrifice, whose form is neither visible nor hidden, whose essence is all things, and by whom the gods consume oblations.
मुखभूतं च देवानां देवानां हव्यवाहनम् होतारं चापि देवानां देवानां दूतम् एव च
He is the mouth of the gods, the bearer of offerings for the gods, the priest of the gods, and also their messenger.
तं देवं शरणं यामि आदिदेवं विभावसुम् अन्तः स्थितः प्राणरूपो बहिश् चान्नप्रदो हि यः यो यज्ञसाधनं यामि शरणं तं धनंजयम्
I seek refuge in that god, the primeval deity, Vibhāvasu, who dwells within as the form of breath and outside as the giver of food; I seek refuge in him, the accomplisher of sacrifice, the victorious.
अमोघम् एतद् अस्त्रं मे न्यस्तं युद्धे कपोतकि यत्र विश्रमयेद् अस्त्रं तन् मे ब्रूहि पतिव्रते
This weapon of mine, O pigeon-wife, is unfailing and has been deployed in battle; tell me, O faithful one, where the weapon may rest.
मयि विश्रम्यताम् अस्त्रं न पुत्रे न च भर्तरि सत्यवाग् भव हव्येश जातवेदो नमो ऽस्तु ते
Let the weapon rest upon me, not upon my sons nor my husband; be truthful, O lord of offerings, Jātavedas, salutations to you.
तुष्टो ऽस्मि तव वाक्येन भर्तृभक्त्या पतिव्रते तवापि भर्तृपुत्राणां हेति क्षेमं ददाम्य् अहम्
I am pleased by your words, O faithful wife, by your devotion to your husband; for you, Heti, I grant safety to your husband and sons.
आग्नेयम् एतद् अस्त्रं मे न भर्तारं सुतान् अपि न त्वां दहेत् ततो याहि सुखेन त्वं कपोतकि
This Agni weapon of mine will not burn your husband or sons, nor you; therefore, depart happily, O pigeon-wife.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र उलूकी ददृशे पतिम् वेष्ट्यमानं याम्यपाशैर् यमदण्डेन ताडितम् उलूकी दुःखिता भूत्वा यमं प्रायाद् भयातुरा
Meanwhile, the owl-wife saw her husband bound by Yama's nooses and struck by Yama's staff; distressed, she approached Yama, fearful.
त्वद्भीता अनुद्रवन्ते जनास् त्वद्भीता ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति त्वद्भीताः साधु चरन्ति धीरास् त्वद्भीताः कर्मनिष्ठा भवन्ति
Out of fear of you, people flee; out of fear of you, they practice celibacy; out of fear of you, the wise act virtuously; out of fear of you, they become steadfast in their duties.
त्वद्भीता अनाशकम् आचरन्ति ग्रामाद् अरण्यम् अभि यच् चरन्ति त्वद्भीताः सौम्यताम् आश्रयन्ते त्वद्भीताः सोमपानं भजन्ते
Out of fear of you, they practice non-violence, leaving the village for the forest; out of fear of you, they embrace gentleness; out of fear of you, they partake in soma-drinking.
एवं ब्रुवत्यां तस्यां ताम् आह दक्षिणदिक्पतिः
As she spoke in this way, the guardian of the southern direction addressed her.
वरं वरय भद्रं ते दास्ये ऽहं मनसः प्रियम्
Choose a boon, auspicious one; I will grant you whatever your heart desires.
यमस्येति वचः श्रुत्वा सा तम् आह पतिव्रता
Hearing these words from Yama, the devoted wife replied to him.
भर्ता मे वेष्टितः पाशैर् दण्डेनाभिहतस् तव तस्माद् रक्ष सुरश्रेष्ठ पुत्रान् भर्तारम् एव च
My husband is bound by your nooses and struck by your staff; therefore, O best of gods, protect my sons and my husband as well.
तद्वाक्यात् कृपया युक्तो यमः प्राह पुनः पुनः
Moved by her words and filled with compassion, Yama spoke again and again.
पाशानां चापि दण्डस्य स्थानं वद शुभानने
O auspicious-faced one, tell me the place for the nooses and the staff.
सा प्रोवाच यमं देवं मयि पाशास् त्वयेरिताः आविशन्तु जगन्नाथ दण्डो मय्य् एव संविशेत् ततः प्रोवाच भगवान् यमस् तां कृपया पुनः
She said to Yama, the god: 'Let the nooses you cast enter into me, O Lord of the world; let the staff rest in me alone.' Then the blessed Yama spoke to her again with compassion.
तव भर्ता च पुत्राश् च सर्वे जीवन्तु विज्वराः
May your husband and sons all live, free from suffering.
न्यवारयद् यमः पाशान् आग्नेयास्त्रं तु हव्यवाट् कपोतोलूकयोश् चापि प्रीतिं वै चक्रतुः सुरौ आहतुश् च द्विजन्मानौ व्रियतां वर ईप्सितः
Yama restrained the nooses, and the fire-god withdrew his weapon; the pigeon and the owl, both divine, made peace, and the two twice-born said: 'Choose the boon you desire.'
भवतोर् दर्शनं लब्धं वैरव्याजेन दुष्करम् वयं च पक्षिणः पापाः किं वरेण सुरोत्तमौ
We have gained your audience, which is difficult to obtain except through enmity; but we are sinful birds—what use have we for a boon from you, O best of gods?
अथ देयो वरो ऽस्माकं भवद्भ्यां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् नात्मार्थम् अनुयाचावो दीयमानं वरं शुभम्
If a boon is to be given to us, let it be granted to you both with affection; we do not seek any boon for ourselves, even if it is auspicious and offered.
आत्मार्थं यस् तु याचेत स शोच्यो हि सुरेश्वरौ जीवितं सफलं तस्य यः परार्थोद्यतः सदा
He who asks for his own sake, O lords of the gods, is truly to be pitied; but the one whose life is always devoted to the welfare of others, his life is fruitful.
अग्निर् आपो रविः पृथ्वी धान्यानि विविधानि च परार्थं वर्तनं तेषां सतां चापि विशेषतः
Fire, water, the sun, the earth, and the various grains—all exist for the sake of others, especially in the case of the virtuous.
ब्रह्मादयो ऽपि हि यतो युज्यन्ते मृत्युना सह एवं ज्ञात्वा तु देवेशौ वृथा स्वार्थपरिश्रमः
Even Brahma and the others are subject to death; knowing this, O lords of the gods, striving for one's own sake is in vain.