नरके पच्यते सोऽथ महारौरवपूर्वके । उषित्वा नरके कल्पं ततोऽसौ कुक्कुटो भवेत्
He is cooked in hell, first in Mahāraurava; after dwelling in hell for a kalpa, he becomes a rooster.
किमनेनाथवा कार्यं धर्मसंकीर्तनेन मे । यस्तु पापरतो मूर्खः क्रूरो नीचोऽनृतः शठः
What use is there for me in recounting righteousness? One who is addicted to sin, foolish, cruel, base, false, and deceitful—
तद्वाक्यं निष्फलं तस्मिन्भवेद् बीजमिवोषरे । एहि ते विद्यते किञ्चित्परलोकभयं यदि
His words are fruitless, like a seed in barren ground. Come, if you have any fear of the next world.
एवमुक्ताथ सा विप्रं वेपमानाब्रवीद्वचः । कारुण्यं कुरु मे नाथ प्रसीद सुमुखो भव
Thus addressed, she, trembling, spoke to the Brahmin: 'Show me compassion, O lord; be gracious and kindly toward me.'
प्रस्थापय मुहूर्तं मां यावद् द्रक्ष्यामि बालकम् । एवमुक्त्वाथ सा मूर्ध्ना निपत्य द्विजपादयोः
'Send me for a moment, so I may see my child.' Having spoken thus, she fell at the Brahmin’s feet with her head.
रुरोद करुणं बाला पुत्रशोकेन पीडिता । अथाह कुपितो विप्रः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः
Afflicted by grief for her son, the girl wept bitterly. Then the Brahmin, enraged, his eyes reddened with anger, spoke.
विप्र उवाच - किं ते पुत्रेण मे कार्यं गृहकर्म कुरुष्व मे । किं न जानासि मे क्रोधं कशाघातफलप्रदम्
The Brahmin said: 'What concern have I with your son? Do my household work. Do you not know my anger yields the result of a whip’s blow?'
एवमुक्ता स्थिता धैर्याद् गृहकर्म चकार ह । अर्धरात्रो गतस्तस्याः पादाभ्यङ्गादिकर्मणा
Thus addressed, she stood firm and performed the household tasks. At midnight, after her foot-massage and other duties,
ब्राह्मणेनाथ सा प्रोक्ता पुत्रपार्श्वं व्रजाधुना । तस्य दाहादिकं कृत्वा पुनरागच्छ सत्वरम्
The Brahmin then said to her: 'Go now to your son’s side. After performing his cremation and related rites, return quickly.'
न लुप्येत यथा प्रातर्गृहकर्म ममेति च । ततस्त्वेकाकिनी रात्रौ विलपन्ती जगाम ह
'Do not neglect my morning household work.' Then, alone at night, lamenting, she went.
दृष्ट्वा मृतं निजं पुत्रं भृशं शोकेन पीडिता । यूथभ्रष्टा कुरङ्गीव विवत्सा सौरभी यथा
Seeing her own son dead, she was overwhelmed with grief, like a deer separated from its herd, or a cow bereft of its calf.
वाराणस्या बहिर्गत्वा क्षणाद् दृष्ट्वा निजं सुतम् । शयानं रङ्कवद्भूमौ काष्ठदर्भतृणोपरि
Going outside Vārāṇasī, she saw her own son lying on the ground like a pauper, upon wood, grass, and straw.
विललापातिदुःखार्ता शब्दं कृत्वा सुनिष्ठुरम् । एहि मे सम्मुखं कस्माद्रोषितोऽसि वदाधुना
Tormented by intense sorrow, she wailed harshly: 'Come before me; why are you angry? Speak now.'
आयास्यभिमुखो नित्यमम्बेत्युक्त्वा पुनः पुनः । गत्वा स्खलत्पदा तस्य पपातोपरि मूर्छिता
Repeatedly saying, 'Come toward me, mother,' she went, stumbling, and fell upon him, fainting.
पुनः सा चेतनां प्राप्य दोर्भ्यामालिङ्ग्य बालकम् । तन्मुखे वदनं न्यस्य रुरोदार्तस्वनैस्तदा
Regaining consciousness, she embraced the boy with her arms, placed her face upon his, and cried out in distress.
कराभ्यां ताडनं चक्रे मस्तकस्योदरस्य च । हा बाल हा शिशो वत्स हा कुमारक सुन्दर
She struck his head and belly with her hands, crying: 'O child, O infant, O dear one, O beautiful boy!'
हा राजन् क्व गतोऽसि त्वं पश्येमं बालकं निजम् । प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयांसं भूतले पतितं मृतम्
'O prince, where have you gone? Look at your own child, fallen dead upon the earth, more precious than life itself.'
तथापश्यन्मुखं तस्य भूयो जीवितशङ्कया । निर्जीववदनं ज्ञात्वा मूर्छिता निपपात ह
Looking at his face, again with hope for life, realizing his face was lifeless, she fainted and fell.
हस्तेन वदनं गृह्य पुनरेवमभाषत । शयनं त्यज हे बाल शीघ्रं जागृहि भीषणम्
Taking his face in her hand, she again spoke thus: 'Child, leave your bed, quickly wake up, it is dreadful.'
निशार्धं वर्धते चेदं शिवाशतनिनादितम् । भूतप्रेतपिशाचादिडाकिनीयूथनादितम्
Midnight is advancing, resounding with the cries of jackals, and filled with the howls of ghosts, spirits, fiends, and bands of witches.
मित्राणि ते गतान्यस्तात्त्वमेकस्तु कुतः स्थितः । सूत उवाच - एवमुक्त्वा पुनस्तन्वी करुणं प्ररुरोद ह
Your friends have all departed, you alone remain—how can you stay here? Sūta said: Having spoken thus, the slender woman wept bitterly.
हा शिशो बाल हा वत्स रोहिताख्य कुमारक । रे पुत्र प्रतिशब्दं मे कस्मात्त्वं न प्रयच्छसि
'Alas, child! O boy! Alas, my son named Rohita! O son, why do you not answer me when I call to you?'
तवाहं जननी वत्स किं न जानासि पश्य माम् । देशत्यागाद्राज्यनाशात्पुत्र भर्त्रा स्वविक्रयात्
'I am your mother, my child—do you not know me? See me here, bereft of my land, deprived of my kingdom, sold by my own husband.'
यद्दासीत्वाच्च जीवामि त्वां दृष्ट्वा पुत्र केवलम् । ते जन्मसमये विप्रैरादिष्टं यत्त्वनागतम्
'Now I live only as a servant, my son, surviving solely by seeing you. At your birth, the brahmins declared prophecies for you that have not come to pass.'
दीर्घायुः पृथिवीराजः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः । शौर्यदानरतिः सत्त्वो गुरुदेवद्विजार्चकः
'You would be long-lived, a king of the earth, surrounded by sons and grandsons, devoted to valor and generosity, virtuous, and a worshipper of teachers, gods, and brahmins.'
मातापित्रोस्तु प्रियकृत्सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः । इत्यादि सकलं जातमसत्यमधुना सुत
'You would be dear to your parents, a speaker of truth, self-controlled—such were all the predictions, my son, but now all have proven false.'
चक्रमत्स्यावातपत्रश्रीवत्सस्वस्तिकध्वजाः । तव पाणितले पुत्र कलशश्चामरं तथा
'The discus, fish, parasol, śrīvatsa, svastika, and banner, the water-pot and fly-whisk—all these royal marks were seen on your palm, my son.'
लक्षणानि तथान्यानि त्वद्धस्ते यानि सन्ति च । तानि सर्वाणि मोघानि सञ्जातान्यधुना सुत
'And all the other auspicious signs that were present on your hand, my son—all of them have now become futile.'
हा राजन्पृथिवीनाथ क्व ते राज्यं क्व मन्त्रिणः । क्व ते सिंहासनं छत्रं क्व ते खड्गः क्व तद्धनम्
'Alas, king! Lord of the earth! Where is your kingdom, where are your ministers? Where is your throne, your parasol, your sword, and that wealth?'
क्व सायोध्या क्व हर्म्याणि क्व गजाश्वरथप्रजाः । सर्वमेतत्तथा पुत्र मां त्यक्त्वा क्व गतोऽसि रे
'Where is Ayodhyā, where are the palaces, where are the elephants, horses, chariots, and subjects? All this, my son, you have abandoned—where have you gone?'