लम्भितोऽस्ति मृतः सर्पः केनापीति मुनीश्वर । तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा चुकोपातिशयं तदा
O great sage, someone said, 'A dead snake has been thrown upon him.' Hearing their words, he became extremely angry.
शशाप नृपतिं क्रुद्धो गृहीत्वाशु करे जलम् । पितुः कण्ठेऽद्य मे येन विनिक्षिप्तो मृतोरगः
Enraged, he took water in his hand and cursed the king, saying, 'By whom a dead snake was placed on my father's neck today—'
तक्षकः सप्तरात्रेण तं दशेत्पापपूरुषम् । मुनेः शिष्योऽथ राजानं समुपेत्य गृहे स्थितम्
'Takshaka will bite that sinful man within seven nights.' Then the sage's disciple approached the king, who was staying in his house.
शापं निवेदयामास मुनिपुत्रेण चार्पितम् । अभिमन्युसुतः श्रुत्वा शापं दत्तं द्विजेन वै
He reported to the king the curse pronounced by the sage's son. Hearing that the curse had been given by the brahmin,
अनिवार्यं च विज्ञाय मन्त्रिवृद्धानुवाच ह । शप्तोऽहं द्विजरूपेण मम द्वेषादसंशयम्
The son of Abhimanyu, realizing it was unavoidable, addressed his elder ministers: 'I have been cursed by a brahmin, surely out of enmity.'
किं विधेयं मयामात्या उपायश्चिन्त्यतामिह । मृत्युः किलानिवार्योऽसौ वदन्ति वेदवादिनः
'What should I do, O ministers? Consider some means here. For death, they say, is inevitable according to the Vedic teachers.'
यत्नस्तथापि शास्त्रोक्तः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा बुधैः । उपायवादिनः केचित्प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
'Still, effort prescribed by scripture must always be made by the wise. Some thinkers say that means should be sought.'
विज्ञोपायेन सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि नेतरस्य च । मणिमन्त्रौषधीनां वै प्रभावाः खलु दुर्विदः
'With proper means, tasks are accomplished, not otherwise. The powers of jewels, mantras, and herbs are indeed hard to know.'
न भवेदिति किं तैस्तु मणिमद्भिः सुसाधितैः । सर्पदष्टा पुरा भार्या मुनेः सञ्जीविता मृता
'If nothing can be done by those who possess well-prepared jewels, then why did a sage's wife, once bitten by a snake and dead, return to life?'
दत्त्वार्धमायुषस्तेन मुनिना सा वराप्सराः । भवितव्ये न विश्वासः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा बुधैः
'That celestial nymph was revived by the sage, giving half his own life. Yet, when fate is strong, the wise should never trust it.'
प्रत्यक्षं तत्र दृष्टान्तं पश्यन्तु सचिवाः किल । दिवि कोऽपि पृथिव्यां वा दृश्यते पुरुषः क्वचित्
'Let the ministers see this example directly. Is there anyone seen in heaven or on earth who escapes fate?'
दैवे मतिं समाधाय यस्तिष्ठेत्तु निरुद्यमः । विरक्तस्तु यतिर्भूत्वा भिक्षार्थं याति सर्वथा
'Fixing his mind on destiny, one should remain without effort; or, becoming detached, a mendicant goes everywhere for alms.'
गृहस्थानां गृहे काममाहूतो वाथवान्यथा । यदृच्छयोपपन्नं च क्षिप्तं केनापि वा मुखे
'In the houses of householders, whether invited or otherwise, whatever comes by chance or is placed in the mouth by someone—'
उद्यमेन विना चास्यादुदरे संविशेत्कथम् । प्रयत्नश्चोद्यमे कार्यो यदा सिद्धिं न याति चेत्
'How could food enter the stomach without effort? Effort must be made, for if success does not come, then—'
तदा दैवं स्थितं चेति चित्तमालम्बयेद्बुधः । मन्त्रिण ऊचुः को मुनिर्येन दत्त्वार्धमायुषो जीविता प्रिया
'Then one should rely on destiny, so say the wise.' The ministers said: 'Which sage revived his beloved by giving half his life?'
कथं मृता महाराज तन्नो ब्रूहि सविस्तरम् । राजोवाच भृगोर्भार्या वरारोहा पुलोमा नाम सुन्दरी
'How did she die, O great king? Tell us this in detail.' The king said: 'The wife of Bhrigu, beautiful and of lovely form, was named Puloma.'
तस्यां तु च्यवनो नाम मुनिर्जातोऽतिविश्रुतः । च्यवनस्य च शर्यातेः सुकन्या नाम सुन्दरी
'From her was born the renowned sage named Cyavana. Cyavana's daughter by Sharyati was the beautiful Sukanya.'
तस्यां जज्ञे सुतः श्रीमान्प्रमतिर्नाम विश्रुतः । प्रमतेस्तु प्रिया भार्या प्रतापी नाम विश्रुता
'From her was born a famous and prosperous son named Pramati. Pramati's beloved wife was the renowned Pratapi.'
रुरुर्नाम सुतो जातस्तथा परमतापसः । तस्मिंश्च समये कश्चित्स्थूलकेशश्च विश्रुतः
A son named Ruru was born, a supreme ascetic; and at that time, there was also a renowned sage named Sthulakesha.
बभूव तपसा युक्तो धर्मात्मा सत्यसम्मतः । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे मान्या मेनका च वराप्सराः
He was devoted to austerity, righteous, and esteemed for his truthfulness; meanwhile, the honored and excellent apsaras Menaka—
क्रीडां चक्रे नदीतीरे त्रिषु लोकेषु सुन्दरी । गर्भं विश्वावसोः प्राप्य निर्गता वरवर्णिनी
—that beautiful one, delight of the three worlds, was playing on the riverbank; having conceived by Vishvavasu, the radiant one departed.
स्थूलकेशाश्रमे गत्वा विससर्ज वराप्सराः । कन्यकां च नदीतीरे त्रिषु लोकेषु सुन्दरीम्
The excellent apsaras went to the hermitage of Sthulakesha and left the beautiful maiden, delight of the three worlds, on the riverbank.
दृष्ट्वानाथां तदा कन्यां जग्राह मुनिसत्तमः । पुपोष स्थूलकेशस्तु नाम्ना चक्रे प्रमद्वराम्
Seeing the girl abandoned, the eminent sage took her in; Sthulakesha raised her and named her Pramadvara.
सा काले यौवनं प्राप्ता सर्वलक्षणसंयुता । रुरुर्दृष्ट्वाथ तां बालां कामबाणार्दितो ह्यभूत्
In time, she reached youth, endowed with all auspicious marks; seeing that maiden, Ruru was struck by the arrows of love.
परीक्षिद्राज्ञो गुप्तगृहे वासवर्णनम् परीक्षिदुवाच कामार्तः स मुनिर्गत्वा रुरुः सुप्तो निजाश्रमे । पिता पप्रच्छ दीनं तं किं रुरो विमना असि
Parikshit said: Tormented by love, Ruru went to his own hermitage while his father was asleep; his father asked him, troubled, 'Why are you so downcast, Ruru?'
स तमाहातिकामार्तः स्थूलकेशस्य चाश्रमे । कन्या प्रमद्वरा नाम सा मे भार्या भवेदिति
Greatly afflicted by love, he replied: 'In the hermitage of Sthulakesha there is a maiden named Pramadvara—may she become my wife.'
स गत्वा प्रमतिस्तूर्णं स्थूलकेशं महामुनिम् । प्रमुह्य सुमुखं कृत्वा ययाचे तां वराननाम्
Then Pramati quickly went to the great sage Sthulakesha, and, humbly and with a pleasant face, requested that radiant maiden.
ददौ वाचं स्थूलकेशः प्रदास्यामि शुभेऽहनि । विवाहार्थं च सम्भारं रचयामासतुर्वने
Sthulakesha gave his word, 'I will give her on an auspicious day'; and both began to make preparations for the wedding in the forest.
प्रमतिः स्थूलकेशश्च विवाहार्थं समुद्यतौ । बभूवतुर्महात्मानौ समीपस्थौ तपोवने
Pramati and Sthulakesha, both great souls, eagerly prepared for the wedding, remaining nearby in the forest hermitage.
तस्मिन्नवसरे कन्या रममाणा गृहाङ्गणे । प्रसुप्तं पन्नगं पादेनास्पृशच्चारुलोचना
At that moment, the maiden, delighting in the house courtyard, accidentally touched a sleeping serpent with her foot, she of lovely eyes.