देवदूतस्तदाभ्येत्य वाक्यमाह रुरुं ततः । देवदूत उवाच माकार्षीः साहसं ब्रह्मन्कथं जीवेन्मृता प्रिया
The king said: As he was lamenting thus, grieving for his wife—then a divine messenger approached and spoke to Ruru.
गतायुरेषा सुश्रोणी गन्धर्वाप्सरसोः सुता । अन्यां कामय चार्वङ्गीं मृतेयं चाविवाहिता
The divine messenger said: Do not commit such a rash act, O Brahmin; how can your beloved, who is dead, live again?
किं रोदिषि सुदुर्बुद्धे का प्रीतिस्तेऽनया सह । रुरुरुवाच देवदूत न चान्यां वै वरिष्याम्यहमङ्गनाम्
Her life is ended, this fair-hipped one, daughter of a Gandharva and an Apsaras; desire another beautiful woman, for this one has died unmarried.
यदि जीवेन्न जीवेद्वा मर्तव्यं चाधुना मया । राजोवाच विदित्वेति हठं तस्य देवदूतो मुदान्वितः
Why do you weep, O most foolish one? What joy could you have with her? Ruru said: Divine messenger, I will not choose another woman.
उवाच वचनं तथ्यं सत्यं चातिमनोहरम् । उपायं शृणु विप्रेन्द्र विहितं यत्सुरैः पुरा
He spoke words that were true, sincere, and exceedingly charming. Listen, O foremost of Brahmins, to the method once devised by the gods.
आयुषोऽर्धप्रदानेन जीवयाशु प्रमद्वराम् । रुरुरुवाच आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि कन्यायै नात्र संशयः
By granting half of his lifespan, let Pramadvara be revived at once. Ruru said: I give half my life to the maiden; there is no doubt about this.
अद्य प्रत्यावृतप्राणा प्रोत्तिष्ठतु मम प्रिया । विश्वावसुस्तदा तत्र विमानेन समागतः
Today, with her life restored, let my beloved rise again. At that moment, Viśvāvasu arrived there in his celestial chariot.
ज्ञात्वा पुत्रीं मृतां चाशु स्वर्गलोकात्प्रमद्वराम् । ततो गन्धर्वराजश्च देवदूतश्च सत्तमः
Knowing that his daughter Pramadvara had died and departed from the heavenly realm, then the king of the Gandharvas and the noble divine messenger,
धर्मराजमुपेत्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषताम् । धर्मराज रुरोः पत्नी सुता विश्वावसोस्तथा
Approached the Lord of Dharma and addressed him with these words: O Lord of Dharma, Ruru’s wife is also the daughter of Viśvāvasu.
मृता प्रमद्वरा कन्या दष्टा सर्पेण चाधुना । सा रुरोरायुषोऽर्धेन मर्तुकामस्य सूर्यज
The maiden Pramadvara has died, bitten just now by a serpent. She, desiring to die, is to be revived by half of Ruru’s lifespan, O son of the Sun.
समुत्तिष्ठतु तन्वङ्गी व्रतचर्याप्रभावतः । धर्म उवाच विश्वावसुसुतां कन्यां देवदूत यदीच्छसि
Let the slender-bodied girl rise up, by the power of her vow and discipline. Dharma spoke: If you desire the maiden, daughter of Viśvāvasu, O divine messenger,
उत्तिष्ठत्वायुषोऽर्धेन रुरुं गत्वा त्वमर्पय । राजोवाच एवमुक्तस्ततो गत्वा जीवयित्वा प्रमद्वराम्
Let her rise, by half of Ruru’s lifespan; go and deliver her to Ruru. The king spoke: Thus instructed, he went and revived Pramadvara.
रुरोः समर्पयामास देवदूतस्त्वरान्वितः । ततः शुभेऽह्नि विधिना रुरुणापि विवाहिता
The divine messenger, acting swiftly, delivered her to Ruru. Then, on an auspicious day and according to proper rites, she was married to Ruru.
इत्थं चोपाययोगेन मृताप्युज्जीविता तदा । उपायस्तु प्रकर्तव्यः सर्वथा शास्त्रसम्मतः
Thus, by means of this method, even one who was dead was brought back to life. The method must always be performed in accordance with the scriptures.
मणिमन्त्रौषधीभिश्च विधिवत्प्राणरक्षणे । इत्युक्त्वा सचिवान् राजा कल्पयित्वा सुरक्षकान्
With gems, mantras, and medicines, life is to be protected according to prescribed procedures. Having said this, the king appointed ministers and arranged for guards.
कारयित्वाथ प्रासादं सप्तभूमिकमुत्तमम् । आरुरोहोत्तरासूनुः सचिवैः सह तत्क्षणम्
He had a splendid seven-storied palace constructed. At that moment, the king’s son ascended it together with his ministers.
मणिमन्त्रधराः शूराः स्थापितास्तत्र रक्षणे । प्रेषयामास भूपालो मुनिं गौरमुखं ततः
Brave men bearing gems and mantras were stationed there for protection. Then the king sent the sage Gauramukha.
प्रसादार्थं सेवकस्य क्षमस्वेति पुनः पुनः । ब्राह्मणान्सिद्धमन्त्रज्ञान् रक्षणार्थमितस्ततः
For the sake of the servant’s favor, he repeatedly requested forgiveness. Brahmins skilled in perfected mantras were sent there for protection.
मन्त्रिपुत्रः स्थितस्तत्र स्थापयामास दन्तिनः । न कश्चिदारुहेत्तत्र प्रासादे चातिरक्षिते
The minister’s son was stationed there, and elephants were placed for security. No one could enter that well-guarded palace.
वातोऽपि न चरेत्तत्र प्रवेशे विनिवार्यते । भक्ष्यभोज्यादिकं राजा तत्रस्थश्च चकार सः
Not even the wind could move there; entry was strictly prevented. The king, residing there, arranged all kinds of food and drink.
स्तानसन्ध्यादिकं कर्म तत्रैव विनिवर्त्य च । राजकार्याणि सर्वाणि तत्रस्थश्चाकरोन्नृपः
All daily duties, such as worship and rituals, were performed there. The king, staying there, conducted all royal affairs.
मन्त्रिभिः सह सम्मन्त्र्य गणयन्दिवसानपि । कश्चिच्च कश्यपो नाम ब्राह्मणो मन्त्रिसत्तमः
Consulting with his ministers, he counted the days as well. There was a certain Brahmin named Kaśyapa, foremost among the ministers.
शुश्राव च तथा शापं प्राप्तं राज्ञा महात्मना । स धनार्थी द्विजश्रेष्ठः कश्यपः समचिन्तयत्
He heard as well of the curse that had befallen the great-souled king; that foremost of twice-born, Kaśyapa, who sought wealth, reflected thus.
व्रजामि तत्र यत्रास्ते शप्तो राजा द्विजेन ह । इति कृत्वा मतिं विप्रः स्वगृहान्निःसृतः पथि
I shall go there where the king, cursed by the brāhmaṇa, now resides; having resolved thus, the brāhmaṇa departed from his own house onto the road.
कश्यपो मन्त्रविद्विद्वान्धनार्थी मुनिसत्तमः
Kaśyapa, master of mantras, learned and foremost among sages, desiring wealth—
परीक्षिन्मरणम् सूत उवाच तस्मिन्नेव दिने नाम्ना तक्षकस्तं नृपोत्तमम् । शप्तं ज्ञात्वा गृहात्तूर्णं निःसृतः पुरुषोत्तमः
Sūta said: On that very day, Takṣaka, by name, knowing that the best of kings had been cursed, swiftly left his house, that supreme among serpents.
वृद्धब्राह्मणवेषेण तक्षकः पथि निर्गतः । अपश्यत्कश्यपं मार्गे व्रजन्तं नृपतिं प्रति
Takṣaka, in the guise of an old brāhmaṇa, set out on the road; he saw Kaśyapa traveling along the path toward the king.
तमपृच्छत्पन्नगोऽसौ ब्राह्मणं मन्त्रवादिनम् । क्व भवांस्त्वरितो याति किञ्च कार्यं चिकीर्षति
That serpent questioned the brāhmaṇa skilled in mantras: 'Where are you hastening to, sir, and what business do you intend to accomplish?'
कश्यप उवाच परीक्षितं नृपश्रेष्ठं तक्षकश्च प्रधक्ष्यति । तत्राहं त्वरितो यामि नृपं कर्तुमपज्वरम्
Kaśyapa said: 'Takṣaka will burn up Parīkṣit, the best of kings; I am hurrying there to free the king from suffering.'
मन्त्रोऽस्ति मम विप्रेन्द्र विषनाशकरः किल । जीवयिष्याम्यहं तं वै जीवितव्येऽधुना किल
'I possess, O best of brāhmaṇas, a mantra said to destroy poison; I shall revive him, for now it is his time to live.'