महाजने प्रसुप्ते च निद्रयातीवमोहिते । तं पुत्रं देवगर्भाभमपहृत्य बहिर्गतः
While the household was deeply asleep, overwhelmed by slumber, he took away that son, who resembled a divine embryo, and went outside.
कांचनाख्यपुरे प्राप्तः स्वकीये दानवाधमः । समाहूय प्रियां भार्यां विपुलां वाक्यमब्रवीत्
That vile Dānava reached his own city called Kāñcana, summoned his beloved wife Vipulā, and spoke these words.
वधस्वैनं महापापं बालरूपं रिपुं मम । पश्चात्सूदस्य वै हस्ते भोजनार्थं प्रदीयताम्
Kill this great sinner, my enemy in the form of a child; afterwards, give him to the cook for food.
नानाभेदैर्विभेदैश्च पाचयस्व हि निर्घृणम् । सूदहस्तान्महाभागे पश्चाद्भोक्ष्ये न संशयः
Cook him mercilessly with various methods and preparations; O highly fortunate one, afterwards I will eat him from the cook’s hands, without doubt.
वाक्यमाकर्ण्य तद्भर्तुर्विपुला विस्मिताभवत् । कस्मान्निर्घृणतां याति भर्त्ता मम सुनिष्ठुरः
Hearing her husband’s words, Vipulā was astonished: Why does my husband become so utterly cruel and merciless?
सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं देवगर्भोपमं सुतम् । कस्य कस्मात्प्रभक्ष्येत क्षमाहीनः सुनिर्घृणः
A son endowed with all auspicious marks, resembling a divine embryo—who, being so devoid of compassion, would eat such a one, and for what reason?
इत्येवं चिंतयामास कारुण्येन समन्विता । पुनः पप्रच्छ भर्तारं कस्माद्भक्ष्यसि बालकम्
Thus, filled with compassion, she pondered and again questioned her husband: Why do you wish to eat this child?
कस्माद्भवसि संक्रुद्धो अतीव निरपत्रपः । सर्वं मे कारणं ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन दनुजेश्वर
Why are you so enraged and utterly shameless? Tell me the whole reason truthfully, O lord of the Dānavas.
आत्मदोषं च वृत्तांतं समासेन निवेदितम् । शापमशोकसुंदर्या हुंडेनापि दुरात्मना
He briefly related his own fault and the story, as well as the curse by Aśokasundarī, even Huṃḍa, the evil-minded one.
तया ज्ञातं तु तत्सर्वं कारणं दानवस्य वै । वध्योऽयं बालकः सत्यं नो वा भर्त्ता मरिष्यति
By her, all that reason of the Dānava was understood: either this child must be killed, or, if not, my husband will die.
इत्येवं प्रविचार्यैव विपुला क्रोधमूर्च्छिता । मेकलां तु समाहूय सैरंध्रीं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Thus, having considered in this way, the ample one, overcome with anger, summoned Mekala and spoke these words to the maidservant.
जह्येनं बालकं दुष्टं मेकलेऽद्य महानसे । सूदहस्ते प्रदेहि त्वं हुण्डभोजनहेतवे
Today, Mekala, abandon this wicked boy in the kitchen; hand him over to the cook for the purpose of being food for the Huṇḍa.
मेकला बालकं गृह्य सूदमाहूय चाब्रवीत् । राजादेशं कुरुष्वाद्य पचस्वैनं हि बालकम्
Mekala, taking the boy, summoned the cook and said: 'Carry out the king's command today—cook this boy.'
एवमाकर्णितं तेन सूदेनापि महात्मना । आदाय बालकं हस्ताच्छस्त्रमुद्यम्य चोद्यतः
Hearing this, the great-souled cook took the boy in his hand, raised a knife, and prepared to act.
एष वै देवदेवस्य दत्तात्रेयस्य तेजसा । रक्षितस्त्वायुपुत्रश्च स जहास पुनः पुनः
By the power of Dattatreya, the god of gods, this son of Ayu was protected, and he laughed again and again.
हसंतं तं समालोक्य स सूदः कृपयान्वितः । सैरंध्री च कृपायुक्ता सूदं तं प्रत्यभाषत
Seeing him laughing, the cook was filled with compassion, and the maidservant, also moved by pity, spoke to the cook.
नैष वध्यस्त्वया सूद शिशुरेव महामते । दिव्यलक्षणसंपन्नः कस्य जातः सुसत्कुले
O wise cook, you must not kill this child; he is endowed with divine marks—of what noble family was he born?
सूद उवाच- सत्यमुक्तं त्वया भद्रे वाक्यं वै कृपयान्वितम् । राजलक्षणसंपन्नो रूपवान्कस्य बालकः
The cook said: 'O good lady, what you have said out of compassion is true; this boy, possessing royal marks and beauty, to whom does he belong?'
कस्माद्भोक्ष्यति दुष्टात्मा हुंडोऽयं दानवाधमः । येन वै रक्षितो वंशः पूर्वमेव सुकर्मणा
Why should this wicked Huṇḍa, the lowest of Dānavas, eat him, by whom the lineage was formerly protected through good deeds?
आपत्स्वपि स जीवेत दुर्गेषु नान्यथा भवेत् । सिंधुवेगेन नीतस्तु वह्निमध्ये गतोऽथवा
Even in calamities he would live, not otherwise in difficulties; whether carried away by the force of a river or entering into fire.
जीवतेनात्र संदेहो यश्च कर्मसहायवान् । तस्माद्धि क्रियते कर्म धर्मपुण्यसमन्वितम्
There is no doubt that he would live, and whoever is accompanied by good deeds; therefore, actions endowed with righteousness and merit are performed.
आयुष्मंतो नरास्तेन प्रवदंति सुखं ततः । तारकं पालकं कर्म रक्षते जाग्रते हि तत्
Because of that, people with long life speak of happiness; protective and sustaining action guards one who is vigilant.
मुक्तिदं जायते नित्यं मैत्रस्थानप्रदायकम् । दानपुण्यान्वितं कर्म प्रियवाक्यसमन्वितम्
Such action always brings liberation, grants a place among friends, is endowed with the merit of giving, and is accompanied by kind words.
उपकारयुतं यश्च करोति शुभकृत्तदा । तमेव रक्षते कर्म सर्वदैव न संशयः
And whoever performs good deeds filled with helpfulness, that very action always protects him—there is no doubt.
अन्ययोनिं प्रयाति स्म प्रेरितः स्वेन कर्मणा । किं करोति पिता माता अन्ये स्वजनबान्धवाः
Driven by his own action, one goes to another birth; what can father, mother, or other relatives do?
कर्मणा निहतो यस्तु न स्युस्तस्य च रक्षणे । सूत उवाच- येनैव कर्मणा चैव रक्षितश्चायुनंदनः
He who is struck down by his own action has no one to protect him; the cook said: 'By that very action, Ayu's son was protected.'
तस्मात्कृपान्वितो जातः सूदः कर्मवशानुगः । सैरंध्री च तथा जाता प्रेरिता तस्य कर्मणा
Therefore, the cook became filled with compassion, following the power of action; likewise, the maidservant was moved, impelled by his action.
द्वाभ्यामेव सुतश्चायो रक्षितश्चारुलक्षणः । रात्रावेव प्रणीतोऽसौ तस्माद्गेहान्महाश्रमे
By these two, the son Ayu, possessing beautiful marks, was protected; at night, he was taken from that house to the great hermitage.
वशिष्ठस्याश्रमे पुण्ये सैरंध्र्या पुण्यकर्मणा । शुभे पर्णकुटीद्वारे तस्मिन्नेव महाश्रमे
At the holy hermitage of Vasiṣṭha, by the virtuous deeds of Sairandhrī, at the auspicious entrance of the leafy hut, in that very great hermitage,
गता सा स्वगृहं पश्चान्निक्षिप्य बालकोत्तमम् । एणं निपात्य सूदेन पाचितं मांसमेव हि
She later went to her own home, having left the excellent child there; the cook slaughtered a deer and indeed prepared only its meat.