तदा दोषविनिर्मुक्तो भविष्यसि न संशयः सात्त्विकं धाम चापन्नो गच्छ विप्र नमोऽस्तु ते
Then you will be freed from fault, without doubt; attaining the sattvic realm, go, O brahmin, my respects to you.
गच्छंश्चातिक्षुधाविष्टो ऽपश्यद्बिल्वफलानि सः
As he was going, greatly afflicted by hunger, he saw bilva fruits.
ततः कृष्णाजिने बद्ध्वा कुण्डले न्यस्य भूतले
Then, tying them in a black antelope skin and placing the earrings on the ground—
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु तक्षकः पन्नगोत्तमः
At that very moment, Takṣaka, the foremost of serpents—
अथोत्तंकः फलाहारी अवतीर्य धरातले
Then Uttanka, gathering the fruits, descended to the earth.
स दृष्ट्वा सम्मुखं प्राप्तं समीपं पन्नगोत्तमः 7.3.2.
The foremost of serpents saw him as he approached directly and came near.
उत्तंकोऽपि बिलं प्राप्तः प्रविश्य तमसावृतम्
Uttanka also reached the hole and entered, enveloped in darkness.
तं तथा दुःखितं दृष्ट्वा सक्लेशं गुरुकार्यतः
Seeing him thus distressed, suffering greatly because of his teacher's task—
ततो विदारयामास स शीघ्रं धरणीतलम्
Then he quickly tore open the surface of the earth.
सोऽपश्यद्वाजिनं तत्र सर्वश्वेतं गुणान्वितम्
There he saw a horse, all white and endowed with virtues.
स चकार तथा शीघ्रं ततो धूमो व्यजायत
He did so quickly, and then smoke arose.
ततश्च व्याकुलाः सर्वे पन्नगाः समुपाद्रवन् उत्तंकाय ततो दत्त्वा प्रणिपत्य ययुर्गृहम्
Then all the serpents, agitated, rushed forward; giving them to Uttanka, they bowed and returned home.
यस्त्वयाऽऽराधितः पूर्वमुपाध्यायनिदेशतः
He whom you previously worshipped at the instruction of your teacher—
ज्ञात्वा त्वां दुःखितं प्राप्तमिह प्राप्तः कृपापरः
Knowing you had arrived here distressed, he, full of compassion, came.
नयामि तत्र यत्रास्ते गुरुः सर्वगुणालयः
I will take you there, where the Guru, the abode of all virtues, resides.
तत्क्षणात्समनुप्राप्तो गौतमस्य निवेशनम् 7.3.2.
At that very moment, he arrived at Gautama’s dwelling.
स्नाता चाभ्येत्य भर्तारं साध्वी वाक्यमुवाच ह
Having bathed, the virtuous wife approached her husband and spoke these words.
शिथिलो गुरुकृत्येषु स यदालक्षितो मया
When I observed that he had become negligent in his duties to the Guru,
प्रसन्नवदनो हृष्टः कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितः
He appeared cheerful, delighted, and adorned with earrings.
सा दृष्ट्वा तत्क्षणात्साध्वी कर्णाभ्यां संन्यवेशयत्
Seeing this, the virtuous woman immediately placed them on her ears.
यथा मे चिंत्यते नित्यं धेन्वर्थं श्वभ्रपूरणे
As I constantly reflect, it is for the sake of the cow that the pit must be filled.
तस्मात्त्वं पूरय क्षिप्रं नान्यः शक्तोऽत्र कर्मणि
Therefore, you must quickly fill it; no one else is capable of this task.
चिन्तयामास तत्कार्यं विवरस्य प्रपूरणे
He began to ponder how to accomplish the filling of the pit.
चिरं विचार्य तमृषिमिदमाह नगोत्तमः
After considering for a long time, the best of mountains spoke to the sage:
पक्षच्छेदस्तु शक्रेण सर्वेषां च पुरा कृतः
Their wings were cut off long ago by Indra and by all the others.
वसिष्ठ उवाच अस्त्युपायो नगानां तु तत्र नेतुं महानग
Vasiṣṭha said: There is indeed a way for the mountains to be taken there, O great mountain.
तस्यार्बुद इति ख्पातो वयस्यः परमं प्रियः
Among them is one called Arbuda, a dear friend from childhood.
स वा ऊर्ध्वगतिः क्षिप्रं क्षणान्नेष्यत्यसंशयः
He will ascend quickly and bring it here in a moment, without doubt.
आदेशो दीयतामस्य दुःखं कर्तुं च नार्हसि
Give him the command, and you should not cause him suffering.
दुःखेन महताऽऽविष्टश्चिंतयामास भूधरः
Overwhelmed by great sorrow, the mountain began to reflect.