यो वै दानपतिर्दक्षः शत्रुपक्षक्षयावहः
He who was a master of gifts, skilled, and the destroyer of enemy hosts,
स कदाचिन्मृगान्हंतुं नृपः सेनावृतो ययौ
That king, surrounded by his army, once went to hunt wild beasts.
स जघान मृगांस्तत्र शरैराशीविषोपमैः ६.१७.
There he struck down those beasts with arrows like venomous serpents.
सिंहान्व्याघ्रान्गजान्मत्ताञ्च्छतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
He slew hundreds and thousands of lions, tigers, and maddened elephants.
न पपात धरापृष्ठे सशरो दुद्रुवे द्रुतम् प्रेरयामास वेगेन मनोमारुतवेगधृक्
None fell to the earth; with arrows in them, they swiftly fled, driven by the force of his mind and the speed of the wind.
ततः सैन्यं समुत्सज्य मृगं लिप्सुर्महीपतिः
Then the king, desiring to seize the beast, left his army behind.
कण्टकीबदरीप्रायं शाल्मलीवनसंकुलम्
That place was filled with forests of śālmalī trees, resembling thickets of thorny jujube bushes.
तत्र रूक्षाऽखिला भूमिर्निर्जला तमसा वृता
There, the entire ground was harsh, devoid of water, and shrouded in darkness.
ग्रीष्मे मध्यगते सूर्ये मृगाकृष्टः स पार्थिवः
When the sun had reached its zenith in summer, that king was drawn onward by the horse.
तेन तस्यानुगा भृत्याः सर्वे सुश्रांतवाहनाः
All his attendants, following him, had utterly exhausted their mounts.
सिंहव्याघ्रैस्तथा चान्यैः पतिता नष्टचेतनाः
There, they fell, losing consciousness, attacked by lions, tigers, and other beasts.
ततः सोऽपि महीपालः क्षुत्पिपासासमाकुलः
Then that king too was overwhelmed by hunger and thirst.
कांतारस्यांतमन्विच्छन्प्रेरयामास तं हयम् ६.१७.
Seeking the end of the wilderness, he sent the horse ahead.
ततः स नृपतिस्तेन वायुवेगेन वाजिना
Then, with that horse driven by the force of the wind, the king pressed on.
एवं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य कांदिशीकेऽनवस्थिते
Thus, as the king wandered aimlessly in that desolate region,
सूत उवाच ततः सोऽपि महीपालः क्षुत्पिपासासमाकुलः
Sūta said: Then that king too was overwhelmed by hunger and thirst.
अथाऽपश्यद्वियत्स्थानात्स त्रीन्प्रेतान्सु दारुणान्
Then, from the sky, he saw three terrifying spirits.
तान्दृष्ट्वा भयसंत्रस्तो विशेषेण स भूपतिः
Seeing them, the king was seized by great fear.
के यूयं विकृताकारा मया दृष्टा न कर्हिचित्
"Who are you, with such strange forms? I have never seen you before."
विदूरथो नरेन्द्रोऽहं क्षुत्पिपासातिपीडितः
"I am King Vidūratha, tormented by severe hunger and thirst."
ततस्तेषां तु यो ज्येष्ठो मांसादः प्रत्युवाच तम् ॥ कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा विनयावनतः स्थितः
Then, the eldest among them, the one called Māṃsāda, with joined palms and head bowed in respect, replied to him:
वयं प्रेता महाराज निवसामोऽत्र कानने
"We are spirits, O great king, dwelling here in this forest."
अहं मांसादकोनाम द्वितीयोऽयं विदैवतः
"I am called Māṃsāda; this second one is Vidaivata."
किमेतत्कारणं येन सर्वे यूयं स्वनामकाः
"What is the reason that all of you bear such names?"
तच्छ्रुत्वा प्राह मांसादः कर्मनामानि पार्थिव ॥ मिथः कृतानि संज्ञार्थमस्माभिः स्वयमेव हि । ६.१८.
Hearing this, the eater of flesh, O king, spoke: We ourselves have given these actions their names, each for the sake of distinction.
शृणुष्वाऽवहितो भूत्वा सर्वेषां नः पृथक्पृथक्
Listen attentively as I tell you, one by one, the actions of us all.
वयं हि ब्राह्मणा जात्या वैदिशाख्ये पुरे नृप
We were born as Brahmins, O king, in the city called Vaidiśā.
नास्तिका भिन्नमर्यादाः परदाररताः सदा
We were heretics, without proper conduct, always indulging with the wives of others.
जिह्वालौल्यप्रसंगेन मया भुक्तं सदाऽऽमिषम्
Because of greed of the tongue, I always consumed meat.
द्वितीयोऽयं महाराज यस्तिष्ठति तवाऽग्रतः
This second one, O great king, who stands before you,