मन्नाम्ना ख्यातिमायातु पुण्यमेतज्जलाशयम्
Let this sacred reservoir of water become renowned by my name.
चतुर्द्दश्यां विशेषेण ते यास्यंति परां गतिम्
Especially on the fourteenth day, those who come here will attain the highest state.
तव नाम्ना सुपुण्यं हि तीर्थमेतद्भविष्यति स्नानाल्लक्षगुणं दानात्पुण्यं चैव तथाऽक्षयम्
By your name, this holy place will indeed become supremely meritorious; bathing here brings a hundred thousandfold merit, and gifts given here yield inexhaustible virtue.
येऽत्र श्राद्धं करिष्यंति मानवाः सुसमाहिताः
Those people who perform śrāddha here with full concentration—
अपि कीटपतंगा ये तृषार्ताः सलिले शुभे
Even insects and moths, tormented by thirst, who enter these auspicious waters—
किं पुनर्भक्तिसंयुक्ता मानवाः सत्यवादिनः
How much more so for humans endowed with devotion and truthfulness in speech!
समायातानि राजेंद्र कपिलायाः प्रभावतः
O king, by the power of Kapilā, they have all arrived here.
तान्यारुह्याथ कपिला गोपगोकुलसंकुला 7.3.29.
Then Kapilā, surrounded by cows and herds, ascended them.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्
Therefore, one should bathe there with all effort.
पुलस्त्य उवाच तत्र वह्निः पुरा नष्टो लब्धश्च त्रिदशैरपि
Pulastya said: There, long ago, fire was lost and even the gods recovered it.
ययातिरुवाच कथं तत्रैव लब्धस्तु कौतुकं मे महामुने
Yayāti said: How was it recovered right there? I am curious, great sage.
पुलस्त्य उवाच संशयं परमं प्राप्तः सर्वो लोकः क्षुधार्दितः
Pulastya said: The whole world, afflicted by hunger, was seized by great doubt.
प्रायो मृतो मृतप्रायः शेषोऽभूद्धरणीतले
Most had died, and those who remained alive were as if dead upon the earth.
एवं कृच्छ्रमनुप्राप्ते मर्त्यलोके नराधिपः
When such hardship befell the world of mortals, O king—
अन्नौषधिरसाभावादस्थिशेषो व्यजायत
Because of the absence of food and medicinal herbs, only bones remained.
चंडालनिलयं प्राप्तः क्षुत्तृषापीडितो भृशम्
Afflicted severely by hunger and thirst, he reached the dwelling of a caṇḍāla.
तमादाय गृहं प्राप्तः प्रक्षाल्य सलिलेन तु
Taking him, he brought him home and washed him with water.
अभक्ष्यभक्षणं ज्ञात्वा हव्यवाहस्ततो नृप
Knowing what was edible and inedible, Agni, the fire-god, then—O king—
नष्टौषधिरसे लोके युक्तमेतद्धि सांप्रतम् 7.3.30.
Now that the medicinal herbs have vanished from the world, this is indeed appropriate at present.
नाभक्ष्यं भक्षयिष्यामि त्यजिष्ये क्षितिमंडलम्
I will not consume what is unfit to eat; I will abandon the earth.
एवं संचिंत्य मनसा सकोपो हव्यवाहनः
Thus, having considered in his mind, Fire, filled with anger, resolved so.
प्रणष्टे सहसा वह्नावग्निष्टोमादिकाः क्रियाः
With the sudden disappearance of Fire, all rites such as Agniṣṭoma ceased.
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे संदेहं परमं गताः
Then all the hosts of gods fell into great doubt.
त्यक्तस्तु वह्निना मर्त्यस्ततो नाशं गता नराः
When mortals were abandoned by Fire, those men met with destruction.
तस्मादन्वेष्यतां वह्निर्यत्र तिष्ठति सांप्रतम्
Therefore, let Fire be sought out—where does he now abide?
अन्वैषयंस्तथाग्निं ते समंतात्क्षितिमंडले
They searched for Fire throughout the expanse of the earth.
ततस्ते पुरतो दृष्ट्वा शुकं श्रांता दिवौकसः
Then, exhausted, the gods saw a parrot before them.
प्रणष्टो हव्यवाहोत्र मया दृष्टो महाद्युतिः
The great and radiant Fire, who offers oblations, has vanished—I have seen him.
शुकेनावेदितो वह्निः शप्त्वा तं मन्युना वृतः 7.3.30.
Fire was revealed by the parrot, who, filled with anger, cursed him.
प्रविवेश शमीगर्भमश्वत्थं तरुसत्तमम्
He entered the interior of the śamī tree, the noble aśvattha tree.