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.
स तं प्रोवाच ते जिह्वा विपरीता भविष्यति
He said to him: 'Your tongue will become inverted.'
प्रविष्टो भगवान्वह्निर्यथा देवैर्न लक्ष्यते
The venerable Fire entered so that he could not be perceived by the gods.
अत्राऽसौ तिष्ठते वह्निर्निर्झरे पर्वतस्य च
Here Fire abides, in the waterfall and on the mountain.
कृच्छ्रादहं विनिष्क्रांतस्तस्मान्मृत्युमुखात्सुराः
With great difficulty I escaped from the jaws of death, O gods.
भविष्यसि विजिह्वस्त्वं शप्त्वा तं दर्दुरं नृपः
Having cursed that frog, the king said: 'You shall be tongueless.'
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे निष्क्रांताः सलिलाश्रयात्
Then all the hosts of gods emerged from the waters.
त्वया हीनं जगत्सर्वं नाशं यास्यति सत्वरम्
If you are absent, the entire world will swiftly fall into destruction.
त्वं मुखं सर्वदेवानां त्वयि लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः विनाशमेव यास्यामस्तस्मात्त्वं त्रातुमर्हसि
You are the face of all the gods; the worlds are established in you. Without you, we would surely perish; therefore, you ought to protect us.
त्वं ब्रह्मा त्वं महादेवस्त्वं विष्णुस्त्वं दिवाकरः 7.3.30.
You are Brahma, you are Mahadeva, you are Vishnu, you are the Sun.
इंद्राद्या विबुधाः सर्वे त्वदायत्ता हुताशन किमर्थं भगवन्नस्माननागांस्त्यक्तुमिच्छसि
All the gods, beginning with Indra, depend upon you, O Lord of Sacrifice. Why, O Blessed One, do you wish to abandon us who are innocent?