अतः कृच्छ्रं गतः सर्वो लोकः क्षुत्परिपीडितः
Therefore, all people, tormented by hunger, fell into hardship.
संत्यक्ताः पतिभिर्नार्यः पुत्राश्च पितृभिर्निजैः ६.९०.
Wives were abandoned by their husbands, and sons by their own fathers.
दैवयोगात्क्वचित्किंचित्कस्यचिद्यदि दृश्यते
By fate, if anything at all was seen anywhere by anyone,
शुष्का महीरुहाः सर्वे तथा ये च जलाशयाः
All the great trees were withered, as were the reservoirs of water.
एवं वृष्टेः क्षये जाते नष्टे धर्मपथे तथा
Thus, when the rain had ceased and the path of righteousness was lost,
न कश्चिद्यजनं चक्रे न स्वाध्यायं न च व्रतम्
No one performed sacrifice, nor study, nor any vow.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः
At that very time, the great sage Viśvāmitra,
परिभ्रमंस्ततः प्राप्य कंचिद्ग्रामं निरुद्वसम्
Wandering about, reached a certain village, destitute.
अथ तत्र भ्रमन्प्राप्तश्चंडालस्य निवेशनम्
There, while wandering, he arrived at the dwelling of a caṇḍāla.
अथापश्यन्मृतं तत्र सारमेयं चिरोषितम्
There he saw a dog, long dead.
ततश्च श्रपयामास सुसमिद्धे हुताशने ६.९०.
Then, on a well-kindled fire, he began to cook it.
समादाय पितॄंस्तर्प्य यावदग्नौ जुहोति सः
Taking it, he offered it in the fire, satisfying the ancestors as he made the oblation.
गतश्चादर्शनं सद्यः सर्वेषां क्षितिवासिनाम्
He immediately became invisible to all the inhabitants of the earth.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे वह्नौ मर्त्यलोकाद्विनिर्गते
Meanwhile, as the fire departed from the realm of mortals,
एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरः सराः
At that moment, the gods, led by Brahma and Vishnu,
अथ तैर्भ्रममाणैश्च प्रदृष्टोऽभूद्गजो महान्
Then, as they wandered, they saw a great elephant.
अथ देवा गजं दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुस्त्वरयाऽन्विताः
The gods, seeing the elephant, questioned it with urgency.
वंशस्तंबेऽत्र संकीर्णे संप्रविष्टो हुताशनः
The fire entered into a dense bamboo clump there.
अथ तैर्वेष्टितस्तस्मिन्वंशस्तंबे हुताशनः
Then, surrounded by them, the fire was within the bamboo clump.
यस्मात्त्वयाहमादिष्टो देवानां वारणाधम
Because you commanded me, O lowest among elephants of the gods,
एवं शप्त्वा गजं शीघ्रं नष्टो वैश्वानरः पुनः ६.९०.
Thus cursing the elephant, the fire vanished swiftly once again.
अथ दृष्टः शुकस्तैश्च भ्रममाणैर्महावने
Then, as they wandered in the great forest, they saw a parrot.
शुक उवाच एतस्मिंस्तिष्ठते वह्निरश्वत्थे सुरसत्तमाः
The parrot said: 'O best of gods, the fire remains here in the ashvattha tree.'
अत्रस्थो यः कुलायो म आसीच्छिशुसमन्वितः
Here was a nest, accompanied by young ones.
तच्छ्रुत्वा तैः सुरैः सर्वैः शमीगर्भः स तत्क्षणात्
Hearing this, all the gods immediately entered the womb of the shami tree.
अहं यस्मात्त्वया पाप देवानां संनिवेदितः
Because you, O sinner, informed the gods about me,
एवमुक्त्वा जातवेदा देवादर्शनवांछया
Having spoken thus, Jataveda, desiring to be seen by the gods,
जलाशयं सुगम्भीरं पूर्वोत्तरदिक्संस्थितम्
He entered a deep lake situated in the northeast direction.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे तत्र मत्स्यकच्छपदर्दुराः
Meanwhile, there were fish, turtles, and frogs there.
अथ चैकोऽर्धनिर्दग्ध आयुःशेषेण दर्दुरः
Then, one frog, half-burned and with only a remnant of life,