01.009
Library: Ruru laments Pramadvarā's death. A divine messenger offers restoration in exchange for half of Ruru's lifespan. After their marriage, Ruru vows to destroy serpents and begins indiscriminately attacking them until he encounters an aged harmless Dundubha serpent, setting up the following dialogue.
सूत उवाच॥
sūta uvāca॥
[सूत (sūta) - Sūta; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Sūta said.
तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु ब्राह्मणेषु समन्ततः । रुरुश्चुक्रोश गहनं वनं गत्वा सुदुःखितः ॥१-००९-१॥
teṣu tatropaviṣṭeṣu brāhmaṇeṣu samantataḥ । ruruścukrośa gahanaṃ vanaṃ gatvā suduḥkhitaḥ ॥1-009-1॥
[तेषु (teṣu) - among them; तत्र (tatra) - there; उपविष्टेषु (upaviṣṭeṣu) - seated; ब्राह्मणेषु (brāhmaṇeṣu) - brahmins; समन्ततः (samantataḥ) - all around; रुरुः (ruruḥ) - Ruru; चुक्रोश (cukrośa) - cried out; गहनं (gahanaṃ) - dense; वनं (vanaṃ) - forest; गत्वा (gatvā) - having gone; सुदुःखितः (suduḥkhitaḥ) - very sad;]
Among them, with the brahmins seated all around there, Ruru cried out, having gone to the dense forest, very sad.
शोकेनाभिहतः सोऽथ विलपन्करुणं बहु । अब्रवीद्वचनं शोचन्प्रियां चिन्त्य प्रमद्वराम् ॥१-००९-२॥
śokenābhihataḥ so'tha vilapankaruṇaṃ bahu । abravīdvacanaṃ śocanpriyāṃ cintya pramadvārām ॥1-009-2॥
[शोकेन (śokena) - by grief; अभिहतः (abhihataḥ) - struck; सः (saḥ) - he; अथ (atha) - then; विलपन् (vilapan) - lamenting; करुणं (karuṇam) - piteously; बहु (bahu) - much; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - said; वचनं (vacanam) - words; शोचन (śocan) - grieving; प्रियां (priyām) - beloved; चिन्त्य (cintya) - thinking of; प्रमद्वराम् (pramadvārām) - the beautiful lady;]
Struck by grief, he then lamented piteously and said many words, grieving and thinking of his beloved, the beautiful lady.
शेते सा भुवि तन्वङ्गी मम शोकविवर्धिनी । बान्धवानां च सर्वेषां किं नु दुःखमतः परम् ॥१-००९-३॥
śete sā bhuvi tanvaṅgī mama śokavivardhinī । bāndhavānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ kiṃ nu duḥkhamataḥ param ॥1-009-3॥
[शेते (śete) - lies; सा (sā) - she; भुवि (bhuvi) - on the ground; तन्वङ्गी (tanvaṅgī) - slender-bodied; मम (mama) - my; शोकविवर्धिनी (śokavivardhinī) - grief-increasing; बान्धवानां (bāndhavānāṃ) - of relatives; च (ca) - and; सर्वेषां (sarveṣāṃ) - of all; किं (kiṃ) - what; नु (nu) - indeed; दुःखम् (duḥkham) - sorrow; अतः (ataḥ) - than this; परम् (param) - greater;]
She lies on the ground, slender-bodied, increasing my grief. Of all the relatives, what indeed is a sorrow greater than this?
यदि दत्तं तपस्तप्तं गुरवो वा मया यदि । सम्यगाराधितास्तेन सञ्जीवतु मम प्रिया ॥१-००९-४॥
yadi dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ guravo vā mayā yadi । samyagārādhitāstena sañjīvatu mama priyā ॥1-009-4॥
[यदि (yadi) - if; दत्तं (dattaṃ) - given; तपः (tapaḥ) - penance; तप्तं (taptaṃ) - performed; गुरवः (guravaḥ) - teachers; वा (vā) - or; मया (mayā) - by me; यदि (yadi) - if; सम्यक् (samyak) - properly; आराधिताः (ārādhitāḥ) - worshipped; तेन (tena) - by that; सञ्जीवतु (sañjīvatu) - let live; मम (mama) - my; प्रिया (priyā) - beloved;]
If any penance has been given, performed, or any teachers have been properly worshipped by me, let my beloved live by that.
यथा जन्मप्रभृति वै यतात्माहं धृतव्रतः । प्रमद्वरा तथाद्यैव समुत्तिष्ठतु भामिनी ॥१-००९-५॥
yathā janmaprabhṛti vai yatātmāhaṃ dhṛtavrataḥ । pramadvārā tathādyaiva samuttiṣṭhatu bhāminī ॥1-009-5॥
[यथा (yathā) - as; जन्मप्रभृति (janmaprabhṛti) - from birth; वै (vai) - indeed; यतात्मा (yatātmā) - self-controlled; अहम् (aham) - I; धृतव्रतः (dhṛtavrataḥ) - firm in vows; प्रमद्वरा (pramadvārā) - O best of women; तथा (tathā) - so; अद्य (adya) - today; एव (eva) - only; समुत्तिष्ठतु (samuttiṣṭhatu) - arise; भामिनी (bhāminī) - O beautiful lady;]
As I have been self-controlled and firm in vows from birth, O best of women, so today only, O beautiful lady, arise.
देवदूत उवाच॥
devadūta uvāca॥
[देवदूत (devadūta) - messenger of the gods; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
The messenger of the gods said.
अभिधत्से ह यद्वाचा रुरो दुःखेन तन्मृषा । न तु मर्त्यस्य धर्मात्मन्नायुरस्ति गतायुषः ॥१-००९-६॥
abhidhatse ha yadvācā ruro duḥkhena tanmṛṣā । na tu martyasya dharmātmannāyurasti gatāyuṣaḥ ॥1-009-6॥
[अभिधत्से (abhidhatse) - you speak; ह (ha) - indeed; यद्वाचा (yadvācā) - with words; रुरो (ruro) - crying; दुःखेन (duḥkhena) - with sorrow; तन्मृषा (tanmṛṣā) - that is false; न (na) - not; तु (tu) - but; मर्त्यस्य (martyasya) - of a mortal; धर्मात्मन् (dharmātman) - O virtuous one; आयुः (āyuḥ) - life; अस्ति (asti) - exists; गतायुषः (gatāyuṣaḥ) - for one whose life is gone;]
What you speak with words, crying with sorrow, is indeed false. O virtuous one, the life of a mortal does not exist for one whose life is gone.
गतायुरेषा कृपणा गन्धर्वाप्सरसोः सुता । तस्माच्छोके मनस्तात मा कृथास्त्वं कथञ्चन ॥१-००९-७॥
gatāyureṣā kṛpaṇā gandharvāpsarasoḥ sutā । tasmācchoke manastāta mā kṛthāstvaṃ kathañcana ॥1-009-7॥
[गतायुः (gatāyuḥ) - whose life has passed away; एषा (eṣā) - this; कृपणा (kṛpaṇā) - wretched; गन्धर्व (gandharva) - Gandharva; अप्सरसोः (apsarasoḥ) - and Apsaras; सुत (sutā) - daughter; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; शोके (śoke) - in grief; मनस्तात (manastāta) - O dear one; मा (mā) - do not; कृथाः (kṛthāḥ) - make; त्वं (tvaṃ) - you; कथञ्चन (kathaṃcana) - in any way;]
This wretched one, whose life has passed away, is the daughter of Gandharva and Apsaras. Therefore, O dear one, do not grieve in any way.
उपायश्चात्र विहितः पूर्वं देवैर्महात्मभिः । तं यदीच्छसि कर्तुं त्वं प्राप्स्यसीमां प्रमद्वराम् ॥१-००९-८॥
upāyaś cātra vihitaḥ pūrvaṃ devair mahātmabhiḥ । taṃ yadīcchasi kartuṃ tvaṃ prāpsyasīmāṃ pramadvarām ॥1-009-8॥
[उपायः (upāyaḥ) - means; च (ca) - and; अत्र (atra) - here; विहितः (vihitaḥ) - established; पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - before; दैवैः (devaiḥ) - by the gods; महात्मभिः (mahātmabhiḥ) - by the great souls; तम् (tam) - that; यदि (yadi) - if; इच्छसि (icchasi) - you wish; कर्तुम् (kartum) - to do; त्वम् (tvam) - you; प्राप्स्यसि (prāpsyasi) - you will obtain; ईमाम् (īmām) - this; प्रमद्वराम् (pramadvarām) - beautiful lady;]
Here, a means has been established before by the gods and the great souls. If you wish to do that, you will obtain this beautiful lady.
रुरुरुवाच॥
rururuvāca॥
[रुरु (ruru) - Ruru; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Ruru said.
क उपायः कृतो देवैर्ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन खेचर । करिष्ये तं तथा श्रुत्वा त्रातुमर्हति मां भवान् ॥१-००९-९॥
ka upāyaḥ kṛto devairbrūhi tattvena khecara । kariṣye taṃ tathā śrutvā trātumarhati māṃ bhavān ॥1-009-9॥
[क (ka) - what; उपायः (upāyaḥ) - means; कृतः (kṛtaḥ) - made; देवैः (devaiḥ) - by the gods; ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell; तत्त्वेन (tattvena) - truly; खेचर (khecara) - O celestial; करिष्ये (kariṣye) - I will do; तं (taṃ) - that; तथा (tathā) - thus; श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard; त्रातुम् (trātum) - to protect; अर्हति (arhati) - deserves; मां (māṃ) - me; भवान् (bhavān) - you;]
What means have been made by the gods, tell truly, O celestial. I will do that, having heard, you deserve to protect me.
देवदूत उवाच॥
devadūta uvāca॥
[देवदूत (devadūta) - messenger of the gods; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
The messenger of the gods said.
आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छस्व कन्यायै भृगुनन्दन । एवमुत्थास्यति रुरो तव भार्या प्रमद्वरा ॥१-००९-१०॥
āyuṣo'rdhaṃ prayacchasva kanyāyai bhṛgunandana । evamutthāsyati ruro tava bhāryā pramadvarā ॥1-009-10॥
[आयुषः (āyuṣaḥ) - of life; अर्धम् (ardham) - half; प्रयच्छस्व (prayacchasva) - give; कन्यायै (kanyāyai) - to the maiden; भृगुनन्दन (bhṛgunandana) - O son of Bhrigu; एवम् (evam) - thus; उत्थास्यति (utthāsyati) - will rise; रुरः (ruraḥ) - Ruru; तव (tava) - your; भार्या (bhāryā) - wife; प्रमद्वरा (pramadvarā) - Pramadvara;]
O son of Bhrigu, give half of your life to the maiden; thus, Ruru, your wife Pramadvara will rise.
रुरुरुवाच॥
rururuvāca॥
[रुरु (ruru) - Ruru; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Ruru said.
आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि कन्यायै खेचरोत्तम । शृङ्गाररूपाभरणा उत्तिष्ठतु मम प्रिया ॥१-००९-११॥
āyuṣo'rdhaṃ prayacchāmi kanyāyai khecarottama । śṛṅgārarūpābharaṇā uttiṣṭhatu mama priyā ॥1-009-11॥
[आयुषः (āyuṣaḥ) - of life; अर्धम् (ardham) - half; प्रयच्छामि (prayacchāmi) - I offer; कन्यायै (kanyāyai) - to the maiden; खेचर (khecara) - O celestial being; उत्तम (uttama) - best; शृङ्गार (śṛṅgāra) - beauty; रूप (rūpa) - form; आभरणा (ābharaṇā) - adorned; उत्तिष्ठतु (uttiṣṭhatu) - let her rise; मम (mama) - my; प्रिया (priyā) - beloved;]
I offer half of my life to the maiden, O best of celestial beings. Let my beloved, adorned in the form of beauty, rise.
सूत उवाच॥
sūta uvāca॥
[सूत (sūta) - Sūta; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Sūta said.
ततो गन्धर्वराजश्च देवदूतश्च सत्तमौ । धर्मराजमुपेत्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषताम् ॥१-००९-१२॥
tato gandharvarājaśca devadūtaśca sattamau । dharmarājamupetyedaṃ vacanaṃ pratyabhāṣatām ॥1-009-12॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; गन्धर्वराजः (gandharvarājaḥ) - king of the Gandharvas; च (ca) - and; देवदूतः (devadūtaḥ) - divine messenger; च (ca) - and; सत्तमौ (sattamau) - the two excellent ones; धर्मराजम् (dharmarājam) - to Dharmaraja; उपेत्य (upetya) - approaching; इदं (idaṃ) - this; वचनं (vacanaṃ) - speech; प्रत्यभाषताम् (pratyabhāṣatām) - addressed;]
Then the king of the Gandharvas and the divine messenger, the two excellent ones, approached Dharmaraja and addressed this speech.
धर्मराजायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोर्भार्या प्रमद्वरा । समुत्तिष्ठतु कल्याणी मृतैव यदि मन्यसे ॥१-००९-१३॥
dharmarājāyuṣo'rdhena rurorbhāryā pramadvarā । samuttiṣṭhatu kalyāṇī mṛtaiva yadi manyase ॥1-009-13॥
[धर्मराज (dharmarāja) - king of righteousness; आयुषः (āyuṣaḥ) - of life; अर्धेन (ardhena) - with half; रुरोः (ruroḥ) - of Ruru; भार्या (bhāryā) - wife; प्रमद्वरा (pramadvarā) - Pramadvara; समुत्तिष्ठतु (samuttiṣṭhatu) - may rise; कल्याणी (kalyāṇī) - auspicious one; मृता (mṛtā) - dead; एव (eva) - indeed; यदि (yadi) - if; मन्यसे (manyase) - you think;]
Pramadvara, the wife of Ruru, with half the life of the king of righteousness, may rise, auspicious one, if you think she is indeed dead.
धर्मराज उवाच॥
dharmarāja uvāca॥
[धर्मराज (dharmarāja) - Dharmaraja; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Dharmaraja said.
प्रमद्वरा रुरोर्भार्या देवदूत यदीच्छसि । उत्तिष्ठत्वायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोरेव समन्विता ॥१-००९-१४॥
pramadvare rurorbharya devaduta yadichchhasi । uttishthatvayusho'rdhena ruroreva samanvita ॥1-009-14॥
[प्रमद्वरा (pramadvare) - Pramadvara; रुरोः (ruror) - of Ruru; भार्या (bharya) - wife; देवदूत (devaduta) - O divine messenger; यदि (yadi) - if; इच्छसि (ichchhasi) - you desire; उत्तिष्ठतु (uttishthatv) - let her rise; आयुषः (ayushah) - of life; अर्धेन (ardhena) - by half; रुरोः (ruror) - of Ruru; एव (eva) - indeed; समन्विता (samanvita) - endowed;]
Pramadvara, the wife of Ruru, O divine messenger, if you desire, let her rise, endowed with half of Ruru's life indeed.
सूत उवाच॥
sūta uvāca॥
[सूत (sūta) - Sūta; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Sūta said.
एवमुक्ते ततः कन्या सोदतिष्ठत्प्रमद्वरा । रुरोस्तस्यायुषोऽर्धेन सुप्तेव वरवर्णिनी ॥१-००९-१५॥
evamukte tataḥ kanyā sodatiṣṭhatpramadvārā । rurostasyāyuṣo'rdhena supteva varavarṇinī ॥1-009-15॥
[एवम् (evam) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - having been spoken; ततः (tataḥ) - then; कन्या (kanyā) - the maiden; सा (sā) - she; उदतिष्ठत् (udatiṣṭhat) - stood up; प्रमद्वरा (pramadvārā) - the best among women; रुरोः (ruroḥ) - cried; तस्य (tasya) - of him; आयुषः (āyuṣaḥ) - of life; अर्धेन (ardhena) - with half; सुप्तेव (supteva) - as if asleep; वरवर्णिनी (varavarṇinī) - the beautiful one;]
Thus having been spoken, then the maiden, the best among women, stood up. She cried, as if asleep, with half of his life, the beautiful one.
एतद्दृष्टं भविष्ये हि रुरोरुत्तमतेजसः । आयुषोऽतिप्रवृद्धस्य भार्यार्थेऽर्धं ह्रसत्विति ॥१-००९-१६॥
etad dṛṣṭaṃ bhaviṣye hi ruror uttamatejasaḥ । āyuṣo'tipravṛddhasya bhāryārthe'rdhaṃ hrasatv iti ॥1-009-16॥
[एतत् (etat) - this; दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam) - seen; भविष्ये (bhaviṣye) - in future; हि (hi) - indeed; रुरोः (ruroḥ) - of Ruru; उत्तमतेजसः (uttamatejasaḥ) - of great energy; आयुषः (āyuṣaḥ) - of life; अतिप्रवृद्धस्य (atipravṛddhasya) - excessively prolonged; भार्यार्थे (bhāryārthe) - for the sake of wife; अर्धम् (ardham) - half; ह्रसत्व् (hrasatv) - let it decrease; इति (iti) - thus;]
This is seen in the future indeed, of Ruru of great energy: let the excessively prolonged life decrease by half for the sake of the wife.
तत इष्टेऽहनि तयोः पितरौ चक्रतुर्मुदा । विवाहं तौ च रेमाते परस्परहितैषिणौ ॥१-००९-१७॥
tata iṣṭe'hani tayoḥ pitarau cakraturmudā । vivāhaṃ tau ca remāte parasparahitaiṣiṇau ॥1-009-17॥
[तत् (tat) - then; इष्टे (iṣṭe) - auspicious; अहनि (ahani) - day; तयोः (tayoḥ) - their; पितरौ (pitarau) - parents; चक्रतु (cakratu) - performed; मुदा (mudā) - with joy; विवाहम् (vivāham) - marriage; तौ (tau) - they; च (ca) - and; रेमाते (remāte) - enjoyed; परस्पर (paraspara) - each other; हितैषिणौ (hitaiṣiṇau) - well-wishers;]
Then, on an auspicious day, their parents performed the marriage with joy, and they enjoyed each other's company as well-wishers.
स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्यां पद्मकिञ्जल्कसप्रभाम् । व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रतः ॥१-००९-१८॥
sa labdhvā durlabhāṃ bhāryāṃ padmakiñjalkasaprabhām । vrataṃ cakre vināśāya jihmagānāṃ dhṛtavrataḥ ॥1-009-18॥
[स (sa) - he; लब्ध्वा (labdhvā) - having obtained; दुर्लभां (durlabhāṃ) - rare; भार्यां (bhāryāṃ) - wife; पद्मकिञ्जल्कसप्रभाम् (padmakiñjalkasaprabhām) - with the radiance of lotus filaments; व्रतं (vrataṃ) - vow; चक्रे (cakre) - made; विनाशाय (vināśāya) - for the destruction; जिह्मगानां (jihmagānāṃ) - of the crooked ones; धृतव्रतः (dhṛtavrataḥ) - steadfast in his vow;]
He, having obtained a rare wife with the radiance of lotus filaments, made a vow for the destruction of the crooked ones, steadfast in his vow.
स दृष्ट्वा जिह्मगान्सर्वांस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः । अभिहन्ति यथासन्नं गृह्य प्रहरणं सदा ॥१-००९-१९॥
sa dṛṣṭvā jihmagānsarvāṃstīvrakopasamanvitaḥ । abhihanti yathāsannaṃ gṛhya praharaṇaṃ sadā ॥1-009-19॥
[स (sa) - he; दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen; जिह्मगान् (jihmagān) - crooked ones; सर्वान् (sarvān) - all; तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः (tīvrakopasamanvitaḥ) - filled with intense anger; अभिहन्ति (abhihanti) - strikes; यथासन्नं (yathāsannaṃ) - as they come; गृह्य (gṛhya) - taking; प्रहरणं (praharaṇaṃ) - weapon; सदा (sadā) - always;]
"He, having seen all the crooked ones, filled with intense anger, strikes as they come, always taking up a weapon."
स कदाचिद्वनं विप्रो रुरुरभ्यागमन्महत् । शयानं तत्र चापश्यड्डुण्डुभं वयसान्वितम् ॥१-००९-२०॥
sa kadācid vanaṃ vipro rurur abhyāgaman mahat । śayānaṃ tatra cāpaśyaḍ ḍuṇḍubhaṃ vayasānvitam ॥1-009-020॥
[स (sa) - he; कदाचित् (kadācit) - once; वनं (vanaṃ) - forest; विप्रः (vipraḥ) - sage; रुरुः (ruruḥ) - Ruru; अभ्यागमत् (abhyāgamat) - approached; महत् (mahat) - great; शयानम् (śayānam) - lying; तत्र (tatra) - there; च (ca) - and; अपश्यत् (apaśyat) - saw; डुण्डुभम् (ḍuṇḍubham) - Dundubha; वयसा (vayasā) - with age; अन्वितम् (anvitam) - endowed;]
Once, the sage Ruru approached the great forest and saw Dundubha lying there, endowed with age.
तत उद्यम्य दण्डं स कालदण्डोपमं तदा । अभ्यघ्नद्रुषितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाथ डुण्डुभः ॥१-००९-२१॥
tata udyamya daṇḍaṃ sa kāladaṇḍopamaṃ tadā । abhyaghnadruṣito viprastamuvācātha ḍuṇḍubhaḥ ॥1-009-21॥
[तत (tata) - then; उद्यम्य (udyamya) - raising; दण्डं (daṇḍaṃ) - staff; स (sa) - he; कालदण्डोपमं (kāladaṇḍopamaṃ) - like the staff of time; तदा (tadā) - then; अभ्यघ्नत् (abhyaghnat) - struck; रुषितः (ruṣitaḥ) - angry; विप्रः (vipraḥ) - sage; तम् (tam) - him; उवाच (uvāca) - said; अथ (atha) - then; डुण्डुभः (ḍuṇḍubhaḥ) - Dundubha;]
Then, raising the staff, he, like the staff of time, struck in anger, and the sage said to him, 'Dundubha.'
नापराध्यामि ते किञ्चिदहमद्य तपोधन । संरम्भात्तत्किमर्थं मामभिहंसि रुषान्वितः ॥१-००९-२२॥
nāparādhyāmi te kiñcidahamadya tapodhana । saṁrambhāttatkīmarthaṁ māmabhihaṁsi ruṣānvitaḥ ॥1-009-22॥
[न (na) - not; अपराध्यामि (aparādhyāmi) - I offend; ते (te) - your; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything; अहम् (aham) - I; अद्य (adya) - today; तपोधन (tapodhana) - O ascetic; संरम्भात् (saṁrambhāt) - out of anger; तत् (tat) - that; किमर्थम् (kimartham) - why; माम् (mām) - me; अभिहंसि (abhihaṁsi) - you harm; रुषा (ruṣā) - with wrath; अन्वितः (anvitaḥ) - endowed;]
"O ascetic, I have not offended you in any way today. Then why do you harm me out of anger, endowed with wrath?"
