01.041
Library: Jaratkaru is advised by his ancestors to abandon mindless austerities and to get offspring.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
etasmínneva kāle tu jaratkārurmahātapāḥ। cacāra pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ yatrasāyaṅgṛho muniḥ ॥1-41-1॥
During this time, the great ascetic Jaratkaru wandered the whole earth, where the sage resided in the evening.
carandīkṣāṃ mahātejā duścarāmakṛtātmabhiḥ। tīrtheṣvāplavanaṃ kurvanpuṇyeṣu vicacāra ha ॥1-41-2॥
The greatly powerful one, wandering in initiation, performed difficult tasks that are hard for those who have not subdued themselves, bathing in holy places and wandering in sacred areas.
vāyubhakṣo nirāhāraḥ śuṣyannaharaharmuniḥ। sa dadarśa pitṝn garte lambamānān adhomukhān ॥1-41-3॥
The sage, who survived on air and abstained from food, saw his ancestors hanging upside down in the pit, drying up day by day.
ekatantvavaśiṣṭaṃ vai vīraṇastambamāśritān। taṃ ca tantuṃ śanairākhumādadānaṃ bilāśrayam ॥1-41-4॥
A single thread remained in the clump of grass, which was slowly taken by a mouse living in its hole.
nirāhārān kṛśān dīnān garte''rtāṃs trāṇam icchataḥ। upasṛtya sa tān dīnān dīnarūpo'bhyabhāṣata ॥1-41-5॥
He approached the miserable and emaciated ones in the pit who were seeking protection, and in a pitiable form, he spoke to them.
ke bhavanto'valambante vīraṇastambamāśritāḥ। durbalaṃ khāditairmūlairākhunā bilavāsinā ॥1-41-6॥
Who are you to depend on a reed pillar, weakened by roots eaten by a rat living in a hole?
vīraṇastambake mūlaṃ yadapyekamiha sthitam। tadapyayaṃ śanairākhurādatte daśanaiḥ śitaiḥ ॥1-41-7॥
Even though the root of the grass clump is firmly situated here, the rat gradually gnaws it away with its sharp teeth.
chetsyate'lpāvaśiṣṭatvādetadapyacirādiva। tataḥ stha patitāro'tra garte asminnadhomukhāḥ ॥1-41-8॥
This will soon be cut off as there is little left. Then you will be the fallen ones here in this pit, face downwards.
tato me duḥkhamutpannaṃ dṛṣṭvā yuṣmānadhomukhān। kṛcchrāmāpadamāpannānpriyaṃ kiṃ karavāṇi vaḥ ॥1-41-9॥
Then, seeing you all with downcast faces, having fallen into a difficult situation, my dear ones, what can I do for you?
tapasō'sya caturthēna tṛtīyēnāpi vā punaḥ। ardhēna vāpi nistartumāpadaṁ brūta māciram ॥1-41-10॥
Tell me quickly how to overcome the difficulty, whether by a quarter, a third, or even half of his penance.
athavāpi samagreṇa tarantu tapasā mama। bhavantaḥ sarva evāsmātkāmamevaṃ vidhīyatām ॥1-41-11॥
Alternatively, you all may completely overcome this desire through penance, and let it be arranged as such.
pitara ūcuḥ॥
The fathers spoke:
ṛddho bhavān brahmacārī yo nas trātum ihecchati। na tu viprāgrya tapasā śakyam etad vyapohitum ॥1-41-12॥
You, who are prosperous and a celibate, wish to protect us here. However, O esteemed sage, this cannot be resolved through penance.
asti nastāta tapasaḥ phalaṃ pravadatāṃ vara। santānaprakṣayādbrahmanpatāmo niraye'śucau ॥1-41-13॥
Dear, there is indeed the fruit of our penance, O esteemed speaker. Due to the loss of progeny, O Brahman, we descend into an impure hell.
lambatāmiha nastāta na jñānaṃ pratibhāti vai| yena tvāṃ nābhijānīmo loke vikhyātapauruṣam ॥1-41-14॥
Let our stay here be prolonged, father, for we do not recognize you, who are renowned for valor in the world.
ṛddho bhavānmahābhāgo yo naḥ śocyānsuduḥkhitān। śocasyupetya kāruṇyācchṛṇu ye vai vayaṃ dvija ॥1-41-15॥
O fortunate one, you are prosperous and grieve for us who are very miserable and to be pitied. Having approached us out of compassion, hear who we indeed are, O Brahmin.
yāyāvarā nāma vayamṛṣayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ। lokātpuṇyādiha bhraṣṭāḥ santānaprakṣayādvibho ॥1-41-16॥
We, the sages known as wanderers with firm vows, have fallen from the virtuous world due to the loss of progeny, O lord.
pranaṣṭaṃ nastapaḥ puṇyaṃ na hi nastanturasti vai। asti tvekoadya nastantuḥ so'pi nāsti yathā tathā ॥1-41-17॥
Our penance and virtue have been lost; indeed, our lineage is gone. Today, there is only one remaining of our lineage, and he too is as good as gone.
mandabhāgyo'lpabhāgyānāṃ bandhuḥ sa kila naḥ kule। jaratkāruriti khyāto vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ ॥ niyatātmā mahātmā ca suvrataḥ sumahātapāḥ ॥1-41-18॥
Jaratkaru, known in our family as a relative of those with little fortune, is indeed a great soul, self-controlled, an expert in Vedas and Vedangas, of good vows, and a great ascetic.
tena sma tapaso lobhātkṛcchramāpāditā vayam। na tasya bhāryā putro vā bāndhavo vāsti kaścana ॥1-41-19॥
Due to his greed for penance, we were indeed brought into hardship by him. He has no wife, son, or any relative.
tasmāllambāmahe garte naṣṭasañjñā hyanāthavat. sa vaktavyastvayā dṛṣṭvā asmākaṃ nāthavattayā ॥1-41-20॥
Therefore, we are left hanging in the pit, unconscious and helpless like orphans. You must inform him, having seen our need for protection.
pitaraste'valambante garte dīnā adhomukhāḥ। sādhu dārān kuruṣveti prajāyasveti cābhibho ॥ kulatanturhi naḥ śiṣṭastvamevaikastapodhana ॥1-41-21॥
Your ancestors are suffering in the pit, looking miserable and downward. They urge you to marry and procreate to continue the family line, as you are the only one left, O revered sage.
yaṁ tu paśyasi no brahman vīraṇastambam āśritān। eṣo'smākaṁ kulastamba āsīt svakulavardhanaḥ ॥1-41-22॥
O Brahman, the one you see leaning against a bundle of reeds was once the pillar of our family, enhancing its lineage.
yāni paśyasi vai brahmanmūlānīhāsya vīrudhaḥ। ete nastantavastāta kālena paribhakṣitāḥ ॥1-41-23॥
O Brahman, the roots of these plants you see here are indeed our threads, dear one, and they have been consumed by time.
yattvetatpaśyasi brahmanmūlamasyārdhabhakṣitam। tatra lambāmahe sarve so'pyekastapa āsthitaḥ ॥1-41-24॥
O Brahman, what you see is the root of this tree, half-eaten. We all hang there, and he too is engaged in penance.
yamākhuṃ paśyasi brahmankāla eṣa mahābalaḥ। sa taṃ taporataṃ mandaṃ śanaiḥ kṣapayate tudan ॥ jaratkāruṃ tapolubdhaṃ mandātmānamacetasam ॥1-41-25॥
O Brahman, whom you see is the powerful time. He gradually destroys the slow and unconscious Jaratkaru, who is engaged in austerity and desirous of it.
na hi nastattapastasya tārayiṣyati sattama। chinnamūlānparibhraṣṭānkālopahatacetasaḥ ॥ narakapratītiṣṭhānpashyāsmānyathā duṣkṛtinastathā ॥1-41-26॥
O virtuous one, that penance of his will not save us, as we are uprooted, fallen, and our minds are afflicted by time, established in hell, see us as sinners.
asmāsu patiteṣvatra saha pūrvaiḥ pitāmahaiḥ। chinnaḥ kālena so'pyatra gantā vai narakaṃ tataḥ ॥1-41-27॥
Here, among us who have fallen with our ancestors and grandfathers, he too, cut off by time, will indeed go to hell from here.
tapo vāpyathavā yajño yaccānyatpāvanaṃ mahat| tatsarvaṃ na samaṃ tāta santatyeti satāṃ matam ॥1-41-28॥
Austerity, sacrifice, or any other great purifying act is not considered equal to continuity, dear one, according to the opinion of the wise.
sa tāta dṛṣṭvā brūyāstvaṃ jaratkāruṃ tapasvinam। yathādṛṣṭamidaṃ cāsmai tvayākhyeyamaśeṣataḥ ॥1-41-29॥
O father, after seeing, you should tell the ascetic Jaratkaru everything you have seen, completely and without omission.
yathā dārān prakuryāt sa putrāṁś ca utpādayet yathā। tathā brahman tvayā vācyaḥ saḥ asmākaṁ nāthavat tayā ॥1-41-30॥
Just as one should establish a family by marrying and having children, similarly, O Brahman, you should refer to him as our protector through her.
