01.042
Library: Jaratkaru agrees to marry, but on condition.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
etacchrutvā jaratkārurduḥkhaśokaparāyaṇaḥ। uvāca svānpitṛnduḥkhādbāṣpasaṃdigdhayā girā ॥1-42-1॥
Upon hearing this, Jaratkaru, overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, spoke to his ancestors with a voice choked by tears.
ahameva jaratkāruḥ kilbiṣī bhavatāṃ sutaḥ। taddaṇḍaṃ dhārayata me duṣkṛterakṛtātmanaḥ ॥1-42-2॥
I am indeed Jaratkaru, your sinful son. Please bear the punishment for my sins, as I am undisciplined.
pitara ūcuḥ॥
The fathers said:
putra diṣṭyāsi samprāpta imaṃ deśaṃ yadṛcchayā| kimarthaṃ ca tvayā brahmann kṛto dārasaṅgrahaḥ ॥1-42-3॥
Son, it is fortunate that you have arrived at this place by chance. O Brahman, for what reason have you undertaken marriage?
jaratkāruruvāca॥
Jaratkaru spoke:
mamāyaṃ pitaro nityaṃ hṛdyarthaḥ parivartate। ūrdhvaretāḥ śarīraṃ vai prāpayeyamamutra vai ॥1-42-4॥
My father, who is always dear to me, undergoes changes. I should indeed attain the ascetic state of the body there.
evaṃ dṛṣṭvā tu bhavataḥ śakuntāniva lambataḥ। mayā nivartitā buddhirbrahmacaryātpitāmahāḥ ॥1-42-5॥
O forefathers, upon seeing your birds hanging like this, my resolve towards celibacy was reversed.
kariṣye vaḥ priyaṃ kāmaṃ nivekṣye nātra saṃśayaḥ। sanāmnīṃ yadyahaṃ kanyāmupalapsye kadācana ॥1-42-6॥
I will fulfill your dear wish and place it, there is no doubt here. If I ever find a girl with a name.
bhaviṣyati ca yā kācidbhaikṣavatsvayamudyatā। pratigrahītā tāmasmi na bhareyaṃ ca yāmaham ॥1-42-7॥
And whoever is prepared to live like a beggar herself, I will accept her, but I will not support anyone whom I am.
evaṁvidhamahaṁ kuryāṁ niveśaṁ prāpnuyāṁ yadi। anyathā na kariṣye tu satyametatpitāmahāḥ ॥1-42-8॥
If I were to make such a settlement, I would achieve it; otherwise, I will not do it, but this is the truth, O forefathers.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
evamuktvā tu sa pitṛṃścacāra pṛthivīṃ muniḥ| na ca sma labhate bhāryāṃ vṛddho'yamiti śaunaka ॥1-42-9॥
After speaking thus, the sage wandered the earth, but he could not find a wife because he was considered old, as Śaunaka said.
yadā nirvedamāpannaḥ pitṛbhiścoditastathā| tadāraṇyaṃ sa gatvoccaścukrośa bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ ॥1-42-10॥
When he fell into despair, urged by his ancestors, he went to the forest and cried out loudly in great distress.
yāni bhūtāni santīha sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca। antarhitāni vā yāni tāni śṛṇvantu me vacaḥ ॥1-42-11॥
May all beings, whether they are visible or hidden, movable or immovable, listen to my words.
ugre tapasi vartantaṃ pitaraścodayanti mām। niviśasveti duḥkhārtāsteṣāṃ priyacikīrṣayā ॥1-42-12॥
My ancestors, distressed and wishing to please them, urge me to settle while I am engaged in intense penance.
niveśārthyakhilāṃ bhūmiṃ kanyābhaikṣaṃ carāmi bhoḥ। daridro duḥkhaśīlaśca pitṛbhiḥ saṃniyojitaḥ ॥1-42-13॥
I am wandering to seek alms for my daughter's settlement on the entire land, O! Being poor and of a sorrowful nature, I have been engaged by my fathers.
yasya kanyāsti bhūtasya ye mayeha prakīrtitāḥ। te me kanyāṃ prayacchantu carataḥ sarvatodiśam ॥1-42-14॥
Those beings whose daughters I have mentioned here, may they give my daughter as I wander in all directions.
mama kanyā sanāmnī yā bhaikṣavaccodyatā bhavet। bhareyaṃ caiva yāṃ nāhaṃ tāṃ me kanyāṃ prayacchata ॥1-42-15॥
Give my daughter, who is named, and who would be urged like a beggar, whom I would indeed support, but not me.
tataste pannagā ye vai jaratkārau samāhitāḥ। tāmādāya pravṛttiṃ te vāsukeḥ pratyavedayan ॥1-42-16॥
Then the serpents, who were indeed associated with Jaratkaru, took her and informed Vasuki about the situation.
teṣāṃ śrutvā sa nāgendraḥ kanyāṃ tāṃ samalaṅkṛtām। pragṛhyāraṇyamagamatsamīpaṃ tasya pannagaḥ ॥1-42-17॥
Upon hearing about them, the lord of serpents took the adorned maiden and went to the forest near his serpent.
tatra tāṃ bhaikṣavatkanyāṃ prādāttasmai mahātmane। nāgendro vāsukirbrahmanna sa tāṃ pratyagṛhṇata ॥1-42-18॥
In that place, Vāsuki, the king of serpents, offered the beggar-maiden to the great soul, and O Brahman, he accepted her.
asanāmeti vai matvā bharaṇe cāvicārite। mokṣabhāve sthitaścāpi dvandvībhūtaḥ parigrahe ॥1-42-19॥
Indeed, having considered the name thus, one remains in sustenance and unconsidered, situated in the state of liberation, and also becomes dual in possession.
tato nāma sa kanyāyāḥ papraccha bhṛgunandana। vāsuke bharaṇaṃ cāsyā na kuryāmityuvāca ha ॥1-42-20॥
Then, the son of Bhrigu asked the name of the girl. He said to Vasuki that he should not take responsibility for her maintenance.
