01.221
Pancharatra: Struggle of Jarita and her four offspring.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ prajvalite śukre śārṅgakās te suduḥkhitāḥ। vyathitāḥ paramodvignā nādhijagmuḥ parāyaṇam ॥1-221-1॥
Then, when Śukra was ignited, the Śārṅgakas, greatly afflicted and deeply distressed, could not find any refuge. (1-221-1)
niśāmya putrakān bālān mātā teṣāṃ tapasvinī | jaritā duḥkha-santaptā vilalāpa nareśvara ||1-221-2||
O king, upon hearing her sons, the ascetic mother Jarita, overwhelmed with sorrow, began to lament. (1-221-2)
ayam agnir dahan kakṣam ita āyāti bhīṣaṇaḥ। jagat sandīpayan bhīmaḥ mama duḥkha-vivardhanaḥ ॥1-221-3॥
This terrible fire, having reached the forest, comes burning; it inflames the world, and fearsomely increases my sorrow. (1-221-3)
ime ca māṃ karṣayanti śiśavo mandacētasaḥ। abarhāścaraṇairhīnāḥ pūrveṣāṃ naḥ parāyaṇam ॥ trāsayaṃścāyamāyāti lelihāno mahīruhān ॥1-221-4॥
These dull-minded children drag me; unworthy, deprived of the feet, the refuge of our ancestors; and this one comes frightening, licking the trees. (1-221-4)
aśaktimattvācca sutā na śaktāḥ saraṇe mama। ādāya ca na śaktāsmi putrānsaritumanyataḥ ॥1-221-5॥
Because of incapacity, my sons are not able to move; nor am I able to take my sons and move them elsewhere. (1-221-5)
na ca tyaktumahaṃ śaktā hṛdayaṃ dūyatīva me। kaṃ nu jahyāmahaṃ putraṃ kamādāya vrajāmyaham ॥1-221-6॥
And I am not able to abandon; my heart feels as if it is pained. Whom indeed should I abandon, my son? Whom should I take and go? (1-221-6)
kiṁ nu me syāt kṛtaṁ kṛtvā manyadhvaṁ putrakāḥ katham। cintayānā vimokṣaṁ vo nādhigacchāmi kiñcana ॥ chādayitvā ca vo gātraiḥ kariṣye maraṇaṁ saha ॥1-221-7॥
What could I possibly do for you, my sons? How do you think I can help? While I ponder, I find no way to bring you liberation. Therefore, covering you with my own body, I will die together with you. (1-221-7)
jaritārau kulaṃ hīdaṃ jyeṣṭhatvena pratiṣṭhitam। sārisṛkvaḥ prajāyeta pitṝṇāṃ kulavardhanaḥ ॥1-221-8॥
The two householders—this family is indeed established by seniority. A son who continues the lineage and increases the family of the ancestors should be born. (1-221-8)
stambamitras tapaḥ kuryād droṇo brahmavid uttamaḥ। ityevam uktvā prayayau pitā vo nirghṛṇaḥ purā ॥1-221-9॥
Stambamitra should perform austerity; Droṇa, the foremost knower of Brahman. Having said this, your pitiless father departed long ago. (1-221-9)
kamupādāya śakyeta gantuṃ kasyāpaduttamā। kiṃ nu kṛtvā kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ bhavediti ca vihvalā ॥1-221-10॥
She, distressed, wondered: "What could I take up to reach the greatest misfortune of someone? What, indeed, if done, would fulfill my duty?" (1-221-10)
nāpaśyatsvadhiyā mokṣaṃ svasutānāṃ tadānalāt। evaṃ bruvantīṃ śārṅgāste pratyūcuratha mātaram ॥1-221-11॥
She could not perceive, by her own wisdom, the liberation of her sons from the fire at that time. Thus, as she was speaking, the Śārṅgas replied to their mother. (1-221-11)
sneham utsṛjya mātas tvaṃ pata yatra na havyavāṭ। asmāsu hi vinaṣṭeṣu bhavitāraḥ sutās tava ॥ tvayi mātar vinaṣṭāyāṃ na naḥ syāt kulasantatiḥ ॥1-221-12॥
O mother, abandoning affection, you fall where there is no sacred fire. Indeed, if we are destroyed, your sons would be the future. But if you, mother, are destroyed, our family lineage would not continue. (1-221-12)
anvavekṣyaitadubhayaṃ kṣamaṃ syādyatkulāsya naḥ। tadvai kartuṃ paraḥ kālo mātareṣa bhavettava ॥1-221-13॥
O mother, having examined both of these, whatever is proper for our family, that indeed should be done by you at the appropriate time. (1-221-13)
mā vai kulavināśāya snehaṃ kārṣīḥ suteṣu naḥ। na hīdaṃ karma moghaṃ syāllokakāmasya naḥ pituḥ ॥1-221-14॥
Do not, indeed, out of affection for our sons, act in a way that would destroy the family; for this action should not be in vain for our father who desires worldly prosperity. (1-221-14)
jaritovāca॥
The sage Jarita spoke.
idam ākhor bilaṃ bhūmau vṛkṣasyāsya samīpataḥ। tad āviśadhvaṃ tvaritā vahnēr atra na vo bhayam ॥1-221-15॥
This is the mongoose's burrow on the ground near this tree. Enter it quickly; here, you need not fear the fire. (1-221-15)
tato'haṃ pāṃsunā chidrama-pidhāsyāmi putrakāḥ। evaṃ pratikṛtaṃ manye jvalataḥ kṛṣṇavartmanaḥ ॥1-221-16॥
Then I shall cover the hole with dust, my sons. In this way, I believe the burning of the black wick is counteracted. (1-221-16)
tata eṣyāmy atīte'gnau vihartuṃ pāṃsusañcayam| rocatām eṣa vo pāyo vimokṣāya hutāśanāt ॥1-221-17॥
Then I will go, after the time has passed, to play in the heap of sand in the fire. Let this method be agreeable to you for release from the fire. (1-221-17)
śārṅgakā ūcuḥ॥
The descendants of Śārṅga said.
abarhān māṃsabhūtān naḥ kravyādākhur vināśayet | paśyamānā bhayam idaṃ na śakṣyāmo niṣevitum ॥1-221-18॥
The flesh-eating rat should destroy us, who are of flesh, from the unworthy. Seeing this danger, we will not be able to stay here. (1-221-18)
katham agnir na no dahyāt katham ākhuḥ na bhakṣayet। kathaṃ na syāt pitā moghaḥ kathaṃ mātā dhriyeta naḥ ॥1-221-19॥
How can it be that fire does not burn us? How can the mouse not eat? How can the father not be in vain? How can the mother be sustained for us? (1-221-19)
bila ākhorvināśaḥ syād agner ākāśacāriṇām। anvavekṣyaitad ubhayaṃ śreyān dāho na bhakṣaṇam ॥1-221-20॥
The destruction of the rat's hole can be accomplished by fire from those who move in the sky. Considering both options, burning is preferable to eating. (1-221-20)
garhitaṃ maraṇaṃ naḥ syād ākhunā khādatā bile। śiṣṭādiṣṭaḥ parityāgaḥ śarīrasya hutāśanāt ॥1-221-21॥
For us, a death by being eaten by a rat in a hole would be disgraceful. The abandonment of the body in fire, as instructed by the noble, is preferable. (1-221-21)
