वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रज्वलिते वह्नौ शाईकास्ते सुदुःखिताः। व्यथिताः परमोद्विग्ना नाधिजग्मुः परायणम्॥
Vaishampayana said: When the fire blazed up the Sharangakas became very much distressed. Afflicted with anxiety, they did not fine any means of escape.
निशम्य पुत्रकान् बालान् माता तेषां तपस्विनी। जरिता शोकदुःखाती विललाप सुदुःखिता॥
Their ascetic mother Jarita, full of grief and sorrow, seeing that her sons were too young to escape, wept and lamented in grief.
जरितोवाच अयमग्निर्दहन् कक्षमित आयाति भीषणः। जगत् संदीपयन् भीमो मम दुःखविवर्धनः॥
Jarita said : Alas, the terrible fire, the enhancer of my misery, is coming towards us, illuminating the whole universe and burning the forest.
इमे च मां कर्षयन्ति शिशवो मन्दचेतसः। अबर्दाश्चरङ्गीनाः पूर्वेषां नः परायणाः॥
I am filled with sorrow for the sake of these infants with immature understanding and without feathers and feet, who are the sole refuge of our deceased ancestors.
त्रासयंश्चायमायाति लेलिहानो महीरुहान्। अजातपक्षाश्च सुता न शक्ताः सरणे मम॥
The fire is rushing towards us, licking with its tongue the tallest trees and spreading fear all around. My unfledged children are incapable of effecting their escape.
आदाय च न शक्नोमि पुत्रांस्तरितुमात्मना। न च त्यक्तुमहं शक्ता हृदयं दूयतीव मे॥
I myself am incapable of escapingspecially taking all these (my children) with me. I am incapable of abandoning them; my heart is distressed for their sake.
कं तु जह्यामहं पुत्रं कमादाय व्रजाम्यहम्। किं न मे नु मे स्यात् कृतं कृत्वा मन्यध्वं पुत्रकाः कथम्।७।।
Whom amongst my sons shall I leave behind and whom shall I carry with me? What should I do which is consistent with duty? O my infant sons, what is your opinion?
चिन्तयानां विमोक्षं वो नाधिगच्छामि किंचन। छादयिष्यामि वो गात्रैः करिष्ये मरणं सह॥
Even after good deal of reflection, I do not see any way of escape for you. I shall now cover you with my wings and die with you.
जरितारौ कुलं ह्येतज्ज्येष्ठत्वेन प्रतिष्ठितम्। सारिसृक्कः प्रजायेत पितॄणां कुलवर्धनः॥ स्तम्बमित्रस्तपः कुर्याद् द्रोणो ब्रह्मविदां वरः। इत्येवमुक्त्वा प्रययौ पिता वो निर्वृणः पुरा॥
Your cruel father went away saying, “O Jarita, my race will depend on this Jaritari, because he is the eldest of my sons. My second son Sarisrikka will beget offsprings for the spread of my forefather's race; my third son Stambamitra will be devoted to asceticism; and my youngest son Drona will be the foremost of all the learned men in the Vedas."
कमुपादाय शक्येयं गन्तुं कष्टापदुत्तमा। किं नु कृत्वा कृतं कार्यं भवेदिति च विह्वला। नापश्यत् स्वधिया मोक्षं स्वसुतानां तदानलात्॥
Now this great calamity has befallen on us, whom shall I take with me? I am deprived of my judgement. What should I do consistent with duty? By exercising my judgement, I do not find any means of escape for my children from this fire.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं ब्रुवाणां शास्तेि प्रत्यूचुरथ मातरम्। स्नेहमुत्सृज्य मातस्त्वं पत यत्र न हव्यवाट॥
Vaishampayana said : The young Sharangakas thus spoke to their mother who was thus lamenting, “O mother, giving up all affection for us, go to the place where there is no fire.
अस्मास्विह विनष्टेषु भवितारः सुतास्तव। त्वयि मातर्विनष्टायां न नः स्यात् कुलसंततिः॥
If we are killed, you might have other children born to you, but, O mother, if you are killed, we shall have no children in our race.
अन्ववैश्यैतदुभयं क्षेमं स्याद् यत् कुलस्य नः। तद् वै कर्तुं परः कालो मातरेष भवेत् तव॥
O mother, taking into your consideration both these two calamities, the time has come for you to do that which will be for the good of our race.
मा त्वं सर्वविनाशाय स्नेहं कार्षीः सुतेषु नः। न हीदं कर्म मोघं स्याल्लोककामस्य नः पितुः॥
Do not perform anything out of affection for your children. If you are saved, our father who is desirous of acquiring regions of felicity will have his wishes fulfilled.
जरितोवाच इदमाखोर्बिलं भूमौ वृक्षस्यास्य समीपतः। तदाविशध्वं त्वरिता वढेरत्र न वो भयम्॥
Jarita said: There is a hole here in the ground near to this tree; enter this hole without any delay; you shall then have no fear from fire.
ततोऽहं पांसुना छिद्रमपिधास्यामि पुत्रकः। एवं प्रतिकृतं मन्ये ज्वलतः कृष्णवर्त्मनः॥
O children, when you will enter it, I shall then cover its mouth with dust. This is the only means that I see for your escape from this blazing fire.
तत एष्याम्यतीतेऽग्नौ विहन्तुं पांसुसंचयम्। रोचतामेष वो वादो मोक्षार्थं च हुताशनात्॥
When the fire will be out, I shall then come back here to remove the ashes. If you want to escape from the fire, follow my advice.
शाईका ऊचुः अबर्हान् मांसभूतान् नः क्रव्यादाखुर्विनाशयेत्। पश्यमाना भयमिदं प्रवेष्टुं नाा शक्नुमः॥
The Sharangakas said : We are but so many balls of flesh without having our feathers. if we enter the hole, there is no doubt the carnivorous mouse will destroy us all. Seeing this fear before us, we cannot enter the hole.
कथमग्निर्न ने धक्ष्येत् कथमाखु नाशयेत्। कथं न स्यात् पिता मोघः कथं माता ध्रियेत नः॥
We do not know how we may escape from the fire, or from the mouse. We do not see how our father's act of procreation may not be in vain and how our mother may be saved.
बिल आखोर्विनाशः स्यादग्नेराकाशचारिणाम्। अन्ववेक्ष्यैतदुभयं श्रेयान् दाहो न भक्षणम्॥
If we enter the hole, the mouse will kill us. If we remain where we are, the sky-ranger Agni will destroys us. Taking both the (two) calamities into our consideration, (we think) death from the fire is preferable to the death by being eaten up.
गर्हितं मरणं नः स्यादाखुना भक्षिते बिले। शिष्टादिष्टः परित्यागः शरीरस्य हुताशनात्॥
To be eaten up by the mouse in the hole is a most ignoble death. But destruction of the body by fire is praised by the wise.