जरितोवाच अस्माद् बिलान्निष्पतितमाखुं श्येनो जहार तम्। क्षुद्रं पद्भ्यां गृहीत्वा च यातो नात्र भयं हि वः॥
Jarita said: The little mouse that came out of this hole was seized by a hawk with its claws and it has been carried away. Therefore, you may enter it without any fear.
शाईका उवाच न हृतं तं वयं विद्यः श्येनोना कथंचन। अन्येऽपि भवितारोऽत्र तेभ्योऽपि भयमेव नः॥
The Sharangakas said : We are not at all certain whether that mouse has been carried away by the hawk. There may be other mice living there. We have every fear from them.
संशयो बछिरागच्छेद् दृष्टं वायोर्निवर्तनम्। मृत्यु! बिलवासिभ्यो बिले स्यान्नात्र संशयः॥
There is every chance that the fire will not reach us in this place, for it may be carried away in some other direction by the wind. There is no doubt, however, that if we enter the hole, we shall be killed by the dwellers of the hole.
निःसंशयात् संशयितो मृत्युर्मातर्विशिष्यते। चर खे त्वं यथान्यायं पुत्रानाप्स्यसि शोभनान्॥
If we remain where we are, death is uncertain. O mother, a position in which death is uncertain is better than one in which it is certain. Therefore, it is your duty to escape, for if you live, you may have other children as good as ourselves.
जरितोवाच अहं वेगेन तं यान्तमद्राक्षं पततां वरम्। बिलादालुं समादाय श्येनं पुत्रा महाबलम्॥ तं पतन्तं महावेगात् त्वरिता पृष्ठतोऽन्वगाम्। आशिषोऽस्य प्रयुञ्जाना हरतो मूषिकं बिलात्॥
Jarita said : O children, I myself saw the great hawk, that best of birds, swoop down with great speed and fly away with the mouse from the hole. I quickly followed the bird and I pronounced blessings upon him for his carrying away the mouse from the hole,
यो नो द्वेष्टारमादाय श्यनराज प्रधावसि। भव त्वं दिवमास्थाय निरमित्रो हिरण्मयः॥
“O king of hawks, as you are flying away with our enemy, the mouse, in your claws, may you live in heaven with a golden body and having not a single foe.
स यदा भक्षितस्तेन श्येनेनाखुः पतत्रिणा। तदाहं तमनुज्ञाप्य प्रत्युपायां पुनर्गृहम्॥ प्रविशध्वं बिलं पुत्रा विश्रब्धा नास्ति वो भयम्। श्येनेन मम पश्यन्त्या हृत आखुर्महात्मना॥
When the hawk devoured the mouse, I then obtained his leave and returned to this place. O children, enter this hole with all confidence, you have nothing to fear. I myself has seen the mouse carried away by the illustrious hawk.
शाईका ऊचुः न विद्महे हृतं मातः श्येनेनाखुं कथंचन। अविज्ञाय न शक्यामः प्रवेष्टुं विवरं भुवः॥
The Sharangakas said : O mother, we do know whether the mouse has been really carried away by the hawk. We cannot enter the hole in the grounds without knowing it.
जरितोवाच अहं तमभिजानामि हृतं श्येनेन मूषिकम्। नास्ति वोऽत्र भयं पुत्राः क्रियतां वचनं मम॥
The Jarita said : I know to a certainty that the mouse has been carried away by the hawk. Therefore, O children, you have nothing to fear. Do what I say.
शाईका उवाच न त्वं मिथ्योपचारेण मोखयेथा भयाद्धि नः। समाकुलेषु ज्ञानेषु न बुद्धिकृतमेव तत्॥
The Sharangakas said : C mother, .ve do not mean that you are trying to dispel our fears with a false story. When a person's reason is confused, his acts cannot be called his deliberate acts.
न चोपकृतमस्माभिनं चास्मान् वेत्थ ये वयम् पीड्यमाना बिभर्घ्यस्मान् का सती के वयं तव॥
You have in no way been benefited by us; you do not know who we are. Why do you then try to save us to so much cost to yourself? Who are we to you?
तरुणी दर्शनीयासि समर्था भतुरेषणे। अनुगच्छ पतिं मातः पुत्रानाप्स्यसि शोभनान्॥
You are young and handsome you are able to search for your husband. O mother, go to your husband and you will obtain excellent sons again.
वयमग्निं समाविश्य लोकानाप्स्याम शोभनान्। अथास्मान् न दहेदग्निरायास्त्वं पुनरेव नः॥
Let us obtain the higher regions by entering the fire. If the fire does not consume us, you can then come back and obtain us.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्ता ततः शाी पुत्रानुत्सृज्य खाण्डवे। जगाम त्वरिता देशं क्षेममग्नेरनामयम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by them, the female bird (Jarita) left them (her sons) in the Khandava; with great speed she went to the place where there was no fire and where there was safety.
ततस्तीक्ष्णार्चिरभ्यागात् त्वरितो हव्यवाहनः। यत्र शाॉ बभूवुस्ते मन्दपालस्य पुत्रकाः॥
Then Agni in haste and with fearful flames came to the spot where the sons of Mandapala were.
ततस्तं ज्वलितं दृष्टवा ज्वलनं ते विहगमाः। जरितारिस्ततो वाक्यं श्रावयामास पावकम्॥
The (young) birds saw the blazing fire coming towards them. Then Jaritari spoke these wards in the hearing of Agni.