जरितारिरुवाच पुरतः कृच्छ्रकालस्य धीमाञ्जागर्ति पूरुषः। स कृच्छ्रकालं सम्प्राप्य व्यथां नैवैति कर्हिचित्॥
Jaritari said : The intelligent men always remain wakeful in view of death. When the house of death approaches, he feels no pangs.
यस्तु कृच्छ्रमनुप्राप्तं विचेता नावबुध्यते। स कृच्छ्रकाले व्यथितो न श्रेयो विन्दतं महत्॥
But a man with perplexed soul who does not remain wakeful (in view of death) feels the pangs of death when the hours of death come. He never gets salvation.
सारिसृक्क उवाच धीर स्त्वमसि मेधावी प्राणकृच्छ्रमिदं च नः। प्राज्ञः शूरो बहूनां हि भवेत्येको न संशयः॥
Sarisrikka said : You are patient and intelligent. The time has come when our lives are in danger. There is no doubt one only amongst many becomes wise and brave..
स्तम्वमित्र उवाच ज्येष्ठस्तातो भवति वै ज्येष्ठो मुञ्चति कृच्छ्रतः। ज्येष्ठश्चेन्न प्रजानाति कनीयान् किं करिष्यति॥
Stambamitra said : The elder brother is called the protector. It is the eldest brother who rescues (the younger brothers) from danger. If the eldest fails to rescue them what can the younger brothers do?
द्रोण उवाच हिरण्यरेतास्त्वरितो ज्वलन्नायाति नः क्षयम्। सप्तजिह्वाननः क्रूरो लेलिहानो विसर्पति॥
Drona said: The cruel deity of fire with seven tongues and the seven mouths is coming towards our abode with all speed, blazing forth in his great splendour and licking up every thing on his way.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं सम्भाष्य तेऽन्योन्यं मन्दपालस्य पुत्रकाः। तुष्टावः प्रयता भूत्वा यथाग्निं शृणु पार्थिवः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having thus addressed one another, the sons of Mandapala then each with reverence uttered an eulogistic hymn to Agni. O king, listen to them as I recite.
जरितारिरुवाच आत्मासि वायोर्खलन शरीरमसि वीरुधाम्। योनिरापश्च ते शुक्रं योनिस्त्वमसि चाम्भसः॥
Jaritari said: O fire, you are the soul of our body you are the body of the earth's visitation. O Shukra, you are the progenitor of the water and the water is your progenitor as well.
ऊर्ध्वं चाधश्च सर्पन्ति पृष्ठतः पार्श्वतस्तथा। अर्चिषस्ते महावीर्य रश्मयः सवितुर्यथा।॥
O effulgent deity, your flame like the rays of the sun exists above, below, behind and on every side.
सारिसृक्क उवाच माता प्रणष्टा पितरं न विद्यः पक्षा जाता नैव नो धूमकेतो। स्तस्मादस्मांस्त्राहि बालांस्त्वमग्ने॥
Sarisrikka said: O smoke-banned deity, we cannot see our mother; we know not our father. Our feathers have not grown as yet. We have no one except you who can protect us. We are infants, therefore, O Agni protect us.
यदग्ने ते शिवं रूपं ये च ते सप्त हेतयः। तेन नः परिपाहि त्वमान्न् वै शरणैषिणः॥
O Agni, we are in (great) distress. Protect us with your auspicious form and with your seven flames. We pray for your protection.
त्वमेवैकस्तपसे जातवेदो नान्यस्तप्ता विद्यते गोषु देव। ऋषिनस्मान् बालकान् पालयस्व परेणास्मान् प्रेहि वै हव्यवाह॥
O deity, O carrier of the (sacrificial) ghee, O Agni, you are the giver of heat, you alone give heat to the rays of the sun. We are young, we are Rishis, protect us, and be pleased to go from this place by some other way.
स्तम्बमित्र उवाच सर्वमग्ने त्वमेवैकस्त्वयि सर्वमिदं जगत्। त्वं धारयसि भूतानि भुवनं त्वं बिभर्षि च॥
Stambamitra said : O Agni, you are every thing. The whole universe is established in you. You uphold every creature and you support the worlds.
त्वमग्निहव्यवाहस्त्वं त्वमेव परमं हविः। मनीषिणस्त्वां जानन्ति बहुधा चैकधापि च॥
O Agni, you are the career of (sacrificial) ghee, you are the great (sacrificial) ghee itself. The wise know you to be one and (at the same time) Many.
सृष्ट्वा लोकांस्त्रीनिमान् हव्यवाह काले प्राप्ते पचसि पुनः समिद्धः। स्त्वमेवाग्ने भवसि पुनः प्रतिष्ठा॥
O carrier of (sacrificial) ghee (Agni), you create the three worlds and you again destroy them when the time comes for their destruction by swelling (your body to a fearful dimension). You are the progenerating mother of the whole universe; you are the essence also in which the universe dissolves.
द्रोण उवाच त्वमन्नं प्राणिभिर्भुक्तमन्तर्भूतो जगत्पते। नित्यप्रवृद्धः पचसि त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
Drona said: O lord of the universe, growing in strength and remaining within their bodies, you cause to be digested the food that creatures eat. Every thing is established in you.
सूर्यो भूत्वा रश्मिभिर्जातवेदो भूमेरम्भो भूमिजातान् रसांश्चा। विश्वानादाय पुनरुत्सृज्य काले दृष्ट्वा वृष्ट्या भावयसीह शुक्र॥
O Shukra, O deity from whose mouth the Vedas have sprung, in the form of the sun you suck up the waters of the earth and every liquid juice that earth yields. You then again in proper time and in proper season give them back in the form of rains; and you thus cause every thing to grow.
त्वत्त एताः पुनः शुक्र वीरुधो हरितच्छदाः। जायन्ते पुष्करिण्यश्च सुभद्रश्च महोदधिः॥
O Shukra, these plants and creepers with green leaves have all sprung through you. These tanks and ponds and the ever blessed great ocean also, have all sprung from you.
इदं वै सद्म तिग्मांशो वरुणस्य परायणम्। शिवस्त्राता भवास्माकं मास्मानध विनाशय॥
O deity of fearful rays, this our (mortal) body depends on Varuna (the god of waters). We are incapable of bearing your heat. Therefore, (O deity) be our blessed protector. Do not destroy us today.
पिङ्गाश्च लोहितग्रीव कृष्णवर्त्मन् हुताशन। परेण प्रेहि मुञ्चास्मान् सागरस्य गृहानिव॥
O Agni of copper-coloured eyes and of red neck, o deity whose path is marked by black colour, save us as the ocean saves the houses on its banks by going away (from this place) by some other way.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तो जातवेदा द्रोणेन बह्मवादिना। द्रोणमाह प्रतीतात्मा मन्दपालप्रतिज्ञया॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by that utterer of the Vedas, Drona, the deity from whose mouth the Vedas have sprung (Agni) being well-pleased and remembering his promise to Mandapala, thus spoke.
अग्निरुवाच ऋषिोणस्त्वमसि वै ब्रह्म तद् व्याहृतं त्वया। ईप्सितं ते करिष्यामि न च ते विद्यते भयम्॥
Agni said : O Drona, you are a Rishi, what you have said is the Vedic truth. I shall do your pleasure. You have nothing to fear.
मन्दपालेन वै यूयं मम पूर्वं निवेदिताः। वर्जयेः पुत्रकान् मह्यं दहन् दावमिति स्म ह॥ तस्य तद् वचनं द्रोण त्वया यच्चेह भाषितम्। उभयं ते गरीयस्तु ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। भृशं प्रीतोऽस्मि भद्रं ते ब्रह्मन् स्तोत्रेण सत्तम।॥
I was formerly asked by Mandapala to spare his sons when consuming the forest. The words be spoke and your speech also both are entitled to great weight. Tell me what I am to do. O excellent Brahmana, I have been greatly pleased with your blessed hymn.
द्रोण उवाच इमे मार्जारकाः शुक्र नित्यमुद्वेजयन्ति नः। एतान् कुरुष्व दग्धांस्त्वं हुताशन सबान्धवान्॥
Drona said: O Shukra, these eats trouble us every day. O fire, consume them with their friends and relatives.
तथा तत् कृतवानग्निरभ्यनुज्ञाय शाकान्। ददाह खाण्डवं दावं समिद्धो जनमेजय॥
Vaishampayana said : O Janamejaya, telling them what were his intentions, Agni then accomplished all that the Sharanagakas asked him to do. Growing in strength, he then again began to consume the Khandava.