सौतिरुवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा जरत्कारुर्भृशं शोकपरायणः। उवाच तान्पितॄन्दुःखाद्बाष्पसंदिग्धया गिरा॥
Sauti said: Having heard all this, Jaratkaru became exceedingly sorry. He spoke to the pitres in sorrow and his words were choked by tears.
जरत्कारुरुवाच मम पूर्वे भवन्तो वै पितरः सपितामहाः। तद्भूत यन्मया कार्यं भवतां प्रियकाम्यया॥
Jaratkaru said : You are my fathers and grandfathers who are gone before. Tell me, therefore, what I can do for your welfare.
अहमेव जरत्कारुः किल्बिषी भवतां सुतः। ते दण्डं धारयत मे दुष्कृतेरकृतात्मनः॥
I am that Jaratkaru, your sinful son. I am a worthless man, a man of sinful deeds. Pray, punish me.
पितर ऊचुः पुत्र दिष्ट्याऽसि संप्राप्त इमं देशं यदृच्छया। किमर्थं च त्वया ब्रह्मन् नकृतो दारसंग्रहः॥
O son, you have come by good luck at this spot in your travel. O Brahmana, why have you not taken a wife?
जरत्कारुरुवाच ममायं पितरो नित्यं यद्यर्थः परिवर्तते। ऊर्ध्वरेताः शरीरं वै प्रापयेयममुत्र वै॥
Jaratkaru said: O Pitris, I have this desire always in my heart, that having kept my sexual passion under complete control, I shall take this body to the other world.
न दारान्वै करिष्येहमिति मे भावितं मनः। एवं दृष्ट्वा तु भवतः शकुन्तानिव लम्बतः॥
My mind is possessed with the idea that I must not take a wife. But having seen you, my sires, hanging like birds.
मया निवर्तिता बुद्धिर्ब्रह्मचर्यात्पितामहाः। करिष्ये वः प्रियं कामं निवेक्ष्येऽहमसंशयम्॥
O grandfathers, my mind has been diverted from Brahmacharya, I shall certainly do your favourite work.
सनाम्नी यद्यहं कन्यामुपलप्स्ये कदाचन। भविष्यति च या काचिद्भक्ष्यवत्स्वयमुद्यता॥ प्रतिग्रहीता तामस्मि न भरेयं च यामहम्। एवं विधमहं कुर्यां निवेशं प्राप्नुयां यदि॥
(I shall certainly marry), if I get a bride of my own name, who will bestow herself on me of her own accord, who will come to me as a gift and whom I shall not have to maintain.
अन्यथा न करिष्येऽहं सत्यमेतत्पितामहाः। तत्र चोत्पत्स्यते जन्तुर्भवतां तारणाय वै। शाश्वताश्चाव्ययाश्चैव तिष्ठन्तु पितरो मम॥
Otherwise I shall not marry. O grandsires, I speak to you the truth. The offspring that will be begotten on her shall be the means of your salvation and O my fathers, you will then live for ever in blessed happiness and without the apprehension of a fall.
सौतिरुवाच एवमुक्त्वा तु स पितॄश्चचार पृथिवीं मुनिः। न च स्म लभते भार्यां वृद्धोऽयमिति शौनक॥
Sauti said : The Rishi (Jaratkaru), having said all this to the ancestors, (left the place and) roamed over the world again. O Shaunaka, although he grew old, he did not get a wife.
यदा निर्वेदमापन्नः पितृभिश्चोदितस्तथा। तदाऽरण्यं स गत्वोच्चैश्चक्रोश भृशदुःखितः॥
He was very sorry that he was not successful, but directed by his ancestors he continued the search. He went into the forest and shouted aloud in grief.
स त्वरण्यगतः प्राज्ञः पितॄणां हितकाम्यया। उवाच कन्यां याचामि तिस्रो वाचः शनैरिमाः॥
Having gone into the forest, the wise Rishi, moved by the desire of doing good to his ancestors, said, “I shall ask for a bride, distinctly uttering the words thrice.
यानि भूतानि सन्तीह स्थावराणि चराणि च। अन्तर्हितानि वा यानि तानि शृण्वन्तु मे वचः॥
Whatever creatures are, mobile immobile, visible of invisible, O you all, hear or my words.
उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्ते पितरचोदयन्ति माम्। निविशस्वेति दुःखार्ताः संतानस्य चिकीर्षया॥
I am a man, engaged in severe penances, but my ancestors, afflicted with grief, have told me, "Get yourself married to beget a son."
निवेशायाखिला भूमि कन्याभक्ष्यं चरामि भोः। दरिद्रो दुःखशीलश्च पितृभिः संनियोजितः॥
Directed by my ancestors, I'm roaming in poverty and sorrow all over the world for wedding a maiden whom I shall get as a gift.
यस्य कन्यास्ति भूतस्य ये मयेह प्रकीर्तिताः। ते मे कन्यां प्रयच्छन्तु चरतः सर्वतो दिशम्॥
Let any of those creatures, whom I (now) address, if he has a daughter, bestow her on me who am roving all over the world for a bride.
मम कन्या सनाम्नी या भैक्ष्यवच्चोदिता भवेत्। भरेयं चैव यां नाहं तां मे कन्यां प्रयच्छत॥
A bride, who bears the same name with me, who will be given to me as a gift and whom I shall not have to maintain,(If there is such a bride), O bestow her on me.
ततस्ते पन्नगा ये वै जरत्कारौ समाहिताः। तामादाय प्रवृति ते वासुकेः प्रत्यवेदयन्॥
Thereupon those snakes, who had been appointed to watch Jaratkaru, knowing his intention, gave information to Vasuki.
तेषां श्रुत्वा स नागेन्द्रस्तां कन्यां समलंकृताम्। प्रगृह्यारण्यमगमत्समीपं तस्य पन्नगः॥
The king of the snakes immediately went to the place where the Rishi was, taking with him his sister, decked with various ornaments.
तत्र तां भैक्ष्यवत्कन्यां प्रादात्तस्मै महात्मने। नागेन्द्रो वासुकिर्ब्रह्मन्न स तां प्रत्यगृह्णत॥
O Brahmana, the king of the snakes Vasuki, having gone there, offered the maiden as a gift to that high-souled Rishi. But he did not at once accept her.
असनामेति वै मत्वा भरणे चाविचारिते। मोक्षभावे स्थितश्चापि द्वन्द्वभूतः परिग्रहे॥
The Rishi, thinking her not to be of the same name with himself and seeing also that the question of her maintenance was not settled, reflected for a while and hesitated to accept her.
ततो नाम स कन्याया: पप्रच्छ भृगुनन्दन। वासुकि भरणं चास्या न कुर्यामित्युवाच ह॥
O descendant of Bhrigu, he then asked Vasuki the name of the maiden and he told him also, “I shall not maintain her."