सौतिरुवाच स चापि च्यवनो ब्रह्मम्भार्गवोऽजनयत्सुतम्। सुकन्यायां महात्मानं प्रमतिं दीप्ततेजसम्॥
Sauti said: O Brahmana, Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu begot a son on his wife, named Sukanya. And son of Sukanya was the illustrious and the resplendently energetic Pramati.
प्रमतिस्तु रुरुं नाम घृताच्यां समजीजनत्। रुरुः प्रमद्वरायां तु शुनकं समजीजनत्॥
Pramati begot a son called Ruru on Ghritachi. Ruru begot a son called Sunaka on his wife, Pramadvara.
तस्य ब्रह्मन् रुरोः सर्वं चरितं भूरितेजसः। विस्तरेण प्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु त्वमशेषतः॥
I shall tell you at length, O Brahmana, the history of the resplendently energetic Ruru. Listen to it in detail.
ऋषिरासीन्महान्पूर्वं तयोविद्यासमन्वितः। स्थूलकेश इति ख्यातः सर्वभूतहिते रतः॥
In the days of yore, there was a Rishi, named Sthulakesha, who was possessed of ascetic powers and learning and engaged in doing good to all creatures.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मेनकायां प्रजज्ञिवान्। गन्धर्वराजो विप्रर्षे विश्वावसुरिति स्मृतः॥
At this time, O Brahmana Rishi, Menaka became quick with child by the king of the Gandharvas, named Vishvavasu.
अप्सरा मेनका तस्य तं गर्भं भृगुनन्दन। उत्ससर्ज यथाकालं स्थूलकेशाश्रमं प्रति॥
O Descendant of Bhrigu, the Apsara Menaka, when the time came, delivered her child near the herinitage of Sthulakesha.
उत्सृज्य चैव तं गर्भ नद्यास्तीरे जगाम सा। अप्सरा मेनका ब्रह्मन्निर्दया निरपत्रपा॥
And, O Brahmana, the cruel and shameless Apsara Menaka, after leaving the child on the banks of the river, went away.
कन्यामरगर्भाभा ज्वलन्तीमिव च श्रिया। तां ददर्श समुत्सृष्टां नदीतीरे महानृषिः॥ स्थूलकेशः स तेजस्वी विजने बन्धुवर्जिताम्। स तां दृष्ट्वा तदा कन्यां स्थूलकेशो महाद्विजः॥
The great Rishi saw the girl lying forsaken in a lonely place on the banks of the river, blazing in beauty; she was as beautiful as a child of an immortal. And the great Brahmana, Sthulakesha, the chief of Munis, finding that female child.
जग्राह च मुनिश्रेष्ठः कृपाविष्टः पुपोष च। ववृधे सा वरारोहा तस्याश्रमपदे शुभे॥
Out of compassion, took it home and brought it up. The lovely child grew up in the hermitage of the great Rishi.
जातकाद्याः क्रियाश्चास्या विधिपूर्वं यथाक्रमम्। स्थूलकेशो महाभागश्चकार सुमहानृषिः॥
The great Rishi, the blessed Sthulakesha, performed for her in succession all the ceremonies with that of her birth, as ordained in the Shastras.
प्रमदाभ्यो वरा सा तु सत्त्वरूपगुणान्विता। ततः प्रमद्वरेत्यस्या नाम चक्रे महानृषिः॥
As the surpassed all other ladies in beauty in goodness and in every good quality, the gave her the name as Pramadvara.
तामाश्रमपदे तस्य रुरुर्दृष्ट्वा प्रमद्वराम्। बभूव किल धर्मात्मा मदनोहतस्तदा॥
Ruru saw her in the hermitage and the pious man fell in love with her.
पितरं सखिभिः सोऽथ श्रावयामास भार्गवम्। प्रमतिश्चाभ्ययाचत्तां स्थूलकेशं यशस्विनम्॥
He made his father Pramati, the son of Bhrigu, acquainted with his love through his companions. Thereupon Pramati asked the illustrious Sthulakesha to give Pramadvara to his son.
ततः प्रादात्पिता कन्यां रुरवे तां प्रमद्वराम्। विवाहं स्थापयित्वाऽग्रे नक्षत्रे भगदैवते॥
The Rishi betrothed Pramadvara to Ruru, fixing the day of marriage when the star Bhaga Daivata would be in ascendant. great Rishi
ततः कतिपयाहस्य विवाहे समुपस्थिते। सखीभिः क्रीडती सार्धं सा कन्या वरवर्णिनी॥
A few days before the date fixed for the nuptials, while the lovely girl was playing with her companions.
नापश्यत्संप्रसुप्तं वै भुजंगं तिर्यगायतम्। पदा चैनं समाक्रामन्मुमूर्षुःकालचोदिता॥
Her time having come and impelled by Fate, she trod upon a snake. She did not perceive it, as it lay coiled.
स तस्याः संप्रमत्तायाश्चोदितः कालधर्मणा। विषोपलिप्तान्दशनाम्भृशमङ्गे न्यपातयत्॥
The snake, to fulfil the will of Fate, bit the heedless girl with its venomous fangs.
सा दष्टा तेन सर्पण पपात सहसा भुवि। विवर्णा विगतश्रीका भ्रष्टाभरणचेतना॥
Bitten by the snake, she suddenly fell senseless on the ground with her colour faded all her beauties gone and all her ornaments scattered.
निरानन्दकरी तेषां बधूनां मुक्तमूर्धजा। व्यसुरप्रेक्षणीया सा प्रेक्षणीयतमाऽभवत्॥
Her hair dishevelled, a spectacle of woe to her friends and companions. She, who was so handsome when alive, became in death what was too painful to look at.
प्रसुप्तेवाभवच्चापि भुवि सर्पविषार्दिता। भूयो मनोहरतरा बभूव तनुमध्यमा॥
The slender-waisted girl, as she lay on the ground as one asleep, looked more beautiful than she was when alive.
ददर्श तां पिता चैव ये चैवान्ये तपस्विनः। विचेष्टमानां पतितां भूतले पद्मवर्चसम्॥
Her father and other ascetics, who were present, saw her lying motionless on the ground with the beauty of a lotus.
ततः सर्वे द्विजवराः समाजग्मुः कृपान्विताः। स्वस्त्यात्रेयो महाजानुः कुशिकः शंखमेखलः॥
Then there came all the noted Brahmanas, filled with compassion. Svastyatreya, Mahajanu, Kushika, Shankhamekhala.
उद्दालकः कठश्चैव श्वेतश्चैव महायशाः। । भरद्वाजः कौणकुत्स्य आर्टिषेणोऽथ गौतमः॥
Uddalaka, Katha and the renowned Shveta, Bharadvaja, Kaunakutsya, Arshtishena, Goutama,
प्रमति: सहपुत्रेण तथाऽन्ये वनवासिनः। तां ते कन्यां व्यसुं दृष्ट्वा भुजंगस्य विषार्दिताम्।। रुरुदुः कृपयाविष्टा रुरुस्त्वार्तो बहिर्ययौ। ते च सर्वे द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तत्रैवोपाविशंस्तदा।॥
Pramati and Pramati's son Ruru and other inhabitants of the forest were filled with compassion and they all wept when they saw the maiden lying on the ground overcome by the poison of the snake. And Ruru, being exceedingly pained, left the scene. A