सौतिरुवाच तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु। रुक्षुक्रोश गहनं वनं गत्वाऽतिदुःखितः॥
Sauti replied : While the noble Brahmanas were sitting round the dead body, Ruru, much aggrieved, retired into a deep forest and wept aloud.
शोकेनाभिहतः सोऽथ विलपन्करुणं बहु। अब्रवीद्वचनं शोचन्धियां स्मृत्वा प्रमद्वराम्॥
Overwhelmed with grief, he indulged in much piteous lamentations. Remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he thus lamented in grief,
शेते सा भुवि तन्वङ्गी मम शोकविवर्धिनी। बान्धवानां च सर्वेषां किं नु दुःखमत:परम्॥
“Alas! The slender-bodied beauty who increases my grief, is now lying on the bare ground. What can be more painful than this to all her friends!
यदि दत्तं तपस्तप्तं गुरवो वा मया यदि। सम्यगाराधितास्तेन संजीवतु मम प्रिया॥
If ever I have bestowed charity, if ever I have observed penances, if ever I have showed respect to my superiors, let the merits of these acts restore to life my beloved one.
यथा च जन्मप्रभृति यतात्माऽहं धृतव्रतः। प्रमद्वरा तथा ह्येषा समुत्तिष्ठतु भामिनी॥
If ever I have controlled my passions from my birth, if ever I have stuck to my vows, let the beautiful Pramadvara rise from the ground.”
एवं लालप्यतस्तस्य भार्यार्थे दुःखितस्य च। देवदूतस्तदाऽभ्येत्य वाक्यमाह रुरुं वने।॥
While he was thus lamenting in sorrow for the loss of his bride a heaven's messenger came to him in the forest and addressed hiin thus:
देवदूत उवाच अभिधत्से ह यद्वाचा रुरो दुखेन तन्मृषा। यतो मर्त्यस्य धर्मात्मन्नायुरस्ति गतायुषः॥
The Devaduta said: O Ruru, the words that you are uttering in grief can have no effect; for, O noble-minded (Rishi), one belonging to this world, whose days are run out, cannot come back to life again.
गतायुरेषा कृपणा गन्धर्वाप्सरसोः तस्माच्छोके मनस्तात मा कृथास्त्वं कथंचन॥
This poor child of the Gandharva and the Apsara has her days run out; therefore, O child, do not give yourself up to grief.
उपायश्चात्र विहितः पूर्वं देवैर्महात्मभिः। तं यदीच्छसि कर्तुं त्वं प्राप्स्यसीह प्रमद्वराम्॥
The great deities, however, have provided beforehand a means. If you comply with it, you may get back your Pramadvara.
रुरुरुवाच क उपायः कृतो देवै—हि तत्त्वेन खेचर। करिष्येऽहं तथा श्रुत्वा त्रातुमर्हति मां भवान्॥
Ruru said: O messenger of heaven, (tell me) what means have been provided beforehand by the deities. Tell me in full, so that I may comply with it. You should save me.
देवदूत उवाच आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छत्वं कन्यायै भृगुनन्दन। सुता। एवमुत्थास्यति रुरो तव भार्या प्रमद्वरा॥
The Devaduta said : O Descendant of Bhrigu, give up half of your own life to your bride and O Ruru, your Pramadvara will then rise from the ground.
रुरुरुवाच आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि कन्यायै खेचरोत्तम। श्रृंगाररूपाभरणा समुत्तिष्ठतु मे प्रिया॥
Ruru said: O best of heaven's messengers, 1 give up half of my life to my bride. Let my beloved one rise in the beautiful form decked with ornaments.
सौतिरुवाच ततो गन्धर्वराजश्च देवदूतश्च सत्तमौ। धर्मराजमुपेत्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषताम्॥
Sauti said: The king of the Gandharvas and the greatly qualified messenger of heaven, both went to the Deity Dharma and addressed him thus :
धर्मराजायुषोर्धेन रुरोर्भार्या प्रमद्वरा। समुत्तिष्ठतु कल्याणी मृतैवं यदि मन्यसे॥
"O king Dharma, if it please you, let the beautiful bride of Ruru, Pramadvara, who is dead, rise up endued with a half of Ruru's life.”
धर्मराज उवाच प्रमद्वरां रुरोर्भार्यां देवदूत यदीच्छसि। उत्तिष्ठत्वायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोरेव समन्विता॥
The Dharmaraja said : "O messenger of heaven, if it be your wish, let the bride of Ruru Pramadvara, rise up endued with a half of Ruru's life.
सौतिरुवाच एवमुक्ते ततः कन्या सोदतिष्ठत्प्रमद्वरा। रुरोस्तस्यायुषोऽर्धेन सुप्तेव वरवर्णिनी॥
Sauti said : When Dharma thus spoke, the beautiful Pramadvara, the betrothed bride of Ruru, rose up as from a slumber, with a half of Ruru's life.
एतदृष्टं भविष्ये हि रुरोरुत्तमतेजसः। आयुषोऽतिप्रवृद्धस्य भार्यार्थेऽर्धमलुप्यत॥
It was seen afterwards that the bestowal of a half of his own life to resuscitate his bride by Ruru of long life, led to a curtailment of his own life.
तत इष्टेऽहनि तयोः पितरौ चक्रतुर्मुदा। विवाहं तौ च रेमाते परस्परहितैषिणौ॥
Thereupon their fathers gladly married them off with due rites and the couple passed their days devoted to each other.
स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्या पद्मकिञ्जल्कसुप्रभाम्। व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रतः॥
Thus having obtained a wife, difficult to be obtained, who was beautiful and bright as the filaments of the lotus, the Rishi of hard austerities (Ruru) made a vow to destroy the serpent race.
स दृष्ट्वा जिह्मगान्सर्वांस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः। अभिहन्ति यथा सत्त्वं गृह्य प्रहरणं सदा॥
Whenever he saw a snake, he was filled with great anger and he always killed it with a weapon.
स कदाचिद्वनं विप्रो रुरुरभ्यागमन्महत्। शयानं तत्र चापश्यत् डुण्डुभं वयसान्वितम्॥
One day, the Brahmana, Ruru entered into a very large forest. He saw an old Dundubha snake lying on the ground.
तत उद्यम्य दण्डं स कालदण्डोपमं तदा। जिघांसुः कुपितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाऽथ डुण्डुभः॥
Thereupon with the intention of killing it, Ruru raised his staff in anger, A staff like the staff of Death. The Dundubha then said to the angry Brahmana.
नापराध्यामि ते किंचिदहमद्य तपोधन। संरंभाच्च किमर्थं मामभिहंसि रुषाऽन्वितः॥
"O Rishi, I have done you no harm. Why should you kill me in anger?"