Mandapala's Anxiety and the Reproaches of His Wives

Verse 1 (1.259.1)

मन्दपालोऽपि कौरव्य चिन्तयामास पुत्रकान् । उक्त्वाऽपि च स तिग्मांशुं नैव शर्माधिगच्छति ॥

mandapālo'pi kauravya cintayāmāsa putrakān | uktvā'pi ca sa tigmāṃśuṃ naiva śarmādhigacchati

Mandapala too, O Kauravya, kept thinking of his young sons; though he had spoken to the fierce-rayed god, he found no peace.

Note on the text: Corrected मन्दपालोऽञपि → मन्दपालोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; stray ञ) and कौरव्यं → कौरव्य (misprint; the vocative addressed to Janamejaya, as in the critical edition). Recension variant of critical edition 1.224.1.

Verse 2 (1.259.2)

स तप्यमानः पुत्रार्थे लपितामिदमब्रवीत् । कथं नु शक्ताः शरणे लपिते मम पुत्रकाः ॥

sa tapyamānaḥ putrārthe lapitāmidamabravīt | kathaṃ nu śaktāḥ śaraṇe lapite mama putrakāḥ

Tormented with worry for his sons, he said to Lapita: "How can my little ones manage to find shelter, Lapita?

Verse 3 (1.259.3)

वर्धमाने हुतवहे वाते चाशु प्रवायति । असमर्था विमोक्षाय भविष्यन्ति ममात्मजाः ॥

vardhamāne hutavahe vāte cāśu pravāyati | asamarthā vimokṣāya bhaviṣyanti mamātmajāḥ

As the fire grows and the wind blows hard, my sons will be helpless to escape.

Verse 4 (1.259.4)

कथं त्वशक्ता त्राणाय माता तेषां तपस्विनी । भविष्यति हि शोकार्ता पुत्रत्राणमपश्यती ॥

kathaṃ tvaśaktā trāṇāya mātā teṣāṃ tapasvinī | bhaviṣyati hi śokārtā putratrāṇamapaśyatī

And how will their mother, the poor ascetic woman, be able to save them? She will be stricken with grief, seeing no way to save her sons.

Verse 5 (1.259.5)

कथमुड्डीयनेऽशक्तान्पतने च ममात्मजान् । सन्तप्यमाना बहुधा वाशमाना प्रधावती ॥

kathamuḍḍīyane'śaktānpatane ca mamātmajān | santapyamānā bahudhā vāśamānā pradhāvatī

How will she bear it, seeing my sons unable to fly up and falling, as she runs about, tormented in every way and crying out?

Verse 6 (1.259.6)

जरितारिः कथं पुत्रः सारिसृक्वः कथं च मे । स्तम्बमित्रः कथं द्रोणः कथं सा च तपस्विनी ॥

jaritāriḥ kathaṃ putraḥ sārisṛkvaḥ kathaṃ ca me | stambamitraḥ kathaṃ droṇaḥ kathaṃ sā ca tapasvinī

How is my son Jaritari, and how is Sarisrikva? How are Stambamitra and Drona, and how is that poor ascetic woman?"

Note on the text: Corrected सारिसृक्कः → सारिसृक्वः (misprint in Wikisource; the name is printed सारिसृक्व at 258.3; critical edition sārisṛkvaḥ).

Verse 7 (1.259.7)

लालप्यमानं तमृषिं मन्दपालं तथा वने । लपिता प्रत्युवाचेदं सासूयमिव भारत ॥

lālapyamānaṃ tamṛṣiṃ mandapālaṃ tathā vane | lapitā pratyuvācedaṃ sāsūyamiva bhārata

As the seer Mandapala lamented thus in the forest, Lapita answered him, as if with jealousy, O Bharata:

Note on the text: Corrected तमृषइं → तमृषिं (misprint in Wikisource; broken vowel sign; critical edition tam ṛṣiṃ).

Verse 8 (1.259.8)

न ते पुत्रेष्ववेक्षाऽस्ति यानृषीनुक्तवानसि । तेजस्विनो वीर्यवन्तो न तेषां ज्वलनाद्भयम् ॥

na te putreṣvavekṣā'sti yānṛṣīnuktavānasi | tejasvino vīryavanto na teṣāṃ jvalanādbhayam

You have no real concern for your sons, whom you yourself have called seers. They are full of energy and valour; they have nothing to fear from the fire.

Verse 9 (1.259.9)

त्वयाऽग्नौ ते परीत्ताश्च स्वयं हि मम सन्निधौ । प्रतिश्रुतं तथा चेति ज्वलनेन महात्मना ॥

tvayā'gnau te parīttāśca svayaṃ hi mama sannidhau | pratiśrutaṃ tathā ceti jvalanena mahātmanā

You yourself entrusted them to Agni in my presence, and the great-souled Fire-god promised that it would be so.

Note on the text: Corrected परीताश्च → परीत्ताश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त्, परीत्त "entrusted"; critical edition parīttāś) and श्रुतं → प्रतिश्रुतं (misprint; प्रति lost, leaving the pada two syllables short; critical edition pratiśrutaṃ).

Verse 10 (1.259.10)

लोकपालो न तां वाचमुक्त्वा मिथ्या करिष्यति । समक्षं बन्धुकृत्ये न तेन ते स्वस्थ मानसम् ॥

lokapālo na tāṃ vācamuktvā mithyā kariṣyati | samakṣaṃ bandhukṛtye na tena te svastha mānasam

A guardian of the world will not give his word and then make it false. No, sir, it is not toward your duty to your kin that your mind is turned;

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this verse damaged ("पलो न तां … । न्धुकृत्ये न तेन ते …"). Corrected पलो → लोकपालो (critical edition lokapālo), न्धुकृत्ये → बन्धुकृत्ये, and supplied the lost समक्षं at the head of the second line, both from the commentary printed on the same Wikisource page ("तेन हेतुना बन्धुकृत्यलक्षणे रक्षणे समक्षमभिमुखं न"). The second line differs from critical edition 1.224.10 (recension variant).

Verse 11 (1.259.11)

तामेव तु ममामित्रां चिन्तयन्परितप्यसे । ध्रुवं मयि न ते स्नेहो यथा तस्यां पुराऽभवत् ॥

tāmeva tu mamāmitrāṃ cintayanparitapyase | dhruvaṃ mayi na te sneho yathā tasyāṃ purā'bhavat

it is that rival of mine you are pining for. Surely you have no such love for me as you once had for her.

Note on the text: Corrected तपयं → तस्यां (misprint in Wikisource; garbled akshara; critical edition tasyāṃ).

Verse 12 (1.259.12)

नहि पक्षवता न्याय्यं निःस्नेहेन सुहृज्जने । पीड्यमान उपद्रष्टुं शक्तेनात्मा कथंचन ॥

nahi pakṣavatā nyāyyaṃ niḥsnehena suhṛjjane | pīḍyamāna upadraṣṭuṃ śaktenātmā kathaṃcana

It is never right for one who has wings and the strength to use them to look on without love while his own flesh among his dear ones is in torment.

Note on the text: Corrected निः हेन → निःस्नेहेन (misprint in Wikisource; स्ने lost; critical edition niḥsnehena) and शक्तेना मा → शक्तेनात्मा (misprint; त् lost; critical edition śaktenātmā).

Verse 13 (1.259.13)

गच्छ त्वं जरितामेव यदर्थं परितप्यसे । चरिष्याम्यहमप्येका यथा कापुरुषाश्रिता ॥

gaccha tvaṃ jaritāmeva yadarthaṃ paritapyase | cariṣyāmyahamapyekā yathā kāpuruṣāśritā

Go, then, to Jarita herself, for whom you are tormenting yourself. I too will wander alone, like a woman who put her trust in a worthless man.

Note on the text: Corrected पुरुषाश्रिता → कापुरुषाश्रिता (misprint in Wikisource; a syllable is lost, leaving the pada short; critical edition kāpuruṣe).

Verse 14 (1.259.14)

नाहमेवं चरे लोके यथा त्वमभिमन्यसे । अपत्यहेतोर्विचरे तच्च कृच्छ्रगतं मम ॥

nāhamevaṃ care loke yathā tvamabhimanyase | apatyahetorvicare tacca kṛcchragataṃ mama

I do not wander in the world in the way you suppose. I wander for the sake of offspring, and that offspring of mine is in danger.

Verse 15 (1.259.15)

भूतं हित्वा च भाव्यर्थे योऽवलम्बेत्स मन्दधीः । अवमन्येत तं लोको यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥

bhūtaṃ hitvā ca bhāvyarthe yo'valambetsa mandadhīḥ | avamanyeta taṃ loko yathecchasi tathā kuru

He who abandons what is present and clings to what is yet to come is a fool, and the world despises him. Do as you please.

Verse 16 (1.259.16)

एष हि प्रज्वलन्नग्निर्लेलिहानो महीरुहान् । आविग्ने हृदि सन्तापं जनयत्यशिवं मम ॥

eṣa hi prajvalannagnirlelihāno mahīruhān | āvigne hṛdi santāpaṃ janayatyaśivaṃ mama

This blazing fire, licking at the trees, kindles a cruel anguish in my troubled heart.

Note on the text: Corrected लेलिहानी → लेलिहानो (misprint in Wikisource; the participle must agree with masculine अग्निः; critical edition lelihāno).

Verse 17 (1.259.17)

भर्तुर्हि वाक्यं सा श्रुत्वा लपिता दुःखिताऽभवत् । सान्त्वयामास च पुनः पतिं पतिपरायणा ॥

bharturhi vākyaṃ sā śrutvā lapitā duḥkhitā'bhavat | sāntvayāmāsa ca punaḥ patiṃ patiparāyaṇā

Hearing her husband's words, Lapita was saddened; and, devoted to her husband, she comforted him again.

Note on the text: Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. Corrected पति → पतिं (misprint in Wikisource; the object of सान्त्वयामास). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 18 (1.259.18)

तस्माद्देशादतिक्रान्ते ज्वलने जरिता पुनः । जगाम पुत्रकानेव जरिता पुत्रगृद्धिनी ॥

tasmāddeśādatikrānte jvalane jaritā punaḥ | jagāma putrakāneva jaritā putragṛddhinī

When the fire had passed beyond that place, Jarita, longing for her sons, went straight back to her young ones.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रकानेन → पुत्रकानेव (misprint in Wikisource; न for व; critical edition putrakān eva).

Verse 19 (1.259.19)

सा तान्कुशलिनः सर्वान्विमुक्ताञ्जातवेदसः । रोरूयमाणान्ददृशे वने पुत्रान्निरामयान् ॥

sā tānkuśalinaḥ sarvānvimuktāñjātavedasaḥ | rorūyamāṇāndadṛśe vane putrānnirāmayān

In the forest she found all her sons safe and sound, unharmed and freed from the fire, crying out loudly.

Note on the text: Recension variant of critical edition 1.224.18.

Verse 20 (1.259.20)

अश्रूणि मुमुचे तेषां दर्शनात्सा पुनःपुनः । न श्रद्धेयं ततस्तेषां दर्शनं वै पुनःपुनः ॥

aśrūṇi mumuce teṣāṃ darśanātsā punaḥpunaḥ | na śraddheyaṃ tatasteṣāṃ darśanaṃ vai punaḥpunaḥ

At the sight of them she shed tears again and again. "It is hard to believe that I see them again,"

Note on the text: Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. Corrected तेषांर्शनं → तेषां दर्शनं (misprint in Wikisource; द lost). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The second line, a bracketed insertion, is loosely parallel to 1.224.19a.

Verse 21 (1.259.21)

इति मत्वाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं जरिता पुत्रगृद्धिनी । एकैकशश्च पुत्रांस्तान्क्रोशमानान्वपद्यत ॥

iti matvā'bravīdvākyaṃ jaritā putragṛddhinī | ekaikaśaśca putrāṃstānkrośamānānvapadyata

so thinking, Jarita, longing for her sons, spoke to them; and she went to each of her sons in turn as they cried out.

Note on the text: Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. Corrected द्वाकजरिता → द्वाक्यं जरिता (misprint in Wikisource; य lost), एकाकशश्च → एकैकशश्च, and पुत्रांस्तन्त्र्शमानान् → पुत्रांस्तान्क्रोशमानान् (misprints; aksharas lost; critical edition ekaikaśaś ca tān putrān krośamānān). The first line (a bracketed insertion) is not in the critical edition; the second line is 1.224.19b.

Verse 22 (1.259.22)

जरिता तु परिष्वज्य पुत्रस्नेहाच्चुचुम्ब ह ॥

jaritā tu pariṣvajya putrasnehāccucumba ha

Jarita embraced them and kissed them out of love for her sons.

Note on the text: Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. Corrected परिष्वज्युत्र → परिष्वज्य पुत्र (misprint in Wikisource; य प lost). A single half-verse in Wikisource. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 23 (1.259.23)

ततोऽभ्यगच्छत्सहसा मन्दपालोऽपि भारत । अथ ते सर्व एवैनं नाभ्यनन्दंस्तदा सुताः ॥

tato'bhyagacchatsahasā mandapālo'pi bhārata | atha te sarva evainaṃ nābhyanandaṃstadā sutāḥ

Then Mandapala too arrived in haste, O Bharata; but none of his sons welcomed him.

Note on the text: Corrected सहसमन्दपालो → सहसा मन्दपालो (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition sahasā) and भ्यनन्दंस्तदा → नाभ्यनन्दंस्तदा (misprint; ना lost, leaving the pada a syllable short; critical edition nābhyanandanta).

Verse 24 (1.259.24)

गुरुत्वान्मन्दपालस्य तपसश्च विशेषतः । अभिवादामहे सर्वे जातपक्षाः प्रसादतः ॥

gurutvānmandapālasya tapasaśca viśeṣataḥ | abhivādāmahe sarve jātapakṣāḥ prasādataḥ

Out of regard for Mandapala's seniority, and above all for his austerity, they said: "We all salute you; by your grace we have grown our wings."

Note on the text: Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. Corrected मन्दपालस्तपसश्च → मन्दपालस्य तपसश्च (misprint in Wikisource; य lost, leaving the pada short) and तपक्षाः → जातपक्षाः (misprint; जा lost; conjectural, restoring metre and the evident sense "fledged"). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 25 (1.259.25)

एवमुक्तवतां तेषां तानानन्द्य महातपाः । परिष्वज्य ततो मूर्ध्नि उपाघ्राय च बालकान् । पुत्रान्स्वयं समाहूय ततः प्रोवाच गौतमः ॥

evamuktavatāṃ teṣāṃ tānānandya mahātapāḥ | pariṣvajya tato mūrdhni upāghrāya ca bālakān | putrānsvayaṃ samāhūya tataḥ provāca gautamaḥ

When they had spoken thus, the great ascetic gladdened them, embraced the little ones and smelled their heads; and calling his sons to him himself, the sage of Gautama's line then spoke.

Note on the text: Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. Wikisource prints this verse damaged. Corrected तनन्द्य → तानानन्द्य (conjectural; aksharas lost, restored to fill the metre), मू → मूर्ध्नि (र्ध्नि lost), बलकान् → बालकान्, and समाहूयतः → समाहूय ततः (य त lost). गौतमः is kept as printed. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 26 (1.259.26)

लालप्यमानमेकैकं जरितां च पुनःपुनः । न चैवोचुस्तदा किंचित्तमृषिं साध्वसाधु वा ॥

lālapyamānamekaikaṃ jaritāṃ ca punaḥpunaḥ | na caivocustadā kiṃcittamṛṣiṃ sādhvasādhu vā

Though he spoke again and again to each of them and to Jarita, they said nothing at all to the seer then, good or bad.

Note on the text: Corrected एकैकंरितां → एकैकं जरितां (misprint in Wikisource; ज lost; critical edition jaritāṃ) and किंतमृषिं → किंचित्तमृषिं (misprint; चित् lost, leaving the pada short; critical edition kiṃ cit).

Verse 27 (1.259.27)

ज्येष्ठः सुतस्ते कतमः कतमस्तस्य चानुजः । मध्यमः कतमश्चैव कनीयान्कतमश्च ते ॥

jyeṣṭhaḥ sutaste katamaḥ katamastasya cānujaḥ | madhyamaḥ katamaścaiva kanīyānkatamaśca te

"Which is your eldest son, and which is the one after him? Which is the middle one, and which is your youngest?

Note on the text: Corrected कत → कतमः (misprint in Wikisource; मः lost; critical edition katamaḥ) and यान्कतमश्च → कनीयान्कतमश्च (misprint; कनी lost, leaving the pada two syllables short).

Verse 28 (1.259.28)

एवं ब्रुवन्तं दुःखार्तं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे । कृतवानस्मि हव्याशे नैव शान्तिमितो लभे । एवमुक्त्वा तु तां मन्दपालस्तदाऽस्पृशत् ॥

evaṃ bruvantaṃ duḥkhārtaṃ kiṃ māṃ na pratibhāṣase | kṛtavānasmi havyāśe naiva śāntimito labhe | evamuktvā tu tāṃ mandapālastadā'spṛśat

Why do you not answer me when I speak to you in such distress? I made my plea to the eater of oblations, yet I find no peace from it." Having said this to her, Mandapala then touched her.

Note on the text: Corrected दुःखाकं मा → दुःखार्तं किं मां (misprint in Wikisource; aksharas lost; critical edition duḥkhārtaṃ kiṃ māṃ) and हव्यानैव → हव्याशे नैव (misprint; critical edition havyāśe naiva). Removed the editorial bracket marks (` and ') that set this passage apart in Wikisource. The third line is a bracketed insertion, not in the critical edition; its second pada is printed two syllables short and is left as it stands.

Verse 29 (1.259.29)

किं नु ज्येष्ठेन ते कार्यं किमनन्तरजेन ते । किं वा मध्यमजातेन किं कनिष्ठेन वा पुनः ॥

kiṃ nu jyeṣṭhena te kāryaṃ kimanantarajena te | kiṃ vā madhyamajātena kiṃ kaniṣṭhena vā punaḥ

What business have you with the eldest, or with the one born after him? What with the middle-born, or again with the youngest?

Note on the text: Restored कार्यं from the critical edition (1.224.24): Wikisource has lost two syllables from the first pada. Otherwise a recension variant of 1.224.24.

Verse 30 (1.259.30)

यां त्वं मां सर्वतो हीनामुत्सृज्यासि गतः पुरा । तामेव लपितां गच्छ तरुणीं चारुहासिनीम् ॥

yāṃ tvaṃ māṃ sarvato hīnāmutsṛjyāsi gataḥ purā | tāmeva lapitāṃ gaccha taruṇīṃ cāruhāsinīm

You abandoned me long ago, destitute in every way, and went off. Go to that same Lapita, young and sweetly smiling.

Verse 31 (1.259.31)

न स्त्रीणां विद्यते किंचिदमुत्र पुरुषान्तरात् । सापत्नकमृते लोके नान्यदर्थविनाशनम् ॥

na strīṇāṃ vidyate kiṃcidamutra puruṣāntarāt | sāpatnakamṛte loke nānyadarthavināśanam

For women there is nothing in the world, short of another man, that so ruins their good as rivalry with a co-wife.

Verse 32 (1.259.32)

वैराग्निदीपनं चैव भृशमुद्वेगकारि च । सुव्रता चापि कल्याणी सर्वभूतेषु विश्रुता ॥

vairāgnidīpanaṃ caiva bhṛśamudvegakāri ca | suvratā cāpi kalyāṇī sarvabhūteṣu viśrutā

It kindles the fire of enmity and causes bitter anguish. Even Arundhati, true to her vows, blessed and famed among all beings,

Note on the text: Corrected भृशुद्वेगकारि → भृशमुद्वेगकारि (misprint in Wikisource; म lost, leaving the pada short). The first line is not in the critical edition; the second corresponds to 1.224.27a (verse division here runs half a verse behind the critical edition through 259.34).

Verse 33 (1.259.33)

अरुन्धती महात्मानं वसिष्ठं पर्यशङ्कत । विशुद्धभावमत्यन्तं सदा प्रियहिते रतम् ॥

arundhatī mahātmānaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ paryaśaṅkata | viśuddhabhāvamatyantaṃ sadā priyahite ratam

suspected the great-souled Vasishtha, whose heart was utterly pure and who was always devoted to her pleasure and welfare,

Note on the text: Corresponds to critical edition 1.224.27b–28a.

Verse 34 (1.259.34)

सप्तर्षिमध्यगं वीरमवमेने च तं मुनिम् । अपध्यानेन सा तेन धूमारुणसमप्रभा । लक्ष्याऽलक्ष्या नाभिरूपा निमित्तमिव पश्यति ॥

saptarṣimadhyagaṃ vīramavamene ca taṃ munim | apadhyānena sā tena dhūmāruṇasamaprabhā | lakṣyā'lakṣyā nābhirūpā nimittamiva paśyati

and she slighted that heroic sage who stands among the Seven Seers. Through that ill will her light became like smoke and dull red; faint, now seen and now unseen, without beauty, she looks like an evil omen.

Note on the text: Corresponds to critical edition 1.224.28b–29.

Verse 35 (1.259.35)

अपत्यहेतोः संप्राप्तं तथा त्वमपि मामिह । इष्टमेवं गते हि त्वं सा तथैवाद्य वर्तते ॥

apatyahetoḥ saṃprāptaṃ tathā tvamapi māmiha | iṣṭamevaṃ gate hi tvaṃ sā tathaivādya vartate

In the same way you too suspect me, who came here for the sake of offspring. Now that things have come to this, you turn on the one you held dear; and she remains just so to this day.

Verse 36 (1.259.36)

न हि भार्येति विश्वासः कार्यः पुंसा कथंचन । न हि कार्यमनुध्याति नारी पुत्रवती सती ॥

na hi bhāryeti viśvāsaḥ kāryaḥ puṃsā kathaṃcana | na hi kāryamanudhyāti nārī putravatī satī

A man should never place his trust in a woman merely because she is his wife; a woman who has borne sons pays no heed to her duty.

Verse 37 (1.259.37)

ततस्ते सर्व एवैनं पुत्राः सम्यगुपासते । स च तानात्मजान्सर्वानाश्वासयितुमुद्यतः ॥

tataste sarva evainaṃ putrāḥ samyagupāsate | sa ca tānātmajānsarvānāśvāsayitumudyataḥ

Then all his sons attended dutifully on him, and he set about reassuring his children.