Jaratkaru Finds His Ancestors Hanging in a Pit

Verse 1 (1.45.1)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु जरत्कारुर्महातपाः । चचार पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां यत्रसायंगृहो मुनिः ॥

etasminneva kāle tu jaratkārurmahātapāḥ | cacāra pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ yatrasāyaṃgṛho muniḥ

At that very time the great ascetic Jaratkaru was roaming the whole earth, a sage who made his home wherever evening found him.

Verse 2 (1.45.2)

चरन्दीक्षां महातेजा दुश्चरामकृतात्मभिः । तीर्थेष्वाप्लवनं कुर्वन्पुण्येषु विचचार ह ॥

carandīkṣāṃ mahātejā duścarāmakṛtātmabhiḥ | tīrtheṣvāplavanaṃ kurvanpuṇyeṣu vicacāra ha

Of great splendour, he went about keeping a discipline that the undisciplined cannot keep, bathing at holy places of pilgrimage.

Verse 3 (1.45.3)

वायुभक्षो निराहारः शुष्यन्नहरहर्मुनिः । स ददर्श पितॄन्गर्ते लम्बमानानधोमुखान् ॥

vāyubhakṣo nirāhāraḥ śuṣyannaharaharmuniḥ | sa dadarśa pitṝngarte lambamānānadhomukhān

Living on air and taking no food, the sage grew leaner day by day. Then he saw his ancestors hanging head-down in a pit,

Note on the text: Corrected सं ददर्श → स ददर्श (misprint in Wikisource; the pronoun sa, as the critical edition reads).

Verse 4 (1.45.4)

एकतन्त्ववशिष्टं वै वीरणस्तम्बमाश्रितान् । तं तन्तुं च शनैराखुमाददानं बिलेशयम् ॥

ekatantvavaśiṣṭaṃ vai vīraṇastambamāśritān | taṃ tantuṃ ca śanairākhumādadānaṃ bileśayam

clinging to a clump of vīraṇa grass of which a single strand was left; and a rat that lived in a hole was slowly gnawing away that strand.

Verse 5 (1.45.5)

निराहारान्कृशान्दीनान्गर्ते स्वत्राणमिच्छतः । उपसृत्य स तान्दीनान्दीनरूपोऽभ्यभाषत ॥

nirāhārānkṛśāndīnāngarte svatrāṇamicchataḥ | upasṛtya sa tāndīnāndīnarūpo'bhyabhāṣata

They were starving, emaciated and wretched, longing for rescue in that pit. Going up to those wretched ones, he, looking wretched himself, spoke to them:

Verse 6 (1.45.6)

के भवन्तोऽवलम्बन्ते वीरणस्तम्बमाश्रिताः । दुर्बलं खादितैर्मूलैराखुना बिलवासिना ॥

ke bhavanto'valambante vīraṇastambamāśritāḥ | durbalaṃ khāditairmūlairākhunā bilavāsinā

"Who are you, hanging here, clinging to this clump of vīraṇa grass? It has grown weak, for its roots have been eaten by the rat that lives in the hole.

Note on the text: Corrected वीरमस्तम्बम् → वीरणस्तम्बम् (misprint in Wikisource; vīraṇa grass, as in verses 4 and 7 and in the critical edition).

Verse 7 (1.45.7)

वीरणस्तम्बके मूलं यदप्येकमिह स्थितम् । तदप्ययं शनैराखुरादत्ते दशनैः शितैः ॥

vīraṇastambake mūlaṃ yadapyekamiha sthitam | tadapyayaṃ śanairākhurādatte daśanaiḥ śitaiḥ

Even the one root still left on this clump, the rat is slowly carrying off with its sharp teeth.

Note on the text: Corrected तद्भप्ययं → तदप्ययं (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads tad apy ayaṃ).

Verse 8 (1.45.8)

छेत्स्यतेऽल्पावशिष्टत्वादेतदप्यचिरादिव । ततस्तु पतितारोऽत्र गर्ते व्यक्तमधोमुखाः ॥

chetsyate'lpāvaśiṣṭatvādetadapyacirādiva | tatastu patitāro'tra garte vyaktamadhomukhāḥ

Since so little of it remains, it too will soon be cut through, and then you will plainly fall head-down into this pit.

Verse 9 (1.45.9)

अत्र मे दुःखमुत्पन्नं दृष्ट्वा युष्मानधोमुखान् । कृच्छ्रामापदमापन्नान्प्रियं किं करवाणि वः ॥

atra me duḥkhamutpannaṃ dṛṣṭvā yuṣmānadhomukhān | kṛcchrāmāpadamāpannānpriyaṃ kiṃ karavāṇi vaḥ

Seeing you here head-down, fallen into dire distress, I am filled with grief. What can I do for you that would please you?

Verse 10 (1.45.10)

तपसोऽस्य चतुर्थेन तृतीयेनाथ वा पुनः । अर्धेन वापि निस्तर्तुमापदं ब्रूत मा चिरम् ॥

tapaso'sya caturthena tṛtīyenātha vā punaḥ | ardhena vāpi nistartumāpadaṃ brūta mā ciram

Tell me at once: can you cross over this calamity with a quarter of my austerity, or a third, or even a half?

Verse 11 (1.45.11)

अथवापि समग्रेण तरन्तु तपसा मम । भवन्तः सर्व एवेह काममेवं विधीयताम् ॥

athavāpi samagreṇa tarantu tapasā mama | bhavantaḥ sarva eveha kāmamevaṃ vidhīyatām

Or else let all of you cross over by the whole of my austerity. Let it be done just as you wish."

Verse 12 (1.45.12)

कुतो भवान्ब्रह्मचारी यो नस्त्रातुमिहेच्छसि । न तु विप्राग्र्य तपसा शक्यमेतद्व्यपोहितुम् ॥

kuto bhavānbrahmacārī yo nastrātumihecchasi | na tu viprāgrya tapasā śakyametadvyapohitum

"Where have you come from, a brahmachari who wishes to save us here? But, best of brahmins, this cannot be undone by austerity.

Verse 13 (1.45.13)

अस्ति नस्तात तपसः फलं प्रवदतां वर । संतानप्रक्षयाद्ब्रह्मन्पतामो निरयेऽशुचौ ॥

asti nastāta tapasaḥ phalaṃ pravadatāṃ vara | saṃtānaprakṣayādbrahmanpatāmo niraye'śucau

We too have the fruit of austerity, dear one, best of speakers. It is because our line is dying out, brahmin, that we are falling into an unclean hell.

Verse 14 (1.45.14)

सन्तानं हि परो धर्म एवमाह पितामहः । लम्बतामिह नस्तात न ज्ञानं प्रतिभाति वै ॥

santānaṃ hi paro dharma evamāha pitāmahaḥ | lambatāmiha nastāta na jñānaṃ pratibhāti vai

For offspring is the highest dharma; so the Grandsire has declared. As we hang here, dear one, our understanding fails us,

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मं → धर्म (misprint in Wikisource; paro dharmaḥ, whose visarga drops before the following vowel). First line not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second line is CE 1.41.14ab. From here to verse 19 Wikisource divides the lines half a verse off from the critical edition.

Verse 15 (1.45.15)

येन त्वां नाभिजानीमो लोके विख्यातपौरुषम् । वृद्धो भवान्महाभागो यो नः शोच्यान्सुदुःखितान् ॥

yena tvāṃ nābhijānīmo loke vikhyātapauruṣam | vṛddho bhavānmahābhāgo yo naḥ śocyānsuduḥkhitān

so that we do not know you, though your prowess is renowned in the world. Venerable and most fortunate are you, who for us, pitiable and sorely afflicted as we are,

Note on the text: Corrected महाभागोयोनः → महाभागो यो नः (word division) and सुदुःखितान → सुदुःखितान् (missing virama); misprints in Wikisource, the critical edition reads mahābhāgo yo naḥ … suduḥkhitān. Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.14cd–15ab.

Verse 16 (1.45.16)

शोचते चैव कारुण्याच्छृणु ये वै वयं द्विज । यायावरा नाम वयमृषयः संशितव्रताः ॥

śocate caiva kāruṇyācchṛṇu ye vai vayaṃ dvija | yāyāvarā nāma vayamṛṣayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ

grieve out of compassion. Listen, brahmin, to who we are. We are sages called the Yayavaras, strict in our vows,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.15cd–16ab.

Verse 17 (1.45.17)

लोकात्पुण्यादिह भ्रष्टाः सन्तानप्रक्षयान्मुने । प्रणष्टं नस्तपस्तीव्रं न हि नस्तन्तुरस्ति वै ॥

lokātpuṇyādiha bhraṣṭāḥ santānaprakṣayānmune | praṇaṣṭaṃ nastapastīvraṃ na hi nastanturasti vai

fallen here from a holy world, sage, because our line is dying out. Our fierce austerity is lost, for we have no thread of descent left.

Note on the text: Corrected पुम्यादिह → पुण्यादिह (misprint in Wikisource; lokāt puṇyāt, as the critical edition reads). Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.16cd–17ab.

Verse 18 (1.45.18)

अस्तित्वेकोऽद्य नस्तन्तुः सोऽपि नास्ति यथा तथा । मन्दभाग्योऽल्पभाग्यानां तप एकं समास्थितः ॥

astitveko'dya nastantuḥ so'pi nāsti yathā tathā | mandabhāgyo'lpabhāgyānāṃ tapa ekaṃ samāsthitaḥ

Or rather, one thread of ours remains today, but he is as good as none. Ill-starred son of fathers whose luck is small, he has given himself to austerity alone.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.17cd–18ab.

Verse 19 (1.45.19)

जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः । नियतात्मा महात्मा च सुव्रतः सुमहातपाः ॥

jaratkāruriti khyāto vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ | niyatātmā mahātmā ca suvrataḥ sumahātapāḥ

He is known as Jaratkaru, master of the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences, self-controlled, great-souled, firm in his vows and of very great austerity.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.18cd–ef (the critical edition’s verse has three lines).

Verse 20 (1.45.20)

तेन स्म तपसो लोभात्कृच्छ्रमापादिता वयम् । न तस्य भार्या पुत्रो वा बान्धवो वाऽस्ति कश्चन ॥

tena sma tapaso lobhātkṛcchramāpāditā vayam | na tasya bhāryā putro vā bāndhavo vā'sti kaścana

It is through his greed for austerity that we have been brought to this misery. He has no wife, no son, no kinsman of any kind.

Verse 21 (1.45.21)

तस्माल्लम्बामहे गर्ते नष्टसंज्ञा ह्यनाथवत् । स वक्तव्यस्त्वया दृष्टो ह्यस्माकं नाथवत्तया ॥

tasmāllambāmahe garte naṣṭasaṃjñā hyanāthavat | sa vaktavyastvayā dṛṣṭo hyasmākaṃ nāthavattayā

That is why we hang in this pit, our senses gone, like those who have no protector. If you see him, you should speak to him as one who stands as our protector:

Verse 22 (1.45.22)

पितरस्तेऽवलम्बन्ते गर्ते दीना अधोमुखाः । साधु दारान्कुरुष्वेति प्रजायस्वेति चाभिभो ॥

pitaraste'valambante garte dīnā adhomukhāḥ | sādhu dārānkuruṣveti prajāyasveti cābhibho

‘Your ancestors are hanging in a pit, wretched and head-down. Take a wife, as is right, and beget offspring, mighty one.’

Note on the text: Corrected चाभि भोः → चाभिभो (misprint in Wikisource; the vocative abhibho, "O mighty one", as the critical edition reads).

Verse 23 (1.45.23)

कुलतन्तुर्हि नः शिष्टः स एकैकस्तपोधन । यं तु पश्यसि नो ब्रह्मन्वीरणस्तम्बमाश्रयम् ॥

kulatanturhi naḥ śiṣṭaḥ sa ekaikastapodhana | yaṃ tu paśyasi no brahmanvīraṇastambamāśrayam

For he alone, rich in austerity, is the thread of our family that remains. The clump of vīraṇa grass that you see as our refuge, brahmin,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.21ef–22ab. This runs to verse 27.

Verse 24 (1.45.24)

एषोऽस्माकं कुलस्तम्ब आस्ते स्वकुलवर्धनः । यानि पश्यसि वै ब्रह्मन्मूलानीहास्य वीरुधः ॥

eṣo'smākaṃ kulastamba āste svakulavardhanaḥ | yāni paśyasi vai brahmanmūlānīhāsya vīrudhaḥ

is the clump of our family, which makes its own line prosper. The roots of this plant that you see here, brahmin,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.22cd–23ab.

Verse 25 (1.45.25)

एते नस्तन्तवस्तात कालेन परिभक्षिताः । यत्त्वेतत्पश्यसि ब्रह्मन्मूलमस्यार्धभक्षितम् ॥

ete nastantavastāta kālena paribhakṣitāḥ | yattvetatpaśyasi brahmanmūlamasyārdhabhakṣitam

are our threads of descent, dear one, devoured by time. And this root that you see, brahmin, half-eaten,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.23cd–24ab.

Verse 26 (1.45.26)

यत्र लम्बामहे गर्ते सोऽप्येकस्तप आस्थितः । यमाखुं पश्यसि ब्रह्मन्काल एष महाबलः ॥

yatra lambāmahe garte so'pyekastapa āsthitaḥ | yamākhuṃ paśyasi brahmankāla eṣa mahābalaḥ

from which we hang in the pit, is that one who has taken to austerity alone. The rat that you see, brahmin, is Time, mighty in strength.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.24cd–25ab.

Verse 27 (1.45.27)

स तं तपोरतं मन्दं शनैः क्षपयते तुदन् । जरत्कारुं तपोलुब्धं मन्दात्मानमचेतसम् ॥

sa taṃ taporataṃ mandaṃ śanaiḥ kṣapayate tudan | jaratkāruṃ tapolubdhaṃ mandātmānamacetasam

Gnawing at him, it is slowly wearing away that dull one devoted to austerity: Jaratkaru, greedy for austerity, foolish and without sense.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.25cd–ef (the critical edition’s verse has three lines).

Verse 28 (1.45.28)

न हि नस्तत्तपस्तस्य तारयिष्यति सत्तम । छिन्नमूलान्परिभ्रष्टान्कालोपहतचेतसः ॥

na hi nastattapastasya tārayiṣyati sattama | chinnamūlānparibhraṣṭānkālopahatacetasaḥ

His austerity will not save us, best of the good. See us, our roots cut, fallen, our minds struck down by time,

Note on the text: This verse corresponds to CE 1.41.26ab–cd (the critical edition’s verse has a third line, carried in the next verse).

Verse 29 (1.45.29)

अधः प्रविष्टान्पश्यास्मान्यथा दुष्कृतिनस्तथा । अस्मासु पतितेष्वत्र सह सर्वैः सबान्धवैः ॥

adhaḥ praviṣṭānpaśyāsmānyathā duṣkṛtinastathā | asmāsu patiteṣvatra saha sarvaiḥ sabāndhavaiḥ

sunk downward like evildoers. And when we have fallen here, together with all our kin,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.26ef–27ab. This runs to verse 33.

Verse 30 (1.45.30)

छिन्नः कालेन सोऽप्यत्र गन्ता वै नरकं ततः । तपो वाऽप्यथ वा यज्ञो यच्चान्यत्पावनं महत् ॥

chinnaḥ kālena so'pyatra gantā vai narakaṃ tataḥ | tapo vā'pyatha vā yajño yaccānyatpāvanaṃ mahat

he too, cut down by time, will then go to hell here. Austerity, or sacrifice, or any other great means of purification —

Note on the text: Corrected चा → वा (misprint in Wikisource; tapo vāpy atha vā yajño, "austerity or sacrifice", the critical edition reads athavā). Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.27cd–28ab.

Verse 31 (1.45.31)

तत्सर्वं न समं तात संतत्येति सतां मतम् । स तात दृष्ट्वा ब्रूयास्तं जरत्कारुं तपोधन ॥

tatsarvaṃ na samaṃ tāta saṃtatyeti satāṃ matam | sa tāta dṛṣṭvā brūyāstaṃ jaratkāruṃ tapodhana

none of these equals offspring, dear one; that is the view of the good. Rich in austerity, dear one, when you see that Jaratkaru, tell him this,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.28cd–29ab.

Verse 32 (1.45.32)

यथा दृष्टमिदं चात्र त्वयाऽऽख्येयमशेषतः । यथा दारान्प्रकुर्यात्स पुत्रानुत्पादयेद्यथा ॥

yathā dṛṣṭamidaṃ cātra tvayā''khyeyamaśeṣataḥ | yathā dārānprakuryātsa putrānutpādayedyathā

and relate to him in full what you have seen here, so that he may take a wife and beget sons.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides these lines half a verse off from the critical edition: this verse corresponds to CE 1.41.29cd–30ab.

Verse 33 (1.45.33)

तथा ब्रह्मंस्त्वया वाच्यः सोऽस्माकं नाथवत्तया । बान्धवानां हितस्येह यथा चात्मकुलं तथा ॥

tathā brahmaṃstvayā vācyaḥ so'smākaṃ nāthavattayā | bāndhavānāṃ hitasyeha yathā cātmakulaṃ tathā

So, brahmin, you should speak to him, as one who stands as our protector, for the good of his kinsmen here, and likewise of his own family.

Note on the text: Corrected वा → तथा (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the line a syllable short, the critical edition reads tathā brahmaṃs). The first line is CE 1.41.30cd; the second line (बान्धवानां हितस्येह…) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 34 (1.45.34)

कस्त्वं बन्धुमिवास्माकमनुशोचसि सत्तम । श्रोतुमिच्छाम सर्वेषां को भवानिह तिष्ठति ॥

kastvaṃ bandhumivāsmākamanuśocasi sattama | śrotumicchāma sarveṣāṃ ko bhavāniha tiṣṭhati

But who are you, best of the good, that you grieve for us as though you were our kinsman? We all wish to hear it: who are you, standing here?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).