कुन्त्युवाच कुतोमूलमिदं दुःखं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः। विदित्वाप्यपकर्षेयं शक्यं चेदपकर्षितुम्॥
Kunti said: I desire to learn from you what is the cause of this grief. Learning it, I shall remove it, if is capable of being removed.
ब्राह्मण उवाच उपपन्नं सतामेतद् यद् ब्रवीषि तपोधने। न तु दुःखमिदं शक्यं पानुषेण व्यपोहितम्॥
The Brahmana said : O ascetic lady, what you say is no doubt worthy of virtuous men. But this grief cannot be removed by any human being.
समीपे नगरस्यास्य बको वसति राक्षसः। ईशो जनपदस्यास्य पुरस्य च महाबलः॥ पुष्टो मानुषमांसेन दुर्बुद्धिः पुरुषादकः। रक्षत्यसुररानित्यमिमं जनपदं बली॥ नगरं चैव देशं च रक्षोबलसमन्वितः। तत्कृते परचक्राच्च भूतेब्यश्च न नो भयम्॥
A Rakshasas, named Baka, lives not far off from this town. That greatly powerful (cannibal) is the lord of this town and of this country. That wicked-minded and powerful cannibal, that chief of the Asuras, being fattened by (eating) human flesh, rules over this country. This country and town are protected by the strength of that Rakshasas; thus being protected, we have no fear of any enemy, nay of any living soul.
वेतनं तस्य विहितं शालिवाहस्य भोजनम्। महिषौ पुरुषश्चैको यस्तदादाय गच्छति॥
His remuneration however is fixed to supply his food, which consists of one cart load of rice, two buffaloes and the man who takes them to him.
एकैकश्चापि पुरुषस्तत् प्रयच्छति भोजनम्। स वारो बहुभिर्वर्भवत्यसुकरो नरैः॥
One after another all (men of this town) send him his food. Though it is very difficult to be kept, yet the turn comes to a particular family at intervals of many years.
तद्विमोक्षाय ये केचिद् यतन्ति पुरुषाः क्वचित्। सपुत्रदारांस्तान् हत्वा तद् रक्षो भक्षयत्युत॥
If people try to avoid it, the Rakshasas then eats them up with their wives and children.
वेत्रकीयगृहे राजा नायं नयमिहास्थितः। उपायं तं न कुरुते यत्नादपि स मन्दधीः। अनामयं जनस्यास्य येन स्यादद्य शाश्वतम्॥
There is a king in a place called Vetrakiyagriha, but that foolish man does not know how to govern (his kingdom) and he does not take any step by which this country may be rendered safe.
एतदर्हा वयं नूनं वसामो दुर्बलस्य ये। विषये नित्यवास्तव्याः कुराजानमुपाश्रिताः॥
We certainly deserve it all, for we live in everlasting anxiety in the kingdom of a wretched and weak king.
ब्राह्मणाः कस्य वक्तव्याः कस्य वाच्छन्दचारिणः। गुणैरेते हि वत्स्यन्ति कामगाः पक्षिणो यथा॥
The Brahmanas can never be made to live (permanently) in the house of any one, (for) they are free men. They depend upon their own accomplishments and roam (over the world) like a bird, free to fly at pleasure.
राजानं प्रथमं विन्देत् ततो भार्यां ततो धनम्। त्रयस्य संचयेनास्य ज्ञातीन् पुत्रांश्च तारयेत्॥
It is said that a (good) king should be saved first, them a wife and then wealth, by the acquisition of the three, one can rescue his relatives and sons.
विपरीतं मया चेदं त्रयं सर्वमुपार्जितम्। तदिमामापदं प्राप्य भृशं तप्यामहे वयम्॥
In the matter of the acquisition of these three, my course has been (quite) the reserve. Therefore falling into this danger, I am suffering great affections.
सोऽयमस्माननुप्राप्तो वारः कुलविनाशनः। भोजनं पुरुषश्चैकः प्रदेयं वेतनं मया॥
The race destroying turn of (supplying food to the Rakshsasa) has come round to me. I shall have to give the food and a man as the remuneration of the (Rakshasas).
न च मे विद्यते वित्तं संक्रेतुं पुरुषं क्वचित्। सुहज्जनं प्रदातुं च न शक्ष्यामि कदाचन॥
I have no wealth to buy a man. I shall not bu able to give one who is dear to me.
गतिं चैव न पश्यामि तस्मान्मोक्षाय रक्षसः। सोऽहं दुःखार्णवे मग्नो महत्यसुकरे भृशम्॥
I do not see any means to save myself from the Rakshasas; therefore, I am plunged into a great ocean of grief, from which there is no escape.
सहैवैतैर्गमिष्यामि बान्धवैरद्य राक्षसम्। ततो नः सहितान् क्षुद्रः सर्वानेवोपभोक्ष्यति॥
I shall today with all my family, go to that Rakshasas so that, that wretch may devour us all at once.