जनमेजय उवाच किमर्थं शाईकानग्निर्न ददाह तथागते। तस्मिन् वने दह्यमाने ब्रह्मन्नेतत् प्रचक्ष्व मे॥
Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, tell me why Agni did not consume the Sharangakas when that forest was being burnt?
अदाहे ह्यश्वसेनस्य दानवस्य मयस्य च। कारणं कीर्तितं ब्रह्मञ्छाकाणां न कीर्तितम्॥
O Brahmana, you have narrated the cause of Ashvasena and Danava Maya having been not burnt, but you have not narrated the cause of the Sharangakas having been not burnt.
तदेतदद्भुतं ब्रह्मञ्छाईकाणामनामयम्। कीर्तयस्वाग्निसम्मः कथं ते न विनाशिताः॥
O Brahmana, the escape of the Sharanagakas seems to be wonderful. Tell us why they were not destroyed by Agni in the great conflagration.
वैशम्पायन उवाच यदर्थं शाकानग्निर्न ददाह तथागते। तत् ते सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि यताभूतमरिंदम॥
Vaishampayana said: O chastiser of foes, I shall tell you all about the reason for which Agni did not consume the Sharangakas in that conflagration.
धर्मज्ञानां मुख्यतमस्तपस्वी संशितब्रतः। आसीन्महर्षिः श्रुतवान् मन्दपाल इति श्रुतः॥
O king, there was a great Rishi, the foremost of all virtuous men, known by the name of Mandapala. He was learned in all the Shastras and devoted to asceticism and rigid VOWS.
स मार्गमाश्रितो राजन्नृषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्। स्वाध्यायवान् धर्मरतस्तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रियः॥
O king, following the footsteps of those Rishis who had brought their passion under complete control, he devoted himself to study and virtue and he became a victor over all his senses.
स गत्वा तपसः पारं देहमुत्सृज्य भारत। जगाम पितृलोकाय न लेभे तत्र तत्फलम्॥
O descendant of Bharata, having reached the opposite shore of asceticism (gaining success in asceticism), he gave up his human body and went to the region of the Pitris. But he did not get there the fruits (of his virtuous actions).
स लोकानफलान् दृष्ट्वा तपसा निर्जितानपि। पप्रच्छ धर्मराजस्य समीपस्थान् दिवौकसः॥
He asked the dwellers of heaven (celestial) sitting round Dharmaraja (the king of the dead) what was the cause of his not getting the fruits of his severe asceticism.
मन्दपाल उवाच किमर्थमावृता लोका ममैते तपसार्जिताः किं मया न कृतं तत्र यस्यैतत् कर्मणः फलम्॥
Mandapala said : Why have these regions become unattainable by me? I thought they have been acquired by me by my asceticism. What have I not done, the fruits of which are these regions?
तत्राहं तत् करिष्यामि यदर्थमिदमावृतम्। फलमेतस्य तपसः कथयध्वं दिवौकसः॥
O dwellers of heaven, tell me why these regions are shut against me. I will do that which will give me the fruit of my asceticism.
देवा ऊचुः ऋणिनो मानवा ब्रह्मन् जायन्ते तेन तच्छृणु। क्रियाभिर्ब्रह्मचर्येण प्रजया च न संशयः॥ तदपाक्रियते सर्वं यज्ञेन तपसा श्रुतैः। तपस्वी यज्ञकृच्चासि न च ते विद्यते प्रजा॥
The Celestial said: O Brahmana, hear of those acts and things for which men are bom debtors. There is no doubt that men are born debtors for Kriya, religious rites, for Brahmacharya, study according to the ordinance and for progeny. These debts are discharged by scarifies, asceticism and offspring. You are an ascetic, you have also performed scarifies, but you have no offspring.
त इमे प्रसवस्यार्थे तव लोकाः समावृताः। प्रजायस्व ततो लोकानुपभोक्ष्यसि पुष्कलान्॥
These regions are shut against you, because you have no offspring. Therefore, beget off spring you will then enjoy various regions of felicity.
पुंनाम्नो नरकात् पुत्रस्त्रायते पितरं श्रुतिः। तस्मादपत्यसंताने यतस्व ब्रह्मसत्तम।॥
It is said in Smriti, that the son rescues the father from the hell, called Put, O best of Brahmanas, therefore, try to be get children.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा मन्दपालस्तु वचस्तेषां दिवौकसाम्। क्व नु शीघ्रमपत्यं स्याद् बहुलं चेत्यचिन्तयत्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having heard these words of the dwellers of heaven, Mandapala thought how he could obtain the largest number offspring within the shortest period of time.
स चिन्तयन्नभ्यगच्छत् सुबहुप्रसवान् खगान्। शाह्निकां शाट्टिको भूत्वा जरितां समुपेयिवान्॥
After reflection, he came to the conclusion that the birds alone have the greatest power of fecundity. Becoming a Sharanagaka, he had connection, with a female Sharangaka, named Jarita.
तस्यां पुत्रानजनयच्चतुरो ब्रह्मवादिनः। तानपास्य स तत्रैव जगाम लपितां प्रति॥ बालान् स तानण्डगतान् सह मात्रा मुनिर्वने।
He begot on her four sons who were all utterers of the Vedas. Leaving these sons with their mother in the forest while they were still within the eggs, he went to Lapita.
तस्मिन् गते महाभागे लपितां प्रति भारत॥ अपत्यस्नेहसंयुक्ता जरिता बह्वचिन्तयत्।
O descendant of Bharata, when the illustrious Rishi went away to Lapita. Jarita, filled with affection for her offspring, became very thoughtful.
तेन त्यक्तानसंत्याज्यानृषीनण्डगतान् वने॥ न जहौ पुत्रशोकार्ता जरिता खाण्डवे सुतान्। बभार चैतान् संजातान् स्ववृत्त्या स्नेहविपल्वा॥
Though forsaken by their father in that forest.of Khandava, Jarita, out of her affection for her children, could not forsake her of offspring, those infant Rishis still living within the eggs. She brought up those children, her self following the pursuit proper to her own species.
ततोऽग्नि खाण्डवं दग्धुमायान्तं दृष्टवानृषिः। मन्दपालश्चरंस्तस्मिन् वने लपितया सह॥
Sometime after, the Rishi Mandapala, while wandering in the forest with Lapita, saw Agni coming towards the Khandava to burn it.
तं संकल्पं विदित्वाग्नेत्विा पुत्रांश्च बालकान्। सोऽभितुष्टाव विप्रर्षिाह्मणो जातवेदसम्॥ पुत्रान् प्रति वदन् भीतो लोकपालं महौजसम्।
Knowing the intention of Agni and remembering also that his children were all young, moved by fear, he gratified Agni, the greatly effulgent regent of the universe. He did it, wishing to say a word for his unfledged offspring.
मन्दपाल उवाच त्वमग्ने सर्वलोकानां मुखं त्वमसि हव्यवाट्॥
Mandapala said : O Agni, you are the mouth of all the worlds, you are the carrier of sacrificial ghee.
त्वमन्तः सर्वभूतानां गूढश्चरसि पावक। त्वामेकमाहुः कवयस यस्त्वामाहुस्त्रिविधं पुनः॥
O purifier, you move invisible in the body of every creature. The learned have said that you are a unit and again you possess triple nature.
त्वामष्टधा कल्पयित्वा यज्ञवाहमकल्पयन्। त्वया विश्वमिदं सृष्टं वदन्ति परमर्षयः॥
The wise perform their sacrifices before you and they consider you as having eight (murtis). The great Rishis say that this universe is erected by you.
त्वदृते हि जगत् कृत्स्नं सद्यो नश्येद्भुताशन। तुभ्यं कृत्वा नमो विप्राः स्वकर्मविजितां गतिम्॥ गच्छन्ति सह पत्नीभिः सुतैरपि च शाश्वतीम्। त्वामग्ने जलदानाहुः खे विषक्तान् सविद्युतः॥
O eater of the sacrificial ghee, this whole universe will be destroyed in a single day if you were not present in it. Bowing down to you, the Brahmanas, accompanied by their wives and children, go to the eternal regions acquired by them by their own (good) deeds. O Agni, the learned say that you are the clouds charged with lightning. The flames put forth by you consume every creatures, (on earth).
दहन्ति सर्वभूतानि त्वत्तो निष्क्रम्य हेतयः। जातवेदस्त्वयैवेदं विश्वं सृष्टं महाद्युते॥
O effulgent deity, this universe is created by you. The Vedas are your words; all creatures, mobile and immobile, depend upon you.
तवैव कर्म विहितं भूतं सर्वं चराचरम्। त्वयाऽऽपो विहिताः पूर्वं त्वयि सर्वमिदं जगत्॥
Water primarily depends upon you. Whole universe also depends upon you. All offerings of sacrificial ghee and all libations of food offered to the Pitris have also been established in you.
त्वयि हव्यं च कव्यं च यथावत् सम्प्रतिष्ठितम्। त्वमेव दहनो देव त्वं धाता त्वं बृहस्पतिः॥ त्वमश्विनौ यमौ मित्रः सोमस्त्वमसि चानिलः।
O deity, you are the consumer, you are the creator, you are Brihaspati himself. You are Surya, you are Soma and you are Vayu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं स्तुतस्तदा तेन मन्दपालेन पावकः॥ तुतोष तस्य नृपते मुनेरमिततेजसः। उवाच चैन प्रीतात्मा किमिष्टं करवाणि ते॥
Vaishampayana said : O king, thus praised by Mandapala, Agni was much pleased with the immeasurably effulgent Rishi. He thus spoke to him with a delightful heart,” what good can I do to you?”
तमब्रवीन्मन्दपाल: प्राञ्जलिहव्यवाहनम्। प्रदहन् खाण्डवं दावं मम पुत्रान् विसर्जय॥
Thereupon Mandapala with joined hands said to the carrier of sacrificial ghee fire, "When you will burn the Khandava, spare my sons."
तथेति तत् प्रतिश्रुत्य भगवान् हव्यवाहनः। खाण्डवे तेन कालेन प्रजज्वाल दिधक्षया॥
The illustrious carrier of the sacrificial ghee Agni promised it by saying "Be it so.” And then at that very movement he blazed up with the intention of burning the Khandava.