वैशम्पायन उवाच मन्दपालोऽपि कौरव्य चिन्तयामास पुत्रकान्। उक्त्वापि च स तिग्मांशुं नैव शर्माधिगच्छति॥
Vaishampayana said : O descendant of Kuru, Mandapala became anxious for his sons. Although he had spoken of them to the deity of fearful rays (Agni), his mind was not in peace.
स तप्यमानः पुत्रार्थे लपितामिदमब्रवीत्। कथं नु शक्ताः शरणे लपिते मम पुत्रकाः॥ वर्धमाने हुतवहे वाते चाशु प्रवायति। असमर्था विमोक्षाय भविष्यन्ति ममात्मजाः॥
Being very much anxious for his sons, he spoke thus to Lapita, my children are not now in possession of the power of moving, how are they (now)? When the fire will grow in strength and when the wind will begin to blow run with violence, my children will be incapable of saving themselves.
कथं त्वशक्ता त्राणाय माता तेषां तपस्विनी। भविष्यति हि शोकार्ता पुत्रत्राणमपश्यती॥
How shall their ascetic mother be able to save them? She will be afflicted with great sorrow when she will find herself unable to save them.
कथमुयनेऽशक्तान् पतने च ममात्मजान्। संतप्यमाना बहुधा वाशमाना प्रधावती॥
She will about uttering various laminations; for my sons are incapable of flying or rising up in the air.
जरितारिः कथं पुत्रः सारिसृक्कः कथं च मे। स्तम्बमित्रः कथं द्रोणः कथं सा च तपस्विनी॥
Alas, how is Jaritari, my son! How is Sarisrikka, how is Stamvamitra and how id Drona! Alas, how is also the ascetic lady (their helpless mother)!"
लालप्यमानं तमृषि मन्दपालं तथा वने। लपिता प्रत्युवाचेदं सासूयमिव भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, when the Rishi Mandapala was thus lamenting in the forest, Lapita, out of jealousy, thus replied to him,
न तं पुत्रेष्ववक्षास्ति यानृषीनुक्तवानसि। तेजस्विनो वीर्यवन्तो न तेषां ज्वलनाद् भयम्॥
"You need have no anxiety for your children who, as you have assured me, are all greatly effulgent and powerful Rishis. They can have no fear from the fire.
त्वयाग्नौ ते परीताश्च स्वयं हि मम संनिधौ। प्रतिश्रुतं तथा चेति ज्वलनेन महामना॥
Did you not yourself in my presence speak to Agni on their behalf? Did not the illustrious deity promise to save them?
लोकपालो न तां वाचमुक्त्वा मिथ्या करिष्यति। समक्षं बन्धुकृत्ये न तेन तं स्वस्थ मानसम्॥
Being the protector of creatures, he (Agni) will never falsify his words. You have no anxiety in your mind, your heart is never inclined towards your friends.
तामेव तु ममामित्रां चिन्तयन् परितप्यसं। ध्रुवं मयि न ते स्नेहो यथा तस्यां पुराभवत्॥
It is only by thinking of her, my enemy (Jarita), that you are so very much in anxiety. It is certain that the love you bear for her is not cqual to that you bear for me.
न हि पक्षवता न्याय्यं नि:स्नेहेन सुहृज्जने। पीड्यमान उपद्रष्टुं शक्तेनात्मा कथंचन॥
He who has two parties to divide his attention can easily see one of them suffer all sorts of pangs. But he can never disregard the party next to his heart.
गच्छ त्वं जरितामेव यदर्थं परितप्यसे। चरिष्याम्यहमप्येका यथा कुपुरुषाश्रिता॥
Go to Jarita for whom your heart is so very sorrowful. As for myself, I shall roam alone, it would be a fit regard for me for having attached myself to a wicked man.
मन्दपाल उवाच नाहमेवं चरे लोके यथा त्वमभिमन्यसे। अपत्यहेतोर्विचरे तच्च कृच्छ्रगतं मम॥
Mandapala said : I do not roam over the world with such intentions as you believe. It is only for begetting offspring that I am here. But even those that I have is now in danger.
भूतं हित्वा च भाव्यर्थे योऽवलम्बेत् स मन्दधीः। अवमन्येत तं लोको यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु॥
He who casts off that which he has for the sake of what he may acquire(in future) is a wicked man. The world disregards and insults him. As for myself, you are at liberty to do what you choose.
एष हि प्रज्वलन्नग्निर्लेलिहानो महीरुहान्। आविग्ने हृदि संतापं जनयत्यशिवं मम॥
This blazing fire that licks up the trees produces sorrow in my anxious heart; it create in my mind anticipations of fear.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्माद् देशादतिक्रान्ते ज्वलने जरिता पुनः। जगाम पुत्रकानेव त्वरिता पुत्रगृद्धिनी॥
Vaishampayana said : After Agni has left the place where the Sharangakas lives, Jarita, very much attached to her sons, came with all speed to see how they all were.
सा तान् कुशलिनः सर्वान् विमुक्ताञ्जातवेदसः। रोरूयमाणान् ददृशे वने पुत्रान् निरामयान्॥
She found that all of them had escaped from the conflagration and they were all well. Seeing their mother, they too began to weep, although they were safe and well.
अश्रूणि मुमुचे तेषां दर्शनात् सा पुनः पुनः। एकैकश्येन तान् सर्वान् क्रोशमानान्वपद्यत॥
Seeing them (well), she too shed tears again and again. She embraced one by one all her weeping children.
ततोऽभ्यगच्छत् सहसा मन्दपालोऽपि भारत। अथ ते सर्व एवैनं नाभ्यनन्दंस्तदा सुताः॥
O descendant of Bharata, just at that very time, Mandapala suddenly arrived there, but none of his sons expressed any joy on seeing him.
लालप्यमानमेकैकं जरितां च पुनः पुनः। न चैवोचुस्तदा किंचित् तमृषि साध्वसाधु वा॥
But he spoke to them one after the other and he spoke also to Jarita, but none of them said ill or well to him in reply.
मन्दपाल उवाच ज्येष्ठः सुतस्ते कतमः कतमस्तस्य चानुजाः। मध्यमः कतमश्चैव कनीयान् कतमश्च ते॥
Mandapala said : Who amongst these (my sons) is your first born and who is born next to him? And who is the third and who is the youngest?
एवं ब्रुवन्तं दुःखार्तं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे। कृतवानपि हि त्यागं नैव शान्तिमितो लभे॥
I am speaking to you in sorrow; why do you not reply to me? It is true I left you, but I did not get peace where I was.
जरितोवाच किं नु ज्येष्ठेन ते कार्यं किमनन्तरजेन ते। किं वा मध्यमजातेन किं कनिष्ठेन वा पुनः॥
Jarita said: What business have you with the eldest of these (sons) and with him also who is the next and with him also who is the third and with him who is the youngest?
यां त्वं मां सर्वतो हीनामुत्सृज्यासि गतः पुरा। तामेव लपितां गच्छ तरुणी चारुहासिनीम्॥
Go to Lapita of sweet smiles who is endued with beauty and youth and to whom you had gone on seeing me difficult in every thing.
मन्दपाल उवाच न स्त्रीणां विद्यते किंचिदमुत्र पुरुषान्तरात्। सापत्नकमृते लोके नान्यदर्थविनाशनम्॥
Mandapala said : As regards woman, there is nothing that destroys their happiness more in this or the next world than a co-wife and a clandestine lover.
वैराग्निदीपनं चैव भृशमुद्धेगकारि च। सुव्रता चापि कल्याणी सर्वभूतेषु विश्रुता॥ अरुन्धती महात्मानं वसिष्ठं पर्यशरूत। विशुद्धभावमत्यन्तं सदा प्रियहिते रतम्॥ सप्तर्षिमध्यगं धीरमवमेने च तं मुनिम्। अपध्यानेन सा तेन धूमारुणसम्प्रभा। लक्ष्यालक्ष्या नाभिरूपा निमित्तमिव पश्यति॥
They inflame the fire of hostility and cause great anxiety. Even the auspiciously blessed and well behaved Arundhati, ever renowned among all creatures felt jealousy against the illustrious and pure minded Vasishtha, ever devoted to the greatly good of his wife. She insulted even that Rishi, one of the seven (great Rishis, the mind born sons of Brahma). On account of her that insulting thought, she has become a little star and looks like fire covered with smoke, sometimes visible and sometimes invisible, as if she is an evil omen.
अपत्येहेतोः सम्प्राप्तं तथा त्वमपि मामिह। इष्टमेवं गते हि त्वं सा तथैवाद्य वर्तते॥
I had connection with you for offspring. I have never wronged you as did not the Rishi (Vasishtha) of old, but you have become jealous as Arundhati (once was).
न हि भार्येति विश्वासः कार्यः पुंसा कथंचन। न हि कार्यमनुध्याति नारी पुत्रवती सती॥
Men should never trust women, even if they be wedded wives. When women become mothers, they do not much care to serve their husbands.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्ते सर्व एवैनं पुत्राः सम्यगुपासते। स च तानात्मजान् सर्वानाश्वासयितुमुद्यतः॥
Vaishampayana said: Thereupon all his sons came to worship him. And he too giving them all assurance spoke kindly towards them.