Critical Edition
सूत उवाच तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु ब्राह्मणेषु समन्ततः रुरुश्चुक्रोश गहनं वनं गत्वा सुदुःखितः
M. N. Dutt: Sauti replied : While the noble Brahmanas were sitting round the dead body, Ruru, much aggrieved, retired into a deep forest and wept aloud.
शोकेनाभिहतः सोऽथ विलपन्करुणं बहु अब्रवीद्वचनं शोचन्प्रियां चिन्त्य प्रमद्वराम्
M. N. Dutt: Overwhelmed with grief, he indulged in much piteous lamentations. Remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he thus lamented in grief,
शेते सा भुवि तन्वङ्गी मम शोकविवर्धिनी बान्धवानां च सर्वेषां किं नु दुःखमतः परम्
M. N. Dutt: “Alas! The slender-bodied beauty who increases my grief, is now lying on the bare ground. What can be more painful than this to all her friends!
Supplementary Passages:
1.9.3 After 3ab, G (except G3.6) ins.: *231 प्राणानपहरन्तीव पूर्णचन्द्रनिभानना यदि पीनायतश्रोणी पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणा मुमूर्षुरपि मे प्राणानादायाशु गमिष्यति पितृमातृसखीनां च लुप्तपिण्डस्य तस्य मे
यदि दत्तं तपस्तप्तं गुरवो वा मया यदि सम्यगाराधितास्तेन संजीवतु मम प्रिया
M. N. Dutt: If ever I have bestowed charity, if ever I have observed penances, if ever I have showed respect to my superiors, let the merits of these acts restore to life my beloved one.
यथा जन्मप्रभृति वै यतात्माहं धृतव्रतः प्रमद्वरा तथाद्यैव समुत्तिष्ठतु भामिनी
M. N. Dutt: If ever I have controlled my passions from my birth, if ever I have stuck to my vows, let the beautiful Pramadvara rise from the ground.”
Supplementary Passages:
1.9.5 N (except K1) ins. after 5 (D6, after line 2 of 233* below): *232 एवं लालप्यतस्तस्य भार्यार्थे दुःखितस्य च देवदूतस्तदाभ्येत्य वाक्यमाह रुरुं वने D6 (om. lines 3-8) G1.4.5 ins. after 5: G2, after 4: *233 कृष्णे विष्णौ हृषीकेशे लोकेशेऽसुरविद्विषि यदि मे निश्चला भक्तिर्मम जीवतु सा प्रिया विलप्यमाने तु रुरौ सर्वे देवाः कृपान्विताः दूतं प्रस्थापयामासुः संदिश्यास्य हितं वचः स दूतस्त्वरितोऽभ्येत्य देवानां प्रियकृच्छुचिः उवाच देववचनं रुरुमाभाष्य दुःखितम् देवैः सर्वैरहं ब्रह्मन्प्रेषितोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम् त्वद्धितं त्वद्धितैरुक्तं शृणु वाक्यं द्विजोत्तम T2 G6 ins. after 5: G1.2.4.5 cont. after 233* above: *234 प्रलपन्तमतीवार्तं रुरुं दीनतरं तदा देवदूतः समागम्य वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
देवदूत उवाच अभिधत्से ह यद्वाचा रुरो दुःखेन तन्मृषा न तु मर्त्यस्य धर्मात्मन्नायुरस्ति गतायुषः
M. N. Dutt: The Devaduta said: O Ruru, the words that you are uttering in grief can have no effect; for, O noble-minded (Rishi), one belonging to this world, whose days are run out, cannot come back to life again.
गतायुरेषा कृपणा गन्धर्वाप्सरसोः सुता तस्माच्छोके मनस्तात मा कृथास्त्वं कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: This poor child of the Gandharva and the Apsara has her days run out; therefore, O child, do not give yourself up to grief.
उपायश्चात्र विहितः पूर्वं देवैर्महात्मभिः तं यदीच्छसि कर्तुं त्वं प्राप्स्यसीमां प्रमद्वराम्
M. N. Dutt: The great deities, however, have provided beforehand a means. If you comply with it, you may get back your Pramadvara.
रुरुरुवाच क उपायः कृतो देवैर्ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन खेचर करिष्ये तं तथा श्रुत्वा त्रातुमर्हति मां भवान्
M. N. Dutt: Ruru said: O messenger of heaven, (tell me) what means have been provided beforehand by the deities. Tell me in full, so that I may comply with it. You should save me.
देवदूत उवाच आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छस्व कन्यायै भृगुनन्दन एवमुत्थास्यति रुरो तव भार्या प्रमद्वरा
M. N. Dutt: The Devaduta said : O Descendant of Bhrigu, give up half of your own life to your bride and O Ruru, your Pramadvara will then rise from the ground.
रुरुरुवाच आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि कन्यायै खेचरोत्तम शृङ्गाररूपाभरणा उत्तिष्ठतु मम प्रिया
M. N. Dutt: Ruru said: O best of heaven's messengers, 1 give up half of my life to my bride. Let my beloved one rise in the beautiful form decked with ornaments.
Supplementary Passages:
1.9.11 After 11, G1 ins.: *235 संलापगुणसंपन्ना पूर्णचन्द्रनिभानना मच्छोकं वाक्यतोयेन व्यपनीतं करिष्यति
सूत उवाच ततो गन्धर्वराजश्च देवदूतश्च सत्तमौ धर्मराजमुपेत्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषताम्
M. N. Dutt: Sauti said: The king of the Gandharvas and the greatly qualified messenger of heaven, both went to the Deity Dharma and addressed him thus :
धर्मराजायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोर्भार्या प्रमद्वरा समुत्तिष्ठतु कल्याणी मृतैव यदि मन्यसे
M. N. Dutt: "O king Dharma, if it please you, let the beautiful bride of Ruru, Pramadvara, who is dead, rise up endued with a half of Ruru's life.”
धर्मराज उवाच प्रमद्वरा रुरोर्भार्या देवदूत यदीच्छसि उत्तिष्ठत्वायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोरेव समन्विता
M. N. Dutt: The Dharmaraja said : "O messenger of heaven, if it be your wish, let the bride of Ruru Pramadvara, rise up endued with a half of Ruru's life.
सूत उवाच एवमुक्ते ततः कन्या सोदतिष्ठत्प्रमद्वरा रुरोस्तस्यायुषोऽर्धेन सुप्तेव वरवर्णिनी
M. N. Dutt: Sauti said : When Dharma thus spoke, the beautiful Pramadvara, the betrothed bride of Ruru, rose up as from a slumber, with a half of Ruru's life.
एतद्दृष्टं भविष्ये हि रुरोरुत्तमतेजसः आयुषोऽतिप्रवृद्धस्य भार्यार्थेऽर्धं ह्रसत्विति
M. N. Dutt: It was seen afterwards that the bestowal of a half of his own life to resuscitate his bride by Ruru of long life, led to a curtailment of his own life.
तत इष्टेऽहनि तयोः पितरौ चक्रतुर्मुदा विवाहं तौ च रेमाते परस्परहितैषिणौ
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon their fathers gladly married them off with due rites and the couple passed their days devoted to each other.
स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्यां पद्मकिञ्जल्कसप्रभाम् व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रतः
M. N. Dutt: Thus having obtained a wife, difficult to be obtained, who was beautiful and bright as the filaments of the lotus, the Rishi of hard austerities (Ruru) made a vow to destroy the serpent race.
स दृष्ट्वा जिह्मगान्सर्वांस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः अभिहन्ति यथासन्नं गृह्य प्रहरणं सदा
M. N. Dutt: Whenever he saw a snake, he was filled with great anger and he always killed it with a weapon.
स कदाचिद्वनं विप्रो रुरुरभ्यागमन्महत् शयानं तत्र चापश्यड्डुण्डुभं वयसान्वितम्
M. N. Dutt: One day, the Brahmana, Ruru entered into a very large forest. He saw an old Dundubha snake lying on the ground.
तत उद्यम्य दण्डं स कालदण्डोपमं तदा अभ्यघ्नद्रुषितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाथ डुण्डुभः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon with the intention of killing it, Ruru raised his staff in anger, A staff like the staff of Death. The Dundubha then said to the angry Brahmana.
नापराध्यामि ते किंचिदहमद्य तपोधन संरम्भात्तत्किमर्थं मामभिहंसि रुषान्वितः
M. N. Dutt: "O Rishi, I have done you no harm. Why should you kill me in anger?"