स्वतेजसैव तं शापं कुरु सत्यमृषेर्विभो। देवानां चात्मनो भागं गृहाण त्वं मुखे हुतम्
By your own radiance, fulfill the sage's curse, O mighty one, and accept, in your mouth, the share of the gods and yourself that is offered.
एवमस्त्विति तं वह्निः प्रत्युवाच पितामहम्। जगाम शासनं कर्तुं देवस्य परमेष्ठिनः
Agni replied to the Grandfather, 'So be it,' and went to carry out the command of the supreme Lord.
देवर्षयश्च मुदितास्ततो जग्मुर्यथागतम्। ऋषयश्च यथा पूर्वं क्रियाः सर्वाः प्रचक्रिरे
Then the divine sages, delighted, departed as they had come, and the seers performed all the rites as before.
दिवि देवा मुमुदिरे भूतसङ्घाश्च लौकिकाः। अग्निश्च परमां प्रीतिमवाप हतकल्मषः
The gods in heaven rejoiced, as did the hosts of worldly beings, and Agni, freed from sin, attained supreme satisfaction.
एवं स भगवाञ्छापं लेभेऽग्निर्भृगुतः पुरा। एवमेष पुरा वृत्त हतिहासोऽग्निशापजः। पुलोम्नश्च विनाशोऽयं च्यवनस्य च संभवः
Thus, in ancient times, the blessed Agni received the curse from Bhrigu; so this event occurred long ago—the laughter of Hati, the curse of Agni, the destruction of Puloman, and the birth of Cyavana.
स चापि च्यवनो ब्रह्मन्भार्गवोऽजनयत्सुतम्। सुकन्यायां महात्मानं प्रमतिं दीप्ततेजसम्
And Cyavana, O Brahman, the descendant of Bhrigu, begot a son by Sukanya, the great-souled, radiant Pramati.
प्रमतिस्तु रुरुं नाम घृताच्यां समजीजनत्। रुरुः प्रमद्वरायां तु शुनकं समजीजनम्
Pramati begot a son named Ruru by Ghritachi; and Ruru begot Sunaka by Pramadvara.
शुनकस्तु महासत्वः सर्वभार्गवनन्दनः। जातस्तपसि तीव्रे च स्थितः स्थिरयशास्ततः
Sunaka, of great spirit and joy of all the Bhargavas, was born and stood firm in severe austerity, thus gaining lasting fame.
तस्य ब्रह्मन्रुरोः सर्वं चरितं भूरितेजसः। विस्तरेण प्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु त्वमशेषतः
O Brahman, I will now tell you in detail the entire story of Ruru, full of splendor; listen to it completely.
ऋषिरासीन्महान्पूर्वं तपोविद्यासमन्वितः। स्थूलकेश इति ख्यातः सर्वभूतहिते रतः
There was once a great sage, endowed with austerity and knowledge, known as Sthulakesha, who was devoted to the welfare of all beings.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मेनकायां प्रजज्ञिवान्। गन्धर्वराजो विप्रर्षे विश्वावसुरिति स्मृतः
At that very time, O sage, the king of the Gandharvas, known as Vishvavasu, was born from Menaka.
अप्सरा मेनका तस्य तं गर्भं भृगुनन्दन। उत्ससर्ज यथाकालं स्थूलकेशाश्रमं प्रति
Menaka, the Apsaras, at the proper time, released that child of hers, O descendant of Bhrigu, towards the hermitage of Sthulakesha.
उत्सृज्य चैव तं गर्भं नद्यास्तीरे जगाम सा। अप्सरा मेनका ब्रह्मन्निर्दया निरपत्रपा
And abandoning that embryo on the riverbank, O Brahman, the Apsaras Menaka departed, merciless and shameless.
कन्याममरगर्भाभां ज्वलन्तीमिव च श्रिया। तां ददर्श समुत्सृष्टां नदीतीरे महानृषिः
A great sage saw the girl, shining with beauty like one born of the immortals, lying abandoned on the riverbank.
स्थूलकेशः स तेजस्वी विजने बन्धुवर्जिताम्। स तां दृष्ट्वा तदा कन्यां स्थूलकेशो महाद्विजः
Sthulakesha, that radiant one, saw the girl alone in the wilderness, bereft of kin.
जग्राह च मुनिश्रेष्ठः कृपाविष्टः पुपोष च। ववृधे सा वरारोहा तस्याश्रमपदे शुभे
The best of sages, filled with compassion, took her and raised her; she of lovely form grew up in his auspicious hermitage.
जातकाद्याः क्रियाश्चास्या विधिपूर्वं यथाक्रमम्। स्थूलकेशो महाभागश्चकार सुमहानृषिः
Sthulakesha, the great and illustrious sage, performed all the birth and other rites for her, in proper order and according to rule.
प्रमदाभ्यो वरा सा तु सत्त्वरूपगुणान्विता। ततः प्रमद्वरेत्यस्या नाम चक्रे महानृषिः
Endowed with beauty, form, and virtue surpassing other women, the great sage named her Pramadvara.
तामाश्रमपदे तस्य रुरुर्दृष्ट्वा प्रमद्वराम्। बभूव किल धर्मात्मा मदनोपहतस्तदा
Seeing Pramadvara in his hermitage, Ruru, righteous of soul, was overcome by love.
पितरं सखिभिः सोऽथ श्रावयामास भार्गवम्। प्रमतिश्चाभ्ययाचत्तां स्थूलकेशं यशस्विनम्
Then Ruru informed his father, the descendant of Bhrigu, along with his friends, and Pramati approached the renowned Sthulakesha to ask for her.
ततः प्रादात्पिता कन्यां रुरवे तां प्रमद्वराम्। विवाहं स्थापयित्वाग्रे नक्षत्रे भगदैवते
Then her father gave the maiden Pramadvara to Ruru, arranging the marriage at an auspicious time under a star presided over by the gods.
ततः कतिपयाहस्य विवाहे समुपस्थिते। सखीभिः क्रीडती सार्धं सा कन्यावरवर्णिनी
After a few days, when the wedding was near, that maiden of excellent complexion was playing with her friends.
नापश्यत्संप्रसुप्तं वै भुजंगं तिर्यगायतम्। पदा चैनं समाक्रामन्मुमूर्षुः कालचोदिता
She did not see a snake lying asleep, stretched out across her path, and, prompted by fate, she stepped on it, desiring to die.
स तस्याः संप्रमत्तायाश्चोदितः कालधर्मणा। विषोपलिप्तान्दशनान्भृशमङ्गे न्यपातयत्
That snake, aroused by the law of time as she was heedless, struck her body fiercely with its poison-covered fangs.
सा दष्टा तेन सर्पेण पपात सहसा भुवि। विवर्णा विगतश्रीका भ्रष्टाभरणचेतना
Bitten by that serpent, she suddenly fell to the ground, her color gone, her beauty vanished, her ornaments and consciousness lost.
निरानन्दकरी तेषां बन्धूनां मुक्तमूर्धजा। व्यसुरप्रेक्षणीया सा प्रेक्षणीयतमाऽभवत्
She, with loosened hair, lifeless and no longer to be seen, became a source of grief for her relatives, though once most worthy of sight.
प्रसुप्तेवाभवच्चापि भुवि सर्पविषार्दिता। भूयो मनोहरतरा बभूव तनुमध्यमा
Struck by the serpent's poison, she lay on the ground as if asleep, and her slender form became even more enchanting.
ददर्श तां पिता चैव ये चैवान्ये तपस्विनः। विचेष्टमानां पतितां भूतले पद्मवर्चसम्
Her father and other ascetics saw her, fallen and writhing on the earth, radiant as a lotus.
ततः सर्वे द्विजतराः समाजग्मुः कृपान्विताः। स्वस्त्यात्रेयो महाजानुः कुशिकः शङ्खमेखलः
Then all the eminent twice-born, filled with compassion, gathered there: Svastyatreya, Mahajanu, Kushika, and Shankhamekhala.
उद्दालकः कठश्चैव श्वेतश्चैव महायशाः। भरद्वाजः कौणकृत्स्य आर्ष्टिषेणोऽथ गौतमः
Uddalaka, Katha, the illustrious Shveta, Bharadvaja, Kaunakritsa, Arstishena, and Gautama also came.