Book Iii. Canto Xiv. Jat'ayus
Canto Xiv.: Jatyus.
Then as the son of Raghu made
His way to Panchavat's shade,
A mighty vulture he beheld
Of size and strength unparalleled.
The princes, when the bird they saw,
Approached with reverence and awe,
And as his giant form they eyed,
'Tell who thou art,' in wonder cried.
The bird, as though their hearts to gain,
Addressed them thus in gentlest strain;
'In me, dear sons, the friend behold
Your royal father loved of old.'
He spoke: nor long did Rma wait
His sire's dear friend to venerate:
He bade the bird declare his name
And the high race of which he came.
When Raghu's son had spoken, he
Declared his name and pedigree,
His words prolonging to disclose
How all the things that be arose:
'List while I tell, O Raghu's son,
The first-born Fathers, one by one,
Great Lords of Life, whence all in earth
And all in heaven derive their birth.
First Kardam heads the glorious race
Where Vikrit holds the second place,
With S'esha, Sans'ray next in line,
And Bahuputra's might divine.
Then Sthnu and Marchi came,
Atri, and Kratu's forceful frame.
Pulastya followed, next to him
Angiras' name shall ne'er be dim.
Prachetas, Pulah next, and then
Daksha, Vivasvat praised of men:
Arshtanemi next, and last
Kas'yap in glory unsurpassed.
From Daksha,--fame the tale has told--
Three-score bright daughters sprang of old.
Of these fair-waisted nymphs the great
Lord Kas'yap sought and wedded eight,
Aditi, Diti, Klak,
Tmr, Dan, and Anal,
And Krodhavas swift to ire,
And Manu 1b glorious as her sire.
Then when the mighty Kas'yap cried
Delighted to each tender bride:
'Sons shalt thou bear, to rule the three
Great worlds, in might resembling me,'
p. 246
Aditi, Diti, and Dan
Obeyed his will as consorts true,
And Klak; but all the rest
Refused to hear their lord's behest.
First Aditi conceived, and she,
Mother of thirty Gods and three,
The Vasus and A'dityas bare,
Kudras, and A'svins, heavenly pair.
Of Diti sprang the Daityas: fame
Delights to laud their ancient name.
In days of yore their empire dread
O'er earth and woods and ocean spread.
Dan was mother of a child,
O hero, As'vagrva styled,
And Narak next and Klak came
Of Klak, celestial dame.
Of Tmr, too, five daughters bright
In deathless glory sprang to light.
Ennobling fame still keeps alive
The titles of the lovely five:
Immortal honour still she claims
For Kraunch, Bhas, S'yen's names.
And wills not that the world forget
S'uk or Dhritarshtr yet.
Then Kraunch bare the crane and owl,
And Bhs tribes of water fowl:
Vultures and hawks that race through air
With storm-fleet pinions S'yen bare.
All swans and geese on mere and brook
Their birth from Dhritarshtr took,
And all the river-haunting brood
Of ducks, a countless multitude.
From S'uk Nal sprang, who bare
Dame Vinat surpassing fair.
From fiery Krodhavas', ten
Bright daughters sprang, O King of men:
Mrig and Mrigamad named,
Hari and Bhadiamad famed,
S'rdl, S'vet fair to see,
Mtangi bright, and Surabhi,
Suras marked with each fair sign,
And Kadrum, all maids divine.
Mrig, O prince without a peer,
Was mother of the herds of deer,
The bear, the yak, the mountain roe
Their birth to Mrigamand owe;
And Bhadramad joyed to be
Mother of fair Irvat,
Who bare Airvat, 1 huge of mould,
Mid warders of the earth enrolled,
From Har lordly lions trace,
With monkeys of the wild, their race.
From the great dame S'rdl styled
Sprung pards, Lngrs, 2 and tigers wild.
Mtangi, Prince, gave birth to all
Mtangas, elephants strong and tall,
And S'vet'a bore the beasts who stand
One at each wind, earth's warder band. 1b
Next Surabh the Goddess bore
Two heavenly maids, O Prince, of yore,
Gandharvi--dear *as fa?* is she--
And her sweet sister Rohin.
With kine this daughter filled each mead,
And bright Gandharv bore the steed. 2b
Suras bore the serpents: 3b all
The snakes Kadr their mother call.
Then Manu, high-souled Kas'yap's 4b wife,
To all the race of men gave life,
The Brhmans first, the Kshatriya caste,
Then Vais'yas, and the S'dras last.
Sprang from her mouth the Brahman race;
Her chest the Kshatriyas' natal place:
The Vais'yas from her thighs,'tis said,
The S'dras from her feet were bred.
From Anal all trees that hang
Their fair fruit-laden branches sprang.
The child of beauteous S'uk bore
Vinat, as I taught before:
And Suras and Kadr were
Born of one dame, a noble pair.
Kadr gave birth to countless snakes
That roam the earth in woods and brakes.
Arun and Garud swift of flight
By V'inat were given to light,
And sons' of Arun red as morn
Sampati first, then I was born,
Me then, O tamer of the toe,
Jutyus, son of S'yen, know.
Thy ready helper will I be,
And guard thy house, if thou agree:
When thou and Lakshman urge the chase
By St's side shall be my place.'
With courteous thanks for promised aid,
The prince, to rapture stirred,
Bent low, and due obeisance paid,
Embraced the royal bird.
p. 247
He often in the days gone by
Had heard his father tell
How, linked with him in friendship's tie,
He loved Jatyus well.
He hastened to his trusted friend
His darling to confide,
And through the wood his steps to bend
By strong Jatyus' side.
On to the grove, with Lakshman near,
The prince his way pursued
To free those pleasant shades from fear
And slay the giant brood.
Footnotes
245:1 The Madhka, or, as it is now called, Mahuw, is the Bassia latifolia, a tree from whose blossoms a spirit is extracted.
245:1b 'I should have doubted whether Manu could have been the right reading here, but that it occurs again in verse 29, where it is in like manner followed in verse 31 by Anal, so that it would certainly seem that the name Manu is intended to stand for a female, the daughter of Daksha.
The Gauda recension, followed by Signor Gorresio (iii 20, 12), adopts an entirely different reading at the end of the line, viz. "Balm Atibalm api", "Bal and Atibil," instead of Manu and Anal.
I see that Professor Roth s.v. adduces the authority of the Amara Kosha and of the Commentator on Pnini for stating that the word sometimes means "the wife of Manu." In the following text of the Mahbhrata I. 2553. also, Manu appears to be the name of a female: Anaradyam, Manum, Vansm, Asurm, Mrganapriym, Anpm, Subhagdm, Bhsm iti Prdh vyajayata. "Prdh (daughter of Daksha) bore Anavady, Manu, Vans',
Mrganapriv, Anp, Subhag. and Bhs."' "Muir's Sanskrit Text", Vol. I. p.
116.
246:1 The elephant of Indra.
246:2 \"Golinglas", described as a kind of monkey, of a black colour, and having a tail like a cow.
246:1b Eight elephants attached to the four quarters and intermediate points of the compass, to support and guard the earth.
246:2b Some scholars identify the centaurs with the Gandharvas.
246:3b The hooded serpents, says the commentator Trtha, were the offspring of Suras: all others of Kadr.
246:4b The text reads Ks'yapa, "a descendant of Kas'yapa," who according to Rm.
II. l0, 6, ought to be Vivasvat. But as it is stated in the preceding part of this passage Iii. 14, 11 f. that Manu was one of Kasyapa's eight wives, we must here read Kasyapa. The Ganda recension reads (iii, 20, 30) Manur manushyams cha tutha janaymsa Raghana**, instead of the corresponding line in the Bombay edition.'
"Muir's Sanskrit Text, Vol I, p. 117."
Then as the son of Raghu made
His way to Panchavat's shade,
A mighty vulture he beheld
Of size and strength unparalleled.
The princes, when the bird they saw,
Approached with reverence and awe,
And as his giant form they eyed,
'Tell who thou art,' in wonder cried.
The bird, as though their hearts to gain,
Addressed them thus in gentlest strain;
'In me, dear sons, the friend behold
Your royal father loved of old.'
He spoke: nor long did Rma wait
His sire's dear friend to venerate:
He bade the bird declare his name
And the high race of which he came.
When Raghu's son had spoken, he
Declared his name and pedigree,
His words prolonging to disclose
How all the things that be arose:
'List while I tell, O Raghu's son,
The first-born Fathers, one by one,
Great Lords of Life, whence all in earth
And all in heaven derive their birth.
First Kardam heads the glorious race
Where Vikrit holds the second place,
With S'esha, Sans'ray next in line,
And Bahuputra's might divine.
Then Sthnu and Marchi came,
Atri, and Kratu's forceful frame.
Pulastya followed, next to him
Angiras' name shall ne'er be dim.
Prachetas, Pulah next, and then
Daksha, Vivasvat praised of men:
Arshtanemi next, and last
Kas'yap in glory unsurpassed.
From Daksha,--fame the tale has told--
Three-score bright daughters sprang of old.
Of these fair-waisted nymphs the great
Lord Kas'yap sought and wedded eight,
Aditi, Diti, Klak,
Tmr, Dan, and Anal,
And Krodhavas swift to ire,
And Manu 1b glorious as her sire.
Then when the mighty Kas'yap cried
Delighted to each tender bride:
'Sons shalt thou bear, to rule the three
Great worlds, in might resembling me,'
p. 246
Aditi, Diti, and Dan
Obeyed his will as consorts true,
And Klak; but all the rest
Refused to hear their lord's behest.
First Aditi conceived, and she,
Mother of thirty Gods and three,
The Vasus and A'dityas bare,
Kudras, and A'svins, heavenly pair.
Of Diti sprang the Daityas: fame
Delights to laud their ancient name.
In days of yore their empire dread
O'er earth and woods and ocean spread.
Dan was mother of a child,
O hero, As'vagrva styled,
And Narak next and Klak came
Of Klak, celestial dame.
Of Tmr, too, five daughters bright
In deathless glory sprang to light.
Ennobling fame still keeps alive
The titles of the lovely five:
Immortal honour still she claims
For Kraunch, Bhas, S'yen's names.
And wills not that the world forget
S'uk or Dhritarshtr yet.
Then Kraunch bare the crane and owl,
And Bhs tribes of water fowl:
Vultures and hawks that race through air
With storm-fleet pinions S'yen bare.
All swans and geese on mere and brook
Their birth from Dhritarshtr took,
And all the river-haunting brood
Of ducks, a countless multitude.
From S'uk Nal sprang, who bare
Dame Vinat surpassing fair.
From fiery Krodhavas', ten
Bright daughters sprang, O King of men:
Mrig and Mrigamad named,
Hari and Bhadiamad famed,
S'rdl, S'vet fair to see,
Mtangi bright, and Surabhi,
Suras marked with each fair sign,
And Kadrum, all maids divine.
Mrig, O prince without a peer,
Was mother of the herds of deer,
The bear, the yak, the mountain roe
Their birth to Mrigamand owe;
And Bhadramad joyed to be
Mother of fair Irvat,
Who bare Airvat, 1 huge of mould,
Mid warders of the earth enrolled,
From Har lordly lions trace,
With monkeys of the wild, their race.
From the great dame S'rdl styled
Sprung pards, Lngrs, 2 and tigers wild.
Mtangi, Prince, gave birth to all
Mtangas, elephants strong and tall,
And S'vet'a bore the beasts who stand
One at each wind, earth's warder band. 1b
Next Surabh the Goddess bore
Two heavenly maids, O Prince, of yore,
Gandharvi--dear *as fa?* is she--
And her sweet sister Rohin.
With kine this daughter filled each mead,
And bright Gandharv bore the steed. 2b
Suras bore the serpents: 3b all
The snakes Kadr their mother call.
Then Manu, high-souled Kas'yap's 4b wife,
To all the race of men gave life,
The Brhmans first, the Kshatriya caste,
Then Vais'yas, and the S'dras last.
Sprang from her mouth the Brahman race;
Her chest the Kshatriyas' natal place:
The Vais'yas from her thighs,'tis said,
The S'dras from her feet were bred.
From Anal all trees that hang
Their fair fruit-laden branches sprang.
The child of beauteous S'uk bore
Vinat, as I taught before:
And Suras and Kadr were
Born of one dame, a noble pair.
Kadr gave birth to countless snakes
That roam the earth in woods and brakes.
Arun and Garud swift of flight
By V'inat were given to light,
And sons' of Arun red as morn
Sampati first, then I was born,
Me then, O tamer of the toe,
Jutyus, son of S'yen, know.
Thy ready helper will I be,
And guard thy house, if thou agree:
When thou and Lakshman urge the chase
By St's side shall be my place.'
With courteous thanks for promised aid,
The prince, to rapture stirred,
Bent low, and due obeisance paid,
Embraced the royal bird.
p. 247
He often in the days gone by
Had heard his father tell
How, linked with him in friendship's tie,
He loved Jatyus well.
He hastened to his trusted friend
His darling to confide,
And through the wood his steps to bend
By strong Jatyus' side.
On to the grove, with Lakshman near,
The prince his way pursued
To free those pleasant shades from fear
And slay the giant brood.
Footnotes
245:1 The Madhka, or, as it is now called, Mahuw, is the Bassia latifolia, a tree from whose blossoms a spirit is extracted.
245:1b 'I should have doubted whether Manu could have been the right reading here, but that it occurs again in verse 29, where it is in like manner followed in verse 31 by Anal, so that it would certainly seem that the name Manu is intended to stand for a female, the daughter of Daksha.
The Gauda recension, followed by Signor Gorresio (iii 20, 12), adopts an entirely different reading at the end of the line, viz. "Balm Atibalm api", "Bal and Atibil," instead of Manu and Anal.
I see that Professor Roth s.v. adduces the authority of the Amara Kosha and of the Commentator on Pnini for stating that the word sometimes means "the wife of Manu." In the following text of the Mahbhrata I. 2553. also, Manu appears to be the name of a female: Anaradyam, Manum, Vansm, Asurm, Mrganapriym, Anpm, Subhagdm, Bhsm iti Prdh vyajayata. "Prdh (daughter of Daksha) bore Anavady, Manu, Vans',
Mrganapriv, Anp, Subhag. and Bhs."' "Muir's Sanskrit Text", Vol. I. p.
116.
246:1 The elephant of Indra.
246:2 \"Golinglas", described as a kind of monkey, of a black colour, and having a tail like a cow.
246:1b Eight elephants attached to the four quarters and intermediate points of the compass, to support and guard the earth.
246:2b Some scholars identify the centaurs with the Gandharvas.
246:3b The hooded serpents, says the commentator Trtha, were the offspring of Suras: all others of Kadr.
246:4b The text reads Ks'yapa, "a descendant of Kas'yapa," who according to Rm.
II. l0, 6, ought to be Vivasvat. But as it is stated in the preceding part of this passage Iii. 14, 11 f. that Manu was one of Kasyapa's eight wives, we must here read Kasyapa. The Ganda recension reads (iii, 20, 30) Manur manushyams cha tutha janaymsa Raghana**, instead of the corresponding line in the Bombay edition.'
"Muir's Sanskrit Text, Vol I, p. 117."
