pakṣiṇāṁ nirmito 'ntakaḥ

lubdhako vipine kaścit

pakṣiṇāṁ nirmito 'ntakaḥ

vitatya jālaṁ vidadhe

tatra tatra pralobhayan

Once a hunter, appointed as the killer of the birds by the Lord, spread his net, lured birds with food, and captured them.

Though lamentation may be one’s nature, it creates problems. Yamarāja tells a story. The hunter, appointed by the Lord, used to catch (vidadhe) birds. Another version has pralobhanam. He lured them with food.

|| 7.2.51 ||

kuliṅga-mithunaṁ tatra

vicarat samadṛśyata

tayoḥ kuliṅgī sahasā

lubdhakena pralobhitā

While wandering in the forest, the hunter saw a pair of kuliṅga birds. Of the two, the female was lured by the hunter.

|| 7.2.52 ||

sāsajjata sicas tantryāṁ

mahiṣyaḥ kāla-yantritā

kuliṅgas tāṁ tathāpannāṁ

nirīkṣya bhṛśa-duḥkhitaḥ

snehād akalpaḥ kṛpaṇaḥ

kṛpaṇāṁ paryadevayat

O queens of Suyajña! The female was caught in the ropes of the net. The male kuliṅga bird, seeing his wife captured, became very unhappy. Because of affection, the poor bird, being unable to release her, began to lament for his wife.

Sicas tantryām means the ropes of the net. Mahiṣyaḥ means “O queens!”

|| 7.2.53 ||

aho akaruṇo devaḥ

striyākaruṇayā vibhuḥ

kṛpaṇaṁ mām anuśocantyā

dīnayā kiṁ kariṣyati

Alas, how merciless is the Lord! Why afflict my poor wife who was kind to me and is lamenting for a wretch like me?

Devaḥ means the Lord. My wife was merciful to me (karuṇayā).

 

|| 7.2.54 ||

kāmaṁ nayatu māṁ devaḥ

kim ardhenātmano hi me

dīnena jīvatā duḥkham

anena vidhurāyuṣā

Let the Lord take me also. What is the use of this miserable half of my body, even if it lives a long time, since it will only experience suffering? 

|| 7.2.55 ||

kathaṁ tv ajāta-pakṣāṁs tān

mātṛ-hīnān bibharmy aham