Texts 19-20
anunītāv ubhau viprau
dharma-kṛcchra-gatena vai
gavāṁ lakṣaṁ prakṛṣṭānāṁ
dāsyāmy eṣā pradīyatām
bhavantāv anugṛhṇītāṁ
kiṅkarasyāvijānataḥ
samuddharataṁ māṁ kṛcchrāt
patantaṁ niraye ’śucau
anunītau — humbly requested; ubhau — both; viprau — the two brāhmaṇas; dharma — of religious duty; kṛcchra — a difficult situation; gatena — by (me) who was in; vai — indeed; gavām — of cows; lakṣam — a lakh (one hundred thousand); prakṛṣṭānām — best quality; dāsyāmi — I will give; eṣā — this one; pradīyatām — please give; bhavantau — the two of you; anugṛhṇītām — should please show mercy; kiṅkarasya — to your servant; avijānataḥ — who was unaware; samuddharatam — please save; mām — me; kṛcchrāt — from danger; patantam — falling; niraye — into hell; aśucau — unclean.
Finding myself in a terrible dilemma concerning my duty in the situation, I humbly entreated both the brāhmaṇas: “I will give one hundred thousand of the best cows in exchange for this one. Please give her back to me. Your good selves should be merciful to me, your servant. I did not know what I was doing. Please save me from this difficult situation, or I’ll surely fall into a filthy hell.”