Vaishampayana said: When the fire blazed up the Sharangakas became very much distressed. Afflicted with anxiety, they did not fine any means of escape.

Their ascetic mother Jarita, full of grief and sorrow, seeing that her sons were too young to escape, wept and lamented in grief.

Jarita said : Alas, the terrible fire, the enhancer of my misery, is coming towards us, illuminating the whole universe and burning the forest.

I am filled with sorrow for the sake of these infants with immature understanding and without feathers and feet, who are the sole refuge of our deceased ancestors.

The fire is rushing towards us, licking with its tongue the tallest trees and spreading fear all around. My unfledged children are incapable of effecting their escape.

I myself am incapable of escapingspecially taking all these (my children) with me. I am incapable of abandoning them; my heart is distressed for their sake.

Whom amongst my sons shall I leave behind and whom shall I carry with me? What should I do which is consistent with duty? O my infant sons, what is your opinion?

Even after good deal of reflection, I do not see any way of escape for you. I shall now cover you with my wings and die with you.

Your cruel father went away saying, “O Jarita, my race will depend on this Jaritari, because he is the eldest of my sons. My second son Sarisrikka will beget offsprings for the spread of my forefather's race; my third son Stambamitra will be devoted to asceticism; and my youngest son Drona will be the foremost of all the learned men in the Vedas."

Now this great calamity has befallen on us, whom shall I take with me? I am deprived of my judgement. What should I do consistent with duty? By exercising my judgement, I do not find any means of escape for my children from this fire.

Vaishampayana said : The young Sharangakas thus spoke to their mother who was thus lamenting, “O mother, giving up all affection for us, go to the place where there is no fire.

If we are killed, you might have other children born to you, but, O mother, if you are killed, we shall have no children in our race.

O mother, taking into your consideration both these two calamities, the time has come for you to do that which will be for the good of our race.

Do not perform anything out of affection for your children. If you are saved, our father who is desirous of acquiring regions of felicity will have his wishes fulfilled.

Jarita said: There is a hole here in the ground near to this tree; enter this hole without any delay; you shall then have no fear from fire.

O children, when you will enter it, I shall then cover its mouth with dust. This is the only means that I see for your escape from this blazing fire.

When the fire will be out, I shall then come back here to remove the ashes. If you want to escape from the fire, follow my advice.

The Sharangakas said : We are but so many balls of flesh without having our feathers. if we enter the hole, there is no doubt the carnivorous mouse will destroy us all. Seeing this fear before us, we cannot enter the hole.

We do not know how we may escape from the fire, or from the mouse. We do not see how our father's act of procreation may not be in vain and how our mother may be saved.

If we enter the hole, the mouse will kill us. If we remain where we are, the sky-ranger Agni will destroys us. Taking both the (two) calamities into our consideration, (we think) death from the fire is preferable to the death by being eaten up.

To be eaten up by the mouse in the hole is a most ignoble death. But destruction of the body by fire is praised by the wise.