तत उ ह बालाकिस्तूष्णीमास तं होवाचाजातशत्रुरेतावन्नु बालाका३इ इत्येतावद्धीति होवाच बालाकिस्तं होवाचाजातशत्रुर्मृषा वै किल मा समवादयिष्ठा ब्रह्म ते ब्रवाणीति ।स होवाच यो वै बालाक एतेषां पुरुषाणां कर्ता यस्य वैतत्कर्म स वै वेदितव्य इति तत उ ह बालाकिः समित्पाणिः प्रतिचक्रामोपायानीति तं होवाचजातशत्रुः प्रतिलोमरूपमेव स्याद्यत्क्षत्रियो ब्राह्मणमुपनयेत् ।एहि व्येव त्वा ज्ञपयिष्यामीति तं ह पाणावभिपद्य प्रवव्राज तौ ह सुप्तं पुरुषमीयतुस्तं हाजातशत्रुरामन्त्रयांचक्रे ।बृहत्पाण्डरवासः सोमराजन्निति ।स उ ह तूष्णीमेव शिश्ये ।तत उ हैनं यष्ट्याविचिक्षेप स तत एव समुत्तस्थौ तं होवाचाजातशत्रुः ।क्वैष एतद्वालोके पुरुषोऽशयिष्ट क्वैतदभूत्कुत एतदागा३दिति ।तत उ ह बालाकिर्न विजज्ञौ ॥ १८ ॥
In plain words
Then Bālāki fell silent. Ajātaśatru said to him, "Is that all, Bālāki?" "That is all," said Bālāki. Ajātaśatru said to him, "In vain didst thou draw me into talk, saying, 'Let me tell thee of Brahman.' It is the maker of these persons, Bālāki, he whose work this is, that is to be known." Then Bālāki came back with fuel in his hand, saying, "Let me come to thee as a pupil." Ajātaśatru said to him, "It would be against the grain of things for a Kṣatriya to receive a brahmin as a pupil. Come, I shall make thee know." And taking him by the hand he went forth. The two came upon a man asleep, and Ajātaśatru called to him, "Great one, clad in white, Soma the king!" But he lay there silent. Then he pushed him with a stick, and at once he rose up. Ajātaśatru said to him, "Where has this person lain, Bālāki? Where has he been? Whence has he come back?" And Bālāki did not know.