पात्रे दानं स्वल्पमपि काले दत्तं युधिष्ठिर। मनसा हि विशुद्धेन प्रेत्यानन्तफलं स्मृतम्
Even a little gift, given at the right time to a worthy recipient, O Yudhishthira, with a pure mind, is remembered as yielding infinite fruit after death.
श्रद्धा धर्मानुगा देवी पावनी विश्वधारिणी।' सवित्री प्रसवित्री च संसारार्णवतारिणी
Faith, accompanied by righteousness, is divine, purifying, and upholds the universe; it is Savitri, the procreator, and the deliverer across the ocean of worldly existence.
श्रद्धया धार्यते धर्मो महद्भिर्नार्थदर्शिभिः। सधना अपिराजानो निःश्रद्धा नरकं गताः
Dharma is upheld by the great, who perceive not merely material gain, through faith; even kings with abundant means, lacking faith, have gone to hell.
निष्किंचनाश्च मुनयः श्रद्धावन्तो दिवं गताः। देशे काले च पात्रे च मुद्गलः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः। व्रीहिद्रोणं प्रदायाथ परं पदमवाप्तवान्
Destitute sages, possessing faith, have attained heaven; Mudgala, endowed with faith, gave a measure of rice in the right place, time, and to the proper recipient, and thus reached the supreme state.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमतिहासं पुरातनम्। व्रीहिद्रोणपरित्यागाद्यत्फलं प्राप मुद्गलः
Here too, they cite an ancient tale: the fruit Mudgala obtained from giving up a measure of rice.
व्रीहिद्रोणः परित्यक्तः कथं तेन महात्मना। कस्मै दत्तश्च भगवन्विधिना केन चात्थ मे
How did that great-souled one relinquish the measure of rice? To whom was it given, O revered one, and by what method? Tell me.
प्रत्यक्षधर्मा भगवान्यस् तुष्टो हि कर्मभिः। सफलं तस्य जन्माहं मन्ये सद्धर्मचारिणः
The revered one, manifest in dharma, was pleased by his deeds; I believe the birth of that follower of true dharma was fruitful.
शिलोञ्छवृत्तिर्धर्मात्मा मुद्गलः संयतेन्द्रियः। आसीद्राजन्कुरुक्षेत्रे सत्यवागनसूयकः
Mudgala, righteous and self-controlled, lived by gleaning grains; he was a king in Kurukshetra, truthful and free from deceit.
अतिथिव्रती क्रियावांश्च कापोतीं वृत्तिमास्थितः। सत्रमिष्टीकृतंनाम समुपास्ते महातपाः
Observing the vow of hospitality and performing rituals, he adopted the lifestyle of a pigeon; the great ascetic worshipped the sacrifice called 'Iṣṭīkṛta.'
सपुत्रदारो हि मुनिः पक्षाहारो बभूव ह। कपोतवृत्त्या पक्षेण व्रीहिद्रोयणमुपार्जयत्
With wife and son, the sage subsisted on food gathered fortnightly, earning a measure of rice by the pigeon’s method.
दर्शं च पौर्णमासं च कुर्वन्विगतमन्सरः। देवतातिथिशेषेण कुरुते देहयापनम्
Performing the Darsha and Purnamasa rites, free from desire and anger, he sustained his body with what remained after offering to gods and guests.
तत्रेन्द्रः सहितो देवैः साक्षात्रिभुवनेश्वरः। प्रत्यृह्णान्महाराज भागं पर्वणिपर्वणि
There, Indra, accompanied by the gods, the lord of the three worlds himself, received his share from the king at every festival.
स पर्वकाल्यं कृत्वा तु मुनिवृत्त्या समन्वितः। अतिथिभ्यो ददावन्नं प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना
At festival times, adopting the conduct of a sage, he joyfully gave food to guests with a delighted inner spirit.
व्रीहिद्रोणस्य तत्प्रीत्या ददतोऽन्नं महात्मनः। ऋषेर्मात्सर्यहीनस् वर्धत्यतिथिदर्शनात्
Because of the joy with which the great-souled sage gave food from the measure of rice, his hospitality, free from envy, increased with each guest’s arrival.
तच्छतान्यपि भुञ्जन्ति ब्राह्मणानां मनीषिणाम्। मुनेस्त्यागविशुद्ध्या तु तदन्नं वृद्धिमृच्छति
Even hundreds of wise Brahmins ate that food; through the purity of the sage’s renunciation, the food grew in abundance.
तं तु रशुश्राव धर्मिष्ठं मुद्गलं संशितव्रतम्। दुर्वासा नृप दिग्वासास्तमथाभ्याजगाम ह
Durvasa, clad only in the directions, heard of Mudgala, steadfast in vows and rich in dharma, and then approached him.
विभ्रच्चानियतं वेषमुन्मत्त इव पाण्डव। विकचः परुषा वाचो व्याहरन्विविधा मुनिः
The sage, appearing disheveled and unrestrained in dress, like a madman, with unkempt hair, spoke harsh and various words.
अभिगम्याथ तं विप्रमुवाच मुनिसत्तमः। अन्नार्थिनमनुप्राप्तं विद्धि मां मुनिसत्तम
Approaching the Brahmin, the eminent sage said: 'Know me, O best of sages, as one who has come seeking food.'
स्वागतं तेऽस्त्विति मुनिं मुद्गलः प्रत्यभाषत। पाद्यमाचमनीयं च प्रतिवेद्यान्नमुत्तमम्
Mudgala replied to the sage, 'Welcome to you!' and offered water for washing feet, water for sipping, and announced the finest food.
प्रादात्स तपसोपात्तं क्षुधितायातिथिप्रियः। उन्मत्ताय परां श्रद्धामास्थाय स धृतव्रतः
He gave, with utmost faith, food acquired through asceticism to the hungry guest, even though the guest appeared mad, remaining firm in his vow.
ततस्तदन्नं रसवत्स एव क्षुधयाऽन्वितः। बुभुजे कृत्स्नमुन्मत्तः प्रादात्तस्मै च मुद्गलः
Then, driven by hunger, he ate all that food as if it were delicious, in a crazed state; and Mudgala gave it to him.
भुक्त्वा चान्नं ततः सर्वमुच्छिष्टेनात्मनस्ततः। अथाङ्गं लिलिपेऽन्नेन यथागतमगाच्च सः
Having eaten all the food, he then smeared his own body with the leftovers, and just as he had come, so he departed.
तेनैवात्मानमालिप्य हसन्गायन्प्रधावति। नृत्यते धावते चैव बुद्ध्या तत्क्रोशते तथा
Smearing himself with that food, he ran about laughing and singing, dancing and running, and shouting loudly with wild gestures.
एवं द्वितीये संप्राप्ते पर्वकाले मनीषिणः। आगम्य बुभुजे सर्वमन्नपुञ्छोपजीविनः
In this way, when the next sacred day arrived, the wise one came again and ate all the food, living on the scraps.
निराहारस्तु स मुनिरुञ्छमार्जये पुनः। न चैनं विक्रियां नेतुमशकन्मुद्गलं क्षुधा
But that sage, though without food, again gathered gleanings; yet hunger could not disturb Mudgala or cause him to waver.
न क्रोधो न च मात्सर्यं नावमानो न संभ्रमः। सपुत्रदारमुञ्छन्तमाविवेश द्विजोत्तमम्
Neither anger, nor envy, nor disdain, nor agitation entered that best of twice-born, even as he gave up his gleanings with wife and son.
तथा तमुञ्छधर्माणं दुर्वासा मुनिसत्तमम्। उपतस्थे यथाकालं षट्कृत्वः कृतनिश्चयः
Thus, Durvasa, the foremost sage, approached him, steadfast in resolve, six times at the proper time, testing his gleaner's vow.
न चास् मनसः कश्चिद्विकारो दृश्यते मुनेः। शुद्धसत्वस्य शुद्धं स ददृशे निर्मलं मनः
And no change of mind was seen in the sage; his mind, pure in its essence, appeared spotless and clear.
तमुवाच ततः प्रीतः स मुनिर्मुद्गलं तदा। त्वत्समो नास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन्दाता मात्सर्यवर्जितः
Then, pleased, that sage spoke to Mudgala: 'There is no giver in this world equal to you, free from envy.'
क्षुद्धर्मसंज्ञां प्रणुदत्यादत्ते धैर्यमेव च। विषयानुसारिणी जिह्वा कर्षत्येव रसान्प्रति
He dispels the sense of 'mine' regarding food, and takes only steadfastness; the tongue, following the senses, always seeks flavors.