कृतातिथ्यो यथालाभं गमिष्यसि यथासुखम्
'Having honored your guest as you are able, you will go on your way as you please.'
मध्याह्नसमये प्राप्ते ततस्तं देशमागतः दध्योदनसमायुक्तो वर्धमानेन संयुतः
When midday came, he arrived at that place, accompanied by curds and rice, and joined by Vardhamāna.
आगते करके तस्मिन्प्रादादतिथये तदा वितृष्णो विज्वरश्चैव क्षणेन समपद्यत
When the bowl arrived, he gave it then to the guest; at once he became free from thirst and fever.
ततस्तु प्रेतसंघस्य भोक्तुकामस्य वै ददौ
Then he gave it to the group of ghosts who wished to eat.
अतिथिं तर्पयित्वा च प्रेतलोकं च सर्वशः
Having satisfied the guest and all the realm of ghosts,
तस्य भुक्तवतश्चान्नं पानीयं च क्षयं ययौ 4.75.
When he had eaten, both the food and water were exhausted.
आश्चर्यमेतत्परमं वनेऽस्मिन्प्रतिभाति मे
'This is a most wondrous thing that appears to me in this forest.'
स्तोकेन च तथान्नेन बिभर्षि सुबहून्पृथक्
'With so little food, you support so many, each one separately.'
अपरं च कथं चेह मम पापपरिक्षयः तृप्तश्चासि कथं ग्रासमात्रेण च शुभव्रत
And furthermore, how has my store of sin diminished here, and how are you satisfied, O virtuous one, with only a single morsel of food?
कस्त्वमस्यां सुघोरायामटव्यां तु कृतालयः
Who are you, who has made your dwelling in this exceedingly dreadful forest?
एवमुक्तः स वाणिज्या प्रेतो वचनमब्रवीत
Thus addressed, that departed merchant spoke these words:
शाकले नगरे रम्ये अहमासं सुदुर्मतिः
In the delightful city of Shakala, I was a man of very wicked mind.
धनलोभान्मया तत्र कदाचिच्च प्रमादिना
There, out of greed for wealth, I sometimes acted carelessly.
प्रतिवेशे च तत्रासीद्ब्राह्मणो गुणवान्मम
In my neighborhood there was a virtuous Brahmin.
स कदाचिन्मया सार्धं तोषां नाम नदीं ययौ
Once, together with me, he went to the river named Tosha.
चंद्रभागा सोमसुता तोषा चैवार्कनंदिनी 4.75.
The Chandrabhaga, daughter of Soma, and Tosha, beloved of the Sun, are both rivers.
तत्तीर्थवरमासाद्य प्रातिवेश्यः स च द्विजः
Having reached that supreme place of pilgrimage, my neighbor, that Brahmin,
चंद्रभागातोषयोश्च वारिधान्यैर्नवैर्दृढैः
with fresh and sturdy grains from Chandrabhaga and Tosha,
छत्रोपानद्युगं वस्त्रं प्रतिमां विधिवद्धरेः
an umbrella, a pair of sandals, cloth, and an image of Hari, all according to proper rite,
एतत्कृत्वा गृहं प्राप्तस्ततः कालेन केनचित् अस्यामटव्यां घोरायां यथा दृष्टस्त्वयानघ
Having performed this, he returned home; then, after some time, in this dreadful forest, as you have seen, O sinless one,
ब्रह्मस्वहारिणस्त्वेते पापाः प्रेतत्वमागताः
These sinners who have stolen Brahmin property have become pretas.
मित्रद्रोहरताः केचिद्देशेऽस्मिंस्तु सुदारुणे
Some here, in this most terrible place, are betrayers of friends and thieves.
अक्षय्यो भगवान्कृष्णः परमात्मा सनातनः
The blessed Krishna, the imperishable, the supreme soul, the eternal one,
मया विहीनाः किं त्वेते वनेऽस्मिन्भृशदारुणे
But these, deprived by me, remain in this exceedingly dreadful forest.
एतेषां त्वं महाभाग ममानुग्रहकाम्यया
O highly fortunate one, for the sake of granting me favor, you are for these.
अस्तु कक्षागता चैव तव संपुटिका शुभा 4.75.
Let your auspicious little box, which is kept at your side, be so.
गयाशीर्षे ततो गत्वा श्राद्धं कुरु महामते
Then, go to the head of Gaya and perform the śrāddha, O wise one.
एवं सम्भाषमाणोऽसौ तप्तजांबूनदप्रभः
Thus, as he was speaking, he shone with the radiance of molten gold.
स्वर्गते प्रेतनाथे तु प्रभावात्स वणिक्पुमान्
By the power of the lord of the departed having gone to heaven, that merchant became illustrious.
तत्र प्राप्य निधिं गत्वा विनिक्षिप्य स्वके गृहे प्रेतानां क्रमशस्तत्र चक्रे श्राद्धं दिनेदिने
There, having obtained the treasure, he went and deposited it in his own house, and performed śrāddha for the departed, one by one, day after day.