चतुर्दश्यामर्चयन्तं भक्त्या देवं पृथक्पृथक्
On the fourteenth day, worshipping the deity with devotion, each separately,
नार्यः किमेतन्मे ब्रूत किंनाम व्रतमीदृशम्
The women asked, 'What is this? Tell me, what is the name of this vow?'
साब्रवीदहमप्येवं करिष्ये व्रतमुत्तमम्
She replied, 'I too will perform this excellent vow.'
अर्द्धं विप्राय दातव्यमर्द्धमात्मनि भोजनम्
Half should be given to the Brahmin, and half kept for one's own meal.
कर्तव्यं तु सरित्तीरे कथां श्रुत्वा हरेरिमाम्
It should be performed on the riverbank, after hearing this story of Hari.
धूपैः पुष्पैः सनैवेद्यैः पीतालक्तैश्चतुःशतैः
With incense, flowers, offerings, and four hundred yellow threads,
चतुर्दशग्रंथियुतं वामे स्त्री दक्षिणे पुमान्
With a fourteen-knotted thread: the woman ties it on the left, the man on the right.
अनंत संसारमहासमुद्रे मग्नान्समभ्युद्धर वासुदेव
O Vāsudeva, rescue those who are immersed in the endless great ocean of worldly existence.
अनेन दोरकं बद्ध्वा भोक्तव्यं स्वस्थमानसैः
Having tied this thread, one should eat with a peaceful mind.
भुक्त्वा चांते व्रजेद्वेश्म हीदं प्रोक्तं व्रतं तव
After eating, one should return home; this is the vow prescribed for you.
भर्ता तस्याः समागत्य तां ददर्श महाधनाम्
Her husband, having arrived, saw her endowed with great wealth.
पुनर्जगाम सा हृष्टा गोरथेन स्वमाश्रमम् तेनानंतप्रभावेण शुभगोधनसंकुलः
She, delighted, returned to her own hermitage in a cow-drawn chariot, surrounded by auspicious cattle, through the power of Ananta.
गृहाश्रमः श्रिया युक्तो धनधान्यसमायुतः
The household hermitage was endowed with prosperity, filled with wealth and grain.
सापि माणिक्यकाञ्चीभिर्मुक्ताहारविभूषिता
She was adorned with jeweled girdles and pearl necklaces.
कदाचिदुपविष्टेन दृष्टं बद्धं सुदोरकम्
Once, while seated, he saw the thread tied firmly.
तेन कर्मविपाकेण तस्य सा श्रीः क्षयं गता
Due to the result of that action, her prosperity came to an end.
यद्यदेवागतं गेहे तत्र तत्रैव नश्यति
Whatever has come into the house, in each place, it perishes there.
अनंताक्षेपदोषेण दारिद्र्यं पतितं गृहे
Because of the fault of endless reproach, poverty has fallen upon the household.
ततो जगाम कौंडिन्यो निर्वेदाद्वनगह्वरम्
Then Kaundinya, out of disillusionment, went into the depths of the forest.
व्रतं निरशनं गृह्य ब्रह्मचर्यं जपन्हरिम्
Taking up the vow of fasting, practicing celibacy, he recited the name of Hari.
तत्रापश्यन्महावृक्षं फलितं पुष्पितं तथा तद्ब्रूहि सोप्युवाचेदं नानंतं वेद्म्यहं द्विज
There he saw a great tree, bearing fruit and flowers; he said, 'Tell me,' and the tree replied, 'I do not know the infinite, O twice-born.'
एवं निरीक्षितस्तेन गां ददर्श सवत्सकाम्
Thus observed by him, he saw a cow with her calf.
सोब्रवीद्धेनुके ब्रूहि यद्यनंतस्त्वयेक्षितः
He spoke to the cow, 'Tell me if you have seen the infinite.'
ततो जगामाथ वने गोवृषं शाद्वले स्थितम्
Then he went into the forest and saw a bull standing on the green grass.
गोवृषस्तमुवाचाथ नानन्तो वीक्षितो मया
The bull spoke to him, 'I have not seen the infinite.'
अन्योन्यजलकल्लोलवीचिभिः परिशोभितम्
Adorned with waves and ripples of mutual water-play.
सेवितं भ्रमरैर्हंसैश्चक्रैः कारंडवैर्बकैः
Attended by bees, swans, chakras, karandavas, and cranes.
ऊचतुः पुष्करिण्यौ तं नानंतं विद्वहे द्विज
The two lotus ponds said to him, 'We do not know the infinite, O twice-born.'
तावप्युक्तौ सुमंतेन तस्यापि विनिवेदितम्
Those two also spoke to Sumanta, and he too reported it.
तस्मिन्क्षणे मुनिवरे कौंडिन्ये ब्राह्मणोत्तमे
At that moment, the eminent sage Kaundinya, the foremost among Brahmins,