महेन्द्रवचनं प्राह तं द्विजं ज्ञानकोविदम्
He spoke the words of Mahendra to that twice-born knower of knowledge.
मोक्षश्चतुर्विधो विप्र सालोक्यं तपसोद्भवम्
Liberation is of four kinds, O brahmin: sālokya, which arises from austerity,
सायुज्यं ज्ञानतो ज्ञेयं तेषां स्वामी परः पुमान्
Sāyujya is to be known through knowledge; the supreme person is the master of these.
देवानां चैव देहेषु ये मोक्षाः पुनरागताः
And among the bodies of the gods, those liberations which have returned again—
यत्प्रसन्नेन विप्रेन्द्र सायुज्यं मे भवेत्तव इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे देवस्तेन मोक्षीकृतो द्विजः
When you are pleased, O best of Brahmins, union with me is attained. Having spoken thus, the god disappeared, and by him the Brahmin was liberated.
स्वरूपं दर्शयामास देवदेवः सनातनः ।। 3.4.7.
The eternal Lord of gods revealed his true form.
शृणुध्वं सकला देवा यन्निमिताः समागताः
Hear, all you gods, for whose sake you have assembled.
इत्युक्त्वा स्वमुखात्तेजः समुत्पाद्य दिवाकरः
Having spoken thus, the sun, producing radiance from his own mouth,
धातृशर्मा द्विजो यो वै सूर्ये मोक्षमुपागतः
That Brahmin Dhātṛśarmā attained liberation in the Sun.
ईश्वरो नाम विख्यातः पुरीशद्वान्त आत्मवान्
He became renowned as Īśvara, the self-possessed lord of the city.
इति ते कथितं विप्र यथा जीवनभाषितम्
Thus, O Brahmin, I have told you as it was spoken in life.
काव्यविद्यापरो नित्यं रसिकः कामिनीप्रियः
Always devoted to poetry and learning, he was fond of pleasure and dear to women.
कुंभराशिं मयि प्राप्ते गंगाद्वारे महोत्सवः
When the sun entered the sign of Aquarius, there was a great festival at Gaṅgādvāra.
तत्रोत्सवे नरा नार्य्यो बहुभूषणभूषिताः
At that festival, men and women adorned with many ornaments were present.
मित्रशर्मा तु स प्राप्य कामसेनस्य वै सुताम्
Mitraśarmā obtained the daughter of Kāmasena,
दाक्षिणात्यस्य भूपस्य तनयां मधुराननाम् 3.4.7.
The daughter of the southern king, named Madhurānana.
सा तु तं चित्रिणी नाम्ना मित्रशर्माणमुत्तमम्
She, named Citriṇī, became the wife of the excellent Mitraśarmā.
स्वगेहं पुनरागत्य चित्रिणी भास्करं प्रभुम्
Returning to her own home, Citriṇī worshipped Lord Bhāskara.
मित्रशर्मा तु तत्स्थाने गंगाकूले मनोहरे
Mitraśarmā, in that charming place on the bank of the Gaṅgā,
स्तोत्रमादित्यहृदयमजपत्सूर्यतत्परः
Devoted to the Sun, recited the Āditya-hṛdaya hymn.
मासान्ते भगवान्सूर्यो ददौ तस्मै हि तं वरम्
At the end of the month, the blessed Sun granted him that boon.
चित्रिणी तु वरं प्राप्ता वांछितं लोकभास्करात्
Citriṇī too received the desired boon from the illuminator of the world.
मित्रशर्माणमाहूय वरयामासतुः सुताम्
Having summoned Mitraśarman, they sought his daughter in marriage.
तौ तु चक्रं मुदाविष्टौ प्रत्यहं सूर्यदेवतम्
The two, filled with joy, worshipped the Sun-god daily with a disc.
ईजतू रक्तकुसुमैर्व्रतं कृत्वा रविप्रियम्
They performed worship with red flowers, undertaking a vow dear to the Sun.
शताब्दवपुषौ चोभौ निर्जरौ श्रमवर्जितौ 3.4.7.
Both possessed bodies a hundred years old, free from aging and fatigue.
इति श्रुत्वा रवेर्गाथां वैशाख्यां देवराट् स्वयम्
Hearing this Vaiśākha song of the Sun, the lord of the gods himself—
भक्तिनम्रान्सुरान्दृष्ट्वा भगवांस्तिमिरापहः ममांशात्तनयो भूमौ भविष्यति सुरोत्तम
Seeing the gods bowed in devotion, the blessed dispeller of darkness said: 'From my portion, a son will be born on earth, an excellent god.'
समुत्पाद्य कृतः काश्यां रामानंदस्ततोभवत्
Having been produced, he became Rāmānanda in Kāśī.
देवलस्य च विप्रस्य कान्यकुब्जस्य वै सुतः पित्रा मात्रा परित्यक्तो राघवं शरणं गतः
And the son of Devala, the learned sage of Kānyakubja, abandoned by his father and mother, took refuge with Rāghava.