स्वर्गं गतास्तु ते सर्वे कस्य पुण्याधिकं मतम्
All of them went to heaven; whose merit is considered greater?
मरणं किंकरस्यैव योग्यं भूपतिहेतवे
Is the death of the servant alone proper for the sake of the king?
दत्ता यत्किंकरेणैव सुंदरी नृपहेतवे
A beautiful woman was given by a servant for the sake of the king.
जित्वा कामं तथा पाल्यं धर्मं तस्मान्नृपेऽधिकम्
Having conquered desire, one should protect dharma, for it is superior to the king.
शृणु भूप महाभाग कथां तव मनोरमाम्
Hear, O greatly fortunate king, the delightful story meant for you.
उज्जयिन्यां महाभाग महासेनो नृपोऽभवेत्
In Ujjayinī, O greatly fortunate one, there was a king named Mahāsena.
गुणाकरस्तस्य सुतो मद्यमांसपरायणः
His son was Guṇākara, devoted to wine and meat.
बांधवैः स परित्यक्तो बभ्राम वसुधातले
Abandoned by his relatives, he wandered upon the earth.
कपर्दी नाम तं योगी कपालान्नैरपूजयत्
A yogi named Kapardī worshipped him with skull-offerings.
तदातिथ्यं तदर्थं स यक्षिणीं समुपाह्वयत्
For the sake of that hospitality, he summoned a yakṣiṇī.
प्रातः काले तु संप्राप्ते कैलासं यक्षिणी गता
When morning came, the yakṣiṇī went to Kailāsa.
कपर्दी प्रददौ तस्मै विद्यां यक्षिणिकर्षिणीम्
Kapardī gave him the knowledge that attracts yakṣiṇīs.
स जजाप शुभं मन्त्रं न प्राप्ता कामचारिणी
He recited the auspicious mantra, but the wish-fulfilling yakṣiṇī did not appear.
प्राप्तवान्पितरौ नत्वा स्वगेहे निवसन्निशि ।। 3.2.17.
Having bowed to his parents, he returned and stayed in his own house at night.
प्रतिबोधिवनं प्राप्तस्तच्छिष्यत्वमुपाययौ
He reached Pratibodhivana and became a disciple there.
न प्राप्ता योगिनी देवी तदा चिन्तातुरो ऽभवत्
The yoginī goddess did not appear then, and he became troubled by anxiety.
पुनराह कथं देवी न प्राप्ता यक्षिणी प्रिया
Again he asked, 'O goddess, why did the beloved yakṣiṇī not appear?'
त्रिविधं कर्म भो विप्र सिद्ध्यर्थे साधकाय वै
O brāhmaṇa, there are three kinds of actions for the accomplishment of success.
सुन्दरांगकृतं ज्ञेयं पुनर्वाक्कायसंभवम्
One should know the action performed by a beautiful body, and again, that which arises from speech and body.
परत्र च भुवर्लोके पिण्डदेहकृतं स्मृतम्
And in the other world, in the realm of the ancestors, action performed with the gross body is remembered.
मनोवाक्कायसंभूतमिह जन्मनि सिद्धिदम्
That which arises from mind, speech, and body in this birth grants accomplishment.
तस्मात्कर्तव्यमेवेह त्रिविधं कर्म साधकैः अतोऽन्यजन्मनि प्राप्तो यक्षत्वं तत्परो द्विजः
Therefore, practitioners must perform threefold action here; otherwise, in another birth, one attains the state of a yaksha—thus, the twice-born is devoted to that.
इत्युक्त्वा स तु वैतालः प्रसन्नवदनोऽभवत्
Having spoken thus, the Vetala became cheerful in countenance.
साधु साध्विति तं प्रोच्य सद्वाक्यैः समपूजयत् 3.2.17.
Saying, 'Excellent, excellent,' he honored him with noble words.
सुदक्षो नाम नृपतिर्वसन्कंबलके पुरे
There was a king named Sudaksha in the city of Vasankaṃbalaka.
न्यायवान्धर्मवाञ्छूरो दाता शिवपरायणः
He was just, righteous, brave, generous, and devoted to Shiva.
तनया सुन्दरी तस्य नाम्ना धनवती शुभा
His beautiful daughter was named Dhanavati, auspicious and prosperous.
कियता चैव कालेन मोहिनी तत्सुताभवत्
After some time, Mohini became his daughter.
तदा धनवती रंडा निधना पितुरंतिके
Then Dhanavati became widowed, her father passing away nearby.
न्यायशर्मा द्विजः कश्चिद्ब्रह्मस्वस्यापहारकः
There was a certain Brahmin named Nyayasharma, who was a thief of sacred wealth.