ब्रह्मा विधूय वाग्दौष्ट्यं स्वं च धामागमत् पुनः तस्मात् तत्र शुचिर् भूत्वा स्नात्वा तत्र च संगमे
Brahma, having cast off his fault of speech, returned again to his own abode; therefore, having become pure, one should bathe at that confluence.
वागीश्वरं ततो दृष्ट्वा तावता मुक्तिम् आप्नुयात् दानहोमादिकं किंचिद् उपवासादिकां क्रियाम्
Having seen the lord of speech there, one attains liberation; what need is there for gifts, sacrifices, or other rites such as fasting?
यः कुर्यात् संगमे पुण्ये संसारे न भवेत् पुनः एकोनविंशतिशतं तीर्थानां तीरयोर् द्वयोः नानाजन्मार्जिताशेषपापक्षयविधायिनाम्
Whoever performs rites at the holy confluence will not be reborn in the world; on both banks are one hundred and nineteen sacred places, which destroy all sins accumulated over many births.
विष्णुतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं तत्र वृत्तम् इदं शृणु मौद्गल्य इति विख्यातो मुद्गलस्य सुतो ऋषिः
That place is known as Vishnu's holy site; hear now what happened there. A sage named Maudgalya, son of Mudgala, was renowned.
तस्य भार्या तु जाबाला नाम्ना ख्याता सुपुत्रिणी पिता ऋषिस् तथा वृद्धो मुद्गलो लोकविश्रुतः
His wife was named Jabala, famed for her good children; her father was also a sage, the aged Mudgala, celebrated in the world.
तस्य भार्या तथा ख्याता नाम्ना भागीरथी शुभा स मौद्गल्यः प्रातर् एव गङ्गां स्नाति यतव्रतः
His wife was also known by the auspicious name Bhagirathi. That Maudgalya, devoted to vows, bathed in the Ganga every morning.
नित्यम् एव त्व् इदं कर्म तस्यासीन् मुनिसत्तम गङ्गातीरे कुशैर् मृद्भिः शमीपुष्पैर् अहर्निशम्
This was always his practice, O best of sages: on the bank of the Ganga, with kusa grass, clay, and Sami flowers, day and night.
गुरूदितेन मार्गेण स्वमानससरोरुहे आवाहनं नित्यम् एव विष्णोश् चक्रे स मौद्गलिः
Following the path taught by his guru, in the lotus of his own mind, Maudgalya always invoked Vishnu.
तेनाहूतस् त्वरन्न् एति लक्ष्मीभर्ता जगत्पतिः वैनतेयम् अथारुह्य शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः
Summoned by him, the Lord of Lakshmi and Master of the universe hastily arrives, mounting Garuda, bearing the conch, discus, and mace.
पूजितस् तेन ऋषिणा स मौद्गल्येन यत्नतः प्रब्रूते च कथाश् चित्रा मौद्गल्याय जगत्प्रभुः
Honored by that sage Maudgalya with great care, the Lord of the world recounts wondrous stories to Maudgalya.
ततो ऽपराह्णसमये विष्णुः प्राह स मौद्गलिम् याहि वत्स स्वभवनं श्रान्तो ऽसीति पुनः पुनः
Then, in the afternoon, Vishnu says to Maudgali: 'Go, child, to your home; you are weary,' repeating this again and again.
एवम् उक्तः स देवेन विष्णुना याति स द्विजः जगत्प्रभुस् ततो याति देवैर् युक्तः स्वमन्दिरम्
Thus addressed by the god Vishnu, the twice-born departs; and the Lord of the world, accompanied by the gods, returns to his own abode.
मौद्गल्यो ऽपि तथाभ्येत्य किंचिद् आदाय नित्यशः स्वम् एव भवनं विद्वान् भार्यायै स्वार्जितं धनम्
Maudgalya likewise returns, bringing something as he always does, and gives his earned wealth to his wife in their own home.
ददाति स महाविष्णुचरणाब्जपरायणः मौद्गल्यस्य प्रिया सापि पतिव्रतपरायणा
He, devoted to the lotus feet of Mahavishnu, gives it; and Maudgalya's beloved wife, devoted to her husband, receives it.
शाकं मूलं फलं वापि भर्त्रानीतं तु यत्नतः सुसंस्कृत्याप्य् अतिथीनां बालानां भर्तुर् एव च
Whatever vegetables, roots, or fruits her husband brings with effort, she carefully prepares for guests, children, and her husband.
दत्त्वा तु भोजनं तेभ्यः पश्चाद् भुङ्क्ते यतव्रता भुक्तवत्स्व् अथ सर्वेषु रात्रौ नित्यं स मौद्गलिः
Having served food to them, she, disciplined in vows, eats afterwards; and when all have eaten, Maudgali always eats at night.
विष्णोः श्रुताः कथाश् चित्रास् तेभ्यो वक्त्य् अथ हर्षितः एवं बहुतिथे काले व्यतीते चातिविस्मिता मौद्गल्यस्य रहो भार्या भर्तारं वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
The wondrous stories of Vishnu, heard by them, he joyfully relates; and after much time has passed, Maudgalya's wife, greatly amazed, speaks privately to her husband.
यदि ते विष्णुर् अभ्येति समीपं त्रिदशार्चितः तथापि कष्टम् अस्माकं कस्माद् इति जगत्प्रभुम्
If Vishnu, worshipped by the gods, comes near you, then why is our hardship so great? Thus she questions the Lord of the world.
तत् पृच्छ त्वं महाप्राज्ञ यदासौ विष्णुर् एति च यस्मिंश् च स्मृतमात्रे तु जराजन्मरुजो मृतिः नाशं यान्ति कुतो दृष्टे तस्मात् पृच्छ जगत्पतिम्
Ask, O wise one, when Vishnu comes, and when merely remembering him destroys old age, birth, pain, and death—why, then, does seeing him not do so? Therefore, ask the Lord of the world.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा प्रियावाक्यान् मौद्गल्यो नित्यवद् धरिम् पूजयित्वा विनीतश् च पप्रच्छ स कृताञ्जलिः
Saying 'so be it,' Maudgalya, ever devoted, after honoring Hari and with humility, asks with joined palms.
त्वयि स्मृते जगन्नाथ शोकदारिद्र्यदुष्कृतम् नाशं याति विपत्तिर् मे त्वयि दृष्टे कथं स्थिता
When you are remembered, Lord of the universe, sorrow, poverty, and misfortune are destroyed; but when I see you, how does adversity remain for me?
स्वकृतं भुज्यते भूतैः सर्वैः सर्वत्र सर्वदा न कोपि कस्यचित् किंचित् करोत्य् अत्र हिताहिते
Whatever one has done is experienced by all beings, everywhere and always; no one does anything for another, whether for good or ill.
यादृशं चोप्यते बीजं फलं भवति तादृशम् रसालः स्यान् न निम्बस्य बीजाज् जात्व् अपि कुत्रचित्
As the seed is sown, so is the fruit produced; a mango will never arise from a neem seed, anywhere at any time.
न कृता गौतमीसेवा नार्चितौ हरिशंकरौ न दत्तं यैश् च विप्रेभ्यस् ते कथं भाजनं श्रियः
Those who have not served the Gautami, nor worshipped Hari and Shankara, nor given to Brahmins—how can they be recipients of prosperity?
त्वया न दत्तं किंचिच् च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ममापि च यद् दीयते तद् एवेह परस्मिंश् चोपतिष्ठति
You have not given anything to Brahmins, nor have I; whatever is given here, that alone stands in this world and the next.
मृद्भिर् वार्भिः कुशैर् मन्त्रैः शुचिकर्म सदैव यत् करोति तस्मात् पूतात्मा शरीरस्य च शोषणात्
By clay, water, kusa grass, and mantras, one always performs acts of purification; thus, the pure-souled person, through the emaciation of the body, is purified.
विना दानेन न क्वापि भोगावाप्तिर् नृणां भवेत् सत्कर्माचरणाच् छुद्धो विरक्तः स्यात् ततो नरः
Without giving, nowhere can enjoyment be attained by people; through the practice of virtuous deeds, one becomes pure and detached, and thus a person proceeds.
ततो ऽप्रतिहतज्ञानो जीवन्मुक्तस् ततो भवेत् सर्वेषां सुलभा मुक्तिर् मद्भक्त्या चेह पूर्ततः
Then, with unobstructed knowledge, one becomes liberated while living; for all, liberation is easily gained through my devotion here, and through acts of charity.
भुक्तिर् दानादिना सर्वभूतदुःखनिबर्हणात् अथवा लप्स्यसे मुक्तिं भक्त्या भुक्तिं न लप्स्यसे
Enjoyment comes from giving and similar acts, by removing the suffering of all beings; or, you may attain liberation through devotion, but not enjoyment.
भक्त्या मुक्तिः कथं भूयाद् भुक्तेर् मुक्तिः सुदुर्लभा जाता चेद् देहिनां मुक्तिः किम् अन्येन प्रयोजनम्
How can liberation arise through devotion? Liberation through enjoyment is extremely rare; if liberation is attained by embodied beings, what need is there for anything else?