यत् किंचिद् विद्यते लोके लक्ष्म्या व्याप्तं चराचरम् ब्राह्मणेष्व् अथ धीरेषु क्षमावत्स्व् अथ साधुषु
Whatever exists in the world, pervaded by Lakshmi, whether moving or unmoving—among Brahmins, among the wise, among the patient, and among the virtuous—
विद्यायुक्तेषु चान्येषु भुक्तिमुक्त्यनुसारिषु यद् यद् रम्यं सुन्दरं वा तत् तल् लक्ष्मीविजृम्भितम्
And among others endowed with knowledge, following enjoyment or liberation, whatever is delightful or beautiful, all that is the manifestation of Lakshmi.
किम् अत्र बहुनोक्तेन सर्वं लक्ष्मीमयं जगत् यस्मिन् कस्मिंश् च यत् किंचिद् उत्कृष्टं परिदृश्यते
Why speak at length? The entire universe is composed of Lakshmi; wherever and in whatever anything excellent is seen—
लक्ष्मीमयं तु तत् सर्वं तया हीनं न किंचन अत्रेमां सुन्दरीं देवीं स्पर्धयन्ती न लज्जसे
All that is of the nature of Lakshmi; without her, nothing exists. Here, do you not feel shame, O beautiful goddess, competing with her?
गच्छ गच्छेति तां गङ्गा दरिद्रां वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ततः प्रभृति गङ्गाम्भो दरिद्रावैरकार्य् अभूत्
Then Ganga spoke to her, saying, 'Go, go,' to the goddess of poverty. From that time, the waters of Ganga became devoid of the influence of poverty.
तावद् दरिद्राभिभवो गङ्गा यावन् न सेव्यते ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् अलक्ष्मीनाशनं शुभम्
So long as Ganga is not served, the affliction of poverty remains; from that time, that sacred ford became the destroyer of misfortune, auspicious.
तत्र स्नानेन दानेन लक्ष्मीवान् पुण्यवान् भवेत् तीर्थानां षट् सहस्राणि तस्मिंस् तीर्थे महामते देवर्षिमुनिजुष्टानां सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायिनाम्
By bathing and giving there, one becomes endowed with Lakshmi and merit. Six thousand fords, honored by gods, sages, and ascetics, bestow all accomplishments at that sacred place, O wise one.
भानुतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं सर्वसिद्धिकरं नृणाम् तत्रेदं वृत्तम् आख्यास्ये महापातकनाशनम्
That place is known as Bhānutīrtha, bestowing all attainments upon people. There, I will recount this event, the destroyer of great sins.
शर्यातिर् इति विख्यातो राजा परमधार्मिकः तस्य भार्या स्थविष्ठेति रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि
A king named Śaryāti, renowned for his supreme righteousness, had a wife named Sthaviṣṭhā, unequalled in beauty on earth.
मधुच्छन्दा इति ख्यातो वैश्वामित्रो द्विजोत्तमः पुरोधास् तस्य नृपतेर् ब्रह्मर्षिः शमिनां प्रभुः
A brahmin named Madhucchandā, best of the twice-born, famed as a descendant of Viśvāmitra, was the royal priest of that king, a brahmarshi, lord among ascetics.
दिशो विजेतुं स जगाम राजा पुरोधसा तेन नृपप्रवीरः पुरोधसं प्राह महानुभावं जित्वा दिशश् चाध्वनि संनिविष्टः
The king set out with his priest to conquer the directions; having conquered the regions, the foremost of kings, stationed on the journey, addressed his noble priest.
पप्रच्छेदं केन खेदं गतो ऽसि हेतुं वदस्वेति महानुभाव त्वम् एव राज्ये मम सर्वमान्यः समस्तविद्यानिरवद्यबोधः
He asked, 'What is the reason for your distress? Tell me the cause. O noble one, you alone are honored in my kingdom, possessing flawless knowledge of all sciences.'
विधूतपापः परितापशून्यः किम् अन्यचेता इव लक्ष्यसे त्वम् जितेयम् उर्वी विजिता नरेन्द्रा हर्षस्य हेतौ महतीह जाते
You are free from sin, untouched by sorrow; yet why do you appear as if your mind is elsewhere? The earth is conquered, the kings subdued, and a great cause for joy has arisen here.
किं त्वं कृशो मे वद सत्यम् एव द्विजातिवर्यातिमहानुभाव संबोध्य शर्यातिम् उवाच विप्रश् छन्दोमधुः प्रेममयीं प्रियोक्तिम्
Why are you emaciated? Tell me the truth. Then, the best of brahmins, of great nobility, addressed Śaryāti with words full of affection and love.
शृणु भूपाल मद्वाक्यं भार्यया यद् उदीरितम् स्थिते यामे वयं यामो यामिनी चार्धगामिनी
Hear, O king, what my wife said to me: as the night was half gone, while I remained, she awaited my return.
स्वामिनी चास्य देहस्य कामिनी मां प्रतीक्षते स्मृत्वा तत् कामिनीवाक्यं शोषं याति कलेवरम् विकारे स्मरसंजाते जीवातुर् नलिनानना
The mistress of this body, my beloved, waits for me; remembering her words, my body withers. When the agitation of love arises, the lotus-faced one, longing for life, wastes away.
विहस्य चाब्रवीद् राजा पुरोधसम् अरिंदमः
The king, subduer of foes, laughed and spoke to his priest.
त्वं गुरुर् मम मित्रं च किम् आत्मानं विडम्बसे किम् अनेन महाप्राज्ञ मम वाक्येन मानद क्षणविध्वंसिनि सुखे का नामास्था महात्मनाम्
You are my teacher and my friend; why do you mock yourself? O great sage, what is the use of my words? For those of great soul, what reliance is there on happiness that perishes in a moment?
एतद् आकर्ण्य मतिमान् मधुच्छन्दा वचो ऽब्रवीत्
Hearing this, the wise Madhucchandā spoke these words.
यत्रानुकूल्यं दंपत्योस् त्रिवर्गस् तत्र वर्धते न चेदं दूषणं राजन् भूषणं चातिमन्यताम्
Where there is harmony between husband and wife, the three aims of life flourish; O King, this is not a fault but should be regarded as a great virtue.
आजगाम स्वकं देशं महत्या सेनया वृतः परीक्षार्थं च तत्प्रेम पुर्यां वार्त्ताम् अदीदिशत्
He returned to his own land, surrounded by a great army, and to test their love, he sent out news in the city.
दिशो विजेतुं शर्यातौ याते राक्षसपुंगवः हत्वा रसातलं यातो राजानं सपुरोधसम्
When Śaryāti set out to conquer the quarters, the foremost of Rākṣasas, having slain the king along with his priest, went down to the netherworld.
राज्ञो भार्या निश्चयाय प्रवृत्ता मुनिसत्तम वार्त्तां श्रुत्वा दूतमुखान् मधुच्छन्दःप्रिया पुनः
O best of sages, the king’s wife, seeking certainty, after hearing the news from the messengers, again approached her beloved Madhucchandā.
तदैवाभूद् गतप्राणा तद् विचित्रम् इवाभवत् तस्या वृत्तं तु ते दृष्ट्वा दूता राज्ञे न्यवेदयन्
At that very moment, she lost her life; it was a strange event. Seeing her condition, the messengers reported it to the king.
यत् कृतं राजपत्नीभिः प्रियया च पुरोधसः विस्मितो दुःखितो राजा पुनर् दूतान् अभाषत
Astonished and distressed by what the royal wives and the beloved of the priest had done, the king again addressed the messengers.
शीघ्रं गच्छन्तु हे दूता ब्राह्मण्या यत् कलेवरम् रक्षन्तु वार्त्तां कुरुत राजागन्ता पुरोधसा
Go quickly, O messengers, and guard the body of the Brahmin lady; bring news, for the king and the priest will soon arrive.
इति चिन्तातुरे राज्ञि वाग् उवाचाशरीरिणी
As the king was troubled with anxiety, a bodiless voice spoke.
विधास्यत्य् अखिलं गङ्गा राजंस् तव समीहितम् सर्वाभिषङ्गशमनी पावनी भुवि गौतमी
O King, the Gaṅgā will accomplish all that you desire; Gautamī, purifier of the earth, dispeller of all afflictions, will fulfill your wish.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा स शर्यातिर् गौतमीतटम् आश्रितः ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं दत्त्वा तर्पयित्वा पितॄन् द्विजान्
Hearing this, Śaryāti went to the bank of the Gautamī, gave wealth to the Brāhmaṇas, and satisfied the ancestors and the twice-born.
पुरोहितं द्विजश्रेष्ठं प्रेषयित्वा धनान्वितम् अन्यत्र तीर्थे सार्थेषु दानं देहि प्रयत्नतः
He sent his chief priest, the best of Brāhmaṇas, endowed with wealth, to other holy places, saying, 'Give gifts diligently among the groups of travelers.'