एतत् सर्वं न जानाति राज्ञः कृत्यं पुरोहितः गते तस्मिन् गुरौ राजा वैश्वामित्रे महात्मनि
The priest did not know all these actions of the king; when the guru had departed, the king approached the great-souled Viśvāmitra.
सर्वं बलं प्रेषयित्वा गङ्गातीरे ऽग्निम् आविशत् इत्य् उक्त्वा स तु राजेन्द्रो गङ्गां भानुं सुरान् अपि
Having sent all his forces, the king entered the fire on the bank of the Gaṅgā, declaring thus to the Gaṅgā, the Sun, and the gods.
यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं यदि त्राता प्रजा मया तेन सत्येन सा साध्वी ममायुष्येण जीवतु
If I have given, if I have offered oblations, if I have protected my people—by that truth, may this virtuous woman live with my lifespan.
इत्य् उक्त्वाग्नौ प्रविष्टे तु शर्यातौ नृपसत्तमे तदैव जीविता भार्या राज्ञस् तस्य पुरोधसः
Having spoken thus, when the best of kings Śaryāti entered the fire, at that very moment, the wife of the king’s priest came back to life.
अग्निप्रविष्टं राजानं श्रुत्वा विस्मयकारणम् पतिव्रतां तथा भार्यां मृतां जीवान्वितां पुनः
Hearing that the king had entered the fire, which was a cause for wonder, and that his devoted wife, who had died, was restored to life—
तदर्थं चापि राजानं त्यक्तात्मानं विशेषतः आत्मनश् च पुनः कृत्यम् अस्मरन् नृपतेर् गुरुः
For this reason, and especially because the king had abandoned his own life, the king’s guru remembered again the duties that remained for himself.
अहम् अप्य् अग्निम् आवेक्ष्य उत यास्ये प्रियान्तिकम् अथवेह तपस् तप्स्ये ततो निश्चयवान् द्विजः
I too, having beheld the fire, will either go to my beloved, or here undertake austerities; then, determined, the twice-born acted.
एतद् एवात्मनः कृत्यं मन्ये सुकृतम् एव च जीवयामि च राजानं ततो यामि प्रियां पुनः
This alone I consider the proper duty for myself, and indeed a virtuous act; I sustain the king, and then I return again to my beloved.
एतद् एव शुभं मे स्यात् ततस् तुष्टाव भास्करम् न ह्य् अन्यः कोपि देवो ऽस्ति सर्वाभीष्टप्रदो रवेः
This alone would be auspicious for me; then he praised the Sun, for truly there is no other god who grants all desires except the Sun.
नमो ऽस्तु तस्मै सूर्याय मुक्तये ऽमिततेजसे छन्दोमयाय देवाय ओंकारार्थाय ते नमः
Salutations to that Sun, the liberator, of immeasurable brilliance, the deity composed of Vedic meters, to the one whose essence is Om—salutations to you.
विरूपाय सुरूपाय त्रिगुणाय त्रिमूर्तये स्थित्युत्पत्तिविनाशानां हेतवे प्रभविष्णवे
To the formless and the beautiful, to the one of three qualities, to the triple-formed, to the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction, to the mighty Lord—salutations.
ततः प्रसन्नः सूर्यो ऽभूद् वरयस्वेत्य् अभाषत
Then the Sun, pleased, spoke: 'Ask for a boon.'
राजानं देहि देवेश भार्यां च प्रियवादिनीम् आत्मनश् च शुभान् पुत्रान् राज्ञश् चैव शुभान् वरान्
O Lord of gods, grant me the king, a wife who speaks kindly, virtuous sons for myself, and auspicious boons for the king as well.
ततः प्रादाज् जगन्नाथः शर्यातिं रत्नभूषितम् तां च भार्यां वरान् अन्यान् सर्वं क्षेममयं तथा
Then the Lord of the universe gave Śaryāti, adorned with jewels, that wife, other boons, and all prosperity likewise.
ततो यातः प्रियाविष्टः प्रीतेन च पुरोधसा ययौ सुखी स्वकं देशं तत् तु तीर्थं शुभं स्मृतम्
Then, filled with affection for his beloved, he departed with the priest, happily went to his own land; that place is remembered as a holy site.
तत्र त्रीणि सहस्राणि तीर्थानि गुणवन्ति च ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं भानुतीर्थम् उदाहृतम्
There are three thousand holy places endowed with virtues; from then onward, that holy site has been called Bhānu-tīrtha.
मृतसंजीवनं चैव शार्यातं चेति विश्रुतम् माधुच्छन्दसमाख्यातं स्मरणात् पापनुन् मुने
It is renowned as Mṛtasaṃjīvana and Śāryāta, and also as Mādhucchandasamākhyāta; by remembering it, O sage, sins are dispelled.
तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सर्वक्रतुफलप्रदम् मृतसंजीवनं तत् स्याद् आयुरारोग्यवर्धनम्
Bathing and giving gifts there grant the fruits of all sacrifices; Mṛtasaṃjīvana increases lifespan and health.
खड्गतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं गौतम्या उत्तरे तटे तत्र स्नानेन दानेन मुक्तिभागी भवेन् नरः
It is known as Khaḍga-tīrtha, on the northern bank of the Gautamī; by bathing and giving gifts there, a person attains liberation.
तत्र वृत्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद यत्नतः पैलूष इति विख्यातः कवषस्य सुतो द्विजः
There I will relate the story; listen carefully, O Nārada. Pailūṣa, so named, was the son of Kavaṣa, a twice-born.
कुटुम्बभारात् परितो ह्य् अर्थार्थी परिधावति न किमप्य् आससादासौ ततो वैराग्यम् आस्थितः
Burdened by family responsibilities, seeking wealth, he ran about everywhere, but attained nothing; then he embraced detachment.
अत्यन्तविमुखे दैवे व्यर्थीभूते तु पौरुषे न वैराग्याद् अन्यद् अस्ति पण्डितस्यावलम्बनम्
When fate is utterly adverse and effort proves futile, for the wise there is no other refuge but detachment.
इति संचिन्तयाम् आस तदासौ निःश्वसन् मुहुः क्रमागतं धनं नास्ति पोष्याश् च बहवो मम
Thus he pondered, sighing repeatedly: 'There is no wealth coming in, and I have many dependents.'
मानी चात्मा न कष्टार्हो हा धिग् दुर्दैवचेष्टितम् स कदाचिद् वृत्तियुतो वृत्तिभिः परिवर्तयन्
His self was proud, not fit for hardship—alas, cursed be the workings of ill fate! Sometimes, possessing livelihood, he managed by means of various occupations.
न लेभे तद् धनं वृत्तेर् विरागम् अगमत् तदा सेवा निषिद्धा या काचिद् गहना दुष्करं तपः
He did not obtain that wealth, nor did he gain detachment at that time; any service he attempted was forbidden, and severe austerities were difficult to perform.
बलाद् आकर्षतीयं मां तृष्णा सर्वत्र दुष्कृते त्वयापकृतम् अज्ञानात् तस्मात् तृष्णे नमो ऽस्तु ते
This thirst forcibly draws me everywhere into wrongdoing; you have caused harm out of ignorance—therefore, O craving, I bow to you.
एवं विचिन्त्य मेधावी तृष्णाछेदाय किं भवेत् इत्य् आलोच्य स पैलूषः पितरं वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
Thus reflecting, the wise Pailūṣa, considering how to cut off craving, spoke these words to his father.
ज्ञानासिना क्रोधलोभौ संसृतिं चातिदुस्तराम् छेद्मीमां केन हे तात तम् उपायं वद प्रभो
With the sword of knowledge, by what means, O father, can one cut off anger and greed, and the exceedingly difficult cycle of rebirth? Tell me that method, O master.
ईश्वराज् ज्ञानम् अन्विच्छेद् इत्य् एषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः तस्माद् आराधयेशानं ततो ज्ञानम् अवाप्स्यसि
The Vedic teaching is: 'One should seek knowledge from the Lord.' Therefore, worship the Lord, and then you will obtain knowledge.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा स पैलूषो ज्ञानायेश्वरम् आर्चयत् ततस् तुष्टो महेशानो ज्ञानं प्रादाद् द्विजातये प्राप्तज्ञानो महाबुद्धिर् गाथाः प्रोवाच मुक्तिदाः
Having said 'so be it,' Pailūṣa worshipped the Lord for knowledge. Then, pleased, the great Lord granted knowledge to the twice-born. Having attained knowledge and great wisdom, he spoke verses that bestow liberation.