स्वामिनो वैकृतं दृष्ट्वा कः क्षमेतोत्तमाशयः मुहुर् निनिन्द चात्मानं मयि जीवत्य् अभूद् इदम्
Who, seeing the Lord’s disfigurement, could endure it with noble heart? Again and again he reproached himself, saying, 'This happened while I still live.'
कष्टम् आपतितं कीदृग् अहो दुर्विधिवैशसात् तत् कर्म तस्य संवीक्ष्य महादेवो ऽतिविस्मितः ततः प्रोवाच भगवान् वेदं वेदविदां वरम्
'Alas, what terrible fate has come upon me, oh, by cruel destiny!' Seeing that act of his, Mahādeva was greatly astonished; then the Lord spoke to Veda, best of those who know the Vedas:
पश्य व्याधं महाबुद्धे भक्तं भावेन संयुतम् त्वं तु मृद्भिः कुशैर् वार्भिर् मूर्धानं स्पृष्टवान् असि
'See the hunter, O great-minded one, endowed with devotion and sincerity; but you have only touched the head with clay, kuśa grass, or water.'
अनेन सहसा ब्रह्मन् ममात्मापि निवेदितः भक्तिः प्रेमाथवा शक्तिर् विचारो यत्र विद्यते तस्माद् अस्मै वरान् दास्ये पश्चात् तुभ्यं द्विजोत्तम
'By this act, O Brahman, even my own self has been offered; wherever there is devotion, love, or power, or discernment, therefore I shall grant boons to him first, and afterwards to you, best of twice-born.'
वरेण च्छन्दयाम् आस व्याधं देवो महेश्वरः व्याधः प्रोवाच देवेशं निर्माल्यं तव यद् भवेत्
With a boon, the great Lord Maheśvara invited the hunter to choose; the hunter said to the Lord of gods, 'May I receive your nirmālya.'
तद् अस्माकं भवेन् नाथ मन्नाम्ना तीर्थम् उच्यताम् सर्वक्रतुफलं तीर्थं स्मरणाद् एव जायताम्
'May that become ours, O Lord; let a holy place be named after me; may that holy place grant the fruit of all sacrifices merely by remembrance.'
तथेत्य् उवाच देवेशस् ततस् तत् तीर्थम् उत्तमम् भिल्लतीर्थं समस्ताघसंघविच्छेदकारणम्
The Lord of the gods replied, 'So be it.' Then that most excellent sacred place, Bhillatirtha, became the cause for the destruction of all accumulated sins.
श्रीमहादेवचरणमहाभक्तिविधायकम् अभवत् स्नानदानाद्यैर् भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् वेदस्यापि वरान् प्रादाच् छिवो नानाविधान् बहून्
It became the bestower of great devotion at the feet of the glorious Mahadeva, granting both enjoyment and liberation through bathing, giving, and other acts. Shiva also granted many various boons there, even to the Vedas.
चक्षुस्तीर्थम् इति ख्यातं रूपसौभाग्यदायकम् यत्र योगेश्वरो देवो गौतम्या दक्षिणे तटे
It is known as Cakshus-tirtha, the sacred place that bestows beauty and good fortune, where the Lord of Yogis resides on the southern bank of the Gautami.
पुरं भौवनम् आख्यातं गिरिमूर्ध्न्य् अभिधीयते यत्रासौ भौवनो राजा क्षत्रधर्मपरायणः
The city called Bhauvana is said to be on the summit of a mountain, where King Bhauvana, devoted to the duties of a warrior, once ruled.
तस्मिन् पुरवरे कश्चिद् ब्राह्मणो वृद्धकौशिकः तत्पुत्रो गौतम इति ख्यातो वेदविदुत्तमः
In that excellent city lived a certain Brahmin named Vriddhakaushika; his son, renowned as Gautama, was the foremost knower of the Vedas.
तस्य मातुर् मनोदोषाद् विपरीतो ऽभवद् द्विजः सखा तस्य वणिक् कश्चिन् मणिकुण्डल उच्यते
Because of his mother's mental fault, that twice-born became contrary in nature. He had a friend, a merchant named Manikuṇḍala.
तेन सख्यं द्विजस्यासीद् विषमं द्विजवैश्ययोः श्रीमद्दरिद्रयोर् नित्यं परस्परहितैषिणोः
There was an uneven friendship between the Brahmin and the merchant, one wealthy and one poor, yet always seeking each other's welfare.
कदाचिद् गौतमो वैश्यं वित्तेशं मणिकुण्डलम् प्राहेदं वचनं प्रीत्या रहः स्थित्वा पुनः पुनः
Once, Gautama privately and repeatedly spoke these words with affection to the wealthy merchant Manikuṇḍala:
गच्छामो धनम् आदातुं पर्वतान् उदधीन् अपि यौवनं तद् वृथा ज्ञेयं विना सौख्यानुकूल्यतः धनं विना तत् कथं स्याद् अहो धिङ् निर्धनं नरम्
'Let us go to obtain wealth, even to mountains and oceans. Youth is wasted without the means for happiness; how can there be happiness without wealth? Alas, shame on the man who is poor.'
कुण्डलो द्विजम् आहेदं मत्पित्रोपार्जितं धनम् बह्व् अस्ति किं धनेनाद्य करिष्ये द्विजसत्तम द्विजः पुनर् उवाचेदं मणिकुण्डलम् ओजसा
Kuṇḍala said to the Brahmin, 'I have much wealth earned by my father. What need do I have for more wealth today, O best of Brahmins?' But the Brahmin replied to Manikuṇḍala with vigor:
धर्मार्थज्ञानकामानां को नु तृप्तः प्रशस्यते उत्कर्षप्राप्तिर् एवैषां सखे श्लाघ्या शरीरिणाम्
'Who among those who know righteousness, wealth, knowledge, and desire is ever truly satisfied? For embodied beings, only the attainment of excellence is praiseworthy, my friend.'
स्वेनैव व्यवसायेन धन्या जीवन्ति जन्तवः परदत्तार्थसंतुष्टाः कष्टजीविन एव ते
'Creatures who live by their own effort are truly fortunate; those content with what is given by others live a wretched life.'
स पुत्रः शस्यते लोके पितृभिश् चाभिनन्द्यते यः पैत्र्यम् अभिलिप्सेत न वाचापि तु कुण्डल
'That son is praised in the world and honored by his fathers who desires his ancestral wealth—not even in speech, O Kuṇḍala.'
स्वबाहुबलम् आश्रित्य यो ऽर्थान् अर्जयते सुतः स कृतार्थो भवेल् लोके पैत्र्यं वित्तं न तु स्पृशेत्
'The son who, relying on his own strength, acquires wealth, is accomplished in the world; he should not touch his father's wealth.'
स्वयम् आर्ज्य सुतो वित्तं पित्रे दास्यति बन्धवे तं तु पुत्रं विजानीयाद् इतरो योनिकीटकः
'A son who earns wealth himself and gives it to his father or relatives—know him to be a true son; the other is merely born of the womb.'
एतच् छ्रुत्वा तु तद् वाक्यं ब्राह्मणस्याभिलाषिणः तथेति मत्वा तद्वाक्यं रत्नान्य् आदाय सत्वरः
Hearing the Brahmin's words, filled with desire, and accepting them as true, he quickly took his jewels.
आत्मकीयानि वित्तानि गौतमाय न्यवेदयत् धनेनैतेन देशांश् च परिभ्रम्य यथासुखम्
He presented his own wealth to Gautama, and with that money they traveled through various lands as they pleased.
धनान्य् आदाय वित्तानि पुनर् एष्यामहे गृहम् सत्यम् एव वणिग् वक्ति स तु विप्रः प्रतारकः
'We will take the wealth and riches and then return home.' The merchant spoke truthfully, but the Brahmin was deceitful.
पापात्मा पापचित्तं च न बुबोध वणिग् द्विजम् तौ परस्परम् आमन्त्र्य मातापित्रोर् अजानतोः
The merchant, of sinful mind and intent, did not recognize the brahmin; the two, unaware of each other's parentage, addressed one another.
देशाद् देशान्तरं यातौ धनार्थं तौ वणिग्द्विजौ वणिग्घस्तस्थितं वित्तं ब्राह्मणो हर्तुम् इच्छति
The merchant and the brahmin had traveled from one land to another in search of wealth; the brahmin wished to seize the riches held in the merchant’s hand.
येन केनाप्य् उपायेन तद् धनं हि समाहरे अहो पृथिव्यां रम्याणि नगराणि सहस्रशः
By whatever means possible, I will gather that wealth; ah, there are thousands of delightful cities on earth.
इष्टप्रदात्र्यः कामस्य देवता इव योषितः मनोहरास् तत्र तत्र सन्ति किं क्रियते मया
Women, like goddesses who grant desires, charming in every place, are present—what should I do?
धनम् आहृत्य यत्नेन योषिद्भ्यो यदि दीयते भुज्यन्ते तास् ततो नित्यं सफलं जीवितं हि तत्
If, having obtained wealth through effort, it is given to women, they enjoy it always; truly, such a life is fruitful.
नृत्यगीतरतो नित्यं पण्यस्त्रीभिर् अलंकृतः भोक्ष्ये कथं तु तद् वित्तं वैश्यान् मद्धस्तम् आगतम्
Constantly adorned by courtesans, delighting in dance and song, how shall I enjoy that wealth of the merchant which has come into my hands?