संप्रार्थितः सभासद्भिः शिवां बोधयितुं तदा
Then, urged by those present in the assembly, he was requested to revive Śivā.
श्रीमहादेव उवाच साम्प्रतं चेतनं कृत्वा मदीयं वचनं शृणु
Śrī Mahādeva said: Now, regaining consciousness, listen to my words.
शिवः शिवां तामित्युक्त्वा शुष्ककण्ठौष्ठतालुकाम्
Having addressed Śivā thus, Śiva, with a parched throat, lips, and palate—
हितं सत्यं मितं सर्वं परिणामसुखावहम्
Everything beneficial, true, and measured brings happiness in the end.
शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि यद्वेदेन निरूपितम्
Listen, O goddess, I will tell you what has been established by the Veda.
सर्वेषां कर्म्मणां देवि सारभूता च दक्षिणा
O goddess, the essence of all actions is the offering (dakṣiṇā).
दैवं वा पैतृकं वाऽपि नित्यं नैमित्तिकं प्रिये दाता च कर्म्मणा तेन कालसूत्रं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम्
Whether divine, ancestral, daily, or occasional, dearest, the giver, by that act, surely attains the thread of time.
अथान्ते दैन्यमाप्नोति शत्रुणा परिपीडितः
In the end, he falls into misery, afflicted by his enemy.
तन्मुहूर्ते व्यतीते तु दक्षिणा द्विगुणा भवेत्
If that moment passes, the offering must be doubled.
मासे पञ्चशतघ्ना स्यात्षण्मासे तच्चतुर्गुणा
After a month, it should be five hundred times; after six months, four times that.
दाता च नरकं याति यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम् धर्मो नष्टो भवेत्तस्य धर्म्महीने च कर्म्मणि
The giver goes to hell for a thousand years; his merit is lost, and for one without merit, action is lost as well.
ब्रह्मोवाच धर्मे नष्टे च धर्मज्ञे तस्य कर्ता विनश्यति
Brahmā said: When righteousness is lost, and the knower of righteousness is gone, the doer perishes.
धर्म उवाच मयि स्थिते महासाध्वि सर्वं भद्रं भविष्यति
Dharma said: While I remain, O great virtuous one, all will be well.
देवा ऊचुः वयं तव व्रते पूर्णे कुर्मस्त्वां पूर्णमानसाम्
The gods said: As your vow is fulfilled, we make you fulfilled in mind.
मुनय ऊचुः स्थितेष्वस्मासु धर्मज्ञे किमभद्रं भविष्यति
The sages said: If we, who know righteousness, are present, how can misfortune arise?
सनत्कुमार उवाच सुचिरं संचितस्यापि स्वात्मनस्तपसः फलम्
Sanatkumāra said: Even after a long time, the fruit of austerity accumulated by the self—
कर्मण्यदक्षिणे साध्वि यागस्याहं तु तत्फलम्
O virtuous one, in a sacrifice performed without a fee, I declare that the result belongs to the sacrifice.
पार्वत्युवाच किं पुत्रेण च धर्मेण यत्र भर्त्ता च दक्षिणा
Pārvatī said: What is the use of a son or righteousness, where the husband himself is the fee?
वृक्षार्चने फलं किं वै यदि भूमिर्न चार्च्यते
What is the fruit of worshipping a tree if the ground itself is not honored?
प्राणास्त्यक्ताः स्वेच्छया चेद्देहैस्स्यात्किं प्रयोजनम्
If life is abandoned by one's own will, what purpose does the body serve?
शतपुत्रसमः स्वामी साध्वीनां च सुरेश्वराः
The husband is equal to a hundred sons for virtuous women, O lord of the gods.
भर्तुर्वंशश्च तनयः केवलं भर्तृमूलकः
The husband's lineage and the son both originate solely from the husband.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच नष्टे धर्मे च धर्मिष्ठे स्वामिना किं सुतेन वा
Śrī Viṣṇu said: If righteousness is lost, even in the righteous, what use is a son or a husband?
ब्रह्मोवाच सत्यं संकल्पितं कर्म न तु भ्रष्टं कुरु व्रतम्
Brahmā said: Truly, an act that is resolved upon is to be performed; do not abandon a vow that has not failed.
पार्वत्युवाच तद्यस्यास्तीति स स्वामी वेदज्ञ शृणु मद्वचः
Pārvatī said: Therefore, the one to whom she belongs is her lord; O knower of the Vedas, listen to my words.
तस्य दाता सदा स्वामी न च स्वस्वामितां लभेत्
He who gives is always the master; ownership is never attained by oneself.
धर्म्म उवाच दम्पती ध्रुवमेकाङ्गौ द्वयोर्दाने द्वकौ समौ
Dharma said: Husband and wife are certainly one body; in the giving of both, both are equal.
पार्वत्युवाच न श्रुतं विपरीतं च श्रुतौ श्रुतिपरायणाः
Pārvatī said: That which is not heard, or is contrary, is not heard by those devoted to the scriptures.
देवा ऊचुः वेदज्ञे वेदवादेषु के वा त्वां जेतुमीश्वराः
The gods said: O knower of the Vedas, in matters of Vedic debate, which gods could conquer you?
निरूपिता पुण्यके तु व्रते स्वामी च दक्षिणा
In a meritorious vow, the husband is established as the fee.