धिग्राज्यं तस्य राज्ञो वै यस्य देशेऽबुधा जनाः । पूज्यन्ते ब्राह्मणा मूर्खा दानमानादिकैरपि
Fie on the kingdom of that king in whose land ignorant brāhmaṇas are honored with gifts and respect.
आसने पूजने दाने यत्र भेदो न चाण्वपि । मूर्खपण्डितयोर्भेदो ज्ञातव्यो विबुधेन वै
Where there is not even the slightest distinction in seating, worship, or giving between the foolish and the learned, the wise must discern the difference.
मूर्खा यत्र सुगर्विष्ठा दानमानपरिग्रहैः । तस्मिन्देशे न वस्तव्यं पण्डितेन कथञ्चन
Where the foolish are excessively proud through gifts and honors, a learned person should never dwell in such a land.
असतामुपकाराय दुर्जनानां विभूतयः । पिचुमन्दः फलाढ्योऽपि काकैरेवोपभुज्यते
The wealth of the wicked serves only to benefit the unworthy; just as the bhallātaka tree, though rich in fruit, is enjoyed only by crows.
भुक्त्वान्नं वेदविद्विप्रो वेदाभ्यासं करोति वै । क्रीडन्ति पूर्वजास्तस्य स्वर्गे प्रमुदिताः किल
A brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas, after eating food, studies the Vedas; his ancestors rejoice in heaven, delighted indeed.
गोभिलातः विमुक्तं वै त्वया वेदविदुत्तम । संसारे मूर्खपुत्रत्वं मरणादतिगर्हितम्
O best knower of the Vedas, you have freed me from the bondage of Gobhila; in this world, having a foolish son is more blameworthy than death.
कृपां कुरु महाभाग शापस्यानुग्रहं प्रति । दीनोद्धारणशक्तोऽसि पतामि तव पादयोः
Have mercy, O greatly fortunate one, regarding the favor of the curse; you are able to uplift the distressed—I fall at your feet.
लोमश उवाच इत्युक्त्वा देवदत्तस्तु पतितस्तस्य पादयोः । स्तुवन्दीनहृदत्यर्थं कृपणः साश्रुलोचनः
Lomaśa said: Having spoken thus, Devadatta fell at his feet, praising him with a heart full of sorrow, pitiable and with tearful eyes.
गोभिलस्तु तदा तत्र दृष्ट्वा तं दीनचेतसम् । क्षणकोपा महान्तो वै पापिष्ठाः कल्पकोपनाः
Gobhila, seeing him there so dejected, was moved; great angers, though intense, are but momentary, while sinful wrath endures an age.
जलं स्वभावतः शीतं पावकातपयोगतः । उष्णं भवति तच्छीघ्रं तद्विना शिशिरं भवेत्
Water is naturally cold, but becomes hot by contact with fire; as soon as that is removed, it quickly becomes cool again.
दयावान्गोभिलस्त्वाह देवदत्तं सुदुःखितम् । मूर्खो भूत्वा सुतस्ते वै विद्वानपि भविष्यति
Moved by compassion, Gobhila said to Devadatta, who was deeply distressed: 'Your son, though he becomes foolish, will also become wise.'
इति दत्तवरः सोऽथ मुदितोऽभूद्द्विजर्षभः । इष्टिं समाप्य विप्रान्वै विससर्ज यथाविधि
Having received this boon, the foremost of twice-born was delighted; completing the ritual, he dismissed the Brahmins according to proper procedure.
कालेन कियता तस्य भार्या रूपमती सती । गर्भं दधार काले सा रोहिणी रोहिणीसमा
After some time, his wife, who was beautiful and virtuous, conceived; at the proper time, she, like Rohini, bore a child.
गर्भाधानादिकं कर्म चकार विधिवद्द्विजः । पुंसवनविधानञ्च शृङ्गारकरणं तथा
The twice-born performed the rites of conception and related ceremonies according to tradition, including the ritual for producing a male child and acts of adornment.
सीमन्तोन्नयनञ्चैव कृतं वेदविधानतः । ददौ दानानि मुदितो मत्वेष्टिं सफलां तथा
He also performed the ceremony of parting the hair as prescribed in the Vedas, joyfully gave gifts, and considered the ritual to have borne fruit.
शुभेऽह्नि सुषुवे पुत्रं रोहिणी रोहिणीयुते । दिने लग्ने शुभेऽत्यर्थं जातकर्म चकार सः
On an auspicious day, Rohini gave birth to a son, with Rohini's qualities; at a highly favorable time and ascendant, he performed the birth rites.
पुत्रदर्शनकं कृत्वा नामकर्म चकार च । उतथ्य इति पुत्रस्य कृतं नाम पुराविदा
After seeing his son, he performed the naming ceremony; the name 'Utathya' was given to the son according to ancient tradition.
स चाष्टमे तथा वर्षे शुभे वै शुभवासरे । तस्योपनयनं कर्म चकार विधिवत्पिता
Then, in the eighth year, on an auspicious day and occasion, his father performed the sacred thread ceremony for him according to tradition.
वेदमध्यापयामास गुरुस्तं वै व्रते स्थितम् । नोच्चचार तथोतथ्यः संस्थितो मुग्धवत्तदा
The teacher instructed him in the Vedas as he observed the vow, but Utathya did not recite, remaining silent like one bewildered.
बहुधा पाठितः पित्रा न दधार मतिं शठः । मूढवत्तिष्ठतेऽत्यर्थं तं शुशोच पिता तदा
Though his father repeatedly taught him, the stubborn boy did not grasp the lessons; he stood as if dull-witted, and his father grieved for him.
एवं कुर्वन्सदाऽभ्यासं जातो द्वादशवार्षिकः । न वेद विधिवत्कर्तुं सन्ध्यावन्दनकं विधिम्
Despite constant practice, when he reached twelve years of age, he could not properly perform the prescribed Vedic rituals or the Sandhya prayers.
मूर्खोऽभूदिति लोकेषु गता वार्ताऽतिविस्तरा । ब्राह्मणेषु च सर्वेषु तापसेष्वितरेषु च
News spread widely among the people that he had become foolish; among all Brahmins and other ascetics as well.
जहास लोकस्तं विप्रं यत्र तत्र गतं मुने । पिता माता निनिन्दाथ मूर्खं तमतिभर्त्सयन्
Wherever the sage went, people laughed at him; his father and mother reproached him, harshly scolding their foolish son.
निन्दितोऽथ जनैः कामं पितृभ्यामथ बान्धवैः । वैराग्यमगमद्विप्रो जगाम वनमप्यसौ
Criticized by people, by his parents, and by relatives, the Brahmin developed dispassion and even went to the forest.
अन्धो वरस्तथा पङ्गुर्न मूर्खस्तु वरः सुतः । इत्युक्तोऽसौ पितृभ्यां वै विवेश काननं प्रति
His parents said, 'A blind or lame son is preferable, but a foolish son is not a blessing'; thus, he entered the forest.
गंगातीरे शुभे स्थाने कृत्वोटजमनुत्तमम् । वन्यां वृत्तिं च सङ्कल्प्य स्थितस्तत्र समाहितः
On the bank of the Ganges, at a beautiful spot, he built a fine hut; resolving to live on forest produce, he stayed there with focused mind.
नियमं च परं कृत्वा नासत्यं प्रब्रवीम्यहम् । स्थितस्तत्राश्रमे रम्ये ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतो हि सः
Having undertaken strict discipline, he declared, 'I will not speak untruth'; he remained in that pleasant hermitage, observing the vow of celibacy.
सत्यव्रताख्यानवर्णनम् लोमश उवाच न वेदाध्ययनं किञ्चिज्जानाति न जपं तथा । ध्यानं न देवतानाञ्च न चैवाराधनं तथा
The narration of Satyavrata begins. Lomasha said: He knows nothing of Vedic study, nor of recitation; neither meditation on deities nor their worship.
नासनं वेद विप्रोऽसो प्राणायामं तथा पुनः । प्रत्याहारं तु नो वेद भूतशुद्धिञ्च कारणम्
That Brahmin did not know the posture for worship, nor the practice of breath control; he also did not know withdrawal of the senses or the rite of elemental purification.
न मन्त्रकीलकं जाप्यं गायत्रीञ्च न वेद सः । शौचं स्नानविधिञ्चैव तथाचमनकं पुनः
He did not know the mantra's seal, nor the recitation, nor the Gāyatrī; he also did not know the rules for purity, bathing, or sipping water.