नारायणस्य देवस्य प्रह्रादस्यामरद्विषः
Of Nārāyaṇa the god, and of Prahlāda, the enemy of the immortals.
संजातं तस्य विज्ञानं शरण्यं शरणं ययौ
Knowledge arose in him, and he sought refuge in the protector.
नारायणे महायोगमवाप पुरुषोत्तमे
He attained great yoga in Nārāyaṇa, the supreme person.
अवाप तन्महद् राज्यमन्धको ऽसुरपुङ्गवः
Andhaka, foremost among asuras, obtained that great kingdom.
मन्दरस्थामुमां देवीं चकमे पर्वतात्मजाम्
He desired Umā, the goddess dwelling on Mandara, daughter of the mountain.
ईश्वराराधनार्थाय तपश्चेरुः सहस्त्रशः
For the sake of worshipping the Lord, thousands performed austerities.
अनावृष्टिरतीवोग्रा ह्यासीद् भूतविनाशिनी
A very fierce drought arose, destroying living beings.
अयाचन्त क्षुधाविष्टा आहारं प्राणधारणम्
Driven by hunger, they begged for food to sustain life.
सर्वे बुबुजिरे विप्रा निर्विशङ्केन चेतसा
All the sages ate with minds free from doubt.
बभूव वृष्टिर्महती यथापूर्वमभूज्जगत्
A great rain occurred, and the world became as it was before.
महर्षि गौतमं प्रोचुर्गच्छाम इति वेगतः
They said, 'Let us go swiftly to the great sage Gautama.'
उषित्वा मद्गृहे ऽवश्यं गच्छध्वमिति पण्डिताः
The wise ones replied, 'After staying at my house, you must certainly go.'
समीपं प्रापयामासुगौतमस्य महात्मनः
They brought them near to the great-souled Gautama.
गोष्ठे तां बन्धयामास स्पृष्टमात्रा ममार सा
He tied her in the cowshed, but as soon as she was touched, she died.
न पश्यति स्म सहसा तादृशं मुनयो ऽब्रुवन्
Suddenly, the sages could not see such a thing, and they spoke.
तावत् ते ऽन्नं न भोक्तव्यं गच्छामो वयमेव हि
'Until then, you must not eat food; we ourselves will go.'
जग्मुः पापवशं नीतास्तपश्चर्तुं यथा पुरा
Led by evil fate, they went to practice austerities as before.
केनापि हेतुना ज्ञात्वा शशापातीवकोपनः
Knowing the reason, someone, extremely angry, cursed them.
बभूवुस्ते तथा शापाज्जायमानाः पुनः पुनः
Because of that curse, they were born again and again in the same way.
अस्तुवन् लौकिकैः स्तोत्रैरुच्छिष्टा इव सर्वगौ
They praised with worldly hymns, like all cows left over after eating.
कामवृत्त्या महायोगौ पापान्नस्त्रातुमर्हथः
By desire, the two great yogis, you ought to save from sinful food.
किमेतेषां भवेत् कार्यं प्राह पुण्यैषिणामिति
'What should be done for them?' he asked those who seek virtue.
गोपतिं प्राह विप्रेन्द्रानालोक्य प्रणतान् हरिः
Seeing the best of brahmins bowed, Hari spoke to the lord of cows.
संगच्छते महादेव धर्मो वेदाद् विनिर्बभौ
O great god, Dharma, born from the Veda, agrees.
अस्माभिः सर्व एवेमे गन्तारो नरकानपि
All these, along with us, will go even to hells.
विमोहनाय शास्त्राणि करिष्यामो वृषध्वज
O bearer of the bull, we will compose scriptures for delusion.
चकार मोहशास्त्राणि केशवो ऽपि शिवेरितः
At Shiva's command, Keshava also composed deluding scriptures.
पञ्चरात्रं पाशुपतं तथान्यानि सहस्त्रशः
The Pañcarātra, the Pāśupata, and thousands of others likewise.
पतन्तो निरये घोरे बहून् कल्पान् पुनः पुनः
Falling into the terrible hell, again and again, for many aeons.
वर्तध्वं मत्प्रसादेन नान्यथा निष्कृतिर्हि वः
Continue on by my grace; for there is no other deliverance for you.