तच्छ्रुत्वा वृद्धविप्रस्य वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा
Hearing the words of the aged Brahmin, skilled in speech—
यत्ते मनोगतं विप्र तद्दास्यामि गृहाणमे
Whatever is in your mind, O Brahmin, I shall give; accept it.
इत्युक्तः स द्विजः प्राह न प्रत्येमि स्त्रिया वचः
Thus addressed, the Brahmin replied: I do not trust the words of a woman.
तदाकर्ण्य द्विजेनोक्तं विरोचनगृहेश्वरी
Hearing what was spoken by the Brahmin, the queen of Virocana's house—
स प्राप्तो दूतवाक्येन प्राह्लादिर्हृष्टमानसः
He arrived by the messenger's words, Prahlāda, with delighted mind.
तमागतं समालोक्य पतिं धर्मपरायणा
Seeing her husband arrive, devoted to righteousness—
यदा तु जगृहे नैव दत्तमासनमादरात्
When he did not accept the seat offered with respect—
तद्दृत्तान्तमुपाज्ञाय दैत्यराट् स विरोचनः
Learning of this event, the demon king Virocana—
अङ्गीकृते तु दैत्येन तद्विज्ञाय च मानसम्
But when the demon agreed, and his intention was understood,
ततस्तु दंपती तत्र मुग्धौ स्वकृतया शुचा
Then the couple there, bewildered, were stricken with grief for what they had done.
गृहाण जीवितं विप्र देहि पादोदकं मम
Take my life, O Brahmin, but give me water from your feet.
ततस्तु विप्रः प्रोतात्मा तदङ्गीकृत्य चासनम्
Then the Brahmin, his mind composed, accepted the offered seat.
प्रक्षाल्य पादौ विप्रस्य विशालाक्षी मुदान्विता
Wide-eyed and joyful, she washed the Brahmin’s feet.
ततस्तु सहसा सुभ्रु दंपती दिव्यरूपिणौ
Then suddenly, O beautiful-browed one, the couple took on a divine form.
ततः प्रसन्नो भगवान् देवशल्यं विमोच्य सः
Then the gracious Lord, freeing them from the pain of their curse,
एवं मयापि दातव्यं तव देवि प्रतिश्रुतम्
In this way, O goddess, I too must give what I have promised you.
सत्तयमेव मनुष्याणां गतिदं परिकीर्तितम्
Truth alone is declared to be the path that leads men onward.
सत्याच्च्चुतं मनुष्यं हि श्वपाकादधमं विदुः
From truth, a man is not fallen—even the lowest, like a dog-eater, is known to rise.
जग्राह भर्तुश्चरणौ सुताम्नौ रक्ताङ्गुली पाणियुगेन सुभ्रूः
With both hands, her fingers reddened, the beautiful-browed one grasped her husband’s feet.
उवाच वचनं देवी धर्मां गदविनाशनम्
The goddess spoke words that destroy the pain of unrighteousness.
मोहिन्या मोहरूपाया नान्यत्संरोचते ऽधुना
For one deluded by the enchantress, nothing else appeals now.
धर्मत्यागाद्वरं नाथ पुत्रस्य विनिपातनम्
Better, O lord, for a son to perish than for righteousness to be abandoned.
पुत्रस्योत्पादने तीव्रातादृशी न भवेत्पितुः
In the begetting of a son, the father does not experience such intense pain.
मातुर्भवति भूपाल तथा नहि भवेत्पितुः
O king, for the mother it is so, but not so for the father.
जननी धारिणी क्लिष्टा वर्द्धने पालने ऽधिका
The mother bears, suffers, and excels in nurturing and raising.
स्नेहाधिक्यं तु संप्रेक्ष्य मातरं महतीं विदुः
Seeing her great excess of affection, they know the mother to be supreme.
पुत्रस्य नृपशार्दूल सत्यवाक्यस्य पालनात्
O tiger among kings, because you have upheld the truthful words of your son,
मा सत्यलङ्घनं कार्षीः शापितो ऽसि मयात्मना
do not ever violate the truth; I myself have cursed you.
यस्मिंश्चीर्णे रुजा देहे नाल्पापि नृप जायते
In one who has practiced this, O king, not even the slightest pain arises in the body.
प्राणानादाय पुत्रं वा सर्वस्वं वा महीपते
Even if one must give up one's life, one's son, or all one's possessions, O ruler of the earth,