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,
ता आपदो ऽपि भूपाल धन्या याः सत्यकारिकाः
even such calamities, O king, are blessed when they are for the sake of truthfulness.
कीर्तिसंस्तरणार्थाय कर्त्तव्यं मनुजैः सदा
For the sake of spreading one's fame, one must always act accordingly, O humans.
तदलं परितापेन सत्यं पालय भूपते
Therefore, enough of grief; uphold the truth, O king.
देवैरुत्पादिता ह्येषा निकषा ते विमोहिनी
This deluding touchstone has indeed been produced by the gods to test you.
पुत्रव्य पादनाद्देवा भविष्यन्ति ह्यवाङ्मुखाः
If you do not fulfill your promise regarding your son, the gods will turn their faces away from you.
विष्णोरुद्वहतां भक्तिं देवताः परिपन्थिनः
The gods become obstacles to those who bear devotion to Viṣṇu.
विरुद्धा विबुधा भूप सेश्वरास्तव चेष्टितैः
O king, the gods, along with their lord, have become opposed to you because of your actions.
स त्वं भूप दृढो भूत्वा घातयस्व सुतं प्रियम्
Therefore, O king, be firm and have your beloved son slain.
मोहिन्याः कुरु वाक्यं तु आत्मनः सत्यपालनात्
Follow the words of Mohinī, in order to uphold your own truthfulness.
तन्तासि लोके शमनस्य भूप यशःप्रणो भविता धरायाम्
You will become, in this world, the thread of peace, O king, and your fame will live on the earth.