विनापि महतां सेवां हरिभक्तिर्हि दुर्लभा
Even without serving great souls, devotion to Hari is difficult to obtain.
प्रवर्त्तते मतिर्वत्स कथं ते ऽलौकिकी कृतिः
O child, how did your extraordinary resolve arise?
जायते भगवद्भक्तिस्तदहं विस्मयं गतः
Devotion to the Blessed Lord has arisen; therefore, I am filled with wonder.
भद्रशीलो मुनिश्रेष्ठः पित्रैवं सुविकल्पितैः
Bhadraśīla, the best of sages, thus carefully questioned his father.
स्वानभ्रुतं यथाव्रतं सर्वं पित्रे न्यवेदयत्
He reported to his father everything he had undertaken, just as it had been performed.
जातिस्मरत्वाज्जानामि यमेन परिभाषितम्
Because I remember my past births, I know what was spoken by Yama.
उवाच प्रीतिमापन्नो भद्रशीलं महामतिम्
He, pleased, spoke to Bhadraśīla, who possessed great wisdom.
कस्य वा केन वा हेतोस्तत्सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि
Of whom, or for what reason, all this—you ought to tell.
धर्मकीर्तिरिति ख्यातो दत्तात्रघेयेण शासितः
Known as Dharmakīrti, instructed by Dattātreya’s command.
अधर्माश्च तथा धर्मा मया तु बहवः कृताः
Both unrighteous and righteous acts have been performed by me in great number.
पापण्डजनसंसर्गात्पापण्डचरितो ऽभवम्
By association with wicked heretics, I became one who followed their ways.
पापण्डैर्बाधितो ऽहं तु वेदमार्गं समत्यजम्
Harassed by those heretics, I completely abandoned the Vedic path.
अधर्मनिरतं मां तु दृष्ट्वा महेशजाः
Seeing me engaged in unrighteousness, the sons of Mahesha—
एवं पापसमाचारो व्यसनाभिरतः सदा
Thus, always engaged in sinful conduct and addicted to vices—
ससैन्यो ऽहं वने तत्र हत्वा बहुविधान्मृगान्
With my army, I entered the forest there, killing many kinds of animals.
रवितीक्ष्णातपल्कान्तो रेवायां स्नानमाचरम्
Exhausted by the fierce heat of the sun, I bathed in the Reva river.
अहष्टसैन्य एकाकी पीड्यमानः क्षुधा भृशम्
Alone, without an army, I was greatly tormented by hunger.
एकादशीव्रतपरा मया दृष्ट्वा निशामुखे
At the break of night, I saw a woman devoted to the vow of Ekadashi.
जागरं कृतवांश्वापि सेनया रहितो निशि
Even without my army, I kept vigil through the night.
तत्रैव जागरान्ते ऽहं तातपञ्चत्वमागतः
Right there, at the end of the vigil, I, dear one, met my death.
दंष्ट्राकरालवदनमपश्यं समवर्तिनम्
I saw a being with a terrifying face, with protruding fangs, approaching.
अस्य शिक्षाविधानं च यथावद्वद पण्डितं
Tell me properly, O learned one, the prescribed discipline for him.
चिरं विचारयामास पुनश्चेदमभापत
He pondered for a long time, and then this thought occurred again.
एकादश्यां निराहारः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
On Ekadashi, by fasting, one is freed from all sins.
जागरं चोपवासं च कृत्वा निषअपापतां गतः
By keeping vigil and fasting, one attains sinlessness.
तानि सर्वाणि नष्टानि ह्युपवासप्रभावतः
All those sins were destroyed by the power of the fast.
नानाम दण्डवद्भूमौ ममाग्रे सो ऽनुकंपितः
He, moved by compassion, bowed to the ground before me.
ततश्च स्वभटान्सर्वानाहूयेदमुवाच ह
Then he summoned all his attendants and spoke these words.
धर्ममार्गरता न्मर्त्यान्मानयध्वं ममान्तिकम्
Bring before me those mortals who are devoted to the path of righteousness.
नारायणाच्युतहरे शरणं भवेति शान्ता वदन्ति सततं तरसात्यजध्वम्
Those who always say, 'Narayana, Achyuta, Hari, be our refuge,'—release them at once, for the peaceful ones say this constantly.