स याति परमं स्थानं सर्वलोकोत्तमोत्तमम्
He attains the highest state, the supreme among all worlds.
पठतां शृण्वतां चैव सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
For those who recite and listen, it destroys all sins.
यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण वाचिमेध फलं लभेत्
By merely hearing it, one obtains the fruit of eloquence and intelligence.
वेदमालिरिति ख्यातो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः
He is known as Vedamāli, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches.
पुत्रमित्रकलत्रार्थं धनार्जनपरो ऽभवत्
He became intent on earning wealth for the sake of son, friend, wife, and possessions.
चण्डालाद्यैरपि तथा संभषी तत्प्रतिग्रही
He conversed and accepted gifts even from outcastes and others.
परार्थं तीर्थगमनं कलत्रार्थमकारयत्
He undertook pilgrimages for the sake of others, and for his wife’s sake.
यज्ञमाली सुमाली च यमलावतिशोभनौ
Yajñamāli and Sumāli, the two brothers, were exceedingly splendid.
पोषयामास वात्सल्याद्बहुभिः साधनैस्तदा
Then, out of affection, he supported them with many means.
स्वधनं गणयामास कियत्स्यादिति वेदितुम्
He began to count his own wealth, to know how much there was.
विगणय्य स्वयं दृष्टो विस्मितश्चार्थचिन्तया
Having counted it himself, he was astonished, pondering over the wealth.
मेया तपो विक्रयाद्यैरेतद्धनमुपार्जितम्
This wealth was acquired by these means—by austerity, by trade, and so on.
मेरुतुल्यसुवर्णानि ह्यसंख्यातानि वाञ्छति
He desires gold equal to Mount Meru, even in countless amounts.
सर्वान्कामानवांप्नोति पुनरन्यञ्च काङ्क्षति
He obtains all desired objects, yet again wishes for something else.
चक्षुःश्रोत्रे च जीर्येते तृष्णेका तरुणायते
The eyes and ears grow old, but desire alone remains ever young.
बलं हतं च जरसा तृष्णा तरुणतां गता
Strength is destroyed by old age, yet desire attains youthfulness.
सुशान्तो ऽपि प्रमन्युः स्याद्धीमानप्यतिमूढधीः
Even a very peaceful man may become angry, and a wise man may become utterly deluded.
तस्मादाशां त्यजेत्प्राज्ञो यदीच्छेच्छाश्वतं सुखम्
Therefore, if one desires lasting happiness, the wise should abandon hope.
तथैव सत्कुले जन्म आशा हत्यतिवेगतः
In the same way, birth in a noble family is destroyed at once by hope.
किञ्चिद्दातापि चाण्डालस्तस्मादधिकतां गतः
Even a lowly outcaste who gives a little surpasses one who is noble by birth.
अवमानादिकं दुःखं न जानन्ति कदाप्यहो
Alas, they never know the suffering of humiliation and the like.
शरीरमपि जीर्णं च जरसापहतं बलम्
Even the body becomes old, and strength is taken away by age.
एवं निश्चित्य विप्रेन्द्र धर्ममार्ग रतो ऽभवत्
Having thus reflected, O best of Brahmins, he became devoted to the path of righteousness.
स्वयं तु भाग द्वितय स्वार्जितार्थादपाहरत्
He himself took away half of his wealth that he had earned.
स्वेनार्जितानां पापानां नाशं कर्तुमनास्तदा
Then he resolved to destroy the sins he had accumulated himself.
अन्नादीनां च दानानि गङ्गातीरे चकार सः
He made gifts of food and other things on the banks of the Ganges.
नारनारायण स्थानं जगाम तपसे वनम्
He went to the abode of Nara and Narayana, to the forest for austerity.
फलितैः पुषअपितैश्चैव शोभितं वृक्षसंचयैः
It was adorned with clusters of trees, blossoming and bearing fruit.
परिचर्यापरैर्वृद्धैर्मुनिभिः परिशोभितम्
It was beautified by aged sages devoted to service.
गृणन्तं परमं ब्रह्म तेजोराशिं ददर्श ह
He saw the Supreme Brahman, a mass of radiance, being praised.