तद्वच्चित्रासु संगृह्य सोमवारं विचक्षणः। रात्रिभक्षः क्षिपेदष्टौ सोमवारान्प्रयत्नतः
Likewise, the wise man should collect (items) in decorated vessels on Mondays, and, abstaining from food at night, carefully offer eight Mondays.
प्रत्येकं ब्राह्मणा भोज्या यथाशक्ति विचक्षणाः। नवमे तु ततः पूर्णे कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणभोजनम्
Each time, wise men should feed Brahmins according to their ability; and when the ninth is completed, he should arrange a Brahmin meal.
वस्त्रयुग्मं च दातव्यं ततः सोमं प्रदापयेत्। कांस्यभाजनसंस्थं तु क्षीरसंपूरितं ततः
He should then give a pair of garments and present Soma, placed in a bronze vessel and filled with milk.
तद्वच्छत्रं पादुके च तथोपानत्समन्वितम्। संपूर्णांगाय दातव्यं ब्राह्मणाय विशेषतः
Likewise, an umbrella and sandals, along with shoes, should be given, complete in all parts, especially to a Brahmin.
स्वात्यामंगारकं पूज्य क्षपयेन्नक्तभोजनैः। अष्टावेवं च यावच्च कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणभोजनम्
On the day of Svāti, one should worship Mars and observe fasting at night; this should be done for eight nights, and then one should offer food to Brahmins.
अंगारकं च सौवर्णं स्थापितं ताम्रभाजने। दापयेद्ब्राह्मणायाथ संपूर्णांगाय चैव हि
A golden image of Mars should be placed in a copper vessel and given to a Brahmin who is in good health.
नक्षत्रानुक्रमेणैव क्षिपेन्नक्तानि सप्त वै। अष्टमे तु क्रमात्खेटान्सौवर्णान्दापयेद्बुधः
According to the sequence of the lunar mansions, one should fast for seven nights; on the eighth, one should give golden images of the planets, as prescribed.
अग्निकार्यं च कुर्वीत यथादृष्टं विधानतः। एवं कृते भवेद्यद्वै तन्निबोध नराधिप
One should perform the fire ritual as prescribed in the scriptures; when this is done, O king, know what result arises.
असौम्याश्च ग्रहास्सर्वे सौम्यरूपा भवंति च॥ सर्वे रोगा विनश्यन्ति तुष्टिमायान्ति देवताः
All the inauspicious planets become auspicious; all diseases are destroyed, and the deities become pleased.
न विरुन्धन्ति तं नागाः पितरस्तर्पितास्तथा। दुस्स्वप्ननाशो भवति शृण्वतां पठतां तथा
Serpents do not harm him, and the ancestors are satisfied; bad dreams are destroyed for those who listen and recite.
यदि भौमो रविसुतो भास्करो राहुणा सह। केतुश्च मूर्ध्नि तिष्ठंति रौद्राः पीडाकरा ग्रहाः
If Mars, the son of the Sun, the Sun himself, or Rahu, along with Ketu, are positioned at the head, these fierce planets cause suffering.
अनेन कृतमात्रेण ससौभाग्या भवंति हि। य एवं कुरुते राजन्सदाभक्तिसमन्वितः
By performing this alone, one attains good fortune; whoever does this always with devotion, O king,
तस्य सानुग्रहाः सर्वे शांतिं यच्छंति नान्यथा। शनैश्चरं राहुकेतू लोहपात्रेषु विन्यसेत्
All the planets become gracious to him and grant peace, not otherwise; Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu should be placed in iron vessels.
लोहेन कारयेच्चैनान्ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च दापयेत्। कृष्णं वस्त्रयुगं देयमेतेषां प्रीणनाय वै
They should be made of iron and given to Brahmins; a pair of black garments should be given to please them.
सौवर्णां गाश्च दातव्याः शांतिश्रीविजयेप्सुभिः। व्रतांते सर्व एते हि ग्रहास्सौवर्णका नृप
Golden cows should be given by those desiring peace, prosperity, and victory; at the end of the vow, all these planets should be given in gold, O king.
दातव्याः शांतिमिच्छद्भिर्व्रतांते द्विजभोजनम्। यथाशक्ति दक्षिणा च ग्रहाणां प्रीतये तथा
Those who desire peace should give food to Brahmins at the end of the vow, and as much as possible, a gift, for the satisfaction of the planets.
अल्पायासेन राजेंद्र सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्। शंकराज्ज्ञानमन्विच्छेदारोग्यं भास्करात्तथा३२७ (ज्ञान)॥ हुताशनाद्धनमिच्छेद्गतिमिच्छेज्जनार्दनात् । (गति)॥ ब्राह्म्यं पितामहाच्चैव सर्वजन्तुप्रशांतिदम्
With little effort, O king, one may obtain all desires; from Śaṅkara, one should seek knowledge, from Bhāskara, health, from Agni, wealth, from Janārdana, liberation, and from Brahmā and Pitāmaha, peace for all beings.
भीष्म उवाच॥ यस्त्वया कथितो यज्ञो यज्वनां तु फलं महत्। तथायुषस्स्वल्पतया अन्यैः प्राप्तुं न शक्यते
Bhīṣma said: The sacrifice you have described yields great fruit for those who perform it; such a result cannot be attained by others with a short lifespan.
स्वल्यायासेन यत्पुण्यं संवत्सरमुपोषजम्। भवेत्तन्मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ कथयस्व महाफलम्
O best of sages, tell me what great merit is gained with little effort by fasting for a year.
पुलस्त्य उवाच॥ इदमर्थं महाराज श्वेतो राजा महायशाः। वसिष्ठं पृष्टवान्प्रश्नं क्षुधया पीडितो भृशम्
Pulastya said: O great king, the illustrious king Śveta, afflicted greatly by hunger, once asked this very question of Vasiṣṭha.
आसीदिलावृते वर्षे श्वेतो राजा महाबलः। स महीं सकलां जिग्ये सप्तद्वीपां सपत्तनाम्
In the land of Ilāvṛta, there was the mighty king Śveta; he conquered the entire earth with its seven continents and cities.
ब्रह्मपुत्रो वसिष्ठश्च आसीत्तस्य पुरोहितः। स कदाचिन्नृपश्रेष्ठो जित्वा परमधार्मिकः
Vasiṣṭha, the son of Brahmā, was his priest; once, this best of kings, having conquered, and being supremely righteous,
पुरोहितमुवाचेदं वसिष्ठं जपतां वरम्। श्वेत उवाच॥ भगवन्नश्वमेधानां सहस्रं कर्तुमुत्सहे
Śveta spoke to his priest, the best of those who recite, Vasiṣṭha: 'Revered one, I am able to perform a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices.'
सुवर्णरूप्यरत्नानां दानं कर्तुं द्विजातिषु। पृथिव्यामन्नदानं तु दातुन्नेच्छामि वै गुरो
I am able to give gold, silver, and jewels in charity to the twice-born; but, O teacher, I do not wish to give food from the earth.
नान्नेन किंचिद्दत्तेन दत्ते होम्नि द्विजे प्रभो। न किंचिद्वस्त्विति ज्ञात्वा न दत्तं तत्कदाचन
Nothing given as food, nor anything offered in sacrifice to a Brāhmaṇa, O lord, is truly given if one knows that nothing is truly one's own.
रक्तवस्त्रमलंकारं ग्रामांश्च नगराणि च। अददाद्ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽसौ श्वेतो राजा महायशाः
That illustrious king Śveta gave red garments, ornaments, villages, and cities to the Brāhmaṇas.
नान्नं जलं तेन राज्ञा दत्तमासीत्कदाचन। ततोऽश्वमेधैर्बहुभिर्यज्वासौ नृपसत्तम
But that king never gave food or water; yet he performed many Aśvamedha sacrifices, O best of kings.
स्वर्गं गतः पुण्यजितं तपस्तप्त्वार्बुदत्रयम्। ब्राह्मीं सलोकतां प्राप्तः सर्वालंकारभूषितः
Having performed great austerities for three hundred million years, he attained heaven, the world of the virtuous, adorned with every ornament, and the realm of Brahmā.
नृत्यंत्यप्सरसस्तत्र गायंते सिद्धयोषितः। तुंबुरुर्नारदस्तत्र द्वावप्यनुगतौ सदा
There, the Apsarases dance, the Siddha women sing; Tumburu and Nārada are always present there.
अगायेतां महाप्राज्ञौ मुनयश्च तपोन्विताः। वेदोक्तमंत्रैः स्तुवन्ति अनेकक्रतुयाजिनम्
Those two great sages sang, and ascetic sages praised him with Vedic mantras as the performer of many sacrifices.