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.
एवं विभवयुक्तस्य राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः। क्षुधाया पीड्यते देहं तृष्णया च विशेषतः
Yet, though that great-souled king possessed such wealth, his body was tormented by hunger, and especially by thirst.
स तया पीड्यमानस्तु क्षुधया राजसत्तमः॥ विमानेनाप्यसौ स्वर्गं त्यक्त्वागादृक्षपर्वतम्
Afflicted by that hunger, the best of kings left heaven in his celestial chariot and went to the Ṛkṣa mountains.
यत्रात्ममूर्तिस्तत्रागात्पुरा दग्धा महावने। तत्रास्थीनि स्वयं गृह्य लिहन्नास्ते स पार्थिवः
There, where his own form had once been burned in the great forest, the king gathered his own bones and sat licking them.
पुनर्विमानमारुह्य ययौ नाकं नराधिपः। अथ कालेन महता स राजा संशितव्रतः
Then, mounting his celestial chariot again, the king went to heaven; but after a long time, that king of firm vows—
स्वान्यस्थीनि लिहन्दृष्टो वसिष्ठेन पुरोधसा। उक्तश्च किन्नु राजेन्द्र स्वास्थिभक्षो नराधिप
Was seen by Vasiṣṭha, the priest, licking his own bones; and Vasiṣṭha said, 'O king of kings, why are you eating your own bones?'
एवमुक्तस्ततो राजा वसिष्ठेन महर्षिणा। उवाच वचनं चेदं श्वेतो राजाथ तं मुनिम्
Thus addressed by the great sage Vasiṣṭha, King Śveta spoke these words to the sage:
भगवंस्तृट्क्षुधार्तोहमन्नदानं पुरा मया। न दत्तं मुनिशार्दूल तेन मां क्षुत्प्रबाधते
'Revered one, I am tormented by hunger and thirst; in the past, I never gave food in charity, O tiger among sages, and so hunger afflicts me.'
एवमुक्तस्तदा राजा वसिष्ठो मुनिपुंगवः। उवाच तं नृपं भूयो वाक्यमेतन्महामुनिः
Thus addressed, the king, Vasiṣṭha, foremost among sages, again spoke these words to the king:
किं ते करोमि राजेंद्र क्षुधितस्य विशेषतः। वस्तु कस्यापि किंचिद्धि नाऽदत्तमुपतिष्ठति1.34.
'What can I do for you, O king of kings, especially as you are hungry? For nothing that has not been given by anyone comes to one's aid.'
रत्नहेमप्रदानेन भोगवान्जायते नरः। अन्नदानप्रदानेन सर्वकामैः प्रदीपितः
By giving jewels and gold, a man becomes prosperous; by giving food, he is fulfilled in all desires.
तन्न दत्तं त्वया राजन्स्तोकं मत्वा नराधिपः। श्वेत उवाच॥ अदत्तस्य च संभूतिर्यथा भवति मे गुरो
O King, you did not give that, thinking it was insignificant, O lord of men. Shveta said: And how does the result of what is not given arise, O my teacher?
वसिष्ठ त्वत्प्रसादेन तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः। वसिष्ठ उवाच॥ अस्त्येकं कारणं येन जायते नात्र संशयः
O Vasiṣṭha, by your grace, please tell me as I ask. Vasiṣṭha said: There is one cause by which it arises; there is no doubt about this.
तच्छृणुष्व नरव्याघ्र कथ्यमानं मया तव। आसीद्राजा पुरा कल्पे विनीताश्वेति कीर्तितः
Hear this from me, O tiger among men, as I tell it to you: In a former age, there was a king known as Vinītāśva.
स चाश्वमेधमारेभे यज्ञं कर्तुं वरं नृपः। यजनांते द्विजेंद्रेभ्यो दत्तं गोऽश्वादि याचितम्
That excellent king undertook an Aśvamedha sacrifice; at the end of the sacrifice, he gave cows, horses, and other things requested by the best of the twice-born.
नान्नं दत्तं तेन किंचित्स्वल्पं मत्वा यथा त्वया। ततः कालेन महता मृतोऽसौ जाह्नवी तटे
But he did not give any food at all, thinking it was insignificant, just as you did. After a long time, he died on the bank of the Jāhnavī.
मायापुर्यां विनीताश्वः सार्वभौमोऽभवन्नृपः। स्वर्गं च गतवान्सोऽपि यथा राजा भवान्प्रभो
In Māyāpurī, Vinītāśva became a universal sovereign, O King; and he too went to heaven, just as you, O lord, have.
असावपि क्षुधाविष्ट एवमेवागतोऽभवत्। मर्त्यलोके नदीतीरे गंगायां नीलपर्वते
But even he, seized by hunger, came to be in this very way—on earth, by the riverbank of the Gaṅgā, on the Nīla mountain.
विमानेनार्कवर्णेन भास्वता देववन्नृप। ददर्श तत्स्वकं देहं तथा स्वं च पुरोहितम्
In a radiant, sun-colored celestial chariot, shining like a god, O King, he saw his own body there, as well as his family priest.
होतारं ब्राह्मणं नाम यजंतं जाह्नवी तटे। तं दृष्ट्वाऽसावपि पुनः पर्यपृच्छदिद्वजोत्तमम्
He saw the priest, a brāhmaṇa named Hotā, performing a sacrifice on the bank of the Jāhnavī; seeing him, he too again questioned that best of twice-born.
क्षुधायाः कारणं राजन्स होता तमुवाच ह। तिलधेनुं च वै राजन्घृतधेनुं च सत्तम
O King, the priest told him the reason for his hunger: 'O best of kings, give a sesame-cow and a ghee-cow.'