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.'
जलधेनुं च धेनुं च रसधेनुं च पार्थिव। देहि शीघ्रं येन भवांस्तृट्क्षुधावर्जितो दिवि
'And give a water-cow, a milk-cow, and a juice-cow, O ruler of men, quickly, so that you may be freed from thirst and hunger in heaven.'
रमे तयावदादित्यस्तपते दिवि चंद्रमाः। एवमुक्तस्ततो राजा तं पुनः पृष्टवानिदम्
'As long as the sun shines in the sky and the moon in heaven, you will enjoy with her.' Thus addressed, the king again asked him this:
तिलधेनुस्थितिं ब्रूहि तथा कृत्वा ददाम्यहम्। पुरोहित उवाच॥ विधानं तिलधेनोस्तु तच्छृणुष्व नराधिप
'Tell me the procedure for the sesame-cow; having done so, I will give it.' The priest said: 'Hear the procedure for the sesame-cow, O lord of men.'
धेनुस्स्यात्षोडशाढक्य चतुर्भिर्वत्सको भवेत्। इक्षुदंडमयाः पादा दन्ताः पुष्पमयाः शुभाः
The cow should be of sixteen measures, with a calf of four; its legs made of sugarcane, its teeth beautifully made of flowers.
नासा गंधमयी तस्या जिह्वा गुडमयी तथा। पुच्छे स्रक्कल्पनीयास्याद्घंटाभरणभूषिता
Its nose should be made of fragrance, its tongue of jaggery; a garland should be fashioned for its tail, adorned with bell ornaments.
ईदृशीं कल्पयित्वा तु स्वर्णशृंगीं तु कल्पयेत्। रौप्यखुरां कांस्यदोहां पूर्वधेनुविधानतः
Having fashioned such a cow, one should make its horns of gold, its hooves of silver, its udder of bronze, according to the earlier procedure for the cow.
कृत्वा तां ब्राह्मणायाशु दापयेन्मंत्रतो नृप। स्थितां कृष्णाजिने धेनुं वासोभिर्गोपितां शुभाम्
Having made it thus, one should promptly give it to a brāhmaṇa, with mantras, O King—the cow placed on a black antelope skin, covered with cloths, auspicious.
सूत्रेणासूत्रितां कृत्वा पंचरत्नसमन्विताम्। सर्वौषधिसमायुक्तां मंत्रपूतां तु दापयेत्
Having tied it with a thread, endowed with five gems, and filled with all herbs, purified by mantras, it should be given.
अन्नम्मे जायतां सद्यः पानं सर्वरसास्तथा। कामान्संपादयास्माकं तिलधेनो द्विजेर्पिता
Let food be produced at once, and all kinds of drink as well; fulfill our desires, O sesame-cow, offered by the twice-born.
गृह्णामि देवि त्वां भक्त्या कुटुम्बार्थे विशेषतः। देहि कामान्वितान्सर्वांस्तिलधेनो नमोस्तु ते
O goddess, I receive you with devotion, especially for the sake of my family; grant all the desired wishes, O sesame-cow, I bow to you.