पुरोहितं मुख्यतमं कृत्वाऽन्ये च तथा द्विजाः। चतुर्विंशद्गुणोपेताः सपत्नीका निमंत्रिताः
Having chosen the foremost officiating priest, and likewise other twice-borns, twenty-four in number, together with their wives, should be invited.
अंगुलीयानि च तथा कर्णवेष्टं च दापयेत्। एवंविधांस्तु तान्पूज्य तेषामग्रे सुसंस्थितः
He should give them rings and earrings; honoring them thus, he should stand properly before them.
अष्टांगप्रणिपातेन प्रणम्य च पुनःपुन।ः॥ पुरोहिताय पुरतः कृत्वा वै करसंपुटम्
With eightfold prostration, bowing again and again, he should place his hands together before the priest.
यूयं वै ब्राह्मणाः प्रीता मैत्रत्वेनानुगृह्णत। सौमुख्येन द्विजश्रेष्ठा भूयः पूततरस्त्वहः
You, O Brahmins, pleased, grant your favor with friendship; with your graciousness, O best of the twice-born, today is made even more pure.
भवतां प्रीतियोगेन स्वयं प्रीतः पितामहः। ब्रह्मांडेन तु दत्तेन तोषं यातु जनार्दनः
By your union with devotion, the Grandfather himself is pleased; may Janardana be satisfied by the gift of the golden egg.
पिनाकपाणिर्भगवान्शक्रश्च त्रिदशेश्वरः। एते तोषं समायांतु अनुध्यानाद्द्विजोत्तमाः
May the blessed Pinakapani and Indra, the lord of the gods, also be satisfied, O best of twice-born, by your constant meditation.
एवं स्तुत्वा ततो राजा ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान्। ब्रह्माण्डं तु गुरोः प्रादात्सविधानं पुनः क्षणात्
Having thus praised, the king then gave the golden egg, with proper rites, to the brahmins learned in the Vedas, and again to his teacher in an instant.
सर्वकामैस्ततस्तृप्तो ययौ स्वर्गं नराधिपः। तेनैव गुरुणा तच्च विभक्तं ब्राह्मणैः सह
Then, satisfied in every desire, the king went to heaven; that same teacher divided it with the brahmins.
दत्तं तेनापि चान्येभ्यो ब्रह्मांडं च नराधिप। ब्रह्मांडे भूमिदाने च ग्राही चैको न वै भवेत्
That king also gave the golden egg to others; but in the giving of the golden egg or land, there should not be a single recipient.
गृह्णन्दोषमवाप्नोति ब्रह्महत्यां न संशयः। सर्वेषां चैव प्रत्यक्षं दातव्यं परिकीर्त्य वै
One who accepts it alone incurs the sin of brahmin-murder, without doubt; it must be given openly to all, as is declared.
दीयमानं च पश्यंति तेपि पूता भवंति हि। दर्शनादेव ते मुक्ता भवंन्त्येव न संशयः
Those who witness the giving also become purified; by merely seeing, they are liberated, without doubt.
या भीमद्वादशी प्रोक्ता स्वर्णं तोयं मृगाजिनं। एतानि कृत्वा पश्यन्तु दृष्टैरेतैः क्रियाफलं
That terrible Dvadashi is prescribed, with gold, water, and deer skin; having performed these, let them see the fruit of the rite with their own eyes.
अयत्नादेव लभ्येत कर्तुश्चैव सलोकता। सदा गावः प्रणम्याश्च मंत्रेणानेन पार्थिव
It is easily obtained, and the doer attains the same world; cows should always be saluted with this mantra, O king.
नमो गोभ्यः श्रीमतीभ्यः सौरभेयीभ्य एव च। नमो ब्रह्मसुताभ्यश्च पवित्राभ्यो नमोनमः
Salutations to the cows, to the splendid ones, and to those of the Saurabhi line; salutations again and again to the daughters of Brahma, the pure ones.
मंत्रस्य चास्य स्मरणाद्गोदानफलमाप्नुयात्। तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेंद्र पुष्करे तीर्थ उत्तमे
By remembering this mantra, one attains the fruit of gifting a cow; therefore, O king, you too at the supreme holy place of Pushkara—
कार्तिक्यां तु विशेषेण गोदानफलमाप्स्यसि। यत्किंचिद्विद्यते पापं स्त्रियो वा पुरुषस्य वा
—especially in Kartika, will obtain the fruit of gifting a cow; whatever sin exists, whether of women or men—
पुष्करे स्नानमात्रेण तदशेषं प्रणश्यति। पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि आसमुद्रात्तु भारत
—is completely destroyed by merely bathing at Pushkara; all the holy places on earth, O Bharata, up to the ocean—
पुष्करे तान्युपायांति कार्तिक्यां तु विशेषतः
—come together at Pushkara, especially in Kartika.
भीष्म उवाच। उक्तं भगवता सर्वं पुराणाश्रयसंयुतं। तथा श्वेतेन ब्रह्मांडं गुरवे प्रतिपादितं
Bhishma said: All this has been spoken by the Blessed One, accompanied by the authority of the Puranas; thus the golden egg was given to the teacher by Shveta.
श्रुत्वैतत्कौतुकं जातं यथा तेनास्थिलेहनं। कृतं क्षुधापनोदार्थे अन्नदानाद्विना द्विज
Hearing this, I became curious: how did he perform the licking of bones to remove hunger, without giving food, O twice-born?
तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि पृथिव्यां ये च पार्थिवाः। अन्नदानाद्दिवं प्राप्ताः क्रतवश्चान्नमूलकाः
Therefore I wish to hear about those kings on earth who, by giving food, attained heaven, and about the sacrifices based on food.
कथं तस्य मतिर्नष्टा श्वेतस्य च महात्मनः। न दत्तं तेनान्नदानमृषिभिर्वा न दर्शितम्
How was the mind of that great-souled Shveta lost? Why did he not give food, nor was it shown by the sages?
अहो माहात्म्यमन्नस्य इह दत्तस्य यत्फलम्। परत्र भुज्यते पुंभिः स्वर्गश्चाक्षयतां व्रजेत्
Oh, the greatness of food given here! The fruit of such an offering is enjoyed by people in the next world, and heaven attains imperishability.
अन्नदानं परं विप्राः कीर्तयंति सदोत्थिताः। अन्नदानात्सुरेद्रेण त्रैलोक्यमिह भुज्यते
Food donation is supreme, O Brahmins, as those who are always diligent proclaim; by giving food, Indra enjoys the three worlds here.
शतक्रतुरिति प्रोक्तः सर्वैरेव द्विजोत्तमैः। तेनावस्थां तत्सदृशीं प्राप्तवांस्त्रिदशेश्वरः
Śatakratu is thus named by all eminent twice-born ones; by that, the lord of the gods attained a state equal to it.
दानदेवगतः स्वर्गं त्वत्तः सर्वं श्रुतं मया। अपरं च पुरावृत्तं निवृत्तं यदि कर्हिचित्
Having reached heaven through the deity of charity, I have heard everything from you; and if there is anything else from ancient times that has ceased, tell me whenever.
भूयोपि श्रोतुमिच्छामि तन्मे वद महामते। पुलस्त्य उवाच। एतदाख्यानकं पूर्वमगस्त्येन महात्मना
I wish to hear more, O wise one; tell me that. Pulastya said: This story was formerly narrated by the great-souled Agastya.
रामाय कथितं राजंस्तत्ते वक्ष्यामि सांप्रतम्। भीष्म उवाच। कस्मिन्वंशे समुत्पन्नो रामोऽसौ नृपसत्तमः
It was told to Rāma, O king; I will now relate it to you. Bhīṣma said: In which lineage was that Rāma, best among kings, born?
यस्यागस्त्येन कथितश्चेतिहासः पुरातनः। पुलस्त्य उवाच। रघुवंशे समुत्पन्नो रामो नाम महाबलः
About whom Agastya narrated the ancient history? Pulastya said: Rāma, of great strength, was born in the Raghu lineage.
देवकार्यं कृतं तेन लंकायां रावणो हतः। पृथिवीं राज्यसंस्थस्य ऋषयोऽभ्यागता गृहे
He accomplished the task of the gods; Rāvaṇa was slain in Laṅkā. When he was established as ruler of the earth, the sages came to his house.