स्वर्गस्थमपि मां ब्रह्मन्क्षुत्पिपासे द्विजोत्तम। अबाधेतां भृशं चाहमभवं व्यथितेंद्रियः
Yet, O brāhmin, even in heaven, hunger and thirst afflicted me greatly, and my senses became tormented.
ततस्त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठमवोचं वै पितामहम्। भगवन्स्वर्गलोकोऽयं क्षुत्पिपासा विवर्जितः
Then I spoke to the Grandfather, the best in the three worlds: 'Lord, this heavenly realm is said to be free from hunger and thirst.'
कस्येयं कर्मणः पक्तिः क्षुत्पिपासे यतो हि मे। आहारः कश्च मे देव ब्रूहि त्वं श्रीपितामह
'For what action is this result, that I still feel hunger and thirst? O revered Grandfather, tell me what my food is.'
ततः पितामहः सम्यक्चिरं ध्यात्वा महामुने। मामुवाच ततो वाक्यं नास्ति भोज्यं स्वदेहजम्
Then the Grandfather, having meditated for a long time, spoke to me: 'There is no food here that is not of your own body.'
ॠते ते स्वानि मांसानि भक्षय त्वं तु हि नित्यशः। स्वशरीरं त्वया पुष्टं कुर्वता तप उत्तमम्
'Except for your own flesh, you must always eat that; by nourishing your own body, you will perform supreme austerity.'
नादत्तं जायते तात श्वेत पश्य महीतले। आग्रहाद्भिक्षमाणाय भिक्षापि प्राणिने पुरा
'O Śveta, see on earth: nothing arises from what is not given; even alms for a supplicant once came only through insistence.'
न हि दत्ता गृहे भ्रांत्या मोहादतिथये तदा। तेन स्वर्गगतस्यापि क्षुत्पिपासे तवाधुना
'If, through confusion or delusion, one does not give to a guest at home, then, even in heaven, hunger and thirst afflict you now.'
स त्वं प्रपुष्टमाहारैः स्वशरीरमनुत्तमम्। भक्षयस्व च राजेंद्र सा ते तृप्तिर्भविष्यति1.36.
'Therefore, O king, eat your own excellent body, well-nourished by food; thus you will find satisfaction.'
एवमुक्तस्ततो देवं ब्रह्माणमहमुक्तवान्। भक्षिते च स्वके देहे पुनरन्यन्न मे विभो
Thus addressed, I said to Lord Brahmā: 'Having eaten my own body, O Lord, I have no other food.'
क्षुधानिवारणं नैव देहस्यास्य विनौदनं। खादामि ह्यक्षयं देव प्रियं मे न हि जायते
'There is no relief from hunger without food for this body; I eat my own inexhaustible flesh, but I find no pleasure in it.'
ततोब्रवीत्पुनर्ब्रह्मा तव देहोऽक्षयः कृतः। दिनेदिने ते पुष्टात्मा शवः श्वेत भविष्यति
Then Brahmā spoke again: Your body has been made imperishable; day by day, your vital self will be nourished, and your corpse will become white.
यावद्वर्षशतं पूर्णं स्वमांसं खाद भो नृप। यदागच्छति चागस्त्यः श्वेतारण्यं महातपाः
For a full hundred years, O king, eat your own flesh; when Agastya, the great ascetic, arrives at the white forest—
भगवानतिदुर्धर्षस्तदा कृच्छ्राद्विमोक्ष्यसे। स हि तारयितुं शक्तः सेंद्रानपि सुरासुरान्
At that time, the exceedingly formidable Lord will release you from hardship; for he is able to deliver even the gods and demons together with Indra.
आहारं कुत्सितं चेमं राजर्षे किं पुनस्तव। सुरकार्यं महत्तेन सुकृतं तु महात्मना
This food is contemptible, O royal sage, but what of it for you? By him, a great work for the gods was accomplished, a noble deed by the great-souled one.
उदधिं निर्जलं कृत्वा दानवाश्च निपातिताः। विंध्यश्चादित्यविद्वेषाद्वर्धमानो निवारितः
He made the ocean dry, and the demons were struck down; Vindhya, growing out of enmity with the sun, was restrained.
लंबमाना मही चैषा गुरुत्वेनाधिवासिता। दक्षिणा दिग्दिवं याता त्रैलाक्यं विषमस्थितम्
This earth, hanging and weighed down by heaviness, had gone to the southern quarter, and the three worlds were in a precarious state.
मया गत्वा सुरैः सार्द्धं प्रेषितो दक्षिणां दिशम्। समां कुरु महाभाग गुरुत्वेन जगत्समम्
Having gone with the gods, I sent him to the southern direction; O most fortunate one, make the world equal in weight, balanced with the universe.
एवं च तेन मुनिना स्थित्वा सर्वा धरा समा। कृता राजेंद्र मुनिना एवमद्यापि दृश्यते
And thus, by that sage, the whole earth was made level; O king, by the sage it was accomplished, and even today it is seen so.
सोहं भगवत श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य भाषितम्। भुंजे च कुत्सिताहारं स्वशरीरमनुत्तमम्
Thus, having heard the words of the Lord, the god of gods, I eat contemptible food—my own body, unsurpassed.
पूर्णं वर्षशतं चाद्य भोजनं कुत्सितं च मे। क्षयं नाभ्येति तद्विप्र तृप्तिश्चापि ममोत्तमा
For a full hundred years now, this contemptible food has been my sustenance; yet, O sage, my body does not diminish, and my satisfaction is supreme.
तं मुनिं कृच्छ्रसन्तप्तश्चिंतयामि दिवानिशम्। कदा वै दर्शनं मह्यं स मुनिर्दास्यते वने
Tormented by hardship, I think of that sage day and night; when will he grant me his vision in the forest?
एवं मे चिंतयानस्य गतं वर्षशतन्त्विह। सोगस्त्यो हि गतिर्ब्रह्मन्मुनिर्मे भविता ध्रुवं
Thus, as I was thinking, a hundred years passed here; Agastya is indeed my refuge, O Brahman, my sage will surely come.
न गतिर्भविता मह्यं कुंभयोनिमृते द्विजम्। श्रुत्वेत्थं भाषितं राम दृष्ट्वाहारं च कुत्सितम्
There will be no deliverance for me except through Kumbhayoni, O twice-born; hearing this speech, O Rāma, and seeing the contemptible food—
कृपया परया युक्तस्तं नृपं स्वर्गगामिनम्। करोम्यहं सुधाभोज्यं नाशयामि च कुत्सितम्
Filled with supreme compassion, I make that king, destined for heaven, partake of nectar and destroy the contemptible food.
चिन्तयन्नित्यवोचं तमगस्त्यः किं करिष्यति। अहमेतत्कुत्सितं ते नाशयामि महामते
Thinking constantly, I said: What will Agastya do? I, O wise one, will destroy this contemptible food of yours.
ईप्सितं प्रार्थयस्वास्मान्मनः प्रीतिकरं परम्। स स्वर्गी मां ततः प्राह कथं ब्रह्मवचोन्यथा
Ask from me whatever you desire, something that brings supreme delight to your mind; then, the one destined for heaven spoke to me: How could the words of Brahmā be otherwise?
कर्तुं मुने मया शक्यं न चान्यस्तारयिष्यति। ॠते वै कुंभयोनिं तं मैत्रावरुणसंभवम्
O sage, it can be accomplished by me, and no other will deliver; except for Kumbhayoni, born of Maitrāvaruṇa.
अपृष्टोपि मया ब्रह्मन्नेवमूचे पितामहः। एवं ब्रुवाणं तं श्वेतमुक्तवानहमस्मि सः
Even though I had not asked, O Brahman, Pitāmaha spoke thus to me; to the one speaking thus, to Śveta, I replied: 'I am he.'
आगतस्तव भाग्येन दृष्टोहं नात्र संशयः। ततः स्वर्गी स मां ज्ञात्वा दंडवत्पतितो भुवि
By your fortune, I have come and been seen—there is no doubt of this; therefore, knowing me to be destined for heaven, he fell to the ground in prostration.
तमुत्थाप्य ततो रामाब्रवं किं ते करोम्यहम्। राजोवाच। आहारात्कुत्सिताद्ब्रह्मंस्तारयस्वाद्य दुष्कृतात्
Lifting him up, I then said, 'Rama, what shall I do for you?' The king replied: 'O Brahman, deliver me today from the sin of taking impure food.'