वस्त्रपुष्पादिकं सर्वं ताभ्यां नित्यं प्रयच्छति । तांबूलं बहुगंधाढ्यमुभयोरर्पयेत्स तु
He always gave them all garments, flowers, and such things; he offered both of them betel with abundant fragrance.
सोमशर्मा महाभागस्ताभ्यामपि च पूरयेत् । मूलं पयः सुभक्ष्याद्यं नित्यमेव ददात्यसौ
Somaśarmā, greatly fortunate, also fulfilled their needs, always giving them roots, milk, and excellent food.
तयोस्तु वांछितं नित्यं सोमशर्मा महायशाः । अनेन क्रमयोगेन नित्यमेव प्रसादयेत्
Of these two, Somaśarmā, greatly renowned, always obtains what he desires; by this method and order, he should continually propitiate them.
सोमशर्मा सुधर्मात्मा पितरौ परिपूजयेत् । सोमशर्माणमाहूय पिता कुत्सति निष्ठुरः
Somaśarmā, whose nature is righteous, should honor his parents; but when Somaśarmā is summoned, his father reproaches him harshly.
निंदितैर्निष्ठुरैर्वाक्यैस्ताडयेन्मुनिसन्निधौ । कृतकार्ये कृते पुण्ये नित्यमेव सुते पुनः
With words that are reproachful and cruel, he strikes him in the presence of the sages; even when the task is accomplished and merit is gained, he does so again and again to his son.
न कृतं शोभनं मह्यं त्वयैव कुलपांसन । एवं नानाविधैर्वाक्यैर्निष्ठुरैर्दुःखदायकैः
"You have done nothing good for me, you disgrace of the family!"—thus, with various kinds of harsh and painful words.
अताडयद्दंडघातैः शिवशर्मा सदातुरः । एवं कृतेपि धर्मात्मा नैव कुप्यति कर्हिचित्
He would even strike Śivaśarmā, who was always afflicted, with blows of a stick; yet, even when treated thus, the righteous one never became angry at any time.
मनसा वचसा चैव कर्मणा त्रिविधेन च । संतुष्टः सर्वदा सोपि पितरं परिपूजयेत्
With mind, speech, and deed—by all three—he remained always content, and he continued to honor his father.
तद्वत्स सोमशर्मा वै मातरं च दिनेदिने । यज्ज्ञात्वा शिवशर्मा च चरितं स्वीयमीक्षते
In the same way, Somaśarmā would daily honor his mother; knowing this, Śivaśarmā would reflect upon his own conduct.
अमृतं मत्कृते चापि आनीतं विष्णुशर्मणा । पुण्ययुक्तः स धर्मात्मा पितृभक्तिपरः सदा
For my sake, nectar was even brought by Viṣṇuśarmā; endowed with merit, that righteous one was always devoted to his parents.
एवं बहुतिथे काले शतसंख्ये गते सति । शिवशर्मा पितस्यैव भक्तिं दृष्ट्वा विचिंत्य वै
Thus, when a long time had passed—numbering in the hundreds of years—Śivaśarmā, seeing his father's devotion, began to reflect.
मया वै पूर्वमित्युक्तं सुपुत्रं यज्ञसंज्ञकम् । मातृखंडानिमान्पुत्र यत्र तत्र क्षिपस्व हि
"As I said before, O son named Yajña, wherever you find these pieces of your mother's body, cast them there."
मद्वाक्यं पालितं तेन कृता न मातरि कृपा । एतत्स्वल्पतरं दुःखं निर्जीवे घातमिच्छतः
He obeyed my command, but showed no compassion for his mother; this slight sorrow is nothing for one who desires to kill the lifeless.
साहसं तु कृतं तेन पुत्रेण वेदशर्मणा । अस्याधिकमहं मन्ये यतोऽयं चलते न च
But this daring act was done by my son Vedaśarmā; I consider this even greater, for he does not waver.
निमेषमात्रमेवापि साहसं कारयेत्पुनः । अपरं सत्यसंपन्नं प्रभावं तपसः पुनः
Even for the briefest moment, he would again perform a daring deed; and again, the true power of his austerity is seen.
नित्यं समाराधनेपि अधिकं चास्य दृश्यते । तस्मादस्य परीक्षा च समये तपसः कृता
Though he constantly renders service, still something greater is seen in him; therefore, his austerity was tested at the proper time.
भक्तिभावात्तथा सत्यान्नैव पुत्रः प्रणश्यति । मायया च निजांगेऽपि कुष्ठरोगो निदर्शितः
Because of devotion and truthfulness, the son is never destroyed; yet, by illusion, leprosy was shown even on his own body.
श्लेष्ममूत्रमलानां च घृणां नैव करोति च । व्रणान्विशोधयेन्नित्यं स्वहस्तेन महायशाः
He feels no disgust for phlegm, urine, or excrement; the greatly renowned one always cleans the wounds with his own hand.
पादसंवाहनं दद्याच्छौचं चैव महामतिः । दुःसहं वचनं मह्यं दारुणं सहते सदा
He gives foot massages and attends to cleanliness, being of great intelligence; he always endures harsh and terrible words from me.
भर्त्सने ताडने चैव सदाभीष्टप्रवाचकः । एवं दुःखसमाचारो मम पुत्रो महामतिः
Whether rebuked or struck, he always speaks what is pleasing; thus, my son, though of great intelligence, endures a life of suffering.
दुःखानां सागरं मन्ये बहुक्लेशैस्तु क्लेशितः । अपनेष्याम्यहं दुःखं विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादतः
I consider this to be an ocean of suffering, afflicted by many hardships; yet I shall remove this pain, by the grace of Viṣṇu.
विचार्य मनसा विप्रः शिवशर्मा महामतिः । पुनर्मायां चकाराथ कुंभादपहृतं पयः
Having reflected in his mind, the wise brāhmaṇa Śivaśarmā once again performed a magical act, and took the nectar from the pot.
पश्चात्तं च समाहूय सोमशर्माणमब्रवीत् । तव हस्ते मया दत्तममृतं व्याधिनाशनम्
Afterwards, summoning Somaśarmā, he spoke: 'The nectar that destroys disease was given by me into your hand.'
तन्मे शीघ्रं प्रयच्छस्व यथा पानं करोम्यहम् । येन नीरुग्भवाम्यद्य प्रसादाद्विष्णुशर्मणः
'Now quickly return it to me, so that I may drink it; by the favor of Viṣṇuśarman, I shall be freed from illness today.'
एवमुक्ते तदा वाक्ये ऋषिणा शिवशर्मणा । समुत्थाय त्वरायुक्तः सोमशर्मा कमंडलुम्
When these words were spoken by the sage Śivaśarmā, Somaśarmā, filled with urgency, rose up and took the water pot.
तं च रिक्तं ततो दृष्ट्वा ह्यमृतेन विना कृतम् । कस्य पापस्य वै कर्म केन मे विप्रियं कृतम्
But seeing it empty, deprived of nectar, he wondered, 'By whose sinful act, by whom has this wrong been done to me?'
इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा सोमशर्मा सुदुःखितः । पितुरग्रे च वृत्तांतं कथयिष्याम्यहं यदा
Immersed in such anxious thought, Somaśarmā was deeply distressed; 'When I tell my father what has happened—'
ततः कोपं प्रयास्येत गुरुर्मे व्याधिपीडितः । सुचिरं चिंतयित्वा तु सोमशर्मा महामतिः
'Then my teacher, afflicted by disease, will become angry with me.' Having pondered for a long time, the wise Somaśarmā—
यदि मे सत्यमस्तीति गुरुशुश्रूषणं यदि । तपस्तप्तं मयापूर्वं निर्व्यलीकेन चेतसा
'If I truly possess truthfulness, if I have served my teacher, if I have previously performed austerity with a pure heart—'
दमशौचादिभिः सत्यं धर्ममेव प्रपालितम् । तदा घटोऽमृतयुतो भवत्वेष न संशयः
'If I have upheld dharma through self-control, purity, and the like, then let this pot be filled with nectar—of this there is no doubt.'