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.'
यावदेव महाभागश्चिंतयित्वा विलोकयेत् । तावच्चामृतपूर्णस्तु पुनरेवाभवद्घटः
As the noble one thought thus and looked, at that very moment, the pot again became full of nectar.
तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षसंयुक्तः सोमशर्मा महायशाः । गत्वा गुरुं नमस्कृत्य कुंभमादाय सत्वरम्
Seeing that, Somaśarmā, renowned and filled with joy, went swiftly to his teacher, bowed, and took up the pot.
गृहाण त्वं पितश्चेमं पयः कुंभं समागतम् । पानं कुरु महाभाग गदान्मुक्तो भवाचिरम्
'Take this, father, the pot of nectar has been restored; drink, O noble one, and quickly be freed from disease.'
एतद्वाक्यं महापुण्यं सत्यधर्मार्थकं पुनः । शिवशर्मा सुतस्यापि श्रुत्वा च मधुराक्षरम्
Hearing these most virtuous, truthful, and righteous words, sweetly spoken by his son, Śivaśarmā—
हर्षेण महताविष्ट इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Overcome with great joy, he spoke these words:
शिवशर्मोवाच- तपसा दमशौचाभ्यांगुरुशुश्रूषया तथा । भक्त्याभावेन तुष्टोस्मि तवाद्य चसुपुत्रक
Śivaśarmā said: 'By your austerity, self-control, purity, service to your teacher, and devotion, I am pleased with you today, dear son.'
त्यजामि वैकृतं रूपं मत्तः सुखमवाप्नुहि । एवमुक्वा सुतं विप्रो दर्शयामास तां तनुम्
'I abandon my deformed form; receive happiness from me.' Having spoken thus to his son, the brāhmaṇa revealed his true body.
यथापूर्वं स्थितौ तौ तु तथा स दृष्टवान्गुरू । दीप्तिमंतौ महात्मानौ सूर्यबिंबोपमावुभौ
The teacher saw both of them as they were before, both radiant great souls, shining like the orb of the sun.
ननाम पादौ सद्भक्त्या उभयोस्तु महात्मनोः । ततः सुतं समामंत्र्य हर्षेण महतान्वितः
He bowed with true devotion at the feet of both great souls; then, filled with great joy, he addressed his son.
विष्णोः प्रसादाद्धर्मात्मा भार्यया सह केशवम् । जगाम निजपुण्यैश्च योगाभ्यासेन सत्तमः
By Vishnu’s grace, the righteous one, together with his wife, approached Kesava; through his own merits and the practice of yoga, the noble one attained him.