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.
प्रविष्टो वैष्णवं धाम स मुनिर्दुर्लभं पदम् । नत्वन्यैः प्राप्यते पुण्यैस्तपोभिर्मुक्तिदं पदम्
That sage entered the Vaishnava abode, the rare state; a liberating place not attained by others through merit or austerity.
विष्णोस्तु चिंतनैर्न्यासध्यानज्ञानैः स्तवैस्तथा । न दानैस्तीर्थयात्राभिर्दृश्यते मधुसूदनः
Madhusudana is not seen by offerings, pilgrimages, or gifts, but by contemplation, surrender, meditation, knowledge, and hymns to Vishnu.
समाधिज्ञानयोगेन दृश्यते परमं पदम् । महायोगैर्यथा विप्रः प्रविष्टो वैष्णवीं तनुम्
The supreme state is seen through yoga of knowledge in samadhi; just as the great yogi, the sage, entered the Vaishnava form.
सूत उवाच- ततस्तत्र तपस्तेपे सोमशर्मा महाद्युतिः । अश्मलोष्टसमं मेने कांचनंभूषणं पुनः
Suta said: Then, Somaśarman, radiant in austerity, performed penance there; he regarded gold ornaments as equal to stones and clods.
जिताहारः स धर्मात्मा निद्रया परिवर्जितः । स सर्वान्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा एकांतमपि सेवते
That righteous one, having conquered his appetite and forsaken sleep, abandoned all sense objects and served in solitude.
योगासनसमारूढो निराशो निःपरिग्रहः । तस्य वेला सुसंप्राप्ता मृत्युकालस्य वै तदा
Seated in a yogic posture, free from hope and possessions, his time arrived—the hour of death had come.
आगता दानवा विप्रं सोमशर्माणमंतिके । मृत्युकाले तु संप्राप्ते प्राणयात्रा प्रवर्तिनः
The Danavas came near the sage Somaśarman at the moment of death, intent on taking his life.
शालिग्रामे महाक्षेत्रे ऋषीणां मानवर्द्धने । केचिद्वदंति वै दैत्याः केचिद्वदंति दानवाः
In the great field of Shaligrama, which increases the glory of sages, some say they were Daityas, others say they were Danavas.
एवंविधो महाशब्दः कर्णरंध्रं गतस्तदा । तस्यैव विप्रवर्यस्य सुचिरात्सोमशर्मणः
Such a great sound entered the ear of that distinguished sage, Somaśarman, after a long time.
ज्ञानध्यानविलग्नस्य प्रविष्टं दैत्यजं भयम् । तेन ध्यानेन तस्यापि दैत्यभीत्यैव वै तदा
Fear born of the Daityas entered him, who was absorbed in knowledge and meditation; through that meditation, even he was seized by fear of the Daityas.