मत्प्रीतये चरित्रं स्वं त्वं ब्रूहि मम राक्षस । कर्मणा केनजातोऽसि विरूपोऽतिभयंकरः
Now, for my delight, tell me your own story, O Rākṣasa: by what deed were you born so deformed and terribly frightening?
श्मश्रुलो दीर्घदंष्ट्रंश्च क्रव्यादो गिरिगह्वरे । राक्षस उवाच। इष्टं ददाति गृह्णाति गुह्यं वदति पृच्छति
With a beard, long fangs, a flesh-eater in the mountain caves— The Rākṣasa said: He gives what is desired, receives, speaks secrets, asks—
प्रीत्या हि सज्जनो भद्रे तच्च सर्वं त्वयि स्थितम् । त्वया संभावितो नूनं मन्येऽहं वामलोचने
Indeed, O gentle one, the virtuous rejoice, and all that is established in you; surely, O woman with beautiful eyes, you are honored by them, I believe.
भाविनी निष्कृतिः सद्यस्त्वयास्य क्रूरकर्मणः । अतो वक्ष्यामि ते भद्रे दुष्कृतं यत्स्वयंकृतम्
O auspicious one, you will promptly bring about the remedy for this cruel deed; therefore, I will tell you, O gentle lady, the wrongdoing I myself have committed.
निवेद्य सज्जने दुःखं ततः सर्वसुखी भवेत् । शृणु सुश्रोण्यहं काश्यां बह्वृचो वेदपारगः
By revealing one's sorrow to the virtuous, one then becomes entirely happy; listen, O woman with lovely hips, I am a master of the Rig Veda, learned in Vedic lore, from Kashi.
जातः पुरा द्विजः श्रेष्ठः कुले महति निर्मले । राज्ञां दुष्कृतिनां भीरु शूद्राणां च तथा विशाम्
Long ago, I was born as a foremost Brahmin in a great and pure lineage; O timid one, among sinful kings, Shudras, and also the people.
वाराणस्यां कृतो घोरो मया दुष्टप्रतिग्रहः । बहुधा बहुधा वारं निषिद्धः कुत्सितो बहु
In Varanasi, I accepted wicked gifts, a terrible act; though forbidden many times, I repeatedly took them, much reviled.
चांडालस्यापि न त्यक्तो मया दुष्टप्रतिग्रहः । अन्यच्च पातकं तत्र ममाभून्मूढचेतसः । तन्नास्ति दुष्कृतं कर्म मया यत्र न यत्कृतम्
I did not even refuse wicked gifts from a Chandala; and there, with a deluded mind, I committed other sins; there is no evil deed which I did not do.
अन्यच्च श्रूयतां दोषः क्षेत्रस्य वरवर्णिनि । अविमुक्तेऽणुमात्रं यत्तदघं मेरुतां व्रजेत् । न धर्मस्तु मया कश्चित्संचितस्तत्र जन्मनि
Hear also, O fair-complexioned one, another fault concerning the sacred field: in Avimukta, even the smallest sin becomes as weighty as Mount Meru; in that birth, I accumulated no merit at all.
ततो बहुतिथे काले मृतस्तत्रैव शोभने । अविमुक्तप्रभावेण न चाहं नरकं गतः
Then, after a long time, I died there itself, O lovely one; by the power of Avimukta, I did not go to hell.
अविमुक्ते मृतः कश्चिन्नरकं नेति किल्बिषी । अविमुक्ते कृतं किंचित्पापं वज्री भवेद्दृढम्
It is said that one who dies in Avimukta, however sinful, does not go to hell; but any sin committed there becomes firm, like a thunderbolt.
वज्रलेपेन पापेन तेन मे जन्म राक्षसम् । रौद्रं क्रूरतरं पापं संभूतं हिमपर्वते
Because of that sin, fixed like a thunderbolt, my birth became demonic; a fierce, exceedingly cruel, sinful existence arose for me in the snowy mountains.
द्विर्जातो गृध्रयोनौ प्राक्त्रिर्व्याघ्रो द्विः सरीसृपः । एकवारमुलूकस्तु विड्वराहस्ततः परम्
Twice I was born in the lineage of vultures, previously thrice as a tiger, twice as a serpent; once as an owl, then as a wild boar thereafter.
इदं तु दशमं जन्म राक्षसं मम भामिनी । अतीतानि सहस्राणि वर्षाणि मम जन्मनः
This, O radiant lady, is my tenth birth as a rakshasa; thousands of years have passed in my births.
नास्ति मे निष्कृतिर्भद्रे एतस्माद्दुःखसागरात् । अत्र त्रियोजनं सुभ्रूर्निर्जंतु हि मया कृतम्
O gentle one, there is no remedy for me from this ocean of sorrow; here, O beautiful-browed one, I have made three yojanas devoid of living beings.
अनागसां च भूतानां बहूनां च कृतः क्षयः । कर्मणा तेन मे सुभ्रूर्दह्यते सततं मनः
I have destroyed many innocent creatures; because of that deed, O beautiful-browed one, my mind is constantly tormented.
त्वद्दर्शनसुधासिक्तं गतं शैत्यं मनो मम । तीर्थं फलति कालेन सद्यः साधुसमागमः
My mind, sprinkled with the nectar of seeing you, has found coolness; a holy place bears fruit in time, but the company of the virtuous does so immediately.
अतः सत्संगतिं सुभ्रूः प्रशंसंति मनीषिणः । एतत्ते कथितं सर्वं स्वदुःखं हृद्गतं मया
Therefore, O beautiful-browed one, the wise praise association with the virtuous; all this, my heart's sorrow, I have told you.
विरलः सज्जनः सुभ्रूः स्वात्मा यस्य न खिद्यते । जानास्यत्रोचितं त्वं हि किंचिन्नो वच्म्यतः परम्
Rare is the virtuous person, O beautiful-browed one, whose own self is not afflicted; you know what is proper here, so I will say nothing further.
अस्य दुःखोदधेः पारं कथं यामीति चिंतयन् । सज्जनानां समा भूतिः सर्वेषामुपजीवनम्
Thinking, 'How can I cross this ocean of sorrow?'—the company of the virtuous is the support and sustenance for all.
क्षीरार्णवः पयो दत्ते हंसाय न बकाय किम् । दत्तात्रेय उवाच। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दयार्द्रीकृतमानसा 6.127.
The ocean of milk gives its water to the swan, not to the crane. Dattatreya said: Thus, hearing his words, their hearts were softened with compassion.
धर्मदाने मतिं कृत्वा जगौ कांचनमालिनी । करिष्ये निष्कृतिं रक्ष इदानीं खलु मा शुचः
Having set her mind on the gift of righteousness, Kāñcanamālinī sang: I will make amends—protect me now, do not grieve.
प्रतिज्ञां तु दृढां कृत्वा यतिष्ये तव मुक्तये । बहवो हि कृता माघा वर्षे वर्षे यथाविधि
Having made a firm vow, I will strive for your liberation; for many Māgha observances have been performed by me each year, as prescribed.
श्रद्धापूर्वं मया भद्र ब्रह्मक्षेत्रे सितासिते । तां वदामि तु संख्यातिं तस्य धर्मस्य राक्षस
With faith, O blessed one, I have performed them in the sacred fields of Brahmā, both white and black; I will tell you the count of that merit, O Rākṣasa.
गूढो धर्मो हि कर्तव्य इत्यूचुर्विबुधा जनाः । आर्ते दानं प्रशंसंति मुनयो वेदवादिनः
Wise people have said that righteousness should be practiced in secret; sages who know the Vedas praise giving to those in distress.
सागरे वर्षतो भद्र किं मेघस्य फलं भवेत् । अनुभूतं मया रक्षः स्वयं तत्पुण्यजं फलम्
O blessed one, when it rains into the ocean, what fruit does the cloud gain? I myself have experienced the fruit born of that merit, O Rākṣasa.
तत्तु दास्यामि ते मित्र सद्यः पापविनाशनम् । निष्पीड्याथ ततो वस्त्रं जलं कृत्वा करांबुजे
That merit I will give to you, friend, which instantly destroys sin; then, wringing out a cloth, she placed water in the lotus of her hand.
ददौ सा माघजं पुण्यं तस्मै वृद्धाय रक्षसे । शृणु राजन्विचित्रं हि प्रभावं माघधर्मजम्
She gave that Māgha-born merit to the aged Rākṣasa; listen, O king, to the wondrous power arising from the observance of Māgha.
तदैवं प्राप्य तत्पुण्यं विमुक्ता राक्षसी तनुः । संभूतो देवताकारस्तेजो भास्करविग्रहः
Then, having obtained that merit, the Rākṣasa body was freed; a divine form appeared, radiant like the image of the sun.
देवयानं समारूढः सहर्षोत्फुल्ललोचनः । द्योतमानस्तदा व्योम्नि भासयन्प्रभया दिशः
Mounted on the path of the gods, his eyes blossoming with joy, he shone in the sky, illuminating the directions with his radiance.