मृत्युकालेपि संप्राप्ते दानं सर्वे ददंति च । आदावेव प्रदातव्यमन्नं चोदकसंयुतम्
Even at the time of death, all give gifts. At the very beginning, one should give food along with water.
सुच्छत्रोपानहौ दद्याज्जलपात्रं सुशोभनम् । भूमिं सुकांचनं धेनुमष्टौ दानानि योऽर्पयेत्
One should give a beautiful water vessel with a pure mat and sandals. Whoever offers the eight gifts—land, gold, and a cow—
स्वर्गे न जायते तस्य क्षुधातृष्णादिसंभवः । क्षुधा न बाधते राजन्नन्नदानात्स तृप्तिमान्
For him, in heaven, hunger, thirst, and the like do not arise. O king, hunger does not afflict him; by the gift of food, he is satisfied.
तृष्णा तीव्रा नहि स्याद्वै तृप्तो भवति सर्वदा । पादुकायाः प्रदानेन च्छत्रदानेन भूपते
Intense thirst does not occur; he is always satisfied. By the gift of sandals and the gift of an umbrella, O king—
छायामाप्नोति दाता वै वाहनं च नृपोत्तम । उपानहप्रदानेन अन्यदेवं वदाम्यहम्
The giver attains shade and a vehicle, O best of kings. By the gift of sandals, I will tell you something else.
भूमिदानान्महाभाग सर्वकामानवाप्नुयात् । गोदानेन महाराज रसैः पुष्टो भवेत्सदा
By the gift of land, O most fortunate one, one attains all desires. By the gift of a cow, O great king, one is always nourished by juices.
सर्वान्भोगान्प्रभुंजानः स्वर्गलोके वसेन्नरः । तृप्तो भवति वै दाता गोदानेन न संशयः
Enjoying all pleasures, a man dwells in the world of heaven. The giver is satisfied by the gift of a cow—of this there is no doubt.
नीरुजः सुखसंपन्नः संतुष्टस्तु धनान्वितः । कांचनेन सुवर्णस्तु जायते नात्र संशयः
He is free from disease, endowed with happiness, content, and possessed of wealth. By the gift of gold, he becomes golden—of this there is no doubt.
श्रीमांश्च रूपवांस्त्यागी रत्नभोक्ता भवेन्नरः । मृत्युकाले तु संप्राप्ते तिलदानं प्रयच्छति
A man becomes prosperous, handsome, generous, and an enjoyer of jewels. But at the time of death, he should give sesame seeds.
सर्वभोगपतिर्भूत्वा विष्णुलोकं प्रयाति सः । एवं दानविशेषेण प्राप्यते परमं सुखम्
Becoming lord of all enjoyments, he goes to the world of Vishnu. In this way, by these special gifts, supreme happiness is attained.
गोदानं भूमिदानं तु अन्नोदके च वै त्वया । जीवमानेन राजेंद्र न दत्तं ब्राह्मणाय वै
The gift of a cow, the gift of land, and food with water—you did not give these to a Brahmin while living, O king.
मृत्युकालेपि नो दत्तं तस्मात्क्षुधा प्रवर्तते । एतत्ते कारणं प्रोक्तं जातं कर्मवशानुगम्
Nor did you give them at the time of death; therefore, hunger arises. This cause has been told to you, arising from the force of your actions.
यादृशं तु कृतं कर्म तादृशं परिभुज्यते । सुबाहुरुवाच- कथं क्षुधा प्रशांतिं मे प्रयाति मुनिसत्तम
As is the action performed, so is its enjoyment. Subahu said: How, O best of sages, will my hunger be appeased?
अनया शोषितः कायो ह्यतीव परिदूयते । क्षुधां प्रति द्विजश्रेष्ठ प्रायश्चित्तं वदस्व नौः
My body, dried up by this, is exceedingly tormented. O best of twice-born, tell us the expiation for this hunger.
कर्मणश्चास्यघोरस्य यथा शांतिर्भवेन्मम । वामदेव उवाच- प्रायश्चित्तं न चैवास्ति ऋतेभोगान्नृपोत्तम
How may there be peace for me from this terrible deed? Vāmadeva said: There is no expiation except through experiencing its results, O best of kings.
कर्मणोस्य फलं सर्वं भवान्स्वस्थः प्रभोक्ष्यति । यत्र ते पतितः कायः प्रियायाश्चैव भूपते
You yourself, in full awareness, will experience all the results of this action, O king, wherever your body and your beloved have fallen.
युवाभ्यां हि प्रगंतव्यमितश्चैव न संशयः । उभाभ्यामपि भोक्तव्यं कायमक्षयमेव तत्
Indeed, both of you must proceed from here—of this there is no doubt; and both must endure the inexhaustible body as your due.
स्वंस्वं राजन्न संदेहस्त्वया वै प्रियया सह । राजोवाच- कियत्कालं प्रभोक्तव्यं मयैवं प्रियया सह
There is no doubt, O king, that you and your beloved must each endure your own; The king said: For how long must I experience this with my beloved?
तदादिश महाभाग प्रमाणं तद्वचो मम । वामदेव उवाच- वासुदेव महास्तोत्रं महापातकनाशनम्
Tell me, O greatly fortunate one, the measure of that time—let your word be my authority. Vāmadeva said: The great hymn to Vāsudeva destroys even great sins.
यदा त्वं श्रोष्यसे पुण्यं तदा मोक्षं प्रयास्यसि । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं गच्छ राजन्प्रभुंक्ष्वहि
When you hear that holy hymn, then you will attain liberation. All this has been told to you; go now, O king, and endure.
एवं श्रुत्वा ततो राजा भार्यया सह वै पुनः । स्वशरीरस्य वै मांसं भक्षते प्रियया सह
Having heard thus, the king, together with his wife, again ate the flesh of his own body with his beloved.
नित्यमेव महाप्राज्ञ तद्वत्पूर्णं भवेद्वपुः । नित्यं प्रभक्षते राजा राज्ञी तस्य च पुत्रक
Yet, O wise one, his body always became whole again in the same way; the king and the queen continually ate of it, O child.
यथायथा च राजा च भक्षते च कलेवरम् । हसेते वै सदा नार्यौ तयोर्भावं वदाम्यहम्
And as the king ate his own body, the two women would always laugh; I shall tell you the reason for their laughter.
प्रज्ञा सार्द्धं महासाध्वी चरित्रं तस्य भूपतेः । हास्यं हि कुरुते नित्यं तस्य श्रद्धानपायिनी
Wisdom, together with the virtuous wife, and the king’s character—his faithless wife would always mock these.
प्रज्ञया प्रेर्यमाणेन न दत्तं श्रद्धयान्वितम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यः सुसंकल्प्य अन्नमुद्दिश्य वैष्णवे
What was not given, prompted by wisdom but lacking in faith, to the Brahmins, with proper resolve, as food dedicated to Viṣṇu—
एवं स भक्षते मांसं स्वस्य कायस्य नित्यदा । योषिदप्यात्मकायं च रसैश्चामृतसन्निभैः
Thus, he always eats the flesh of his own body; and the woman too eats her own body, with juices like nectar.
ततो वर्षशतांते तु वामदेवं महामुनिम् । स्मृत्वा स गर्हयामास आत्मानं प्रति सुव्रत
Then, at the end of a hundred years, remembering the great sage Vāmadeva, he reproached himself, O virtuous one.
न दत्तं पितृदेवेभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यः कदा मया । न दत्तमतिथिभ्यो हि वृद्धेभ्यश्च विशेषतः
Never did I give to the ancestors, the gods, or the Brahmins; nor did I give to guests, especially to the elderly.
दीनेभ्यो हि न दत्तं च कृपया चातुराय च । एवं स भुंक्ते स्वं मांसं गर्हयन्स्वीय कर्म च
Nor did I give to the poor, out of compassion or cleverness; thus he eats his own flesh, reproaching his own deeds.
एवं स्वमांसं भुंजानं सुबाहुं प्रियया सह । हसेते च तदा दृष्ट्वा प्रज्ञा श्रद्धा च द्वे स्त्रियौ
Thus, as Subāhu eats his own flesh with his beloved, wisdom and faith, those two women, laugh upon seeing him.