व्याजेनापि कृता यैस्तु वशं यांति न भास्करेः । स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदा ह्येषा शरीरारोग्यदायिनी
Even if observed with some pretext, this vow brings one under the dominion of the sun; it bestows heaven and liberation, and grants health to the body.
सुकलत्रप्रदा ह्येषा जीवत्पुत्रप्रदायिनी । न गंगा न गया वैश्य न काशी न च पुष्करम्
It surely grants a good wife and living sons; neither the Ganga, nor Gaya, nor Kashi, nor Pushkara can compare.
न चापि वैष्णवं क्षेत्रं तुल्यं हरिदिनेन तु । यमुना चन्द्रभागा न तुल्या हरिदिनेन तु
Nor can any Vaishnava holy place be equal to the day of Hari; not even the Yamuna or Chandrabhaga can compare to the day of Hari.
अनायासेन येनात्र प्राप्यते वैष्णवं पदम् । रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा समुपोष्य हरेर्दिने
By which, without effort, the Vaishnava abode is attained here—by keeping vigil at night and fasting on the day of Hari.
दश वै पैतृके पक्षे मातृके दश पूर्वजाः । प्रियाया दश ये वैश्य तानुद्धरति निश्चितम्
Ten paternal ancestors, ten maternal ancestors, and ten of the beloved's ancestors are certainly liberated, O merchant.
द्वंद्वसंग परित्यक्ता नागारि कृतकेतनाः । स्रग्विणः पीतवसनाः प्रयांति हरिमंदिरम्
Those who have abandoned attachment to pairs, are not householders, have made their home elsewhere, adorned with garlands and yellow garments, go to the abode of Hari.
बालत्वे यौवने वापि वार्द्धके वा विशांवर । उपोष्यैकादशीं नूनं नैति पापोऽतिदुर्गतिम्
Whether in childhood, youth, or old age, O lord of men, one who has fasted on Ekadashi certainly does not go to a terrible fate.
उपोष्येह त्रिरात्राणि कृत्वा वा तीर्थमज्जनम् । दत्वा हेमतिलान्गाश्च स्वर्गं यांतीह मानवाः
By fasting here for three nights, or by bathing at a holy place, and by giving gold and sesame, people attain heaven here.
तीर्थे स्नांति न ये वैश्य न दत्तं कांचनं च यैः । नैव तप्तं तपः किंचित्ते स्युः सर्वत्र दुःखिताः
Those who do not bathe at holy places, who do not give gold, and who have not performed any austerity, are always afflicted everywhere.
संक्षिप्य कथितं धर्म्मं नरकस्य निरूपणम् । अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु वाङ्मनः काय कर्मभिः
In summary, the law and the description of hell have been told: non-injury to all beings by speech, mind, body, and actions.
इंद्रियाणां निरोधश्च दानं च हरिसेवनम् । वर्णाश्रमक्रियाणां च पालनं विधितः सदा
Restraint of the senses, giving, service to Hari, and always following the prescribed duties of varna and ashrama.
स्वर्गार्थी सर्वदा वैश्य तपोदानं न कीर्तयेत् । यथाशक्ति तथा दद्यादात्मनो हितकाम्यया
One who seeks heaven should not boast of their austerity or charity; one should give according to one's ability, desiring one's own welfare.
उपानद्वस्त्रमन्नानि पत्रं मूलं फलं जलम् । अवंध्यं दिवसं कार्य्यं दरिद्रेणापि वैश्यक
Footwear, clothing, food, leaves, roots, fruits, water—one should make the day fruitful by giving, even if poor, O merchant.
इहलोके परे चैव न दत्तं नोपतिष्ठते । दातारो नैव पश्यंति तां तां वै यमयातनाम्
What is not given here does not accompany one to the next world; givers do not see the various torments of Yama.
दीर्घायुषो धनाढ्याश्च भवंतीह पुनःपुनः । किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन यांत्यधर्मेण दुर्गतिम्
Those who are long-lived and wealthy are so again and again here; what need is there to say more? By unrighteousness, they go to misery.
आरोहंति दिवं धर्म्मे नराः सर्वत्र सर्वदा
By righteousness, people always ascend to heaven everywhere.
तेन बालत्वमारभ्य कर्तव्यो धर्मसंग्रहः । इति ते कथितं सर्वं किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि
Therefore, from childhood onward, one should undertake the collection of dharma. Thus, I have told you everything; what else do you wish to hear?
विकुंडल उवाच- श्रुत्वा त्वद्वचनं सौम्य प्रसन्नं चित्तमेव मे । गंगोदं पापहं सद्यः पापहारि सतां वचः
Vikuṃḍala said: Hearing your words, gentle one, my mind has become clear; the Ganges water destroys sin instantly, and the words of the virtuous remove sin.
उपकर्तुं प्रियं वक्तुं गुणो नैसर्गिकः सताम् । शीतांशुः क्रियते केन शीतलोऽमृतमंडलः
To help others and to speak kindly are natural qualities of the virtuous; who makes the moon cool, whose nectar-circle is soothing?
देवदूत ततो ब्रूहि कारुण्यान्मम पृच्छतः । नरकान्निष्कृतिः सद्यो भ्रातुर्मे जायते कथम्
O messenger of the gods, therefore speak out of compassion to me who asks: How does atonement for my brother arise instantly from hell?
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा देवदूतो जगाद ह । ध्यानं दृष्ट्वा क्षणं ध्यात्वा तन्मैत्री रज्जुबन्धनः
Hearing his words, the divine messenger spoke: Having seen meditation, and after meditating for a moment, that friendship is like a rope binding.
यत्ते वैश्याष्टमे पुण्यं त्वया जन्मनि संचितम् । तद्भ्रात्रे दीयतां सर्वं स्वर्गं तस्य यदीच्छसि
The merit you accumulated in your eighth birth as a Vaiśya—let all of it be given to your brother, if you desire heaven for him.
विकुंडल उवाच- किं तत्पुण्यं कथं जातं किं जन्म च पुरातनम् । तत्सर्वं कथ्यतां दूत ततो दास्यामि सत्वरम्
Vikuṃḍala said: What is that merit, how was it produced, and what was the former birth? Tell me all of that, messenger, then I will give it at once.
देवदूत उवाच- शृणु वैश्य प्रवक्ष्यामि तत्पुण्यं च सहेतुकम् । पुरा मधुवने पुण्ये ऋषिरासीच्च शाकुनिः
The divine messenger said: Listen, Vaiśya, I will tell you that merit and its cause. Long ago, in the sacred Madhu forest, there was a sage named Śākuni.
तपोऽध्ययन संपन्नस्तेजसां ब्रह्मणा समः । जज्ञिरे तस्य रेवत्यां नव पुत्रा ग्रहा इव
Endowed with austerity and study, equal to Brahma in brilliance, nine sons were born to him from Revati, like planets.
ध्रुवः शीलो बुधस्तारो ज्योतिष्मानुत पंचमः । अग्निहोत्ररता ह्येते गृहधर्मेषु रेमिरे
Dhruva, Śīla, Budha, Tāra, Jyotiṣmān, and the fifth; these were devoted to Agnihotra, delighting in household duties.
निर्मोहो जितकामश्च ध्यानकोशो गुणाधिकः । एते गृहविरक्ताश्च चत्वारो द्विजसूनवः
Nirmoha, Jitakāma, Dhyānakośa, and Guṇādhika—these four sons of the twice-born were detached from household life.
चतुर्थाश्रममापन्नाः सर्वकामविनिस्पृहाः । ग्रामैकवासिनः सर्वे निःसंगा निष्परिग्रहाः
Having entered the fourth stage of life, free from all desires, all lived in a single village, without attachments or possessions.
निराशा निष्प्रयत्नाश्च सम लोष्टाश्मकांचनाः । येनकेनचिदाच्छन्ना येनकेनचिदाशिताः
Without hope, without effort, regarding earth, stones, and gold as equal, covered and fed by whatever means came to them.
सायंग्रहास्तथा नित्यं विष्णुध्यानपरायणाः । जितनिद्रा जिताहारा वातशीतसहिष्णवः
Always performing evening rites, devoted to meditation on Viṣṇu, victorious over sleep and food, enduring wind and cold.