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.
पश्यंतो विष्णुरूपेण जगत्सर्वं चराचरम् । चरंति लीलया पृथ्वद्यंतेऽन्योन्यं मौनमास्थिताः
Seeing the entire world, moving and unmoving, as the form of Viṣṇu, they wandered playfully on earth, maintaining mutual silence.
न कुर्वंति क्रियां कांचिदर्थमात्रं हि योगिनः । दृष्टज्ञाना असंदेहाश्चिद्विकार विशारदाः
These yogis performed no action for material gain; possessing direct knowledge, free from doubt, skilled in the transformation of consciousness.
एवं ते तव विप्रस्य पूर्वमष्टमजन्मनि । तिष्ठतो मध्यदेशेषु पुत्रदारकुटुंबिनः
Thus, in your previous eighth birth as a Brāhmaṇa, living in the central regions, you had sons, wife, and household.
गेहं तावकमाजग्मुर्मध्याह्ने क्षुत्पिपासिताः । वैश्वदेवांतरे काले त्वया दृष्टा गृहांगणे
Your house was entered by them at midday, hungry and thirsty; during the interval of the Vaiśvadeva rite, you saw them in the courtyard.
सगद्गदं साश्रुनेत्रं सहर्षं च ससंभ्रमम् । दंडवत्प्रणिपातेन बहुमानपुरःसरम्
With a trembling voice, tearful eyes, joy, and excitement, she made a respectful prostration, full of deep reverence.
प्रणम्य चरणौ मूर्ध्ना कृत्वा पाणियुगाञ्जलिम् । तदाभिनन्दिताः सर्वे तया सूनृतया गिरा
Bowing to their feet with her head, joining her hands in salutation, she was then greeted by all with kind words.
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म जीवितं सफलं तथा । अद्य विष्णुः प्रसन्नो मे सनाथोऽद्यास्मि पावनः
Today my birth is fruitful, my life is fulfilled; today Viṣṇu is pleased with me, today I am protected and purified.
धन्योऽस्म्यद्य गृहं धन्यं धन्या अद्य कुटुंबिनः । ममाद्य पितरो धन्या धन्या गावः श्रुतं धनम्
Today I am blessed, my house is blessed, my family is blessed; today my ancestors are blessed, blessed are my cows, learning, and wealth.
यद्दृष्टौ भवतां पादौ तापत्रयहरौ मया । भवतां दर्शनं यस्माद्धन्यस्यैव हरेरिव
Because I have seen your feet, which remove the threefold suffering, and because I have seen you, I am blessed, just as one is blessed by seeing Hari.
एवं संपूज्य कृत्वा तु पादप्रक्षालनं तथा । धृतं मूर्ध्नि विशांश्रेष्ठ श्रद्धया परया तदा
Having thus honored them and washed their feet, the foremost among men then placed the water upon his head with utmost faith.
यत्र पादोदकं वैश्य श्रद्धया शिरसा धृतम् । गंधपुष्पाक्षतैर्धूपैर्दीपैर्भावपुरःसरम्
Where the Vaiśya, with faith, placed the foot-water upon his head, offering fragrant flowers, rice grains, incense, lamps, and devotion.
संपूज्य सुंदरान्नेन भोजिता यतयस्तथा । तृप्ताः परमहंसास्ते विश्रांता मंदिरे निशि
Having honored them with beautiful food, the ascetics were fed; the supreme swans were satisfied and rested in the temple at night.
ध्यायंतश्च परं ब्रह्म यज्ज्योतिर्ज्योतिषां मतम् । तेषामातिथ्यजं पुण्यं जातं यत्ते विशांवर
Meditating on the supreme Brahman, the light of lights, as taught by the wise, the merit arising from their hospitality was obtained by you, O best of men.
न तद्वक्त्रसहस्रेण वक्तुं शक्नोम्यहं खलु । भूतानां प्राणिनः श्रेष्ठाः प्राणिनां मतिजीविनः
I am truly unable to speak of it, even with a thousand mouths; among beings, the best are those who live by wisdom.
मतिमत्सु सुराः श्रेष्ठा नरेषु ब्रह्मजातयः । ब्राह्मणेषु च विद्वांसो विद्वत्सु कृतबुद्धयः
Among the wise, the gods are foremost; among men, those born of Brahma; among Brahmins, the learned; among the learned, those of established understanding.
कृतबुद्धिषु कर्तारः कर्तृषु ब्रह्मवेदिनः । अतएव सुपूज्यास्ते तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठा जगत्त्रये
Among those of established understanding, the doers; among the doers, the knowers of Brahman; therefore, they are highly worthy of worship and thus the best in the three worlds.
तत्संगतिर्विशांश्रेष्ठ महापातकनाशिनी । विश्रांता गृहिणो गेहे संतुष्टा ब्रह्मवेदिनः
That association, O best of men, destroys great sins; householders are at rest in their homes, and the knowers of Brahman are content.
आजन्मसंचितं पापं नाशयंतीक्षणेन वै । संचितं यद्गृहस्थस्य पापमामरणांतिकम्
The sins accumulated since birth are destroyed in an instant; whatever sin a householder has gathered up to the time of death.
विनिर्दहति तत्सर्वमेकरात्रोषितो यतिः । स्वभ्रात्रे देहि तत्पुण्यं नरकाद्येन मुच्यते
All of that is burned away by the ascetic who stays even one night; give that merit to your brother, by which he is freed from hell.
इति दूतवचः श्रुत्वा ददौ पुण्यं स सत्वरम् । हृष्टेन चेतसा भ्राता निरयात्सोऽपि निर्गतः
Hearing these words of the messenger, he quickly gave the merit; with a joyful heart, his brother was released from hell.