राजापि पर्यपृच्छत्तं विस्मयस्मेरलोचनः । प्रणम्य परया भक्त्या विनयैकपयोनिधिः
The king, his eyes smiling in wonder, respectfully asked him, bowing with utmost devotion and humility.
कथां कथय मे विप्र हीनयोनि निषेवितौ । अज्ञौयौ जग्मतुः स्वर्गे शुनी शशकशावकौ
Tell me, O Brahmin, the story: how did the dog and the hare, born in lowly forms and ignorant, attain heaven?
शिष्य उवाच। वत्सनामा द्विजन्मास्ते वनेऽमुष्मिन्जितेंद्रियः । चतुर्दशं तु ह्यध्यायं गीतानां सर्वदा जपन्
The disciple said: Vatsa, the twice-born, self-controlled, always recited the fourteenth chapter of the Gita in that forest.
शिष्योऽहं तस्य भूपाल ब्रह्मविद्याविशारदः । चतुर्दश तु अध्यायं जपामि प्रत्यहं नृप
I am his disciple, O king, skilled in Brahma-knowledge; I too recite the fourteenth chapter daily, O ruler.
मदीयचरणांभोजप्रक्षालनजले लुठन् । शशस्त्रिदिवमापन्नः शुनक्या सह भूपते
By rolling in the water used to wash my lotus feet, the hare attained heaven together with the dog, O king.
राजोवाच। हेतुना केन कथय हसितं च द्विजोत्तम । अतः किमपि साकूतं मन्यमानेन सादरम्
The king said: Tell me, O best of Brahmins, the reason for your laughter, and why you seemed to consider something with a hint of secrecy and respect.
शिष्य उवाच। महाराष्ट्रेति नगरं नाम्ना प्रत्युदकं महत् । तत्रासीद्ब्राह्मणो नाम्ना केशवः कितवाग्रणीः
The disciple said: There is a great city by name Mahārāṣṭra, situated on the banks of a river; there lived a brāhmaṇa named Keśava, foremost among gamblers.
विलोभनाभवत्तस्य जाया स्वैरविहारिणी । तेन सा हन्यते क्रोधाद्वैरं संचिंत्य जन्मनः
His wife, given to wanton conduct, became infatuated; in anger, he killed her, harboring enmity from a previous birth.
ततः स्त्रीवधपापेन शशको जायते द्विजः । किल्बिषाच्छुनकी सापि जाता वंचनजन्मनः
Then, because of the sin of killing a woman, the brāhmaṇa was born as a hare; and she, due to her own misdeeds, was born as a female dog, both as a result of deceitful actions in their previous lives.
पूर्वेण जन्मनाभ्यस्तं वैरं विस्मरतो नहि । आसेदिवद्भ्यां बहुधा योन्यंतरमपि क्वचित्
Enmity practiced in a previous birth is never forgotten, even when passing through many different wombs and forms.
इत्याकलय्य सकलं भूपालः श्रद्धयान्वितः । गीतामभ्यस्य सकलामवाप परमां गतिम्
Thus, understanding all this, the king, endowed with faith, studied the entire Gītā and attained the highest state.
इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे गीतामाहात्म्ये अष्टाशीत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and eighty-eighth chapter in the section on the greatness of the Gītā, in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
ईश्वर उवाच। प्रवक्ष्यामि विशालाक्षि तुहिनाचलकन्यके । गीता पंचदशाध्यायमाहात्म्यमवधारय
Īśvara said: O wide-eyed daughter of the snowy mountain, I will now tell you the greatness of the fifteenth chapter of the Gītā—listen attentively.
कृपालुर्नरसिंहोऽभून्नाम्ना गौडेषु भूपतिः । यस्यासिधारया संख्ये देवासंघा वधीकृताः
There was a king among the Gauḍas named Kṛpālu, who was like Narasiṃha; in battle, hosts of gods were slain by the edge of his sword.
यदीय मत्तमातंग दानधाराजलैरिला । निदाघेपि च सेहेतां रविसंतापवेदनाम्
The streams of gifts from his intoxicated elephants could withstand the burning heat of the sun, even in the height of summer.
संक्रंदनपरित्रस्ता यदीय शरणं गताः । रेजिरे करिणो मत्ताश्चलंतः पर्वता इव
The maddened elephants, terrified by the onrush of battle, sought his refuge and shone forth, moving like mountains.
मत्तमातंगचीत्कारप्रतिस्वनमिवादरात् । यस्य गोपायतः शैला व्याहरंति कृपावतः
The mountains, protected by the compassionate king, would resound as if echoing the cries of his intoxicated elephants.
यदीय धावत्तुरगक्षुरसंघातजर्जरम् । नाभूच्चित्रं कथंकारं गतखंडं धरातलम्
It was not surprising that the earth, shattered by the pounding hooves of his galloping horses, became broken and uneven.
पुनरुज्वलयांचक्रे महाभाष्यं फणीश्वरः
Once again, the lord of serpents composed a brilliant commentary.
तस्यासीत्सैनिको धीमाञ्छस्त्रशास्त्रकलानिधिः । नाम्ना सरभभेरुंडः प्रचंडभुजमंडलः
He had a wise soldier, skilled in both weapons and scriptures, named Sarabhabheruṇḍa, whose arms were exceedingly powerful.
भांडारेण तुरंगैश्च भटैर्वीररसोद्भवैः । समान एव भूपालदुर्गैरत्यंतदुर्गमैः
With his treasury, horses, and warriors inspired by heroic valor, he was equal to the king in fortresses, even those most difficult to conquer.
स कदाचित्स्वयं राज्यं कर्तुं पापो दधे मनः । निहत्य वसुधापालं बलात्साकं कुमारकैः
Once, desiring to rule the kingdom himself, the sinful one resolved to kill the king by force, along with his sons.
कर्तुं व्यवस्य दिवसैः स्वल्पैरित्थं चिकीर्षया । विषूचिकामयादाशु परासुः समजायत
Determined to do this within a few days, he was suddenly struck down by cholera and died.
कालेनाल्पीयसा प्रेत्य पापात्मा तेन कर्मणा । तेजस्वी तुरगो जातः सिंधुदेशे कृशोदरिः
After a short time, because of that sinful deed, he was reborn as a spirited horse in the land of Sindhu, with a slender belly.
मूलेन बहुना क्रीत्वा हयतत्वविदा ततः । बहुयत्नवता नीतः केनचिद्वैश्यसूनुना
Having purchased it at great cost from one knowledgeable in the nature of horses, it was then brought with much effort by a certain merchant's son.
राजापि पौत्रनप्त्त्राद्यैस्तस्यैव मरणात्परम् । कालेन वृद्धतां प्राप्तः स्वराज्यं चापि पालयन्
After that man's death, the king, through his grandsons and descendants, grew old over time, continuing to govern his own realm.
स वैश्यसूनुस्तं चाश्वं राज्ञे दातुं समागतः । राज्ञोद्वारिस्थितस्तत्र प्रतीक्षंस्तत्समागमम्
That merchant's son came to present the horse to the king, standing at the king's door, awaiting their meeting.
ज्ञातपूर्वोऽपि वैश्योऽसौ प्रतीहारेण दर्शितः । किमर्थं ब्रूहि राज्ञेति पृष्टः स्पष्टमभाषत
Though already known, the merchant was shown in by the doorkeeper; when asked, 'Speak, for what purpose?' he answered clearly.
देव त्रिजगतीरत्नमिति मत्वा तुरंगमः । मया नियुतमूल्येन बहुना साधुलक्षणः
O Lord, considering this horse as the jewel of the three worlds, I acquired it for a vast price, for its noble qualities.
ततोऽवलोक्य वक्त्राणि भूपालः पार्श्ववर्तिनाम् । समादिदेश वणिजमश्वोऽत्र नीयतामिति
Then, looking at the faces of those nearby, the king ordered, 'Let the merchant's horse be brought here.'