यथा निर्दग्धाबीजानि न प्ररोहंति यत्नतः । यथा कर्माणि विश्वेशे निःकामेनार्पितानि तु
Just as seeds that have been burned do not sprout, however much one tries, so too actions offered to the Lord of the universe without desire do not bear fruit.
कर्मणां च लयो मोक्षः सुखदुःखप्रदायिनाम् । तदुत्पत्तिस्तु बंधः स्यादित्यसौ शास्त्रनिर्णयः
The dissolution of actions that bring pleasure and pain is liberation; their arising is bondage—such is the decision of scripture.
अतोऽहं कर्मवेदोक्तं कुर्वन्नाभिलषन्फलम् । पर्यटिष्यामि तीर्थेषु हृदि भक्ति दधद्धरेः
Therefore, performing the actions prescribed by the Veda without desiring their fruit, I will wander among the sacred places, holding devotion to Hari in my heart.
एवं प्रारब्धकर्माणि भुंजन्नान्यान्यतर्जयन्। हनिष्यामि जगद्रोगं पीत्वा सत्संगमौषधम्
Thus, enduring the actions already begun and restraining others, I will destroy the disease of the world by drinking the medicine of good company.
शिवशर्मोवाच- एवमाकर्ण्य वचनं तस्याहं पितुरात्मनः । अवदं विष्णुशर्मस्त्वं तन्निशामय तत्वतः
Śivaśarman said: Having heard these words of my father, I, Viṣṇuśarman, spoke to him—listen to that truly.
वैश्यपुत्र उवाच- अयं जनो दुराराध्यः कथयिष्यति नो यशः । दुष्टकुटुंबादुद्विज्य निःसृत्य गत इत्ययम्
The merchant's son said: This person is hard to please; he will not speak of my fame. Fleeing from a wicked family, he has left and gone away.
इयं विष्णुपदी तात भुवनत्रयपावनी । स्मृता हरत्यघं दूरात्कस्मादेनां विमुंचसि
This is the Viṣṇu-born river, O dear one, purifier of the three worlds; it is said to remove sin from afar—why do you abandon her?
पापकारी जनस्तात म्रियते मगधे तु यः । सोप्यस्तपापो गंगायां स्वर्याति त्यजमाशुभम्
A sinful person who dies in Magadha, O dear one, even he, if he dies in the Gaṅgā, goes to heaven, leaving behind his faults.
पुत्राः षष्टिसहस्राणि सगरस्य महात्मनः । कपिलक्रोधनिर्दग्धा गतायत्स्पर्शनाद्दिवम्
Sixty thousand sons of the great Sagara, burned by Kapila's wrath, attained heaven by her touch.
तामिमां त्रिदिवश्रेणीं मुक्तेरपि विधायिनीम् । मुमुक्षुसेवितां तात मुक्त्वा मान्यत्र गम्यताम्
This river, the foremost among the celestial, bestower even of liberation, is served by those who seek release—do not go elsewhere, O dear one, leaving her.
मावजानीहि सामीप्ये गंगा त्रिदशमानिताम् । यदिच्छसि महाभाग सेवितैषा प्रदास्यति
Do not disregard the Gaṅgā, honored by the gods, who is near at hand; if you desire, O highly fortunate one, she will grant what is sought by her worshippers.
तिर्यंचोऽपि विना ज्ञानाज्जले चेत्स्युर्गतासवः । भवेयुस्तर्हि ते ब्रह्म सा कथं त्यज्यते त्वया
Even animals, without knowledge, if they die in her waters, become Brahman—how then can you abandon her?
शिवशर्मोवाच- निशम्यैतद्वचस्तातस्ततो मम ऋतप्रियः । उवास सदने सर्वविषयेभ्यः पराङ्मुखः
Śivaśarman said: Hearing these words, my truth-loving father then dwelt in the house, turning away from all worldly matters.
त्रिषु कालेषुं गगायां प्रत्यहं स्नानमाचरन् । पुराणं स्याद्गृहे यत्र तत्र याति स नित्यशः
At the three times of day, he bathed daily in the Gaṅgā; wherever the Purāṇa was in the house, he would always go there.
एकदाकर्णयन्धीरो यमुनातीर्थगौरवम् । तत्र शुश्राव माहात्म्यमस्यतीर्थस्य पुत्र सः
Once, hearing of the greatness of the Yamunā's sacred place, that steadfast one heard the glory of that holy site, O son.
अविमुक्त हरिद्वार प्रयागेभ्यश्च पुष्करात् । अयोध्याद्वारिका कांची मथुराभ्यस्तथान्यतः
From Avimukta, Haridvāra, Prayāga, Puṣkara, Ayodhyā, Dvārakā, Kāñcī, Mathurā, and elsewhere—
सर्वतीर्थमयस्यास्य पुण्यं शतगुणाधिकम् । कथितं तेन विदुषा सुतेनाकर्ण्यमत्पिता
The merit of this place, which contains the essence of all sacred waters, is said by that learned son—having heard it, my father— to be a hundred times greater.
त्यक्त्वा गृहमगादत्र तीर्थे सर्वैरलक्षितः । आवामिव महाभागो गोविंदपदसेवकः
Leaving his home, unnoticed by all, he came here to this holy place— that great soul, a servant at the feet of Govinda, just like us.
अत्रागत्य महाभागो मत्पिता मोक्षवांछया । निगमोद्बोधके तीर्थे त्रिकालं स्नानमाचरन्
Arriving here, my noble father, desiring liberation, performed the ritual bath at the Tirtha that awakens the Vedas, three times a day.
उवास कतिचिन्मासानत्र तीर्थोत्तमे हि सः
He stayed here for several months at this most excellent of holy places.
कुर्वन्निजक्रियां धीमान्निस्पृहोप्यजवेश्मनि । एकदा सहसा तस्य ज्वरोऽभूदतिदारुणः
Wise and free from desire, performing his own duties in a simple dwelling, one day he was suddenly struck by a most terrible fever.
महत्या पीडया तस्य मुमोह गतचेतनः । मुहूर्तं स पिता मुह्यं तदवस्थो व्यतिष्ठित
Afflicted by great pain, he lost consciousness; for a moment, my father remained in that state, senseless.
पश्चात्समागतप्राणो विचिंत्य यदिदं तदा । अहो मे कष्टमापन्नं दूरे पुत्रः स धार्मिकः
Later, when his life returned, he reflected on what had happened: 'Alas, I have fallen into distress, and my righteous son is far away.'
यो मां ज्वरवितप्तांगमाश्वासयति बुद्धिमान् । अगम्यागमनं पापं कृतं यन्मे सुदारुणम्
'He, wise, would comfort me as my body burns with fever; but I have committed the grave sin of going where I should not.'
प्रायश्चित्तं न तस्यापि कृतं कामे गतिर्भवेत् । आगमिष्यति पुत्रो मे तस्मै दास्यामि वस्विति
'I have not performed atonement for that; perhaps there will be no good destination for me. My son will come, and to him I will give my wealth.'
यन्मया गोपितं गेहे न दृष्टं च तदप्यहम् । शिवशर्मोवाच- इति चिंतयतस्तस्य पान्थो वर्षेण पीडितः
'What I have kept hidden at home, what I have not seen— that, too, I will give.' Shivaśarma said: While he was thinking thus, a traveler, afflicted by rain,
शीतार्तः कंपितवपुरुटजं प्राविशत्तदा । स तं संविष्टमालोक्य भूयो गत्वा तदंतिके
Cold and shivering, his body trembling from the rain, the traveler entered then; seeing him lying there, he again approached and drew near.
मुनिरेष इति ज्ञात्वा ववंदे शिरसाध्वगः । ऊचे च कस्मात्सुप्तोसि मुने संध्या समागता
Realizing he was a sage, the traveler bowed his head in reverence and said, 'O sage, why are you asleep? The twilight hour has arrived.'
रविरस्तं प्रयात्येष न सुप्तेः काल एष ते । इत्युक्तमात्रे वचसि पथिकेन पिता मम
'The sun is setting; this is not the time for sleep.' As soon as the traveler spoke these words, my father—
शरभो ज्वरतप्तांगस्तमाह कथमप्यहो । शरभ उवाच- श्रूयतां वचनं पांथ यद्वदामि पुरस्तव
Śarabha, his body burning with fever, somehow said to him: Śarabha said: 'Hear my words, traveler, which I speak before you.'