तदाभिमुखमायांती पत्नी मम पतिव्रता । पतित्वा पादयोस्तस्य तं साधुं गृहमानयत्
Then my devoted wife, approaching him, fell at his feet and brought that holy man into our home.
मयापमानितस्यापि न क्रोधोऽभून्महात्मनः । तयादृतस्याप्यानंदो यतः सोरि सुहृत्समः
Though I had insulted him, that great soul felt no anger; because of her reverence, he was as joyful as if among friends.
तमर्चयित्वा विधिवद्विष्टरे चोपवेश्य सा । भोज्यं भोजय जीवेश जयताद्भुवनत्रयम्
She worshipped him properly, seated him on a seat, and said: 'O lord of life, who conquers the three worlds, partake of this food.'
इत्युक्तोऽहं तया साध्व्या न्यगदं तं महाशयम् । म्लानवक्त्रः प्रसन्नास्यमुत्तिष्ठ शमय क्षुधाम्
Thus addressed by that virtuous woman, I humbly spoke to that great soul, my face downcast, while hers was bright: 'Arise, relieve your hunger.'
इत्युक्त्वा तस्य चरणौ नोदितस्तनुमध्यमा । प्राक्षालयं पुनस्तं तु निवेश्यासनमुत्तमम्
Having said this, that slender-waisted woman herself washed his feet, seated him again on the best seat.
अददां पात्रमन्नेन पूर्णं तस्मै विवेकिने । जलं च तत्करे साध्व्या प्रेरितोऽहं तया मुहुः
I gave him a vessel filled with food, to that wise one; and, urged repeatedly by her, I offered him water.
उपभुज्य स धर्मात्मा स्वैरं विगतविक्रियः । हरेराम हरेकृष्ण जपन्निति जगाम ह
Having eaten, that righteous soul, undisturbed and at ease, departed, chanting 'Hare Rama, Hare Krishna.'
कृतं पुण्यमिदं वैश्य नोदितेन मया स्त्रिया । पूर्वजन्मनि येनेदं प्रापितं तीर्थवारि मे
This merit was accomplished by me, O merchant, not by my own doing but by that woman; by which, in this birth, I have obtained the water of the holy place.
शिवशर्मोवाच- विष्णुशर्मन्निदं वाक्यमुक्त्वा तिष्ठति राक्षसे । पथिकः स च ते वाहाः प्राहुः खे दिव्यदेहिनः
Śivaśarman said: Viṣṇuśarman, after speaking these words, stood before the demon; and those travelers, your former bearers, spoke to you from the sky, now in divine bodies.
पथिकवाहा ऊचुः भो भो विशांपते साधो प्राप्ता अप्यपमृत्युताम् । त्वत्प्रसादादिदं वारि पीत्वा देवत्वमागताः
The travelers said: O lord of men, O noble one, though we had met with untimely death, by your grace, after drinking this water, we have attained divinity.
त्वत्संगे धनलोभेन विट्पते चलिता यतः । विगता न धनाकांक्षा मरणावसरेप्यतः
Because of greed for wealth, O lord of merchants, we strayed in your company; but now, even at the moment of death, all desire for wealth has left us.
तीर्थराजजलस्यास्य तिष्ठतो जठरे हि नः । मरणे ह्यनुभावात्तु मैत्री प्राप्ता धनेशितुः
As the water of this king of sacred fords remained in our bellies, at death, by its power, we have gained friendship with the lord of wealth.
नमामस्त्वां वयं यामो धनेश नगरीं प्रभो । विमानैस्तद्गणानीतैर्नानामणिविभूषितैः
We bow to you and now go, O lord of wealth, to your city, O master, in aerial chariots brought by his attendants, adorned with various jewels.
प्रयाहि मा विलंबस्व तीर्थे निगमबोधके । त्वमनेनसमं साधो तारयैनमपि द्रुतम्
Proceed, do not delay at the sacred ford that reveals the Veda; you, O noble one, cross over together with him, and quickly bring him across as well.
शिवशर्मोवाच- इत्युक्त्वा ते गतास्तात दिश्युदीच्यां समंततः । विमानकिंकिणीनादैर्नादयंतोऽथ रोदसी
Śivaśarman said: Having spoken thus, they departed, O dear one, in the northern direction, resounding through the heavens with the jingling of their aerial chariots.
अथ वैश्यो मम पिता तमाह रजनीचरम् । शरभ उवाच- उत्तिष्ठ नय मामाशु तीर्थे निगमबोधके
Then my father, the merchant, spoke to the night-wandering demon: Śarabha said: Arise, quickly take me to the sacred ford that reveals the Veda.
ज्वरार्त्तेन मया पद्भ्यां तत्र गंतुं न शक्यते । यो मां नयति तत्तीर्थं त्वदन्यो नास्ति कश्चन
Afflicted by fever, I am unable to go there on foot; there is no one but you who can take me to that sacred ford.
शिवशर्मोवाच- तथेति तमथाश्वास्य वैश्यं स रजनीचरः । स्कंधमारोप्य वेगेन तत्तीर्थं पावनं ययौ
Śivaśarman said: 'So be it,' said the night-wanderer, comforting the merchant; lifting him onto his shoulder, he swiftly went to that holy ford.
ऊषतुस्तावुभौ तत्र विश्पतिः स च राक्षसः । कुर्वंतौ स्नानमात्रं तु सर्वतीर्थोत्तमोत्तमे
There both of them, the lord of men and the demon, stayed, performing only the ritual bath at that most excellent of all sacred fords.
अथाऽहं पितुराकर्ण्य महतीं गुरुवेदनाम् । तं प्रति प्रेरितो मात्रा चलितो निजसद्मतः
Then, hearing of my father's great and severe suffering, I was sent by my mother and left my own house.
अत्रागत्य मया दृष्टः स महाज्वरपीडितः । मूर्ध्ना च वंदितस्तेन दत्ताशीर्मेऽभ्यभाषि च
Arriving there, I saw him greatly afflicted by fever; I bowed my head to him, received his blessing, and he spoke to me.
शरभ उवाच- किमर्थमिह भो तात दूरमार्गे समागतः । दिनानि कतिचित्तिष्ठन्कुर्वन्नत्र निजक्रियाम्
Śarabha said: Why have you come here, dear son, on this long road? Stay here for a few days, performing your own duties.
विकटो नाम मे मित्रः राक्षसः समुपैति वै । उत्तिष्ठ वपुषामुष्य दंडवत्पत पादयोः
A friend of mine named Vikaṭa, a demon, is coming here; rise, and with your body, fall at his feet in salutation.
न भेतव्यं त्वयामुष्मात्त्यक्तहिंसादि कर्मणः । अधुना तीर्थमासाद्य सन्निधौ मम तिष्ठति
You need not fear him, for he has abandoned violent deeds; now, having reached the sacred ford, he stands here in my presence.
शिवशर्मोवाच- इत्युक्तोऽहं तदा पित्रा शरभेण महात्मना । उत्थाय पतितस्तस्य पादयोर्दंडवद्भुवि
Śivaśarman said: Thus addressed by my father, the great-souled Śarabha, I rose and fell to the ground at his feet in full prostration.
दोर्भ्यामुत्थाप्य मां सोऽथ गाढमालिंग्य राक्षसः । स्वागतं मित्रपुत्रेति जगादाशिषमीरयन्
Then the demon lifted me up with his arms, embraced me tightly, and said, 'Welcome, friend’s son,' bestowing his blessings.
राक्षस उवाच- भाग्यवानसि भो तात यत्त्वमत्र समागतः । पितुर्धर्मात्मनः श्रुत्वा ज्वरपीडां सुदारुणाम्
The rākṣasa said: O dear one, you are indeed fortunate to have arrived here, having heard of your righteous father's severe affliction with fever.
पितुराण्यमाप्नोषि तीर्थे कृत्वा तिलोदकम् । स्नात्वा कुरु क्रियां स्वीयाः पूर्वजन्मस्मरिष्यसि
You obtain merit for your father by offering sesame water at this sacred place; after bathing, perform your own rites, and you will remember your previous birth.
शिवशर्मोवाच- एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन स्नातुं तीर्थे वरांभसि । प्रविष्टोऽहं स्मरंस्तात पूर्वजन्मशुभाशुभम्
Śivaśarma said: Thus addressed by him, I entered the excellent waters of the holy place to bathe, recalling, O father, the auspicious and inauspicious deeds of my previous birth.
स्नात्वा विधिवदत्रैव पितुरंतिकमागतः । अपृच्छं रक्षसो वृत्तं कुतोऽयं धर्मधीरिति
Having bathed properly there, I came to my father's presence and asked the rākṣasa about his story, wondering how he possessed such righteousness.