तृतीये खंडसंयुक्तं दध्योदननिवेदनम् । शामाक शालि कासारैश्चतुर्थे पूजयेन्मुदा
On the third Thursday, one should offer curd-rice mixed with sugar; with shāmāka, rice, and kāsāra, on the fourth, one should worship joyfully.
लक्ष्मीदेवीं प्रयत्नेन रत्नदंडकरे ततः । लक्ष्मीदेवी प्रीतये तु ब्राह्मणान्पूजयेद्धनैः
With effort, one should worship the goddess Lakshmi, holding a staff of jewels; for the pleasure of Lakshmi, one should honor Brahmins with wealth.
वस्त्रालंकारभोज्यैश्च फलैर्नानाविधैस्तथा । पोष्योवाच- अत्रैव तिष्ठ भो वृद्धे राज्ञीं सुरतिचंद्रिकाम्
With garments, ornaments, food, and various kinds of fruits as well. The dependent said: Remain here, O aged one, while I inform Queen Suratachandrikā.
विज्ञाप्य त्वां नयिष्यामि मा क्रोधं कुरु सत्तमे । इत्युक्त्वा सा तु चार्वंगी गता राज्ञीसमीपतः
"Having informed you, I will take you; do not be angry, O noble one." Having said this, the beautiful-limbed one went to the queen.
शिरस्यंजलिमाधाय पोष्या ब्रह्मन्समूलतः । आरभ्य सांगपर्यंतं यदूचे कमलालया
With hands joined upon her head, the dependent, along with the Brahmin, recited from beginning to end all that Kamala had said.
तत्सर्वं कथयामास राज्ञीं सुरतिचंद्रिकाम् । द्वारपालीवचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञी सुरतिचंद्रिका
She related all of it to Queen Suratachandrikā; hearing the words of the doorkeeper, Queen Suratachandrikā...
जगाम ब्राह्मणीपार्श्वं सगर्वा प्राह सुंदर । राज्ञ्युवाच- वृद्धे ब्राह्मणि किं वृत्तं चोपदेशार्थमागता
She went to the Brahmin woman with pride and spoke beautifully. The queen said: O aged Brahmin woman, what has happened that you have come here to give advice?
कथयस्व चिरं मह्यं भयं त्यक्त्वा यथासुखम् । ब्राह्मण्युवाच- तवानीतिमहं दृष्ट्वा गंतुमिच्छामि चंचला
Speak to me at length, without fear, as you wish. The Brahmin woman said: Having seen your conduct, I, unsettled, wish to leave.
कथयिष्यामि किं दुष्टे व्रतं परमदुर्लभम् । इंदिरावासरे चाद्य चांडालेन करोषि यत्
I will tell you, O wicked one, about the extremely rare vow. On this day sacred to Indirā, you are performing it with a caṇḍāla.
तद्दृष्टं मयि का दुष्टे तद्गेहे गर्वितेऽधुना । तच्छ्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणीवाक्यं क्रोधसंरक्तलोचना
O wicked and proud one, I have seen that in your house. Hearing the words of the Brahmin woman, her eyes became red with anger.
जरंतीं ब्राह्मणीं चैव प्रहारं च चकार सा । ततः सा कमला वृद्धा क्रंदमाना पलायिता
She struck the aged Brahmin woman. Then that old Kamalā, crying, fled.
क्रीडमाना ततः श्यामा ब्राह्मणीक्रन्दनध्वनिम् । आगतास्याः समीपं तु श्रुत्वा बाला तपोधना
Then, as Śyāmā was playing, she heard the sound of the Brahmin woman's weeping and, being an ascetic child, came near her.
श्यामाबालोवाच- वृद्धे व्यथेदृशी केन दत्ता तुभ्यं वदस्व मे । तस्या वचनमाकर्ण्य शोकगद्गदया गिरा
Śyāmā, the young girl, said: O aged one, who has caused you such pain? Tell me. Hearing her words, Kamalā, with a voice choked by sorrow,
कमला कथितं सर्वं वृत्तांतं द्विजसत्तम । श्यामाबाला ततः श्रुत्वा व्रतं परमदुर्ल्लभम्
Kamalā told everything, the entire event, to the best of the twice-born. Then, after hearing about the extremely rare vow,
शास्त्रोक्तविधिना चक्रे सश्रद्धं च सभक्तितः । त्रिवारे परिपूर्णे तु तुर्यवारे समागते
Śyāmā, with faith and devotion, performed it according to the injunctions of the scriptures. When she had completed it three times and the fourth time arrived,
विवाहकर्मसंसिद्धं द्विजलक्ष्मीप्रसादतः । श्रीसिद्धेश्वरदेवस्य नृपतेर्भूपतेजसः
Her marriage was accomplished by the grace of the goddess of the twice-born. She was taken by Mālādhara, the son of the illustrious king Śrīsiddheśvara.
मालाधरो नाम सुतो गृहीत्वा तां गृहं गतः । अथ तस्यां गतायां तु ब्रह्मन्शृणुष्व कौतुकम्
Mālādhara, by name, took her to his home. Now, O Brahmin, listen to what happened when she went there.
राज्ञीगृहे च सर्वाणि स्थितानि सुबहूनि च । द्रव्याणि केन नीतानि न ज्ञातान्यपि भूसुर
In the queen's house, all the many possessions that were there—O best of Brahmins—no one knew who had taken them.
निर्वित्ता बुद्धिहीना सा चान्नवस्त्रविवर्जिता । उपविष्टा च केनापि गंतुं च दुहितुर्गृहम्
She was left destitute, without sense, deprived of food and clothing, and sat there, unable to go to her daughter's house.
प्रेषयामास भर्त्तारं किंचित्प्रार्थनहेतवे । तस्य मालाधरस्यापि ग्रामे च सरसीतटे
She sent her husband to request something. Meanwhile, Mālādhara, in the village by the lake,
कालेन कियता विप्र प्रविवेश च कष्टतः । तस्माज्जलं समानेतुं तस्या दास्यः समागताः । तं दृष्ट्वा दुःखिनां श्रेष्ठं पप्रच्छुः सानुकंपिताः
After some time, O Brahmin, he entered there in distress. The maidservants came to fetch water for her. Seeing him, the best of the suffering, they asked with compassion,
दास्य ऊचुः- कस्त्वं कुतः समायातो मांसरक्तविवर्ज्जितः । रूक्षांगो रूक्षकेशश्च तत्सर्वं कथयस्व नः
The maidservants said: Who are you? Where have you come from, so emaciated, without flesh and blood, with rough body and rough hair? Tell us everything.
दरिद्र उवाच- श्यामाबालापिता चाहं सौराष्ट्रनगरागतः । कथयध्वं च भो दास्यः श्यामाबालासमीपतः
The poor man said: I am the father of Śyāmā, come from the city of Saurāṣṭra. Tell me, O maidservants, where is Śyāmā?
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कौतूहलसमन्विताः । परस्परमुखाः सर्वा जहसुः स्वपुरं गताः
Hearing his words, filled with curiosity, all of them laughed together and went to their own city.
श्यामाबाला च कथितं सर्वं वृत्तं च भो द्विज । श्रुत्वैतद्वचनं तासां प्रेषयामास सेवकान्
O twice-born, all that had happened was told to Shyamabala, and after hearing these words about them, she sent her attendants.
पुष्पतैलं दिव्यवस्त्रं चंदनं पर्णवीटिकाम् । घोटकं च तथा दत्वा पितरं प्रति सुंदरी
The beautiful woman gave to her father flowers, oil, divine garments, sandalwood, betel leaves, and also a horse.
गत्वाथ सर्वे ते भृत्याः कृत्वा सुवेषमुत्तमम् । श्यामाबालागृहं निन्युर्देवराजगृहोपमम्
Then all those servants, having adorned themselves splendidly, went and brought him to Shyamabala's house, which was like the house of the king of the gods.
श्यामाबाला ततश्चैव पितरं दुखिनां वरम् । श्याल्यन्नं सघृतं चैव भोजयामास यत्नतः
Thereafter, Shyamabala carefully fed her sorrowful father-in-law with rice and ghee.
तुर्येषु समतीतेषु दिवसेषु तपोधन । प्रेषयामास तं दत्वा गुप्तपात्रस्थितं धनम्
When several days had passed, O sage, she sent him away, giving him wealth placed in a concealed vessel.
ततः प्रविश्य स्वगृहे धनं पात्रान्तरस्थितम् । ददर्शांगारनिचयं रुरोद भृशदुःखितः
Then, entering his own house, he saw the wealth placed in another vessel, but found only a heap of charcoal and wept, greatly distressed.