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.
दुहितुः सदनं यातुं निःससार गृहागतः । तत्रैव सरसीकूले प्रविवेश च दुःखिनी
Having come home, he went out to his daughter's house, and there, by the bank of the lake, the sorrowful woman entered.
तथैनां च समानीतां यथा स्याः प्राणवल्लभाम् । तथैव पूजयामास मातृस्नेहात्पतिव्रता
And she, having been brought there as dearly as one's own life, was honored in the same way by the devoted wife, out of motherly affection.
एतस्मिन्समये विप्र लक्ष्मीवासरमुत्तमम् । श्यामाबाला कारयितुं मनश्चक्रे च मातरम्
At that time, O Brahmin, Shyamabala resolved in her mind to have her mother perform the excellent Lakshmi Vow.
तस्या माता दरिद्राणि भुक्त्वा वैकांतिकेपि च । शावकानां तु चोच्छिष्टं लक्ष्मीकोपसमन्विता
Her mother, having eaten poor food even in solitude, and the leavings of her children, was afflicted by Lakshmi's displeasure.
इंदिरायास्तृतीयानि वासराणि गतान्यपि । चतुर्थवासरे तां तत्कारयामास सा दृढम्
Even after three days of Indira's vow had passed, on the fourth day she firmly made her perform it.
आगता नगरं सा वै राज्ञी सुरतिचंद्रिका । दृष्ट्वा गृहं तथा दिव्यमिंदिरायाः प्रसादतः
Then, the queen Suratachandrika came to the city and, by the grace of Indira, saw such a divine house.
श्यामाबाला च विप्रेंद्र कदाचित्समये पुनः । मातुर्गृहं गता चाथ ऐश्वर्यस्य दिदृक्षया
O foremost of Brahmins, at another time Shyamabala went to her mother's house, desiring to see her prosperity.
श्यामाबालां ततो दूराद्दृष्ट्वा संकुपिता च सा । न पश्यामि मुखं तस्या इत्युक्त्वालक्षिता स्थिता
Then, seeing Shyamabala from afar, she became angry and, saying, 'I will not see her face,' she stood aside, unnoticed.
गत्वा गृहांतरालं च गृहीत्वा सैंधवं च सा । आगता स्वगृहं किंचित्तूष्णीं लक्ष्मीसमाश्रितम्
Having gone into another part of the house and taken some salt, she returned to her own house, remaining somewhat silent, attended by Lakshmi.
राजा स्वामी च पप्रच्छ तां साध्वीं पतिदेवताम् । किमानीतं त्वया कांते कथयस्व ममाग्रतः
The king, her lord, questioned that virtuous, devoted wife: 'What have you brought, beloved? Tell me in my presence.'
कांतोवाच- राज्यसारं समानीतं दर्शयिष्यामि भोजने । इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा पाकं कृत्वा च लवणं विना
Her beloved replied: 'I have brought the essence of the kingdom; I will show you at the meal.' Having said this, she then prepared the food without salt.
अन्नादिकं ततो दत्वा मालाधराय भूभुजे । ततो मालाधरो राजा व्यंजनं लवणवर्जितम्
Then, having served the food and other dishes to King Maladhara, King Maladhara found the dish lacking salt.
भुक्त्वा वैगुण्यतां प्राप्तो राज्यसारं ददौ च सा । तदा हृष्टमना राजा भोजनं कृतवान्द्विज
Having eaten, she attained faultlessness and gave the essence of the kingdom; then the king, his mind delighted, offered food to the brahmin.
प्रशशंस च तां नारीं धन्याधन्या इति ब्रुवन् । एतद्व्रतं च या नारी न करोति महादरात्
He praised that woman, saying 'fortunate and blessed'; and declared, 'Any woman who does not perform this vow with great reverence—'
जन्मजन्मनि सा नारी दरिद्रा दुर्भगा भवेत् । इदं या शृणुयाद्भक्त्या पठेद्यो वा समाहितः
Such a woman will be poor and unfortunate in every birth; but whoever listens to this with devotion, or recites it with concentration—
सर्वपापैर्विनिर्मुक्तो लक्ष्मीलोकं लभेच्च सः । इमां व्रतकथां या तु न श्रुत्वा क्रियते व्रतम् । तस्या व्रतफलं चैव नश्यत्येव न संशयः
He becomes free from all sins and attains the world of Lakshmi; but if one performs the vow without hearing this story, her vow's fruit is surely lost, without doubt.
शौनक उवाच- केन पुण्येन भो सूत चान्येन गतपातकः । नरो याति हरेः स्थानं तद्वदस्वानुकंपया
Śaunaka said: By what other merit, O Sūta, does a man freed from sin attain the abode of Hari? Please tell me out of compassion.
सूत उवाच- ब्राह्मणस्य धनैः प्राणान्प्राणैर्वापि द्विजोत्तम । रक्षां करोति यो मर्त्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Sūta said: Whoever protects a brahmin with wealth or even with his own life, O best of twice-born, that mortal attains the world of Viṣṇu.
पुरा राजा दीननाथो द्वापरे संज्ञके युगे । आसीदपुत्रो बलवान्वैष्णवः स तु याजकः
Long ago, in the Dvāpara age, there was a king named Dīnanātha, powerful, devoted to Viṣṇu, and a performer of sacrifices, but without a son.
एकदा गालवं राजा पप्रच्छ विनयान्वितः । केन पुण्येन जायेत पुत्रो वै करुणार्णव
One day the king, full of humility, asked Gālava: 'By what merit, O ocean of compassion, is a son born?'