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?'
वदस्व मुनिशार्दूल करिष्यामि तवाज्ञया । येषां नृणां नास्ति सुतो जीवनं हि निरर्थकम्
'Tell me, O best of sages, I will act according to your command; for the life of those men who have no son is truly without meaning.'
गालव उवाच- राजन्शृणुष्वावहितो यत्पृष्टोऽस्मि तवाग्रतः । कथयामि समासेन पुत्रस्योद्भवकारणम्
Gālava said: 'O king, listen attentively to what you have asked in my presence; I will briefly tell you the cause of a son's birth.'
क्रतुं च नरमेधाख्यं कुरुष्व राजसत्तम । तदा ते संततिः स्याद्वै सर्वलक्षणसंयुता
'Perform a sacrifice called Naramedha, O best of kings; then you will have offspring endowed with all auspicious marks.'
राजोवाच- नरमेधं महायज्ञं यज्ञानां प्रवरं द्विज । कीदृशं नरमानीय करिष्यामि गुरो वद
The king said: 'The Naramedha is a great sacrifice, the foremost of all sacrifices, O brahmin; tell me, teacher, what kind of man should be brought for it?'
गालव उवाच- सुंदरांगः सुवदनः समस्तशास्त्रविद्भवेत् । सत्कुले यदि जातः स तदा यज्ञाय कल्पते
Gālava said: 'He should be handsome in form, with a pleasant face, learned in all the scriptures; if he is born in a noble family, then he is fit for the sacrifice.'
अंगहीनः कृष्णवर्णो मूर्खो योग्यो भवेन्नहि । इत्युक्ते गालवे विप्र स राजा मनुजेश्वरः
'One who is deformed, dark-skinned, or ignorant is not suitable.' When Gālava said this, O brahmin, that king, lord of men—
प्रेषयामास दूतांश्च कथयित्वा मुनेर्वचः । द्रविणं बहु दत्वा च गालवप्रमुखान्द्विजान्
Sent messengers after telling them the sage's words, and, giving much wealth, honored the brahmins led by Gālava.
यज्ञार्थे वरयामास समस्तशास्त्रपारगान् । ततो राजाज्ञया दूताः देशं देशं मुदा गताः
For the sake of the sacrifice, he selected those who had mastered all the scriptures; then, by the king's command, the messengers joyfully went to every land.
ग्रामे ग्रामे द्विजश्रेष्ठ पत्तनेऽपि समाहिताः । कुत्रापि न प्राप्तवंतो गता जनपदं ततः
In every village and city, the best of brahmins searched attentively, but nowhere did they find such a person, so they went to another region.
नाम्ना दशपुरं विप्र प्रकीर्णं गुणिभिर्द्विजैः । यत्र नारीः सुकेशीश्च मृगशावक चक्षुषः
O brahmin, there was a city named Daśapura, renowned for its virtuous brahmins, where the women had beautiful hair and eyes like fawns.
दृष्ट्वा मुह्यंति पुरुषाश्चंद्रमुख्यश्च ता यतः । तस्मिन्पुरे मनोरम्ये कृष्णदेव इति द्विजः
Seeing them, men and moon-faced women are bewildered; in that delightful city lived a twice-born named Krishna-deva.
आसीत्पुत्रैस्त्रिभिः सार्द्धं भार्यया च सुशीलया । वैष्णवः प्रियवादी च विष्णुपूजारतः सदा
He lived with three sons and a virtuous wife; he was a devotee of Vishnu, gentle in speech, and always engaged in worship of Vishnu.
साग्निकः पितृभक्तश्च वैष्णवानां प्रियंकरः । प्रार्थनां चक्रुरथ ते राज्ञो दूता द्विजोत्तमम्
He performed fire rituals, was devoted to his ancestors, and brought joy to the Vaishnavas; then the king’s messengers approached that eminent Brahmin with a request.
पुत्रं देहीति देहीति वद ब्राह्मणसत्तम । नास्ति राज्ञो द्विजश्रेष्ठ पुत्रः संतापनाशनः
‘Give your son, give your son,’ they said to the foremost of Brahmins; ‘The king has no son, O best of twice-born, to dispel his sorrow.’
तदर्थं नरमेधाख्ये यज्ञेभव स दीक्षितः । नेष्यामस्तव पुत्रं वै बलिं दातुं महाक्रतौ
For that purpose, in a sacrifice called Naramedha, he must be initiated; we will take your son to offer as a gift in the great ritual.
सुवर्णानां चतुर्लक्षं ब्रह्मन्नय समाहितः । सुखेन यदि दातव्यो नो पुत्रः पुत्रलालसात्
O Brahmin, bring four hundred thousand gold coins, if you wish, with resolve; if you desire your son, give them gladly, for your longing for him.
तदा बलेन नेष्यामो राजाज्ञाकारिणो वयम् । दूतानां वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणौ शोकविह्वलौ
Otherwise, we will take him by force, for we obey the king’s command; hearing the messengers’ words, the Brahmin couple was overcome with grief.
अभूतां विगतप्राणाविव संशयमानसौ । किं धनेन सुवर्णेन जीवनेनापि सद्मना । प्रोवाचेदं वचः सोऽपि ब्राह्मणो राजपूरुषान्
They became as if lifeless, doubting; ‘What use is wealth, gold, life, or even home?’ Then the Brahmin spoke these words to the king’s men.
ब्राह्मण उवाच- यदि दूताः समानेतुं पुत्रं शोकतमोपहम् । आगता निश्चितं यूयं शृणुध्वं वचनं मम
The Brahmin said: ‘If you messengers have come to take my son, remover of sorrow’s darkness, then listen carefully to my words.’
स्थित्वा पृथिव्यां को भ्रष्टां राजाज्ञां कर्तुमिच्छति । पुत्रं हित्वा किंतु यूयं वृद्धं मां नयत द्विजम्
Who, standing on earth, would wish to violate the king’s command? But instead of my son, take me, the old Brahmin.