तत्राकृतोपवासस्य शासनं यममंदिरम् । यद्दत्तं पितरो नित्यं न गृह्णंति यथाविधि
For one who does not observe the fast there, the command is the abode of Yama; whatever is offered, the ancestors do not accept it as prescribed.
पितरः पातिताः सर्वे जयंत्यां भोजने कृते । इति श्रुत्वा ततो राजा व्रतं चक्रे नराधिप
All the ancestors fall when food is eaten on Jayanti; hearing this, the king then undertook the vow.
किंचित्पुष्पं कियद्गंधं वस्त्रं चानीय हर्षितः । एतद्व्रतं समायुक्तं तिथिभांते च पारणम् । व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावेण चित्रसेनो हरेर्गृहम्
Bringing a little flower, some fragrance, and cloth with joy, he observed this vow and broke the fast at the end of the lunar day; by the power of this vow, Citraseṇa went to Hari's abode.
दिव्यं विमानमारुह्य गतवान्पितृभिः सह । यत्फलं मथुरां गत्वा दृष्ट्वा कृष्णमुखांबुजम्
Ascending a divine aerial chariot, he went together with his ancestors; the fruit obtained by going to Mathura and seeing Krishna's lotus face—
तत्फलं प्राप्यते पुंसाकृष्णजन्माष्टमीव्रतात् । यत्फलं द्वारकां गत्वा दृष्टे विश्वेश्वरे हरौ । तत्फलं प्राप्यते दीनैः कृत्वा जन्माष्टमीव्रतम्
That fruit is attained by a man from observing the Krishna Janmashtami vow; the fruit obtained by going to Dvaraka and seeing Hari, Lord of the Universe, that fruit is gained by the poor by performing the Janmashtami vow.
शौनक उवाच। कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ ब्राह्मणस्य कृपार्णव । माहात्म्यं सर्ववर्णानां श्रेष्ठस्य कृपया च मे
Shaunaka said: 'Tell me, O ocean of compassion, the greatness of the Brahmin, the best among all classes, and his excellence, out of kindness to me.'
सूत उवाच। ब्राह्मणः सर्ववर्णानां गुरुरेव द्विजोत्तम । सर्वामराश्रयो ज्ञेयः साक्षान्नारायणः प्रभुः
Suta said: 'The Brahmin is the guru of all classes, O best of twice-born; he should be known as the refuge of all the gods, the Lord Narayana himself.'
कुर्यात्प्रणामं यो विप्रं हरिबुद्ध्या तु भूसुरम् । भक्त्या तस्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ वर्द्धते संपदादिकम्
Whoever offers respect to a Brahmin, seeing him as an earthly god with the intellect fixed on Hari, his prosperity and all good things increase through devotion.
न नमेद्ब्राह्मणं दृष्ट्वा हेलयापि च गर्वितः । छेदनं तु तस्य शिरः कर्तुमिच्छेत्सदा हरिः
One who, out of pride, does not bow even negligently upon seeing a Brahmin—Hari always desires to cut off his head.
कृतापराधं विप्रं ये द्विषंति पापबुद्धयः । हरिं द्विषंति ते ज्ञेया निरयं यांति दारुणम्
Those wicked-minded ones who hate a Brahmin who has committed an offense—they should be known as hating Hari and go to a terrible hell.
यः कर्तुं प्रार्थनां विप्रं पश्येत्क्रोधेन चागतम् । कृतांतश्चक्षुषोस्तस्य तप्तसूचीं ददाति वै
Whoever sees a Brahmin come in anger to ask for something, Death himself gives him a heated needle in his eyes.
कुरुते भूसुरं मूढो भर्त्सनं यो नराधमः । यमदूता मुखे तस्य तप्तलोहं ददंति च
The fool among men who insults an earthly god—the messengers of Yama put heated iron into his mouth.
येषां निकेतने भुंक्ते क्ष्मासुरो वै तपोधनः । सुपर्वाणैः स्वयं कृष्णो भुंक्ते तेषां निकेतने
In whose house the ascetic Brahmin eats, on auspicious days Krishna himself eats in their house.
नश्यंति सर्वपापानि द्विजहत्यादिकानि च । कणमात्रं भजेद्यस्तु विप्रांघ्रिसलिलं नरः
All sins, including the killing of a Brahmin, are destroyed; even if a man worships with just a drop of water from the Brahmin's feet.
यो नरश्चरणौधौतं कुर्याद्धस्तेन भक्तितः । द्विजातेर्वच्मि सत्यं ते स मुक्तः सर्वपातकैः
Whoever, with devotion, washes the feet of a twice-born with his own hands—truly, I tell you, he is freed from all sins.
पुत्रहीना च या नारी मृतवत्सा च यांगना । सपुत्रा जीववत्सा सा द्विजपद्मांघ्रिसेवनात्
A woman without children, or one whose child has died, through serving the lotus feet of a twice-born, becomes a mother of living sons.
ब्रह्मांडे यानि तीर्थानि तानि तीर्थानि सागरे । उदधौ यानि तीर्थानि तिष्ठंति द्विजपादयोः । द्विजांघ्रिसलिलैर्नित्यं सेचितं यस्य मस्तकम्
All the holy places in the universe, and those in the ocean, are present at the feet of a twice-born; whoever's head is daily sprinkled with water from a twice-born's feet—
स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु स मुक्तः सर्वपातकैः । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम्
He is as if bathed in all the sacred waters and freed from all sins. Listen, O Shaunaka, I will tell you the greatness that destroys sin.
विप्रपादोदकस्याहमितिहासं तपोधन । आसीत्पुरा द्विजश्रेष्ठ वैश्यवृत्तिपरायणः
O ascetic, I will recount the legend of the water from a Brahmin's feet. Long ago, there was a foremost Brahmin devoted to the livelihood of a merchant.
शूद्रो भीमो द्वापरे च ब्रह्महत्यासहस्रकृत् । निष्ठुरः सर्वदा तुष्टः समहान्वैश्यया पुनः
There was a Shudra named Bhima in the Dvapara age, who had committed a thousand Brahmin-murders; he was always cruel, yet content, and again took up the ways of a great merchant.
शूद्राचारपरिभ्रष्टो भीमोऽसौ गुरुतल्पगः । प्रत्येकं वच्मि किं तस्य दस्योः संख्या न विद्यते
Bhima, fallen from Shudra conduct, committed the sin of approaching his teacher's wife; I tell you, there is no counting the crimes of that bandit.
पापानां मुनिशार्दूल भीमस्य दुष्टचेतसः । एकदा स गतः कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशनम्
O tiger among sages, among the sins of wicked-minded Bhima, once he went to the house of a Brahmin.
गत्वा तं तस्य गेहात्तु द्रव्यं नेतुं मनो दधे । तत्रोवास ब्राह्मणस्य बहिर्द्वारसमीपतः
Having gone there, he resolved to steal the Brahmin's property; he stayed near the outer door of the Brahmin's house.
दैन्ययुक्तं वचः प्राह क्ष्मासुरं स तपोधनम् । भो स्वामिन्शृणु मे वाक्यं दयालुरिव मन्यते
Afflicted by misery, he spoke humble words to the ascetic Brahmin: 'O master, listen to my words, and consider me as if I were worthy of your compassion.'
क्षुधार्तोऽहं देहि चान्नं प्राणा यास्यंति मे द्रुतम्
'I am hungry; give me food, for my life will soon depart.'
ब्राह्मण उवाच- क्षुधार्त्त शृणु मे कश्चिद्वाक्यं कर्तुं न विद्यते । पाकं मे तंडुलानि त्वं नीत्वा भुंक्ष्व यथासुखम्
The Brahmin said: 'Hungry one, listen to me—there is nothing I can do. Take my rice and cook it; eat as you please.'
नास्ति मे जनको माता नास्ति सूनुः सहोदरः । नास्ति जाया मातृबंधुर्मृताः सर्वे विहाय माम्
'I have no father or mother, no son or brother; I have no wife or maternal kin—all have died, leaving me alone.'
तिष्ठाम्येको गृहेऽकर्मा भाग्यहीनोतिथे हरिः । एको मे वसतौ चास्ति न जाने तद्विना किल
'I remain alone in the house, without work, bereft of fortune and guests, O Hari. Only one thing remains with me in this dwelling; I do not know what will happen without it.'
भीम उवाच।मम कश्चिद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ नास्ति सेवां तवापि च । शूद्रोऽहं निलये जात्या कृत्वा स्थास्यामि ते सदा
Bhima said: 'O best of twice-born, I have no service to offer you. I am a Shudra by birth, but I will remain in your house, serving you always.'
सूत उवाच।इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सानंदः क्ष्मासुरस्तदा । पाकं विधाय तूर्णं स ददावन्नं तपोधन
Suta said: Hearing his words, the ascetic Brahmin was delighted; he quickly prepared the food and gave it to him.