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.
सोऽपि हर्षसमायुक्तस्तस्थौ तत्र द्विजालये । सेवां कुर्वन्स्नेहयुक्तां भूसुरस्य मनोहराम्
He too, filled with joy, stayed there in the Brahmin's house, performing loving and pleasing service for the earth-born one.
अद्य श्वो वा हनिष्यामि द्रव्यमस्य ममापि च । नेतुं यदा करिष्यामि नेष्यामि नात्र संशयः
'Today or tomorrow I will kill him and take his wealth—whenever I get the chance, I will take it, there is no doubt about this.'
परामृश्य च हृद्यंतः कृत्वा तस्य क्रियां वदेत् । पादधौतादिकं चासौ शिरसा गतपातकः
After reflecting within the heart, one should perform the prescribed act for him and speak; having washed the feet and so on, he, freed from sin, should bow his head.
आचम्यांघ्रिजलं दध्रेच्छद्मना प्रतिदिनं द्विजः । एकदा हारकः कश्चिद्द्रव्यं नेतुं समागतः
A twice-born should, each day, take the water used for washing the feet and sip it in secret; once, a thief came to steal some property.
उत्पाट्य रात्रावररं गतोऽसौ तद्गृहांतरम् । दृष्ट्वा भीमं प्रहारार्थं दंडहस्तः समागतः
Having uprooted the door-bar at night, he entered that house; seeing a terrifying figure approaching with a staff to strike, he was confronted.
हारको मस्तकं तस्य छित्त्वा तूर्णं पलायितः । अथ तस्य भटा विष्णोः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
The thief quickly cut off his head and fled; then the attendants of Vishnu, bearing conch, discus, and mace, arrived.
समायातास्तथा नेतुं भीमं तं वीतकिल्बिषम् । स्यंदनं चागतं दिव्यं राजहंसयुतं द्विज
They came to take that sinless man, and a divine chariot drawn by royal swans arrived, O twice-born.
तत्रारूढो ययौ विष्णोर्भवनं दुर्लभं किल । माहात्म्यं भूमिदेवस्य मया ते तत्प्रकीर्तितम् । शृणुयाद्यो नरो भक्त्या तस्य पातकनाशनम्
Mounted there, he went to the rare abode of Vishnu; thus I have described to you the greatness of the earth-god. Whoever hears this with devotion, his sins are destroyed.
शौनक उवाच। कथयस्व महाभाग माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम् । एकादश्याः फलं किं वा किल्बिषं स्यादकुर्वतः
Shaunaka said: O greatly fortunate one, tell me the greatness that destroys sin, and what is the fruit of Ekadashi, or what sin arises for one who does not observe it?
सूत उवाच। एकादश्यास्तु माहात्म्यं किमहं वच्मि सांप्रतम् । श्रुत्वा चैकादशीनाम यमदूताश्च शंकिताः
Suta said: What can I now say about the greatness of Ekadashi? Having heard of the Ekadashis, even the messengers of Yama are afraid.