प्रज्वाल्य वह्निं घृततैलसिक्तं प्रदक्षिणावर्तशिखं स्वकाले । प्रविश्य दग्धः किल भावदुष्टो न स्वर्गमाप्नोति फलं न चान्यत्
One who, at the proper time, lights a fire soaked with ghee and oil, with flames circling to the right, and enters it and is burned, if his intent is impure, does not attain heaven or any other fruit.
श्रद्धत्स्वभूप तस्मात्त्वं माधवस्य फलं प्रति । स्वल्पं चापि शुभं कर्म विकर्मशतनाशनम्
Therefore, O King, have faith in the fruit of Madhava; even a little good deed destroys hundreds of sinful acts.
यथा हरेर्नामभयेन भूप नश्यंति सर्वे दुरितस्य वृंदाः । नूनं रवौ मेषगते विभाते स्नानेन तीर्थे च हरिस्तवेन
Just as, O King, by the fear of Hari's name, all hosts of sins are destroyed, surely, when the sun enters Aries at dawn, by bathing at a holy place and by praise of Hari—
तेजसा वैनतेयस्य पाप्मानः पन्नगा इव । विद्रवंति च वैशाखस्नानेनोषसि निश्चितम्
—sins flee, just as serpents scatter before the radiance of Garuda, certainly by bathing at dawn in Vaiśākha.
गंगायां नर्मदायां वा स्नात्वा मेषगते रवौ । पापप्रशमनस्तोत्रं यः पठेद्भक्तिभावतः
Whoever, with devotion, recites the hymn that removes sins after bathing in the Gaṅgā or Narmadā when the sun is in Aries—
एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिसंध्यमपि भूपते । स याति परमं स्थानं सर्वपापविवर्जितः
—whether once, twice, or at all three junctions of the day, O King, he attains the highest state, freed from all sins.
अंबरीष महत्पुण्यप्राप्तये कुरु वीक्षणम् । माधवेमासि वै स्नानं प्रातर्नियमसंस्थितः
Ambarīṣa, for the attainment of great merit, behold: in the month of Mādhava, perform the morning bath with proper observance.
यदानर्त्तपुरे प्रोक्तं वसतां वर्षकोटिभिः । तत्प्रातर्माधवे मासि स्नानेनैकेन लभ्यते
That which is said to be gained in Anarta city by dwelling there for millions of years is obtained by a single bath in the morning during the month of Mādhava.
इहार्थे यत्पुरावृत्तं तदाकर्णय भूपते । भार्यया सह संवादं देवशर्मद्विजन्मनः
Now hear, O King, what happened in the past for this very purpose: the conversation between the twice-born Devaśarmā and his wife.
रेवातीरे सुपुण्ये च तीर्थे चामरकंटके । कौशिकस्य सुतो जातो देवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः
On the blessed bank of the Revā, at the holy place Amarakaṇṭaka, was born Devaśarmā, the noble son of Kauśika.
धनपुत्रविहीनस्तु बहुदुःखसमन्वितः । दारिद्रेण सुदुःखेन सर्वदैवप्रपीडितः
Deprived of wealth and children, afflicted by many sufferings, he was always tormented by severe poverty and misery.
पुत्रोपायं धनस्यापि दिवारात्रौ प्रचिंतयेत् । एकदा तु प्रिया तस्य सुमना नाम सुव्रता
Day and night he pondered ways to obtain a son and wealth; once, his virtuous wife named Sumanā—
भर्तारं चिंतयोपेतमधोमुखमलक्षयत् । समालोक्य तदा कांतं तमुवाच यशस्विनी
—noticed her husband, lost in thought, his face cast down; seeing her beloved thus, the illustrious lady spoke to him.
दुःखजालैरसंख्यैस्तु तव चित्तं प्रकर्षितम् । व्यामोहेन प्रमूढोसि त्यज चिंतां महामते
Your mind is overwhelmed by countless nets of sorrow; you are bewildered by confusion—abandon worry, O wise one.
मम दुःखं समाचक्ष्व स्वस्थो भव सुखं व्रज । नास्ति चिंतासमं दुःखं कायशोषणमेव हि
Tell me your sorrow, be at ease, and find happiness; there is no suffering equal to worry, for it only emaciates the body.
तां संत्यज्य प्रवर्तेत स सुखेन प्रमोदते । चिंतायाः कारणं विप्र कथयस्व मम प्रभो
Abandoning it, one acts and rejoices in happiness; O brāhmaṇa, tell me the cause of your worry.
नारद उवाच-। प्रियावाक्यं स संश्रुत्य देवशर्मा महामतिः । उवाच वचनं प्रीतो दुःखितोऽपि सतीसखः
Nārada said: Hearing his beloved's words, Devaśarmā, wise though afflicted, replied with pleasure, companion of a faithful wife.
देवशर्मोवाच-। यत्त्वया चिंतितं भद्रे किंचिद्दुःखस्य कारणम् । तत्सर्वं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रुत्वा चैवावधार्यताम्
Devaśarmā said: Whatever you have thought, dear, as the cause of my sorrow, I will tell you all—listen and understand.
न जाने केन पापेन धनहीनोऽस्मि सुव्रते । तथा पुत्रविहीनोऽस्मि एतद्दुःखस्य कारणम्
I do not know by what sin, O virtuous one, I am deprived of wealth; likewise, I am without a son—this is the cause of my sorrow.
सुमनोवाच-। श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि सर्वसंदेहनाशनम् । स्वरूपमुपदेशस्य सर्वविज्ञानदर्शनम्
Sumanā said: Listen, I will tell you the true nature of the teaching that destroys all doubts and reveals all knowledge.
संतोष एव परमं पुण्यं सौख्यादिकारणम् । असंतोषः परं पापमित्याह भगवान्हरिः
Contentment alone is the highest virtue and the cause of happiness; discontent is the greatest sin—so declares the blessed Hari.
लोभः पापस्य बीजोऽयं मोहो मूलं च तस्य वै । असत्यं तस्य हि स्कंधो महाशाखा सुविस्तरात्
Greed is the seed of sin, and delusion is its root; falsehood is its trunk, and it spreads vast, great branches.
मदकौटिल्य पत्राणि कुबुद्ध्या पुष्पितः सदा । अनृतं तस्य सौगंध्यमज्ञानं फलमेव च
Intoxication and crookedness are its leaves, always blossoming with evil intent; falsehood is its fragrance, and ignorance is indeed its fruit.
कुड्यं पाषंडचौराश्च क्रूराः कूटाश्च पापिनः । पक्षिणो मोहवृक्षस्य महाशाखासमाश्रिताः
Heretics, thieves, the cruel, and the deceitful are the wicked birds that take shelter in the great branches of the tree of delusion.
अज्ञानं सुफलं तस्य रसो धर्मं फलस्य हि । भावोदकेन संवृद्धिस्तस्य श्रद्धा क्रतु प्रिया
Its well-ripened fruit is ignorance, and the sap of its fruit is unrighteousness; nourished by the water of disposition, its cherished ritual is faith.
अधर्मेषु रसस्तस्य उत्क्लेदैर्मधुरायते । तादृशैश्च फलैश्चैवसफलो लोभपादपः
Its sap is found in unrighteous acts, sweetened by excessive indulgence; and with such fruits, the tree of greed is fruitless.
तस्यच्छायां समाश्रित्य यो नरः परिवर्तते । फलानि तस्य सोऽश्नाति स्वपक्वानि दिनेदिने
Whoever takes refuge in its shade and moves about there, day by day eats the fruits that have ripened on it.
फलानां च रसेनापि अधर्मेण तु पोषितः । स संपुष्टो भवेन्मर्त्यः पतनाय प्रयच्छति
Even by the taste of its fruits, nourished by unrighteousness, a mortal who is thus fattened is led to downfall.
तस्माच्चिंतां परिश्रित्य स्वामि लोभं न कारयेत् । धनपुत्रकलत्राणां चिंतामेतां न कारयेत्
Therefore, having abandoned worry, one should not give rise to greed, O master; one should not foster such anxiety for wealth, children, or spouse.
यो हि विद्वान्नचेत्कांत मूर्खाणां पथमेव हि । मृषा चिंतयते नित्यं दिवारात्रौ विमोहितः
Indeed, the wise man, if he constantly worries like the foolish, is ever deluded, thinking falsely day and night.