अथ कोटिपरीवारो रघुनाथानुजस्ततः । हयानुगो ययौ तस्य पुरतः पुरधर्षणः
Then Shatrughna, the younger brother of Raghunātha, surrounded by countless followers, went ahead, following the horse and ready to conquer the city.
तद्दृष्ट्वा नगरं रम्यं चित्रप्राकारशोभितम् । कांचनैः कलशैस्तत्र परितः प्रतिभासितम्
Seeing that beautiful city, adorned with colorful ramparts and shining all around with golden spires,
देवायतनसाहस्रैः सर्वतश्च विराजितम् । यतीनां तु मठास्तत्र शोभंते यतिपूरिताः
Radiant on all sides with thousands of temples, and with monasteries filled with ascetics, it shone with the presence of holy men.
वहत्यत्र महादेवी शिखिलोचनमूर्धगा । हंसकारंडवाकीर्णामुनिवृंदनिषेविता
There, the great river flows, crowned with crested waves, filled with swans and cranes, and attended by groups of sages.
ब्राह्मणानां प्रत्यगारमग्निहोत्रभवः पुनः । धूमस्तत्र पुनात्यंग पातकाप्लुतमानसान्
At the homes of the Brahmins, the smoke from sacrificial fires rises, purifying even those whose minds are stained with sin.
उवाच सुमतिं राजा शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुतापनः । तत्पुरप्रेक्षणोद्भूतहर्षविस्मितमानसः
There, Shatrughna, the subduer of enemies, spoke to Sumati, his mind filled with wonder and joy at the sight of that city.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। मंत्रिन्कथय कस्येदं पुरं मे दृष्टिगोचरम् । करोति मानसाह्लादं धर्मेण प्रतिपालितम्
Shatrughna said: O minister, tell me whose city this is that has come into my view, which delights my heart and is governed by righteousness.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महीपतेः । उवाच सुमतिः सर्वं यथातथमनुद्धतम्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these words of King Shatrughna, Sumati replied, recounting everything as it was, without exaggeration.
सुमतिरुवाच। शृणुष्वावहितः स्वामिन्वैष्णवस्य कथाः शुभाः । याः श्रुत्वा मुच्यते पापाद्ब्रह्महत्यासमादपि
Sumati said: Listen attentively, master, to these auspicious tales of a devotee of Vishnu; hearing them, one is freed from sin, even from the guilt of killing a Brahmin.
जीवन्मुक्तो वरीवर्ति रामांघ्र्यंबुजषट्पदः । सत्यवान्यज्ञयज्ञांग ज्ञाता कर्ताऽविता महान्
He, liberated while living, a bee at the lotus feet of Rāma, truthful, a limb of sacrifice, a knower, doer, and great protector.
धेनुं प्रसाद्य बहुभिर्व्रतैर्यं प्राप तत्पिता । ऋतंभराख्यो जगति ख्यातः परमधार्मिकः
By pleasing the cow with many vows, his father obtained him; known in the world as Ṛtambhara, renowned for supreme righteousness.
गौः प्रसन्ना ददौ पुत्रमनेकगुणसंस्कृतम् । सत्यवंतं सुशोभाढ्यं तं जानीहि नृपोत्तमम्
The pleased cow gave him a son, endowed with many virtues, truthful and radiant; know him as the foremost of kings.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। को वा ऋतंभरो राजा किमर्थं धेनुपूजनम् । कथं प्राप्तः सुतस्तस्य वैष्णवो विष्णुसेवकः
Śatrughna said: Who indeed is King Ṛtambhara, and for what reason is the cow worshipped? How did his son become a devotee of Viṣṇu, a servant of Viṣṇu?
सर्वमेतत्समाचक्ष्व वैष्णवस्य कथानकम् । श्रुतं हरति जंतूनां महापातकपर्वतम्
Tell me all this in detail—the story of the Vaiṣṇava. Hearing it destroys the great mountain of sins for living beings.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महार्थकम् । कथयामास विशदं तदुत्पत्तिकथानकम्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these meaningful words of Śatrughna, he began to narrate clearly the story of that origin.
ऋतंभरो नरपतिरनपत्यः पुराऽभवत् । कलत्राणि बहून्यस्य न पुत्रं प्राप तेषु वै
Ṛtambhara, the king, was once without children; though he had many wives, he did not obtain a son from any of them.
तदा जाबालिनामानं मुनिं दैवादुपागतम् । प्रपच्छ कुशलोद्युक्तः सपुत्रोत्पत्तिकारणम्
Then, by destiny, a sage named Jābāli arrived; eager for success, the king asked him the means for obtaining a son.
ऋतंभर उवाच। स्वामिन्वंध्यस्य मे ब्रूहि पुत्रोत्पत्तिकरं वचः । यत्कृत्वा जायतेऽपत्यं मम वंशधरं वरम्
Ṛtambhara said: O revered one, tell me the means by which a childless man like me may obtain a son—a worthy heir to my lineage.
तज्ज्ञात्वा भवतो भव्यं प्रकुर्यां निश्चितं वचः । दानं व्रतं वा तीर्थं वा मखं वा मुनिसत्तम
Knowing this, I will certainly do what is auspicious, as you instruct—be it charity, a vow, a pilgrimage, or a sacrifice, O best of sages.
इति राज्ञोवचः श्रुत्वा जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । सुतोत्पत्तिकरं वाक्यं प्रणतस्य सुतार्थिनः
Hearing the king's words, the best of sages spoke the means for obtaining a son to the king, who had bowed and sought a child.
अपत्यप्राप्तिकामस्य संत्युपायास्त्रयः प्रभो । विष्णोः प्रसादो गोश्चापि शिवस्याप्यथवा पुनः
For one desiring a child, O lord, there are indeed three means: the grace of Viṣṇu, of the cow, or of Śiva.
तस्मात्त्वं कुरु वै पूजां धेनोर्देवतनोर्नृप । यस्याः पुच्छे मुखे शृंगे पृष्ठे देवाः प्रतिष्ठिताः
Therefore, O king, you should worship the cow, who is divine; in her tail, mouth, horns, and back, the gods are established.
सा तुष्टा दास्यति क्षिप्रं वांछितं धर्मसंयुतम् । एवं विदित्वा गोपूजां विधेहि त्वमृतंभर
If she is pleased, she will quickly grant your desired, righteous wish. Knowing this, O Ṛtambhara, perform the worship of the cow.
यो वै नित्यं पूजयति गां गेहे यवसादिभिः । तस्य देवाश्च पितरो नित्यं तृप्ता भवंति हि
He who daily worships the cow at home with barley and other offerings—the gods and ancestors of such a one are always satisfied.
यो वै गवाह्निकं दद्यान्नियमेन शुभव्रतः । तेन सत्येन तस्य स्युः सर्वे पूर्णा मनोरथाः
He who, with discipline and a pure vow, gives the daily portion to the cow—all his wishes are fulfilled by that truth.
तृषिता गौर्गृहे बद्धा गेहे कन्या रजस्वला । देवता च सनिर्माल्या हंति पुण्यं पुराकृतम्
A thirsty cow tied at home, a maiden in menstruation at home, and a deity with unoffered flowers—these destroy previously accumulated merit.
यो वै गां प्रतिषिद्ध्येत चरंतीं स्वं तृणं नरः । तस्य पूर्वे च पितरः कंपंते पतनोन्मुखाः
If a man prevents a cow from grazing her own grass, his ancestors of old tremble, facing a fall.
यो वै यष्ट्या ताडयति धेनुं मर्त्यो विमूढधीः । धर्मराजस्य नगरं स याति करवर्जितः
He who, with a stick, strikes a cow—such a foolish mortal goes to the city of Yama, deprived of his fingers.
यो वै दंशान्वारयति तस्य पूर्वे ह्यधोगताः । नृत्यंति मत्सुतो ह्यस्मांस्तारयिष्यति भाग्यवान्
He who wards off flies from the cow—his ancestors, who had fallen below, dance, saying: 'My fortunate descendant will deliver us.'
अत्रैवोदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । जनकस्य पुरावृत्तं धर्मराजपुरेऽद्भुतम्
Here I will recount an ancient legend, a wondrous event that once happened in the city of Dharma-rāja, concerning Janaka.