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.
एकदा जनको राजा योगेनासून्समत्यजत् । तदा विमानं संप्राप्तं किंकिणीजालभूषितम्
Once, King Janaka abandoned his life through yoga; at that time, a celestial chariot adorned with networks of small bells arrived.
तदारुह्य गतो राजा सेवकैरूढदेहवान् । मार्गे जगाम धर्मस्य संयमिन्याः पुरोंऽतिके
Then, ascending it, the king—still bearing his body, attended by servants—traveled along the path of righteousness, approaching the abode of Yama.
तदा नरककोटीषु पीड्यंते पापकारिणः । जनकस्यांगपवनं प्राप्य सौख्यं प्रपेदिरे
At that time, in the multitude of hells, those who committed evil acts were suffering; but upon receiving the touch of Janaka’s bodily wind, they attained happiness.
निरये दाहजापीडा जातैषां सुखकारिणी । महादुःखं तदा नष्टं जनकस्यांगवायुना
In hell, the torment of burning pain became, for them, a source of comfort; their great suffering was then destroyed by the wind from Janaka’s body.
तदा तं निर्गतं दृष्ट्वा जंतवः पापपीडिताः । अत्यंतं चुक्रुशुर्भीतास्तद्वियोगमनिच्छवः
Then, seeing him depart, the beings afflicted by sin cried out in great distress, unwilling to be separated from him.
ऊचुस्ते करुणां वाचं मा गच्छ सुकृतिन्नितः । त्वदंगवायुसंस्पर्शात्सुखिनः स्यामपीडिताः
They spoke words of compassion: 'Do not go, O virtuous one! By the touch of the wind from your body, we who are tormented have become happy.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य राजा परमधार्मिकः । मानसे चिंतयामास करुणापूरपूरितः
Hearing these words, the king of supreme righteousness, filled with a flood of compassion, began to reflect in his mind.
चेन्मत्तः प्राणिनां सौख्यं भवेदिह तदा पुनः । अत्रैव च पुरे स्थास्ये स्वर्ग एष मनोरमः
'If, because of me, happiness comes to living beings here, then I shall remain in this very place; this delightful city is my heaven.'
एवं कृत्वा नृपस्तस्थौ तत्रैव निरयाग्रतः । विदधत्प्राणिनां सौख्यमनुकंपितमानसः
Having resolved thus, the king remained there, right before the gates of hell, granting happiness to living beings, his mind filled with compassion.
तत्र धर्मस्तु संप्राप्तो निरयद्वारि दुःखदे । कारयन्यातनास्तीव्रा नानापातककारिणाम्
There, Dharma arrived at the painful gate of hell, inflicting severe punishments on those who committed various sins.