पार्वत्युवाच- भार्या पतीसमावेव विषमौ तु विगर्हितौ । तव चासदृशी चेयं सदृशीं प्रददाम्यहम्
Pārvatī said: 'A wife is equal to her husband; but the unsuitable are to be rejected. This one is not suitable for you; I shall give you a suitable one.'
न च मन्मंदिरे प्राप्तां त्यक्ष्ये देहविवर्ज्जिताम् । शोण उवाच- यदि नो दीयते चेयं भार्य्यामन्यां मम प्रियाम्
Nor will I abandon her, who has come to my abode, bereft of her body. Śoṇa said: 'If this dear wife is not given to me, but another—'
राज्यं महेश्वरे भक्तिं प्रयच्छ वरमुत्तमम् । भविष्यत्येव मे वैतदित्युक्त्वा चाब्रवीन्मुनीन्
Grant me devotion to Mahādeva as the highest boon, or sovereignty; this will indeed be for me.' Having said this, he spoke to the sages.
भोक्तव्यमिह युष्माभिर्ममास्मिन्दिवसत्रयम् । प्रतींदुवारे देवस्य महेशस्यैव तुष्टये
'For three days you must partake of food here with me, for the satisfaction of the Lord Maheśa at the Pratīndu vrata.'
भोजनीयाः सदा कालमष्टौ विप्रा मुनीश्वराः । इच्छया यत्र कुत्रापि व्रतमेतदुपक्रमेत्
'Eight Brāhmaṇa sages must always be fed at the proper time; wherever one wishes, this vow may be undertaken.'
वत्सरे परिपूर्णे तु महाराज तमीश्वरम् । चतुर्निष्कप्रमाणेन तदर्द्धेनैव कारयेत्
'When the year is complete, O great king, for that Lord, one should perform it with four niṣkas as measure, or with half that.'
श्वेतवस्त्रयुगं सूक्ष्मं चामरे व्यजने तथा । पादुकोपानहं च्छत्रं सर्वं विप्रे नियोजयेत्
'A pair of fine white garments, a yak-tail fan, and a fan likewise, footwear, sandals, and an umbrella—all these should be assigned to a Brāhmaṇa.'
स्वशक्त्या दक्षिणां दत्वा ब्राह्मणांश्च विसर्जयेत् । एतदुद्यापने कुर्यादादौ मध्ये तथा सुधीः
'Giving a gift according to one's ability, one should dismiss the Brāhmaṇas; in this observance, the wise should act at the beginning, in the middle, and likewise at the end.'
दिनेदिने तथा पूजा सोमस्य परमात्मनः
Day by day, thus is the worship of Soma, the Supreme Soul.
तत्पुरुषस्य विद्महे महादेवस्य धीमहि । तन्नो रुद्र प्रःचोदयात्
We contemplate that Purusha, we meditate on the great god; may that Rudra inspire us.
इति पूजामंत्रः । स्थंडिले पूजयेद्देवं प्रतिमायामथापि वा । एकभक्तं स्वयं कुर्याद्ब्रह्मचर्यसमन्वितम्
This is the worship mantra; one should worship the deity on a sacred spot or with an image, and should take a single meal oneself, accompanied by celibacy.
एतत्सोमव्रतं प्रोक्तं शिवतुष्टिप्रदं शुभम् । य एवं कुरुते भक्त्या नारी वा पुरुषोपि वा
This is declared to be the Soma vow, auspicious and pleasing to Shiva; whoever performs it with devotion, whether woman or man,
छायेव शंकरस्यासौ नित्यमेवानुवर्तते । अद्य सोमदिनं प्राप्तं मध्याह्नात्परतो भुजिः
Follows Shankara always, just like a shadow; today, the Soma day has arrived, after midday you may eat.
यूयं च सर्वे मुनयः कृतपौर्वाह्णिकक्रियाः । माध्याह्निकीं क्रिंयां कृत्वा भोक्तुमर्हथ सत्तमाः
And all of you sages, having performed the morning rites, after completing the midday ritual, you best ones are worthy to eat.
मातुर्वचनमाकर्ण्य तथेत्युक्त्वा नमस्य च । अनुष्ठानाय ते सर्वे गता भागीरथीं नदीम्
Hearing their mother's words, saying 'so be it' and bowing, they all went to the Bhagirathi river to perform the observance.
संगमे मध्यतो वृत्ते कृत्वा माध्याह्निकीं क्रियाम् । विश्वेशपूजां कृत्वा च षोडशैरुपचारकैः
When the midday conjunction occurred, having performed the midday rite, and having worshipped the Lord of the Universe with sixteen offerings,
अथ ते पार्वतीगेहं गत्वा देवीं प्रणम्य च । लोकमातुर्नियोगेन शालंकायनकात्मजः
Then, going to Parvati's house and bowing to the goddess, by the command of the Mother of the World, the son of Shalankayana
पादप्रक्षालनमुखानुपचारानकल्पयत् । पंचगंधकमादाय तान्मुनीनभ्यलेपयत्
Arranged the offerings beginning with washing of the feet; taking the fivefold fragrant paste, he anointed those sages.
राज्यं च महदाप्नोति यो दद्यात्पंचगंधकम् । पंचबाणसमो भूत्वा स्त्रीणां वल्लभतामियात्
Whoever gives the fivefold fragrant paste attains great sovereignty; becoming like Kama, he becomes beloved of women.
विष्णवे यो हि दद्यात्तु सोपि मारसमो भवेत् । कामीत्वकामी यः कुर्यात्कैलासे पंचवत्सरान्
Whoever gives it to Vishnu also becomes like Kama; one who practices desire or non-desire for five years on Kailasa,
सर्वगंधसमोपेतो भोगी चेष्टार्थसंयुतः । यथेष्टवर्तनो भूत्वा ततो जायेत भूमिपः
Endowed with all fragrances, enjoying pleasures and desired objects, living as he wishes, then becomes a king.
कस्तूरीचंदनं चंद्रमगरुद्वितयं तथा । पंचगंधं समाख्यातं सर्वकार्येषु शोभनम्
Musk, sandalwood, camphor, and the two kinds of agaru—these are called the fivefold fragrance, auspicious for all purposes.
विलिप्तपंचगंधेषु ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु । आसीनेषु तदाभ्यागाद्ब्राह्मणः स्थविरः कृशः
When the great-souled Brahmins, anointed with the fivefold fragrance, were seated, then there arrived an aged, emaciated Brahmin.
उन्मत्तवेषो दिग्वासा जराजर्ज्जरितस्त्वरी । खल्वाटः श्वासकासी च बहुहिक्की क्षुधान्वितः
With the appearance of a madman, clothed in the directions, worn out by old age, bald, wheezing and coughing, hiccuping much, afflicted by hunger.
लालास्नुतः श्मश्रुकूर्चश्लेष्मानम्रः स्खलत्पदः । द्व्यष्टवर्षा तथा नारी सर्वाभरणभूषिता
Drooling, with a tangled beard, bent by phlegm, stumbling in his steps; and a woman, twenty-eight years old, adorned with all ornaments,
रूपलावण्यसंयुक्ता लोकोत्कृष्टस्वरूपिणी । पुरुषान्रूपसंयुक्तान्वीक्षंती च ततस्ततः
Endowed with beauty and charm, of form surpassing the world, glancing here and there at men endowed with handsome appearance.
गायंती त्वथ नृत्यंती तं दृष्ट्वाह सती पतिम् । प्रबाधते वृद्धधवं शीघ्रमेहि कृशाधम
Then, as she sang and danced, seeing her husband, the virtuous woman spoke: 'Hurry, come quickly, you wretched, emaciated old man!'
आलंब्य त्वत्करं वृद्ध दुःखिता नित्यमस्म्यहम् । भूषणं वसनं घ्राणं स्रग्विलेपनमेव च
Clinging to your hand, O old one, I am always afflicted with sorrow; whether it is ornaments, clothing, fragrance, garlands, or ointments—
हासो गीतिस्तथा पानं मंडनं शोभनं गृहम् । सर्वऋतुसमृद्धिश्च कामस्यैवाभिवृद्धये
Laughter, song, drinking, adornment, a splendid house, and prosperity in every season—all these exist only to increase desire.
सर्वेषामेव कामानां रतिरेका प्रयोजनम् । सुखानि सर्वाण्येकत्र रतिरेकत्र च स्थिता
For all desires, pleasure is the one purpose; all enjoyments are gathered in one place, and pleasure is found there alone.