ब्रह्मविद्याप्रदातारं विशेषं ज्ञातिबंधुतः । तस्य पापानि सर्वाणि विलयं यान्त्यसंशयम्
Whoever gives the knowledge of Brahman, especially to relatives or kin, all their sins are certainly destroyed.
अथ श्रीशैलगमनं पूजकस्य महेशितुः । अतः कलौ मनुष्याणां पुराणं पापनाशनम्
Now, the journey to Śrīśaila for the worshipper of the great Lord—therefore, in the Kali age, the Purāṇa is the destroyer of sins for people.
पुरा कलियुगे राम वृत्तं संकीर्तये शृणु । आसीत्तु गौतमो नाम ब्राह्मणो वेदवर्जितः
Formerly, in the Kali age, O Rāma, I shall recount an event—listen: there was a brāhmaṇa named Gautama, devoid of Vedic learning.
तस्य पुष्टिः पशुश्चास्तां भ्रातरौ वेदवर्जितौ । ताभ्यां सह कृषिं चक्रे तत्र वृद्धिमवाप च
He had two brothers, also without Vedic knowledge, and together with them he engaged in agriculture and thereby prospered.
धनधान्यादिकं किंचिद्राजानं दत्तवानथ । उवाच वचनं किंचिदधिकारं निरूपय
He gave some wealth, grain, and other things to the king, and then spoke these words: 'Assign me an office.'
अर्थं न गमयिष्यामि तौ शक्तौ भ्रातरौ मम । राजोवाच- ब्राह्मणस्याधिकारो हि वैदिके धर्मकर्मणि
'I will not pursue wealth; my two brothers are capable.' The king said: 'A brāhmaṇa's proper role is in Vedic rites and duties.'
तदन्यत्र नियुक्तस्य ब्राह्मण्यं विप्रणश्यति । गौतम उवाच- युगेष्वन्येषु धर्मोयं कलिधर्मो न तादृशः
If a brāhmaṇa is employed elsewhere, his brāhmaṇahood is lost. Gautama said: 'In other ages, this was the law; in Kali, it is not so.'
भूपति त्वं हि भूपाल नृपाणां धर्म उच्यते । ब्राह्मणश्च परिक्षीणस्तं कुर्वन्नैव दुष्यति
O king, you are the lord of men; the king's duty is declared thus. If a brāhmaṇa is destitute, he does not incur fault by acting so.
शूद्राणां तु कृषिर्द्धर्मो नापद्यप्यग्रजन्मनः । तस्मात्क्षत्त्रेण वर्तिष्ये ग्रामान्मम समादिश
For śūdras, agriculture is their duty, but not even in distress for one of higher birth. Therefore, I will live by the kṣatriya's role; assign me villages.
अन्यत्र चात्र क्षत्त्रेण वर्तनं मम रोचते । अन्यन्न तु तथेत्युक्तो ददौ ग्रामान्द्विजन्मनः
Otherwise, I prefer to live by the kṣatriya's role here; if not, so be it.' Thus addressed, the king gave villages to the twice-born.
ग्रामाधिकारदुष्टस्य वर्तनं त्वन्यथाभवत् । अभक्षि मांसं चापायि सुरा चाभाषि दुर्वचः
But, having authority over the villages, his conduct became otherwise: he ate forbidden meat, drank liquor, and spoke harsh words.
परयोषा तथा गामि परस्वं प्रत्यहारि च । अक्रीडि द्यूतमसकृत्कलंजं चादि दुर्भुजा
He consorted with others' wives, took others' wealth daily, repeatedly gambled, and ate improper food.
नापूजि जगतामीशः शिवो वा विष्णुरेव वा । एवं कालेन दुर्वृत्तं राजा वाक्यमभाषत
He did not worship the Lord of the worlds, whether Śiva or Viṣṇu. Thus, as time passed in wickedness, the king spoke these words.
विप्र विप्रत्वमुत्सृज्य शूद्रत्वं प्राप्तवानसि । तस्मान्नियोगधर्मेण भवंतं भ्रंशयामि च
'Brāhmaṇa, having abandoned your brāhmaṇa status, you have become like a śūdra. Therefore, by this official duty, I dismiss you.'
मास्तु विप्रत्वमद्यैव शूद्रतैव वरं मम । तदृते यदि विप्रास्ते न भोक्ष्यंति वरं मम
'Let there be no brāhmaṇahood for me from today; being a śūdra is better for me. If the brāhmaṇas do not accept, I prefer not to partake.'
न हि सर्वमिदं त्यक्तुं शक्तोहं पृथिवीपते । शंभुरुवाच- एवं वदति दुर्विप्रे राजा तूष्णीमतिष्ठत
'O lord of the earth, I am not able to renounce all this.' Śaṃbhu said: 'As the wicked brāhmaṇa spoke thus, the king remained silent.'
स तु वै शूद्रतुल्यश्च बुभुजेन्नं सहामिषम् । कदाचिदथ दुर्वृत्तः प्रतोलीमंडपस्थितः
He, now like a śūdra, ate food with meat. Once, that wicked man stood in the city pavilion.
द्विजेन पठ्यमानं तु पद्यं तु श्रुतवानिदम् । हृदये पद्यमेतत्तु द्विजेरितमतिष्ठत
He heard a brāhmaṇa reciting a verse there; that verse, uttered by the brāhmaṇa, he kept in his heart.
परात्परतरं यांति नारायणपरायणाः । न ते तत्र गमिष्यंति ये द्विषंति महेश्वरम्
Those devoted to Nārāyaṇa attain that which is higher than the highest; but those who harbor hatred for Maheśvara will not reach there.
व्याख्यानमपि च श्रुत्वा पौराणिकमभाषत । कीदृङ्नारायणः प्रोक्तः कीदृशोपि महेश्वरः
Having heard even the Purāṇic explanation, he spoke: 'How is Nārāyaṇa described? And what is said of Maheśvara?'
किं परं त्वयनं प्रोक्तं द्वेषः कीदृगुदाहृतः । किं तत्परमिति ख्यातं ततः परतरं च किम्
'What is called the supreme? What is this 'ayana' that is spoken of? What kind of hatred is mentioned? What is known as the supreme, and what is beyond even that?'
पौराणिक उवाच- परं तद्ब्रह्मणः स्थानं सुखव्यक्तैकलक्षणम् । ततः परतरं विष्णोर्द्धाम तद्ब्रह्मणोधिकम्
The Purāṇika said: 'That supreme is the abode of Brahman, characterized by manifest bliss alone; beyond that is the realm of Viṣṇu, which surpasses even Brahman.'
अविनाशितया तत्तु कीर्तितं परमं पदम् । तन्मध्ये पुरुषो विष्णुस्तदंग परमं विभुः
That is declared to be the supreme state, imperishable; in its midst is the Person, Viṣṇu, whose limbs are supreme and all-pervading.
आपो हि नरजन्मत्वान्नाराः प्रोक्ता मनीषिभिः । नाराश्चास्यायनं यस्मात्तेन नारायणः स्मृतः
Because waters (nāra) are said by the wise to be the origin of man, and because his abode is in the waters, he is therefore remembered as Nārāyaṇa.
तत्परं वर्तनं येषां ते प्रोक्तास्तत्परायणाः । महदादीनि तत्वानि यानि तेषां य ईश्वरः
Those whose supreme course is that are called devoted to the supreme; he is the Lord of the principles beginning with Mahat and the rest.
सूर्याग्निशशिनेत्रोऽसौ महेशः स्यादुमापतिः । द्वेषो हि वैरं विज्ञेयमीश्वरे परमात्मनि
That great Lord, the husband of Umā, is said to have the sun, fire, and moon as his eyes; know that hatred towards the Lord, the Supreme Self, is enmity.
शंभुरुवाच- एवं पुराणभट्टेन समीरितमिदं वचः । चिंतयन्पुनरप्याह मादृशस्य कथं गतिः
Śambhu said: 'Thus was this statement made by the Purāṇic teacher; reflecting on it, I again asked: What is the destiny for one such as myself?'
पौराणिकोऽथ तं प्राह शृणु वक्ष्यामि ते गतिम् । कुरु सर्वेण यत्नेन प्रायश्चित्तं यथाविधि
Then the Purāṇika said to him: 'Listen, I will tell you your path; perform atonement with all effort, according to the prescribed rules.'
धर्मं चर यथाशक्ति यथाकालं यथाविधि । विमुक्तपापः पश्चात्त्वमुत्तमां गतिमेष्यसि
Practice righteousness according to your ability, at the proper time and as prescribed; freed from sin, you will then attain the highest state.
पुराणमथवा नित्यं शृणुष्वावहितश्च सन् । निराशो वा महेशानं पूजयस्व पिनाकिनम्
Or, always listen attentively to the Purāṇa; or, being free from desire, worship Maheśāna, the wielder of the pināka bow.