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.
देवं वा पुंडरीकाक्षं केशवं क्लेशनाशनम् । संन्यासमथवा नित्यं ब्रह्मज्ञानपरो भव
Or worship the lotus-eyed Lord, Keśava, the destroyer of suffering; or always be devoted to knowledge of Brahman, embracing renunciation.
अथवा गच्छ काशीशं मुक्तौ वा मृतिमाप्नुहि । गयां वा गच्छ तत्र त्वं श्राद्धं कर्तुं प्रयत्नतः
Or go to Kāśī, the Lord of the city, and attain liberation or death; or go to Gayā and there diligently perform the śrāddha rite.
अथवा सर्ववेदानां सारं पातकनाशनम् । रुद्रं रुद्रप्रियकरं जप प्रत्यहमादरात्
Or, recite with reverence every day Rudra, the essence of all the Vedas, destroyer of sins, and dear to Rudra.
श्रीशैलमथवा गच्छ केदारमथवेच्छया । अथवा प्रतिवर्षे तु माघस्नानं प्रवर्तय
Or go to Śrīśaila or to Kedāra, as you wish; or, each year, undertake the Māgha bath.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन धर्मभक्तः सदा भव । नैवं नरकवासस्ते भविता तु द्विजाधम
What need is there of many words here? Always be devoted to righteousness; then, O lowest of twice-born, you will not have to dwell in hell.
गौतम उवाच- श्रुत्वा सर्वं करिष्यामि पुराणं भवतो मुखात् । शास्त्रं विश्वासहेतुं च वर्जं चापि वदस्व मे
Gautama said: 'Having heard all this, I will do as you have said from the Purāṇa; tell me also what is to be accepted as authoritative scripture and what is to be avoided.'
पौराणिक उवाच- वर्ज्यं मांसं सुराऽन्यस्त्री भोगो द्यूतं विकत्थनम् । पारुष्यमनृतं माया देवदेवविनिंदनम्
The narrator said: Meat, liquor, enjoyment with other women, gambling, boasting, harshness, falsehood, deceit, and reviling the Lord of gods are to be avoided.
गुरूणां सुरवृद्धानां पुराणस्मृतिभाषिणाम् । निंदनं श्वेतवृंताकं कृतकालाबुवर्तनम्
Reviling teachers, the venerable gods, those who speak of the Purāṇas and Smṛtis, as well as the white brinjal and acting against the proper times, are also to be avoided.
बीजपूरं कुसुंभं च लोहितं शृंगमेव च । अररुं नालिकेरं च कूष्मांडकं तथैव च
Citron, safflower, anything red, sexual intercourse, araru, coconut, and likewise gourd are to be avoided.
कोविदारफलं तैलपक्वं मानवजं पयः । वार्ध्रीणस खरी दुग्धं सूतिका क्षीरमाविकम्
Bilva fruit, oil-cooked food, human milk, camel’s milk, donkey’s milk, milk of a woman after childbirth, and sheep’s milk are to be avoided.