भारद्वाजगृहं पुण्यमनंतगुणसेवितम् । रतिकंदर्पसंकाश दासीदासशतान्वितम्
The house of Bhāradvāja was holy, attended by endless virtues, radiant with passion and love, and filled with hundreds of maidservants and servants.
नानोपकरणोपेतं भारद्वाजगृहं शुभम् । तस्य चांतर्गतः सौधस्तत्रांतर्गृहवाटिकाः
The auspicious house of Bhāradvāja was equipped with various implements; inside were mansions and inner gardens.
अष्टौ तन्मध्यतो ह्येकं गृहं परमशोभनम् । चतुर्दिक्षु महादेव गृहप्रासादशोभितम्
Among eight houses in the center, one was supremely beautiful; in all four directions, O great god, it was adorned with mansions and palaces.
प्रतिदेवगृहं श्यामा तौर्य्यत्रिकसुशोभितम् । स्वर्गस्थितवरस्त्रीणां विश्रामायैव कल्पितम्
Each divine house was splendid with dark-skinned women and beautiful musical trios, made for the rest of the best women dwelling in heaven.
भारद्वाजगृहाद्रामो निर्गत्याशेषसंयुतः । तस्यैव च महागेहं वनमध्यगतं त्वगात्
Rama, accompanied by all, departed from Bharadvaja’s house and went to that great residence situated in the midst of the forest.
तदंतराच्छादितकंबलं तदा पृथक्स्थवस्त्रासनसंयुतं च । सिंहासनं मध्यगतं तथैकं मुन्यासनानेकगतं विवेश
There, in the center, he entered a lion-throne covered with a blanket within, furnished separately with cloth and seats, and also with many seats for sages.
पौराणिकस्यानुपमासनांतरं भूपालहर्यृक्षवरासनं च । पौराणिकं पूर्वमथोपवेश्य ततो वसिष्ठं मुनिपुंगवांश्च
He seated the Puranic reciter first on an incomparable seat, then the kings, monkeys, and bears on their respective seats, and after that, the foremost sages including Vasistha.
नारायणं भूमिपतीन्कपींश्च नीचासनं च स्वयमाससाद । मेघावृतं व्योमदिशः प्रसन्नाः सुपुष्पमुर्वीतलमुप्तबीजम्
Narayana, the kings, and the monkeys sat on lower seats, while he himself took his place; the directions of the sky were covered with clouds, the earth was bright, and seeds were sown in the well-flowered ground.
तदंगणं नोष्णमहो न शीतलं संतानपुष्पं दमपुष्पगंधि । शंभुं विलोक्याथ वचो बभाषे रामः कथां कीर्तय शंकरस्य
That courtyard was neither hot nor cold, fragrant with the scent of sandalwood and flowers of self-restraint; then, seeing Shambhu, Rama spoke: ‘Tell the story of Shankara.’
तृप्तिर्न जाता मुनिवर्य्य शृण्वतो माहेशमाख्यानमघौघनाशनम् । चकार किं वा ननु गौतमाश्रमे महेश्वरो देवगणाधिसंवृतः
O best of sages, though I listen to the account of Maheshvara, destroyer of heaps of sin, I am not satisfied; what did Maheshvara do at Gautama’s hermitage, surrounded by hosts of gods?
शिव उवाच- महाविपंचीमवलंब्य निष्ठितः स वायुसूनुः शिवमन्वपृच्छत् । न्यायार्जितैरेव हि पूजने विभोः कीदृग्भवेच्चानयजैः फलं वद
Shiva said— Leaning on the great vina, the son of Vayu asked Shiva: ‘By worship with wealth righteously obtained, O Lord, what kind of result is produced? Tell me.’
चौर्य्यैरथो किं फलमर्पितार्पणे उपाहृतद्रव्यसमर्पणेषु । एकैकशो मे भगवन्वदेश प्रश्नोत्तरं किं कथयाशु शंभो
And what result comes from offerings made with stolen goods, or with gifts brought by theft? Tell me each answer, O Lord, to my questions—speak quickly, O Shambhu.
अथेश्वरो वानरमाबभाषे वदामि सर्वं तव ध्यानतः शृणु । न्यायार्जितैः पूज्य सदाशिवं त्वजं संप्राप चैश्वर्यमिदं हि गौतमः
Then the Lord spoke to the monkeys: ‘I will tell you everything as you contemplate; listen. By worshiping Sadashiva with righteously obtained wealth, Gautama indeed attained this prosperity.’
पुरा द्विजो मंकणसूनुराकथः सुशोभनामाप सतीं द्विजन्मा । द्ररिद्र एकः करुणासमन्वितः षष्ठाहभोजी पितृवर्जितश्च
Long ago, a twice-born named Akatha, son of Mankan, who was called Sushobhana, obtained a wife; he was poor, full of compassion, ate once every six days, and was fatherless.
उपोष्य पंचाहमथापि भोक्तुं प्रवृत्त एवाथ समापतद्यतिः । यतिर्बभाषे मधुरं तदा कथं मासोपवासी तव भोक्तुमागतः
After fasting for five days, as he was about to eat, a mendicant arrived; the mendicant spoke sweetly: ‘How is it that, though you fast for a month, you have come to eat?’
तिष्ठामि भुंजे यदि चास्ति ते मुने न मे बुभुक्षान्यगृहाद्विभोक्तुम् । आकथ उवाच- न मे भुजिः पंचदिनं द्विजेंद्र षष्ठे दिने मे भुजिरागतश्च
‘I will stay and eat if you have, O sage; I have no hunger to eat elsewhere.’ Akatha said: ‘I have not eaten for five days, O best of twice-born, and on the sixth day my meal has come.’
तदा मया कार्यमचिंतनीयं प्रक्षालयाम्येहि तवाद्य पादौ । ओमित्यथ क्षालितपादयुग्मः स भोजनं कर्तुमियेष योगी
Then I must do what is proper; come, let me wash your feet today. Thus, after washing the pair of feet with ‘Om’, the yogi wished to take food.
रंभादलांसे बुभुजे तदन्नं विपाच्य संपादितमाज्ययुक्तम् । वन्यैः सुसंयुक्तमथादरेण न किंचिदुच्छेषितमन्नमस्य
He ate that food, prepared with ghee and wild vegetables, on a plantain leaf, with great respect, leaving nothing uneaten.
अथाकथो वीक्ष्य मुनिं सुतुष्टं तुतोष भार्य्यासहितस्तपस्वी । गतोऽथ भुक्त्वापि यतिः स चाकथः संतुष्टचित्तोऽथ जपं चकार
Seeing the sage pleased, Akatha, together with his wife, was satisfied; after eating, the mendicant departed, and Akatha, his mind content, engaged in recitation.
कपोतवृत्तिं स चकार पत्न्या तपोवितानायस सज्जनो मुनिः । पीठेऽथ कृत्वा तमुमापतिं शिवं लिंगे समाराध्य समन्वितं गणैः
That virtuous sage, together with his wife, lived by the way of the dove, spreading austerity; then, placing a seat, he worshiped Shiva, the Lord of Uma, in the form of a linga, attended by hosts.
लिंगं निधायाथ निरीक्षमाणो ददर्श चाज्ञातकृशाकृतिं द्विजम् । दिगंबरं पादविहीनमेतं काणं कुणिं कर्णविहीनकं प्रभुम्
Placing the linga and gazing upon it, he saw a Brahmin of unknown, emaciated form, naked, without feet, lame, crippled, without ears—a master.
सामोद्गिरं तं बहुशास्त्रपारगं गृहं समायांतमथो ददर्श
He saw him, uttering joy, learned in many scriptures, entering the house.
अथाकथो भार्यां सुशोभनामिदमुवाच
Then Akatha spoke these words to his beautiful wife.
अयं हि विकृतवेषो ब्राह्मणः समायाति
This Brahmin, in strange attire, is approaching.
अर्द्धं देयमेतस्मै भोजनं रक्षार्द्धमन्नं चास्मिन्नपि दिने गते षष्ठेह्नि भोजनाभावात्तव जीवितं न तिष्ठतीति मम प्रतीयते किं तु त्वं मन्यसे वद
Half of this food should be given to him, and half kept for protection; if this day passes, on the sixth day, for lack of food, your life will not remain—so it seems to me. But what do you think? Tell me.
सा शोभनोवाच- आयुर्ललाटे लिखितं नांतरा नश्यति
Shobhana replied: 'Lifespan is written on the forehead; it does not perish in the meantime.'
आकथ आह। यथा बद्धायुषोऽपि यज्ञस्य वीरभद्रेणच्छिन्नं शिर अजस्रात्मनः किमुत नु याणां पापात्मनामिति तदेनं परिहृत्य त्वया भुज्यते यदि त्वेतस्मै मयान्नं दीयते । तवेच्छानुसारतो मम कर्तव्यम्
Akatha said: 'Even for one whose lifespan is fixed, the head of Daksha was cut off by Virabhadra at the sacrifice; what then of those who are sinful? Therefore, if you avoid him and eat, you may live. But if I give this food to him, I must act according to your wish.'
भार्य्या प्राह कथमहं भोक्ष्ये त्वय्यभुक्ते मया किं पूर्वं भुक्तमिदमपरं शृणु
His wife said: 'How can I eat if you have not eaten? Have I ever eaten before you? Listen further.'
अन्नं हि प्राणिनां प्राणाः प्रत्यक्षं सर्वदेहिनाम् । तस्मादन्नप्रदो यस्तु प्राणदः स निगद्यते
Food is indeed the life of living beings, evident in all embodied creatures; therefore, the giver of food is called the giver of life.
अन्नाद्भूतानि जायंते वर्द्धंते तानि वै यतः । तस्मादन्नाधिकं किंचिन्नास्य दानं महाफलम्
From food, beings are born and by it they grow; therefore, there is no gift greater in merit than food.