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.
अश्वत्थचलपत्राग्र लीनतोयद्रवास्तिके । जीवितेन हि यो दद्यात्तस्य जन्म निरर्थकम्
If one gives food with his very life, like water clinging to the tip of a trembling leaf of the ashvattha tree, his birth is not in vain.
परलोकसहायो हि धर्मो भार्या न बांधवाः । भार्य्या वा पितरौ पुत्रा यावदायुर्न बांधवाः
Dharma alone is the companion in the next world, not wife nor relatives; wife, parents, and sons are not companions beyond one's lifespan.
संपद्वयः सुहृदिह इहामुत्र हि तं स्थितम् । धर्मं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठं भुंक्ते चान्ये किमावयोः
Wealth and friends remain here and hereafter with the righteous; the best of the virtuous enjoy dharma, but what of us two?
इति भार्य्यावचः श्रुत्वा आकथः करुणानिधिः । अविशंकितमेवास्मै दत्तवानन्नमूर्ज्जितम् । अयं स शंकरो देवो नानाकरणमागतः
Hearing his wife's words, Akatha, full of compassion, gave the nourishing food to him without hesitation, for this was Shiva himself come in another form.
इति निश्चित्य मनसा तस्यांगं पापनाशनम्
Thinking thus in his mind, he touched that body, which destroys sin.
आजानुपादं प्रक्षाल्य परा जंघमतः परम् । गुल्फं च तदधस्तस्य प्रक्षाल्याचामय द्द्विजम्
He washed the feet up to the knees, then the lower legs, and after washing the ankles and what was below, he offered water for sipping to the Brahmin.
अथाकथोऽपि पत्संधिं गृहांगणमुपानयत् । उन्मुच्य पादसंधिं स निषसादार्पितासने
Then Akatha brought the Brahmin to the house courtyard, loosened his feet, and seated him on the offered seat.
समभ्यर्च्याकथः सम्यग्भोजयामास तं मुनिम् । एतस्मिन्नंतरे कश्चिदुन्मत्तो गृहमागतः
Having properly honored him, Akatha served food to that sage; meanwhile, a certain madman entered the house.
पादसंधिमथादाय गृहबाह्यमुपानयत् । अथादहच्च तद्गेहं दंपती चाप्यताडयत् 5.117.
Seizing the Brahmin's feet, he dragged him outside the house, then set the house on fire and struck the couple.
आकथस्ताडितो विप्रो दह्यमानं गृहं तदा । विवेश देवमीशानमादातुं तूर्णमेव वा
Beaten, Akatha the Brahmin then entered the burning house quickly, to retrieve the Lord.
अथादाय महेशानं दग्धपूजं द्विजोत्तमः । निर्गत्य च ततो दृष्ट्वा मुखसंतापमेव च
Then, taking the burnt offering to Maheshvara, the eminent Brahmin departed; seeing this, he felt only distress in his heart.
दग्धपूजां तिरस्कृत्य वीक्ष्य दग्धांगमप्युत । भार्यामुवाच धर्मात्मा यथापूजा महेशितुः
Having disregarded the burnt offering and seeing even his own body scorched, the righteous one spoke to his wife as he had worshipped Maheshvara.
तथा मम समस्तांगं कर्त्तव्यमविशंकितम् । व्यंग उवाच- पश्चादपि कृता पूजा सफला ते भविष्यति
In the same way, without hesitation, my entire body must be offered; Vyanga said: Even if the worship is performed later, it will bear fruit for you.
यथान्यद्रव्यदहने तादृशं दीयते जनैः । पूजाया दहने तद्वत्पूजास्य क्रियतामिति
Just as, when other materials are burned, something similar is given by people, so too, when the worship is burned, let the worship of this one be performed likewise.
आकथ उवाच- चौर्येणाप्यर्जितैर्द्रव्यैः पूजया न हितं भवेत् । न चान्यायार्ज्जितैर्विप्र शंभोः पूजा शुभप्रदा
Akatha said: Worship performed with wealth acquired by theft is not beneficial; nor, O Brahmin, does worship of Shambhu with unjustly obtained wealth bring auspicious results.
इत्युक्त्वा चाकथस्तूर्णं स्वांगं दग्धुमुपाक्रमत् । दग्धं लिंगं तदोन्मत्तो गृहीत्वांतर्दधे क्षणात्
Having said this, Akatha quickly began to burn his own body; taking the burnt linga, he became mad and disappeared in an instant.
अथ व्यंगो हरो भूत्वा वारयामास चाकथम् । किमर्थं खिद्यते विप्र वरदोऽहं वरं वृणु
Then Vyanga, having become Hara, restrained Akatha and said: Why are you distressed, O Brahmin? I am the giver of boons; choose a boon.
आकथोऽपि विभोः पादे भक्तिं वव्रे सुनिश्चलाम् । सूत उवाच- एतां श्रुत्वा कथां रामः प्रहृष्टो मुनिभिर्वृतः
Akatha requested unwavering devotion at the feet of the Lord; Suta said: Hearing this story, Rama was delighted, surrounded by sages.
भारद्वाजं नमस्कृत्य प्रयाणाज्ञामयाचत
He bowed to Bharadvaja and asked for permission to depart.
अथो भरद्वाजमुनिः प्रसन्नः शंभुं वसिष्ठं मुनिपुंगवं च । नारायणं चर्षिगणांश्च नत्वा व्यसर्जयत्तेऽपि ययुः प्रणम्य
Then the sage Bharadvaja, pleased, bowed to Shambhu, to Vasistha, the foremost sage, to Narayana, and to the hosts of sages, and dismissed them; they too departed after offering obeisance.