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.
नैमिषीया ऊचुः - गत्वायोध्यां महातेजाः समस्तमुनिसंयुतः । किं चकार ततो रामः स च शंभुर्महायशाः
The Naimishiyas said: Having gone to Ayodhya, the great and radiant one, accompanied by all the sages, what did Rama do then, and what did the illustrious Shambhu do?
सूत उवाच- कौसल्या मासिकश्राद्धमपरेऽहनि राघवः । चिकीर्षुर्द्विजप्रवरानृषिकल्पान्न्यमंत्रयत्
Suta said: On another day, Raghava wished to perform the monthly shraddha for Kausalya and summoned the foremost Brahmins, who were like sages.
शंभुं समस्तत्त्वज्ञं नारदं रोमशं भृगुम् । विश्वामित्रमथो राम एकभक्तव्रती ततः
He invited Shambhu, knower of all truths, Narada, Romasha, Bhrigu, and Vishvamitra; then Rama, steadfast in devotion, did so.
भूमौ सुखास्तृतायां च सुष्वापा व्याकुलेंद्रियः । परेद्युरथ संप्राप्ते प्रातःस्नात्वा विधानवित्
On a bed spread comfortably on the ground, he slept, his senses troubled; when the next day arrived, he bathed in the morning, knowing the proper rites.
अन्नं शाकादिकं शुद्धं जनैरेवान्वकारयत् । नानान्नानि विचित्राणि चोष्याद्यानि तथैव च
He had pure food prepared, such as vegetables, by the people; various foods, both for eating and sipping, likewise.
वटकादींस्तथा भक्ष्यानष्टत्रिंशदकल्पयत् । पायसं षड्विधं चैव पक्वशाकशतद्वयम्
He arranged thirty-eight kinds of snacks such as vata, six kinds of rice pudding, and a hundred varieties of cooked vegetables.
अपक्वमिश्रकाणां च शतत्रयमकल्पयत् । कालशाकादिकं शाकं फलानि विविधानि च
He arranged three hundred varieties of uncooked mixtures, as well as vegetables like kala-shaka and various fruits.
मूलानि चैककंदानि वल्कलानि च राघवः । कारयित्वा नदीं गत्वा सहभ्रातृपुरोहितः
Raghava had roots, single-tuber plants, and bark prepared; then, going to the river with his brothers and the family priest.
सरयूसलिले स्नात्वा हुत्वाग्निं स्वागतान्द्विजान् । उक्त्वा तु स्वागतं तांस्तु कृतदेवार्चनो नृपः
Having bathed in the waters of the Sarayu and offered fire, the king welcomed the Brahmins, and after greeting them, performed worship of the gods.
प्राणानायम्य संकल्प्य क्षणं चैव प्रदत्तवान् । रोमशं नारदं रामो वैश्वदेवे न्यमंत्रयत्
Controlling his breath and making a resolve, Rama gave offerings for a moment, and invited Romasha and Narada for the Vaiśvadeva rite.