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.
शंभुं भृगुं कौशिकं च मातृस्थाने न्यमंत्रयत् । गोमयेन ततः कृत्वा मंडलं पूज्य चार्हतः
He invited Shambhu, Bhrigu, and Kaushika in the place of mothers; then, having made a circle with cow dung, he worshipped them with proper offerings.
पादप्रक्षालनं चक्रे सीतादत्तोदकेन च । आचामयित्वा तान्विप्रान्गृहं गंतुमथोद्यतः
He washed their feet with water given by Sita, and after making the Brahmins sip water, prepared to go to the house.
अभ्यागतः समायातः स्थविरो विकृताकृतिः । कृशः संप्रचलद्गात्रो वेपितांघ्रिशिरास्तथा
Then an old man arrived, with a distorted appearance, thin, his limbs trembling, and his feet and head shaking.
लंबमानत्वगुत्कर्षच्छ्वासकासादिपीडितः । दूषिकाक्लिन्नगंडश्च लालासंपृक्तकूर्चकः
He was afflicted by drooping stature, excessive breathing, coughing, and other ailments; his cheeks were damp with mucus, and his mouth was smeared with saliva.
उवाच रामं राजानमहमेको द्विजः स्थितः । ममापि भोजनं देयं स्थविरस्य कृशस्य च
He spoke to Rama, the king: 'I am a lone Brahmin standing here; food should be given to me also, who am old and thin.'
रामोऽपि तद्वचः श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । पादौ प्रक्षालयास्य त्वमहमभ्यर्चये द्विजम्
Rama, hearing those words, said to Lakshmana: 'Wash his feet, and I will worship the Brahmin.'
अभ्यागतोऽपि वचनमाह राममथाकुलम् । त्वया प्रक्षालिते पादे मम भोजनमिष्यते
The newcomer then spoke anxiously to Rama: 'If you wash my feet, my food will be desired.'
मत्तोऽधिका द्विजाः किं ते येन मामवमन्यसे । श्राद्धधर्मं न जानीषे महर्षिगणसेवितम्
'Are the other Brahmins superior to me, that you disregard me? You do not know the rite of Śrāddha, honored by the great sages.'
ममावमानतः सर्वविप्राणामवमाननम् । श्राद्धं विहन्यते चापि नरकं च गमिष्यसि
'By disrespecting me, you disrespect all Brahmins; the Śrāddha is ruined, and you will go to hell.'
अथ रामः स्वयं विप्रपादौ प्राक्षालयत्तदा । आचामयित्वा तं विप्रं गृहं प्रावेशयत्ततः
Then Rama himself washed the Brahmin's feet, made him sip water, and brought him into the house.