तैलपात्रं च नमितं सुप्रकाशोऽभवत्तदा । ब्राह्मणोऽपि जजागार त्यक्त्वा निद्रां विमोहिनीम्
The oil vessel was tipped, and at that moment there was bright illumination; the Brahmin also awoke, casting off the sleep that deludes.
मार्जारोऽपि च तां रात्रीमजाग्रच्चाखुभक्षकः । ततः प्रभाते विमले कृत्वा नित्यक्रियां द्विजः
The cat, too, remained awake that night, intent on eating mice; then, at the clear dawn, the twice-born performed his daily rites.
ततश्च पारणं चक्रे विप्रो बंधुजनैः सह । एवं प्रवर्त्तमानस्य कपिलस्य महात्मनः
After that, the Brahmin broke his fast together with his relatives; thus, as the great-souled Kapila continued in this way—
बभूवुः पुत्रपौत्राश्च धनधान्यमनुत्तमम् । आरोग्यं परमामृद्धिमवाप महतीं श्रियम्
He obtained sons and grandsons, unsurpassed wealth and grain; he attained perfect health, supreme prosperity, and great fortune.
दीपव्रतप्रभावेन कपिलो मोक्षमागतः । संभेद्य मंडलं पुण्यं सवितुः शशिनस्तथा
By the power of the lamp vow, Kapila attained liberation; having traversed the sacred orbits of the sun and the moon—
दीपज्योतिःस्वरूपेण परमात्मा नियुक्तवान् । मूषिकापि च कालेन ममार बिलमध्यतः
The Supreme Self, in the form of the lamp's light, appointed him; and in time, the mouse also died within its hole.
विमानवरमारुह्य देवगंधर्वसेवितम् । अप्सरोभिः परिवृतो विद्याधरगणैर्युतः
Ascending a splendid celestial chariot, attended by gods and gandharvas, surrounded by apsarases and accompanied by hosts of vidyadharas—
स्तूयमानो महातेजा जयशब्दादि मंगलैः । स्तूयमानः स वै नागैर्विष्णुलोकं जगाम सः
Praised with auspicious cries of victory and other blessings, honored by the nagas, he went to the world of Vishnu.
कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि कल्पकोटिशतानि च । भुक्त्वा च विपुलान्भोगान्ततो राजाभवद्भुवि
For thousands of millions of aeons, and hundreds of millions more, enjoying abundant pleasures, he was finally born as a king on earth.
सुधर्मा नाम धर्मात्मा देवब्राह्मणपूजकः । रूपवान्सुभगश्चैव महाबलपराक्रमः
He was named Sudharma, righteous in soul, worshipper of gods and Brahmins, handsome, fortunate, and endowed with great strength and valor.
तस्य प्रियतमा भार्या सर्वलक्षणसंयुता । भर्तृभक्ता तथा शीला नाम्ना सा रूपसुंदरी
His dearest wife, possessing all auspicious marks, devoted to her husband and virtuous, was named Rupasundari.
सर्वासां चैव नारीणां मध्ये सा सुभगाभवत् । पुत्राश्च बहवो जातास्तथा दुहितरो घनाः
Among all women, she was the most fortunate; many sons were born to them, as well as noble daughters.
एवं विहरतोस्तद्वद्दंपत्योः प्रीतिपूर्वकम् । आगतः कार्त्तिको मासो हरिनेत्रावबोधकृत्
Thus, as that couple joyfully spent their days together, the month of Kārttika arrived, which awakens the eyes of Hari.
तस्मिन्दीपाः प्रबोध्यंते नारायणपरायणैः । कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणादीनि व्रतानि नियमास्तथा
In that month, lamps are kindled by those devoted to Nārāyaṇa; and vows such as Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa, along with other disciplines, are observed.
क्रियंते विष्णुभक्तैश्च संसारभयभीरुभिः । अथ प्रबोधिनीं प्राप्य राजा राज्ञीमथाब्रवीत्
These are performed by devotees of Viṣṇu and by those who fear the dangers of worldly existence. Then, upon the arrival of Prabodhinī, the king spoke to the queen.
भद्रे प्रबोधिनी पुण्या विष्णोर्नाभिसरोरुहे । करिष्याम्यद्य पूजां च सोपवासो जितेंद्रियः
"O fortunate one, today is the holy Prabodhinī, arising from the lotus-navel of Viṣṇu. I will perform worship today, fasting and with my senses restrained."
स्नात्वा च पुष्करे तीर्थे पुंडरीकाक्षमच्युतम् । पूजयिष्यामि देवेशं लक्ष्म्या सह जनार्दनम्
"After bathing at the sacred Puṣkara, I will worship the lotus-eyed, imperishable Lord, the Lord of gods, Janārdana, together with Lakṣmī."
इति सा वांछितं श्रुत्वा भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता । उवाच वचनं गुह्यं भर्त्तारं चारुहासिनी
Hearing her husband's cherished wish, she who delighted in his happiness spoke secret words to him, her face adorned with a lovely smile.
रूपसुंदर्युवाच- ममापि हृदये कामः समुत्पन्नो नराधिप । रूपसौंदर्यवांछा च हृदये मम वर्त्तते
Rūpasundarī said: "A desire has also arisen in my heart, O king, and a longing for beauty and charm abides within me."
पुष्करं प्रथमं तीर्थं गंतुमिच्छे त्वया सह । ततो राजा तया सार्द्धमागतः पुष्करं तदा
"I wish to go with you to the foremost holy place, Puṣkara." Then the king, together with her, went to Puṣkara at that time.
हस्त्यश्वरथवृंदैश्च समागत्य पुरोहितैः । ततः स्नात्वा तथा ध्यायन्तर्पयन्पितृदेवताः
Accompanied by entourages of elephants, horses, chariots, and priests, they arrived. Then, after bathing, they meditated and offered oblations to ancestors and deities.
पूजयामास देवेशं पुंडरीकाक्षमच्युतम् । दीपमालाकुले तत्र सर्वतः सुमनोहरे
They worshipped the Lord of gods, the lotus-eyed, imperishable one, in that place adorned everywhere with beautiful rows of lamps.
ददर्श लिखितं तत्र मार्जारं देवतालये । तं दृष्ट्वा प्राकृतं कर्म जन्म स्मृत्वा नृपस्तदा
There, in the temple, he saw a cat depicted. Seeing it, the king remembered his previous ordinary birth.
मुखपंकजमालोक्य प्रियायाः प्रजहास च । रूपसुंदर्युवाच- मम सन्मुखमालोक्य भर्तः किं स्मितकारणम् 6.30.
Looking at his beloved's lotus-like face, he laughed. Rūpasundarī said: "Husband, seeing my face, what is the reason for your smile?"
कथयामास हृष्टात्मा प्राक्तनं कर्मणः फलम् । राजोवाच- अहमासं पुरा देवि मार्जारो ब्राह्मणालये
He, his heart gladdened, began to tell the result of his previous actions. The king said: "Once, O goddess, I was a cat in the house of a brāhmaṇa."
भक्षिता मूषकास्तत्र मया शतसहस्रशः । ततो नारायणस्याग्रे दीपः संरक्षितो यतः
"There, I ate hundreds of thousands of mice. Then, because I protected a lamp before Nārāyaṇa—"
व्याजेनापि मया देविप्राप्तं तत्कर्मणः फलम् । विष्णुलोकमनुप्राप्य राज्यं प्राप्तं मयाधुना
"—even if only by pretense, O goddess, I have received the fruit of that act: I attained Viṣṇu's world and now have obtained a kingdom."
रूपसुंदर्युवाच-। ममापि स्मरणं जातं प्राकृतस्य च जन्मनः । मूषिका चाहमप्यासं क्षुद्रा ब्राह्मणवेश्मनि
Rūpasundarī said: "I too remember my previous ordinary birth; I was a small mouse in the house of a brāhmaṇa."
कार्तिके च प्रबोधिन्यां मंदीभूते च दीपके । वर्त्यग्राहरणार्थाय निर्गताहं तदा बिलात्
"During Kārttika, on Prabodhinī, when the lamp had grown dim, I came out of my hole to take the tip of the wick."
दृष्ट्वा नारायणं देवं पूजितं कुसुमैस्तथा । निद्राभिभूतं विप्रं च वर्त्तिः कृष्टा मया तदा
"Seeing the god Nārāyaṇa being worshipped with flowers, and the brāhmaṇa overcome by sleep, I then pulled the wick."