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."
उत्थितस्त्वं यदा तत्र मां गृहीतुं कृतक्षणः । दृष्ट्वा त्वं च प्रणष्टाहं प्रविष्टा बिलमध्यतः
When you rose there, ready to seize me at that moment, seeing you, I vanished and entered into the middle of the hole.
विशंत्या मम पादेन दीपवर्त्तिर्विजृंभिता । तैलपात्रं च नमितं तेनाहं सुखभागिनी
As I entered, my foot touched the lamp's wick, which flared up, and the oil vessel was tipped—thus I became fortunate.
तन्मया राजराजेंद्र दीपं चैव प्रकाशितम् । इदानीं च मया प्राप्तं रूपलावण्यमुत्तमम्
By me, O king of kings, the lamp was thus kindled, and now I have attained supreme beauty and charm.
त्वं च भर्त्ता तथा राज्यं पुत्राश्चैवंविधं सुखम् । दीपप्रबोधनाज्जातं ज्ञानमत्यंत दुर्ल्लभम्
You are my husband, and likewise the kingdom, sons, and such happiness—all this, and the exceedingly rare knowledge, arose from the observance of the lamp vow.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दीपव्रतमनुत्तमम् । आवां हि परया भक्त्या कुर्वश्चैव विशेषतः
Therefore, with all effort, the unsurpassed lamp vow should be performed, especially by us with supreme devotion.
तदेतत्कर्मणः प्राप्तं फलं राज्यादिसंपदः । पूर्वजन्मस्मृतं चापि सर्वपापक्षयस्तथा
From this act, the fruits of kingdom and other prosperity have been obtained, as well as remembrance of past births and the destruction of all sins.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन विधिमंत्रादिपूर्वकम् । दीपव्रतं कृतं पुंभिः पुण्यं चंद्रार्कतारकम्
Therefore, with all effort, and preceded by proper rites and mantras, the lamp vow should be performed by men; its merit is as enduring as the moon, sun, and stars.
इति श्रुत्वा वचो राजा चक्रे दीपव्रतं तदा । प्रियया सह देवर्षे सम्यक्श्रद्धासमन्वितः
Hearing these words, the king then performed the lamp vow, together with his beloved, O sage, with full faith and devotion.
तस्मिंस्तु पुष्करे तीर्थे कृत्वा दीपव्रतं तु तौ । अवापतुः परां मुक्तिं देवदानवदुर्ल्लभाम्
There, at the holy place of Pushkara, the two performed the lamp vow and attained the supreme liberation, difficult for gods and demons to obtain.
एतद्दीपस्य माहात्म्यं ये शृण्वंति नरा भुवि । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ताः प्रयांति हरिमंदिरम्
Those men on earth who hear this greatness of the lamp are freed from all sins and go to the abode of Hari.