सरस्वत्यास्तटे रम्ये सिद्धाश्रम इति श्रुतः । तत्रोवास द्विजः पूर्वं कपिलो नाम वेदवित्
On the beautiful bank of the Sarasvatī, there was a place known as Siddhāśrama; there once lived a learned brāhmaṇa named Kapila.
व्रतोपवासनिरतो दरिद्र श्रोःत्रियस्तथा । भिक्षावृत्त्या च कुरुते कुटुंब परिपालनम्
Devoted to vows and fasting, poor, and a learned Śrotriya, he maintained his household by begging.
व्रतोपवासनियमैर्विष्णुमाराधयत्यसौ । विष्णुं संपूज्य विधिवद्दीपं बोधयते सदा
By means of vows and fasting, he worshipped Viṣṇu; having properly worshipped Viṣṇu, he always kindled a lamp.
समादाय च तत्तैलं स्वगृहे पूज्य केशवम् । दीपं भक्त्या च परया बोधयेद्धरितुष्टये
Taking that oil in his own house, he worshipped Keśava and, with supreme devotion, lit the lamp to please Hari.
एवं प्रवर्त्तमानस्य कपिलस्य महात्मनः । मार्जारस्तीक्ष्णंदंष्ट्रस्तु मूषकान्भक्षयेत्सदा
As the noble Kapila continued in this way, a cat with sharp teeth always ate the mice.
तत्रागच्छति भक्ष्यार्थं मूषकानामहर्निशम् । कृत्वा ध्यानं स भक्ष्यार्थं नित्यं नारायणाग्रतः
That cat would come day and night to eat the mice, and, intent on food, would meditate constantly before Nārāyaṇa.
भक्षिता बहवस्तेन मूषका द्विजवेश्मनि । ये ये तैलार्थमायांति वर्त्यपाहरणाय च
Many mice were eaten by that cat in the brāhmaṇa's house—those who came for oil or to steal the wicks.
तांस्तांस्तु भक्षयत्येव मूषकान्ध्यानतत्परः । एवं प्रवर्तमानस्य कदाचित्कालपर्ययात्
That cat, intent on its purpose, would eat those mice; thus, as time passed for Kapila, continuing in this way—
एकादश्यां स कपिलो ब्राह्मणः स्वगृहे शुचिः । सोपवासः सपत्नीकः पूजयामास चाच्युतम्
On the day of Ekādaśī, Kapila the brāhmaṇa, pure in his own house, together with his wife, observed a fast and worshipped Acyuta.
ततो जागरणं चक्रे स्तुतिनृत्यपरायणः । अर्द्धरात्रे तु संप्राप्ते निद्रया मोहितो द्विजः
Then he kept vigil, devoted to singing and dancing in praise; but when midnight came, the brāhmaṇa was overcome by sleep and delusion.
मार्जारश्चागतस्तत्र तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो लघुक्रमः । लक्षयामास नैवेद्यं गृहकोणे स्थितः सदा
A cat arrived there, sharp-toothed and light-footed; always stationed in the corner of the house, it observed the offering.
अद्राक्षीन्मूषिकां क्षुद्रा तैलपानार्थमागताम् । मंदतेजसि दीपे तु वर्त्यपाहरणोचिताम्
It saw a small mouse that had come to drink oil, accustomed to stealing wicks from the lamp with dim light.
समुत्पत्य पदाक्रम्य तदा सा बिलमाविशत् । तस्याः पादेन वै वर्त्या दीपः संबोधितो भृशम्
Leaping up and striking with its paw, the mouse then entered its hole; with its foot and the wick, it greatly stirred the lamp.
तैलपात्रं च नमितं सुप्रकाशोऽभवत्तदा । ब्राह्मणोऽपि जजागार त्यक्त्वा निद्रां विमोहिनीम्
The oil vessel was tipped, and there was bright illumination; the Brahmin also awoke, abandoning the deluding sleep.
मार्जारोऽपि च तां रात्रीमजाग्रच्चाखुभक्षकः । ततः प्रभाते विमले कृत्वा नित्यक्रियां द्विजः
The cat, eater of mice, too, stayed awake that night; then, at pure dawn, the twice-born performed his daily rites.
ततश्च पारणं चक्रे विप्रो बंधुजनैः सह । एवं प्रवर्त्तमानस्य कपिलस्य महात्मनः
Afterwards, the Brahmin completed the pāraṇa with his relatives; thus, as Kapila the great-souled continued in this way—
बभूवुः पुत्रपौत्राश्च धनधान्यमनुत्तमम् । आरोग्यं परमामृद्धिमवाप महतीं श्रियम्
He obtained sons and grandsons, unsurpassed wealth and grain, 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 united with the auspicious orbits of the Sun and the Moon.
दीपज्योतिःस्वरूपेण परमात्मा नियुक्तवान् । मूषिकापि च कालेन ममार बिलमध्यतः
In the form of the lamp's light, the Supreme Self was established; 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 hosts of vidyādharas—
स्तूयमानो महातेजा जयशब्दादि मंगलैः । स्तूयमानः स वै नागैर्विष्णुलोकं जगाम सः
Praised with shouts of victory and auspicious songs, honored by the nāgas, that great-souled one went to the world of Viṣṇu.
कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि कल्पकोटिशतानि च । भुक्त्वा च विपुलान्भोगान्ततो राजाभवद्भुवि
For thousands of millions of aeons and hundreds of millions more, enjoying vast pleasures, he was then born as a king on earth.
सुधर्मा नाम धर्मात्मा देवब्राह्मणपूजकः । रूपवान्सुभगश्चैव महाबलपराक्रमः
He was named Sudharmā, righteous-souled, 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 Rūpasundarī.
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 lived happily together, the month of Kārttika arrived, which awakens the eyes of Hari.
तस्मिन्दीपाः प्रबोध्यंते नारायणपरायणैः । कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणादीनि व्रतानि नियमास्तथा
In that month, lamps are awakened by those devoted to Nārāyaṇa; vows and observances like Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa are performed.
क्रियंते विष्णुभक्तैश्च संसारभयभीरुभिः । अथ प्रबोधिनीं प्राप्य राजा राज्ञीमथाब्रवीत्
These are undertaken by devotees of Viṣṇu, who are fearful of worldly existence; then, having reached Prabodhinī, the king spoke to the queen.
भद्रे प्रबोधिनी पुण्या विष्णोर्नाभिसरोरुहे । करिष्याम्यद्य पूजां च सोपवासो जितेंद्रियः
O auspicious one, today on the holy Prabodhini, at the lotus arising from Vishnu’s navel, I will perform worship, fasting and with my senses controlled.
स्नात्वा च पुष्करे तीर्थे पुंडरीकाक्षमच्युतम् । पूजयिष्यामि देवेशं लक्ष्म्या सह जनार्दनम्
Having bathed at the sacred site of Pushkara, I will worship the lotus-eyed, imperishable Lord, Janardana, the Lord of gods, together with Lakshmi.