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.
इति सा वांछितं श्रुत्वा भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता । उवाच वचनं गुह्यं भर्त्तारं चारुहासिनी
Hearing her husband’s cherished wish, she who delighted in his welfare, with a lovely smile, spoke these secret words to her husband.
रूपसुंदर्युवाच- ममापि हृदये कामः समुत्पन्नो नराधिप । रूपसौंदर्यवांछा च हृदये मम वर्त्तते
Rupasundari said: A desire has also arisen in my heart, O king of men; the wish for beauty and charm abides in my heart.
पुष्करं प्रथमं तीर्थं गंतुमिच्छे त्वया सह । ततो राजा तया सार्द्धमागतः पुष्करं तदा
I too wish to go first to the sacred site of Pushkara with you; so the king then went there together with her.
हस्त्यश्वरथवृंदैश्च समागत्य पुरोहितैः । ततः स्नात्वा तथा ध्यायन्तर्पयन्पितृदेवताः
Arriving with groups of elephants, horses, chariots, and priests, he bathed and then, meditating, offered oblations to the ancestors and deities.
पूजयामास देवेशं पुंडरीकाक्षमच्युतम् । दीपमालाकुले तत्र सर्वतः सुमनोहरे
He 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 he saw, inscribed, a cat in the temple of the deity; 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; Rupasundari said: Seeing my face, husband, what is the reason for your smile?
कथयामास हृष्टात्मा प्राक्तनं कर्मणः फलम् । राजोवाच- अहमासं पुरा देवि मार्जारो ब्राह्मणालये
With a delighted heart, he told her the result of his previous actions; the king said: Formerly, O goddess, I was a cat in a brahmin’s house.
भक्षिता मूषकास्तत्र मया शतसहस्रशः । ततो नारायणस्याग्रे दीपः संरक्षितो यतः
There I ate hundreds of thousands of mice; but because I protected the lamp before Narayana,
व्याजेनापि मया देविप्राप्तं तत्कर्मणः फलम् । विष्णुलोकमनुप्राप्य राज्यं प्राप्तं मयाधुना
Even by that act, O goddess, I attained the fruit of that deed; having reached Vishnu’s world, I have now obtained this kingdom.
रूपसुंदर्युवाच-। ममापि स्मरणं जातं प्राकृतस्य च जन्मनः । मूषिका चाहमप्यासं क्षुद्रा ब्राह्मणवेश्मनि
Rupasundari said: I too have remembered my previous ordinary birth; I was a small mouse in a brahmin’s house.
कार्तिके च प्रबोधिन्यां मंदीभूते च दीपके । वर्त्यग्राहरणार्थाय निर्गताहं तदा बिलात्
On Prabodhini in Kartika, 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 Lord Narayana worshipped with flowers, and the brahmin overcome by sleep, I pulled the wick at that time.
उत्थितस्त्वं यदा तत्र मां गृहीतुं कृतक्षणः । दृष्ट्वा त्वं च प्रणष्टाहं प्रविष्टा बिलमध्यतः
When you rose then, ready to catch me, seeing you I fled and entered the middle of the hole.
विशंत्या मम पादेन दीपवर्त्तिर्विजृंभिता । तैलपात्रं च नमितं तेनाहं सुखभागिनी
As I entered, my foot stretched the lamp’s wick, and the oil vessel was tilted; by that I became fortunate.
तन्मया राजराजेंद्र दीपं चैव प्रकाशितम् । इदानीं च मया प्राप्तं रूपलावण्यमुत्तमम्
Thus, O king of kings, I too made the lamp shine; and now I have obtained supreme beauty and charm.
त्वं च भर्त्ता तथा राज्यं पुत्राश्चैवंविधं सुखम् । दीपप्रबोधनाज्जातं ज्ञानमत्यंत दुर्ल्लभम्
You, your husband, the kingdom, and sons—all such happiness—arises from the knowledge, exceedingly rare, gained through the observance of the lamp rite.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दीपव्रतमनुत्तमम् । आवां हि परया भक्त्या कुर्वश्चैव विशेषतः
Therefore, with every effort, the supreme lamp vow should be performed; indeed, we have done so with utmost devotion, especially.
तदेतत्कर्मणः प्राप्तं फलं राज्यादिसंपदः । पूर्वजन्मस्मृतं चापि सर्वपापक्षयस्तथा
From this act, the fruits such as sovereignty and prosperity have been attained, 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, which is as meritorious as the moon, sun, and stars.