शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि दिव्यां पौराणिकीकथाम् । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्
Hear, O King, I shall relate a divine ancient tale, by merely hearing which all sins are destroyed.
अधोयोनिगतश्चैव पितरो यस्य पापतः । अस्याश्च पुण्यदानेन मोक्षं यांति न संशयः
The ancestors who, due to sin, have fallen into lower wombs, surely attain liberation by the giving of merit from this story—there is no doubt.
चंपके नगरे रम्ये वैष्णवैश्च विभूषिते । वैखानसो नाम नृपः पुत्रवत्पालयेत्प्रजाः
In the beautiful city of Campaka, adorned by devotees of Vishnu, there was a king named Vaikhānasa who protected his subjects as if they were his own children.
वसंति बहवो विप्रा वेदवेदांगपारगाः । ऋद्धिमत्यः प्रजास्तस्य राज्ञो वैखानसस्य हि
Many learned Brahmins, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, dwelled there, and the subjects of King Vaikhānasa were prosperous indeed.
एवं राज्यं प्रकुर्वाणो रात्रौ स्वप्नस्य मध्यतः । स्वकीयपितरो दृष्ट्वा अधोयोनिगता नृप
While thus ruling his kingdom, in the middle of the night, the king saw his own ancestors in a dream, fallen into lower births.
एवं दृष्ट्वा च तान्सर्वान्विस्मयाविष्टमानसः । कथयामास वृत्तांतं स्वप्नजातं द्विजान्प्रति
Having seen them all in this way, his mind overcome with astonishment, he recounted the dream-born event to the Brahmins.
राजोवाच- मया स्वपितरो दृष्ट्वा नरकोपगता द्विजाः । तारयेति तनूजत्वमस्मान्निरयसागरात्
The king said: 'O Brahmins, I saw my ancestors fallen into hell; as their son, deliver us from the ocean of hell.'
एवं ब्रुवाणास्ते नूनं रोदमाना मुहुर्मुहुः । मया दृष्टा द्विजश्रेष्ठा एतस्माच्च न मे सुखम्
Thus they spoke, weeping again and again; O best of Brahmins, I saw them, and because of this I find no happiness.
एतद्राज्यं मम महत्सुखदायि न विद्यते । अश्वा गजास्तथा सर्वे रोचंते मे न भो द्विजाः
This great kingdom of mine does not give me happiness; neither horses nor elephants please me now, O Brahmins.
न दारा न सुता मह्यं रोचंते द्विजसत्तमाः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि हृदयं मेऽवरुध्यते
Neither wives nor sons delight me, O best of Brahmins; what shall I do, where shall I go? My heart is constrained.
तद्व्रतं तं तपोयोगं येनैव मम पूर्वजाः । मोक्षं प्रयांति सद्यो वै कथ्यतां च द्विजोत्तमाः
Therefore, tell me, O best of Brahmins, that vow or austerity by which my ancestors may immediately attain liberation.
पुत्रे तु जीवितप्राये बलीयसि महात्मनि । पितास्ति नरके घोरे तस्य पुत्रस्य किं फलम्
If, though the son is mighty and noble and still alive, the father remains in dreadful hell, what is the use of such a son?
ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः - पर्वतस्य मुने राजन्निकटे चाश्रमो महान् । गम्यतां राजशार्दूल भूतं भव्यं विजानतः
The Brahmins said: 'O King, near the mountain is a great hermitage; go there, O tiger among kings, knowing the past and the future.'
तेषां श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं राजा वैखानसो महान् । जगाम चाशु तत्रैव चाश्रमं पर्वतस्य च
Hearing their words, the great King Vaikhānasa quickly went to that very hermitage by the mountain.
ब्राह्मणैर्वेष्टितो राजा राजभिश्च समन्वितः । आश्रमं विपुलं तस्य संप्राप्तो राजसत्तमः
Surrounded by Brahmins and accompanied by other kings, the best of kings reached that vast hermitage.
तत्रर्ग्वेद यजुर्वेद सामाध्ययनकोविदैः । वेष्टितं मुनिभिश्चैव द्वितीयं ब्रह्मणो यथा
There, surrounded by sages skilled in the study of the Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Sāma Veda, it appeared like a second Brahmaloka.
दृष्ट्वा तं मुनिशार्दूलं राजा वैखानसस्तथा । दंडवत्प्रणतिं कृत्वा पस्पर्श चरणौ मुनेः
Seeing that foremost sage, King Vaikhānasa bowed down in prostration and touched the feet of the sage.
पप्रच्छ कुशलं तस्य सप्तस्वंगेष्वसौ मुनिः । राज्ये निष्कंटकत्वं च राज्ञः सौख्यसमन्वितम्
The sage inquired about his well-being in the seven limbs, and about the kingdom's freedom from obstacles and the king's happiness.
राजोवाच - तव प्रसादाद्भो स्वामिन्कुशलं मेऽङ्गसप्तसु । भक्ता ये विष्णुविप्रेषु कथं तेषां च विघ्नता
The king said: By your grace, O revered one, I am well in all seven limbs. How can there be obstacles for those who are devoted to Vishnu and the Brahmins?
मया स्वपितरो दृष्टाः स्वप्ने च नरके स्थिताः । कस्य पुण्यस्य सामर्थ्यान्मोक्षं यांति द्विजोत्तम
In a dream, I saw my ancestors dwelling in hell. By the power of what merit do they attain liberation, O best of twice-born?
अयं मे संशयः स्वामिन्प्रष्टुं तं त्वामुपागतः । उपायः कश्चिदेवात्र कर्तव्यो मुनिसत्तम
This is my doubt, O master; I have come to ask you about it. Is there any means here that must be undertaken, O eminent sage?
एतद्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा पर्वतो मुनिसत्तमः । ध्यानस्तिमितनेत्रोऽभूत्तपस्वी ब्रह्मसंनिभः
Hearing these words, the sage Parvata, foremost among ascetics, became still-eyed in meditation, resembling Brahma in austerity.
मुहूर्तमेकं ध्यानस्थो भूपतिं प्रत्युवाच ह । ज्ञातं हि तव राजेंद्र पितॄणां पूर्वचेष्टितम्
After remaining in meditation for a moment, he addressed the king: It is known to me, O king, the previous actions of your ancestors.
पूर्वजन्मनि तातस्ते क्षत्रियो राज्यगर्वितः । सपत्न्या ऋतुकाले तु राजधर्मप्रवर्तितः
In a former birth, your father was a Kshatriya, proud of his sovereignty, and at the proper time, engaged in royal duties with his co-wife.
गतो ग्रामे तु तां त्यक्त्वा कार्यार्थी निजयोषितम् । तव पित्रा तु तस्याश्च न दत्तमृतुदानकम्
Leaving her in the village for the sake of some task, your father did not give her the gift due at the proper time.
तेन पापप्रभावेन नरके पितृभिः सह । पतितो राजशार्दूल तव तातः सुदारुणे
Because of the influence of that sin, your father, O tiger among kings, has fallen into a dreadful hell along with his ancestors.
ततः पुनरुवाचेदं राजा वैखानसो मुनिम् । केन व्रतप्रभावेन मोक्षस्तेषां भवेन्मुने
Then the king again spoke to the sage Vaikhānasa: By the power of what vow can liberation come to them, O sage?
मुनिरुवाच- मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे मोक्षा नामेति नामतः । सर्वैश्चेतद्व्रतं कार्यं पित्रे पुण्यं प्रदीयताम्
The sage said: In the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa, there is a vow called Moksha Ekadashi. Let all perform this vow, and merit will be offered to the father.
तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन मोक्षस्तेषां भविष्यति । सत्यमेतन्महाभाग ब्रह्मणो वचनं यथा
By the power of that merit, liberation will come to them. This is true, O fortunate one, just as spoken by Brahma.
मुनेर्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा स्वगृहं पुनरागतः । मार्गशीर्षस्तथा मासः प्राप्तः कष्टेन तेन वै
Hearing the sage's words, he returned to his own house. With difficulty, the month of Mārgaśīrṣa arrived for him.