इतस्ततो विलोक्याथ व्यथितश्च तदासनात् । स्खलत्पद्भ्यां प्रचलितः खंजन्निव मुहुर्मुहुः
Looking around here and there, distressed, he rose from his seat, stumbling and limping again and again.
वनमध्ये गतस्तत्र क्षुत्क्षामः पीडितोऽभवत् । न शक्तिर्जीवघाते तु लुंपकस्य दुरात्मनः
Having gone into the middle of the forest, he became emaciated by hunger and afflicted; the wicked Lumpaka no longer had the strength to kill for a living.
फलानि च तदा राजन्नाजहार स लुंपकः । यावत्समागतस्तत्र तावदस्तं गतो रविः
Then, O King, that thief did not take the fruits; while he remained there, the sun set.
किं भविष्यति तातेति स विलापं चकार ह । फलानि तत्र भूरीणि वृक्षमूले न्यवेशयत्
He lamented, saying, 'What will happen now, father?' and placed the many fruits at the root of the tree.
इत्युवाच फलैरेभिः श्रीपतिस्तुष्यतां हरिः । इत्युक्त्वा लुंपकश्चैव निद्रां लेभे न वै निशि
He said, 'May Lord Hari, the husband of Śrī, be pleased with these fruits.' Having said this, the thief did not sleep at all that night.
रात्रौ जागरणं मेने विष्णुस्तस्य दुरात्मनः । फलैस्तु पूजनं मेने सफलायास्तथानघ
Viṣṇu regarded his wakefulness at night as an austerity, and his offering of fruits as a worthy worship, O sinless one.
अकस्माद्व्रतमेवैतत्कृतवान्वै स लुंपकः । तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन प्राप्तं राज्यमकंटकम्
That thief, by chance, performed this very vow; by the power of that merit, he obtained a kingdom free from obstacles.
सूर्यस्योदयनं यावत्तावद्विष्णुर्जगाम ह । दिवि तत्कालमुत्पन्ना वागुवाचाशरीरिणी
As the sun was about to rise, Viṣṇu departed; at that moment, a bodiless voice arose in the sky.
राज्यं प्राप्स्यसि पुत्रत्वं सफलायाः प्रसादतः। तथेत्युक्ते तु वचसि दिव्यरूपधरोऽभवत्
'You will obtain a kingdom and become a son, by the grace of the Saphalā vow.' When these words were spoken, he assumed a divine form.
मतिरासीत्ततस्तस्य परमा वैष्णवी नृप । दिव्याभरणशोभाढ्यो लेभे राज्यमकंटकम्
Then, O King, his mind became supremely devoted to Viṣṇu; adorned with divine ornaments, he obtained a kingdom free from obstacles.
कृतं राज्यं तु तेनैवं वर्षाणि दशपंच च । मनोदास्तस्यपुत्रास्तु दाराः कृष्णप्रसादतः
He ruled the kingdom in this way for fifteen years; by Kṛṣṇa's grace, he had sons and wives as he wished.
आशु राज्यं परित्यज्य पुत्रे चैव समर्प्य च । गतः कृष्णस्य सांनिध्यं यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
Quickly renouncing the kingdom and entrusting it to his son, he went to the presence of Kṛṣṇa, where, having gone, one does not grieve.
एवं यः कुरुते राजन्सफलाव्रतमुत्तमम् । इहलोके सुखं प्राप्य मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्
Thus, O King, whoever performs the supreme Saphalā vow attains happiness in this world and, upon death, obtains liberation.
धन्यास्ते मानवा लोके सफलायां च ये रताः । तेषां च सफलं जन्म नात्र कार्या विचारणा
Blessed are those people in the world who are devoted to Saphalā; their birth is fruitful—of this there is no doubt.
पठनाच्छ्रवणाच्चैव करणाच्च विशांपते । राजसूयस्य यज्ञस्य फलमाप्नोति मानवः
By reciting, hearing, or performing this, O lord of men, a person attains the fruit of the Rājasūya sacrifice.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथिता वै त्वया कृष्ण सफलैकादशी शुभा । कथयस्व प्रसादेन शुक्लपक्षस्य या भवेत्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: O Kṛṣṇa, you have described the auspicious Saphalā Ekādaśī; by your grace, tell me which one occurs in the bright fortnight.
किन्नाम को विधिस्तस्याः को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते । कस्मै तुष्टो हृषीकेशस्त्वमेव पुरुषोत्तमः
What is its name, what is its procedure, which deity is worshipped there? O Hṛṣīkeśa, when pleased, you alone are the Supreme Person.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच-। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि शुक्ला पौषस्य या भवेत् । कथयामि महाराज लोकानां हितकाम्यया
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Hear, O King, I will tell you about the bright fortnight of Pauṣa; I will narrate it, O great king, for the welfare of all beings.
पूर्वेण विधिना राजन्कर्त्तव्यैषा प्रयत्नतः । पुत्रदा नाम नाम्ना सा सर्वपापहरा परा
This should be performed with great care, O King, according to the previous procedure; it is called Putradā by name, the supreme remover of all sins.
नारायणोऽधिदेवोऽस्या कामदः सिद्धिदायकः । नातः परतरा काचित्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे
Nārāyaṇa is the presiding deity of this vow, the bestower of desires and giver of success; there is none greater than this in the three worlds, among moving and non-moving beings.
विद्यावंतं यशस्वंतं करोति च नरं हरिः । शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पापहरां पराम्
Hari makes a man learned and renowned; listen, O King, I will tell you a supreme story that removes sin.
भद्रावत्यां पुरा ह्यासीत्पुर्यां राजा सुकेतुमान् । तस्य राज्ञस्तथाराज्ञी चंपका नाम वर्त्तते
Long ago, in the city of Bhadravati, there lived a king named Suketuman; his queen was known as Campaka.
पुत्रहीनेन राज्ञा च काले नीतो मनोरथैः । नैवात्मजं नृपो लेभे वंशकर्त्तारमेव च
The king, lacking a son, was carried along by his desires over time; yet he did not obtain a son, nor a maker of his lineage.
तेनैव राज्ञा धर्मेण चिंतितं बहुकालतः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि सुतप्राप्तिः कथं भवेत्
That king, with righteousness, pondered for a long time: 'What shall I do? Where shall I go? How might I obtain a son?'
न राष्ट्रे न पुरे सौख्यं लेभे राजा सुकेतुमान् । साध्व्य स्वकांतया सार्द्धं प्रत्यहं दुःखितोऽभवत्
King Suketuman found no happiness in his kingdom or city; every day he became sorrowful together with his virtuous wife.
तावुभौ दंपती नित्यं चिंताशोकपरायणौ । पितरोऽस्य जलं दत्तं कवोष्णमुपभुंजते
Both husband and wife were always absorbed in anxiety and grief; his parents, having given him water, partook of it warm.
राज्ञः पश्चान्न पश्यामो योऽस्मान्संतर्पयिष्यति । इत्येवं संस्मरंतोऽस्य दुःखिताः पितरोऽभवन्
'We do not see, after the king, who will satisfy us,' thus remembering this, his parents became distressed.
न बांधवा न मित्राणि नामात्याः सुहृदस्तथा । रोचयंत्यस्य भूपस्य न गजाश्वाः पदातयः
Neither relatives nor friends nor ministers nor companions, nor elephants, horses, or foot soldiers pleased the king.
नैराश्यं भूपतेस्तस्य नित्यं मनसि वर्त्तते । नरस्य पुत्रहीनस्य नास्ति वै जन्मनः फलम्
Despair always dwelled in the mind of that king; for a man without a son, there is truly no fruit of birth.
अपुत्रस्य गृहं शून्यं हृदयं दुःखितं सदा । पितृदेवमनुष्याणां नानृणत्वं सुतं विना
The house of one without a son is empty, the heart is always sorrowful; without a son, there is no freedom from debt to ancestors, gods, and men.