इंगुदी ककुभांश्चैव श्लेष्मातकनगांस्तथा । शल्लकान्करमर्दांश्च पाटलान्बदरानपि
He also saw ingudi and kakubha trees, shleshmātaka trees, shallaki and karamarda trees, patala and jujube trees.
अशोकांश्च पलाशांश्च शृगालाञ्शशकानपि । वनमार्जारमहिषान्शल्लकांश्चमरानपि
He saw ashoka and palasha trees, jackals and hares, wild cats, buffaloes, shallaki antelopes, and also chauris.
ददर्श भुजगान्राजा वल्मीकादर्द्धनिःसृतान् । तथा वनगजान् मत्तान् कलभैः सह संगतान्
The king saw serpents emerging halfway from their anthills, and wild elephants, intoxicated, gathered together with young elephants.
यूथपांश्च चतुर्दंतान्करिणीयूथमध्यगान् । तान्दृष्ट्वा चिंतयामास आत्मनः स गजान्नृपः
He saw leaders of herds, four-tusked elephants, and elephants surrounded by their groups; seeing them, the king thought of his own elephants.
तेषां स विचरन्मध्ये राजा शोभामवाप ह । महदाश्चर्यसंयुक्तं ददृशे विपिनं नृपः
As he moved among them, the king gained splendor; the forest appeared to him filled with great and wondrous sights.
मार्गे शिवारुतान्शृण्वन्नुलूकविरुतं तथा । तांस्तानृक्षमृगान्पश्यन्बभ्राम वनमध्यतः
On the path, hearing the howls of jackals and the cries of owls, seeing various bears and deer, he wandered through the heart of the forest.
एवं ददर्श गहनं नृपो मध्यगते रवौ । क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां पीडितो राजा इतश्चेतश्च धावति
Thus the king saw the dense forest as the sun reached its zenith; afflicted by hunger and thirst, he ran here and there.
नृपतिश्चिंतयामास संशुष्कगलकंधरः । मया तु किं कृतं कर्म प्राप्तं दुःखं यदीदृशम्
The king, his throat and neck parched, began to ponder: 'What deed have I done that I have come to such suffering?'
मया वै तोषिता देवा यज्ञैः पूजाभिरेव च । तथैव ब्राह्मणा दानैस्तोषिता मिष्टभोजनैः
'I have satisfied the gods with sacrifices and worship, and likewise the Brahmins with gifts and delicious food.'
प्रजाश्चैव सदा कालं पुत्रवत्पालिता भृशम् । कस्माद्दुःखं मया प्राप्तमीदृशं दारुणं महत्
'I have always protected my subjects, like sons, at all times; why then has such great and terrible suffering come to me?'
इति चिंतापरो राजा जगामैवाग्रतो वनम् । सुकृतस्य प्रभावेन सरो दृष्टमनुत्तमम्
Thus absorbed in thought, the king went further into the forest; by the power of his merit, he saw an excellent lake.
मीनसंस्पर्शमानं च पद्मैश्चापरशोभितम् । कारंडैश्चक्रवाकैश्च राजहंसैश्च शोभितम्
It was touched by fish, adorned with lotuses, and graced by ducks, chakravaka birds, and royal swans.
मकरैर्बहुभिर्मत्स्यैरन्यैर्जलचरैर्युतम् । समीपे सरसस्तस्य मुनीनामाश्रमान्बहून्
It was filled with crocodiles, many fish, and other aquatic creatures; near that lake were many hermitages of sages.
ददर्श राजा लक्ष्मीवान्शकुनैः शुभशंसिभिः । दक्षिणं प्रास्फुरन्नेत्रमथ सव्येतरः करः
The prosperous king saw auspicious birds; his right eye throbbed, and then his left hand as well.
प्रास्फुरन्नृपतेस्तस्य कथयञ्शोभनं फलम् । तस्य तीरे मुनीन्दृष्ट्वा कुर्वाणन्नैगमं जपम्
The king’s throbbing foretold a favorable outcome; on the shore, he saw sages engaged in Vedic recitation.
हर्षेण महताविष्टो बभूव नृपनंदनः । अवतीर्य हयात्तस्मान्मुनीनामग्रतः स्थितः
Filled with great joy, the king’s son dismounted from his horse and stood before the sages.
पृथक्पृथग्ववंदेऽसौ मुनींस्तान्शंसितव्रतान् । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा दंडवच्च पुनः पुनः
He then respectfully saluted those sages, each one individually, who were renowned for their vows, joining his palms and bowing down again and again like a staff.
प्रत्यूचुस्तेऽपि मुनयः प्रसन्ना नृपते वयम् । राजोवाच- के भवंतोऽत्र कथ्यंतां का चाख्या भवतामपि । किमर्थं संगता यूयं सत्यं वदत मेऽग्रतः
The sages, pleased, replied: 'O King, we are content.' The king said: 'Who are you, sirs, present here? Please tell me your names as well. For what purpose have you gathered? Speak the truth before me.'
मुनय ऊचुः- विश्वेदेवा वयं राजन्स्नानार्थमिह चागताः । माघो निकटमायात एतस्मात्पंचमेऽहनि
The sages said: 'O King, we are the Viśvedevas, come here for the purpose of bathing. Māgha is approaching; on the fifth day from now—'
अद्य चैकादशी राजन्पुत्रदा नाम नामतः । पुत्रं ददात्यसौ विष्णुः पुत्रदा कारिणां नृणाम्
'And today is the Ekādaśī called Putradā by name, O King. Viṣṇu grants a son to those men who observe Putradā.'
राजोवाच- एष वै संशयो मह्यं पुत्रस्योत्पादने महान् । यदि तुष्टा भवंतो वै पुत्रं मे दीयतां तदा
The king said: 'I have great doubt regarding the begetting of a son. If you are pleased, then grant me a son.'
मुनिरुवाच- अद्यैव दिवसे राजन्पुत्रदा नाम वर्तते । एकादशीति विख्यातं क्रियतां व्रतमुत्तमम्
The sage said: 'Today is indeed the day called Putradā, O King, renowned as Ekādaśī. Perform this excellent vow.'
अभिषेकात्ततोऽस्माकं केशवस्य प्रसादतः । अवश्यं तव राजेंद्र पुत्रप्राप्तिर्भविष्यति
'By our consecration and by Keśava's grace, O King, you will certainly obtain a son.'
इत्येवं वचनात्तेषां कृतं राज्ञा व्रतोत्तमम् । मुनीनामुपदेशेन पुत्रदा या विधानतः
Thus, by their words, the king performed the supreme vow of Putradā, as instructed by the sages, in the prescribed manner.
द्वादश्यां पारणं कृत्वा मुनीन्नत्वा पुनः पुनः । आजगाम गृहं राजा राज्ञी गर्भमथादधौ 6.41.
On the twelfth day, after breaking the fast and bowing repeatedly to the sages, the king returned home, and the queen then conceived.
पुत्रो जातः सूतिकाले तेजस्वी पुण्यकर्मणा । पितरं तोषयामास प्रजापालो बभूव सः
A son was born at the proper time, radiant and virtuous in deeds; he pleased his father and became the protector of the people.
तस्माद्राजन्प्रकर्त्तव्यं पुत्रदा व्रतमुत्तमम् । लोकानां तु हितार्थाय तवाग्रे कथितं मया
Therefore, O King, the excellent vow of Putradā should be performed. For the welfare of the worlds, I have related this to you.
एकचित्तास्तु ये मर्त्याः कुर्वंति पुत्रदा व्रतम् । पुत्रान्प्राप्येह लोके तु मृतास्ते स्वर्गगामिनः । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Those mortals who, with single-mindedness, perform the Putradā vow, obtain sons in this world, and after death, go to heaven. By reciting or hearing this, O King, one attains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- साधु कृष्ण जगन्नाथ आदिदेव जगत्पते । कथयस्व प्रसादेन कृपां कुरु ममोपरि
Yudhiṣṭhira said: 'Excellent, Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the universe, primeval God, master of the world! Out of your grace, tell me and show me your compassion.'
माघस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु का वा चैकादशी भवेत् । किं नाम को विधिस्तस्या एतद्विस्तरतो वद
'In the dark fortnight of Māgha, which Ekādaśī occurs? What is its name, and what is its procedure? Please explain this to me in detail.'