ज्ञातिधर्म इति ख्यातो वल्लभो द्वापरे युगे । बभूव सर्वधर्मज्ञस्तस्य श्रीवल्लभाह्वया
In the Dvāpara Yuga, there was a renowned man named Jñātidharma, beloved and learned in all the sacred duties; his wife was called Śrīvallabhā.
तेन सर्वाणि कर्माणि कृतानि ज्ञातिसेविना । सौराष्ट्रे वसतिं चक्रे तया सह सभार्यया
He, devoted to serving his kin, performed all duties and established his residence in Saurāṣṭra together with his wife.
तत्र दुर्ग्रहसंचाराद्द्वादशाब्दं च वासवः । न ववर्षांबु तेनासीद्दुर्भिक्षं सुमहद्द्विजौ
There, due to the movement of malefic planets, Indra did not send rain for twelve years, and thus a great famine befell, O twice-born ones.
तस्मिन्महति दुर्भिक्षे लोकास्तद्देशवासिनः । बभूवुर्दुःखिताः सर्वे मर्यादामपि तत्यजुः ५० 7.25.
During that severe famine, all the people dwelling in that region became afflicted with suffering and even abandoned their customary codes of conduct.
ज्ञानभद्रो महायोगी युगे द्वापर संज्ञके । दुर्भिक्षहृतसंपत्तिर्बभूवात्यन्तदुःखितः
Jñānabhadra, a great yogi in that Dvāpara age, lost his wealth to the famine and became extremely distressed.
क्षुधाकुलान्सुतान्दृष्ट्वा दारांश्च द्विजसंमतौ । फलमूलादनार्थाय जगामोत्पत्यकां गिरेः
Seeing his children and wife, esteemed among twice-born, tormented by hunger, he went to the slope of a mountain in search of fruit and roots.
गिरेरुपत्यकाप्रांते चिरायुः स बुभुक्षितः । कूष्माण्डफलमेकं च लेभे ब्राह्मणसत्तमौ
At the edge of the mountain’s slope, that long-lived and hungry one, together with the excellent brāhmaṇa, found a single gourd-fruit.
समादाय फलं तच्च हर्षितोऽसौ निजालयम् । जवैर्जगाम विप्रेन्द्रो ज्ञानभद्रो महायशाः
Taking that fruit, delighted, the illustrious brāhmaṇa lord Jñānabhadra quickly returned to his own home.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे विप्र मेघैर्न्नीलपदैरिव । आवृते गगने वृष्टिर्महासारैर्बभूव ह
Meanwhile, O brāhmaṇa, the sky became covered with clouds as if with blue lotuses, and a great downpour of rain occurred.
स मुनिश्च तया वृष्ट्या प्लाविताखिलविग्रह । वनाद्वनचरः कश्चिच्छीतार्तश्चाययौ गृहम्
And that sage, drenched by the rain, with all his limbs soaked, returned home, as did a certain forest-dweller, shivering from the cold.
दृष्ट्वातिथिं तु शीतार्तं ववंदे शिरसा ततः । ददौ तृणासनं भक्त्या तस्मै पाद्यादिकं ततः
Seeing the guest afflicted by cold, he bowed his head in respect, offered him a seat of grass with devotion, and then gave him water for washing the feet and other customary offerings.
ततो मधुरया वाचा तेनैवातिथिना सह । तस्थौ स्वस्थेन मनसा प्रज्ञालापं प्रकुर्वता
Then, with sweet words, he remained with that guest, his mind at ease, engaging in wise conversation.
गृहिण्या सह गोपेन स्वामिसेवा सुदक्षया । ततः कूष्माण्डकं नव्यं पक्वमत्यंत यत्नतः
Together with his wife, skilled in serving her lord, he and the cowherd carefully cooked the fresh gourd-fruit.
संप्राप्य हर्षिता साध्वी ददौ भागं विधाय सा । अथासौ दुर्बलो गोपो दिनविंशमुपोषणात्
Having obtained it, the virtuous wife, delighted, apportioned the fruit and gave a share; and the weak cowherd, having fasted for twenty days, received it.
आतिथेयो महाभागं ददौ चातिथये मुदा । ततस्तद्गृहिणी साध्वी स्वामिभक्तिपरायणा
The honored guest joyfully gave the largest portion to the host; then the virtuous wife, devoted to serving her husband, ...
ददौ सा पतितं भागं तस्मै चातिथये मुदा । अथातिथेस्तयोस्तत्र दंपत्योः सुमहात्मनोः
... gave her own portion to the guest with gladness; thus, between the two great-hearted spouses and the guest, ...
अभूद्भागद्वयं भुक्त्वा सुप्रीतो द्विजसत्तम । विष्णुवत्पूजितस्ताभ्यां सोऽतिथिर्दृढभक्तितः
After eating the two portions, the excellent brāhmaṇa guest was greatly pleased; worshipped by them with firm devotion as if he were Viṣṇu himself.
विश्रामं रात्रौ तत्रैव प्रातः स्नात्वा चिरं ययौ । गतैवमुपवासेन दिनानामेकविंशतिः
He rested there that night, and in the morning, after bathing, departed; thus, through fasting, twenty-one days passed.
दंपती तौ महात्मानौ पंचतां ययतुस्ततः । तेन पुण्यप्रभावेण दंपती तौ महाशयौ
Those two great-souled spouses then departed from this world; by the power of their merit, those noble husband and wife—
प्रापतुर्विष्णुसायुज्यं दुर्ल्लभं योगिनामपि । तयोः पुण्यप्रभावेण विहितातिथिपूजया
—attained union with Viṣṇu, which is difficult even for yogis to obtain. By the power of their merit, through the worship offered to guests—
तस्मिन्राज्ये तु दुर्भिक्षं विनष्टमभवत्ततः । अत्यंतसुखिनोलोकाः शोकव्याधिविवर्जिताः
—famine in that kingdom was destroyed; the people became extremely happy, free from sorrow and disease.
धनधान्यादिसम्पन्ना बभूवुर्धर्मतत्पराः । विनष्टा दस्यवस्तत्र नृपोऽभूल्लोकपालकः
They became endowed with wealth, grain, and other riches, devoted to righteousness; bandits were eliminated there, and the king became the protector of the people.
निजाचाररतालोका जलदाः कामवर्षिणः । पूर्वजाः कोटिपुरुषास्तथैवापरजास्तयोः
The people delighted in their own duties; the clouds rained as desired. Both their ancestors and descendants—
तेनैव कर्मणा मुक्तिं जग्मुः पापविवर्जिताः । निर्दोषा धनसंपन्नाः सर्वलोकैकपूजिताः
—by that very act, attained liberation, freed from sin; faultless, endowed with wealth, and honored by all the worlds.
शोकव्याधिविहीना च ववृधे संततिस्तयोः । लोमश उवाच- आगंतुपूजामाहात्म्यं सेतिहासं मयोदितम्
Free from sorrow and disease, their lineage flourished. Lomaśa said: The greatness of guest worship, along with this story, has been told by me.
युवयोः प्रीतयोर्विप्रौ किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छथ । व्यास उवाच- इति ब्रुवति वै तस्मिँल्लोमशे तपसां धने
O two delighted Brāhmaṇas, what else do you wish to hear? Vyāsa said: While Lomaśa, the treasure of austerities, was speaking thus—
कालग्रस्तः कृष्णआखुस्तत्रोत्तस्थौ बिलान्निजात् । तमुत्थितं बिलात्कृष्णमूषकं क्रोधविह्वलः
—a black rat, seized by time, rose up there from its own hole; that black rat, having emerged from the hole, agitated by anger—
पवित्रस्तत्र चोत्तस्थौ वदन्निति मुहुर्मुहुः । अयं पापाशयो दुष्टो मूषको निशि चाश्रमम्
—was then raised up, repeatedly saying: 'This mouse, with wicked intent, is evil; at night, it digs in the hermitage—'
खनते तीक्ष्णदंतौघैर्गृहद्रव्यं च कृंतति । सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां कृपा श्रेष्ठा प्रकीर्तिता
—'with its sharp teeth it burrows and cuts up the household goods.' Compassion is praised as best among all classes—
सा च सर्वेषु कर्तव्या न च दुष्टेषु जंतुषु । इत्युक्त्वासौ मूषिकं तं द्विजश्रेष्ठ कृतैनसम्
—and it should be practiced toward all, but not toward wicked creatures. Having said this, he struck that mouse, O best of twice-born, with a sharp spear—