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—
नाराचेनातितीक्ष्णेन प्राप्तकालं जघान ह । स्रवच्छोणितधाराभिः प्लाविताङ्गः स मूषकः
—and killed it at the proper time. That mouse, its body drenched with flowing streams of blood—
पपात भूमौ विप्रर्षे व्यथया हतचेतनः । आखौ निपतिते तस्मिन्दयालुर्द्विजसत्तमः
—fell to the ground, O best of Brāhmaṇas, its senses overcome by pain. When the mouse had fallen, the compassionate best of Brāhmaṇas—
हाहाकारं ततः कृत्वा समुत्तस्थौ जवेन सः । निजकर्णात्समानीय तुलसीपत्रमुत्तमम्
—then uttered a cry of distress and quickly rose up; taking a fine leaf of tulasī from his own ear—
तस्याखोर्वदने शीर्षे कर्णयोश्च प्रदत्तवान् । मातस्तु तुलसीदेवि गोविन्दह्लादकारिणि
—he placed it in the mouth, on the head, and on the ears of that mouse. 'O Mother Tulasī, goddess, bringer of delight to Govinda—'
अस्याखोः कृतपापस्य कुरु त्वं गतिमुत्तमाम् । इत्युक्त्वा सद्विजश्रेष्ठ सर्वलोकोपकारकः
'For this mouse, who has committed sin, grant the highest state.' Having said this, the excellent Brāhmaṇa, benefactor of all the worlds—
हरेनारायणानन्त इत्युच्चैरकरोद्ध्वनिम् । तुलसीपत्रसंस्पर्शान्मूषको वीतकल्मषः
—loudly uttered the names 'Hari, Nārāyaṇa, Ananta.' By the touch of the tulasī leaf, the mouse was freed from sin.
श्रवणाद्धरिनाम्नश्च मुक्तोऽभूद्भवबंधनात् । ततो दूता महाविष्णोः सर्वलक्षणसंयुताः
By hearing the name of Hari, he was freed from the bondage of birth; then the messengers of the great Viṣṇu, adorned with all auspicious marks,
आजग्मुः सुरथैः शीघ्रं नेतुं तं गतकल्मषम् । समारुह्य रथं दिव्यं विष्णुदूतगणैर्वृताः
quickly arrived with divine chariots to take him, whose sins were gone; mounting a celestial chariot, surrounded by the hosts of Viṣṇu’s attendants,
जगाम परमं स्थानं मूषको द्विजसत्तम । युगकोटिसहस्राणि स्थित्वा नारायणाश्रमे
the mouse, O best of twice-born, reached the supreme abode, having dwelt in Nārāyaṇa’s hermitage for thousands of millions of ages.
ज्ञानमासाद्य तत्रैव मोक्षमाखुर्जगाम सः । व्यास उवाच- माहात्म्यं तुलसीदेव्याः कथितं ते द्विजोत्तम
There itself, attaining knowledge, that mouse obtained liberation; Vyāsa said: The greatness of goddess Tulasī has been told to you, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
इदानीं ब्रूहि किं श्रोतुं महाभाग त्वमिच्छसि
Now, O highly fortunate one, tell me what you wish to hear.
श्रीविष्णवे नमः स्वच्छं चंद्रावदातं करिकरमकरक्षोभसंजातफेनं। ब्रह्मोद्भूतिप्रसक्तैर्व्रतनियमपरैः सेवितं विप्रमुख्यैः। कारालंकृतेन त्रिभुवनगुरुणा ब्रह्मणा दृष्टिपूतं। संभोगाभोगरम्यं जलमशुभहरं पौष्करं वः पुनातु
Salutation to Śrī Viṣṇu. May the pure water, white as the moon, foaming from the agitation of elephants and makaras, served by foremost Brāhmaṇas devoted to vows and discipline, sanctified by the gaze of Brahmā, the guru of the three worlds, adorned with beauty and delight, and remover of all inauspiciousness—may that Puṣkara water purify you.
सूतमेकांतमासीनं व्यासशिष्यं महामतिः। लोमहर्षणनामा वा उग्रश्रवसमाह तत्
The wise disciple of Vyāsa, named Lomaharṣaṇa or Ugraśravas, sat apart as the Sūta.
ऋषीणामाश्रमांस्तात गत्वा धर्मान्समासतः। पृच्छतां विस्तराद्ब्रूहि यन्मत्तः श्रुतवानसि
Having gone to the hermitages of the sages, O dear one, and having asked them about dharma in detail, speak fully of what you have heard from me.
वेदव्यासान्मया पुत्र पुराणान्यखिलानि च। तवाख्यातानि प्राप्तानि मुनिभ्यो वद विस्तरात्
O son, all the Purāṇas and the teachings of Vedavyāsa have been imparted to you; tell them in detail to the sages.
प्रयागे मुनिवर्यैश्च यथापृष्टः स्वयं प्रभुः। पृष्टेन चानुशिष्टास्ते मुनयो धर्मकांक्षिणः
At Prayāga, as the best of sages asked the Lord himself, and as they were instructed when they questioned, those sages, desiring dharma,
देशं पुण्यमभीप्संतो विभुना च हितैषिणा। सुनाभं दिव्यरूपं च सत्यगं शुभविक्रमं
seeking a holy land, were guided by the Lord, the well-wisher, to Sunābha, divine in form, truthful, and of auspicious valor.
अनौपम्यमिदं चक्रं वर्तमानमतंद्रिताः। पृष्टतो यातनियमात्पदं प्राप्स्यथ यद्धितम्
He said: This matchless wheel, which moves tirelessly, you should follow without distraction; by doing so, you will attain the good that is sought.
गच्छतो धर्मचक्रस्य यत्र नेमिर्विशीर्यते। पुण्यः स देशो मंतव्य इत्युवाच स्वयं प्रभुः
Wherever the rim of the wheel of dharma, as it moves, does not break, that place should be considered holy—so spoke the Lord himself.
उक्त्वा चैवमृषीन्सर्वानदृश्यत्वमगात्पुनः। गंगावर्तसमाहारो नेमिर्यत्र व्यशीर्यत
Having thus spoken to all the sages, he became invisible again; the rim broke where the Ganges’ currents gathered.