युधिष्ठिर उवाच। श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे किं नामैकादशीभवेत् । कथयस्व प्रसादेन ममाग्रे मधुसूदन
Yudhishthira said: In the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, what is the name of the Ekādaśī? Please tell me, O Madhusudana, in my presence, by your grace.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्कथां पापहरां पराम् । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं भवेत्
Śrī Krishna said: Listen attentively, O king, to the supreme story that removes sin, by hearing which alone one obtains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice.
द्वापरस्य युगस्यादौ पुरा माहिष्मती पुरे । राजा महीजिदाख्यातो राज्यं पालयति स्वकम्
At the beginning of the Dvāpara age, in the city of Māhiṣmatī, there was a king named Mahījit who ruled his kingdom.
पुत्रहीनस्य तस्यैव न तद्राज्यं सुखप्रदम् । अपुत्रस्य सुखं नास्ति इहलोके परत्र च
For him, being without a son, that kingdom did not bring happiness; for one without a son, there is no happiness in this world or the next.
चिंतयास्य सुतस्यैवं कालो बहुतरो गतः । न प्राप्तश्च सुतो राज्ञा सर्वसौख्यप्रदो नृणाम्
Thinking thus about a son, much time passed; yet the king did not obtain a son, who brings all happiness to people.
दृष्ट्वात्मानं प्रवयसं राजा चिंतापरोऽभवत् । तदागतः प्रजामध्ये इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Seeing himself advanced in age, the king became absorbed in worry; then, among his subjects, he spoke these words.
इहजन्मनि भो लोका न मया पातकं कृतम् । अन्यायोपार्जितं वित्तं क्षिप्तं कोशे मया न हि
In this birth, O people, I have not committed sin; nor have I placed wealth acquired unjustly in my treasury.
ब्रह्मस्वं देवद्रविणं न गृहीतं मया क्वचित् । न्यासापहारो न कृतः परस्य बहुपापदः । पुत्रवत्पालितो लोको धर्मेण विजिता मही
I have never taken Brahmin property or divine wealth; I have not stolen entrusted goods, which brings much sin; I have protected the people like a son, and conquered the earth by righteousness.
दुष्टेषु पातितो दंडो बंधुपुत्रोपमेष्वपि । शिष्टास्तु पूजिता नित्यं न द्वेष्याश्च मया जनाः
Punishment was inflicted on the wicked, even among relatives and sons; the virtuous were always honored, and I have not hated anyone.
इत्येवं ब्रुवतो मार्गं धर्मयुक्तं द्विजोत्तमाः । कस्मान्मम गृहे पुत्रो न जातस्तद्विमृश्यताम्
Thus, as he spoke of his path joined with righteousness, O best of twice-born, let it be considered why a son has not been born in my house.
इति वाक्यं द्विजाः श्रुत्वा सप्रजाः सपुरोहिताः । मंत्रयित्वा नृपहितं जग्मुस्ते गहनं वनम्
Hearing these words, the Brahmins, along with their families and priests, deliberated for the king's benefit and went to a dense forest.
इतस्ततश्च पश्यंत आश्रमानृषिसेवितान् । नृपतेर्हितमिच्छंतो ददृशुर्मुनिसत्तमम्
Wandering here and there, they saw hermitages frequented by sages; desiring the king's welfare, they beheld the foremost sage.
तप्यमानं तपो घोरं निरालंबं निरामयम् । निराहारं जितात्मानं जितक्रोधं सनातनम्
He was practicing severe austerity, unsupported, free from affliction, without food, self-controlled, having conquered anger, and eternal.
लोमशं धर्मतत्वज्ञं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् । दीर्घायुषं महात्मानं सकेशं ब्रह्मसंमितम्
Lomaśa, who knows the essence of dharma, is skilled in all the scriptures, long-lived, great-souled, with hair, and esteemed as equal to Brahma.
कल्पेकल्पे गते तस्य एकं लोम विशीर्यते । अतो लोमशनामायं त्रिकालज्ञो महामुनिः
With the passing of each kalpa, one hair of his falls out; therefore, this great sage, knower of the three times, is called Lomaśa.
तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षिताः सर्वे आजग्मुस्तस्य सन्निधिम् । यथान्यायं यथार्हं ते नमश्चक्रुर्यथोदितम्
Seeing him, all became joyful and approached his presence; as was proper and fitting, they offered salutations as prescribed.
विनयावनताः सर्वे ऊचुस्ते च परस्परम् । अस्मद्भाग्यवशादेव प्राप्तोऽयं मुनिसत्तमः । तास्तथा स प्रजा वीक्ष्य उवाच ऋषिसत्तमः
All, humble and respectful, spoke among themselves: 'By the force of our good fortune, this best of sages has arrived.' Seeing those people thus, the best of seers spoke.
लोमश उवाच- किमर्थमिह संप्राप्तः कथयध्वं सकारणम् । दर्शनाद्धृष्टमनसः स्तुवंतश्चैव मां किमु
Lomaśa said: 'For what purpose have you come here? Speak with reason. Why, upon seeing me, are you joyful and praising me?'
असंशयं करिष्यामि भवतां यद्धितं भवेत् । परोपकृतये जन्म मादृशानां न संशयः
Without doubt, I will do whatever is beneficial for you; the birth of people like me is surely for the welfare of others.
जना ऊचुः - श्रूयतामभिधास्यामो वयं स्वागमकारणम् । संशयच्छेदनार्थाय तव सान्निध्यमागताः
The people said: 'Let it be heard, we will state the reason for our coming. We have come into your presence to dispel our doubts.'
पद्मयोनेः परतरस्त्वत्तः श्रेष्ठो न विद्यते । अतः कार्यवशात्प्राप्ताः समीपं भवतो वयम्
There is no one superior to you, O lotus-born, nor anyone greater; therefore, due to necessity, we have come near to you.
महीजिन्नाम राजासौ पुत्रहीनोऽस्ति सांप्रतम् । वयं तस्य प्रजा ब्रह्मन्पुत्रवत्तेन पालिताः
There is a king named Mahījit, who is currently without a son; we are his subjects, O Brahman, protected by him as if we were his own children.
तं पुत्ररहितं दृष्ट्वा तस्य दुःखेन दुःखिताः । तपः कर्तुमिहायाता मतिं कृत्वा तु नैष्ठिकीम्
Seeing him without a son, distressed by his sorrow, we came here to perform austerity, having resolved with firm intent.
तस्य भाग्येन दृष्टोऽसि ह्यस्माभिस्त्वं द्विजोत्तम । महतां दर्शनेनैव कार्यसिद्धिर्भवेन्नृणाम्
By his fortune, O best of twice-born, you have been seen by us; by the mere sight of the great, the purpose of men is accomplished.
उपदेशं वद मुने राज्ञः पुत्रो यथा भवेत् । इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा मुहूर्त्तं ध्यानमास्थितः । प्रत्युवाच मुनिर्ज्ञात्वा तस्य जन्म पुरातनम्
Give instruction, O sage, so that the king may have a son. Hearing their words, the sage entered meditation for a moment, and, knowing his former birth, replied.
लोमश उवाच- पुरा जन्मनि वैश्योऽयं धनहीनो नृशंसकृत् । वाणिज्यकर्मनिरतो ग्रामाद्ग्रामांतरं भ्रमन्
Lomaśa said: 'In a previous birth, this man was a merchant, poor and cruel in deed, engaged in trade, wandering from village to village.'
ज्येष्ठे मासि सिते पक्षे दशमी दिवसे तथा । मध्यगे द्युमणौ प्राप्ते ग्रामसीम्नि जलाशयम्
In the month of Jyeṣṭha, during the bright fortnight, on the tenth day, when the sun was at its zenith, he reached the boundary of a village and saw a reservoir of water.
कूपिकां सजलां दृष्ट्वा जलपाने मनोदधे । सद्यस्ततः सवत्सा च धेनुस्तत्र समागता
Seeing a well filled with water, he desired to drink; just then, a cow with her calf also arrived there.
तृष्णातुरा निदाघार्ता तस्यामंबुपपौ तु सा । पिबंतीं वारयित्वा तामसौ तोयं पपौ स्वयम्
Tormented by thirst and the heat of summer, she began to drink that water; but he drove her away as she drank, and drank the water himself.
कर्मणा तेन पापेन पुत्रहीनो नृपो भवेत् । कस्यापि जन्मनः पुण्यात्प्राप्तं राज्यमकंटकम्
Because of that sinful act, the king is without a son; by the merit of some birth, he has obtained a kingdom free from trouble.