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.
लोका ऊचुः - पुण्यात्पापं क्षयं याति पुराणे श्रूयते मुने । पुण्योपदेशं कथय येन पापक्षयो भवेत् । यथा भवत्प्रसादेन पुत्रो भवति भूपतेः
The people said: O sage, it is heard in the Purāṇas that sin is destroyed by merit. Please teach us a meritorious instruction by which sin may be destroyed, just as, by your grace, a king gains a son.
लोमश उवाच- श्रावणे शुक्लपक्षे तु पुत्रदा नाम विश्रुता । एकादशी वांच्छितदा कुरुध्वं तद्व्रतं जनाः
Lomaśa said: In the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, there is a renowned Ekādaśī called Putradā, the giver of sons. O people, perform that vow which grants all desires.
इति श्रुत्वा नमस्कृत्य मुनिमेत्य पुरं व्रतम् । यथाविधियथान्यायं कृतं तैर्जागरान्वितम्
Hearing this, they bowed and, approaching the sage, performed the vow in the city according to proper rules and procedures, accompanied by a night vigil.
तस्य पुण्यं सुविमलं दत्तं नृपतये जनैः । दत्ते पुण्येऽथ सा राज्ञी गर्भमाधत्त शोभनम्
The pure and excellent merit thus accrued was offered to the king by the people; and when this merit was given, the queen conceived a beautiful child.
प्राप्तो प्रसवकाले सा सुषुवे पुत्रमूर्जितम् । श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे कर्कटस्थे दिवाकरे
When the time of birth arrived, she gave birth to a strong son, during the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, when the sun was in Cancer.
द्वादश्यां वासुदेवाय पवित्रारोपणं स्मृतम् । हेम रौप्य ताम्र क्षौमैः सूत्रैः कौशेयपद्मजैः
On the twelfth day, the rite of pavitrāropaṇa for Vāsudeva is prescribed, using threads of gold, silver, copper, linen, silk, and lotus fiber.
कुशैः काशैश्च कार्पासैर्ब्राह्मण्या कर्तितैः शुभैः । स्नात्वा त्रिगुणितं सूत्रं त्रिगुणीकृत्य शोधयेत्
With sacred threads made of kuśa grass, kāśa grass, and cotton, prepared by a brāhmaṇī, one should bathe and then purify a threefold-twisted thread by twisting it three times.
गोदोहांतरिते काले पूर्वेद्युरधिवासनम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य गुरुपादौ प्रणम्य च
On the previous day, during the time between the two milkings of the cows, the rite of consecration is performed; after bowing to the brāhmaṇas and reverently saluting the guru's feet.
गीतमंगलनिर्घोषः कुर्याज्जागरणं ततः । ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या भिल्लाः शूद्रास्तथैव च
With auspicious songs and music, one should then keep vigil; brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, bhillas, and śūdras alike,
स्वधर्मावस्थिताः सर्वे भक्त्या कुर्युः पवित्रकम् । ततः पवित्रं गुरवे दद्याद्वै विधिपूर्वकम्
All, established in their own duties, should perform the pavitra rite with devotion; then, the pavitra should be given to the guru according to prescribed rules.