श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- कथयामि महीपाल कथामाश्चर्यकारिणीम् । कथयामास यां ब्रह्मा नारदाय महात्मने
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O king, I will tell you a wondrous story, which Brahmā narrated to the great sage Nārada.
नारद उवाच- कथयस्व प्रसादेन चतुर्मुख नमोऽस्तु ते । नभस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु किं नामैकादशी भवेत् । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विष्णोराराधनाय वै
Nārada said: Out of your grace, please tell me, O Four-faced One, I bow to you; in the bright fortnight of Nabhasya, what is the name of the Ekādaśī? I wish to hear this, for the worship of Viṣṇu.
ब्रह्मोवाच- वैष्णवोऽसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ साधुपृष्टं किल त्वया । नातः परतरा लोके पवित्रा हरिवासरात्
Brahmā said: You are a devotee of Viṣṇu, O best of sages; you have asked well. There is nothing in the world more sacred than the day of Hari.
पद्मा नामेति विख्याता नभस्यैकादशी सिता । हृषीकेशः पूज्यतेऽस्यां कर्त्तव्यं व्रतमुत्तमम्
It is well known as Padmā, the bright Ekādaśī of Nabhasya; on this day Hṛṣīkeśa is worshipped, and the supreme vow should be observed.
कथयामि तवाग्रेऽहं कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण महापापं प्रणश्यति
I will tell you, before you, an ancient and auspicious story, by hearing which even once, great sin is destroyed.
मांधाता नाम राजर्षिर्विवस्वद्वंशसंभवः । बभूव चक्रवर्ती स सत्यसंधः प्रतापवान्
There was a royal sage named Māndhātā, born in the lineage of Vivasvat; he became a universal emperor, steadfast in truth and powerful.
धर्मतः पालयामास प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान् । न तस्य राज्ये दुर्भिक्षं नाधयो व्याधयस्तथा
He ruled his subjects righteously, as if they were his own sons; in his kingdom there was no famine, nor any afflictions or diseases.
निरातंकाः प्रजास्तस्य धनधान्यसमेधिताः । न्यायेनोपार्जितं वित्तं तस्य कोशे महीपते
His subjects were free from fear, abundant in wealth and grain; the king's treasury was filled with wealth acquired justly.
स्वस्वधर्मे प्रवर्त्तंते सर्वे वर्णाश्रमास्तथा । कामधेनुसमाभूमिस्तस्य राज्ये महीपतेः
All the varṇas and āśramas engaged in their own duties; in his kingdom, the earth was like a wish-fulfilling cow.
तस्यैवं कुर्वतो राज्यं बहुवर्षगणा गताः । अथैकस्मिंश्च संप्राप्ते विपाकः कर्मणः खलु
While he ruled thus, many years passed; then, at a certain time, the result of karma indeed manifested.
वर्षत्रयं तद्विषये न ववर्ष बलाहकः । तेन भग्नाः प्रजास्तस्य बभूवुः क्षुधयार्दिताः
For three years in that land, the clouds did not rain; because of this, his subjects were broken, afflicted by hunger.
स्वाहा स्वधा वषट्कार वेदाध्ययनवर्जिताः । बभूव विषयस्तस्या भाग्येन दैवपीडितः । अथ प्रजाः समागम्य राजानमिदमब्रुवन्
Oblations to the gods and ancestors, and the utterance of 'vaṣaṭ,' and Vedic study ceased; his land, struck by fate, became deprived by misfortune. Then the people gathered and spoke to the king.
प्रजा ऊचुः - श्रोतव्यं नृपशार्दूल प्रजानां वचनं त्वया । आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ताः पुराणेषु मनीषिभिः
The people said: O best of kings, you must listen to the words of your subjects; in the Purāṇas, the wise have said that waters are called 'nārā.'
अयनं भगवतस्तस्मान्नारायण इति स्मृतः । पर्जन्यरूपो भगवान्विष्णुः सर्वगतः स्थितः
Therefore, the Lord is remembered as Nārāyaṇa; the all-pervading Lord Viṣṇu exists in the form of the rain-cloud.
स एवं कुरुते वृष्टिं वृष्टेरन्नं ततः प्रजाः । तदभावे नृपश्रेष्ठ क्षयं गच्छंति वै प्रजाः । तथा कुरु नृपश्रेष्ठ योगः क्षेमो यथा भवेत्
He thus causes rain, and from rain comes food, and from food arise the people; in its absence, O foremost of kings, the people indeed perish. Therefore, O best of kings, act so that welfare and security may be attained.
राजोवाच-। सत्यमुक्तं भवद्भिश्च न मिथ्याभिहितं क्वचित् । अन्नं ब्रह्म यतः प्रोक्तमन्ने सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
The king said: What you have spoken is true, never false; food is called Brahman, for all is established in food.
अन्नाद्भवंति भूतानि जगदन्नेन वर्तते । इत्येवं श्रूयते लोके पुराणे बहुविस्तरे
From food beings arise, and the world subsists by food; thus it is heard in the world, and in the extensive Purāṇas.
नृपाणामपचारेण प्रजानां पीडनं भवेत् । नाहं पश्याम्यात्मकृतमेवं बुद्ध्या विचारयन्
By the misconduct of kings, the people are afflicted; I do not see, upon reflection, that I myself have acted thus.
तथापि प्रयतिष्यामि प्रजानां हितकाम्यया । इति कृत्वा मतिं राजा परिमेयपरिच्छदः
Nevertheless, I shall strive for the welfare of the people; having resolved thus, the king, with his attendants, set out.
नमस्कृत्य विधातारं जगाम गहनं वनम् । चचार मुनिमुख्यांश्च आश्रमान्तापसैः श्रितान्
Having bowed to the Creator, he went to the dense forest; he visited the chief sages who dwelt in hermitages with ascetics.
ददर्शाथ ब्रह्मसुतमृषिमांगिरसं नृपः । तेजसा द्योतितदिशं द्वितीयमिव पद्मजम्
There the king saw the sage Āṅgirasa, son of Brahma, whose brilliance illumined the directions, like a second lotus-born.
तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षितो राजा अवतीर्य स्ववाहनात् । नमश्चक्रेऽस्य चरणौ कृतांजलिपुटो वशी
Seeing him, the king was delighted, and descending from his vehicle, he bowed at his feet with hands joined in reverence, self-controlled.
मुनिस्तमभिनंद्याथ स्वस्तिवाचनपूर्वकम् । पप्रच्छ कुशलं राज्ये सप्तस्वंगेषु भूपतेः
The sage then blessed him, preceded by words of auspiciousness, and asked about the well-being of the king in the seven limbs of the kingdom.
निवेदयित्वा कुशलं पप्रच्छानामयं नृपः । दत्तासनो गृहीतार्घ्य उपविष्टोऽस्य संनिधौ
Having reported his well-being, the king asked about the sage's health; after offering a seat and receiving water for hospitality, he sat in his presence.
प्रत्युवाच मुनिं राजा पृष्टो ह्यागमकारणम्
When asked the reason for his arrival, the king replied to the sage.
राजोवाच- भगवन्धर्मविधिना मम पालयतो महीम् । अनावृष्टिश्च संवृत्ता नाहं वेद्म्यत्र कारणम्
The king said: O revered one, while I govern the earth according to the law of dharma, a drought has occurred; I do not know the cause of this.
संशयच्छेदनायात्र आगतोऽहं तवांतिके । योगक्षेमविधानेन प्रजानां कुरु निर्वृतिम्
I have come before you to dispel my doubt; by means of welfare and security, please bring contentment to the people.
ऋषिरुवाच- एतत्कृतयुगं राजन्युगानामुत्तमं मतम् । अत्र ब्रह्मपरा लोका धर्मश्चात्र चतुष्पदः
The sage said: This is the Kṛta Yuga, considered the best of ages; here, people are devoted to Brahman, and dharma stands on four legs.
अस्मिन्युगे तपोयुक्ता ब्राह्मणा नेतरा जनाः । विषये तव राजेंद्र वृषलोऽयं तपस्यति
In this age, only the brāhmaṇas are engaged in austerity, not others; but in your kingdom, O king, a śūdra is practicing austerity.
एतस्मात्कारणाच्चैव न वर्षति बलाहकः । कुरु तस्य वधे यत्नं येन दोषः प्रशाम्यति
For this reason, the clouds do not rain; make an effort to kill him, so that the fault may be pacified.