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.
राजोवाच- नाहमेनं वधिष्यामि तपस्यंतमनागसम् । धर्मोपदेशं कथय उपसर्गविनाशनम्
The king said: I will not kill him, for he is innocent and engaged in austerity; teach me a dharmic remedy that removes affliction.
ऋषिरुवाच- यद्येवं तर्हि नृपते कुरुष्वैकादशीव्रतम् । नभस्यस्य सिते पक्षे पद्मा नामेति विश्रुता
The sage said: If that is so, O king, then undertake the Ekādaśī vow; in the bright fortnight of Nabhasya, it is known as Padmā.
तस्या व्रतप्रभावेन सुवृष्टिर्भविता ध्रुवम् । सर्वसिद्धिप्रदा ह्येषा सर्वोपद्रवनाशिनी
By the power of her vow, there will certainly be good rainfall; this vow grants all accomplishments and destroys all calamities.
अस्या व्रतं कुरु नृप सप्रजः सपरिच्छदः । इति वाक्यमृषेः श्रुत्वा राजा स्वगृहमागतः
O king, perform this vow together with your subjects and attendants; hearing these words of the sage, the king returned to his own house.
भाद्रमासे सिते पक्षे पद्माव्रतमथाकरोत् । प्रजाभिः सह सर्वाभिश्चातुर्वर्ण्यसमन्वितः
In the bright fortnight of the Bhādra month, he performed the Padma vow, accompanied by all his subjects, including people of all four classes.
एवं व्रते कृते राजन्प्रववर्ष बलाहकः । जलेन प्लाविता भूमिरभवत्सस्यशालिनी
When the vow was thus performed, O king, the clouds poured forth rain; the earth was flooded with water and became rich in crops.
ऋषीश्वरप्रभावेन लोकाः सौख्यं प्रपेदिरे । एतस्मात्कारणादेवं कर्त्तव्यं व्रतमुत्तमम्
By the power of the sage-lord, the people attained happiness; for this reason, this excellent vow should be performed.
दध्योदनयुतं तस्यां जलपूर्णं घटं द्विजे । वस्त्रसंवेष्टितं दत्त्वा छत्रोपानहमेव च
On that day, give to a Brahmin a pot filled with water and mixed with curd and rice, wrapped in cloth, along with an umbrella and sandals.
नमो नमस्ते गोविंद बुधश्रवणसंज्ञक । अघौघसंक्षयं कृत्वा सर्वसौख्यप्रदो भव
Salutations to you, Govinda, known as Budhaśravaṇa; having destroyed the mass of sins, grant all happiness.
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदश्चैव लोकानां सुखदायकः । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
He who grants enjoyment and liberation, and gives happiness to the worlds; O king, by reciting and hearing this, one is freed from all sins.