मुचुकुंद इति ख्यातो बभूव नृपतिः पुरा । देवेंद्रेण समं तस्य मित्रत्वमभवन्नृप
There was once a king named Mucukuṇḍa; he had friendship with Indra, the lord of the gods.
यमेन वरुणेनैव कुबेरेणापि सर्वथा । विभीषणेन यस्यैव सखित्वमभवन्नृप
He also had friendship, O king, with Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, and indeed with Vibhīṣaṇa.
विष्णुभक्तः सत्यसंधो बभूव नृपतिः परः । तस्यैवं शासतो राजन्राज्यं निहतकंटकम्
That supreme king was a devotee of Viṣṇu and true to his word; under his rule, O king, the kingdom was free from thorns (troublemakers).
बभूव दुहिता गेहे चंद्रभागा सरिद्वरा । शोभनाय च सा दत्ता चंद्रसेनसुताय वै
In his house was born a daughter, Candrabhāgā, a river of excellence; she was given in marriage to Śobhana, the son of Candrasena.
स कदाचित्समायातः श्वशुरस्य गृहे नृप । एकादशीव्रतदिनं समायातं सुपुण्यदम्
Once, Śobhana came to his father-in-law's house; it was the day of the Ekādaśī vow, a day that bestows great merit.
समागते व्रतदिने चंद्रभागा त्वचिंतयत् । किं भविष्यति देवेश मम भर्त्तातिदुर्बलः
When the day of the vow arrived, Candrabhāgā thought: 'O Lord of the gods, what will happen? My husband is extremely weak.'
क्षुधां न क्षमते सोढुं पिता चैवोग्रशासनः । पटहस्ताड्यते यस्य संप्राप्ते दशमीदिने
'He cannot endure hunger, and my father is very strict; on the tenth day, the drum is beaten.'
न भोक्तव्यं न भोक्तव्यं न भोक्तव्यं हरेर्दिने । श्रुत्वा पटहनिर्घोषं शोभनस्त्वब्रवीत्प्रियाम्
'On the day of Hari, one must not eat, one must not eat, one must not eat'—hearing the sound of the drum, Śobhana spoke to his beloved.
किं कर्त्तव्यं मया कांते देहि शिक्षां वरानने । चंद्रभागोवाच - मत्पितुर्वेश्मनि प्रभो भोक्तव्यं नाद्य केनचित्
'What should I do, dear one? Instruct me, O lovely-faced one.' Candrabhāgā said: 'In my father's house, O lord, no one may eat today.'
गजैरश्वैश्च कलभैरन्यैः पशुभिरेव च । तृणमन्नं तथा वारि न भोक्तव्यं हरेर्दिने
'Neither elephants, horses, young camels, nor other animals; neither grass, food, nor water may be consumed on the day of Hari.'
मानवैश्च कुतः कांत भुज्यते हरिवासरे । यदि त्वं भोक्ष्यसे कांत ततो गर्हां प्रयास्यसि
'How then, dear one, could humans eat on the day of Hari? If you eat, beloved, you will incur reproach.'
एवं विचार्य मनसा सुदृढं मानसं कुरु । शोभन उवाच- सत्यमेतत्प्रिये वाक्यं करिष्येऽहमुपोषणम्
'Thus, after considering in your mind, make a firm resolve.' Śobhana said: 'Truly, dear, your words are right; I will undertake the fast.'
दैवेन विहितं यद्धि तत्तथैव भविष्यति । इति दृढां मतिं कृत्वा चकार नियमं व्रते
Whatever is ordained by fate will surely come to pass; with this firm resolve, he undertook the vow with discipline.
क्षुधया पीडिततनुः स बभूवातिदुःखितः । इति चिंतयतस्तस्य आदित्योऽस्तमगाद्गिरिम्
Afflicted by hunger, his body tormented, he became exceedingly miserable; while he was thus reflecting, the sun set behind the mountain.
वैष्णवानां नराणां सा निशा हर्षविवर्द्धनी । हरिपूजारतानां च जागरासक्तचेतसाम्
That night brought joy to those men devoted to Viṣṇu, to those absorbed in worship of Hari and intent on keeping vigil.
बभूव नृपशार्दूल शोभनस्यातिदुःखदा । रवेरुदयवेलायां शोभनः पंचतां गतः
But for Śobhana, O best of kings, that beautiful night brought great suffering; at sunrise, Śobhana passed away.
दाहयामास राजा तं राजयोग्यैश्च दारुभिः । चंद्रभागा नात्मदेहं ददाह पतिना सह
The king burned his body with royal funeral wood; Candrabhāgā entered the fire with her husband, burning herself as well.
कृत्वौर्द्ध्वदैहिकं तस्य तस्थौ जनकवेश्मनि । शोभनश्च नृपश्रेष्ठ रमाव्रतप्रभावतः
After performing the funeral rites for him, she remained in her father's house; but Śobhana, O foremost of kings, by the power of the Ramā vow,
प्राप्तो देवपुरं रम्यं मंदराचलसानुनि । अनुत्तममनाधृष्यमसंख्येयगुणान्वितम्
Reached a beautiful divine city on the slopes of Mount Mandara, unrivaled, unassailable, endowed with countless virtues.
हेमस्तंभमयैसौधै रत्नवैडूर्यमंडितैः । स्फाटिकैर्विविधाकारैर्विचित्रैरुपशोभितैः
Adorned with palaces of golden pillars, decorated with jewels and beryl, and embellished with wondrous crystal structures of various forms.
सिंहासनसमारूढः सुश्वेतच्छत्रचामरः । किरीटकुंडलयुतो हारकेयूरभूषितः । स्तूयमानश्च गंधर्वैरप्सरोगणसेवितः
Seated upon a throne, shaded by a pure white parasol and yak-tail fan, adorned with crown and earrings, with necklaces and armlets, he was praised by Gandharvas and attended by hosts of Apsarases.
शोभनः शोभते यत्र राजराजोपरो यथा । सोमशर्मेति विख्यातो मुचुकुंदपुरेऽभवत्
There Śobhana shone, surpassing even the king of kings; he became renowned as Somaśarman in the city of Mucukunda.
तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन भ्रमन्विप्रो ददर्श तम् । नृपजामातरं ज्ञात्वा तत्समीपं जगाम सः
While journeying on pilgrimage, a brāhmaṇa saw him; recognizing him as the king's son-in-law, he approached him.
शोभनोऽपि तदा ज्ञात्वा सोमशर्माणमागतम् । आसनादुत्थितः शीघ्रं नमश्चक्रे द्विजोत्तमम्
Śobhana, realizing that Somaśarman had arrived, quickly rose from his seat and respectfully greeted the eminent brāhmaṇa.
चकार कुशलप्रश्नं श्वशुरस्य नृपस्य च । कांतायाश्चंद्रभागायास्तथैव नगरस्य च
He inquired about the welfare of his father-in-law the king, of his beloved Candrabhāgā, and likewise of the city.
सोमशर्मोवाच- कुशलं वर्त्तते राजन्श्वशुरस्य गृहे तव । चंद्रभागा कुशलिनी सर्वतः कुशलं पुरे
Somaśarman said: 'All is well, O king, in your father-in-law’s house; Candrabhāgā is well, and everywhere in the city there is prosperity.'
स्ववृत्तं कथ्यतां राजन्नाश्चर्यं विद्यतेऽद्भुतम् । पुरं विचित्रं रुचिरं न दृष्टं केनचित्क्वचित्
'Tell me your story, O king—there is something marvelous and astonishing here. This city is wondrous and beautiful, such as no one has ever seen.'
एतदाचक्ष्व नृपते कुतः प्राप्तमिदं त्वया । शोभन उवाच- कार्तिकस्यासिते पक्षे या नामैकादशी रमा
'Tell me, O king, how you obtained this; Śobhana said: In the dark fortnight of Kārtika, there is a day called the Ramā Ekādaśī.'
तामुपोष्य मया प्राप्तं द्विजेंद्र पुरमध्रुवम् । ध्रुवं भवति येनैव तत्कुरुष्व द्विजोत्तमः
'By observing that, I attained this impermanent city, O best of brāhmaṇas. That by which it becomes permanent, do that, O eminent brāhmaṇa.'
द्विज उवाच- कथमध्रुवमेतद्धि कथं हि भवति ध्रुवम् । तत्त्वं कथय राजेंद्र तत्करिष्यामि नान्यथा
The brāhmaṇa said: 'How is this impermanent, and how can it become permanent? Tell me the truth, O king; I will do it, and nothing else.'