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.'
शोभन उवाच- मयैतद्विहितं विप्र श्रद्धाहीनं व्रतोत्तमम् । तेनाहमध्रुवं मन्ये ध्रुवं भवति तच्छृणु
Śobhana said: This excellent vow was performed by me, O Brahmin, without faith. Therefore, I consider it impermanent; listen, for it can become permanent.
मुचुकुंदस्य दुहिता चंद्रभागा सुशोभना । तस्यै कथय वृत्तांतं ध्रुवमेतद्भविष्यति
The daughter of Mucukuṇḍa, Candra-bhāgā, beautiful in form—tell her the account; this will surely become permanent.
कृष्ण उवाच- स श्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य मुचुकुंदपुरं गतः । उवाच सर्वं वृत्तांत्तं चंद्रभागाग्रतो द्विजः
Kṛṣṇa said: Hearing his words, he went to the city of Mucukuṇḍa. The Brahmin narrated the entire story before Candra-bhāgā.
सोमशर्मोवाच - प्रत्यक्षं दयितः कांतस्तव दृष्टो मया शुभे । इंद्रतुल्यमनाधृष्यं दृष्टं तस्य पुरं मया । अध्रुवं तेन तत्प्रोक्तं ध्रुवं भवति तत्कुरु
Somaśarman said: Your beloved husband, O auspicious one, has been seen by me directly. His city, equal to Indra’s and unassailable, was seen by me. He declared it impermanent; make it permanent by your actions.
चंद्रभागोवाच- तत्र मां नय विप्रर्षे पतिदर्शनलालसाम् । आत्मनो व्रतपुण्येन करिष्यामि पुरं ध्रुवम्
Candra-bhāgā said: Lead me there, O sage among Brahmins, for I long to see my husband. By the merit of my vow, I will make that city permanent.
आवयोर्द्विजसंयोगो यथा भवति तत्कुरु । प्राप्यते हि महत्पुण्यं कृत्वा योगं वियुक्तयोः
Let our union, O Brahmin, be accomplished as it should. Great merit is attained by joining those who are separated.
इति श्रुत्वा सह तया सोमशर्मा जगाम ह । आश्रमं वामदेवस्य मंदराचलसंनिधौ
Having heard this, Somaśarman went together with her to the hermitage of Vāmadeva, near Mount Mandara.
वामदेवोऽशृणोत्सर्वं वृत्तांतं कथितं तयोः । अभ्यषिञ्चच्चन्द्रभागां वेदमंत्रैरथोज्ज्वलाम्
Vāmadeva listened to the entire account told by them, and then anointed Candra-bhāgā with Vedic mantras, making her radiant.
ऋषिमंत्रप्रभावेन विष्णुवासरसेवनात् । दिव्यदेहा बभूवासौ दिव्यां गतिमवाप ह
By the power of the sage’s mantras and service to Viṣṇu on the sacred day, she obtained a divine body and attained a divine state.
पत्युः समीपमगमत्प्रहर्षोत्फुल्ललोचना । जहर्ष शोभनोऽतीव दृष्ट्वा कांतां समागताम्
She approached her husband, her eyes blossoming with joy. Śobhana was exceedingly delighted upon seeing his beloved united with him.
समाहूय स्वके वामे पार्श्वेतां संन्यवेशयत् । अथोवाच प्रियं हर्षाच्चंद्रभागा प्रियं वचः
Calling her to his left side, he seated her there. Then, out of joy, he spoke loving words to Candra-bhāgā.
शृणु कांत हितं वाक्यं यत्पुण्यं विद्यते मयि । अष्टवर्षाधिका जाता यदाहं पितृवेश्मनि
Hear, O beloved, the beneficial words regarding the merit that resides in me. When I was eight years old in my father's house—
ततः प्रभृति यच्चीर्णं मया चैकादशीव्रतम् । यथोक्तविधिसंयुक्तं श्रद्धायुक्तेन चेतसा । तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन भविष्यति पुरं ध्रुवम्
From that time onward, I observed the Ekādaśī vow as prescribed, with a mind full of faith. By the power of that merit, the city will become permanent.
सर्वकामसमृद्धं च यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् । एवं सा नृपशार्दूल रमते पतिना सह
The city, abundant in all desires, will last until the dissolution of creation. Thus, O tiger among kings, she enjoys life with her husband.
दिव्यभोगा दिव्यरूपा दिव्याभरणभूषिता । शोभनोऽपि तया सार्द्धं रमते दिव्यविग्रहः
With divine pleasures, divine form, adorned with divine ornaments, Śobhana also enjoys with her, possessing a divine body.
रमाव्रतप्रभावेन मंदराचलसानुनि । चिंतामणिसमा ह्येषा कामधेनुसमाथ वा
By the power of the Ramā vow, on the slopes of Mandara mountain, she is equal to a wish-fulfilling jewel or a wish-granting cow.
रमाभिधाना नृपते तवाग्रे कथिता मया । तस्या माहात्म्यमनघ श्रुतं सर्वं त्वया नृप 6.60.
O king, I have spoken before you about Ramā by name. You have heard her greatness, O sinless one, in its entirety.
मया तवाग्रे कथितं माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम् । एकादशीव्रतानां च पक्षयोरुभयोरपि
I have described before you the greatness that destroys sin, of the Ekādaśī vows in both fortnights.
यथा कृष्णा तथा शुक्ला विभेदं नैव कारयेत् । सेवितैकादशी नॄणां भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी
Just as black and white are alike, one should not make any distinction; the Ekādaśī observed by people grants both worldly enjoyment and liberation.
धेनुः श्वेता यथा कृष्णा उभयोः सदृशं पयः । तथैव तुल्यफलदं स्मृतमेकादशीद्वयम्
Just as the milk of a white cow and a black cow is the same, so too both forms of Ekādaśī are remembered as yielding equal results.