दध्योदनसमायुक्तां वर्द्धमानेन संयुताम् । अवतीर्य ततः स्वन्नं प्रादादतिथये तदा
Then, having prepared his own food, mixed with curd-rice and abundance, he descended and offered it to the guest.
स तत्राशनमात्रेण परं तृप्तित्वमागतः । वितृष्णो विज्वरश्चैव क्षणेन समपद्यत
By that meal alone, he attained the highest satisfaction there; in a moment, he became free from craving and free from fever.
ततश्च प्रेताः संप्राप्ताः सोऽस्माद्भागं क्रमाद्ददौ । दध्योदनात्सपानीयात्प्रेतास्तृप्तिं परां गताः
Then, the departed spirits arrived, and he gave them their share in due order; from the curd-rice and water, the spirits attained supreme satisfaction.
अतिथिं तर्पयित्वा तु प्रेतलोकं च सर्वतः । ततः स्वयं स बुभुजे भुक्तशेषं यथासुखम्
Having satisfied the guest and all the spirits of the departed, he then himself ate the remains of the food, as he wished.
तस्य भुक्तवतः स्वन्नं पानीयं च क्षयं ययौ । प्रेताधिपं ततस्तं वै वणिग्वचनमब्रवीत्
As he ate his own food and drank water, it was all consumed; then the lord of the spirits spoke these words to the merchant.
आश्चर्यमेतत्परमं वनेऽस्मिन्प्रतिभाति मे । अन्नं पानं च परमं संप्राप्तं च कुतस्तव
"This is truly a great wonder to me in this forest: how did you obtain such excellent food and drink here?"
स्वल्पेनैव तथान्नेन त्वमेतांस्तु बहूनपि । अतर्पयः कथं त्वेते निर्मांसा भिन्नकुक्षयः
"With so little food, how did you satisfy so many of these, who are fleshless and with broken bellies?"
कथमस्यां सुघोरायामटव्यां च कृतालयाः । तदेतत्संशयं छिंधि परं कौतूहलं मम
"How have these, who dwell in this most terrible forest, made their abode here? Resolve this doubt of mine; my curiosity is great."
एवमुक्तः स वणिजा प्रेतो वचनमब्रवीत् । वाणिज्यसक्तस्य पुरा जन्मातीते ममानघ
Thus addressed by the merchant, the spirit spoke these words: "O sinless one, formerly, in a past birth, I was attached to trade.
सकले नगरे नास्ति ममान्यो हि दुरात्मकः । धनलोभान्न कस्यापि दत्ता भिक्षा मया तदा
"In the whole city, there was no one more wicked than I; out of greed for wealth, I gave alms to no one at that time."
सखा चैव ततश्चासीद्ब्राह्मणो गुणवान्मम । श्रावणद्वादशीयोगे मासि भाद्रपदे ततः
"Then, I had a friend, a virtuous Brahmin; during the conjunction of Śrāvaṇa and the twelfth day, in the month of Bhādrapada—"
स कदाचिन्मया सार्द्धं तापीं नाम नदीं ययौ । तस्याश्च संगमः पुण्यो यत्रासीच्चंद्रभागया
"Once, together with him, I went to the river named Tāpi, at the holy confluence where the Candrabhāgā flowed."
चंद्रभागा चंद्रसुता तापी चैवार्कनंदिनी । तयोः शीतोष्णसलिले प्रविवेश स ह द्विजः
"Candrabhāgā, daughter of the moon, and Tāpi, daughter of the sun—into the cool and warm waters of these two, that Brahmin entered."
श्रवणद्वादशीयोगे नराश्च समुपोषिताः । चंद्रभागा सुतो येन वारिधानीं ददुर्द्विजे
"On the Śrāvaṇa-dvādaśī, men who had fasted gathered; to the Brahmin, the son of Candrabhāgā gave a water-pot."
दध्योदनयुतां सार्द्धं संपूर्णैर्वर्द्धमानकैः । छत्रोपानद्युगं वस्त्रं प्रतिमां च तथा हरेः
"Along with curd-rice, filled with abundance, an umbrella, a pair of sandals, cloth, and likewise an image of Hari—"
प्रददौ विप्रमुख्येभ्यो हरस्याग्रे महामते । वित्तसंरक्षणार्थाय तस्यास्तीरे व्रते मया
"He gave these to the foremost Brahmins before Hari, O wise one, for the sake of preserving wealth, on the riverbank, as a vow, by me."
सोपवासेन दत्तैका वारिधानी मनोरमा । तत्कृत्वाहं गृहं प्राप्तः ततः कालेन केनचित्
"With fasting, I gave a single delightful water-pot; having done that, I returned home, and after some time—"
पंचत्त्वमहमासाद्य नास्तिक्यात्प्रेततां गतः । अस्यामटव्यां घोरायां यथा ह्यहिकुलं तथा
"Having met death, I became a spirit due to lack of faith; in this terrible forest, just as among a host of serpents, so it was."
श्रवणद्वादशीयोगे वारिधान्यर्पिता मया । सेयं मध्याह्नसमये लभ्यते च दिनेदिने 6.69.
When the conjunction of Śravaṇa and the twelfth day occurs, I have offered water and grain; this is obtained at midday, every single day.
ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणः सर्वे पापाः प्रेतत्वमागताः । परदारगताः केचित्स्वामिद्रोहरताश्च ये
All those who have taken the forms of Brahman, having become sinful, have attained the state of pretas; some have gone to another's wife, and some have stolen from their master.
भूतप्रेतजरूपेण ते जाता ह्यत्र मानवाः । देशे मरुस्थले त्वस्मिन्ममैते मित्रतां गताः
These men have been born here in the forms of ghosts and pretas; in this desert land, they have become my companions.
अक्षयो भगवान्विष्णुः परमात्मा सनातनः । दीयते यत्समुद्दिश्य ह्यक्षयं तत्प्रकीर्तनम्
The blessed Viṣṇu is imperishable, the supreme soul, eternal; whatever is given with him as the aim is declared to be imperishable.
अक्षयेनापि चान्नेन तृप्ता एते पुनः पुनः । प्रेतत्वभावं दौर्बल्यं न विमुंचति कर्हिचित्
Even with imperishable food, these are satisfied again and again; yet they never abandon the state of preta or their weakness.
पूजयित्वाहमन्नैस्त्वामतिथिं समुपस्थितम् । प्रेतभावाद्विनिर्मुक्तो यास्यामि परमां गतिम्
Having worshipped you, the guest who has arrived, with food, I shall be freed from the state of preta and attain the highest state.
मया विहीनाः किंत्वेते वनेऽस्मिन्भृशदारुणे । पीडामनुभविष्यंति दारुणां कर्मयोनिजाम्
But deprived of me, these here in this very dreadful forest will experience severe suffering, born of terrible karmic causes.
एतेषां तु महाभाग ममानुग्रहकाम्यया । प्रत्येकं नामगोत्राणि गृह्णीष्व लिखितानि च
O greatly fortunate one, desiring my favor for these, please take each of their names and lineages, which are written down.
अस्ति कक्षागता चैव तव संपुटिका शुभा । हिमवंतमथासाद्य तत्र त्वं लप्स्यसे निधिम्
There is a blessed casket kept in your compartment; upon reaching the Himalaya, there you will obtain the treasure.
गयाशीर्षं ततो गत्वा श्राद्धं कुरु महामते । इत्याज्ञाप्य स वै प्रेतो वणिजं च यथासुखम्
Then, going to Gayāśīrṣa, perform the śrāddha, O wise one; thus instructed, that preta dismissed the merchant as he wished.
विसर्जयामास तदा स वै प्रायात्समुत्सुकः । समासाद्य गृहं तत्र पश्चात्प्रायाद्धिमालयम्
Then he let him go, and that one departed, eager; having reached his home there, he afterwards went to the Himalayas.
ततो दृष्टं निधिं तत्र गृहीत्वा स समागतः । षष्ठांशं प्रतिगृह्याथ गयाशीर्षं ततोऽभ्यगात्
There he saw the treasure, and having taken it, he returned; accepting a sixth part, he then went to Gayāśīrṣa.