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.
तत्र गत्वा गयायां स श्राद्धं कृत्वा महामतिः । प्रेतानां तु यथोद्दिष्टं श्राद्धं सम्यग्विधानतः
Having gone there, at Gayā he performed the śrāddha, that wise one; for the pretas, as prescribed, he performed the śrāddha properly, according to the rules.
प्रत्येकं नामगोत्राणि गृहीत्वा पिंडमुत्सृजत् । यस्य यस्य भवेच्छ्राद्धं स करोति दिने वणिक्
Taking each of their names and lineages, he offered the piṇḍa; for whomever the śrāddha was intended, the merchant performed it on that day.
स स तस्य तदा स्वप्ने दर्शयत्यात्मनस्तनुम् । ब्रवीति च महाभाग प्रसादाद्भवतोऽनघ
Then, in a dream, each one shows him his own form; and says, 'O greatly fortunate one, by your faultless favor—'
प्रेतभावं मया त्यक्तं प्राप्तोऽस्मि परमां गतिम् । एवं कृत्वा विधानेन गयाशीर्षं महामनाः
'I have abandoned the state of preta and attained the highest state.' Thus, having performed the prescribed rites at Gayāśīrṣa, the great-minded one—
पश्चाज्जगाम स्वगृहं विष्णुं ध्यायन्पुनः पुनः । मासि भाद्रपदे प्राप्ते शुक्लपक्षे तथा सुधीः
Afterwards, he went to his own home, meditating on Viṣṇu again and again; when the month of Bhādrapada arrived, in the bright fortnight, that wise one—
श्रवणद्वादशीयोगे संगमे सरितां पुनः । जगाम स महाबुद्धिः सर्वोपस्करसंयुतः
When the conjunction of Śravaṇa and the twelfth day occurred, at the confluence of the rivers again, that great-minded one went, equipped with all the necessary items.
संगमे सरितां स्नात्वा द्वादशीं तामुपोषितः । तत्र स्नात्वापि दत्त्वा तु पूजयित्वा जनार्दनम्
Having bathed at the confluence of rivers and observed the fast on that Dvādaśī, there, after bathing, he gave gifts and worshipped Janārdana.
अनंतरं ब्राह्मणस्य ह्युपहारांस्तदा ददौ । शास्त्रोक्तेनापि विधिना ह्येकचित्तरतोऽपि सः
Immediately after, he offered gifts to a brāhmaṇa according to the prescribed injunctions, with a mind intent on the rite.
निवर्त्तयामास तदा वणिजो बुद्धिमान्स वै । वर्षेवर्षे तु संप्राप्ते मासि भाद्रपदे तथा
Then that wise merchant made it his resolve to do so every year, when the month of Bhādrapada arrived.
श्रवणद्वादशीयोगे संगमे सरितां पुनः । एवं वै कृतवान्सर्वं विष्णुमुद्दिश्य सत्वरम्
When the conjunction of Śravaṇa and Dvādaśī occurred, he again went to the confluence of rivers; thus he performed all these acts quickly, dedicated to Viṣṇu.