विमुक्ताः पूर्वजास्तस्य यांति विष्णोः परं पदम् । चतुर्णां चैव वेदानां पाठे चैव तु यत्फलम्
His ancestors are freed and reach Viṣṇu's supreme abode; and the fruit obtained from reciting the four Vedas,
समवाप्नोति जापेन नरः स्तोत्रं पठन्जपन् । धृत्वा वै शंखचक्रादि ब्राह्मणैर्वेदतत्परैः
Is fully attained by a man who recites and repeats this hymn, especially when Brāhmaṇas devoted to the Vedas bear the conch, discus, and other emblems.
श्राद्धकाले महादेवि अक्षयं तद्भवेद्ध्रुवम् । कंठे पद्माक्षमालां च शंखचक्रादिधारणम्
At the time of śrāddha, O great goddess, it surely becomes inexhaustible; wearing a lotus-seed garland on the neck and bearing the conch and discus,
ततः श्राद्धं प्रकुर्वीत इदं स्तोत्रं पठन्जपन् । विधिना भक्तिभावेन पूर्णं भवति नान्यथा
Then one should perform śrāddha, reciting and repeating this hymn according to the prescribed method and with devotion; only then is it complete, not otherwise.
अतो भक्तिमता पुंसा पठनीयं प्रयत्नतः । पठनात्सर्वमाप्नोति स नरः सुखमेधते
Therefore, a man with devotion should recite it with care; by reciting it, he attains all happiness and prosperity.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमामहेश्वरसंवादे आभ्युदयिकमूर्ध्वदैहिकस्तोत्रं नाम षट्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-seventh chapter named 'The Hymn for Prosperity and Transcendence' in the dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara, in the Uttara Khanda of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses.
महादेव उवाच- पप्रच्छाहं जगन्नाथं व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । पुत्रपौत्रविवृद्ध्यर्थं सुखसौभाग्यदायकम्
Mahādeva said: I asked the Lord of the Universe about the supreme vow among vows, which grants increase of sons and grandsons, happiness, and good fortune.
तवाग्रे संप्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु सुंदरि सांप्रतम् । इदं कथानकं दिव्यमृषीणां व्रतमुत्तमम्
I shall now declare before you, O beautiful one, this divine story, the supreme vow of the sages; listen attentively.
रजस्वला तु या नारी सहसा पापरूपिणी । कृतेन च व्रतेनैव महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । पितॄणामक्षयं देयं धर्मकामार्थसाधनम्
A woman who is menstruating is considered sinful, but by performing this vow, she is freed from great sins; it should be given to the ancestors as an inexhaustible offering, fulfilling dharma, desire, and wealth.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच- पूर्वमासीन्महाबाहुर्ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः । सदाध्ययनशीलस्तु देवशर्मा इति द्विजः
Śrī Viṣṇu said: Formerly, there was a mighty-armed Brāhmaṇa, well-versed in the Vedas, always devoted to study, named Devaśarman, O twice-born.
अग्निहोत्रक्रियायुक्तः षट्कर्मनिरतः सदा । सर्ववर्णेषु संपूज्यः सपुत्रपशुबांधवः
Engaged in the Agnihotra ritual and always devoted to the six duties, he is to be honored among all castes, together with his sons, cattle, and relatives.
तस्य ब्राह्मणमुख्यस्य भग्ना च गृहवाहिनी । प्राप्ते भाद्रपदे मासे शुक्लपक्षे तु पंचमी
For that foremost Brahmin, when his household fire has been extinguished, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada,
पितुःक्षयाहं कुरुते यतात्मा च जितेंद्रियः । रात्रौ निमंत्रयेद्विप्रान्सुखसौभाग्यदायकान्
He, self-controlled and with senses subdued, performs the death anniversary of his father, and at night invites Brahmins who bestow happiness and good fortune.
प्रभाते विमले प्राप्ते भांडान्यन्यानि कारयेत् । पाकं सर्वेषु पात्रेषु स कारयति जायया
When the pure morning arrives, he arranges various vessels, and with his wife prepares the food in all the pots.
अष्टादशरसोपेतं पितॄणां प्रीतिदायकम् । आकारणं ततो दत्त्वा विप्राणां च पृथक्पृथक्
He prepares eighteen kinds of dishes, pleasing to the ancestors, and then, after making the offerings, gives them separately to the Brahmins.
सर्वे विप्रास्तु संप्राप्ता मध्याह्ने वेदपाठकाः । अर्घपाद्यादि विधिवत्कृतवान्द्विजसत्तमः
All the Brahmins, reciters of the Vedas, arrive at midday; the best of twice-borns properly performs the welcoming rites such as arghya and pādya.
रजसा दूषितः श्राद्धे प्रक्षाल्य विधिवत्तदा । गृहमध्ये गताः सर्वे आसने ते निरूपिताः
Having been defiled by dust during the śrāddha, they then properly wash themselves; all enter the house and are seated in their assigned places.
प्रदत्तं भोजनं तेन मिष्टान्नेन विशेषतः । विधिना च कृतं श्राद्धं पिंडदानप्रपूर्वकम्
He gives them food, especially with sweet rice, and performs the śrāddha according to the rite, beginning with the offering of rice-balls.
तांबूलं दक्षिणां चैव वस्त्राणि विविधानि च । सर्वं ददौ द्विजेभ्यो वै पितृध्यानपरायणः
He gives betel, gifts, and various garments to the Brahmins, being devoted to meditation on the ancestors.
विप्रा विसर्जिताः सर्वे आशीर्वादपरायणाः । गोत्रिणां बांधवानां च अन्येषां च बुभुक्षताम्
All the Brahmins, having been dismissed, are intent on giving blessings; to the hungry among his kinsmen and others,
दत्तमन्नं तदा तेन भोजने विधिपूर्वकम् । निशायां तु कुटीद्वारे उपविष्टो यदा तदा
He gives food at that time, in accordance with the proper rite; and when, at night, he is seated at the door of his hut,
ब्राह्मण्या वारि संगृह्य पादप्रक्षालनं कृतम् । तदा शुनी बलीवर्दौ परस्परमभाषताम्
His wife brings water and washes his feet; then the she-dog and the bull began to speak to each other.
शृणु कांत वचो मह्यं यादृक्कृतवती वधूः । तादृशं संप्रवक्ष्यामि नान्यथा प्रब्रवीम्यहम्
Listen, dear one, to my words: I will tell you exactly what the lady did; I do not speak otherwise.
कदाचिद्दैवयोगेन गताहं पुत्रसद्मनि । तत्रस्थितं पयः पातुं वध्वा दृष्टं न तत्पुनः
Once, by the will of fate, I went to my son's house; there I saw the daughter-in-law about to drink milk, but did not see her do so again.
पीतं पयस्तु सर्पेण तद्दृष्टं तु मया पुनः । पश्चात्पीतं मया सम्यक्दृष्टं वध्वा तदा पुनः
The milk was drunk by a snake, and I saw that; later, I saw the daughter-in-law drink it properly.
तेन संपर्कदोषेणकटिर्भग्ना च मे सदा । तेन दुःखेन भो स्वामिन्जाताहं दुःखभागिनी । भग्ना कटिश्च संजाता ह्याहारो नैव रोचते
Because of contact with that, my hip has always been broken; because of that pain, O master, I have become one who suffers; my hip is broken, and I have no appetite for food.
बलीवर्द्द उवाच- शृणु त्वं शुनि वक्ष्यामि मम दुःखस्य कारणम् । अस्मिन्वै दिवसे प्राप्ते ब्राह्मणानां तु भोजनम्
The bull said: Listen, O dog, I will tell you the cause of my suffering. On this very day, when the Brahmins were fed,
कारितं मम पुत्रेण मम चिंता तु नो कृता । नोदकं न तृणं चैव न दत्तं केनचित्क्वचित्
It was arranged by my son, but he did not think of me; neither water nor grass was given to me by anyone, anywhere.
अनाहारोह्यहं पापी बद्धोऽस्मिन्पापभावितः । पूर्वपापविशेषेण जातं शुनि न संशयः
I am indeed sinful and without food, bound here, shaped by sin; because of a particular past sin, I was born as a dog—there is no doubt.
तद्वाक्यं तु तदा देवि श्रुतं पुत्रेण धीमता । ममायं तु पिता साक्षाज्जातो मम गृहे पशुः
Then, O Devi, that statement was heard by the wise son: 'This is truly my father, born as an animal in my house.'