चं चक्ररूपिणे विष्णो धारणं चक्रजं स्मृतम् । शं शंखरूपिणे तुभ्यं नमोऽस्तु सुखकारिणे
'Caṃ'—to Viṣṇu in the form of the discus, bearing the discus is remembered; 'Śaṃ'—to you in the form of the conch, salutations to the bringer of happiness.
मंत्रेणानेन वै दूता धारणं शंखजं स्मृतम् । चतुर्णामायुधानां तु धारणं मुनिभिः स्मृतम्
With this mantra, O messenger, bearing the conch is remembered; the bearing of all four weapons is remembered by the sages.
अग्निहोत्रं यथा नित्यं वेदस्याध्ययनं तथा । ब्राह्मणस्य तथैवेदं तप्तमुद्रादि धारणम्
Just as agnihotra is daily, and the study of the Veda as well, so too for a brāhmaṇa is the bearing of heated marks and the like.
चंदनेन सुगंधेन गोपिकाचंदनेन तु । धारणं च विशेषेण ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः
With fragrant sandalwood, and especially with gopikā-sandal, the bearing of marks is especially for brāhmaṇas learned in the Veda.
चांडालोऽपि भवेच्छुद्धो धारणाच्च न संशयः । ऊर्ध्वं पुंड्रमृजुं सौम्यं सचिह्नं धारयेद्यदि
Even a caṇḍāla becomes pure by bearing them, there is no doubt; if he bears the upright, gentle, marked ūrdhva-puṇḍra.
स चांडालोऽपि शुद्धात्मा पूज्य एव सदा द्विजैः । चांडालानां गृहे दूतास्तुलसी यत्र दृश्यते
Even that caṇḍāla, pure in soul, is always to be honored by twice-born; in the houses of caṇḍālas, where tulasī is seen, messengers dwell.
तत्रत्या तुलसी ग्राह्या भक्तिभावेन चेतसा
The tulasī found there should be accepted with a mind full of devotion.
महादेव उवाच- पप्रच्छाहं जगन्नाथं व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । पुत्रपौत्रविवृद्ध्यर्थं सुखसौभाग्यदायकम्
Mahādeva said: I asked the Lord of the universe about the supreme vow among vows, which brings increase of sons and grandsons, and bestows happiness and good fortune.
तवाग्रे संप्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु सुंदरि सांप्रतम् । इदं कथानकं दिव्यमृषीणां व्रतमुत्तमम्
I shall now declare to you, O beautiful one, this divine story, the supreme vow of the sages.
रजस्वला तु या नारी सहसा पापरूपिणी । कृतेन च व्रतेनैव महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । पितॄणामक्षयं देयं धर्मकामार्थसाधनम्
A woman who is menstruating is considered suddenly sinful; yet by performing this vow, she is freed from great sins. It should be given unfailingly to the ancestors, as it accomplishes righteousness, 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, ever devoted to study, named Devaśarman.
अग्निहोत्रक्रियायुक्तः षट्कर्मनिरतः सदा । सर्ववर्णेषु संपूज्यः सपुत्रपशुबांधवः
He was engaged in the performance of agnihotra rituals, always devoted to the six duties, honored by all castes, and surrounded by sons, cattle, and relatives.
तस्य ब्राह्मणमुख्यस्य भग्ना च गृहवाहिनी । प्राप्ते भाद्रपदे मासे शुक्लपक्षे तु पंचमी
For that foremost Brāhmaṇa, his household provisions were exhausted when the month of Bhādrapada arrived, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight.
पितुःक्षयाहं कुरुते यतात्मा च जितेंद्रियः । रात्रौ निमंत्रयेद्विप्रान्सुखसौभाग्यदायकान्
With his father deceased, self-controlled and master of his senses, he invited Brāhmaṇas at night—those who bestow happiness and good fortune.
प्रभाते विमले प्राप्ते भांडान्यन्यानि कारयेत् । पाकं सर्वेषु पात्रेषु स कारयति जायया
When the pure morning arrived, he arranged various vessels, and with his wife, prepared food in all the pots.
अष्टादशरसोपेतं पितॄणां प्रीतिदायकम् । आकारणं ततो दत्त्वा विप्राणां च पृथक्पृथक्
He had dishes with eighteen flavors prepared, pleasing to the ancestors, and then, after making the proper offerings, gave them separately to the Brāhmaṇas.
सर्वे विप्रास्तु संप्राप्ता मध्याह्ने वेदपाठकाः । अर्घपाद्यादि विधिवत्कृतवान्द्विजसत्तमः
All the Brāhmaṇas, reciters of the Vedas, arrived at midday; the excellent twice-born performed the arghya, pādya, and other rites according to rule.
रजसा दूषितः श्राद्धे प्रक्षाल्य विधिवत्तदा । गृहमध्ये गताः सर्वे आसने ते निरूपिताः
Having been soiled by dust during the śrāddha, they washed themselves properly; then all entered the house and were seated in their assigned places.
प्रदत्तं भोजनं तेन मिष्टान्नेन विशेषतः । विधिना च कृतं श्राद्धं पिंडदानप्रपूर्वकम्
He served them food, especially with sweet rice, and performed 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 gave betel, gifts, and various garments—all to the Brāhmaṇas, being devoted to meditation on his ancestors.
विप्रा विसर्जिताः सर्वे आशीर्वादपरायणाः । गोत्रिणां बांधवानां च अन्येषां च बुभुक्षताम्
All the Brāhmaṇas, having been dismissed, were intent on giving blessings; he also fed the relatives of his lineage and others who were hungry.
दत्तमन्नं तदा तेन भोजने विधिपूर्वकम् । निशायां तु कुटीद्वारे उपविष्टो यदा तदा
He gave food to them all, in accordance with the rite; then, at night, as he sat at the door of his hut,
ब्राह्मण्या वारि संगृह्य पादप्रक्षालनं कृतम् । तदा शुनी बलीवर्दौ परस्परमभाषताम्
His wife brought water and washed 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 what the lady has done to me; I will tell you exactly as it happened, I do not speak otherwise.
कदाचिद्दैवयोगेन गताहं पुत्रसद्मनि । तत्रस्थितं पयः पातुं वध्वा दृष्टं न तत्पुनः
Once, by the will of fate, I went to the house of the son; there, as I stood, I saw the daughter-in-law drinking milk, but not again after that.
पीतं पयस्तु सर्पेण तद्दृष्टं तु मया पुनः । पश्चात्पीतं मया सम्यक्दृष्टं वध्वा तदा पुनः
The milk was drunk by a snake, and I saw that; afterwards, 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; from that pain, O master, I have become one afflicted by suffering, and with my hip broken, I no longer enjoy food.
बलीवर्द्द उवाच- शृणु त्वं शुनि वक्ष्यामि मम दुःखस्य कारणम् । अस्मिन्वै दिवसे प्राप्ते ब्राह्मणानां तु भोजनम्
The bull said: Listen, O she-dog, I will tell you the cause of my suffering. On this very day, when the Brāhmaṇas were fed,
कारितं मम पुत्रेण मम चिंता तु नो कृता । नोदकं न तृणं चैव न दत्तं केनचित्क्वचित्
My son performed the rites, but he did not think of me; neither water nor even a blade of grass was offered to me by anyone, anywhere.
अनाहारोह्यहं पापी बद्धोऽस्मिन्पापभावितः । पूर्वपापविशेषेण जातं शुनि न संशयः
I am sinful and unfed, bound here by the force of sin; because of a particular past misdeed, I have been born as a dog—there is no doubt.