एवमाश्वासितो भूपो ह्यमात्यैर्धर्मकोविदैः
Thus the king was consoled by his ministers, who were well-versed in righteousness.
वशिष्ठस्य सुतो ज्येष्ठः शक्ति र्वै भक्षितो मया
The eldest son of Vasiṣṭha, Śakti, was indeed devoured by me.
तेन पापेन संतप्तः कथं स्वस्थो भवामि वै
Afflicted by that sin, how can I possibly find peace?
मया पुनर्नृशंसेन सा तथा न तु वर्जिता राक्षसोऽहमनेनैव शरीरेण कुलांतकृत्
Again, through my own cruelty, she too was not spared; by this very body I have become a Rākṣasa, the destroyer of my lineage.
जातः कुले रघूणां वै पापात्मा पापसंभवः
Born in the race of the Raghus, I am a wicked soul, sprung from sin.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सौदासस्य सुविस्मिताः
Hearing these words of Saudāsa, they were utterly astonished.
अहो पापमिदं भूरि कृतं पापेन सर्वथा
Alas, this great sin has been committed in every way by the sinner.
तस्मादद्यैव गंतव्यमस्य भूपस्य कारणात्
Therefore, for the sake of this king, we must depart at once today.
इत्युक्त्वा सहितास्तेन तेऽमात्या भृशदुःखिताः 5.2.80.
Having spoken thus, those ministers, deeply distressed, departed together with him.
अदृश्यंतीं वधूं दीनां यत्राश्वासयति प्रभुः भयसंविग्नया वाचा वशिष्ठमिदमब्रवीत्
There, where the lord was consoling his sorrowful wife, who was unseen, he spoke these words to Vasiṣṭha in a voice trembling with fear.
असौ मृत्युरिवोग्रेण दण्डेन वहुगर्वितः
He is as proud as Death himself, wielding a terrible rod.
तन्निवारयितुं शक्तो नान्यो वै भुवि कश्चन
No one else on earth is able to restrain him.
त्राहि मां भग वन्पापादस्माद्दारुणदर्शनात्
O Lord, save me from this dreadful, fearsome sinner.
नैतद्रक्षो भयं यस्मात्पश्यसि त्वमुपस्थितम्
You need not fear this, for you see the danger that has arisen.
स एषोऽस्मिन्वनोद्देशे समा यातो ममांतिकम् वारयामास तेजस्वी हुंकारेण नृपोत्तमम्
He, having come near me in this part of the forest for a year, was checked by the powerful one with a roar, that best of kings.
मन्त्रपूतेन च ततः समभ्युक्ष्य च वारिणा
Then, having sprinkled him with water purified by mantra,
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञामभिवाद्य कृतांजलिः
Regaining consciousness, he saluted with joined palms.
सौदासोऽहं महाभाग दासोऽहं तव सुव्रत
O highly fortunate one, I am Saudāsa; O virtuous one, I am your servant.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा नृपस्य द्विजसत्तमः राजानं प्रत्युवाचेदं विनयावनतं तथा ।। 5.2.80.
Hearing those words of the king, the best of twice-born replied to the king, who was thus humbly bowed.
ज्ञातमेव यथाकालं गच्छ राजन्कुश स्थलीम्
It is already known; at the proper time, O King, go to the Kuśa sanctuary.
राजसंपत्करं दिव्यं पुत्रपौत्रविवर्द्धनम् तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण विपाप्मा च भविष्यसि
There is a divine emblem that brings royal prosperity and increases sons and grandsons; by merely seeing it, you will be freed from evil.
दुःस्वप्नजं भयं घोरं विनंक्ष्यति न संशयः
The terrible fear arising from bad dreams will certainly be destroyed—there is no doubt.
इत्युक्तो गुरुणा भूयो वशिष्ठेन महात्मना ददर्श तत्र तल्लिंगं दुष्टदुःस्वप्ननाशनम्
Thus addressed again by the great-souled preceptor Vasiṣṭha, he saw there that emblem which destroys evil and bad dreams.
नष्टाः सर्वेपि दुःस्वप्नाः सुस्वप्नाश्चाभवंस्तदा अयोध्यायां गतो राज्यं चकार मुदितस्तदा
All bad dreams vanished, and only good dreams appeared then; having gone to Ayodhyā, the king ruled joyfully at that time.
तदाप्रभृति देवोऽयं सुस्वप्नेश्वरसंज्ञकः
From that time onward, this god became known as the Lord of Good Dreams.
अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां देवं स्वप्नेश्वरं शिवम् आजन्मप्रभवं तेषां दुःस्वप्नं च विनश्यति
On the eighth and fourteenth days, those who worship the god Śiva, Lord of Dreams, all their bad dreams from birth are destroyed.
स एव सर्वदा पूज्य इह लोके परत्र च
He alone is always to be worshipped in this world and the next.
यं यं काममभिध्याय मनसाभिमतं नरः
Whatever desire a person contemplates in his mind—
नियमेन प्रपश्यंति देवं स्वप्नेश्वरं सदा 5.2.80.
By regular observance, they always behold the god, Lord of Dreams.
भक्तिहीनः क्रियाहीनो यः पश्यति प्रसंगतः
Even one without devotion or ritual, who sees him by chance—