चन्द्रशर्माख्यविप्रस्य वचनात्कार्तिके सुधीः
By the words of a wise brāhmaṇa named Candraśarmā, during Kārtika—
दीपं दत्त्वा महाभक्त्या अशृणोच्च कथां निशि
He offered a lamp with great devotion and listened to a story at night.
राज्ञा दत्तं व्योमदीपं पश्यन्क्षणमतिष्ठत
He stood for a moment, watching the sky-lamp that had been offered by the king.
शीघ्रमागत्य जग्राह तैलपात्रं सदीपकम्
Quickly approaching, he took the oil vessel along with the lamp.
तत्र पीत्वा तु तैलं च दीपं स्थाप्य स पक्षिराट्
There, having drunk the oil, the king of birds set the lamp down.
तदानीं दैवयोगेन ग्रहीतुं पक्षिसत्तमम्
At that moment, by divine arrangement, someone came to seize that excellent bird.
तदग्रे मुखदीपं च पश्यन्क्षणमतिष्ठत
In front of him, seeing the lamp at the mouth, he stood for a moment.
राज्ञे सुकृतिनाम्ने च तौ वै शुश्रुवतुः क्षणम् 2.4.7.
For a moment, both of them listened to the king named Sukṛtin.
मार्जारो जगृहे तत्र शाखामतरगतं खगम्
A cat seized the bird that had gone onto a branch there.
भग्नगात्रौ मृतौ तत्र पक्षिमार्जारकौ भुवि
There, the bird and the cat, their limbs broken, died on the ground.
तत्सर्वं लुब्धको दृष्ट्वा चौर्यार्थं समुपागतः
The hunter, who had come there with the intent to steal, saw all of this.
चंद्रशर्माणमाभाष्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Addressing Candraśarmā, he spoke these words:
राज्ञा सुकृतिना दत्तं व्योमदीपं मनोहरम्
A virtuous king gave a beautiful sky-lamp.
तैलं पीत्वा तु तत्पात्रं सदीपं तु मनोहरम्
After drinking the oil, that vessel along with the lovely lamp,
मार्जारोऽप्यागतस्तत्र ग्रहीतुं पक्षिपुंगवम्
A cat also came there to seize the foremost of birds.
त्वन्मुखात्कथ्यमानां हि कथां शुश्रुवतुः क्षणम्
For a moment, they both listened to the story being told by you.
तौ वृक्षात्पतितौ मृत्युं प्राप्तौ च क्षणमात्रतः
Those two fell from the tree and met death in but a moment.
तदाश्चर्यमहं दृष्ट्वा त्वां प्रष्टुं समुपागतः 2.4.7.
Seeing this wonder, I have come to question you.
तिर्यग्योनिसमापन्नौ मुक्तौ केन च कर्मणा
Having entered the animal womb, by what deed were they liberated?
शृणु लुब्ध प्रवक्ष्यामि तयोर्वृत्तांतमंजसा
Listen, greedy one, I will plainly tell you their story.
देवशर्मा इति प्रोक्तो देवद्रव्याऽपहारकः
He was called Devaśarman, a thief of divine property.
तस्मिन्देवालये प्राप्तं तैलं द्रव्यादिकं तथा
In that temple, he took oil and other goods as well.
आयुर्नीत्वैवमेवाऽसौ ततः पंचत्वमागतः
Having spent his life thus, he then met his end.
निरुच्छ्वासं तथा प्राप्य असिपत्रवनं क्रमात्
Having become breathless, he gradually reached the sword-leaf forest.
अनुभूय च तान्सर्वान्ब्रह्मराक्षसतां गतः
After experiencing all those things, he became a Brahmarākṣasa.
एवं जन्मशतं प्राप्य भूमौ मार्जारतां गतः निर्मुक्ताऽखिलपापस्तु अगमद्धरिमंदिरम्
After obtaining a hundred births in this way, he became a cat on earth; freed from all sins, he reached the abode of Hari.
गृध्रोऽयं तु पुरा विप्रो मिथिले वेदपारगः
This vulture was formerly a learned Brāhmaṇa in Mithilā.
दासीसंगं चकारासौ वेश्यासंगं तथैव च 2.4.7.
He consorted with a maidservant, and likewise with a courtesan.
कुंभीपाके महाघोरे स्थित्वा युगचतुष्टयम्
He remained in the dreadful Kumbhīpāka hell for four ages.
दैवेन चोदितो गृध्रस्तैलपानार्थमागतः
Urged by fate, the vulture came for the sake of drinking oil.