धर्मदत्तो ह्यसौ जातप्रत्ययस्तद्व्रते स्थितः
That Dharmadatta, firm in his conviction, remained steadfast in that vow.
इतिहासमिमं पुराभवं शृणुते श्रावयते च यः पुमान्
Any man who listens to or recites this ancient history,
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पृथुर्विस्मितमानसः
Hearing those words, Pṛthu was filled with wonder in his mind.
पुराऽवंतीपुरे कश्चिद्विप्र आसीद्धनेश्वरः
Long ago, in the city of Avanti, there was a certain Brahmin who was a lord of wealth.
देशाद्देशातरं गच्छन्क्रयविक्रयकारणात्
He would travel from one region to another for the sake of buying and selling.
महिषेण कृता पूर्वं तस्मान्माहिष्मतीति सा
Formerly, it was established by a buffalo, and thus it is called Māhiṣmatī.
कार्तिकव्रतिनस्तत्र नानादेशाऽऽगतान्नरान्
There, men who observed the Kārtika vow had gathered from various regions.
स नित्यं नर्मदातीरे भ्रमन्विक्रयकारणात्
He would always wander along the banks of the Narmadā, engaged in trade.
कांश्चित्पुराणं पठतः कांश्चिच्च श्रवणे रतान्
He saw some reciting the Purāṇas, and others absorbed in listening.
उद्यापनविधौ सक्तान्कांश्चिज्जागरणे रतान्
Some were engaged in the rites of completion, and some were intent on night vigils.
ददर्श कौतुकाविष्टस्तत्रतत्र धनेश्वरः
The lord of wealth, filled with curiosity, observed them here and there.
वैष्णवानां तथा विष्णोर्नामश्रावादि सोऽलभत् 2.4.29.
In the same way, he heard the names of Viṣṇu from the Vaiṣṇavas.
तावत्कृष्णाऽहिना दष्टो विह्वलः स पपात ह
Then, bitten by a black serpent, he became distressed and fell down.
यमाज्ञया कुंभिपाके चिक्षिपुस्तं धनेश्वरम्
By the command of Yama, they cast that lord of wealth into the hell called Kuṃbhīpāka.
कुंभीपाको यथा वह्निः प्रह्लादक्षेपणात्पुरा
Kuṃbhīpāka is like fire, as it was formerly for the casting of Prahlāda.
तावदभ्यागतस्तत्र नारदः प्राह सत्वरम् नारद उवाच नैवाऽयं निरयान्भोक्तुमर्हो ह्यरुणनंदन
Just then, Nārada arrived there and quickly spoke: Nārada said, 'This man, O son of Aruṇa, does not deserve to suffer in hell.'
यस्मादंतेऽस्य संजातं कर्म यन्निरयापहम्
Because at the end of his life, the action arises which removes the torments of hell.
ततः षडंशमाप्नोति पुण्यस्य नियतं नरः
Therefore, a man certainly obtains one-sixth of the merit.
कार्तिकव्रतिभिर्मासं तेषां पुण्यांशभागयम्
By those who observe the Kārtika vow for a month, a share of their merit is apportioned.
तस्मादकामपुण्यो हि यक्षयोनिस्थितो ह्ययम्
Therefore, this one, established in the Yakṣa birth, is indeed meritless and without desire.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच इत्युक्त्वा गतवति नारदे स सौरिस्तद्वाक्यश्रवणविबुद्धतत्सुकर्मा
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: When Nārada had departed after speaking thus, Sauri, awakened by those words, remembered his good deeds.
ततो धनेश्वरं नीत्वा निरयान्प्रेतपोऽब्रवीत् 2.4.29.
Then, leading Dhaneshvara, the lord of wealth, the messenger of the dead spoke after taking him from the hells.
एषु पापकरा नित्यं पच्यंते यमकिंकरैः
Here, those who commit evil are always cooked by the servants of Yama.
अकामात्पातकं शुष्कं कामादार्द्रमुदाहृतम्
Sin committed without desire is called 'dry'; that done with desire is called 'moist.'
चतुराशीतिसंख्याकैः पृथग्भेदैरवस्थितान्
They are situated in eighty-four distinct types of divisions.
जातिभ्रंशकरं तद्वदुपपातकसंज्ञकम्
Likewise, that which causes loss of caste is known as a minor sin.
एभिः सप्तसु पच्यंते निरयेषु यथाक्रमम्
By these seven, they are cooked in the hells, each according to its order.
तत्पुण्योपचयादेते निर्हृता निरयाः खलु
By the accumulation of that merit, these hells are indeed left behind.
धनेश्वरं यक्षलोकं यक्षश्चाऽभूत्स तत्र हि
Dhaneshvara attained the world of the Yakṣas, and there he became a Yakṣa.
सायंसंध्याविधिं कर्तुं जगाम जननीगृहम्
He went to his mother's house to perform the evening twilight rite.