तदप्यहो चातिकष्ट हेतुना तेन मे मतम् ४.
Yet, alas, even that is exceedingly difficult for me, for this reason, in my opinion.
प्रतीग्रहेण संयुक्तं ह्यमीवमाविशोद्द्विजम् ४.
When joined with acceptance, it brings affliction upon the twice-born.
ततः केनाप्युपायेन द्वयोरन्यतरेण तु ४.
Therefore, by some means, by either of the two,
यथा कुभार्यः पुरुषश्चिन्तांतं न प्रपद्यते ४.
So that neither a bad wife nor a man falls into anxiety.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे पार्थ स्नातुं तत्र समागताः ४.
Meanwhile, O Partha, they had all gathered there to bathe.
अहं तानब्रवं सर्वान्कुतो यूयं समागताः ४.
I asked them all, 'From where have you assembled here?'
धर्मवर्मेति नृपतिर्योऽस्य देशस्य भूपतिः ४.
Dharmavarman is the king, the ruler of this land.
ततस्तं प्राह खे वाणी श्लोकमेकं नृप श्रृणु ४.
Then a voice spoke in the sky, reciting a single verse—listen, O king.
चतुःप्रकारं त्रिविधं त्रिनाशं दानमुच्यते ४.
Charity is said to be of four kinds, threefold, and with three forms of loss.
श्लोकस्यार्थं नावभाषे पृच्छमानापि नारद ४.
O Narada, even when asked, I did not explain the meaning of the verse.
यस्तु श्लोकस्य चैवास्य लब्धस्य तपसा मया ४.
But as for the meaning of this verse, which I obtained through austerity—
गवां च सप्त नियुतं सुवर्णं तावदेव तु ४.
Seven niyutas of cows and an equal amount of gold—
पटहेनेति नृपतेः श्रुत्वा राज्ञो वचो महत् ४.
Upon hearing the king's great words proclaimed by drum—
पुनर्दुर्बोधविन्यासः श्लोकस्तैर्विप्रपुंगवैः ४.
Again, that verse was explained obscurely by those foremost Brahmins.
वयं च तत्र याताः स्मो धनलोभेन नारद ४.
And we went there, O Narada, out of greed for wealth.
दुर्व्याख्येयस्त्वयं श्लोको धनं लभ्यं न चैव नः ४.
But this verse is difficult to interpret, and we did not obtain the wealth.
एवं फाल्गुन तेषां तु वचः श्रुत्वा महात्मनाम् ४.
Thus, O Phalguna, having heard the words of those great souls—
अहो प्राप्त उपायो मे स्थानप्राप्तौ न संशयः ४.
Ah! I have found a means; there is no doubt I will attain the position.
विद्यामूल्येन नैवं च याचितः स्यात्प्रतिग्रहः ४.
In this way, by the price of knowledge, a gift should not be sought or accepted.
धर्मस्य यस्य श्रद्धा स्यान्न च सा नैव पूर्यते ४.
If one has faith in righteousness, yet that faith is not fulfilled—
एवं विचिंत्य विद्वांसः प्रकुर्वंति यथारुचि ४.
Thus, reflecting, the learned act according to their own inclination.
मनोरथोऽयं सफलः संभूतोंकुरितः स्फुटम् ४.
This desire has borne fruit; it has clearly sprouted and come to fulfillment.
अमूर्तैः पितृभिः पूर्वमेव ख्यातो हि मे पुरा ४.
The formless ancestors were already known to me in ancient times.
प्रणम्य तीर्थं चलितो महीसागरसंगमम् ४.
Having bowed, I departed for the holy place where the land meets the ocean.
इदं भणितवानस्मि श्लोकव्याख्यां नृप श्रृणु ४.
I have spoken this explanation of the verse; listen, O king.
एवमुक्ते नृपः प्राह प्रोचुरेवं हि कोटिशः ४.
When this was said, the king replied, asking repeatedly in countless ways.
के द्विहेतू षडाख्यातान्यधिष्ठानानि कानि च ४.
Who are the two causes, what are the six designated abodes?
के च प्रकाराश्चत्वारः किंस्वित्तत्त्रिविधं द्विज ४.
What are the four types, and what is the threefold division, O twice-born?
स्फुटान्प्रश्नानिमान्सप्त यदि वक्ष्यसि ब्राह्मण ४.
If you will answer these seven clear questions, O Brahmin—
सप्त ग्रामांश्च दास्यामि नो चेद्यास्यसि स्वं गृहम् ४.
I will give you seven villages; otherwise, return to your own home.