महाकालचरित्रं च तत्रैव समुपाययौ ४०.
He arrived there, seeking the story of Mahakala.
महाकालमनुप्राप्य परमां प्रीतिमागतः ४०.
Having reached Mahakala, he attained supreme joy.
यथा दरिद्रः कृपणो निधिकुम्भमवाप्य च ४०.
Just as a poor and wretched man, upon obtaining a pot of treasure—
पंचमंत्रायुतजपफलं यस्येह दर्शनात् ४०.
—so is the fruit of reciting fifty thousand mantras, which is gained merely by seeing him here.
श्रुत्वा च लिंगप्रवरं महाकालमुपासदत् ४०.
Having heard about the foremost liṅga, he approached Mahākāla.
प्रत्युद्गम्य नृपं पूजामर्घं च प्रत्यपादयत् ४०.
He went forth to meet the king and presented him with worship and the arghya offering.
महाकालमुपामंत्र्य कथांते वाक्यमब्रवीत् ४०.
After greeting Mahākāla and at the end of their conversation, he spoke these words:
यदिदं तर्पणंनाम पितॄणां क्रियते नृभिः ४०.
This act called tarpaṇa, which is performed by men for the ancestors—
एवं पिंडादिपूजा च सर्वमत्रैव दृश्यते ४०.
—and likewise the worship with piṇḍa and other rites, all of it is seen here itself.
न चैतदस्ति यत्तेषां नोपतिष्ठति किंचन ४०.
And there is nothing among these that does not reach them.
देवानां चापि दृश्यंते प्रत्यक्षाः प्रत्ययाः सदा ४०.
The gods also are seen here, always directly perceivable and evident.
योनिरेवंविदा तेषां पितॄणां च दिवौकसाम् ४०.
Such is the origin for those ancestors and the dwellers in heaven.
भव्यं भूतं भविष्यच्च सर्वं जानंति यांति च ४०.
They know and go to all that is present, past, and future.
नवतत्त्वमयं देहं दशमः पुरुषो मतः ४०.
The body composed of nine principles is considered the tenth, the person.
शब्दतत्त्वेन तुष्यंति स्पर्शतत्त्वं च गृह्णते ४०.
They are satisfied by the principle of sound and grasp the principle of touch.
यथा तृणं पशूनां च नराणामन्नमुच्यते ४०.
Just as grass is said to be food for animals, so is food for men.
शक्तयः सर्वभावानामचिंत्या ज्ञानगोचराः ४०.
The powers of all beings are inconceivable and accessible to knowledge.
पितृभ्यो दीयते श्राद्धं स्वकर्मवशगाश्च ते ४०.
Śrāddha is offered to the ancestors, and they are subject to their own actions.
अथ स्वर्गेऽथ नरेक स्थिताः कर्माभियंत्रिताः ४०.
Whether they are established in heaven or in hell, they are constrained by their actions.
आयुः प्रजां धनं विद्यां स्वर्गं मोक्षं सुकानि च ४०.
Lifespan, offspring, wealth, knowledge, heaven, liberation, and pleasures—
सत्यमेततस्वकर्मस्थाः पितरो यन्नृपोत्तम ४०.
O best of kings, it is true that the ancestors remain established in their own actions.
मूर्ताश्चतुर्णां वर्णानां पितरः सप्तधा स्मृताः ४०.
The ancestors, manifest in form, are remembered as sevenfold for the four classes.
एकत्रिंशद्गणा येषां पितॄणां प्रबला नृप ४०.
There are thirty-one powerful groups among those ancestors, O king.
ते तृप्तास्तर्पयन्त्यस्य पूर्वजान्यत्र संस्थितान् ४०.
When they are satisfied, they gratify their forebears who reside elsewhere.
भूतादिभ्यो यथा विप्र नाम्ना वोद्दिश्य दीयते ४०.
Just as, O Brahmin, offerings are given to beings and others, mentioning their names,
इदं पितृभ्यो देवेभ्यो द्विजेभ्यः पावकाय च ४०.
So too, this is to be given to the ancestors, the gods, the twice-born, and to fire.
उचिता प्रतिपत्तिश्च कार्या सर्वेषु नित्यशः ४०.
Proper conduct should always be observed toward all of them.
यथा श्वा गृहद्वारस्थो बलिं गृह्णाति किं तथा ४०.
Just as a dog at the house door takes the offering, is it the same?
एवं ते भूतवद्देवा न हि गृह्णन्ति कर्हिचित् ४०.
In this way, the gods, like beings, never accept it at any time.
विना मंत्रैश्च यद्दत्तं न तद्गृह्णन्ति तेऽमलाः ४०.
Whatever is given without mantras, those pure ones do not accept.