यस्मिन्वसेः क्षणमहोपुरुषे गजेऽश्वे स्त्रैणे तृणे सरसि देवकुले गृहेऽन्ने
Wherever there is a moment of your presence, O Great Person, whether in an elephant, a horse, a woman, a blade of grass, a lake, a temple, a house, or in food—
त्वत्स्पृष्टमेव सकलं शुचितां लभेत त्वत्त्यक्तमेव सकलं त्वशुचीह लक्ष्मि
Whatever is touched by you, O Lakshmi, becomes wholly pure; whatever is abandoned by you, all of that is impure in this world.
लक्ष्मीं श्रियं च कमलां कमलालयां च पद्मां रमां नलिनयुग्मकरां च मां च। क्षीरोदजाममृतकुंभकरामिरां च विष्णुप्रियामिति सदाजपतां क्व दुःखम्
Lakshmi, Sri, Kamala, the abode of lotuses, Padma, Rama, she who holds a pair of lotuses in her hands, myself, she born from the milk ocean, the one who holds the nectar vessel, Ira, beloved of Vishnu—wherever these are always recited, what sorrow can be there?
इति स्तुत्वा भगवतीं महालक्ष्मीं हरिप्रियाम्
Having thus praised the Blessed Goddess Mahalakshmi, beloved of Hari,
श्रीरुवाच पतिव्रते त्वमुत्तिष्ठ लोपामुद्रे शुभव्रते
Sri said: 'O chaste one, rise up, Lopamudra, you of auspicious vows.'
स्तुत्यानया प्रसन्नोहं व्रियतां यद्धृदीप्सितम् 4.1.5.
By this praise I am pleased; ask for whatever your heart desires.
त्वदंगलक्षणैरेभिः सुपवित्रैश्च ते व्रतैः
By these marks upon your body and by your most pure vows,
इत्युक्त्वा मुनिपत्नीं तां समालिंग्य हरिप्रिया
Having spoken thus, the beloved of Hari embraced the wife of the sage.
पुनराह मुने जाने तव हृत्तापकारणम्
Then she spoke again to the sage: 'I know the cause of your heart's pain.'
यदा स देवो विश्वेशो मंदरं गतवान्पुरा
When that god, Lord of the Universe, once went to Mandara,
तत्प्रवृत्तिं पुनर्ज्ञातुं ब्रह्माणं केशवं गणान्
To know the course of those events, Brahma, Kesava, and the hosts of gods—
ते च काशीगुणान्सर्वे विचार्य च पुनःपुनः
They considered all the qualities of Kashi again and again.
इति श्रुत्वाथ स मुनिः प्रत्युवाच श्रियं ततः
Hearing this, the sage then replied to Sri:
यदि देयो वरो मह्यं वरयोग्योस्म्यहं यदि
If a boon is to be granted to me, if I am worthy to receive a boon,
ये पठिष्यंति च स्तोत्रं त्वद्भक्त्या मत्कृतं सदा
Those who always recite this hymn, composed by me with devotion to you,
मास्तु चेष्टवियोगश्च मास्तु संपत्ति संक्षयः 4.1.5.
May they not experience separation from their loved ones, nor the loss of prosperity.
इति लब्ध्वा वरं सोथ महालक्ष्मीं प्रणम्य च
Having thus obtained the boon, he bowed to Mahalakshmi.
पाराशर्य उवाच यां वै हृदि निधायेह पुरुषः पुरुषार्थभाक्
Parashara said: 'He who, having placed her in his heart, here becomes a recipient of the aims of human life—'
ततः श्रीदर्श नानंद सुधाधाराधुनीं मुनिः
Then the sage, radiant with beauty, whose joy was like a stream of nectar,
वह्निकुंडसमुद्भूत सूतनिर्मलमानस
whose mind was pure as gold born from the fire-pit,
परोपकरणं येषां जागर्ति हृदये सताम्
in whose hearts, among the virtuous, the desire to help others is ever awake—
तीर्थस्नानैर्न सा शुद्धिर्बहुदानैर्न तत्फलम्
Purity is not attained by bathing at holy places, nor is that result gained by many gifts.
परोपकृत्या यो धर्मो धर्मो दानादिसंभवः
The true righteousness is that which arises from helping others, the righteousness born of giving and such acts.
परिनिर्मथ्य वाग्जालं निर्णीतमिदमेव हि
Having thoroughly examined all arguments, this alone is established as the conclusion.
उपकर्तुरगस्त्यस्य जातमेतन्निदर्शनम्
This is the example set by the benefactor Agastya.
करिकर्णाग्रचपलं जीवितं विविधं वसु
Life, and all its various riches, are as fleeting as the tip of an elephant’s ear.
यल्लक्ष्मीनाममात्राप्त्या नरो नो माति कुत्रचित् 4.1.6.
A man never finds satisfaction anywhere by merely acquiring a little wealth.
गच्छन्यदृच्छयासोथ दूराच्छ्रीशैलमैक्षत
Then, by chance, as he was traveling, he saw from afar the mountain Śrīśaila.
उवाच वचनं पत्नीं तदा प्रीतमना मुनिः
At that time, the sage, his mind pleased, spoke these words to his wife.
श्रीशैल शिखरं श्रीमदिदंतद्यद्विलोकनात्
This splendid peak of Śrīśaila, just by seeing it—