चरमेपि वयोभागे स्वःसिंधुं यो निषेवते
Even at the very end of life, whoever serves the heavenly river,
यावदस्थि मनुष्याणां गंगातोयेषु तिष्ठति
As long as the bones of humans remain in the waters of the Ganga,
विष्णुरुवाच देवदेवजगन्नाथ जगतां हितकृत्प्रभो
Viṣṇu said: O god of gods, lord of the world, benefactor of all beings,
जले द्युनद्या निष्पापे कथं तस्य परा गतिः
How does one attain the highest state, having become pure in the water of the celestial river?
शृणुष्वैकमना विष्णो वाहीकस्य द्विजन्मनः
Listen with one-pointed mind, O Viṣṇu, to the story of the twice-born Vāhīka.
पुरा कलिंगविषये द्विजो लवणविक्रयी
Long ago, in the land of Kaliṅga, there was a Brahmin who sold salt.
वाहीको नामतो यज्ञसूत्रमात्रपरिग्रहः 4.1.28.
He was called Vāhīka by name, possessing only the sacred thread of sacrifice.
दुर्भिक्षपीडितेनाथ वृषलीपतिना विना
Afflicted by famine, and bereft of his wife, the daughter of a low-caste man,
मध्येऽथ दंडकारण्यं क्षुत्क्षामः संगवर्जितः
Then, in the midst of the Daṇḍaka forest, exhausted by hunger and thirst, and bereft of companions,
तस्य वामपदं गृध्रो गृहीत्वोदपतत्ततः
a vulture seized his left foot and flew up with it.
गृध्रयोरामिषं गृध्न्वोः परस्परजयैषिणोः
Desiring flesh, two vultures, each seeking to defeat the other, contended with one another.
तस्य वाहीक विप्रस्य व्याघ्रव्यापादितस्य ह
That Brāhmaṇa from Vāhīka, having been killed by a tiger,
यदैव हतवान्द्वीपी तं वाहीकमरण्यगम्
at the very moment the leopard slew that Vāhīka who had gone into the forest,
कशाभिर्घातितोत्यंतमाराभिः परितोदितः
he was struck repeatedly with whips and pierced all around with goads.
आपृच्छि धर्मराजेन चित्रगुप्तोथ मापते
He was questioned by Dharmarāja and by Citragupta, O ruler of men.
वैवस्वतेन पृष्टोथ चित्रगुप्तो विचित्रधीः
Then, questioned by Vaivasvata, Citragupta, of wondrous intellect,
जगाद यमुनाबंधुं वाहीकस्य द्विजन्मनः 4.1.28.
spoke to the friend of Yamunā about the Vāhīka Brāhmaṇa.
चित्रगुप्त उवाच गर्भाधानादिकं कर्म प्राक्कृतं नास्य केनचित्
Citragupta said: No one performed for him the rites beginning with conception and the other prescribed acts.
गर्भैनः शमने हेतुः समस्तायुः सुखप्रदम्
The means for removing the sin of the womb, which grants happiness for the entire span of life,
ख्यातः स्याद्येन विधिना सर्वत्र विधिपावनम्
by whatever rite it is performed, is renowned everywhere as purifying according to rule.
जनकः शुभतिथ्यादौ विदेशगमनापहम्
The father, on auspicious dates and such, prevents the journey to foreign lands.
सर्वदा मिष्टमश्नाति कर्मणा येन भास्करे
He always eats what is pleasing, by whose action the sun is honored.
कर्मणा येन केशाः स्युः स्निग्धाः कुसुमवर्षिणः
By whose action the hair becomes glossy, showering flowers.
सुवर्णग्राहिणौ येन कर्णौ स्यातां च सुश्रुती ब्रह्मचर्याभिवृद्ध्यै यो ब्रह्मग्रहणहेतुकः
By whose action the ears become golden and well-hearing; for the increase of celibacy, he is the cause of receiving the Veda.
मौंजीमोक्षणवार्तापि कृता नास्य जनुःकृता
Even the ceremony of removing the muñja girdle was not performed for him, nor was his birth-rite accomplished.
यथाकथंचिदूढाऽथ पत्नी त्यक्तकुलाध्वगा
Somehow, he took a wife, who left her family and wandered.
आरभ्य पंचमाद्वर्षात्परस्वस्यापहारकः 4.1.28.
Beginning from the fifth year, one who steals the property of another—
रुमायां1 वसताऽनेन हतागौरेकवार्षिकी
While residing with Rumā, he killed a cow that was only one year old.
जननीं पादपातेन बहुशोऽसावताडयत्
He struck his mother repeatedly by throwing her to the ground.
धत्तूरकरवीरादि बहुधोपविषाणि च
He consumed many intoxicating substances such as datura and oleander.