सूर्योदयमनुप्राप्य संध्याविधिविवर्जितः
At sunrise, without performing the rites of twilight,
मुक्तकच्छमशौचं च संध्याकर्मविवर्जितम्
With loosened garments, without purification, and neglecting the twilight duties,
स द्विजो मंदभाग्यान्मे केनचिद्वणिजा सह
That twice-born man, of little fortune for me, together with a merchant,
अंतःपुरि प्रविष्टोभूत्स द्विजो मुनिसत्तम
That twice-born man entered the inner quarters, O best of sages.
प्रवेशो नास्ति चास्माकं प्रेतानां तपसां निधे
We, O treasure of ascetics, have no entry there, being spirits.
अद्यापि तानि पापानि तद्बहिर्निर्गमेच्छया
Even now, those sins remain because of the desire to go outside.
अद्य श्वो वा परश्वो वा स बहिर्निर्गमिष्यति
Today, or tomorrow, or the day after, he will go outside.
नाद्यापि स बहिर्गच्छेन्नाद्याप्याशा प्रयाति नः 4.2.54.
Even today he has not gone outside, nor has our hope yet departed.
चित्रमद्यतनं वच्मि तपस्विंस्तन्निशामय
I will tell you a remarkable event of today; O ascetic, listen to it.
आप्रयागं प्रतिदिनं प्रयामः क्षुधिता वयम्
Every day we travel to Prayāga, hungry as we are.
संति सर्वत्र फलिनः पादपाः प्रतिकाननम्
Fruit-bearing trees are found everywhere, in every forest.
अन्यान्यपि च भक्ष्याणि सर्वेषां सुलभान्यहो
There are also other edible things, all easily available—ah!
परं नो दृग्गतान्येव दूरे दूरे व्रजंत्यहो
Yet, whatever appears before our eyes always moves far away, again and again—ah!
तस्यांतिकमहं प्राप्तः क्षुधया परिपीडितः
When I approached one, tormented by hunger,
यावत्तं तु जिघृक्षामि तावत्तद्वदनांबुजात्
Just as I was about to seize it, from that lotus-like mouth,
शिवनामस्मरणतो मदीयमपि पातकम्
By remembering the name of Shiva, even my own sin
सीमस्थैः प्रमथैर्नाहं सद्यो दृग्गोचरीकृतः
I was not immediately made visible to the Pramathas stationed at the boundary.
अंतर्गेहस्य सीमानं प्राप्तस्तेन सहाधुना 4.2.54.
Now, together with him, I have reached the boundary of the inner house.
आत्मानं बहुमन्येहं त्वां विलोक्याधुना मुने
Seeing you now, O sage, I consider myself fortunate.
इति प्रेतवचः श्रुत्वा स कृपालुस्तपोधनः
Hearing these words of the ghost, the compassionate ascetic,
स्वोदरं भर यः सर्वे पशुपक्षिमृगादयः
All creatures—animals, birds, beasts, and others—sustain their own bellies.
तपसाद्य निजेनाहं प्रेतमेतमघातुरम्
By my own austerity, I shall relieve this sin-afflicted ghost.
विमृश्येति स वै चित्ते पिशाचं प्राह सत्तमः
Thinking thus in his mind, the noble one addressed the piśāca.
पिशाच ते पिशाचत्वं तीर्थस्यास्य प्रभावतः
O piśāca, your piśāca-nature will be removed by the power of this holy place.
श्रुत्वेति स मुनेर्वाक्यं प्रेतः प्राह प्रणम्य तम्
Hearing the sage's words, the ghost bowed and spoke to him.
पानीयं पातुमपि नो लभेयं मुनिसत्तम । स्नानस्य का कथा नाथ रक्षेयुर्जलदेवताः
O best of sages, I cannot even obtain water to drink; what talk is there of bathing, O lord, when the water-deities protect it?
पानस्याप्यत्र का वार्ता जलस्पर्शोपि दुर्लभः
What talk is there of drinking here, when even touching water is difficult?
उवाच च तपस्वी तं जगदुद्धरणक्षमः 4.2.54.
And the ascetic, capable of rescuing the world, spoke to him.
अस्माद्विभूतिमाहात्म्यात्प्रेत कोपि न कुत्रचित्
Because of the greatness of this sacred ash, no departed soul suffers anywhere.
भालं विभूतिधवलं विलोक्य यमकिंकराः
Seeing the forehead whitened with sacred ash, the servants of Yama,