अथ ते विस्मिताः सर्वे देवशर्मपुरःसराः
Then all of them, led by Devaśarman, were astonished—
पृष्टश्च किमिदं कर्म तवांत्यजजनोचितम् तत्किं शापपरिभ्रष्टस्त्वं कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणोत्तमः
And they asked: 'What is this act, suited to outcastes? Are you some best of Brāhmaṇas fallen by a curse?'
येनैवं कुरुषे कर्म गर्हितं चांत्यजैरपि विष्णुसेन इति ख्यातो हैहयान्वयसंभवः
By which you do such a deed, condemned even among outcastes? You are known as Viṣṇusena, born of the Haihaya lineage.
सोहमाराधनार्थाय त्वस्मिन्स्थान उपागतः
I have come to this place for the sake of worship—
कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा तमुवाच महीपतिम्॥६.३१.
With hands joined in reverence, he addressed the king.
नास्ति मे किञ्चिदप्राप्तं तथाऽसाध्यं महीपते
There is nothing unattained by me, nor anything impossible, O king.
सोऽत्र नागह्रदे श्राद्धे कृते मुक्तिमवाप्नुयात्
Whoever performs the śrāddha here at the Nāga lake attains liberation.
तस्मात्तत्तारणार्थाय विप्रकृत्यं समाचर
Therefore, for the sake of delivering him, perform the act on behalf of the Brāhmaṇa.
देवशर्मोवाच एवं कुरु नृपश्रेष्ठ श्राद्धेऽहं ते पितुः स्वयम्
Devaśarman said: 'So be it, O best of kings; I myself will perform the śrāddha for your father.'
प्रोचुर्नैतत्प्रयुक्तं ते श्राद्धं भोक्तुं विगर्हितम्
They said: 'This śrāddha, performed by you, is not proper to be accepted; it is condemned.'
तस्माद्यदि भवानस्य श्राद्धे भोक्ता ततः स्वयम्
Therefore, if you yourself are the one who partakes in his śrāddha offering—
मयैवास्य प्रतिज्ञातं भोक्तुं श्राद्धे महीपतेः
It is I who have promised to partake in the śrāddha of this king.
एवमुक्त्वा स विप्रेंद्रस्तेनैव सहितस्तदा
Having spoken thus, the best of Brahmins, together with him at that time—
भुक्तमात्रे ततस्तस्मिन्वागुवाचाशरीरिणी ६.३१.
As soon as the food was eaten there, a bodiless voice spoke.
प्रेतभावाद्विनिर्मुक्तः पुत्राहं त्वत्प्रभावतः
Freed from the state of a departed spirit, I am your son by your power.
तत्कृत्वा नृपतिर्हृष्टस्तं प्रणम्य द्विजोत्तमम्
Having done this, the delighted king bowed to that foremost Brahmin.
अस्ति माहिष्मतीनाम नगरी नर्मदातटे
There is a city named Māhiṣmatī on the banks of the Narmadā.
अहं यच्छामि ते ब्रह्मन्समस्तविषयान्विताम्
I grant it to you, O Brahmin, along with all its territories.
स्वं देशं हर्षसंयुक्तः कृतकृत्यो द्विजोत्तमाः
Filled with joy, having accomplished his purpose, he returned to his own land, O best of Brahmins.
सोऽपि सर्वैः परित्यक्तो ब्राह्मणैः पुरवासिभिः
He too was abandoned by all the Brahmins and the city-dwellers.
ततो नागह्रदे तस्मिन्स कृत्वा निजमन्दिरम्
Then, at that Nāga lake, he built his own dwelling.
तत्रस्थस्य निरस्तस्य ये पुत्राः स्युर्द्विजोत्तमाः
The sons born to him there, in exile, O best of Brahmins—
एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं नागतीर्थसमुद्भवम् ६.३१.
All this I have told you—the origin of the Nāga tīrtha.
यश्चैतत्पठते भक्त्या संप्राप्ते पंचमीदिने
Whoever recites this with devotion on the fifth day—
तथा विमुच्यते पापाद्भक्षजातान्न संशयः
He is likewise freed from sins arising from food; there is no doubt.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन नागतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
Therefore, by every effort, one should seek the unsurpassed Nāga tīrtha.
श्राद्धकाले तु संप्राप्ते यश्चैतत्पठते द्विजः
And when the time for śrāddha arrives, any Brahmin who recites this—
तथा ये कीर्तिता दोषाः श्राद्धे द्रव्यसमुद्भवाः
Likewise, the faults in śrāddha that arise from the materials used—
ते सर्वे नाशमायांति कीर्त्यमाने समाहितैः
All of them are destroyed when recited with concentration.
तथा विनिहता गोभिर्ब्राह्मणैः श्वापदैरपि
In the same way, they are subdued by cows, by brahmins, and even by wild beasts.