कस्मिंश्चिदथ संप्राप्ते कथांते ते मुनीश्वराः
At a certain time, when the story had ended, those best of sages—
वैशाखीदिवसे राजंस्त्वं सदाभ्येत्य दूरतः
On the day of Vaiśākha, O king, you always approach from afar—
प्रकरोषि प्रयत्नेन त्यक्त्वान्याः सकलाः क्रियाः
You perform with effort, having abandoned all other actions—
न ते यदि रहस्यं स्यात्तदाऽशेषं प्रकीर्तय ६.४७.
If you have no secret, then recount everything in full.
युष्माभिः कीर्तयिष्यामि तथाप्यखिलमेव हि ॥ २१० अहमासं वणिग्जात्या पुरा वै वैदिशे पुरे
I will recount everything to you as well. Formerly, I was born in a merchant family in the city of Vaidiśa.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य भगवान्पाकशासनः
Then, at a certain time, the blessed lord Pākaśāsana—
ततो वृष्टिनिरोधेन सर्वे लोकाः क्षुधार्द्दिताः
Then, because of the cessation of rain, all people were afflicted by hunger.
ततोऽहं स्वां समादाय पत्नीं क्षुत्क्षामगात्रिकाम्
Then I took my wife, her body emaciated by hunger—
सौराष्ट्रं मनसि ध्यात्वा प्रस्थितस्तदनन्तरम्
Then, having fixed my mind on Saurashtra, I set out at once.
क्रमेण गच्छमानोऽथ भिक्षान्नकृतभोजनः
Proceeding step by step, I ate food obtained by begging.
तत्र रम्यं मया दृष्टं पद्मिनीखण्डमंडितम्
There, I saw a beautiful place adorned with clusters of lotuses.
ततोऽहं तत्समासाद्य स्नातः शीतेन वारिणा
Then, reaching that spot, I bathed in the cold water.
अथाहं भार्यया प्रोक्तो गृहाणेश जलाशयात् ६.४७.
Then my wife said to me, 'Take some lotuses from the pond, lord.'
ततो मया गृहीतानि पद्मानि द्विजसत्तमाः
So I gathered the lotuses, O best of twice-born.
चमत्कारपुरं प्राप्य ततोऽहं द्विजसत्तमाः
Arriving at the city of Camatkāra, O best of twice-born, I then—
न कश्चित्प्रतिगृह्णाति तानि पद्मानि मानवः
No man would accept those lotuses from me.
अथ क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठस्य श्रांतस्य मम भास्करः
Then, as I was exhausted, my throat parched with hunger, the sun—
ततो वैराग्यमापन्नः सुप्तोऽहं भग्नमंदिरे ॥ तानि पद्मानि भूपृष्ठे निधाय सह भार्यया
Having become dispassionate, I lay down to sleep in a ruined house, placing those lotuses on the ground beside my wife.
अथार्धरात्रे संप्राप्ते श्रुतो गीतध्वनिर्मया
Then, when midnight arrived, I heard the sound of singing.
तस्माद्गच्छामि चेत्कश्चित्पद्मान्येतानि मे नरः
From that I thought, 'If some man would take these lotuses of mine—'
एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा पद्मान्यादाय सत्वरम्
Thus resolving, I quickly took up the lotuses.
ततश्चायतने तस्मिन्प्राप्तोऽहं मुनिपुंगवाः अग्रस्थितैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्जपगीतपरायणैः ॥ ६.४७.
Then I entered that temple, O foremost of sages, where the best of twice-born stood at the front, intent on chanting and singing.
एके नृत्यं प्रकुर्वंति गीतमन्ये जपं परे
Some were dancing, others singing, and others engaged in recitation.
ततः कश्चिन्मया पृष्टः क्रियते जागरोऽत्र किम्
Then I asked someone, 'Why is this vigil being observed here?'
तेनोक्तमेष देवस्य महाकालस्य जागरः
He replied, 'This is the vigil for the god Mahākāla.'
अद्य पुण्यतिथिर्नाम वैशाखी पुण्यदा परा महाकालस्य देवस्य सौख्यं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम्
Today is the auspicious date called Vaishakhi, the supreme giver of merit; one certainly attains happiness from the god Mahākāla.
संति पद्मानि मे यच्छ मूल्यमादाय भद्रक
Give me the lotuses, taking the price, O fortunate one.
ततोऽवधारितं चित्ते मया ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः
Then, O best of Brahmins, this was firmly resolved in my mind.
न मया सुकृतं किंचिदन्यदेहांतरे कृतम्
I have not performed any virtuous deed in any other birth.
परं क्षुत्क्षामकंठेयं भार्या मे प्रियवादिनी
My wife, who speaks sweetly, is suffering from hunger and thirst.