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.
एवं चिंतयमानस्य मम सा दयिता ततः
While I was thinking thus, she, my beloved, then—
मा नाथ कुरु पद्मानां विक्रयं धनलोभतः ६.४७.
Do not, O Lord, sell the lotuses out of greed for wealth.
उपवासो बलाज्जातः सस्याभावादसंशयम्
Fasting arose by force, due to the absence of crops, without doubt.
तत्रोभाभ्यां कृतं स्नानं दिवा सरसि शोभने
There, both of us bathed during the day in the beautiful lake.
तस्माद्देवं महाकालं पूजयामोऽधुना वयम्
Therefore, let us now worship the great god Mahākāla.
तैः पद्मैः सत्त्वमास्थाय कृत्वा पूजां द्विजोत्तमाः
With those lotuses, taking up devotion, we performed worship, O best of Brahmins.
क्षुत्पीडया समायाता नैव निद्रा कथंचन
Afflicted by hunger, sleep did not come to me at all.
ततः प्रभातसमये प्रोद्गते रविमंडले
Then, at the time of dawn, when the sun's disk had risen—
अथ सा दयिता मह्यं तदादाय कलेवरम्
She, my beloved, then took up that body for me.
तत्प्रभावादहं जातः कांतीनाथो महीपतिः
By the power of that, I became the lord of Kāntī, a king.
ततः स्वयंवरं प्राप्ता मां विज्ञाय निजं पतिम्
Then, she obtained the svayaṃvara, recognizing me as her own husband.
एतस्मात्कारणादस्य महाकालस्य जागरम् ६.४७.
For this reason, the vigil for Mahākāla was observed.
अनया प्रियया सार्धं पुष्पधूपानुलेपनैः
Together with this beloved, with flowers, incense, and ointments—
कृतो विप्रा मया त्वेष स तदा रात्रिजागरः
O Brahmins, I performed that night vigil with zeal.
अधुना श्रद्धया युक्तो यथोक्तविधिना ततः
Now, endowed with faith, he performed the prescribed rites as instructed.
एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं मया सत्यं द्विजोत्तमाः
All this has been told to you by me, truthfully, O best of twice-born.
प्रचक्रुर्जपतेस्तस्य साधुवादाननेकशः
They repeatedly praised his recitation with many words of approval.
महाकालप्रसादेन न किंचिद्दुर्लभं भुवि
By the grace of Mahākāla, nothing is unattainable on earth.
तस्माद्विशेषतः सर्वे वर्षेवर्षे वयं नृप
Therefore, O king, we all especially perform this every year.
ततः स पार्थिवस्ते च सर्व एव द्विजातयः
Then that king, along with all the twice-born, also did so.