त्वयोक्तं शपथैर्भद्रे आगमिष्याम्यहं पुनः
O good lady, you declared with oaths, 'I shall return again.'
सोऽहं भद्रे दुराचारो नृशंसो जीवघातकः ६.५१.
But I, O good lady, am wicked, cruel, and a destroyer of life.
तस्मात्त्वं मे महाभागे पापास्यातिदुरात्मनः
Therefore, O greatly fortunate one, from me, a sinner of exceedingly evil mind—
येन मे स्यात्परं श्रेय इह लोके परत्र च
—by which means might I obtain the highest good in this world and the next?
तस्मात्त्वं धर्मसर्वस्वं संक्षेपान्मम कीर्तय
Therefore, briefly declare to me the essence of all dharma.
द्वापरे यज्ञयोगं च दानमेकं कलौ युगे
In Dvāpara, sacrifice and yoga; in Kali Yuga, charity alone.
चराचराणां भूतानामभयं यः प्रयच्छति
Whoever grants safety to all living beings, moving and unmoving—
अहिंसया भवेद्येषां प्राणयात्रान्नपूर्वकम्
—for those whose sustenance does not depend on violence, their livelihood is through non-harming.
न हिंसया विनाऽस्माकं यतः स्यात्प्राणधारणम् उपदेशं सुधर्माय हिंसकस्यापि देहिनाम्
For us, life cannot be sustained without harm; yet, even to those who harm, instruction in true dharma should be given.
गहने यत्प्रभावेन त्वया मुक्तास्म्यहं ध्रुवम्
By the power of that (dharma) in the forest, I am certainly freed by you.
तस्य त्वं प्रातरुत्थाय कुरु नित्यं प्रदक्षिणाम्
Each morning, rise and always circumambulate it.
नान्यस्य कर्मणः शक्तिर्विद्यते ते नखायुध ६.५१.
No other deed is possible for you, O one with clawed weapons.
एवमुक्त्वाथ सा धेनुर्व्याघ्रस्याथ वनांतिके
Having spoken thus, the cow then, at the forest's edge, to the tiger—
सोऽपि संदर्शनात्तस्य तत्क्षणान्मुक्तिमाप्तवान्
He too, at that very moment, attained liberation upon seeing her.
शापं दुर्वाससा दत्तं राज्यं स्वं सहितैः सुतैः
The curse given by Durvasa caused me to lose my kingdom along with my sons.
नृपः कलशनामाहं हैहयान्वयसंभवः
I am the king named Kalasha, born in the lineage of the Haihayas.
ततः प्रसादितेनोक्तस्तेनाहं नंदिनी यदा
Then, when I had pleased her, she told me, 'I am Nandini.'
सा नूनं नन्दिनी त्वं हि ज्ञाता शापान्ततो मया
Indeed, you are Nandini, recognized by me after the end of the curse.
येन गच्छाम्यहं भूयः स्वगृहं प्रति सत्वरम्
By whom I now quickly return again to my own home.
नंदिन्युवाच चमत्कारपुरक्षेत्रमेतत्पातकनाशनम्
Nandini said: This field of Camatkāra destroys all sins.
यदन्यत्र भवेच्छ्रेयो वत्सरेण तपस्विनाम्
Whatever merit is gained elsewhere by ascetics in a year,
एवं मत्वा मया लिंगं स्नापितं पयसा सदा ६.५१.
Thinking thus, I always bathed the linga with milk.
गोकुलं च सखीः स्वाश्च तथान्यं च सुहृज्जनम्
I brought my herd, my companions, my own people, and other friends.
एतत्क्षेत्रं मया पूर्वं ब्राह्मणानां मुखाच्छ्रुतम्
This sacred place I had previously heard about from the mouths of Brahmins.
राज्यकर्मप्रसक्तेन भोगासक्तेन नंदिनि
Absorbed in royal duties and pleasures, O Nandini,
दिष्ट्या मे मुनिना तेन दत्तः शापो महात्मना
By fate, that great-souled sage gave me a curse.
स्थितस्तत्रैव तल्लिंगं ध्यायमानो दिवानिशम्
Remaining there, I meditated on that linga day and night.
प्रासादं तत्कृते मुख्यं विधायाद्भुतदर्शनम्
For its sake, I built a splendid temple, wondrous to behold.
ततस्तस्य प्रभावेन स्वल्पैरेव दिनैर्द्विजाः
Then, by its power, O twice-born, in just a few days—
तत्र यः कार्तिके मासि दीपकं संप्रयच्छति ८८ मार्गशीर्षे च सम्प्राप्ते गीतनृत्यादिकं नरः
There, whoever offers a lamp in the month of Kartika, and when Margashirsha arrives, engages in singing, dancing, and the like—