यथायथा महामांसं स भक्षयति राघव
As he eats the great flesh, O Raghava, bit by bit,
ततस्तृप्तिं चिरात्प्राप्य शुचिर्भूत्वा प्रहर्षितः 6.103.
Then, after a long time, having attained satisfaction, purified and delighted, he became joyful.
तावन्मया द्रुतं गत्वा स पृष्टः कौतुकान्नृपः
Meanwhile, I quickly went and questioned the king out of curiosity.
भोभो वैमानिकश्रेष्ठ मुहूर्तं प्रतिपालय
O best among those who ride celestial chariots, please wait for a moment.
तच्छ्रुत्वा सम्मुखो भूत्वा प्रणाममकरोत्ततः
Hearing this, he stood facing me and offered his respectful salutation.
सोऽयं राजा मया पृष्टः कृतानतिः पुरः स्थितः सेव्यमानोऽप्सरोभिश्च गन्धर्वैः किन्नरैस्तथा
This king, whom I questioned, stood before me, having made his obeisance, served by apsaras, gandharvas, and kinnaras.
अत्राऽऽगत्य तडागांते महामांसप्रभक्षणम्
Here, having arrived at the edge of the lake, he consumed the great flesh.
अवश्यं सानुकूलो मे विधिर्यत्त्वं समागतः
Surely, favorable destiny has brought you here to me.
साधूनां दर्शनं पुण्यं तीर्थभूता हि साधवः
The sight of the virtuous is holy; for the virtuous are like sacred places.
तस्मात्सर्वं तवाख्यानं कथयामि महामुने । येन मे गर्हितं भोज्यं विभवश्च तथेदृशः
Therefore, O great sage, I will tell you everything—how I came to have this condemned food and such wealth.
अहमासं पुरा राजा श्वेतोनाम महामुने
I was once a king named Shveta, O great sage.
न किंचित्प्राङ्मया दत्तं न हुतं जातवेदसि 6.103.
I gave nothing, nor did I offer anything into the fire, O descendant of Raghu.
दृष्ट्वादृष्ट्वा मया रत्नं यत्किंचिद्धरणीतले ॥ । तद्वै बलाद्धृतं सर्वं सर्वेषामिह देहिनाम्
Whatever jewel I saw or did not see on the earth, I seized it all by force from everyone here.
ततः कालेन दीर्घेण जराग्रस्तस्य मे बलात्
Then, after a long time, I was overcome by old age and lost my strength.
ततोऽहं जरया ग्रस्तो वैराग्यं परमं गतः
Then, afflicted by old age, I attained supreme detachment.
ततः क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठोऽहं स्नात्वाऽत्र सलिले शुभे
Thereafter, with my throat parched by hunger, I bathed in these auspicious waters.
प्राविश्याऽत्र जले पुण्ये पंचत्वं समुपागतः
Entering these sacred waters, I reached the state of dissolution—death.
मामन्येन शरीरेण समादाय च किंकराः
Then, attendants took me up with another body.
दिव्यमाल्यावरधरंदिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम्
They adorned me with divine garlands and smeared me with celestial fragrances.
ततो ब्रह्मसभामध्ये ह्यहं तैर्देवकिंकरैः
After that, those divine attendants brought me into the midst of Brahmā’s assembly.
सर्वैः सभागतैर्दृष्टा विस्मितास्यैः परस्परम्
All those present in the assembly saw me, their faces astonished as they looked at one another.
सर्वैर्देवगणैर्जुष्टा प्रणामः क्रियतामिति ॥ 6.103.
Surrounded by all the hosts of gods, it was said: ‘Let obeisance be offered.’
ततोऽहं प्रणिपत्योच्चैस्तं देवं देवसंयुतम्
Then I bowed down and loudly addressed that god, surrounded by the gods.
यथायथा कथास्तत्र प्रजायन्ते सभातले
Just as various stories arise there on the floor of the assembly,
तथातथा ममातीव क्षुद्वृद्धिं संप्रगच्छति
so too did my hunger greatly increase.
ततो मया प्रणम्योच्चैर्विज्ञप्तः प्रपितामहः
Then, having bowed deeply, I earnestly petitioned the Grandsire.
क्षुधा मां बाधते अतीव सांप्रतं प्रपितामह
Great Grandsire, hunger now afflicts me exceedingly.
क्षुत्पिपासादयो दोषा न विद्यंतेऽत्र ते किल
Here, such faults as hunger and thirst are said not to exist.
त्वया नान्नं क्वचिद्दत्तं कस्यचित्पृथिवीतले । तेनात्रापि बुभुक्षा ते वृद्धिं गच्छति दुर्मते
You never gave food to anyone on earth; therefore, even here, your hunger increases, O foolish one.
तथा हृतानि रत्नानि यानि दृष्टिगतानि ते
In the same way, the jewels you saw and coveted were taken away.