ब्रह्मच्छिद्रं जपच्छिद्रं यच्छिद्रं यज्ञकर्मणि
A flaw in chastity, a flaw in recitation, or a flaw in the performance of sacrifice—
अच्छिद्रमिति यद्वाक्यं वदंति क्षितिदेवताः
When the earth deities say, 'It is flawless,'
इत्येवं वदति श्रेष्ठे संवर्ते द्विजसत्तमे
Thus, when the best among twice-born speaks in this way to the eminent one,
तेषामर्थे यथावृत्तं कथयामासुरेव ते
They then narrated to him, just as it had happened, the matter concerning them.
तेऽप्यूचुर्धर्मशास्त्राणि विहितानि यथार्थतः
They too spoke of the Dharma-śāstras, as they had been properly prescribed.
अशीतिर्यस्य वर्षाणि बालो वाप्यूनषोडशः
One whose age is eighty years, or a boy not yet sixteen—
देशं कालं वयः शक्तिं पापं चावेक्ष्य यत्नतः
Considering carefully the place, time, age, capacity, and the sin,
इदानीं मृगचर्माणि परिधाय धृतव्रताः
Now, having donned deer skins and undertaken vows,
ततो वर्षे ह्यतिक्रांते वीरधन्वा महीपतिः 5.2.28.
Then, when a year had passed, King Vīradhanvan—
ते चाप्येकतरोर्मूले मृगधर्मोपजीविनः
And they, too, lived at the foot of a certain tree, subsisting according to the way of deer.
तत्रापृच्छद्ब्रह्मवध्या मम जाता महामुने
There, he asked, 'O great sage, the sin of killing a Brahmin has come upon me.'
भृशं शोकपरीतात्मा रुरोद भृशदुःखितः
His heart overwhelmed by intense sorrow, he wept, greatly afflicted.
उवाच मा भैर्नृपते अपनेष्यामि पातकम्
He said, 'Do not fear, O king; I shall remove your sin.'
उद्धृता देवदेवेन विष्णुना क्रोडमूर्त्तिना उद्धरिष्यति देवोऽसौ स्वयमेव जनार्दनः
Uplifted by the god of gods, Viṣṇu, who bears the form of a boar, that god Janārdana himself will surely deliver you.
एवमुक्तस्ततो राजा दुरितो वाक्यमब्रवीत
Thus addressed, the king then spoke a harsh word.
किमनेन द्विजेनैव निष्प्रभेण दुरात्मना
What is the use of this twice-born, who is powerless and wicked?
इत्युक्त्वा '? खङ्गेनैव जघान तम्
Having said this, he struck him with a sword.
तस्मिन्नेव वने देवि पापसंघेन मोहितः 5.2.28.
In that very forest, O goddess, deluded by a multitude of sins—
क्षुधार्त्तश्च तृषार्त्तश्च बाल्यान्मोहाच्च साहसात्
Afflicted by hunger, tormented by thirst, through childishness, delusion, and recklessness—
जटीभूतेन पापेन बभ्राम गहने वने
Burdened by accumulated sin, he wandered in the dense forest.
व्याघ्रसिंहगजाकीर्णं मृगशंबरसेवितम्
It was filled with tigers, lions, and elephants, and frequented by deer and antelope.
ते गतास्त्वरिता व्याधाः स्वभर्तुः कथनाय वै
Those hunters quickly went to report to their master.
तावद्राज्ञः शरीरात्तु श्वेताऽऽभरणभूषिता
At that moment, from the king’s body, adorned with white ornaments—
दस्यून्निहत्य सा देवी तत्रैवादर्शनं गता
That goddess, having slain the bandits, vanished there itself.
अथ राजा तया मुक्तः प्रतिबुद्धोऽथ तत्क्षणात्
Then the king, released by her, awoke at that very instant.
गोवध्या ब्रह्मवध्या च वने ह्यस्मिन्सुदारुणा
Here in this forest, the killing of cows and the killing of Brahmins are truly dreadful.
एवं स चिंतयित्वाथ निःश्वस्य च पुनःपुनः 5.2.28.
Thus reflecting, he sighed again and again.
मुनिना वामदेवेन दृष्टो राजा तथाविधः
The king, in such a state, was seen by the sage Vāmadeva.
सोमवंशसमुत्पन्नो दशां कष्टां समागतः
Born of the lunar dynasty, he had come to a wretched condition.
उद्धरिष्यामि राजानमेनं पुरुषसत्तमम् प्रत्युवाच महीपालं वीरधन्वानमातुरम्
I shall rescue this king, the foremost among men—thus the sage addressed the suffering ruler Vīradhanvan.