समवाप परं रूपमैश्वर्य च सुदुर्लभम्
He attained the highest form and a rare lordly power.
आरोग्यमतुलं प्राप संतानमपि चाक्षयम्
He obtained incomparable health and unending progeny.
विरूपत्वं समुत्सृज्य रूपं प्राप श्रिया सह
Casting off deformity, he gained beauty along with prosperity.
पूर्वं त्रेतायुगस्यादौ यथावृत्तं तपोधन
O ascetic, as it happened at the beginning of the Treta age, formerly.
शाकलं नाम नगरं ख्यातं स्थानीयमुत्तमम्
There was a city named Shakala, renowned as an excellent place.
धनाढ्यो गुणवान् भोगी नानासास्त्रविशारदः
A wealthy, virtuous, and pleasure-loving man lived there, skilled in various scriptures.
सार्थेन महता युक्तो नानाविपणपण्यवान्
He was accompanied by a great caravan and possessed various market goods.
अभवद् दस्युतो रात्रौ अवस्कन्दो ऽतिदुःसहः
At night, a robber, exceedingly fierce, attacked him.
असहायो मरौ तस्मिंश् चचारोन्मत्तवद् वशी
Alone in that desert, he wandered, controlled yet as if mad.
आत्मा इव शमीवृक्षो मरावासादितः शुभः
Like his own self, a Shami tree, auspicious, was found in the desert.
समपश्यदथायान्तं प्रेतं प्रेतशतैर्वृतम्
Then he saw a departed spirit approaching, surrounded by hundreds of other spirits.
पिण्डाशिभिश्च पुरतो धावद्भी रूक्षविग्रहैः
In front of him rushed spirits with harsh forms, eating lumps of food.
उपागम्य शमीमूले वणिक्पुत्रं ददर्श सः
Coming near the base of a śamī tree, he saw the merchant’s son.
सुखोपविष्टश्छायायां पृष्ट्वा कुशलमाप्तवान्
Seated comfortably in the shade, he asked after his welfare and received a reply.
कुत आगम्यते ब्रूहि क्व साधो वा गमिष्यसि
Tell me, from where have you come, and where, O good man, do you intend to go?
समापन्नो ऽसि भद्रं ते सर्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि
You have arrived safely; you should tell me everything.
सर्वमाख्यातवान् ब्रह्मन् स्वदेशधनविच्युतिम्
The brahmin told everything—his loss of homeland and wealth.
वमिक्पुत्रं ततः प्राह प्रेतपालः स्वबन्धुवत्
Then the lord of the spirits spoke to the merchant’s son as if to his own kinsman.
भूयो ऽप्यर्थाः भविष्यन्ति यदि भाग्यबलं तव
You will again gain wealth, if fortune’s power is with you.
क्षीणस्यास्य शरीरस्य चिन्तया नोदयो भवेत्
For one whose body is weakened, there is no rise from anxiety.
अद्यातिथिरयं पूज्यः सदैव स्वजनो मम
Today this guest is to be honored—he is always my own kinsman.
अस्मिन् समागते प्रेताः प्रीतिर्जाता ममातुला
With his arrival, an incomparable joy has arisen in me among the spirits.
दध्योदनेन संपूर्णमाजगाम यथेप्सितम्
He came as he wished, with a vessel full of curd-rice.
वारिधानी च संप्राप्ता प्रेतानामग्रतः स्थिता
A water jar also arrived, placed before the spirits.
प्राहोत्तिष्ठ वणिक्पुत्र त्वमाह्निकमुपाचर
He said, ‘Rise, merchant’s son, perform your daily rites.’
कृताह्निकावुभौ जातौ वणिक् प्रेतपतिस्तथा
Both—the merchant and the lord of spirits—performed their daily rites.
दत्त्वा तेभ्यश्च सर्वेभ्यः प्रेतेभ्यो व्यददात् ततः
Then he gave to all those spirits, distributing to each.
अनन्तरं सबुभुजे प्रेतपालो बराशनम्
Afterwards, the lord of spirits ate the excellent food.
अन्तर्धानमगाद् ब्रह्मन् वणिक्पुत्रस्य पश्यतः
O Brahmin, before his very eyes, the merchant's son vanished from sight.
पप्रच्छ तं प्रेतपालं कौतूहलमना वशी
With a mind full of curiosity, Vaśī questioned the guardian of the dead.