भगवन्दातुमिच्छामि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो वसुन्धराम्
O Lord, I desire to give the earth to the Brahmins.
अन्नं देहि सदा राजन् सर्वकालसुखावहम् 99.
O king, always give food, which brings happiness at all times.
सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नदानं विशिष्यते
Among all gifts, the gift of food is the highest.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन अन्नदानं ददस्व भोः
Therefore, by every effort, give the gift of food, O noble one.
रत्नवस्त्रमलंकारान् श्रीमन्ति नगराणि च
Jewels, garments, ornaments, and splendid cities,
प्रदत्तं ब्राह्मणस्याथ कुंजरानजिनानि च
And also elephants and deerskins, given to a Brahmin,
पुरोहितमुवाचेदं वसिष्ठं जपतां वरम्
He spoke these words to his priest, Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite mantras.
सुवर्णरौप्यताम्राणि यागं कृत्वा द्विजातिषु
Having performed sacrifices for the twice-born with gold, silver, and copper,
वस्तु स्वल्पमिति ज्ञात्वा प्रभुः सोऽन्नं तु नाददत्
Knowing that the material was small, the lord did not give food.
कालधर्मवशाद्देवि मृत्युः समभवत्तदा
Then, O Devi, by the force of time and fate, death came.
क्षुधया पीडितो ह्यासीत्तृषया च विशेषतः
He was tormented by hunger, and especially by thirst.
तत्र प्राग्जन्ममूर्त्तिश्च पुरा दग्धा महात्मनः 99.
There, the form from his previous birth, which had been burned long ago, appeared.
पुनर्विमानमारुह्य दिवमाचक्रमे नृपः
The king again ascended a celestial chariot and reached heaven.
तान्यस्थीनि लिहन्दृष्टो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना
Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled one, saw those bones being licked.
एवमुक्तस्तदा राजा वसिष्ठेन महात्मना
Thus addressed at that time by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, the king—
भगवन्क्षुधितश्चास्मि अन्नपानं पुरा मया
O venerable one, I am hungry, and in the past I have not received food or drink—
एवमुक्तस्ततो राज्ञा वसिष्ठो मुनिपुंगवः
Thus addressed by the king, the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha—
किं ते करोमि राजेंद्र क्षुधितस्य विशेषतः
What shall I do for you, O king, especially as you are hungry?
रत्नहेमप्रदानेन भोगवान् जायते नरः
By giving jewels and gold, a man becomes prosperous.
तन्न दत्तं त्वया राजन् स्तोकं मत्वा नराधिप अदत्तस्य च सम्प्राप्तिस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः
But you, O king, have not given even a little, thinking it insignificant, O lord of men; now that you have come without giving, tell me as I ask you.
तच्छृणुष्व नरव्याघ्र कथ्यमानं मयाऽनघ 99.
Hear this, O tiger among men, as I recount it to you, O sinless one.
स सर्वमेधमारेभे स्वयं क्रतुवरं नृपः
He, the king, himself undertook the great sacrifice, the Sarvamedha.
नान्नं तेन तदा दत्तं स्वल्पं मत्वा यथा त्वया
But even then, he did not give food, considering it insignificant, just as you have done.
कृत्वा पुण्यं विनीताश्वः सार्वभौमो नृपोत्तमः
Having performed meritorious deeds, Vinītāśva, the foremost of kings, became sovereign of the earth.
असावपि क्षुधाविष्ट एवमेव गतो नृपः
Yet he too, afflicted by hunger, departed in the same way, O king.
विमानेनार्कवर्णेन भास्वता देववन्नृपः
The king, shining like the sun, went in a radiant celestial chariot.
पुरोहितं ददर्शाथ होतारं जाह्नवीतटे
There he saw his family priest, the officiating priest, on the bank of the Jahnavi.
क्षुधायाः कारणं किं मे स होता तमुवाच ह
He asked that priest, 'What is the cause of my hunger?'
घृतधेनुं च धेनुं च रसधेनुं च पार्थिव
O king, a cow yielding ghee, a cow, and a cow yielding sweet liquids—
तपते यावदादित्यस्तपते वापि चन्द्रमाः
As long as the sun shines, or as long as the moon shines—