निर्जनं ध्रुवतीर्थं तु वृतवेलमिवाभवत्
The solitary, constant holy place became as if surrounded by a shore.
वेपथुः कोटराक्षश्च पृष्ठलग्नलघूदरः 180.
Trembling, with hollow eyes, thin and with a sunken back, he was.
न वाक्च श्रूयते तस्य क्षुद्रपक्षिरवो यथा
No speech of his is heard, like the cry of a small bird.
न गच्छसि यथास्थानमागतस्तु निरुद्यमः
You do not go to your proper place, having come here without effort.
ममाद्य नैत्यकं कर्म तीर्थेऽस्मिन्नश्यतेऽनिशम्
Today, my daily act at this holy place is lost, night and day.
त्वां दृष्ट्वेदृक्स्वरूपं च क्रिया मे सा गता त्वयि
Having seen you in this form, my ritual has gone to you.
जन्तुरुवाच ध्रुवतीर्थे च यः श्राद्धं पुनः कुर्यात्तिलोदकम्
The creature said: Whoever performs the śrāddha ritual again at the fixed holy place, offering water mixed with sesame seeds—
तिलतृप्ता दिवं यान्ति पितरस्तेन पुत्रिणः
By that, the ancestors who are satisfied with sesame attain heaven through their offspring.
योनिसंकरदोषेण नरकं समुपाश्रितः
Due to the fault of mixed lineage, one is subjected to hell.
अगतिर्गमने मे स्यात्ते त्रितापैः समागतः
For me, there is no path or movement; I am afflicted by threefold suffering.
बलयुक्ता ययुः स्वर्गं निर्बलस्य कुतो गतिः
Those endowed with strength have reached heaven; how can the powerless have any path?
ते स्वधापूजितैः पुत्रैर्गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम् 180.
They attain the highest state through sons who honor them with offerings of svadhā.
दृष्टास्त्वया त्रिकालज्ञ दिव्यदृष्ट्या दिवं गताः
You have seen them, O knower of the three times, with divine vision, those who have gone to heaven.
प्रतिलोमानुलोमानां शूद्राणां श्राद्धकर्मिणाम्
Of those who perform śrāddha among the śūdras, whether born in direct or reverse lineage—
एवं पृष्टः स विप्रेण कथयामास कारणम्
Thus questioned by the brāhmaṇa, he began to explain the reason.
तवापि सन्ततिस्तात नास्ति दैवाद्यथोचिता
O dear one, your lineage too does not exist as prescribed by fate.
वद सर्वं करिष्यामि यदि सत्यं वचो मम
Tell me everything; I will do it, if my word is true.
इमे ये मम देहे तु भवन्ति मशकाः कृशाः
These who are in my body, thin mosquitoes—
तन्तुमन्त्रमहं तेषां मम तन्तुमयी सकृत्
I am their thread-mantra; I am made of thread for them, once.
महिष्याः प्रेषणे नित्यं दासी नाम्ना प्रभावती
For sending messages to the queen, always, there is a maid named Prabhāvatī.
अस्माकं सन्ततेस्तन्तुस्तस्य श्राद्धकृते वयम्
Our lineage is the thread of hers; for the sake of śrāddha, we—
स्थिता एतावदेवं तु कालं यास्यामहेऽम्बुधौ 180.
We remain only for this period; then we will go to the ocean.
श्रुत्वैतत्स त्रिकालज्ञो मोहाविष्टोऽब्रवीदिदम्
Hearing this, the knower of the three times, overwhelmed by delusion, spoke thus:
विधिरत्र कथं तस्या येन यूयं सपुत्रिणः
What is the rule here for her, by which you all, with sons, exist?
पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन यां यां गतिमधोमुखीम्
By the result of previous actions, whichever downward path one attains,
श्राद्धं पिण्डोदकं दानं नित्यं नैमित्तिकं तथा
Offerings of śrāddha, food, water, gifts—both regular and occasional—
अपि स्यात्स कुलेऽस्माकं यो नो दद्याज्जलाञ्जलिम्
Perhaps someone in our lineage may exist who would give us a handful of water.
विशेषात्तीर्थमध्ये तु तिलमिश्रं जलाञ्जलिम्
Especially, in the midst of a sacred place, a handful of water mixed with sesame seeds,
दर्भपाणिस्त्रिस्त्रिगोत्रे पितृनाम समुच्चरन्
Holding darbha grass in hand, reciting the three gotras and the names of the ancestors,
आदावेकाञ्जलिर्द्वे तु तिस्रो वै तर्पणे स्मृताः
One handful is taken first, then two, and three are remembered for the act of tarpaṇa.