वरं च दत्तवांस्तस्मै तद्वाक्यं यत्तथा कृतम्। अग्निहोत्रेण सहितां स्वाश्रमं तां द्विजोऽनयत् ।। ४५.
He granted him the boon as he had spoken; together with the fire-sacrifice, the brahmin led her to his own hermitage.
रेमे मुनिस्तया सार्द्धं यथा विष्णुः श्रिया सह। पार्व्वत्या च यथा शम्भुः सरस्वत्या यथा ह्यजः ।। ४५.
The sage enjoyed happiness with her, as Vishnu with Shri, as Shambhu with Parvati, as Brahma with Sarasvati.
जज्ञे पुत्रशतं तस्यां मरीचेर्विष्णुनोपमम्। मरीचिः फलपुष्पार्थं वनं गत्वा समागतः ।। ४५.
From her, Marici begot a hundred sons, equal to Vishnu; Marici, having gone to the forest for fruits and flowers, returned.
श्रान्तः कदाचित्तां पत्नीमुवाचेति पतिव्रताम्। भुक्त्वा तु शयनस्थस्य पादसंवाहनं कुरु ।। ४५.
Once, being weary, he spoke to his devoted wife: 'After eating, as I lie down, massage my feet.'
धर्म्मव्रता तथेत्युक्त्वा शयनस्थस्य सा मुनेः। पादसंवाहनं चक्रे घृते नाभ्यज्य तत्परा ।। ४५.
Dharmavrata, having said 'so be it,' began to massage the feet of the sage as he lay down, attentively anointing them with ghee.
निद्रायमाणेऽथ मुनौ ब्रह्मा तं देशमागतः। इत्येष दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्माणं मनसार्च्चयितुं प्रभुम् ।। ४५.
As the sage fell asleep, Brahma arrived at that place; seeing Brahma, she wished in her mind to worship the Lord.
पादसंवाहनं कुर्य्यां किं पूज्योऽयं जगद्गुरुः। इत्याकुला समुत्तस्थौ मत्वा सा तं गुरोर्गुरुम् ।। ४५.
She thought, 'Should I continue massaging the feet, or worship this revered teacher of the world?' Conflicted, she rose, considering him the guru of her own guru.
अर्घ्यपाद्यादिकं दत्त्वा ब्रह्माणं समपूजयत्। सत्कृतायान्तु शय्यायां विश्राममकरोदजः ।। ४५.
Offering water for washing the feet and other honors, she worshipped Brahma; and the Unborn One, being duly respected, rested upon her couch.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे भर्त्ता समुत्तस्थौ च तल्पतः। धर्म्मव्रतामपश्यन्स विप्रः क्रुद्धः शशाप ताम् ।। ४५.
Meanwhile, her husband rose from the bed; seeing Dharmavrata, the sage became angry and cursed her.
पादसंवाहनं त्यक्त्वायस्मादाज्ञां विहाय मे । गतान्यत्र ततः पापाच्छापदग्धा शिला भव ।। ४५.
Because you abandoned the foot massage and disregarded my command, you have gone elsewhere; therefore, out of sin, be turned into a stone, struck by my curse.
भर्त्रा धर्म्मव्रता शप्ता मरीचिं प्राह सा रुषा। शयाने त्वयि संप्राप्ते ब्रह्मा त्वज्जनको गुरुः ।। ४५.
Cursed by her husband, Dharmavrata angrily spoke to Marichi: 'As you lay resting, Brahma—your father and guru—arrived.'
त्वयोत्थाय हि कर्त्तव्यं स्वगुरोः पूजनं सदा। मया तु धर्म्मचारिण्या तव कार्य्ये कृते मुने ।। ४५.
'It is always proper to rise and worship one's own guru; but as a follower of dharma, I was fulfilling your service, O sage.'
अदोषाहं यतः शप्ता तस्माच्छापं ददामि ते। त्वञ्च शापं महादेवाद्भर्त्तः प्राप्स्यस्यसंशयम् ।। ४५.
'I am without fault, yet I have been cursed; therefore, I return a curse to you: O husband, you too shall receive a curse from Mahadeva, without doubt.'
व्याकुलं तं पतिं दृष्ट्वा व्याकुलागात्प्रजापतिम्। नत्वा शयानं ब्रह्माणमग्निं प्रज्वाल्य चेन्धनैः ।। ४५.
Seeing her husband distressed, she, also distressed, went to the Lord of Creatures; bowing to Brahma, who was lying down, she kindled the sacred fire with fuel.
गार्हपत्ये स्थिता चक्रे तपः परमदुष्करम्। तथा शप्तो मरीचिश्च तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ।। ४५.
Standing by the household fire, she undertook severe austerity; likewise, Marichi, having cursed her, performed harsh penance.
पतिव्रतायास्तपसा मरीचेस्तपसा यथा। इन्द्रादयश्च सन्तप्ता गतास्ते शरणं हरिम् ।। ४५.
By the austerity of the devoted wife and by Marichi's penance, even Indra and the other gods were tormented; they sought refuge with Hari.
ऊचुः क्षीराम्बूदौ सुप्तं सन्तप्तास्तपसा हरे। पतिव्रतायाश्च मुनेस्त्रैलोक्यं रक्ष केशव ।। ४५.
Tormented by the penance, they said to Hari, who was sleeping in the ocean of milk: 'O Keshava, protect the three worlds from the penance of the devoted wife and the sage.'
इन्द्रादीनां वचः श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्धर्म्मव्रतां ययौ। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु प्रबुद्धो भगवानजः। ऊचुर्धर्म्मर्वतां देवा अग्निस्थां तां सकेशवाः ।। ४५.
Hearing the words of Indra and the others, Vishnu went to Dharmavrata; at that very moment, the Unborn Lord awoke, and the gods, along with Keshava, addressed Dharmavrata, who was standing in the fire.
अग्निमध्ये तपः कर्त्तुं कस्य शक्तिः पतिव्रते। त्वया कृतं तत्परमं सर्व्वलोकभयङ्करम् ।। ४५.
Who among devoted wives has the power to perform austerity in the midst of fire? What you have done is supreme and terrifying to all the worlds.
वरं वरय धर्म्मज्ञे अस्मत्तो यदभीप्सितम्। विष्ण्वादीनां वचः श्रुत्वा देवान्धर्म्मव्रताब्रवीत् ।। ४५.३७ भर्तृशापमशक्ताहं निवर्त्तयितुमोजसा। दत्तो मरीचिना शापो मह्यं स ह्यपगच्छतु ।। ४५.
Choose a boon, O knower of dharma, whatever you desire from us. Hearing the words of Vishnu and the others, Dharmavrata spoke: 'I do not have the power to remove my husband's curse by my own strength; the curse given to me by Marichi—may it be removed.'
धर्म्मव्रतावचः श्रुत्वा प्रोचुरेतां सुराः पुनः । धर्म्मव्रते धर्म्मपुत्रि शापोऽयं परमर्षिणा ।। ४५.
Hearing Dharmavrata's words, the gods again spoke: 'O daughter of dharma, this curse was given by a supreme sage.'
दत्तस्ते न निराकर्त्तुं शक्यो देवद्विजातिभिः। तस्मादन्यं वरं ब्रूहि यतो धर्म्मस्य संस्थितिः ।। ४५.
The curse given to you cannot be undone by gods or brahmins; therefore, ask for another boon by which dharma may be upheld.
भवेद्वै त्रिषु लोकेषु वेदोक्तस्य शुभव्रते। देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा देवान्धर्म्मव्रताब्रवीत् ।। ४५.
In the three worlds, O virtuous one, the words spoken by the gods, as declared in the Vedas, came to pass; having heard the words of the gods, Dharmavrata spoke to them.
भर्त्तुः शापान्मोचयितुं न शक्ताश्च यदामराः। मह्यं वरं प्रयच्छध्वमेवंविधमनुत्तमम् ।। ४५.
Since the immortals were unable to free me from my husband's curse, grant me this supreme and unparalleled boon.
शिलाहं हि भविष्यामि ब्रह्माण्डे पावनी शुभा। नदीनदसरस्तीर्थदेवादिभ्योऽतिपावनी ।। ४५.
I shall become a sacred and auspicious stone in the universe, purifying beyond rivers, streams, lakes, holy places, and even the gods.
ऋष्यादिभ्यो मुनुभ्यश्च मुख्यदेवेभ्य एव च। त्रैलोक्ये यानि लिङ्गानि व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मकान्यपि। तानि तिष्ठन्तु मद्देहे तीर्थरूपेण सर्व्वदा ।। ४५.
Let the emblems—manifest and unmanifest—of sages, ascetics, and chief deities, whatever they may be in the three worlds, always remain in my body in the form of holy places.
तीर्थान्यपि च सर्व्वाणि नक्षत्रप्रमुखास्तथा। तिष्ठन्तु देवाः सकला देव्यश्च मुनयस्तथा ।। ४५.
Let all the holy places, beginning with the stars, remain, along with all the gods, goddesses, and sages.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च लक्षयित्वा पदं मयि। पञ्चाग्नयः कुमाराद्या बहुरुपेण संस्थिताः ।। ४५.
Let Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, having established their presence in me, together with the five fires, Kumara, and others, remain in manifold forms.
मूर्त्तामूर्त्तस्वरूपेण पदरूपेण देवताः। शिलायां क्रोशमात्रेण मूर्त्तिरूपाः स्थिता भुवि ।। ४५.
Let the deities, in both manifest and unmanifest forms, as well as in the form of sacred steps, be established on earth within the stone, in a space measuring a krosha.
तां दृष्ट्वा सर्व्वलोकश्च महापातकनाशिनीम्। पूतो धर्म्माधिकारी च श्राद्धकृद्ब्रह्मलोकभाक् ।। ४५.
Seeing her, the destroyer of great sins, all people become purified, gain authority in righteousness, perform ancestral rites, and attain the world of Brahma.