तस्मादेतान्नरो नग्रांस्त्रयीसन्त्यागदूषितान् । सर्वदा वर्जयेत् प्राज्ञ आलापस्पशेनादिषु
Therefore, the wise should always avoid impure people corrupted by abandoning the threefold Vedic path, in conversation, touch, and other dealings.
श्रद्धावद्भिः कृतं यत्राद्द वान् पितृपितामहान् । न प्रीणयति तच्छ्राद्ध यदेभिरवलोकितम्
Where offerings are made by the faithful to fathers and grandfathers, that rite does not please them if it is witnessed by these impure ones.
श्रूयते च पुरा ख्यातो राजा शतधनुर्भुवि । पत्री च शैव्या तस्याभूदतिधर्मपरायणा
It is heard that long ago there was a renowned king named Shatadhanu on earth; his wife Shaivya was devoted to the duties of hospitality.
पतिव्रता महाभागा सत्यशौचदयान्विता । सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्ना विनयेन नयेन च
She was a devoted wife, greatly fortunate, endowed with truth, purity, and compassion, possessing all marks of excellence, and guided by humility and good conduct.
स तु राजा तया सार्द्ध देवदेवं जनार्दनम् । आराधयामास विभुं परमेण समाधिना
That king, together with her, worshipped Janardana, Lord of the gods, with supreme concentration.
होमैर्जपैस्तथा दानैरुपवासैश्व भक्तितः
With offerings, recitations, gifts, fasting, and devotion.
पूजाबिश्वानुदिवसं तन्मना नान्यमानसः
Absorbed in worship day and night, his mind fixed, not distracted elsewhere.
एकदा तु समं स्नातौ तौ तु भार्यापती जले । बगीरथ्याः समुत्तीर्णौ कार्त्तिक्यां समुपोषितौ । पाषण्डिनमपश्येतामायान्तं सम्मुखं द्रिज
Once, the husband and wife bathed together in the river; having emerged from the Bhagirathi, fasting in Kartika, they saw a heretic approaching, O twice-born.
चापाचार्यस्य तस्यासौ सखा राज्ञो महात्मनः । अतस्तदूगौरवात्तेन सहालापमथाकरोत्
He was a friend of the king, the noble one, and a disciple of the bow-master; out of respect, the king conversed with him.
न तु सा वागयता देवी तस्य पत्री पतिव्रता । उपोषितास्मीति रविं तस्मिन् दृष्टे ददर्श च
But the devoted wife, observing her vow, did not speak; having fasted, she saw the sun.
समागम्य यथान्यायं दम्पती तौ यथाविधि । विष्णोः पूजादिकं सर्वं कृतवन्तौ द्रिजोत्तम
The couple, having met as prescribed, performed all the worship and rites for Vishnu, O best of twice-born.
कालेन गच्छता राजा ममारासौ सपत्रजित् । अन्वारुरोह तं देवी चितास्थं भूपतिं पतिम्
As time passed, the king Sapatrajit died; the queen ascended the funeral pyre with her husband, the ruler.
स तु तेनापचारेण श्वा जज्ञ वसुधाधिपः । उपोषितेन पाषण्जसंलापी यः कृतोऽभवत्
Because of that transgression, the fasting king who conversed with the heretic was born as a dog.
सा तु जातिस्मरा जज्ञ काशीराजसुता शुभा । सर्वविझानमम्पूर्णा सर्वलक्षणपूजिता
She, the virtuous daughter of the king of Kashi, was born remembering her past life, possessing all knowledge and honored for all auspicious qualities.
तां पिता दातुकामोऽभूत् वराय विनिवारितः । तयैव तन्व्या विरतो विवाहारम्भतो नृपः
Her father wished to give her in marriage, but was restrained; by her own will, the slender maiden prevented the king from beginning the wedding.
ततः सा दिव्यया दृष्टया दृष्ट्वा श्वानं निजं पतिम् । विदिशाख्यं पुरं गत्वा तदवस्थ ददर्शतम्
Then, with divine vision, she saw her own husband as a dog; going to the city called Vidiśā, she beheld him in that state.
तं दृष्ट्ववै महाभागं श्वबूतन्तु पतिं तथा । ददौ तस्मै वराहार सत्कारप्रवणां सुभम
Seeing her husband, now a dog, she, full of reverence, gave him excellent food with honor.
भुञ्जन् दत्तं तया सोऽन्नमतिमृष्टमभीप्सितम् । स्वजातिललितं कुर्वन् बहु चाटु चकार वै
He ate the food she gave, delicious and desired, behaving in a manner befitting his own kind, and uttered many flattering words.
अतीव व्रीडिता बाला कुर्वता चाटु तेन सा । प्रणामपूर्वमाहेदं दयितं तं कुयोनिजम्
The young girl was greatly embarrassed by his flattery; with a respectful bow, she spoke to her beloved, now of low birth.
स्मर्य्यतां तन्महाराज ! दाक्षिण्यललितं त्वया । येन श्वयोनिमापन्नो मम चाटुकरो भवान्
Remember, O great king, your gentle conduct, by which you entered the dog’s womb and now flatter me.
पाषण्डिनं समाभाष्य तीर्थस्त्रानादनन्तरम् । प्राप्तोऽसि कुत्सितां योनिं किं न स्मरसि तत्प्रभो
After speaking with the heretic and bathing at the holy place, you attained this degraded birth; do you not recall that, O lord?
तयैवं स्मारिते तस्मिन् पूर्वजातिकृते तदा । दध्यौ चिरमथावाप निर्वेदमतिदुर्लभम
When she reminded him thus of his previous birth, he reflected for a long time and attained rare dispassion.
निर्विण्णाचित्त- स ततो निगम्य नगरादू बहिः । मरुप्रपतनं कृत्वा शार्गालीं योनिमागतः
Then, his mind filled with despair, he left the city and, casting himself down in the desert, was born in the womb of a jackal.
सापि द्रितीये सम्प्राप्ते वर्षे दित्येन चक्षुषा । ज्ञात्वा श्वृगालं तं द्रष्टुं ययौ कोलाहलं गिरिम्
When the second year had passed, she, perceiving with her divine sight, recognized him as a jackal and went to the mountain called Kolahala to see him.
तत्रापि दृष्ट्वा तं प्राह शार्गालीं योनिमागतम् । भर्त्तारमतिचार्वङ्गी तनया पृथितीपतेः
There, seeing him who had entered the womb of a jackal, the beautiful daughter of the king addressed her husband.
अपि स्मरसि राजेन्द्र! श्वयोनिस्थस्य यन्मया । प्रोक्तं ते पूर्वचरितं पाषण्डालापसंश्रयम्
O king, do you remember what I once told you, when you were born as a dog—your former deeds and your association with heretical speech?
पुनस्तयोक्तस्यजूज्ञात्वा सत्यं सत्यवतां वरः । कालेन स निराहारस्तत्याज स्वं कलेवरम्
Again, reminded by her words and realizing the truth—O best of the truthful—he, after some time, gave up food and abandoned his body.
भूयस्ततो वृकं जातं गत्वा तं निर्जने वने । स्मारयामास भर्त्तारं पूर्ववृत्तमनिन्दिता
Then, he was born as a wolf; and she, faultless, went to that lonely forest and reminded her husband of his previous deeds.
न त्वं वृको महभाग! राजा शतधनुर्भवान् । श्वा भूत्वा त्वं श्वृगालोऽबूर्वृकत्वं साम्प्रतं गतः
O fortunate one, you are not a wolf; you are King Shatadhanu. Having been a dog, you became a jackal, and now you have attained the state of a wolf.
स्मारितेन यदा त्यक्तस्तेनात्मा गृद्रतां गतः । अवाप सा पुनश्चैनं बोधयामास भाविनी
When he was thus reminded, he abandoned that body, and his soul entered the form of a vulture; again, she, destined, instructed him.