नरेन्द्र! स्मर्यतामात्मा ह्मलं ते गृध्रचेष्टया । पाषण्डालापजातोऽयं दोषो यदूगृध्रता गतः
O king, recall yourself—your soul—now behaving as a vulture; this fault, arising from heretical speech, has led you to this vulture birth.
ततः काकत्वमापन्नं समनन्तरजन्मति । उवाच तन्वी भर्त्तारमुपलभ्यात्मयोगतः
Then, in the very next birth, he attained the form of a crow; and the slender one, perceiving him through her own power, addressed her husband.
अशेषा भूभृतः पूर्वं वश्या यस्मै बलिं ददुः । सत्वं काकत्वमापन्नो जातोऽद्य बलिभुक् प्रभो
All the rulers of the earth, who once offered tribute to you, have now become your food, O lord, as you have taken the form of a crow.
एवमेव च काकात्वे स्मारितः स पुरातनम् । तत्याज भूपतिः प्राणान् मयूरत्वमवाप च
In that very form as a crow, when reminded by her, the king abandoned his life and attained the form of a peacock.
मयूरत्वं ततः सा वै चकारानुगतिं शुभा । दत्तैः प्रतिक्षणां ह्टद्यस्तृप्त तज्जातिभोजनेः
Then she, auspicious, followed him into the form of a peahen, always satisfied with the food appropriate to that species.
ततस्तु जनको राजा वाजिमेधं महाक्रतुम् । चकार तस्यावभृथे स्त्रपयामास तं तदा
Afterwards, King Janaka performed the great horse-sacrifice; at its concluding bath, he purified him at that time.
सस्त्रौ स्वयं च तन्वङ्गी स्मारयामास चापि तम् । यथासौ श्वश्वृगालाद्या योनीर्जग्राह पार्थिवः
There, the slender-limbed one herself reminded him, as did the king, of how he had taken on the births of dog, jackal, and so on.
स्मृतजन्मक्रमः सोऽथ तत्याज स्व कलेवरम् । जज्ञ स जनकस्यैव पुत्रोऽसौ सुमहात्मनः
Then, recalling the sequence of his births, he abandoned his body and was born as the son of the great-souled Janaka himself.
ततः सा पितरं तन्वी विवहार्थमचोदयत् । स चापि कारयामास तस्या राजा स्वयवरम्
Then she urged her father regarding her marriage, and the king arranged her svayamvara ceremony.
स्वयंवरे कृते सा तं सम्प्राप्तं पतिमात्मनः । वपरयामास भूयोऽपि भर्तृ भावेन भामिनी
At the svayamvara, she chose him, who had arrived there, as her husband; and once more, the devoted lady served him as her lord.
बुभुजे च तया सार्द्ध सम्भोगान्नृपनन्दनः । पितर्य्युपरते राज्यं विदेहेषु चकार सः
He, the delight of kings, enjoyed pleasures together with her, and, when his father passed away, he ruled the kingdom of the Videhas.
इयाज यज्ञान् सुबहुन् ददौ दानानि चार्थिनाम् । पुत्रानुत्पादयामास युयुधे च सहारिबिः
He performed many sacrifices and gave gifts to those who asked; he begot sons and fought with his enemies.
राज्यं भुक्त्वा यथान्यायं पालयित्वा वसुन्धराम् । तत्याज स प्रियान् प्राणान् संग्रामे धर्मतो नृपः
Having enjoyed his kingdom justly and protected the earth, that king gave up his dear life in battle, upholding righteousness.
ततश्वितास्थं तं भूयो भर्त्तारं सा शुभेक्षणा । अन्वारुरोह विधिवद् यथापूर्वं मुदा सती
Then, that virtuous-eyed lady, his wife, again ascended the funeral pyre after him, as before, with joy, according to the proper rites.
ततोऽवाप तया सार्द्धं राजपुत्र्या स पार्थिवः । ऐन्दानतीत्यवै लोकान् लोकान् कामदुहोऽक्षयान्
Thereafter, that king attained, together with the princess, worlds beyond those of Indra—everlasting realms that fulfill all desires.
स्वर्गाक्षयत्वमतुलं दाम्पत्यमतिदुर्लभम् । प्राप्त पुण्यफलं प्राप्य संशुद्धिं तां द्रिजोत्तम
Having attained the incomparable and exceedingly rare state of marital union in heaven, and having received the fruit of his merit and purification, O best of twice-born, he reached that state.
एष पाषण्डसम्भाषाद्दोषः प्रोक्तो मया द्रिज । तथाश्वमेधावबृथस्त्रानमाहात्म्यमेव च
O twice-born, I have thus described the fault arising from association with heretics, as well as the greatness of the Ashvamedha and the Avabhritha bath.
तस्मात् पाषण्डिभिः पापैरालापस्पर्शनं त्यजेत् । विशेषतः क्रियाकाले यज्ञादौ चापि दीक्षितः
Therefore, one should avoid conversation and contact with sinful heretics, especially during rituals and at the commencement of sacrifices, and particularly when initiated.
क्रियाहानिर्गृ हे यस्य मासमेकं प्रजायते । तस्यावलोकनात् सूर्यं पश्येत मतिमान् नरः
If, due to the fault of ritual neglect, a person is born for one month, the wise man should look at the sun to be purified from even seeing such a one.
किं पुनर्यैस्तु सत्यक्ता त्रयी सर्वात्मना द्रिज । परान्नभोजिभिः पापैर्वेदवादविरोधिबिः
What then of those who have completely abandoned the three Vedas, who eat food from others, who are sinful, and who oppose the teachings of the Vedas?
सहालापस्तु संसर्गः सहास्या चातिपापिनी । पाषण्डिबिर्दुराचारैस्तस्मात्ताः परिवर्जयेत्
Association, conversation, and even being with such extremely sinful heretics of evil conduct should therefore be avoided.
पाषण्डिनो विकर्मस्थान् वैडालब्रतिकाञ्छठान् । हैतुकान् वकवृत्तींश्व वाङूमात्रेणापि नार्चयेत्
One should not honor, even with words, heretics engaged in forbidden acts, those who follow the practices of cats, those who are deceitful, argumentative, or hypocritical.
दूरादपास्तः सम्पर्कः सहस्यापि च पापिभिः । पाषण्डिभिर्दुराचारैस्तस्मात्ताः परिवर्जयेत्
Contact and association with such sinful heretics of evil conduct should be shunned from afar.
एते नग्नास्तवाख्याता दृष्टया श्राद्धोपघातकाः । येषां सम्भाषणात् पुंसां दिनपुण्यं प्रणश्यति
These, called naked ascetics and heretics, are destroyers of śrāddha rites; by conversing with them, a person's merit for the day is lost.
एते पाषणिडनः पापा न ह्म तानालपेदू बुधः । पुण्यं नश्यति सम्भाषादेतेषां तद्दिनोद्भवम्
These heretics are sinful; the wise should not converse with them, for by speaking with them, the merit gained that day is destroyed.
पुं सां जटाधरणमौण्डयवतां वृथैव । मोघाशिनामखिलशौचनिराकृतानाम् तोयप्रदानपितृपिण्डबहिष्कृतानां सम्भाषणादपि नरा नरकं प्रयान्ति
Even those who wear matted hair or are shaven-headed, who eat in vain, who reject all purity, who are excluded from water offerings and ancestral rites—by conversing with them, men go to hell.
मैत्रेय उवाच। भगवन्यन्नरैः कार्य्यं साधुकर्मण्यवस्थितैः । तन्मह्यं गुरुणाख्यातं नित्यनैमित्तिकात्मकम्
Maitreya said: O venerable one, you have explained to me what should be done by those established in virtuous deeds, both regular and occasional; please tell me further, O teacher.
वर्णधर्मास्तथाख्याता धर्मा ये चाश्रमेषु च । श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं वंशं राज्ञां तद्ब्रूहि मे गुरो
You have described the duties of the social orders and those of the stages of life; I wish to hear about the lineage of kings—please tell me that, O teacher.
श्रीपराशर उवाच । मैत्रेय श्रूयतामयमनेकयज्वशूरवीरधीरभूपालालंकृतो ब्रह्मादिर्मानवो वंशः
Śrī Parāśara said: Maitreya, listen as I recount the lineage of Manu, adorned by many kings who were accomplished in sacrifice, valor, heroism, and wisdom, beginning with Brahmā.
तदस्य वंशस्यानुपूर्वीमश्षोवंशपापप्रणाशनाय मैत्रेयैतां कथां शृणु
Now, to dispel the sins of this lineage, hear this account in its proper order, O Maitreya.