तद्वाक्यं तु तदा देवि श्रुतं पुत्रेण धीमता । ममायं तु पिता साक्षाज्जातो मम गृहे पशुः
At that time, O Devi, the wise son heard those words: 'This is indeed my father, who has been born as an animal in my own house.'
इयं तु जननी साक्षान्मम चैव न संशयः । दैवयोगाच्छुनी जाता किं करोमि सुनिश्चयम्
'And this is indeed my mother, there is no doubt; by the force of fate, she has been born as a female dog. What can I do? This is certain.'
एवं विचार्यासौ विप्रो नैव निद्रामवाप सः । रात्रौ चिंतापरो भूत्वा स्मरन्विश्वेश्वरं परम्
Thinking in this way, that Brahmin could not sleep; throughout the night, absorbed in worry, he remembered the supreme Lord of all.
नानाधर्मपरोऽहं च ममैवं च कथं शुभम् । विचारयित्वा च ततो रात्रौ सुप्तस्तदा पुनः
'I am devoted to many kinds of dharma, yet how can there be good for me in this way?' After considering thus, he finally slept again that night.
प्रभाते विमले प्राप्ते ऋषीणां पुरतो गतः । तेषां मध्ये वसिष्ठेन तस्य सुस्वागतं कृतम्
When the pure morning arrived, he went before the sages; among them, Vasiṣṭha welcomed him warmly.
ब्रूहि त्वं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ तवागमनकारणम् । इति पृष्टस्तदा विप्रः प्रणाममकरोत्तदा
'Tell us, best of Brahmins, the reason for your coming.' Thus questioned, the Brahmin then offered his respects.
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे सफला क्रिया । अद्य मे पितरस्तृप्ता दुर्लभात्तव दर्शनात्
'Today my birth is fruitful, today my actions are fruitful; today my ancestors are satisfied, for I have gained your rare audience.'
यथोक्तं च कृतं श्राद्धं द्विजाश्चैव सुभोजिताः । कुटुंबिनां तु सर्वेषां भोजनं कारितं तथा
'As prescribed, the śrāddha has been performed, and the twice-born have been well fed; all the householders have likewise been given food.'
भोजनानंतरं प्राप्ता शुनी तत्र उवाच ह । अस्माकं तु गृहे ह्येको बलीवर्दस्तु वर्त्तते
After the meal was finished, the female dog spoke there: 'In our house, there is one bull.'
तं पतिं प्रतिवाक्यं यद्दिवज मत्तः शृणुष्व तत् । गृहेस्थितं दुग्धभांडमहिना दूषितं मया
'Hear, husband, what I say to you: while at home, I contaminated the milk vessel with poison.'
दृष्टं मे महती चिंता तदा जाता न संशयः । अनेन पयसा चैव पक्वमन्नं यदा भवेत्
'I saw this, and great anxiety arose in me—there is no doubt; when food is cooked with this milk—'
तदात्र सर्वे विप्राश्च म्रियंते भोजनात्ततः । एवं विचार्य तत्स्वामिन्दुग्धं पीतं तदा मया
'Then all the Brahmins here will die from eating that food. Thinking thus, I, the mistress, drank the milk myself.'
तदा दृष्टं तु वध्वा वै तया मे ताडनं कृतम् । चरामि तेन संभग्ना किं करोमि सुदुःखिता
'Then, when the wife saw this, she beat me; injured by her, I wander—what can I do, so greatly afflicted?'
तस्या दुःखं तु संस्मृत्य वृषः प्राह शुनीं प्रति । शृणु शुनि प्रवक्ष्यामि मम दुःखस्य कारणम्
Remembering her suffering, the bull spoke to the female dog: 'Listen, dog, I will tell you the cause of my suffering.'
अस्याहं तु पिता साक्षात्पूर्वजन्मनि वै शुनि । अद्य वै भोजिता विप्रा दत्तमन्नं तु भूरिशः
'In a previous birth, O dog, I was indeed her father; today the Brahmins have been fed, and abundant food has been given.'
न तृणं नोदकं चैव ममाग्रे संनिवेदितम् । तेन दुःखेन मे दुःखं जातं बहुतरं तदा
'But neither grass nor water was ever offered to me; because of that sorrow, my suffering became even greater.'
एतत्कथानकं श्रुत्वा रात्रौ निद्रामवाप न । मम चिंता तु तत्रैव जाता वै ऋषिसत्तम
After hearing this story, I could not sleep at night; my mind was troubled, O best of sages.
वेदाध्ययनशीलोऽहं कुशलो वेदकर्मणि । अनयोश्च महद्दुःखं किं करोमीति चिंतयन् । आगतस्त्वत्समीपे तु ममकष्टं निवारय
I am devoted to Vedic study and skilled in Vedic rituals; yet, thinking of the great suffering of these two, I wondered what I should do. I have come to you—please relieve my distress.
ऋषिरुवाच- उग्रजन्मन्शृणुष्व त्वं पूर्वजन्मनि यत्कृतम् । अयं वै तु द्विजश्रेष्ठो कुंडने नगरे शुभे
The sage said: O Ugrajanman, listen to what was done in a previous birth. This excellent Brahmin lived in the auspicious city of Kundana.
मासे भाद्रपदे चैव पंचमी या समागता । तद्व्रतं तेन नाज्ञातं पितुः श्राद्धादिकारणात्
When the fifth day arrived in the month of Bhādrapada, he did not observe that vow because of performing his father's śrāddha and related rites.
स्त्रीधर्मेण तु संप्राप्ता क्षयहेतु तदानघ । तया चैव कृतं सर्वं ब्राह्मणानां च भोजनम्
His wife, following her duty as a woman, undertook the vow, and she prepared food for all the Brahmins.
न ज्ञातं च कृतं तेन पापिष्ठेन दुरात्मना । प्रथमेऽहनि चांडाली द्वितीये ब्रह्मघातिनी
Unaware, that sinful and wicked man performed the rites. On the first day, she became a cāṇḍālī; on the second, a slayer of a Brahmin.
तृतीये रजकी प्रोक्ता चतुर्थेऽहनि शुध्यति । तेन पापेन सा जाता शुनी स्वगृहचारिणी । बलीवर्दस्त्वयं जातः कर्मणानेन सुव्रत
On the third day, she was called a washerwoman; on the fourth day, she was purified. Because of that sin, she was born as a female dog, roaming her own house. And this one became an ox, O virtuous one, due to that action.
उग्रजन्मोवाच- व्रतं दानं तथा यज्ञं तीर्थं वाममसुव्रत । ब्रूहि येन विशेषेण मुक्तिः पित्रोर्भवेन्मम
Ugrajanman said: Tell me, O virtuous one, what vow, charity, sacrifice, or pilgrimage especially grants liberation to my parents.
ऋषिरुवाच- मासे भाद्रपदे शुक्ले जायते ऋषिपंचमी । रजसा विकृतं पापं नश्यते करणाद्यतः
The sage said: In the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada, the ṛṣipaṃcamī is observed. By performing it, sin caused by impurity is destroyed.
पुत्रपौत्रप्रदात्री च पितॄणां मुक्तिदायिनी । नद्या कूपे तडागे वा ब्राह्मणस्य गृहे तथा
It grants sons and grandsons, and gives liberation to ancestors. Whether at a river, well, pond, or in a Brahmin's house,
गोमयं मंडलं कुर्यात्कुंभं तत्रैव विन्यसेत् । तस्योपरि न्यसेत्पात्रमृषिधान्येन पूरितम् 6.77.
One should make a circle of cow dung and place a pot there. Upon it, set a vessel filled with grains sacred to the sages.
यज्ञोपवीतसूत्रं च सहिरण्यं फलं तथा । स्थाप्याश्च ऋषयः सप्त सुखसौभाग्यदायकाः
Place the sacred thread, gold, and fruit there. The seven sages, bestowers of happiness and prosperity, should be installed.
आवाहयित्वा ते सर्वे पूजनीया व्रतस्थितैः । नैवेद्यमृषिधान्यं च ऋषिधान्यं तु भोजनम्
After invoking them, all should be worshipped by those observing the vow. Offer sacred grains as food for the sages.
एकभक्तेन कर्तव्यमृषीणामर्चनं तदा । पूजयेत्परया भक्त्या मंत्रेण विधिपूर्वकम्
Worship of the sages should be done with a single meal, with utmost devotion, using the prescribed mantra and proper procedure.