व्याघ्रसिंहगजाकीर्णं मृगशंबरसेवितम्
It was filled with tigers, lions, and elephants, and frequented by deer and antelope.
ते गतास्त्वरिता व्याधाः स्वभर्तुः कथनाय वै
Those hunters quickly went to report to their master.
तावद्राज्ञः शरीरात्तु श्वेताऽऽभरणभूषिता
At that moment, from the king’s body, adorned with white ornaments—
दस्यून्निहत्य सा देवी तत्रैवादर्शनं गता
That goddess, having slain the bandits, vanished there itself.
अथ राजा तया मुक्तः प्रतिबुद्धोऽथ तत्क्षणात्
Then the king, released by her, awoke at that very instant.
गोवध्या ब्रह्मवध्या च वने ह्यस्मिन्सुदारुणा
Here in this forest, the killing of cows and the killing of Brahmins are truly dreadful.
एवं स चिंतयित्वाथ निःश्वस्य च पुनःपुनः 5.2.28.
Thus reflecting, he sighed again and again.
मुनिना वामदेवेन दृष्टो राजा तथाविधः
The king, in such a state, was seen by the sage Vāmadeva.
सोमवंशसमुत्पन्नो दशां कष्टां समागतः
Born of the lunar dynasty, he had come to a wretched condition.
उद्धरिष्यामि राजानमेनं पुरुषसत्तमम् प्रत्युवाच महीपालं वीरधन्वानमातुरम्
I shall rescue this king, the foremost among men—thus the sage addressed the suffering ruler Vīradhanvan.
भोभो राजन्महीपाल वीरधन्वेति विश्रुतः
O king, lord of the earth, renowned as Vīradhanvan—
प्राग्भवे व्याधरूपेण निहिथा विपिने मृगान्
In a previous birth, as a hunter, you killed deer in the forest.
फाल्गुनामलपक्षे त्वामलक्येकादशी शुभा
On the auspicious Ekādaśī of the bright half of Phālguna month—
पूजा लोकैः कृता दृष्टा विस्मयेन त्वया पुरा
You once saw, with wonder, the worship performed by people.
तत्प्रभावादभू राजा महाबलपराक्रमः
By the power of that, you became a king of great strength and valor.
निहताः शत्रवः सर्वे तयैव शुभमाप्स्यसि
All your enemies were slain by her alone; you will obtain auspiciousness.
ज्ञाता तपःप्रभावेन मया योगबलेन च 5.2.28.
I have understood through the power of asceticism and also by the strength of yoga.
इदानीं पालयिष्यामि शृणु मे वचनं परम्
Now I will protect; listen to my supreme words.
इत्युक्तो वामदेवेन् मुनिना स महीपतिः
Thus addressed by the sage Vāmadeva, the king,
कथं यास्यंति मे हत्या गोब्राह्मणसमुद्भवाः
How will the sins arising from the killing of cows and Brahmins depart from me?
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाम देवो महामुनिः
Hearing those words of his, the great sage Vāmadeva
महाकालवनं गच्छ महाराज ममाज्ञया
Go to the great Kāla forest, O king, by my command.
पापसंघप्रहर्त्ता च सर्ववेदेषु पठ्यते
The destroyer of multitudes of sins is spoken of in all the Vedas.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वामदेवस्य पार्थिवः
Hearing those words of Vāmadeva, the king
तत्र दृष्ट्वा जगद्वंद्यं देवदेवं जटेश्वरम्
There, seeing the lord of the matted locks, the god of gods, worshipped by the world,
शिवाय ते नमो नित्यं विश्वकाय नमोनमः
Salutations always to Śiva, to the universal form, again and again.
नमो जटाय रामाय माययाक्रांतकारिणे 5.2.28.
Salutations to the one with matted hair, to Rāma, to the doer who is seized by Māyā.
नमो भोगाय धूम्राय नमोऽस्तु गगनात्मने
Salutations to the one who enjoys, to the smoky one, salutations to the one whose essence is the sky.
नमो महांधकारार्क नमस्ते शत्रुघातिने नमः कनकवर्णाय नमो मोहितमोहिने
Salutations to the great darkness-sun, salutations to the destroyer of enemies; salutations to the golden-hued one, salutations to the bewilderer of the bewildered.
नमः सुरूपाय सुरार्चिताय नमो विरूपाय प्रकृतेः पराय
Salutations to the beautiful one, worshipped by the gods; salutations to the deformed one, to the one beyond nature.