मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवं संकथिते कृत्स्ने मोक्षधर्मे युधिष्ठिर। दृढप्रीतमना विप्रो धर्मव्याधमुवाच ह॥
Markandeya said : O Yudhishthira, when all this about the mystery of salvation was told to the Brahmana, he was highly pleased. He then thus spoke to the virtuous Fowler.
न्याययुक्तमिदं सर्वं भवता परिकीर्तितम्। न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिद् धर्मेष्विह हि दृश्यते॥
The Brahmanas said: All this that you have told me is rational. It appears that there is nothing in connection with the mysteries of religion which you do not know.
व्याध उवाच प्रत्यक्षं मम यो धर्मस्तं च पश्य द्विजोत्तम। येन सिद्धिरियं प्राप्ता मया ब्राह्मणपुङ्गव॥
The Fowler said: O foremost of Brahmanas, chief of the twice-born, behold with your own eyes all the virtues that I possess and by reason of which I have attained to this success (blissful state).
उत्तिष्ठ भगवन् क्षिप्रं प्रविश्याभ्यन्तरं गृहम्। द्रष्टुमर्हसि धर्मज्ञ मातरं पितरं च मे॥
O exalted one, arise, soon enter this inner apartment. O virtuous one, you should see (first) my father and my mother.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्तः स प्रविश्याथ ददर्श परमार्चितम्। सौधं हृद्यं चतुःशालमतीव च मनोरमम्॥ देवतागृहसंकाशं दैवतैश्च सुपूजितम्। शयनासनसम्बाधं गन्धैश्च परमैयुतम्॥
Markandeya said : Having been thus addressed, he went in and saw a magnificent and charming house, divided in suits of rooms, resembling the abode of the celestials adorned by the gods. It was furnished with seats and beds and filled with excellent perfumes.
तत्र शुक्लाम्बरधरौ पितरावस्य पूजितौ। कृताहारौ तु संतुष्टावुपविष्टौ वरासने। धर्मव्याधस्तु तौ दृष्ट्वा पादेषु शिरसापतत्॥
His adorable parents, after their meal, were comfortably seated there on excellent seats, with white robes on. Seeing them the Fowler prostrated himself before them with his head at their feet.
वृद्धावूचतुः उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ धर्मज्ञ धर्मस्त्वामभिरक्षतु। प्रीतौ स्वस्तव शौचेन दीर्घमायुरवाप्नुहि॥
The Aged ones said: O virtuous one, arise, arise, may virtue protect you. We are much pleased with your virtue. Be blessed with a long life,
गतिमिष्टां तपो ज्ञानं मेधां च परमां गतः। सत्पुत्रेण त्वया पुत्र नित्यं काले सुपूजितौ॥
And with knowledge, high intelligence and fulfillment of your desires. O son, you are good and dutiful son, we are always taken care by you.
न तेऽन्यद् दैवतं किंचिद् दैवतेष्वपि वर्तते। प्रयतत्वाद् द्विजातीनां दमेनासि समन्वितः॥
There is not even among the celestials such a one as to deserve worship from you. By always subduing your senses you have acquired the self-control of the twice born.
पितुः पितामहा ये च तथैव प्रपितामहाः। प्रीतास्ते सततं पुत्र दमेनावां च पूजया॥
Your father, grand-father and great grandfathers are, O son, always pleased with you, for your (great) self-control and for your reverence for us.
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा शुश्रूषा नैव हीयते। न चान्या हि तथा बुद्धिदृश्यते साम्प्रतं तव॥
In thought, in word or in action, your attention to us never flags and it appears, even at present, that you have no other thought in your mind.
जामदग्न्येन रामेण यथा वृद्धौ सुपूजितौ। तथा त्वया कृतं सर्वं तद्विशिष्टं च पुत्रक॥
O son, as the son of Jamadagni, Rama tried to serve his old parents, so have you done to please us, nay you have done more.
ततस्तं ब्राह्मणं ताभ्यां धर्मव्याधो न्यवेदयत्। तौ स्वागतेन तं विप्रमर्चयामासतुस्तदा॥
Then the virtuous Fowler introduced the Brahmana to his parents; they received him with the usual salutation of welcome.
प्रतिपूज्य च तां पूजां द्विजः पप्रच्छ तावुभौ। सुपुत्राभ्यां सभृत्याभ्यां कच्चिद् वां कुशलं गृहे॥ अनामयं च वां कच्चित् सदैवेह शरीरयोः।
The Brahmana accepting their welcome, enquired if they with their children and servants were well and if they were always enjoying good health.
वृद्धावूचतुः कुशलं नौ गृहे विप्र भृत्यवर्गे च सर्वशः। कच्चित् त्वमप्यविघ्नेन सम्प्राप्तो भगवन्निति॥
The aged ones said : O Brahmana, we are all well in our home with all our servants. O exalted, one, have you come here without any difficulty?
मार्कण्डेय उवाच बाढमित्येव तौ विप्रः प्रत्युवाच मुदान्वितः। धर्मव्याधो निरीक्ष्याथ ततस्तं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Markandeya said : The Brahmana replied in gladness by saying, “Yes, I am not face any difficulty". Then the virtuous Fowler thus spoke to the Brahmana.
व्याध उवाच पिता माता च भगवन्नेतौ मदैवतं परम्। यद् दैवतेभ्यः कर्तव्यं तदेताभ्यां करोम्यहम्॥
The Fowler said: O exalted one, these my father and mother are the idols I worship with whatever adoration due to the gods.
त्रयस्त्रिंशद् यथा देवाः सर्वे शक्रपुरोगमाः। सम्पूज्याः सर्वलोकस्य तथा वृद्धाविमौ मम॥
Thirty three million gods with Indra at their head, are worshipped by all men, so are these aged parents of mine worshipped by me.
उपाहारनाहरन्तो देवतानां यथा द्विजाः। कुर्वन्ति तद्वदेताभ्यां करोम्यहमतन्द्रितः॥
As the Brahmanas try to procure offerings for their gods, so do I, with diligence for these two (my aged parents).
एतौ मे परमं ब्रह्मन् पिता माता च दैवतम्। एतौ पुष्पैः फलै रस्स्तोषयामि सदा द्विज॥
O Brahmana, these my father and mother are my supreme gods. O twice-born one, I always try to gratify them with the offering of fruits, flowers and gems.
एतावेवाग्नयो मह्यं यान् वदन्ति मनीषिणः। यज्ञा वेदाच चत्वारः सर्वमेतौ मम द्विज॥
To me they are like the three sacred fires mentioned by the learned. O Brahmana, they are to me as the sacrifices in the four Vedas.
एतदर्थं मम प्राणा भार्या पुत्रः सुहृज्जनः। सपुत्रदारः सुश्रूषां नित्यमेव करोम्यहम्॥
My five vital airs, my wife, children and friends are all for them. With my wife and my children, I always serve them.
स्वयं च स्नापयाम्येतौ तथा पादौ प्रधावये। आहारं च प्रयच्छामि स्वयं च द्विजसत्तम॥
O foremost of Brahmanas, with my own hands I assist them in bathing; I also wash their feet, I give them food.
अनुकूलं तथा वच्मि विप्रियं परिवर्जये। अधर्मेणापि संयुक्तं प्रियमाभ्यां करोम्यहम्॥
I speak to them only what is agreeable, avoiding all that is unpleasant and disagreeable. I even do that which is not virtuous, to please them.
धर्ममेव गुरुं ज्ञात्वा करोमि द्विजसत्तम। अतन्द्रितः सदा विप्र शुश्रूषां वै करोम्यहम्॥ पञ्चैव गुरवो ब्रह्मन् पुरुषस्य बुभूषतः। पिता माताग्निरात्मा च गुस्च द्विजसत्तम॥ एतेषु यस्तु वर्तेत सम्यगेव द्विजोत्तम। भवेयुरग्नयस्तस्य परिचीर्णास्तु नित्यशः। गार्हस्थ्ये वर्तमानस्य एष धर्मः सनातनः॥
O foremost of the twice-born, O Brahmanas, I am always diligent in always waiting upon them. The parents, the sacred, fire, the soul, the preceptor, these five. O foremost of Brahmanas deserve the highest worship from a person who seeks prosperity. By properly serving them, one acquires the merit of perpetually keeping up the sacred fires. It is the eternal and invariable duty of all who lead domestic life.