vibhaktasya mahīpateḥ
vibhaktasya mahīpateḥ
vibhaktaṁ vyabhajat tasmai
vṛṣalāya hariṁ smaran
Thereafter, having divided the remaining food with his relatives, Rantideva was just about to eat his own share when a śūdra guest arrived. Remembering the Lord, King Rantideva gave him also a share of the food.
When Rantideva had divided up what was left after the brāhmaṇa had eaten, another guest arrived. He took a portion of the food for his family and gave that to the śūdra.
|| 9.21.8 ||
yāte śūdre tam anyo ’gād
atithiḥ śvabhir āvṛtaḥ
rājan me dīyatām annaṁ
sagaṇāya bubhukṣate
When the śūdra went away, another guest arrived, surrounded by dogs, and said, “O King, Please give me something to eat along with my companions, for I desire to eat.”
|| 9.21.9 ||
sa ādṛtyāvaśiṣṭaṁ yad
bahu-māna-puraskṛtam
tac ca dattvā namaścakre
śvabhyaḥ śva-pataye vibhuḥ
With great respect, King Rantideva offered the balance of the food to the dogs and the master of the dogs, who had come as guests. The King offered them all respects and obeisances.
|| 9.21.10 ||
pānīya-mātram uccheṣaṁ
tac caika-paritarpaṇam
pāsyataḥ pulkaso ’bhyāgād
apo dehy aśubhāya me
Thereafter, only the drinking water remained, and there was only enough to satisfy one person, but when the King was just about to drink it, a caṇḍāla appeared and said, “O King, although I am lowborn, kindly give me some drinking water.”
|| 9.21.11 ||
tasya tāṁ karuṇāṁ vācaṁ
niśamya vipula-śramām
kṛpayā bhṛśa-santapta
idam āhāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ
Aggrieved at hearing the pitiable words caṇḍāla which indicated his fatigue, Mahārāja Rantideva spoke the following sweet words.
There was enough water for only one person, not two. The King thought, “I should not take the water for myself.” A person would not die but rather attain perfection by his body which heard with faith the Kings’ sweet words with his ears. What would happen then if people not only heard the words, but followed them?
|| 9.21.12 ||
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