वियद्वित्तस्य ददतो लब्धं लब्धं बुभुक्षत: । निष्किञ्चनस्य धीरस्य सकुटुम्बस्य सीदत: ॥ ३ ॥ व्यतीयुरष्टचत्वारिंशदहान्यपिबत: किल । घृतपायससंयावं तोयं प्रातरुपस्थितम् ॥ ४ ॥ कृच्छ्रप्राप्तकुटुम्बस्य क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां जातवेपथो: । अतिथिर्ब्राह्मण: काले भोक्तुकामस्य चागमत् ॥ ५ ॥
viyad-vittasya dadato labdham labdham bubhuksatah niskincanasya dhirasya sakutumbasya sidatah vyatiyur asta-catvarimsad ahany apibatah kila ghrta-payasa-samyavam toyam pratar upasthitam krcchra-prapta-kutumbasya ksut-trdbhyam jata-vepathoh atithir brahmanah kale bhoktu-kamasya cagamat
- viyat-vittasya
- of Rantideva, who received things sent by providence, just as the cataka bird receives water from the sky
- dadatah
- who distributed to others
- labdham
- whatever he got
- labdham
- such gains
- bubhuksatah
- he enjoyed
- niskincanasya
- always penniless
- dhirasya
- yet very sober
- sa-kutumbasya
- even with his family members
- sidatah
- suffering very much
- vyatiyuh
- passed by
- asta-catvarimsat
- forty-eight
- ahani
- days
- apibatah
- without even drinking water
- kila
- indeed
- ghrta-payasa
- food prepared with ghee and milk
- samyavam
- varieties of food grains
- toyam
- water
- pratah
- in the morning
- upasthitam
- arrived by chance
- krcchra-prapta
- undergoing suffering
- kutumbasya
- whose family members
- ksut-trdbhyam
- by thirst and hunger
- jata
- became
- vepathoh
- trembling
- atithih
- a guest
- brahmanah
- a brahmana
- kale
- just at that time
- bhoktu-kamasya
- of Rantideva, who desired to eat something
- ca
- also
- agamat
- arrived there
Rantideva never endeavored to earn anything. He would enjoy whatever he got by the arrangement of providence, but when guests came he would give them everything. Thus he underwent considerable suffering, along with the members of his family. Indeed, he and his family members shivered for want of food and water, yet Rantideva always remained sober. Once, after fasting for forty-eight days, in the morning Rantideva received some water and some foodstuffs made with milk and ghee, but when he and his family were about to eat, a brahmana guest arrived.