viyat-vittasya - of Rantideva, who received things sent by providence, just as the cātaka bird receives water from the sky; dadataḥ - who distributed to others; labdham - whatever he got; labdham - such gains; bubhukṣataḥ - he enjoyed; niṣkiñcanasya - always penniless; dhīrasya - yet very sober; sa-kuṭumbasya - even with his family members; sīdataḥ - suffering very much; vyatīyuḥ - passed by; aṣṭa-catvārimśat - forty-eight; ahāni - days; apibataḥ - without even drinking water; kila - indeed; ghṛta-pāyasa - food prepared with ghee and milk; saṁyāvam - varieties of food grains; toyam - water; prātaḥ - in the morning; upasthitam - arrived by chance; kṛcchra-prāpta - undergoing suffering; kuṭumbasya - whose family members; kṣut-tṛḍbhyām - by thirst and hunger; jāta - became; vepathoḥ - trembling; atithiḥ - a guest; brāhmaṇaḥ - a brāhmaṇa; kāle - just at that time; bhoktu-kāmasya - of Rantideva, who desired to eat something; ca - also; āgamat - 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 brāhmaṇa guest arrived.