Bhagavata Purana

वनमाली घनश्यामः पीतवासा मनोहरः । काञ्चीकलापरुचिरो लसन् मुकुटकुण्डलः

He was adorned with a garland of forest flowers, dark as a raincloud, clad in yellow garments, enchanting in form, radiant with a golden waistband, and wearing a shining crown and earrings.

त्रिभङ्‌गललितश्चारु कौस्तुभेन विराजितः । कोटिमन्मथलावण्यो हरिचन्दनचर्चितः

Graceful in the threefold-bending posture, beautiful, adorned with the Kaustubha gem, possessing the beauty of ten million Cupids, and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste.

परमानन्द चिन्मूर्तिः मधुरो मुरलीधरः । आविवेश स्वभक्तानां हृदयानि अमलानि च

He was the embodiment of supreme bliss and consciousness, sweet, holding the flute; he entered the pure hearts of his devotees.

वैकुण्ठवासिनो ये च वैष्णवा उद्धवादयः । तत्कथाश्रवणार्थं ते गूढरूपेण संस्थिताः

Those who dwell in Vaikuntha, the Vaishnavas such as Uddhava and others, have taken up concealed forms here for the sake of hearing these stories.

तदा जयजयारावो रसपुष्टिरलौकिकी । चूर्णप्रसून वृष्टिश्च मुहुः शंखरवोऽप्यभूत्

At that time, cries of victory resounded, a supernatural fullness of rasa was felt, showers of powdered flowers fell repeatedly, and the sound of conch shells was also heard.

तत् सभासंस्थितानां च देहगेहात्मविस्मृतिः । दृष्ट्वा च तन्मयावस्थां नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

For those assembled in that hall, there was a forgetting of body, home, and self; seeing their state of absorption, Narada spoke these words.

(वंशस्थ) अलौकिकोऽयं महिमा मुनीश्वराः सप्ताहजन्योऽद्य विलोकितो मया । मूढाः शठा ये पशुपक्षिणोऽत्र सर्वेऽपि निष्पापतमा भवन्ति

This extraordinary glory, O sages, has today been witnessed by me, arising from the seven-day event; even the ignorant, deceitful, beasts and birds here all become utterly free from sin.

(उपेंद्रवज्रा) अतो नृलोके ननु नास्ति किंचित् चित्तस्य शोधाय कलौ पवित्रम् । अघौघविध्वंसकरं तथैव कथासमानं भुवि नास्ति चान्यत्

Therefore, in the world of men, indeed, there is nothing else in Kali Yuga that purifies the mind; nothing else on earth destroys heaps of sin as does the hearing of these stories.

(इंद्रवज्रा) के के विशुद्ध्यन्ति वदन्तु मह्यं सप्ताहयज्ञेन कथामयेन । कृपालुभिर्लोकहितं विचार्य प्रकाशितः कोऽपि नवीनमार्गः

Who are purified by the seven-day sacrifice consisting of stories? Tell me. Has any compassionate person, considering the welfare of the world, revealed a new path?

कुमारा ऊचुः - (वंशस्थ) ये मानवाः पापकृतस्तु सर्वदा सदा दुराचाररता विमार्गगाः । क्रोधाग्निदग्धाः कुटिलाश्च कामिनः सप्ताहयज्ञेन कलौ पुनन्ति ते

The Kumaras said: Those humans who always commit sins, who are constantly engaged in wicked conduct and stray from the path, who are burned by the fire of anger, crooked and lustful—they are purified in Kali Yuga by the seven-day sacrifice.

सत्यन हीना पितृमातृदूषकाः तृष्णाकुलाचाश्रमधर्मवर्जिताः । ये दाम्भिका मत्सरिणोऽपि हिंसकाः सप्ताहयज्ञेन कलौ पुनन्ति ते

Those devoid of truth, who insult their parents, overwhelmed by desire, devoid of ashrama-dharma, hypocrites, envious, and violent—they are purified in Kali Yuga by the seven-day sacrifice.

पञ्चोग्रपापात् छलछद्मकारिणः क्रूराः पिशाचा इव निर्दयाश्च ये । ब्रह्मस्वपुष्टा व्यभिचारकारिणः सप्ताहयज्ञेन कलौ पुनन्ति ते

Those who commit five grave sins, who act deceitfully, who are cruel and merciless like demons, who are nourished by Brahma's wealth and engage in adultery—they are purified in Kali Yuga by the seven-day sacrifice.

कायेन वाचा मनसापि पातकं नित्यं प्रकुर्वन्ति शठा हठेन ये । परस्वपुष्टा मलिना दुराशयाः सप्ताहयज्ञेन कलौ पुनन्ति ते

Those who constantly commit sins by body, speech, and mind, who are deceitful and stubborn, who are enriched by others' wealth, impure, and have evil intentions—they are purified in Kali Yuga by the seven-day sacrifice.

(अनुष्टुप्) अत्र ते कीर्तयिष्याम इतिहासं पुरातनम् । यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण पापहानिः प्रजायते

Here, I shall recount to you an ancient story, by the mere act of hearing which the destruction of sin arises.

तुंगभद्रातटे पूर्वं अभूत् पत्तनमुत्तमम् । यत्र वर्णाः स्वधर्मेण सत्यसत्कर्मतत्पराः

On the banks of the Tungabhadra, there once was a splendid city, where the people of the four varnas were devoted to truth and virtuous deeds according to their own dharma.

आत्मदेवः पुरे तस्मिन् सर्ववेद विशारदः । श्रौतस्मार्तेषु निष्णातो द्वितीय इव भास्करः

In that city lived Atmadeva, thoroughly learned in all the Vedas, expert in both śruti and smṛti, like a second sun.

भिक्षुको वित्तवान् लोके तत्प्रिया धुन्धुली स्मृता । स्ववाक्यस्थापिका नित्यं सुन्दरी सुकुलोद्‌भवा

A beggar, wealthy in the world, his beloved was known as Dhundhuli, always steadfast in her own words, beautiful, and born in a noble family.

लोकवार्तारता क्रूरा प्रायशो बहुजल्पिका । शूरा च गृहकृत्येषु कृपणा कलहप्रिया

She was attached to worldly affairs, cruel, mostly talkative, skilled in household duties, miserly, and fond of quarrels.

एवं निवसतोः प्रेम्णा दंपत्यो रममाणयोः । अर्थाः कामास्तयोरासन् न सुखाय गृहादिकम्

Thus, while the couple lived together in love and enjoyed themselves, their wealth and desires did not bring happiness in their home and other matters.

पश्चात् धर्माः समारब्धाः ताभ्यां संतानहेतवे । गोभूहिरण्यवासांसि दीनेभ्यो यच्छतः सदा

Later, they began to practice dharma for the sake of progeny, always giving cows, land, gold, and garments to the needy.

धनार्धं धर्ममार्गेण ताभ्यां नीतं तथापि च । न पुत्रो नापि वा पुत्री ततश्चिन्तातुरो भृशम्

Half their wealth was spent by them in the path of dharma, yet neither son nor daughter was born, and so they were greatly troubled by anxiety.

एकदा स तु द्विजो दुःखाद् गृहं त्यक्त्वा वनं गतः । मध्याह्ने तृषितो जातः तडागं समुपेयिवान्

Once, that twice-born man, distressed, left his home and went to the forest; at midday, overcome by thirst, he approached a pond.

पीत्वा जलं निषण्णस्तु प्रजादुःखेन कर्शितः । मुहूर्तादपि तत्रैव संन्यासी कश्चित् आगतः

After drinking water, he sat down, emaciated by the sorrow of having no children; after a short while, a certain renunciant arrived there.

दृष्ट्वा पीतजलं तं तु विप्रो यातस्तदन्तिकम् । नत्वा च पादयोस्तस्य निःश्वसन् संस्थितः पुरः

Seeing him, the brāhmaṇa who had drunk water went near him; bowing at his feet, he stood before him, sighing deeply.

यतिरुवाच - कथं रोदिषि विप्र त्वं का ते चिन्ता बलीयसी । वद त्वं सत्वरम् मह्यं स्वस्य दुःखस्य कारणम्

The renunciant said: Why are you weeping, brāhmaṇa? What is this powerful anxiety of yours? Quickly tell me the cause of your sorrow.

ब्राह्मण उवाच - किं ब्रवीमि ऋषे दुःखं पूर्वपापेन संचितम् । मदीयाः पूर्वजास्तोयं कवोष्णं उपभुञ्जते

The brāhmaṇa said: What can I say, O sage, of the sorrow accumulated by past sin? My ancestors drink hot water instead of cool.

मद्दत्तं नैव गृह्णन्ति प्रीत्या देवा द्विजातयः । प्रजादुःखेन शून्योऽहं प्राणान् त्यक्तुं इहागतः

The gods and twice-born do not accept my offerings with pleasure; emptied by the sorrow of having no children, I have come here to give up my life.

धिक् जीवितं प्रजाहीनं धिक् गृहं च प्रजां विना । धिक् धनं चानपत्यस्य धिक्कुलं संततिं विना

Fie on a life without children, fie on a home without offspring; fie on the wealth of one without a son, fie on a lineage without continuity.

पाल्यते या मया धेनुः सा वन्ध्या सर्वथा भवेत् । यो मया रोपितो वृक्षः सोऽपि वन्ध्यत्वमाश्रयेत्

The cow I tend becomes barren in every way; the tree I have planted also becomes fruitless.