Bhagavata Purana

तया च कथितं भर्त्रे प्रसूतः सुखमर्भकः । लोकस्य सुखमुत्पन्नं आत्मदेव प्रजोदयात्

She told her husband, 'A healthy boy has been born; joy has arisen for all, for Ātmadeva has begotten a son.'

ददौ दानं द्विजातिभ्यो जातकर्म विधाय च । गीतवादित्रघोषोऽभूत् तद्‌द्वारं मंगलं बहु

He gave gifts to the twice-born and performed the birth rites; there was much auspicious singing and music at the doorway.

भर्तुरग्रेऽब्रवीत् वाक्यं स्तन्यं नास्ति कुचे मम । अन्यस्तन्येन निर्दुग्धा कथं पुष्णामि बालकम्

In front of her husband, she said, 'There is no milk in my breast; another has drawn out the milk, so how can I nourish the child?'

मत्स्वसुश्च प्रसूताया मृतो बालस्तु वर्तते । तामाकार्य गृहे रक्ष सा तेऽर्भं पोषयिष्यति

But my co-wife, who has given birth, her child has died; bring her here and keep her in the house—she will nourish your child.

पतिना तत्कृतं सर्वं पुत्ररक्षणहेतवे । पुत्रस्य धुन्धुकारीति नाम मात्रा प्रतिष्ठितन्

All this was done by the husband for the sake of protecting his son; the mother gave the child the name Dhundhukari.

त्रिमासे निर्गते चाथ सा धेनुः सुषुवेऽर्भकम् । सर्वांगसुन्दरं दिव्यं निर्मलं कनकप्रभम्

After three months had passed, that cow gave birth to a calf—beautiful in every limb, divine, spotless, and shining like gold.

दृष्ट्वा प्रसन्नो विप्रस्तु संस्कारान् स्वयमादधे । मत्वा‌ऽऽश्चर्यं जनाः सर्वे दिदृक्षार्थं समागताः

Seeing this, the pleased brahmin himself performed the rites; thinking it a wonder, all the people gathered, desiring to see.

भाग्योदयोऽधुना जात आत्मदेवस्य पश्यत । धेन्वा बालः प्रसूतस्तु देवरूपीति कौतुकम्

Now, behold, good fortune has arisen for Atmadeva: a child has been born from the cow, and, being divine in form, it is a marvel.

न ज्ञातं तद्‍रहस्यं तु केनापि विधियोगतः । गोकर्णं तं सुतं दृष्ट्वा गोकर्णं नाम चाकरोत्

By the arrangement of fate, no one knew that secret; seeing the child with ears like a cow, they named him Gokarna.

कियत्कालेन तौ जातौ तरुणौ तनयावुभौ । गोकर्णः पण्डितो ज्ञानी धुन्धुकारी महाखलः

In due course, both sons grew up to be young men; Gokarna became learned and wise, while Dhundhukari was exceedingly wicked.

स्नानशौचक्रियाहीनो दुर्भक्षी क्रोधवर्जितः । दुष्परिग्रहकर्ता च शवहस्तेन भोजनम्

He neglected bathing and purity, ate improper food, was devoid of anger, engaged in wrongful acquisitions, and ate with hands defiled by corpses.

चौरः सर्वजनद्वेषी परवेश्मप्रदीपकः । लालनायार्भकान् धृत्वा सद्यः कूपे न्यपातयत्

He was a thief, hated by all people, set fire to others' houses, and, taking children for play, would immediately throw them into a well.

हिंसकः शस्त्रधारी च दीनान्धानां प्रपीडकः । चाण्डालाभिरतो नित्यं पाशहस्तः श्वसंगतः

He was violent, carried weapons, oppressed the poor and the blind, always consorted with outcastes, held a noose, and kept company with dogs.

तेन वेश्याकुसंगेन पित्र्यं वित्तं तु नाशितम् । एकदा पितरौ ताड्य पात्राणि स्वयमाहरत्

Through association with prostitutes, he squandered his ancestral wealth; once, after beating his parents, he himself took their vessels.

तत्पिता कृपणः प्रोच्चैः धनहीनो रुरोद ह । वध्यतवं तु समीचीनं कुपुत्रो दुःखदायकः

His pitiable father, now destitute, cried aloud, 'Such a wicked son who brings suffering deserves to be killed.'

क्व तिष्ठामि क्व गच्छामि को मे दुःखं व्यपोहयेत् । प्राणान् त्यजामि दुःखेन हा कष्टं मम संस्थितम्

'Where shall I stay, where shall I go, who will remove my sorrow? I will give up my life in this misery—alas, how wretched is my state!'

तदानीं तु समागत्य गोकर्णो ज्ञानसंयुतः । बोधयामास जनकं वैराग्यं परिदर्शयन्

Then Gokarna, endowed with wisdom, came and instructed his father, showing him the path of detachment.

असारः खलु संसारो दुःखरूपी विमोहकः । सुतः कस्य धनं कस्य स्नेहवान् ज्वलतेऽनिशम्

Indeed, this worldly existence is insubstantial, full of suffering, and deludes; whose son, whose wealth, whose affection truly burns constantly?

न चेन्द्रस्य सुखं किंचित् न सुखं चक्रवर्तिनः । सुखमस्ति विरक्तस्य मुनेः एकान्तजीविनः

There is no happiness even for Indra, nor for a universal monarch; happiness exists only for the dispassionate sage who lives in solitude.

मुञ्च अज्ञानं प्रजारूपं मोहतो नरके गतिः । निपतिष्यति देहोऽयं सर्वं त्यक्त्वा वनं व्रज

Abandon ignorance, which takes the form of attachment to offspring; through delusion comes the path to hell. This body will fall, leaving all—go to the forest.

तद्वाक्यं तु समाकर्ण्य गन्तुकामः पिताब्रवीत् । किंकर्तव्यं वने तात तत्त्वं वद सविस्तरम्

Hearing those words, his father, wishing to depart, said: 'My child, tell me in detail what should be done in the forest.'

अन्धकूपे स्नेहपाशे बद्धः पंगुरहं शठः । कर्मणा पतितो नूनं मामुद्धर दयानिधे

Bound in the dark pit by the snare of affection, I am lame, deceitful, and fallen through my actions—O ocean of compassion, please lift me up.

(वसंततिलका) देहेऽस्थिमांसरुधिरेऽभिमतिं त्यज त्वं जायासुतादिषु सदा ममतां विमुञ्च । पश्यानिशं जगदिदं क्षणभंगनिष्ठं वैराग्यरागरसिको भव भक्तिनिष्ठः

Abandon your attachment to this body made of bones, flesh, and blood, and always give up possessiveness toward wife, children, and others; see that this world is ever fleeting and perishable—be one who delights in detachment and devotion.

धर्म भजस्व सततं त्यज लोकधर्मान् सेवस्व साधुपुरुषान् ‍जहि कामतृष्णाम् । अन्यस्य दोषगुणचिन्तनमाशु मुक्त्वा सेवाकथारसमहो नितरां पिब त्वम्

Constantly practice true dharma, forsake worldly duties, serve saintly persons, and renounce desire and craving; quickly give up thinking of others' faults and virtues, and deeply drink the nectar of service and sacred stories.

एवं सुतोक्तिवशतोऽपि गृहं विहाय यातो वनं स्थिरमतिर्गतषष्टिवर्षः । युक्तो हरेरनुदिनं परिचर्ययासौ श्रीकृष्णमाप नियतं दशमस्य पाठात्

Thus, even though compelled by his son's words, he left his home, went to the forest with firm resolve at the age of sixty, and, engaged daily in service to Hari, attained Śrī Kṛṣṇa through the recitation of the Tenth Canto.

  देवोद्यानश्रिया जुष्टं अध्यास्ते स्म त्रिपिष्टपम् ।  महेन्द्रभवनं साक्षात् निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा ।  त्रैलोक्यलक्ष्म्यायतनं अध्युवासाखिलर्द्धिमत्

He resided in the celestial city, endowed with the splendor of the gods' gardens, in the palace of Indra, directly built by Viśvakarmā, the abode of the fortune of the three worlds, together with all prosperity.

  विद्यार्थरूपजन्माढ्यो मानस्तम्भविवर्जितः

Rich in knowledge, wealth, and noble birth, he was free from pride and arrogance.

श्रीमद्‌भागवतमाहात्म्यम् - पंचमोऽध्यायः धुन्धुकारिणो दुर्मृत्युनिमित्तक प्रेतत्वप्राप्तिवर्णनं ततो गोकर्णानुग्रहेणोद्धारश्च सूत उवाच - (अनुष्टुप्) पितरि उपरते तेन जननी ताडिता भृशम् । क्व वित्तं तिष्ठति ब्रूहि हनिष्ये लत्तया न चेत्

When the father had passed away, the mother was severely beaten by him: 'Tell me where the wealth is kept, or I will kill you with this stick!'

इति तद्वाक्य संत्रासात् जनन्या पुत्रदुःखतः । कूपे पातः कृतो रात्रौ तेन सा निधनं गता

Frightened by those words and distressed for her son, the mother, at night, threw herself into a well and met her end.