Bhagavata Purana

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.

गोकर्णः तीर्थयात्रार्थं निर्गतो योगसंस्थितः । न दुःखं न सुखं तस्य न वैरी नापि बान्धवः

Gokarṇa, established in yoga, departed on pilgrimage; he had neither sorrow nor happiness, neither enemies nor friends.

धुन्धुकारी गृहेऽतिष्ठत् पंचपण्यवधूवृतः । अत्युग्रकर्मकर्ता च तत् पोषणविमूढधीः

Dhundhukārī remained at home, surrounded by five courtesans, performing extremely cruel deeds, his mind deluded by their maintenance.

एकदा कुलटास्तास्तु भूषणान्यभिलिप्सवः । तदर्थं निर्गतो गेहात् कामान्धो मृत्युमस्मरन्

One day, those courtesans, desiring ornaments, he, blinded by lust and forgetting death, left the house to obtain them.

यतस्ततश्च संहृत्य वित्तं वेश्म पुनर्गतः । ताभ्योऽयच्छत् सुवस्त्राणि भूषणानि कियन्ति च

Gathering wealth from here and there, he returned home and gave those women fine clothes, ornaments, and various things.

बहुवित्तचयं दृष्ट्वा रात्रौ नार्यो व्यचारयन् । चौर्यं करोत्यसौ नित्यं अतो राजा ग्रहीष्यति

Seeing the accumulation of much wealth, the women said at night: 'He steals daily; because of this, the king will arrest him.'

वित्तं हृत्वा पुनश्चैनं मारयिष्यति निश्चितम् । अतोऽर्थगुप्तये गूढं अस्माभिः किं न हन्यते

'After taking the wealth, the king will certainly kill him; therefore, to protect our interests, why should we not secretly kill him ourselves?'

निहत्यैनं गृहीत्वार्थं यास्यामो यत्र कुत्रचित् । इति ता निश्चयं कृत्वा सुप्तं सम्बद्ध्य रश्मिभिः

Having resolved thus, they bound him with ropes while he slept, killed him, took the wealth, and left for somewhere else.

पाशं कण्ठे निधायास्य तन्मृत्युं उपचक्रमुः । त्वरितं न ममारासौ चिन्तायुक्ताः तदाभवन्

Placing a noose around his neck, they began to kill him; though they acted quickly, he did not die, and they became anxious.

तप्तांगारसमूहांश्च तन्मुखे हि विचिक्षिपुः । अग्निज्वालातिदुःखेन व्याकुलो निधनं गतः

They threw heaps of burning coals into his mouth; tormented by the extreme pain of the flames, he perished.

तं देहं मुमुचुर्गर्ते प्रायः साहसिकाः स्त्रियः । न ज्ञातं तद्‌रहस्यं तु केनापीदं तथैव च

Those reckless women abandoned his body in a pit; the secret of this was not known to anyone.

लोकैः पृष्ट्वा वदन्ति स्म दूरं यातः प्रियो हि नः । आगमिष्यति वर्षेऽस्मिन् वित्तलोभविकर्षितः

When questioned by the people, they would say: 'He has gone far away, for he is dear to us; he will return this year, drawn away by greed for wealth.'

स्त्रीणां नैव तु विश्वासं दुष्टानां कारयेत् बुधः । विश्वासे यः स्थितो मूढः स दुःखैः परिभूयते

A wise person should never place trust in wicked women; the fool who relies on them is overwhelmed by suffering.

सुधामयं वचो यासां कामिनां रसवर्धनम् । हृदयं क्षुरधाराभं प्रियः को नाम योषिताम्

The words of lustful women are like nectar, enhancing pleasure; but their hearts are as sharp as a razor—who, among men, is truly dear to them?

संहृत्य वित्तं ता याताः कुलटा बहुभर्तृकाः । धुम्धुकारी बभूवाथ महान् प्रेतः कुकर्मतः

Having seized his wealth, those promiscuous women, with many husbands, departed; then Dhundhukari became a great ghost, tormented by evil deeds.

वात्यारूपधरो नित्यं धावन् दशदिशो‍न्तरम् । शीतातप परिक्लिष्टो निराहारः पिपासितः

Assuming the form of a whirlwind, he constantly ran in all ten directions, afflicted by cold and heat, without food, and thirsty.

न लेभे शरणं क्वापि हा दैवेति मुहुर्वदन् । कियत्कालेन गोकर्णो मृतं लोकादबुध्यत

He found no shelter anywhere, repeatedly crying out, 'Alas, fate!' After some time, Gokarna learned of his death from the world.

अनाथं तं विदित्वैव गयाश्राद्धं अचीकरत् । यस्मिन् तीर्थे तु संयाति तत्र श्राद्धं अवर्तयत्

Recognizing him as helpless, Gokarna performed the Gaya funeral rites; wherever he traveled to a holy place, he conducted the rites there.

एवं भ्रमन् स गोकर्णः स्वपुरं समुपेयिवान् । रात्रौ गृहांगणे स्वप्तुं आगतोऽलक्षितः परैः

Thus wandering, Gokarna returned to his own city; at night, he came to sleep in the courtyard of his house, unnoticed by others.

तत्र सुप्तं स विज्ञाय धुन्धुकारी स्वबान्धवम् । निशीथे दर्शयामास महारौद्रतरं वपुः

There, perceiving Gokarna asleep, Dhundhukari revealed himself to his relative in the dead of night, displaying a most terrifying form.

सकृन्मेषः सकृद्धस्ती सकृच्च महिषोऽभवत् । सकृदिन्द्र सकृच्चाग्निः पुनश्च पुरुषोऽभवत्

He became, in turn, a sheep, an elephant, a buffalo, Indra, Agni, and again a man—each form only once.