किं जीवनेन मेऽत्रैव दुर्भगायाश्च साम्प्रतम् । निष्कलं जीवनं तस्या या पत्युः प्रेमवञ्चिता
What is the use of my life now, so unfortunate as I am? The life of one deprived of her husband's love is truly empty.
त्वां सर्वे सत्त्वरूपं च ये वदन्ति मनीषिणः । ते च मूर्खा न वेदज्ञा न जानन्ति मतिं तव
All those wise ones who say that you are the embodiment of all beings—they are fools, not knowers of the Veda, for they do not understand your mind.
सरस्वतीवचः श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा तां कोपसंयुताम् । मनसा च समालोच्य स जगाम बहिः सभाम्
Hearing Sarasvati's words and seeing her filled with anger, he considered the matter in his mind and then left the assembly.
गते नारायणे गङ्गामुवाच निर्भयं रुषा । वागधिष्ठातृदेवी सा वाक्यं श्रवणदुष्करम्
When Narayana had gone, the goddess who presides over speech, fearless and angry, addressed Ganga with words difficult to hear.
हे निर्लज्जे हे सकामे स्वामिगर्वं करोषि किम् । अधिकं स्वामिसौभाग्यं विज्ञापयितुमिच्छसि
"O shameless one! O lustful one! Why do you display pride in your lord? Do you wish to proclaim your superior fortune as his wife?"
मानचूर्णं करिष्यामि तवाद्य हरिसन्निधौ । किं करिष्यति ते कान्तो ममैवं कान्तवल्लभे
"Today, in the presence of Hari, I will crush your pride! What will your beloved do for you, O favorite of your lover, against me?"
इत्येवमुक्त्वा गङ्गायाः केशं ग्रहीतुमुद्यता । वारयामास तां पद्मा मध्यदेशं समाश्रिता
Having spoken thus, she prepared to seize Ganga's hair, but Padma, standing in the middle, restrained her.
शशाप वाणी तां पद्मां महाबलवती सती । वृक्षरूपा सरिद्रूपा भविष्यसि न संशयः
Vani, powerful and steadfast, cursed Padma: "You shall become both a tree and a river—there is no doubt."
विपरीतं ततो दृष्ट्वा किञ्चिन्नो वक्तुमर्हसि । सन्तिष्ठति सभामध्ये यथा वृक्षो यथा सरित्
"Having acted wrongly, you deserve no reply; you shall remain in the midst of the assembly like a tree, like a river."
शापं श्रुत्वा तु सा देवी न शशाप चुकोप ह । तत्रैव दुःखिता तस्थौ वाणीं धृत्वा करेण च
Hearing the curse, the goddess did not retaliate but grew angry; she stood there, distressed, holding Vani by the hand.
असन्तुष्टां तु तां दृष्ट्वा कोपप्रस्फुरिताधराम् । उवाच गङ्गा तां देवीं पद्मां चारक्तलोचनाम्
Seeing her dissatisfied, her lips quivering with anger, Ganga spoke to that goddess Padma, whose eyes were also red.
गङ्गोवाच त्वमुत्सृज महोग्रां च पद्मे किं मे करिष्यति । दुःशीला मुखरा नष्टा नित्यं वाचालरूपिणी
Ganga said: "Padma, unleash your terrible power—what can you do to me? You are of bad conduct, sharp-tongued, lost, always given to excessive speech."
वागधिष्ठात्री देवीयं सततं कलहप्रिया । यावती योग्यता चास्या यावती शक्तिरेव च
"This goddess, the presiding deity of speech, is always fond of quarrels; whatever her capacity and power may be, that is all she possesses."
तथा करोतु वादं च मया सार्धं च दुर्मुखी । स्वबलं यन्मम बलं विज्ञापयितुमिच्छति
"Let her argue with me as she wishes, this ill-mouthed one, if she wants to display her strength and mine."
जानन्तु सर्वे ह्युभयोः प्रभावं विक्रमं सति । इत्येवमुक्त्वा सा देवी वाण्यै शापं ददाविति
Let all know the power and valor of both. Thus having spoken, the goddess pronounced a curse upon Vani.
सरिक्त्यरूपा भवतु सा या त्वां च शशाप ह । अधोमर्त्यं सा प्रयातु सन्ति यत्रैव पापिनः
Let her become devoid of beauty, she who cursed you; let her descend to the lower world of mortals, where sinners dwell.
कलौ तेषां च पापानि ग्रहीष्यति न संशयः । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा तां शशाप सरस्वती
In the age of Kali, she will surely take upon herself the sins of those people, without doubt. Hearing these words, Sarasvati cursed her in turn.
त्वमेव यास्यसि महीं पापिपापं लभिष्यसि । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र भगवानाजगाम ह
You yourself shall go to earth and obtain the fruits of sin. Meanwhile, at that moment, the Blessed Lord arrived there.
चतुर्भुजश्चतुर्भिश्च पार्षदैश्च चतुर्भुजैः । सरस्वतीं करे धृत्वा वासयामास वक्षसि
With four arms and accompanied by four attendants, each with four arms, he took Sarasvati by the hand and placed her upon his chest.
बोधयामास सर्वज्ञः सर्वज्ञानं पुरातनम् । श्रुत्वा रहस्यं तासां च शापस्य कलहस्य च
The all-knowing one imparted ancient knowledge to them, having heard the secret of their curse and quarrel.
उवाच दुःखितास्ताश्च वाचं सामयिकीं विभुः । श्रीभगवानुवाच लक्ष्मि त्वं कलया गच्छ धर्मध्वजगृहं शुभे
He spoke consoling words to the sorrowful ones. The Blessed Lord said: Lakshmi, with your portion, go to the house of Dharmadhvaja, O auspicious one.
अयोनिसम्भवा भूमौ तस्य कन्या भविष्यसि । तत्रैव दैवदोषेण वृक्षत्वं च लभिष्यसि
Born not from a womb, you will become his daughter upon earth. There, by divine fate, you will also assume the form of a tree.
मदंशस्यासुरस्यैव शङ्खचूडस्य कामिनी । भूत्वा पश्चाच्च मत्पत्नी भविष्यसि न संशयः
You will become the beloved of the demon Shankhachuda, who is intoxicated; afterwards, you will become my wife, without doubt.
त्रैलोक्यपावनी नाम्ना तुलसीति च भारते । कलया च सरिद्भावं शीघ्रं गच्छ वरानने
You will be known as Tulasi, purifier of the three worlds, in Bharata. With your portion, O beautiful-faced one, quickly become a river.
भारतं भारतीशापान्नाम्ना पद्मावती भव । गङ्गे यास्यसि पश्चात्त्वमंशेन विश्वपावनी
By the curse of Bharati, you will be called Padmavati in Bharata. Afterwards, you will go to the Ganga, and with a portion, become the purifier of the universe.
भारतं भारतीशापात्पापदाहाय पापिनाम् । भगीरथस्य तपसा तेन नीता सुकल्पिते
By the curse of Bharati, you will go to Bharata to destroy the sins of sinners. By the austerity of Bhagiratha, you will be brought there, well-established.
नाम्ना भागीरथी पूता भविष्यसि महीतले । मदंशस्य समुद्रस्य जाया जायेर्ममाज्ञया
You will be known as Bhagirathi, purified upon the earth. By my command, you will be the wife of the ocean's portion, and the wife of the ocean.
मत्कलांशस्य भूपस्य शन्तनोश्च सुरेश्वरि । गङ्गाशापेन कलया भारतं गच्छ भारति
O goddess, by the portion of my power and of King Shantanu, by the curse of Ganga, with your portion, go to Bharata, O Bharati.
कलहस्य फलं भुंक्ष्व सपत्नीभ्यां सहाच्युते । स्वयं च ब्रह्मसदने ब्रह्मणः कामिनी भव
Enjoy the fruit of the quarrel together with your co-wives and Achyuta. Then, in Brahma's abode, become the beloved of Brahma himself.
गङ्गा यातु शिवस्थानमत्र पद्मैव तिष्ठतु । शान्ता च क्रोधरहिता मद्भक्ता सत्त्वरूपिणी
Let Ganga go to the abode of Shiva, and here let Padma remain. Be peaceful, free from anger, devoted to me, and of sattvic nature.