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.
महासाध्वी महाभागा सुशीला धर्मचारिणी । यदंशकलया सर्वा धर्मिष्ठाश्च पतिव्रताः
Most virtuous, greatly fortunate, gentle, and righteous in conduct; by your portion, all will be righteous and devoted to their husbands.
शान्तरूपाः सुशीलाश्च प्रतिविश्वेषु पूजिताः । तिस्रो भार्यास्त्रिशीलाश्च त्रयो भृत्याश्च बान्धवाः
Peaceful in form, gentle in nature, honored among all worlds; three wives, three virtues, and three servants and relatives.
ध्रुवं वेदविरुद्धाश्च न ह्येते मङ्गलप्रदाः । स्त्रीपुंवच्च गृहे येषां गृहिणां स्त्रीवशः पुमान्
Certainly, those whose householders are under the control of women, like men and women, are opposed to the Vedas and do not bring auspiciousness.
निष्फलं च जन्म तेषामशुभं च पदे पदे । मुखे दुष्टा योनिदुष्टा यस्य स्त्री कलहप्रिया
Their birth is fruitless and inauspicious at every step, for whom the wife is wicked in speech, of impure origin, and fond of quarrel.
अरण्यं तेन गन्तव्यं महारण्यं गृहाद्वरम् । जलानां च स्थलानां च फलानां प्राप्तिरेव च
For such a one, it is better to go to the forest, even a great wilderness is preferable to the house; water, land, and fruits are always easily obtained there.
सततं सुलभा तत्र न तेषां गृह एव च । वरमग्नौ स्थितिर्हिंस्रजन्तूनां सन्निधौ सुखम्
There, these are always easily available, not so in their own house; it is better to dwell in fire or among violent creatures than to be in their company.
ततोऽपि दुःखं पुंसां च दुष्टस्त्रीसन्निधौ ध्रुवम् । व्याधिज्वाला विषज्वाला वरं पुंसां वरानने
Even more painful than that for men is certainly the company of a wicked woman; O beautiful one, the flame of disease or poison is preferable for men.
दुष्टस्त्रीणां मुखज्वाला मरणादतिरिच्यते । पुंसां च स्त्रीजितां चैव भस्मान्तं शौचमध्रुवम्
The fire of a wicked woman's mouth surpasses even death; for men subdued by women, purity lasts only until they are reduced to ashes.
यदह्नि कुरुते कर्म न तस्य फलभाग्भवेत् । निन्दितोऽत्र परत्रैव सर्वत्र नरकं व्रजेत्
Whatever action he performs in a day, he does not obtain its fruit; he is condemned here and hereafter, and everywhere he goes to hell.
यशःकीर्तिविहीनो यो जीवन्नपि मृतो हि सः । बह्वीनां च सपत्नीनां नैकत्र श्रेयसे स्थितिः
He who is devoid of fame and reputation is as good as dead even while living; for many co-wives, there is no benefit in residing together.