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.
एकभार्यः सुखी नैव बहुभार्यः कदाचन । गच्छ गङ्गे शिवस्थानं ब्रह्मस्थानं सरस्वति
A man with one wife is happy, never one with many wives; go, O Ganga, to the abode of Shiva, to the abode of Brahma, O Sarasvati.
अत्र तिष्ठतु मद्गेहे सुशीला कमलालया । सुसाध्या यस्य पत्नी च सुशीला च पतिव्रता
Let her of good conduct, dwelling in the lotus, remain in my house; whose wife is easily managed, of good character, and devoted to her husband.
इह स्वर्गे सुखं तस्य धर्मो मोक्षः परत्र च । पतिव्रता यस्य पत्नी स च मुक्तः शुचिः सुखी । जीवन्मृतोऽशुचिर्दुःखी दुःशीलापतिरेव च
Here and in heaven, happiness, righteousness, and liberation in the next world belong to him whose wife is devoted to her husband; he is liberated, pure, and happy. But one whose wife is of bad conduct is as if dead while living, impure, and miserable.
गङ्गादीनां शापोद्धारवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच इत्युक्त्वा जगतां नाथो विरराम च नारद । अतीव रुरुदुर्देव्यः समालिङ्ग्य परस्परम्
Description of the removal of the curse from Ganga and others. Shri Narayana said: Having spoken thus, the Lord of the worlds became silent, O Narada. The goddesses wept greatly, embracing each other.
ताश्च सर्वाः समालोक्य क्रमेणोचुस्तदेश्वरम् । कम्पिताः साश्रुनेत्राश्च शोकेन च भयेन च
Seeing all of them, one by one, they spoke to the Lord of that place, their eyes trembling with tears, overcome by grief and fear.
सरस्वत्युवाच विशापं देहि हे नाथ दुष्टमाजन्मशोचनम् । सत्स्वामिना परित्यक्ताः कुतो जीवन्ति ताः स्त्रियः
Sarasvati said: O Lord, grant release from the curse, for this wicked, lifelong sorrow; abandoned by a righteous husband, how can those women live?
देहत्यागं करिष्यामि योगेन भारते ध्रुवम् । अत्युन्नतो हि नियतं पातुमर्हति निश्चितम्
I will certainly abandon my body through yoga in Bharata; one who is excessively proud is surely fit to fall, that is certain.
गङ्गोवाच अहं केनापराधेन त्वया त्यक्ता जगत्पते । देहत्यागं करिष्यामि निर्दोषाया वधं लभ
Ganga said: For what fault have I been abandoned by you, O Lord of the worlds? I will abandon my body; let the killing of one who is blameless be obtained.
निर्दोषकामिनीत्यागं करोति यो नरो भुवि । स याति नरकं घोरं किन्तु सर्वेश्वरोऽपि वा
Whoever, on earth, abandons a blameless and devoted wife, that man goes to terrible hell, even if he is the Lord of all.
पद्मोवाच नाथ सत्त्वस्वरूपस्त्वं कोपः कथमहो तव । प्रसादं कुरु भार्ये द्वे सदीशस्य क्षमा वरा
Padma said: O Lord, you are the embodiment of virtue, how can you be angry? Show favor to your two wives; forgiveness is best for one who is equal to all.