निन्दन्ति पितरो देवा बान्धवाः स्त्रीजितं नरम् । स्त्रीजितं मनसा माता पिता भ्राता च निन्दति
Fathers, gods, and relatives all reproach a man conquered by a woman; even his mother, father, and brother reproach him in their minds.
शुद्धो विप्रो दशाहेन जातके मृतके यथा । भूमिपो द्वादशाहेन वैश्यः पञ्चदशाहतः
A Brahmin becomes pure in ten days after a birth or death; a king in twelve days, and a merchant in fifteen days.
शूद्रो मासेन वेदेषु मातृवद्धीनसङ्करः । अशुचिः स्त्रीजितः शुद्ध्येच्चितादहनकालतः
A Shudra becomes pure in a month according to the Vedas, but one who is subdued by a woman, like a child separated from its mother, is purified only after the time of cremation.
न गह्णन्तीच्छया तस्य पितरः पिण्डतर्पणम् । न गह्णन्त्येव देवाश्च तस्य पुष्पजलादिकम्
The ancestors do not willingly accept the offerings of rice-balls and water from him; nor do the gods accept his offerings of flowers, water, and the like.
किं वा ज्ञानेन तपसा जपहोमप्रपूजनैः । किं विद्यया च यशसा स्त्रीभिर्यस्य मनो हृतम्
What use is knowledge, austerity, recitation, sacrifice, or worship? What use is learning or fame for one whose mind is stolen by women?
विद्याप्रभावज्ञानार्थं मया त्वं च परीक्षितः । कृत्वा परीक्षां कान्तस्य वृणोति कामिनी वरम्
I tested you, too, to know the power of knowledge and learning; after making such a test, a passionate woman chooses her beloved.
वराय गुणहीनाय वृद्धायाज्ञानिने तथा । दरिद्राय च मूर्खाय रोगिणे कुत्सिताय च
A woman may choose as her husband one who is without virtues, old, ignorant, poor, foolish, diseased, or deformed.
अत्यन्तकोपयुक्ताय वात्यन्तदुर्मुखाय च । पङ्गवे चाङ्गहीनाय चान्धाय बधिराय च
Or one who is extremely angry, very ugly, lame, crippled, blind, or deaf.
जडाय चैव मूकाय क्लीबतुल्याय पापिने । ब्रह्महत्यां लभेत्सोऽपि स्वकन्यां प्रददाति यः
Or one who is dull, mute, impotent, or sinful; but he who gives his own daughter to such a person incurs the sin of killing a Brahmin.
शान्ताय गुणिने चैव यूने च विदुषेऽपि च । साधवे च सुतां दत्त्वा दशयज्ञफलं लभेत्
But if one gives his daughter to a peaceful, virtuous, young, learned, or righteous man, he obtains the fruit of performing ten sacrifices.
यः कन्यापालनं कृत्वा करोति यदि विक्रयम् । विक्रेता धनलोभेन कुम्भीपाकं स गच्छति
He who, after protecting a maiden, sells her out of greed for wealth—such a seller goes to the hell called Kumbhipāka.
कन्यामूत्रं पुरीषं च तत्र भक्षति पातकी । कृमिभिर्दंशितः काकैर्यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश
There, the sinner eats the maiden’s urine and feces, bitten by worms and crows, for as many ages as the fourteen Indras.
तदन्ते व्याधिसंयुक्तः स लभेज्जन्म निश्चितम् । विक्रीणाति मांसभारं वहत्येव दिवानिशम्
After that, he is certainly born afflicted with disease, and, carrying loads of flesh, he labors day and night.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा तुलसी विरराम तपोनिधे । ब्रह्मोवाच किं करोषि शङ्खचूड संवादमनया सह
Thus, having spoken, Tulasī, the ascetic, became silent. Brahmā said: What are you doing, Shankhacūḍa, conversing with her?
गान्धर्वेण विवाहेन त्वं चास्या ग्रहणं कुरु । पुरुषेष्वसि रत्नं त्वं स्त्रीषु रत्नं त्वियं सती
Take her as your wife through the Gandharva rite of marriage; you are a jewel among men, and she, Satī, is a jewel among women.
विदग्धाया विदग्धेन सङ्गमो गुणवान्भवेत् । निर्विरोधसुखं राजन् को वा त्यजति दुर्लभम्
The union of a clever woman with a clever man is truly virtuous; who would abandon such rare, harmonious happiness, O King?
योऽविरोधसुखत्यागी स पशुर्नात्र संशयः । किं परीक्षसि त्वं कान्तमीदृशं गुणिनं सति
He who abandons harmonious happiness is surely like a beast—of this there is no doubt. Why do you test such a worthy beloved?
देवानामसुराणां च दानवानां विमर्दकम् । यथा लक्ष्मीश्च लक्ष्मीशे यथा कृष्णे च राधिका
He who subdues the gods, asuras, and dānavas—just as Lakṣmī is to the Lord of Wealth, and Rādhikā to Kṛṣṇa—
यथा मयि च सावित्री भवानी च भवे यथा । यथा धरा वराहे च दक्षिणा च यथाध्वरे
As Sāvitrī is to me, as Bhavānī is to Bhava, as Dharā is to Varāha, and as Dakṣiṇā is at the sacrifice—
द्यथात्रेरनसूया च दमयन्ती यथा नले । रोहिणी च यथा चन्द्रे यथा कामे रतिः सती
As Anasūyā is to Atri, as Damayantī is to Nala, as Rohiṇī is to the Moon, and as Rati, the chaste one, is to Kāma—
यथादितिः कश्यपे च वसिष्ठेऽरुन्धती सखी । यथाहल्या गौतमे च देवहूतिश्च कर्दमे
As Aditi is to Kaśyapa, Arundhatī to Vasiṣṭha, Ahalyā to Gautama, and Devahūti to Kardama—
यथा बृहस्पतौ तारा शतरूपा मनौ यथा । यथा च दक्षिणा यज्ञे यथा स्वाहा हुताशने
As Tārā is to Bṛhaspati, Śatarūpā to Manu, as Dakṣiṇā is at the sacrifice, and Svāhā to the Fire-god—
यथा शची महेन्द्रे च यथा पुष्टिर्गणेश्वरे । देवसेना यथा स्कन्दे धर्मे भूर्तिर्यथा सती
As Śacī is to Indra, Puṣṭi to Gaṇeśvara, Devasenā to Skanda, and Bhūti, the chaste one, to Dharma—
सौभाग्या सुप्रिया त्वं च शङ्खचूडे तथा भव । अनेन सार्धं सुचिरं सुन्दरेण च सुन्दरि
So may you, beautiful one, be fortunate and dearly beloved to Śaṅkhacūḍa; live long with this handsome one, O lovely lady.
स्थाने स्थाने विहारं च यथेच्छं कुरु सन्ततम् । पश्चात्प्राप्यसि गोलोके श्रीकृष्णं पुनरेव च । चतुर्भुजं च वैकुण्ठे शङ्खचूडे मृते सति
In every place, enjoy as you wish, continually; afterwards, upon Śaṅkhacūḍa’s death, you will attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Goloka again, and the four-armed one in Vaikuṇṭha.
शङ्खचूडेन सह तुलसीसङ्गमवर्णनम् नारद उवाच विचित्रमिदमाख्यानं भवता समुदाहृतम् । श्रुतेन येन मे तृप्तिर्न कदापि हि जायते
The union of Tulasī with Śaṅkhacūḍa is described. Nārada said: This wondrous tale you have recounted—I never tire of hearing it.
ततः परं तु यज्जातं तत्त्वं वद महामते । श्रीनारायण उवाच इत्येवमाशिषं दत्त्वा स्वालयं च ययौ विधिः
Now, O wise one, tell me truly what happened next. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Thus, having given his blessing, Brahmā returned to his own abode.
गान्धर्वेण विवाहेन जगृहे तां च दानवः । स्वर्गे दुन्दुभिवाद्यं च पुष्पवृष्टिर्बभूव ह
The Dānava took her as his wife through the Gandharva marriage rite; in heaven, there was the sound of celestial drums and a shower of flowers.
स रेमे रामया सार्धं वासगेहे मनोरमे । मूर्च्छां सा प्राप तुलसी नवसङ्गमसङ्गता
He enjoyed himself with Rāma in the delightful abode, and Tulasī, united in new intimacy, fell into a swoon.
निमग्ना निर्जले साध्वी सम्भोगसुखसागरे । चतुःषष्टिकलामानं चतुःषष्टिविधं सुखम्
Immersed in the ocean of pleasure, the virtuous woman experienced the sixty-four arts, the sixty-four kinds of delight.