बभूव पूजिता सा च त्रिषु लोकेषु सुव्रता । जरत्कारुमुनीन्द्राय कश्यपस्तां ददौ पुरा
That virtuous one was worshipped in all three worlds; long ago, Kashyapa gave her to the sage Jaratkaru.
अयाचितो मुनिश्रेष्ठो जग्राह ब्राह्मणाज्ञया । कृत्वोद्वाहं महायोगी विश्रान्तस्तपसा चिरम्
The best of sages, though unasked, accepted her by the command of Brahma; having married her, the great yogi rested from his long austerities.
सुष्वाप देव्या जघने वटमूले च पुष्करे । निद्रां जगाम स मुनिः स्मृत्वा निद्रेशमीश्वरम्
He slept at the base of the banyan tree, upon the lotus, with his head on the goddess's lap; the sage entered sleep, remembering the Lord of Sleep.
जगामास्तं दिनकरः सायङ्काल उपस्थिते । सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा साध्वी मनसा सा पतिव्रता
When evening arrived and the sun had set, the virtuous wife, steadfast in her devotion, contemplated inwardly.
धर्मलोपभयेनैव चकारालोचनं सती । अकृत्वा पश्चिमां सन्ध्यां नित्यां चैव द्विजन्मनाम्
Out of fear of violating righteousness, the faithful woman looked about; she did not perform the evening twilight worship, nor the daily rites of the twice-born.
ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं लभिष्यति पतिर्मम । नोपतिष्ठति यः पूर्वां नोपास्ते यस्तु पश्चिमाम्
My husband will incur sins such as killing a Brahmin, if he does not perform the earlier or the later twilight worship.
स सर्वत्राशुचिर्नित्यं ब्रह्महत्यादिकं लभेत् । वेदोक्तमिति सञ्चिन्त्य बोधयामास सुन्दरी
He will always be impure everywhere and will obtain sins like Brahmin-slaying; thinking thus, as stated in the Vedas, the beautiful woman sought to awaken him.
स च बुद्धो मुनिश्रेष्ठस्तां चुकोप भृशं मुने । मुनिरुवाच कथं मे सुखिनः साध्वि निद्राभङ्गः कृतस्त्वया
The best of sages, now awakened, became greatly angry with her and said: 'How have you, O virtuous one, disturbed my sleep when I was resting happily?'
व्यर्थं व्रतादिकं तस्या या भर्तुश्चापकारिणी । तपश्चानशनं चैव व्रतं दानादिकं च यत्
All her vows and austerities are in vain if she acts against her husband; fasting, penance, vows, charity, and the like—
भर्तुरप्रियकारिण्याः सर्वं भवति निष्कलम् । यया प्रियः पूजितश्च श्रीकृष्णः पूजितस्तया
For one who acts contrary to her husband's wishes, all these become fruitless; but she who pleases her husband, and worships him as Shri Krishna, is truly devoted.
पतिव्रताव्रतार्थञ्च पतिरूपो हरिः स्वयम् । सर्वदानं सर्वयज्ञः सर्वतीर्थनिषेवणम्
The purpose of the vow of fidelity is fulfilled by worshiping the husband, who is himself Hari; all gifts, all sacrifices, all pilgrimages—
सर्वं व्रतं तपः सर्वमुपवासादिकं च यत् । सर्वधर्मश्च सत्यं च सर्वदेवप्रपूजनम्
All vows, all austerities, all fasting and the like, all righteousness, truth, and worship of all the gods—
तत्सर्वं स्वामिसेवायाः कलां नार्हति षोडशीम् । पुण्ये च भारते वर्षे पतिसेवा करोति या
None of these equal even a sixteenth part of service to one's husband; in the holy land of Bharata, she who serves her husband—
वैकुण्ठे स्वामिना सार्धं सा याति ब्रह्मणः पदम् । विप्रियं कुरुते भर्तुर्विप्रियं वदति प्रियम्
She attains the abode of Brahma in Vaikuntha, together with her husband; but one who acts or speaks against her husband's wishes—
असत्कुले प्रसूता हि तत्फलं श्रूयतां सति । कुम्भीपाकं व्रजेत्सा च यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ
If born in an ignoble family, O faithful woman, hear the result: she goes to the Kumbhipaka hell for as long as the sun and moon endure.
ततो भवति चाण्डाली पतिपुत्रविवर्जिता । इत्युक्त्वा च मुनिश्रेष्ठो बभूव स्फुरिताधरः
Afterwards, she becomes an outcaste, deprived of husband and children; having spoken thus, the foremost sage's lips quivered.
चकम्पे तेन सा साध्वी भयेनोवाच तं पतिम् । साध्व्युवाच सन्ध्यालोपभयेनैव निद्राभङ्गः कृतस्तव
Out of fear, the virtuous wife trembled and spoke to her husband: 'O virtuous one, I disturbed your sleep only out of fear of neglecting the twilight worship.'
कुरु शान्तिं महाभाग दुष्टाया मम सुव्रत । शृङ्गाराहारनिद्राणां यश्च भङ्गं करोति वै
'O most fortunate one, grant peace to me, who am devoted but erring; whoever disrupts love, food, or sleep—'
स व्रजेत्कालसूत्रं वै यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ । इत्युक्त्वा मनसा देवी स्वामिनश्चरणाम्बुजे
'He goes to the Kaalasūtra hell for as long as the sun and moon endure.' Having said this, the goddess mentally bowed at her husband's lotus feet.
पपात भक्त्या भीता च रुरोद च पुनः पुनः । कुपितं च मुनिं दृष्ट्वा श्रीसूर्यं शप्तुमुद्यतम्
She fell in devotion, fearful, and wept again and again; seeing the sage enraged and about to curse the Sun.
तत्राजगाम भगवान्सन्ध्यया सह नारद । तत्रागत्य मुनिं सम्यगुवाच भास्करः स्वयम्
There arrived the venerable Sun, together with Sandhya and Narada; having come there, the Sun himself spoke properly to the sage.
विनयेन च भीतश्च तया सह यथोचितम् । भास्कर उवाच सूर्यास्तसमयं दृष्ट्वा साध्वी धर्मभयेन च
With humility and fear, as was fitting, together with her, the Sun spoke: Seeing the time of the Sun's setting, the virtuous woman, out of fear of dharma—
बोधयामास त्वां विप्र शरणं त्वामहं गतः । क्षमस्व भगवन्ब्रह्मन् मां शप्तुं नोचितं मुने
She awakened you, O Brahmin; I have come to you for refuge. Forgive me, O Lord, O Brahmin; it is not proper for you to curse me, O sage.
ब्राह्मणानां च हृदयं नवनीतसमं सदा । तेषां क्षणार्धं क्रोधश्च ततो भस्म भवेज्जगत्
The hearts of Brahmins are always like fresh butter; for half a moment, their anger can turn the world to ashes.
पुनः स्रष्टुं द्विजः शक्तो न तेजस्वी द्विजात्परः । ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मणो वंशः प्रज्वलन्ब्रह्मतेजसा
Yet to create again, the Brahmin alone is capable; none surpasses the Brahmin in brilliance. The Brahmin is of the lineage of Brahma, blazing with Brahma's radiance.
श्रीकृष्णं भावयेन्नित्यं ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनम् । सूर्यस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा द्विजस्तुष्टो बभूव ह
He constantly contemplates Shri Krishna, the eternal Brahma-light. Hearing the Sun's words, the Brahmin became pleased.
सूर्यो जगाम स्वस्थानं गृहीत्वा ब्राह्मणाशिषम् । तत्याज मनसां विप्रः प्रतिज्ञापालनाय च
The Sun departed to his own place, having received the Brahmin's blessing. The Brahmin abandoned his anger in mind, in order to keep his vow.
रुदतीं शोकसंयुक्तां हृदयेन विदूयता । सा सस्मार गुरुं शम्भुमिष्टदेवं विधिं हरिम्
She, weeping and afflicted with sorrow, her heart torn, remembered her teacher, Shambhu, her chosen deity, Brahma, and Hari.
कश्यपं जन्मदातारं विपत्तौ भयकर्शिता । तत्राजगाम गोपीशो भगवाच्छम्भुरेव च
She remembered Kashyapa, her progenitor, distressed by calamity and fear. There arrived the Lord of the Gopis and the blessed Shambhu as well.
विधिश्च कश्यपश्चैव मनसा परिचिन्तितः । दृष्ट्वा विप्रोऽभीष्टदेवं निर्गुणं प्रकृतेः परम्
Brahma and Kashyapa, too, were contemplated in her mind. Seeing his desired deity, the sage, transcending qualities and beyond nature—