आतिथेयोऽग्निशुश्रूषुः सौरव्रत परायणः । सूर्यमाराधयन्नित्यं साक्षात्सूर्य्य इवापरः
He was hospitable, attentive to the sacred fire, devoted to the solar vow, worshipping the sun daily, like another sun incarnate.
तस्यातिवयसश्चासीन्नाम्ना गुणवती सुता । अपुत्रः स स्वशिष्याय चंद्र नाम्ने ददौ सुताम्
He had a daughter named Gunavati, who was of excellent qualities and advanced in years; being childless, he gave her to his disciple named Chandra.
तमेव पुत्रवन्मेने स च तं पितृवद्वशी । तौ कदाचिद्वनं यातौ कुशेध्महरणार्थिनौ
He regarded him as a son, and the disciple obeyed him as a father; once, the two went to the forest seeking kusa grass and fuel.
हिमाद्रिपादजवने चेरतुस्तौ यतस्ततः । तौ ततो राक्षसं घोरमायांतं समपश्यताम्
They wandered at the foot of the Himalayas, and there they saw a fierce rakshasa approaching.
भयविह्वलसर्वांगावसमर्थौ पलायितुम् । निहतौ रक्षसा तेन कृतांतसमरूपिणा
Overcome with fear and unable to flee, they were slain by that rakshasa, who appeared as the embodiment of death.
तौ तु क्षेत्रप्रभावेण धर्मशीलतया पुनः । वैकुंठभवनं नीतौ मद्गणैर्मत्समीपगैः
Yet, by the power of the sacred field and their righteousness, they were led to the abode of Vaikuntha by my attendants, who dwell near me.
यावज्जीवंतु यत्ताभ्यां सूर्यपूजादिकं कृतम् । तेन वै कर्मणा ताभ्यां सुप्रीतोऽहं किलाभवम्
For as long as they lived, they performed sun-worship and other rites; by those actions, I became greatly pleased with them.
शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः । मामेव प्राप्नुवंतीह वर्षांभः सागरं यथा
Shaivas, Sauras, Ganesha-worshippers, Vaishnavas, and Shakti-worshippers—all attain me here, just as rivers reach the ocean.
एकोऽहं पंचधा जातः क्रीडयन्नामभिः किल । देवदत्तो यथा कश्चित्पुत्राद्याह्वाननामभिः
I alone am born in five forms, playing with different names, just as someone named Devadatta is called by various names as son and so forth.
ततश्च तौ मद्भवनाधिवासिनौ विमानयानौ रविवर्चसावुभौ । मत्तुल्यरूपौ मम सन्निधानगौ दिव्यांगना चंदनभोगभोगिनौ
Then those two, dwelling in my abode, riding celestial vehicles, radiant like the sun, equal in form to me, remaining in my presence, enjoying pleasures with divine women and sandalwood.
इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां श्रीकृष्णसत्यभामा संवादे अष्टाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-eighth chapter in the glorious Padma Mahapurana, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses, being the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Satyabhama.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- ततो गुणवती श्रुत्वा रक्षसा निहतावुभौ । पितृभर्तजदुःखार्त्ता करुणं पर्यदेवयत्
Shri Krishna said: Then, Gunavati, hearing that both her father and husband had been slain by the demon, was overcome with grief and lamented sorrowfully.
गुणवत्युवाच- हा नाथ हा पितस्त्यक्त्वा गच्छतं क्व मया विना । बालाहं किं करोम्यद्य ह्यनाथा भवता विना
Gunavati said: Alas, lord! Alas, father! Where are you going, leaving me behind? I am but a child—what shall I do today, now that I am helpless without you?
को नु मामास्थितां गेहे भोजनाच्छादनादिभिः । अकिंचित्कुशलां स्नेहात्पालयिष्यति दुःखिताम्
Who now, seeing me destitute in this house, lacking all skill, will care for me with affection—providing food, clothing, and other needs—when I am so miserable?
हतभाग्या गतसुखा हतेशा हतजीविता । शरणं कं व्रजाम्यद्य त्वन्नाथा बतबालिशा
Unfortunate, bereft of happiness, with my protectors and very life destroyed—today, helpless and childish, to whom shall I turn for refuge?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- एवं बहुविलप्याथ कुररीव भृशातुरा । पपात भूमौ विकला रंभा वातहता यथा
Shri Krishna said: Thus, after much lamentation, she, deeply afflicted like a grieving curlew, collapsed to the ground, distraught, like a plantain tree struck by the wind.
चिरादाश्वस्य सा भूमौ विलप्य करुणं बहु । निमग्ना दुःखजलधौ शोकार्त्ता समवर्त्तत
After a long time, regaining her senses, she lay on the ground, weeping bitterly; submerged in an ocean of sorrow, she was overwhelmed by grief.
साग्रहोपस्करान्सर्वान्विक्रीय शुभकर्मकृत् । तयोश्चक्रे यथाशक्ति पारलौकिक सत्क्रियाम्
Selling all her remaining possessions, she performed auspicious rites for the two of them as best she could, according to her ability, fulfilling the proper funeral ceremonies.
तस्मिन्नेव पुरे वासं चक्रे प्रभृतिजीवितम् । विष्णुभक्तिपरा शांता सत्यशौचा जितेंद्रिया
She continued to live in that very city, sustaining herself by her own efforts, devoted to Vishnu, peaceful, truthful, pure, and with her senses controlled.
व्रतद्वयं तया सम्यगाजन्म मरणात्कृतम् । एकादशीव्रतं सम्यक्सेवनं कार्त्तिकस्य च
She faithfully observed two vows from birth to death: the Ekadashi fast and the proper observance of the Karttika vow.
एतद्व्रतद्वयं कांते ममातीव प्रियंकरम् । भुक्तिमुक्तिकरं सम्यक्पुत्रसंपत्तिकारकम्
These two vows, beloved, are most dear to me; they bestow both enjoyment and liberation, and grant the blessing of sons.
कार्तिके मासि ये नित्यं तुलासंस्थे दिवाकरे । प्रातः स्नास्यंति ते मुक्ता महापातकिनोऽपि च
Those who, in the month of Karttika, while the sun is in Libra, bathe every morning—even great sinners among them—are liberated.
संमार्जनं गृहे विष्णोः स्वस्तिकादि निवेदनम् । विष्णुपूजां प्रकुर्वंति जीवन्मुक्ताश्च ते नराः
Those who sweep the house for Vishnu, offer auspicious symbols like the svastika, and worship Vishnu—such people are liberated even while living.
स्नानं जागरणं दीपं तुलसीवनसेवनम् । कार्त्तिके ये प्रकुर्वंति ते नरा विष्णुमूर्त्तयः
Those who, in Karttika, perform bathing, night vigil, lamp offering, and service to the tulasi grove—such people become embodiments of Vishnu.
इत्थं दिनत्रयमपि कार्तिके ये प्रकुर्वते । देवानामपि ते वंद्याः किं यैराजन्मतः कृतम्
Those who observe these practices for even three days in Karttika are worthy of reverence even by the gods—what then of those who observe them from birth?
इत्थं गुणवती सम्यक्प्रत्यब्दं प्रतिनीयते । नित्यं विष्णोः परिकरे भक्ता तत्परमानसा
Thus, Gunavati, year after year, devoted herself constantly to Vishnu’s service, her mind wholly dedicated to him.
कदाचिज्जरसा साथ कृशांगी ज्वरपीडिता । स्नातुं गंगां गता कांते कथंचिच्छनकैस्तथा
Once, afflicted by old age, emaciated and suffering from fever, she somehow went, with great difficulty, to bathe in the Ganga, beloved.
यावज्जलांतरगता कंपिता शीतपीडिता । तावत्सा विह्वला पश्यद्विमानं प्राप्तमंबरात्
As she entered the water, shivering from the cold, she suddenly, in her distress, saw a celestial chariot descending from the sky.
शंखचक्रगदापद्महस्तैरासन्नमंबरात् । विष्णुरूपधरैः सम्यग्वैनतेयध्वजांकितैः
With hands bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, adorned with the banner of Garuda, those assuming the form of Vishnu descended from the sky.
आरोहयन्विमानं तमप्सरोगणसेवितम् । चामरैर्वीज्यमानां तां वैकुंठमनयन्गणाः
They placed her upon that celestial chariot, attended by groups of apsaras, and fanned with whisks, and those hosts led her to Vaikuntha.