तस्य पत्न्योऽष्ट तिष्ठंति तन्मध्ये वरवर्णिनी। रूपयौवनसंपन्ना दयायुक्ता यशस्विनी
He has eight wives; among them is one of excellent complexion, endowed with beauty and youth, full of compassion, and renowned.
शुभा नामेति विख्याता गत्वा तां पृच्छ ते हितं। एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवांस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत
She is known as Shubha by name; go to her and ask what is good for you. Having spoken thus, the Blessed Lord vanished there itself.
तस्यैवादृश्यतां दृष्ट्वा विस्मितोभूद्द्विजस्तदा। स च साध्वीगृहं गत्वा पप्रच्छाथ पतिव्रतां
Seeing him disappear, the sage was amazed. He then went to the house of the virtuous woman and questioned the devoted wife.
अतिथेर्वचनंश्रुत्वागृहान्निःसृत्यसंभ्रमात्। दृष्ट्वा द्विजं सती तत्र द्वारदेशे स्थिताभवत्
Hearing the guest's words, she quickly left the house without confusion. Seeing the sage, she stood there at the doorway.
तां च दृष्ट्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठ उवाच वचनं मुदा। प्रियं ममहितं ब्रूहि यथादृष्टं त्वमेव हि
Seeing her, the best of sages spoke these words with joy: Tell me what is dear and beneficial to me, as you have seen it yourself.
पतिव्रतोवाच-। सांप्रतं पत्युरर्चास्ति न चास्माकं स्वतंत्रता। पश्चात्कार्यं करिष्यामि गृहाणातिथ्यमद्य वै
The devoted wife said: At present, I am engaged in my husband's worship, and we have no independence. Afterwards I will do what is needed; please accept hospitality today.
विप्र उवाच-। मम देहे क्षुधा नास्ति पिपासाद्य न च श्रमः। अभीष्टं वद कल्याणि नोचेच्छापं ददामि ते
The sage said: I have no hunger in my body, nor thirst today, nor fatigue. Speak what is desired, O blessed one, or else I will lay a curse upon you.
तमुवाच तदा सापि न बकोहं द्विजोत्तम। गच्छ धर्मतुलाधारं पृच्छ तं ते हितं द्विज
She then said: I am not a crane, O best of sages. Go to Dharmatula, the upholder of righteousness, and ask him what is good for you, O sage.
इत्युक्त्वा सा महाभागा प्रययौ च गृहोदरम्। तत्रापश्यद्द्विजो विप्रं यथा चांडालवेश्मनि
Having said this, the noble lady entered the inner part of the house. There the sage saw a Brahmin, as if in the house of a Chandala.
विमृश्य विस्मयापन्नस्तेन सार्धं ययौ द्विजः। तिष्ठंतं च द्विजं तं च सोपश्यद्धृष्टमानसम्
Reflecting, the sage became astonished and went together with him. He saw that Brahmin standing there, his mind fearless.
स चोवाच मुदा विप्रं दृष्ट्वा तं तां सतीं च सः। देशांतरे च यद्वृत्तं तया च कथितं किल
He, seeing that virtuous woman and the brahmin, spoke with joy; and she recounted all that had happened in the distant land.
कथं जानाति मद्वृत्तं चांडालोपि पतिव्रता। अतो मे विस्मयस्तात किमाश्चर्यं परं महत्
How does this chāṇḍāla woman, though devoted to her husband, know of my conduct? Therefore, father, I am greatly astonished—what a marvelous thing this is!
हरिउवाच-। ज्ञायते कारणं तात सर्वेषां भूतभावनैः। अतिपुण्यात्सदाचाराद्यतस्त्वं विस्मयं गतः
Hari said: The reason for all things, dear one, is known by the creators of beings; you are amazed because of the great merit and good conduct.
किमुक्तश्च तया त्वं च वद तत्सांप्रतं मुने। विप्र उवाच-। प्रष्टुं धर्मतुलाधारं सा च मां समुपादिशत्
But what did she say to you? Tell that now, O sage. The brahmin said: She directed me to question the upholder of dharma.
हरिरुवाच-। आगच्छ मुनिशार्दूल अहं गच्छामि तं प्रति। गच्छंतं च हरिं प्राह तुलाधारः क्व तिष्ठति
Hari said: Come, O best of sages, I will go to him. As Hari was going, Tulādhāra asked, 'Where does he dwell?'
हरिरुवाच-। जनानां निकरो यत्र बहुद्रव्यसुविक्रये। विक्रीणाति च क्रीणाति तुलाधारस्ततस्ततः
Hari said: Wherever there is a crowd of people and much buying and selling of goods, there Tulādhāra is, trading and purchasing here and there.
जनो यवान्रसं स्नेहं कूटमन्नस्य संचयं। सर्वं तस्य मुखादेव गृह्णाति च ददात्यपि
He receives and gives everything—however much flavor, affection, or even adulterated food the people bring—directly from their mouths.
सत्यं त्यक्त्वानृतं किंचित्प्राणांते समुपस्थिते। नोक्तं नरवरश्रेष्ठस्तेनधर्मतुलाधरः
Never, even at the approach of death, has that foremost of men, the righteous Tulādhāra, spoken a single falsehood, abandoning truth.
इत्युक्ते तु तमद्राक्षीद्विक्रीणंतं रसान्बहून्। मलपंकधरं मर्त्यं दंतकुड्मलपंकिलम्
Having said this, he saw him selling many kinds of juices, a mortal smeared with dirt and mud, his teeth soiled and closed.
तत्र वस्तुधनोत्थां च भाषंतं विविधां गिरम्। वृतं बहुविधैर्मर्त्यैः स्त्रीभिः पुंभिश्च सर्वतः
There, surrounded on all sides by many men and women, he was speaking various words about the goods and wealth for sale.
कथं कथमिति प्राह स तं मधुरया गिरा। धर्मस्य मे समुद्देशं वद प्राप्तोंऽतिकं हि ते
He asked him sweetly, 'Tell me the essence of dharma, for you have attained the highest.'
तुलाधार उवाच-। यावज्जनाः प्रतिष्ठंति ममैव सन्निधौ द्विज। तावन्मे स्वस्थता नास्ति यावच्च रात्रियामकः
Tulādhāra said: As long as people stand in my presence, O brahmin, I have no peace until the night passes.
तच्चोपदेशमादाय गच्छ धर्माकरं प्रति। बकस्य मरणे दोषं खे च वस्त्राविशोषणम्
Take this instruction and go to the ocean of dharma; consider the fault in killing the crane and drying clothes in the sky.
सर्वं तत्र च जानीषे सज्जनाद्रोहकं व्रज। तत्र तस्योपदेशेन तव कामः फलिष्यति
There you will know everything, including the betrayal of the good; by his instruction, your wish will be fulfilled.
इत्युक्त्वा तुलाधारः करोति क्रयविक्रयौ। तथा तात गमिष्यामि सज्जनाद्रोहकं प्रति
Having said this, Tulādhāra continued his buying and selling. Thus, father, I will go to the betrayer of the good.
तुलाधारसमुद्देशान्न जानामि तदालयम्। हरिरुवाच-। एह्यागच्छ गमिष्यामि त्वया सार्द्धं च तद्गृहम्
I do not know the dwelling place of the one indicated by Tulādhāra. Hari said: Come, I will go with you to his house.
अथ वर्त्मनि गच्छंतमुवाच ब्राह्मणो हरिं। विप्र उवाच-। तुलाधारे च न स्नानं न देवपितृतर्पणम्
Then, as they were going along the road, the brahmin spoke to Hari: The brahmin said: Tulādhāra does not bathe, nor does he offer libations to gods or ancestors.
मलदिग्धं च गात्रं तु सर्वं चेलमलक्षणम्। कथं जानाति मद्वृत्तं देशांतरसमुद्भवम्
His body is smeared with dirt, all his clothes are filthy; how does he know of my conduct, which arose in a distant land?
अतो मे विस्मयस्तात सर्वं त्वं वद कारणम्। हरिरुवाच-। सत्येन समभावेन जितं तेन जगत्त्रयम्
Therefore, O dear one, I am amazed; tell me the cause of all this. Hari said: By truth and impartiality, he has conquered the three worlds.
तेनातृप्यंत पितरो देवा मुनिगणैः सह। भूतभव्य प्रवृत्तं च तेन जानाति धार्मिकः
Because of this, the ancestors, gods, and groups of sages are unsatisfied; the righteous one knows what has happened and what will happen by this.