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.
नास्ति सत्यात्परो धर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम्। विशेषे समभावस्य पुरुषस्यानघस्य च
There is no dharma higher than truth, nor any sin greater than falsehood; especially in the impartiality of a blameless person.
अरौ मित्रेप्युदासीने मनो यस्य समं व्रजेत्। सर्वपापक्षयस्तस्य विष्णुसायुज्यतां व्रजेत्
Whose mind remains equal toward enemy, friend, and stranger, for him all sins are destroyed and he attains union with Vishnu.
एवं यो वर्तते नित्यं कुलकोटिं समुद्धरेत्। सत्यं दमः शमश्चैव धैर्यं स्थैर्यमलोभता
One who acts thus always uplifts countless generations of his family; truth, self-restraint, tranquility, courage, steadiness, and absence of greed—
अनाश्चर्यमनालस्यं तस्मिन्सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। तेन वै देवलोकस्य नरलोकस्य सर्वशः
Absence of wonder and laziness—all are established in him; through him, the realms of gods and humans are entirely sustained.
वृत्तं जानाति धर्मज्ञस्तस्यदेहे स्थितो हरिः। लोके तस्य समो नास्ति समः सत्यार्जवेषु च
The knower of dharma knows conduct; Hari dwells in his body; in the world, there is none equal to him in truth and uprightness.
स च धर्ममयः साक्षात्तेनैव धारितं जगत्। द्विज उवाच-। ज्ञातं मे त्वत्प्रसादाच्च तुलाधारस्य कारणम्
He is directly composed of dharma, and by him the world is sustained. The twice-born said: By your grace, I have understood the reason for the balance-holder.
अद्रोहकस्य यद्वृत्तं तद्ब्रूहि त्वं यदीच्छसि। हरिरुवाच-। पुरैव राजपुत्रस्य कुलस्त्रीनवयौवना
Tell me, if you wish, the conduct of the one who does not harm; Hari said: Long ago, the prince's wife was in the prime of youth—
पत्नीव कामदेवस्य शचीव वासवस्य च। तस्य प्राणसमा भार्या सुन्दरी नाम सुन्दरी
Like the wife of Kamadeva, or Shachi, wife of Indra; his wife, named Sundari, was as dear to him as life itself.
अकस्मात्पार्थिवस्यैव कार्ये गन्तुं समुद्यतः। मनसालोचितं तेन प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसीम्
Suddenly, the king resolved to go on some business; he considered in his mind what was weightier than even his own life.
कस्मिन्स्थाने स्थापयामि यतो रक्षा भवेद्ध्रुवम्। इत्यालोच्यैव सहसा त्वागतोस्य गृहं प्रति १०० 1.50.
Where should I place her, so that protection will be certain? Thinking thus, he quickly came to your house.