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.
उक्तं च तादृशं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा स विस्मयंगतः। न तातस्ते न च भ्राता न चाहं तव बान्धवः
And having spoken such words, hearing them, he was amazed: 'Neither your father, nor your brother, nor I am your kinsman.'
पितृमातृकुलस्यैव तस्या न हि सुहृज्जनः। कथं च मद्गृहे तात स्थित्या स्वस्थो भविष्यसि
Of his paternal and maternal families, there is no friend; how will you remain at ease staying in my house, O dear one?
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तेन चोक्तं वाक्यं यथोचितम्। लोके त्वत्सदृशो नास्ति धर्मज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः
Meanwhile, he spoke fitting words: 'In the world, there is none like you—knower of dharma, conqueror of the senses.'
स चाह तं च सर्वज्ञं वक्तुं नार्हसि दूषणम्। त्रैलोक्यमोहिनीं भार्यां कः पुमान्रक्षितुं क्षमः
He said to him: 'You should not reproach the all-knowing one; who among men is capable of protecting a wife who deludes the three worlds?'
राजपुत्र उवाच-। धरण्यां परिविज्ञाय त्वागतोहं तवान्तिकम्। एषा तिष्ठतु तेऽगारे व्रजामि निजमन्दिरम्
The prince said: 'Having considered on earth, I have come to you; let her remain in your house, I will return to my own palace.'
इत्युक्ते स पुनः प्राह नगरेऽस्मिन्प्रशोभने। बहुकामुक संपूर्णे कथं रक्षा भवेत्स्त्रियाः
When this was said, he spoke again: 'In this splendid city, filled with many lustful men, how can a woman be protected?'
स चोवाच पुनस्तं च कुरु रक्षां व्रजाम्यहम्। गृहस्थस्सङ्कटादाह धर्मस्य राजपुत्रकम्
He then spoke again to him: 'You go and protect (her); I will go. The householder, distressed, said to the prince, 'This is the duty of dharma.'
करोम्यनुचितं कार्यं स्वदास्यमुचितं हितम्। सदा चैवेदृशी भार्या स्थातव्या मद्गृहे पितः
I am doing what is not proper, though my service is proper and beneficial. And such a wife must always remain in my house, father.
अरक्षारक्षणे देव वदाभीष्टं कुरु प्रियम्। मम तल्पे मया सार्धं शयानं भार्यया सह
O lord, in the matter of guarding or not guarding, do what is dear to you. My wife lies with me on my bed.
मन्यसे दैवतं स्वं चेत्तिष्ठेन्नोचेत्तु गच्छतु। क्षणं विमृश्य तं प्राह राजपुत्रः पुनस्तदा
If you consider her your own deity, then stay; if not, then go. After reflecting for a moment, the prince spoke again.