पितृयज्ञात्परो यस्माद्धर्मो नास्ति कथंचन। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन शक्त्या कुर्यादमत्सरः
Because there is no greater righteousness than the ancestral offering, one should, with all effort and without envy, perform it to the best of one's ability.
यः पठेद्धर्मसंतानं जनानामग्रतो नरः। विष्णुपद्या जले स्नानं प्रति लोके च लभ्यते
Whoever recites the lineage of righteousness before people attains, in this world, the benefit of bathing in the water at Vishnu's holy place.
जन्मजन्मकृतो येन महापातकसंचयः। तत्सर्वं प्रलयं याति सकृदुच्चरिते श्रुते
Whatever great heap of sins has been accumulated over many births, all that is destroyed by the mere utterance and hearing of this.
नरोत्तम उवाच- त्रिदशानां च देवानामन्येषां जगदीश्वरः। प्रभुः कर्ता च हर्त्ता च गोप्ता भर्त्ता पिता प्रसूः
The best of men said: Among the gods and other deities, he is the Lord of the universe—master, creator, destroyer, protector, supporter, father, and source.
अस्माकं वाक्श्रमो विष्णोः कथनेनैव युज्यते। किंतु कौतूहलं मेऽस्ति पिपासा वा क्षुधापि वा
Our speech is exhausted merely by describing Vishnu; yet I have curiosity, or perhaps thirst, or even hunger.
कृतं पृच्छति येनैव वक्तव्यं तत्प्रियेण हि। अतीतं चैव जानाति कथं नाथ पतिव्रता
Whatever is asked should be spoken by the beloved; how does the chaste wife know the past, O Lord?
किं वा तस्यां प्रभावं च वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः। भगवानुवाच- कथितं मे पुरा वत्स पुनः कौतूहलं द्विज
Or, you ought to tell fully what her power is. The Blessed Lord said: I have told this before, dear one, but again you are curious, O twice-born.
कथयिष्यामि तत्सर्वं यत्ते मनसि वर्तते। पतिव्रता पतिप्राणा सदा पत्युर्हिते रता
I will tell you all that is in your mind. The chaste wife is devoted to her husband, always intent on her husband's welfare.
देवानामपि साऽऽराध्या मुनीनां ब्रह्मवादिनां। धवस्यैकस्य या नारी लोके पूज्यतमा स्मृता
She is to be worshipped even by the gods, by sages, and by those who know Brahman; the woman who is devoted to one husband is regarded as the most venerable in the world.
तस्या संमानने गुर्वी निभृता न भविष्यति। मध्यदेशे पुरा तात नगरी चातिशोभना
In honoring her, there will be no excess; in the central region, long ago, there was a very beautiful city.
तस्यां च ब्रह्मजातीया सेव्या नाम्नी पतिव्रता। तस्या धवोऽभवत्कुष्ठी पूर्वकर्मविरोधतः
There, among the Brahmin class, was a chaste woman named Sevya; her husband became afflicted with leprosy due to the opposition of former deeds.
गलद्व्रणास्य पत्युश्च नित्यं चर्यापरायणा। यद्यन्मनोरथं तस्य शक्त्या सा कुरुते भृशम्
Her husband's mouth was always oozing with sores, yet she was ever devoted to service; whatever desire he had, she fulfilled it to the utmost of her ability.
अर्चयेद्देववन्नित्यं स्नेहं कुर्यादमत्सरा। कदाचित्पथि गच्छंतीं वेश्यां परमसुंदरीम्
He should worship the gods daily, and act with affection, free from envy; once, while walking along the road, he saw a courtesan of exceptional beauty.
दृष्ट्वाऽतीवाभवन्मोहान्मन्मथाविष्टचेतनः। निश्श्वस्य सुतरां दीर्घं ततस्तु विमनाऽभवत्
Seeing her, his mind became utterly deluded, seized by passion; he sighed deeply and then became despondent.
श्रुत्वा गृहाद्विनिःसृत्य साध्वी पप्रच्छ तं पतिं। उन्मनास्त्वं कथं नाथ निःश्वासस्ते कथं विभो
Hearing this, the virtuous wife came out of the house and questioned her husband: 'Why are you so distracted, lord? Why do you sigh so, master?'
ब्रूहि मे यच्च कर्तव्यमकर्तव्यं च यत्प्रियम्। दयितं ते करिष्यामि त्वमेको मे गुरुः प्रियः
Tell me what should be done and what should not be done, and what is dear to you; I will do what you desire, for you alone are my teacher and beloved.
अभीष्टं वद मे नाथ यथाशक्ति करोम्यहम्। इत्युक्ते तामुवाचेदं वृथा किं भाषसे प्रिये
Speak your wish to me, lord; I will do it to the best of my ability; when she said this, he replied to her: 'Why do you speak in vain, dear?'
न शक्ता त्वं न चैवाहं मोघं वक्तुं न युज्यते। प्रष्टुं नाधिकरोषीति यथा दीर्घतरोः फलम्
You are not able, nor am I; it is not proper to speak uselessly; you do not have the right to ask, just as one standing on the ground desires the fruit of a tall tree.
भूमौ स्थित्वा तु खर्वात्मा समुद्धर्तुं प्रवांछति। तथा मे रमणी लोभान्मोहाद्यदभिवांछितम्
Standing on the ground, a person of short stature wishes to reach up and take the fruit of a tall tree; in the same way, out of longing and delusion, I desire something unattainable.
दंपत्योरपि दुःसाध्यमपयानं वदाम्यहम्। पतिव्रतोवाच- ज्ञात्वा तु त्वन्मनोवृत्तं शक्ताहं कार्यसाधने
Even for a married couple, I speak of something difficult to accomplish—departure; the devoted wife said: 'Knowing your heart's intent, I am able to fulfill the task.'
आदेशं कुरु मे नाथ कर्तव्यं येन केनचित्। यदि ते दुर्लभं कार्यं कर्तुं शक्नोमि यत्नतः
Give me your command, lord, so that I may do what must be done by any means; if your desired task is difficult, I will strive to accomplish it.
तदा मे त्वतिकल्याणं फलिष्यति परे त्विह। इत्युक्ते परमः प्रीतः स्थितो वचनमब्रवीत्
Then my great merit will bear fruit here and hereafter; when she said this, he, greatly pleased, remained and spoke these words:
पापाभ्यासाच्च पाप्मानं पृच्छतीति विनिश्चयः। पथ्यस्मिन्संप्रगच्छंतीं वेश्यां परमसुंदरीम्
Because of habitual sin, I am afflicted by sin—this is certain; while walking on the road, I saw a courtesan of exceptional beauty.
सर्वतश्चानवद्यांगीं दृष्ट्वा मे दह्यते मनः। यदि तां त्वत्प्रसादाच्च प्राप्नोमि नवयौवनां
Seeing her, flawless in every limb, my mind burns; if, by your favor, I obtain that young woman in the bloom of youth—
तदा मे सफलं जन्म कुरु साध्वि हितं मम। यदि मां कुष्ठिनं दीनं पूतिगंधं नवव्रणम्
Then my birth will be fruitful; fulfill this, virtuous one, for my benefit; but if that lovely woman does not come to me, wretched, leprous, foul-smelling, and covered in fresh sores—
न गच्छति वरारोहा तदा मे निधनं हितम्। श्रुत्वा तेनेरितं वाक्यं साध्वी वचनमब्रवीत्
Then death is best for me; hearing these words of his, the virtuous wife spoke:
यथाशक्ति करिष्यामि स्थिरी भव प्रभोऽधुना। मनसाथ समालोच्य क्षपांते ह्युषसि द्रुतम्
I will do as much as I am able; be steadfast now, lord; having considered in her mind, at the end of the night, at dawn, she quickly—
गोमयं सह शोधन्या गृहीत्वा सा ययौ मुदा। संप्राप्य गणिकागेहं शोधयित्वा च चत्वरम्
Taking cow dung together with cleansing water, she went joyfully; reaching the courtesan's house, she cleaned the courtyard.
प्रतोलीं वीथिकां चैव गोमयं प्रददौ मुदा। सा तूर्णमागता गेहे जनस्यालोकने भयात्
She gladly spread cow dung on the street and the lane; she came quickly to the house, fearful of being seen by people.
एवं क्रमेण सा साध्वी चरति स्म दिनत्रयम्। अथ सा वारमुख्या च चेटिकाश्चेटकानपि
In this way, the virtuous wife acted for three days in succession; then that chief courtesan, along with her maidservants and attendants—