एतस्मिन्नंतरे रात्रावंधकारे घनोन्नते। स्वपतिं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा प्रययौ सा पतिव्रता
Meanwhile, at night, in deep darkness, the devoted wife set her husband on her back and departed.
मांडव्यस्य तनौ सङ्गात्कुष्ठिनो गंध आगतः। भग्नः समाधिस्तस्यैवं कुष्ठिसंसर्गतो ध्रुवम्
From contact with Māṇḍavya's body, the husband contracted leprosy; his meditation was broken, certainly due to contact with the leper.
मांडव्य उवाच- एवं येनाधुना कृच्छ्रं कारितं गात्रवेदनम्। स एव भस्मतां यातु प्रोदिते च विरोचने
Māṇḍavya said: May the one who has now caused me such severe bodily pain be reduced to ashes when the sun rises.
मांडव्येनैवमुक्तस्स पपात धरणीतले। ततः पतिव्रता चाह ब्रध्नो नोदयतु ध्रुवं
When Māṇḍavya spoke thus, he fell to the ground; then the devoted wife said: Let my husband surely not die.
दिनत्रयं गृहं नीत्वा शापाद्वेश्मगता ततः। शयनीये स्थितं रम्ये धृत्वाऽतिष्ठत्पतिव्रता
After taking him home for three days, because of the curse, she remained in the house; the devoted wife stayed by his side on a pleasant bed.
शप्त्वा तं च मुनिश्रेष्ठो गतो देशमभीष्टकम्। सूरो नोदयते लोके यावच्चैव दिनत्रयम्
Having cursed him, the best of sages went to his desired place; for three days the sun did not rise in the world.
निखिलं व्यथितं दृष्ट्वा त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। शतक्रतुं पुरस्कृत्य गता देवाः पितामहम्
Seeing the entire three worlds, with all moving and unmoving beings, afflicted, the gods, led by Indra, went to Grandfather Brahma.
वृत्तं न्यवेदयन्सर्वं पद्मयोनौ दिवौकसः। कारणं च न जानीमस्त्वं तु योग्यं विधेहि नः
The dwellers of heaven reported everything that had happened to the Lotus-born, saying: 'We do not know the cause; you alone are worthy—determine what should be done for us.'
ब्रह्मोवाच- पतिव्रताया यद्वृत्तं मांडव्यस्य मुनेश्च यत्। यथा नोदयते ब्रध्नो धाता देवेष्ववेदयत्
Brahma said: 'As for the conduct of the devoted wife, and what befell the sage Mandavya, and why the sun does not rise—this the Creator explained to the gods.'
ततो देवा विमानैश्च पुरस्कृत्य प्रजापतिम्। गतास्तदंतिकं विप्र तूर्णं सर्वे च भूतलम्
Then, O Brahmin, the gods, together with their celestial chariots and led by the Lord of Creatures, quickly went down to the earth.
तेषां श्रिया विमानानां मुनीनां किरणैस्तथा। शतसूर्यमिवाभाति नान्यत्र च गृहोदरे
By the radiance of their chariots and the rays of the sages, it shone like a hundred suns, except within the house.
हा हतास्मि कथं सूरो मद्गृहे समुपस्थितः। अदृश्यंत तया देवा विमानैर्हंससन्निभैः
'Alas, I am ruined! How has the sun come to my house?' she cried; and the gods, with their swan-like chariots, became invisible to her.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे ब्रह्मा तामुवाच पतिव्रताम्। अखिलानां च देवानां द्विजानां च गवां तथा
At that moment, Brahma spoke to the devoted wife, as well as to all the gods, the twice-born, and the cows.
यथैव निधनं तेषां कथं ते परिरोचते। मातः क्रोधं त्यजस्वाद्य सूर्यस्योदयनं प्रति
'How does the death of all these please you? Mother, give up your anger now, for the sake of the sun's rising.'
पतिव्रतोवाच- सर्वलोकानतिक्रम्य पतिरेको गुरुर्मम। अस्य मृत्युर्मुनेश्शापादुदिते च विरोचने
The devoted wife said: 'For me, surpassing all the worlds, my husband alone is my guru; his death is due to the sage's curse, should the sun rise.'
तेनैव कारणेनैष मया शप्तो दिवाकरः। न कोपान्न च मोहाच्च लोभात्कामान्न मत्सरात्
'For this reason alone I cursed the sun—not out of anger, nor delusion, nor greed, desire, or envy.'
ब्रह्मोवाच- एकस्य निधनेनैव त्रैलोक्यस्य हितं भवेत्। ततस्ते चाधिकं पुण्यं मातरेवं भविष्यति
Brahma said: 'By the death of one alone, the welfare of the three worlds will be secured; thus, mother, you will gain even greater merit.'
सा चोवाच विधिं तत्र देवानामग्रतः सती। पतिं त्यक्त्वा च मे सत्यं शिवं मे नानुरोचते
There, in the presence of the gods, the faithful wife replied: 'Having abandoned my husband, truly, O Auspicious One, nothing is agreeable to me.'
ब्रह्मोवाच- उदिते च खगे सौम्ये पत्यौ ते भस्मतां गते। स्वस्थेभूते च त्रैलोक्ये करिष्यामि हितं तव
Brahma said: 'When the gentle sun rises and your husband is reduced to ashes, and the three worlds are at peace, I will do what is good for you.'
भस्मनः पुरुषो भाव्यः कामदेवसमप्रभः। गुणैः सर्वैर्युतो भर्ता रतिवत्त्वं च सर्वदा
'From his ashes a man will arise, radiant like the god of love, endowed with all virtues, and always possessing the qualities of a husband like Rati's.'
यथापूज्यो हरिर्दैवैर्यथा लक्ष्मीश्च पूजिता। तथैव दंपती स्वर्गे तस्मान्मद्वचनं कुरु
'Just as Hari is worshipped by the gods and Lakshmi is honored, so too will you both be revered as a couple in heaven; therefore, follow my word.'
पतिव्रतोवाच- पत्युर्मे निधने ब्रह्मन्विधवा लोकनिंदिता। कांस्तु लोकान्गमिष्यामि भग्ना चारामलीमसा
The devoted wife said: 'If my husband dies, O Brahma, I will be a widow, scorned by the world; to what worlds could I go, broken and stained?'
ब्रह्मोवाच- अतस्ते नास्ति दोषो वै न मृतस्ते धवोऽधुना। अस्माकं वचनेनैव कुष्ठी मन्मथतां व्रजेत्
Brahma said: 'Therefore, you are not at fault, nor is your husband truly dead now; by our command, the leper will become like the god of love.'
वदत्येवंविधौ सा च विमृश्य क्षणमेव च। बाढमुक्तवती सा च ततस्सूर्योदयोऽभवत्
When she was thus addressed, she reflected for a moment, then assented, saying, 'So be it.' Then the sun rose.
अभवद्भस्मरूपोऽसौ मुनिशापप्रपीडितः। भस्मनो मध्यतो जातो द्विजो मन्मथपीडितः
He became ashen in form, afflicted by the sage’s curse; from the midst of the ashes arose a twice-born, tormented by the power of love.
दृष्ट्वा विस्मयपमापन्नाः सर्वे ते पुरवासिनः। मुदिता देवसंघाश्च जनः स्वस्थतरोऽभवत्
Seeing this, all the residents of the city were struck with wonder; the hosts of gods rejoiced, and the people became more at ease.
विमानेनार्कवर्णेन स्वर्लोकादागतेन च। पतिना सह सा साध्वी सुरैः सार्द्धं गता दिवम्
With her husband, that virtuous woman ascended to heaven in a celestial chariot shining like the sun, together with the gods.
एवं पतिव्रता यस्माच्छुभा चैव तु मत्समा। तेन वृत्तं च जानाति भूतं भव्यं प्रवर्तनम्
Because she was a devoted wife, auspicious, and equal to me, she knows the past, the future, and the course of all events.
य इदं श्रावयेल्लोके पुण्याख्यानमनुत्तमम्। तस्य पापं क्षयं याति जन्मजन्मकृतं च यत्
Whoever causes this supreme, virtuous tale to be heard in the world, his sin is destroyed, even that accumulated over many births.
अक्षयं लभते स्वर्गं विबुधैः संप्रयुज्यते। ब्राह्मणो लभते वेदं जन्मजन्मसु बाडव
He attains inexhaustible heaven and joins with the gods; a Brahmin gains the Veda in every birth, O Bāḍava.