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.
सकृच्छृणोति यः पूतो दुष्कृतौघाद्विमुच्यते। सुरालयमवाप्नोति स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टो धनी भवेत्
Whoever hears it even once is purified and freed from the mass of misdeeds; if fallen from heaven, he becomes wealthy.
द्विज उवाच- मांडव्यस्य मुनेर्विष्णोश्शूलाघातः कथं तनौ। पत्यौ पतिव्रतायाश्च कथं कुष्ठं कलेवरे
The twice-born said: How did the piercing of Māṇḍavya the sage’s body by Viṣṇu’s spear occur? And how did leprosy afflict the body of the devoted wife’s husband?
हरिरुवाच- शिशुभावाच्च मांडव्यो झिल्लिकायामभानतः। वस्तिदेशे तृणं दत्वा मोहात्स च मुमोच ताम्
Hari said: In childhood, Māṇḍavya, out of ignorance, placed a straw in the anus of a cricket and released it.
तेनापवाददोषेण धर्मस्याज्ञातुरेव च। अहोरात्रं व्यथा कृच्छ्रा भुक्ता तेन द्विजन्मना
Because of this offense and ignorance of dharma, he endured severe pain day and night in that birth as a twice-born.
किंतु समाधिना तेन न ज्ञातं शूलसंभवम्। कृच्छ्रं च मुनिना कृत्स्नं योगाभ्यासाद्भृशादपि
But through his absorption, he did not perceive the origin of the spear; the sage endured all hardship, even intense, through practice of yoga.
कुष्ठिनो ब्रह्मणो घातादजितेंद्रियकारणात्। पूतिगंधं तनौ कुष्ठं संजातं द्विजसत्तम
Leprosy arose in the body of the Brahmin due to killing and uncontrolled senses, O best of twice-born, and a foul odor developed.
पुरा विप्राय तेनैव दत्तं गौरीचतुष्टयम्। कन्यकात्रितयं विप्र तेन तस्य पतिव्रता
Long ago, he gave to a Brahmin four cows and three maidens; thus, his wife was devoted.
अस्यास्तु कारणादेव स च मत्समतां व्रजेत्। अत्र ते विस्मयः कुत्र वेदकर्मपुरातनम्
Because of her, he attains equality with me; where is your wonder here, regarding ancient Vedic rites?
द्विज उवाच- कृत्या नारी न यस्यैव तस्य स्वर्गो भवेद्ध्रुवम्। यथैतच्चरितं नाथ सर्वेषां शिवमिष्यते
The twice-born said: For one who has no wife, heaven is surely attained; as this has been performed, O Lord, welfare is desired for all.
हरिरुवाच- संति कृत्याः स्त्रियः काश्चित्पुंसः सर्वस्वदस्य च। तत्राप्यरक्षणीयां च मनसापि न धारयेत्
Hari said: There are some women who perform rites for a man who has given up everything; even then, she should not be kept, nor even held in mind.