आर्द्रः परिकरो मेऽतः सुस्नाताऽहं सितासिते । गंतव्यं तु मया रक्षः कैलासे तु नगोत्तमे
My girdle is wet because I have just bathed, O Rākṣasa, in the pure white and black waters. Now I must go to the supreme mountain, Kailāsa.
तत्रास्ते पार्वतीनाथः सुरासुरसुपूजितः । वेणीवारिप्रभावेण रक्षस्ते क्रूरता गता
There dwells the Lord of Pārvatī, worshipped by gods and asuras alike. By the power of water from my braid, O Rākṣasa, your cruelty has departed.
जाताहं येन पुण्येन गंधर्वस्य सुमेधसः । कन्यका दिव्यरूपा तु तत्सर्वं कथयामि ते
By what merit was I born, a maiden of divine form, to the Gandharva named Sumedhas? I will tell you everything.
कलिंगाधिपते राज्ञस्त्वहमासीच्च वेश्यका । रूपलावण्यसंपन्ना सौभाग्यमदगर्विता
In a previous birth, I was a courtesan in the city of the king of Kaliṅga, endowed with beauty and charm, yet not proud of my good fortune.
अन्यासां युवतीनां च तत्पुरेऽहं शिरोमणिः । तज्जन्मनि मया रक्षो भुक्त्वा भोगान्यथेच्छया
Among all the young women of that city, I was the foremost jewel. In that life, O Rākṣasa, I enjoyed pleasures as I wished.
मोहितं तत्पुरं सर्वं मया यौवनसंपदा । रत्नानि च विचित्राणि भूषणानि धनानि च
By the power of my youth, I enchanted the entire city, acquiring various jewels, ornaments, and wealth.
वासांसि चित्ररूपाणि कर्पूरागुरुचंदनम् । एतच्चोपार्जितं सर्वं मया मोहनरूपया
I obtained all manner of beautiful garments, camphor, aloe, and sandalwood—all this was gained by me through the power of enchantment.
नाहं जानामि हेम्नोंतं स्वनिवासे निशाचर । संसेवंते युवानो मे चरणौ कामपीडिताः
O night-wanderer, I do not know the limit of gold in my own house; young men, tormented by desire, served at my feet.
मया ते वंचिताः सर्वे सर्वस्वेन तु मायया । अन्योन्यस्पर्धाभावेन मृताः केचित्तु कामिनः
By my illusion, I deceived them all, taking everything from them; some died in rivalry with each other, and some were overcome by desire.
इत्थं तन्नगरे रम्ये सकले मे गतिस्तदा । प्राप्ते तु वार्द्धके काले शुशोच हृदयं मम । न दत्तं न हुतं जप्तं न व्रतं चरितं मया
Thus, in that beautiful city, all my pursuits were fulfilled; but when old age arrived, my heart grieved: I had not given, nor sacrificed, nor recited, nor observed any vow.
नाराधितो मया देवश्चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदः। न मया पूजिता देवी दुर्गा दुर्गतिनाशिनी । सर्वपापहरो विष्णुर्न स्मृतो भोगलुब्धया
I did not worship the god who grants the fruits of the four aims of life; nor did I honor the goddess Durga, destroyer of misfortune; nor did I remember Vishnu, remover of all sins, being greedy for pleasure.
न च संतर्पिता विप्रा न कृतं प्राणिनां हितम् । अणुमात्रमिदं पुण्यं न कृतं च प्रमादतः
Nor did I satisfy the Brahmins, nor did I act for the welfare of living beings; not even the smallest merit was performed by me, due to heedlessness.
पातकं तु कृतं भद्र तेन मे दह्यते मनः । बहुधैवं विलप्याहं ब्राह्मणं शरणं गता
But sin was committed, O auspicious one, and because of that my mind is tormented; lamenting in many ways, I sought refuge with a Brahmin.
ब्रह्मण्यं वेदविद्वांसं तस्य राज्ञः पुरोहितम् । स हि पृष्टो मया रक्षः कथं मे निष्कृतिर्भवेत्
He was devoted to Brahman, learned in the Vedas, and the priest of the king; I asked him how I could find atonement for my wrongs.
पापस्यास्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ कथं यास्यामि सद्गतिम् । स्वेनैव कर्मणा तप्तां वराकीं दीनमानसाम्
O best of twice-born, how can I attain a good path from this sin? I am afflicted by my own actions, wretched and with a distressed mind.
पापपंकनिमग्नां त्वं मामुद्धर कचग्रहैः । मयि कारुण्यंजं वारि वर्षहर्षदृशा द्विज
Lift me out of the mire of sin with the hook of your teachings; let the water of compassion fall upon me from your joyful eyes, O Brahmin.
सज्जने साधवः सर्वे साधुः साधुरसज्जने । इत्यसौ मद्वचः श्रुत्वा चकारानुग्रहं मयि
All virtuous people are good to the good, and the good are also good to the wicked; hearing my words, he showed me his favor.
द्विज उवाच। निषिद्धाचरणं जाने सर्वं तेऽहं वरानने । कुरु मे सत्वरं वाक्यं याहि क्षेत्रं प्रजापते
The Brahmin said: I know all your forbidden deeds, O beautiful one; quickly follow my advice and go to the field of Prajapati.
तत्र गत्वा कुरु स्नानं तेन पापक्षयस्तव । सर्वं मनोगतं भद्रे त्वदीयं शोचितं मया
Go there and bathe; by that, your sins will be destroyed. All your worries, O auspicious one, have been considered by me.
नाहमन्यत्प्रपश्यामि यत्ते पापप्रणाशनम् । प्रायश्चित्तं परं तीर्थे स्नानं च ऋषिभिः स्मृतम्
I see no other means for the destruction of your sin; the supreme atonement, remembered by the sages, is bathing at the holy place.
किंतु तीर्थे त्यजेद्भीरु मनसाप्यशुभं कृतम् । प्रयागस्नानशुद्धा त्वं स्वर्गं यास्यसि निश्चितम्
But, O fearful one, even in the holy place, you must abandon any evil done in your mind; purified by bathing at Prayaga, you will certainly go to heaven.
प्रयागस्नानमात्रेण नृणां स्वर्गो न संशयः । अन्यदेशकृतं पापं तत्क्षणादेव भामिनि
By bathing at Prayaga alone, there is no doubt that people attain heaven; sin committed elsewhere, O beautiful one, is destroyed instantly.
प्रयागे विलयं याति पापं तीर्थकृतं विना । शृणु भीरु पुरा शक्रो गौतमस्य मुनेर्वधूम्
At Prayaga, sin perishes, except for that committed at a holy place; listen, O fearful one, long ago Indra saw the wife of sage Gautama.
दृष्ट्वा कामवशं प्राप्तस्तां गतो गुप्तकामुकः । उग्रेण तेन पापेन तदैव जनितं फलम्
Seeing her, he was overcome by desire and secretly approached her; from that severe sin, its fruit was produced immediately.
ऋषिस्त्रीगंतुरिंद्रस्य तस्याश्च पुरतस्तदा । कुत्सितं गर्हितं जातमिति लज्जाकरं वपुः
The sage, standing before Indra and her, then caused a form that was disgraceful and shameful, bringing embarrassment.
तद्भर्तुः शापमाहात्म्यात्सहस्रभगचिह्नितम् । अधोमुखस्ततो भूत्वा देवराजो विनिर्गतः
By the power of her husband's curse, Indra was marked with a thousand female organs; then, with his face turned downward, the king of gods departed.
निनिंद स्वकृतं कर्म सोऽभिभूतः सलज्जितः । मेरोः शिरसि तोयाढ्ये शतयोजनविस्तृते
Overcome and ashamed, he condemned his own deed, upon the summit of Meru, vast and filled with water for a hundred yojanas.
तत्र गत्वा प्रविष्टस्तु हेमांभोरुहकोरके । तत्रस्थो गर्हयन्नित्यमात्मानं मन्मथं तथा
There, having entered the golden lotus bud, he remained, constantly reproaching himself and also Kāma.
धिक्तां कामात्मतां लोके सद्यः पातकदायिनीम् । यया हि नरकं याति सर्वलोकविगर्हितः
Fie upon this passion-driven nature in the world, which instantly brings sin, by which a man goes to hell, despised by all.
आयुः कीर्तिर्यशोधर्म धैर्य ध्वंसकरी तथा । धिङ्मन्मथं दुराचारमापदां नियतं पदम्
It destroys life, fame, glory, virtue, and courage; shame on Manmatha, of evil conduct, the assured source of calamities.