समाख्यातं तथाग्रे च भवतां वै यथार्थतः । धन्यं यशस्यमारोग्यं पुण्यं पापप्रणाशनम्
In the same way, I have previously explained to you, as it truly is, what is auspicious, brings fame, health, merit, and destroys sin.
पृथोर्वैन्यस्य चरितं यः शृणोति द्विजोत्तमाः । तस्य भागीरथी स्नानमहन्यहनि जायते
O best of twice-born, whoever listens to the deeds of Pṛthu, son of Vena, gains the merit of bathing in the Gaṅgā every day.
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकं प्रयाति सः
He, purified from all sins, attains the world of Viṣṇu.
ऋषय ऊचुः- योऽसौ वेनस्त्वयाख्यातः पापाचारेण वर्तितः । तस्य पापस्य का वृत्तिः किं फलं प्राप्तवान्द्विज
The sages said: That Vena whom you described, who acted with sinful conduct—what was the fate of that sinner, O twice-born? What result did he obtain?
चरित्रं तस्य वेनस्य समाख्याहि यथा पुरा । विस्तरेण विदां श्रेष्ठ त्वं न एतन्महामते
Tell us the story of that Vena as it happened before, in detail, O best of the wise, for you surely know this, O great-minded one.
सूत उवाच- चरित्रं तस्य वेनस्य वैन्यस्यापि महात्मनः । प्रवक्ष्यामि सुपुण्यं च यथान्यायं श्रुतं पुरा
Sūta said: I will recount the story of that Vena and also of the great-souled son of Vena, as it was formerly heard, and which is supremely meritorious and proper.
जाते पुत्रे महाभागस्तस्मिन्पृथौ महात्मनि । विमलत्वं गतो राजा धर्मत्वं गतवान्पुनः
When his son, the great and noble Pṛthu, was born, the king became pure and once again attained righteousness.
महापापानि सर्वाणि अर्जितानि नराधमैः । तीर्थसंगप्रसंगेन तेषां पापं प्रयाति च
All the great sins accumulated by the worst of men are removed through association with sacred places.
सतां संगात्प्रजायेत पुण्यमेव न संशयः । पापानां तु प्रसंगेन पापमेव प्रजायते
From association with the virtuous, only merit arises—of this there is no doubt; but from association with the wicked, only sin is produced.
संभाषाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शादासनाद्भोजनात्किल । पापिनां संगमाच्चैव किल्बिषं परिसंचरेत्
Indeed, through conversation, sight, touch, sitting together, and eating with sinners, and by associating with them, sin spreads.
तथा पुण्यात्मकानां च पुण्यमेव प्रसंचरेत् । महातीर्थप्रसंगेन पापाः शुध्यंति नान्यथा
In the same way, for those whose nature is virtuous, only virtue increases; through association with great sacred waters, sins are cleansed, not otherwise.
पुण्यां गतिं प्रयान्त्येते निर्द्धूताशेष कल्मषाः । ऋषय ऊचुः- तत्कथं यांति ते पापाः परां सिद्धिं द्विजोत्तम
Freed from all impurities, these attain a blessed state;— The sages said: How do those who are sinful, O best of twice-born, attain supreme perfection?
तन्नो विस्तरतो ब्रूहि श्रोतुं श्रद्धा प्रवर्तते
Tell us this in detail; our faith is stirred to hear.
सूत उवाच- लुब्धकाश्च महापापाः संजाता दासधीवराः । रेवा च यमुना गंगास्तासामंभसि संस्थिताः
Sūta said: Even hunters, great sinners, who have become servants and fishermen, when they stand in the waters of the Revā, Yamunā, or Gaṅgā—
ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतः स्नात्वा संक्रीडंति च वै जले । महानद्याः प्रसंगेन ते यांति परमां गतिम्
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, by bathing or playing in the water, through association with the great river, they attain the highest state.
दासत्वं पापसंघातं परित्यज्य व्रजंति ते । पुण्यतोयप्रसंगाच्च ह्याप्लुताः सर्व एव ते
Abandoning servitude and the mass of sins, they proceed onward; through contact with the holy waters, all of them are purified.
महानद्याः प्रसंगाच्च अन्यासां नैव सत्तमाः । महापुण्यजनस्यापि पापं नश्यति पापिनाम्
It is only through association with the great river, not with others, O excellent ones; even the sin of the most sinful is destroyed by the merit of the great ones.
प्रसंगाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शान्नात्र कार्या विचारणा । अत्रार्थे श्रूयते विप्रा इतिहासोऽघनाशनः
By association, by sight, by touch—there should be no doubt about this; regarding this, O Brāhmaṇas, a story is heard, the destroyer of sin.
तं वो अद्य प्रवक्ष्यामि बहुपुण्यप्रदायकम् । कश्चिदस्ति मृगव्याधः सुलोभाख्यो महावने
That I will tell you today, which bestows much merit: There was a certain hunter named Sulobha in a great forest.
श्वभिर्वागुरिजालैश्च धनुर्बाणैस्तथैव च । मृगान्घातयते नित्यं पिशितास्वादलंपटः
With dogs, snares, nets, and also with bow and arrows, he constantly killed deer, delighting in the taste of flesh.
एकदा तु सुदुष्टात्मा बाणपाणिर्धनुर्धरः । श्वभिः परिवृतो दुर्गं वनं विंध्यस्य वै गतः
Once, that wicked-minded one, bow in hand and armed with arrows, surrounded by dogs, entered a difficult part of the Vindhya forest.
मृगान्रुरून्वराहांश्च भीतान्सूदितवान्बहून् । रेवातीरं समासाद्य कश्चिच्छफरघातकः
He killed many frightened deer, antelopes, and boars; reaching the bank of the Revā, there was a certain fish-killer.
शफरान्सूदयित्वा स निर्जगाम बहिर्जलात् । मृगव्याधस्य लोभस्य भयत्रस्ता ततो मृगी
Having killed the fish, he came out from the water; then, a doe, terrified by the greed of the hunter, fled in fear.
जीवत्राणपरा सार्ता भीता चलितचेतना । त्वरमाणा पलायंती रेवातीरं समाश्रिता
Intent on saving her life, distressed and her senses shaken by fear, she hurriedly fled and took refuge on the bank of the Revā.
श्वभिश्च चालिता सा तु बाणघातक्षतातुरा । श्वसनस्यापि वेगेन सुलभो मृगघातकः
Driven by the dogs, wounded and suffering from the arrow's blow, the hunter, swift as the wind, pursued the deer.
पृष्ठ एव समायाति पुरतो याति सा मृगी । दृष्टवांस्तां शफरहा बाणपाणिः समुद्यतः
He approached from behind as the doe moved ahead; the fish-killer, bow in hand and ready, saw her.
धनुरानम्य वेगेन अनुरुध्य च तां मृगीम् । तावल्लुब्धक लोभाख्यः श्वभिः सार्द्धं समागतः
Drawing his bow with force, he chased after the doe; at that moment, the hunter named Lobhākhya arrived together with his dogs.
न हंतव्या मदीयेयं मृगयां मे समागता । तस्य वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य मीनहा मांसलंपटः
"This one is mine, not to be killed; she has come into my hunt." Hearing these words, the fish-killer, eager for flesh—
बाणं मुमोच दुष्टात्मा तामुद्दिश्य महाबलः । निहता मृगलुब्धेन बाणेन निशितेन च
That wicked-souled, mighty one released an arrow, aiming at her; struck by the arrow, sharp and deadly, she was slain by the hunter.
प्रमृता सा मृगी तत्र बाणाभ्यां पापचेतसोः । श्वभिर्दंतैः समाक्रांता त्वरमाणा पपात सा
There, that doe, struck by the two evil-minded ones' arrows, fell swiftly to the ground, assailed by dogs with their teeth.