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.
शिखराच्च ह्रदे पुण्ये रेवायाः पापनाशने । श्वानश्च त्वरमाणास्ते पतिता विमले ह्रदे
From the peak she fell into the sacred lake of the Revā, the destroyer of sin; and the dogs, hurrying, also plunged into the pure lake.
मृगव्याधो वदत्येव धीवरं क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । मदीयेयं मृगी दुष्ट कस्माद्बाणैर्हता त्वया
The deer-hunter, enraged and overcome by anger, spoke to the fisherman: 'This is my doe, wicked one! Why have you slain her with your arrows?'
तमुवाच पुनः सोऽपि मीनहा मृगघातकम् । मदीयेयं न संदेहो अवलिप्त प्रभाषसे
Then the fisherman replied again to the deer-slayer: 'This is mine, without doubt; you speak arrogantly.'
युध्यमानौ ततस्तौ तु द्वावेतौ तु परस्परम् । क्रोधलोभान्महाभागौ पतितौ विमले जले
Then those two, both of great pride, fought with each other out of anger and greed, and fell into the pure water.
तस्मिन्काले महापर्व वर्तते गतिदायकम् । अमावास्या समायोगं महापुण्यफलप्रदम्
At that time, the great festival occurred, bestowing liberation—the conjunction with the new moon, which grants the highest merit.
वेलायां पतिताः सर्वे पर्वणस्तस्य सत्तम । जपध्यानविहीनास्ते भावसत्यविवर्जिताः
All of them fell into the water at that sacred festival time, O best of beings, lacking recitation, meditation, and true intent.
तीर्थस्नानप्रसंगेन मृगी श्वा च स लुब्धकः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तास्ते गताः परमां गतिम्
By the merit of bathing at the holy place, the doe, the dogs, and the hunter—all were freed from all sins and attained the highest state.
तीर्थानां च प्रभावेण सतां संगाद्द्विजोत्तमाः । नाशयेत्पापिनां पापं दहेदग्निरिवेंधनम्
By the power of holy places and the company of the virtuous, O best of twice-born, the sin of sinners is destroyed, just as fire burns up fuel.
सूत उवाच- तेषामेवं हि संसर्गादृषीणां च महात्मनाम् । संभाषाद्दर्शनान्नष्टं स्पर्शाच्चैव नृपस्य च
Sūta said: In this way, by association, conversation, sight, and even touch with those great-souled sages, the king's sin was destroyed.
वेनस्य कल्मषं नष्टं सतां संगात्पुरा किल । अत्युग्रपुण्यसंसर्गात्पापं नश्यति पापिनाम्
Formerly, by the company of the virtuous, the sin of Vena was destroyed; by contact with those of exceedingly great merit, the sin of sinners is destroyed.