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.
अत्युग्रपापिनां संगात्पापमेव प्रसंचरेत् । मातामहस्य दोषेण संलिप्तो वेन एव सः
But by association with those of exceedingly great sin, only sin is produced; by the fault of his maternal grandfather, Vena himself became tainted.
ऋषय ऊचुः- मातामहस्य को दोषस्तं नो विस्तरतो वद । स मृत्युः स च वै कालः स यमो धर्म एव च
The sages said: What was the fault of his maternal grandfather? Tell us that in detail. He is death, he is time, he is Yama, and indeed, he is Dharma.
न हिंसको हि कस्यापि पदे तस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठितः । चराचराश्च ये लोकाः स्वकर्मवशवर्तिनः
He does not harm anyone, established in that position; all the worlds, moving and unmoving, act according to their own karma.
जीवंति च म्रियंते च भुंजंत्येवं स्वकर्मभिः । पापाः पश्यंति तं घोरं तेषां कर्मविपाकतः
They live and die, and enjoy according to their own actions; the wicked see that terrible one as a result of their karma.
निरयेषु च सर्वेषु कर्मणैवं सुपुण्यवान् । योजयेत्ताडयेत्सूत यम एष दिनेदिने
In all the hells, by karma alone, O Sūta, Yama, endowed with great merit, assigns and punishes them day by day.
सर्वेष्वेव सुपुण्येषु कर्मस्वेवं सपुण्यवान् । योजयत्येव धर्मात्मा तस्य दोषो न दृश्यते
In all meritorious deeds, the virtuous one assigns only according to karma; no fault is seen in him.
स मृत्योः केन दोषेण पापी वेनस्त्वजायत । सूत उवाच- स मृत्युः शासको नित्यं पापानां दुष्टचेतसाम्
By what fault of Death was the sinful Vena born? The Sūta said: That Death is ever the ruler of the wicked, of those with corrupt minds.
वर्तते कालरूपेण तेषां कर्म विमृश्यति । दुष्कृतं कर्म यस्यापि कर्मणा तेन घातयेत्
He exists in the form of Time, considering their deeds; by their own evil actions, he destroys them through those very actions.
तस्य पापं विदित्वाऽसौ नयत्येवं हि तं यमः । सुकृतात्मा लभेत्स्वर्गं कर्मणा सुकृतेन वै
Knowing his sin, Yama leads him thus; but one whose soul is virtuous attains heaven through good deeds.
योजयत्येष तान्सर्वान्मृत्युरेव सुदूतकैः । महता सौख्यभावेन गीतमंगलकारिणा
Death himself binds all these with swift messengers, with great delight, with songs and auspicious music.
दानभोगादिभिश्चैव योजयेच्च कृतात्मकान् । पीडाभिर्विविधाभिश्च क्लेशैः काष्ठैश्च दारुणैः
He joins the virtuous with gifts, enjoyments, and the like; but with various torments, sufferings, and cruel hardships,
त्रासयेत्ताडयेद्विप्रान्स क्रोधो मृत्युरेव तान् । कर्मण्येवं हि तस्यापि व्यापारः परिवर्तते
He frightens and strikes the wicked; Death is their anger itself. Thus, his function revolves according to their deeds.
मृत्योश्चापि महाभाग लोभात्पुण्यात्प्रजायते । सुनीथा नाम वै कन्या संजातैषा महात्मनः
O highly fortunate one, even Death, out of greed, begot a daughter from merit; she was named Sunīthā, born to a great soul.
पितुःकर्म विमृश्यैव क्रीडमाना सदैव सा । प्रजानां शास्ति कर्तारं पुण्यपापनिरीक्षणम्
Always playing, she considered her father's actions; she governs the doer among beings, observing virtue and vice.
सा तु कन्या महाभागा सुनीथा नाम तस्य सा । रममाणा वनं प्राप्ता सखीभिः परिवारिता
That highly fortunate maiden, named Sunīthā, while enjoying herself, entered the forest, surrounded by her companions.
तत्रापश्यन्महाभागं गंधर्वतनयं वरम् । गीतकोलाहलस्यापि सुशंखं नाम सा तदा
There she saw the illustrious son of a Gandharva, named Suśankha, renowned for his musical skill.
ददर्श चारुसर्वांगं तप्यंतं सुमहत्तपः । गीतविद्यासु सिद्ध्यर्थं ध्यायमानं सरस्वतीम्
She beheld him, handsome in every limb, engaged in great austerity, meditating on Sarasvatī for mastery in the arts of music.
तस्योपघातमेवासौ सा चकार दिने दिने । सुशंखः क्षमते नित्यं गच्छगच्छेति सोऽब्रवीत्
She daily caused him harm; yet Suśankha always forgave, saying, 'Go, go.'
प्रेषिता नैव गच्छेत्सा विघ्नमेव समाचरेत् । तेनाप्युक्ता सा हि क्रुद्धा ताडयत्तपसि स्थितम्
Though sent away, she would not go, but only created obstacles; even when he spoke to her, she, angered, struck him as he practiced austerity.
तामुवाच ततः क्रुद्धः सुशंखः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । दुष्टे पापसमाचारे कस्माद्विघ्नस्त्वया कृतः
Then, enraged and overcome by anger, Suśankha spoke to her: 'Wicked one, evil in conduct, why have you caused this hindrance?'