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?'
ताडनात्ताडनं दुष्टे न कुर्वंति महाजनाः । आक्रुष्टा नैव कुप्यंति इति धर्मस्य संस्थितिः
'The noble do not strike in return, O wicked one; even when abused, they do not become angry—such is the foundation of righteousness.'
त्वयाहं घातितः पापे निर्दोषस्तपसान्वितः । एवमुक्त्वा स धर्मात्मा सुनीथां पापचारिणीम्
'By you, O sinful one, I have been struck, though faultless and devoted to austerity.' Having spoken thus, that righteous soul ceased from anger towards Sunīthā, the wrongdoer.
विरराम महाक्रोधाज्ज्ञात्वा नारीं निवर्तितः । ततः सा पापमोहाद्वा बाल्याद्वा तमिहैव च
He desisted, knowing her to be a woman, out of great anger; then, whether from sinful delusion or childishness, she—
समुवाच महात्मानं सुशंखं तपसि स्थितम् । त्रैलोक्यवासिनां तातो ममैव परिघातकः
Addressed the great-souled Suśankha, who was engaged in austerity: 'O father, among the dwellers of the three worlds, you alone are my destroyer.'
असतो घातयेन्नित्यं सत्यान्स परिपालयेत् । नैव दोषो भवेत्तस्य महापुण्येन वर्तयेत्
He should always strike down the wicked and protect the truthful; there is no fault in him for this, for he acts with great merit.
एवमुक्त्वा गता सा तु पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । मया हि ताडितस्तात गंधर्वतनयो वने
Having spoken thus, she went and said to her father: 'Father, I was struck in the forest by the son of a Gandharva.'
तपस्तपन्सदैकांते कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । स मामुवाच धर्मात्मा क्रोधरागसमन्वितः
Practicing austerity in solitude, free from desire and anger, that righteous-souled one, though filled with anger and passion, spoke to me.
ताडयेन्नैव ताडंतं क्रोशंतं नैव क्रोशयेत् । इत्युवाच स मां तात तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद
'One should not strike one who strikes, nor shout at one who shouts,' thus he spoke to me, father; tell me the reason for this.
एवमुक्तः स वै मृत्युः सुनीथां द्विजसत्तमाः । किंचिन्नोवाच धर्मात्मा प्रश्नप्रत्युत्तरं ततः
Thus addressed, O best of twice-born, Death did not say anything further to Sunitha, the righteous-souled, in response to her question.
वनं प्राप्ता पुनः सा हि सुशंखो यत्र संस्थितः । कराघातैस्ततो दौष्ट्याद्घातितस्तपतां वरः
She returned again to the forest where Sushankha was staying; then, out of malice, she struck that best of ascetics with her hands.