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.
सुशंखस्ताडितो विप्रा मृत्योश्चैव हि कन्यया । ततः क्रुद्धो महातेजाः शशाप तनुमध्यमाम्
O Brahmins, Sushankha was struck by Death's daughter; then, enraged and full of great energy, he cursed the slender-waisted maiden.
निर्दोषो हि यतो दुष्टे त्वयैव परिताडितः । अहमत्र वने संस्थस्तस्माच्छापं ददाम्यहम्
'Since you, though wicked, have struck me who am without fault and dwelling in the forest, therefore I lay a curse upon you here.'
गार्हस्थ्यं च समास्थाय सह भर्त्रा यदा शृणु । पापाचारमयः पुत्रो देवब्राह्मणनिंदकः
'When you enter household life with your husband, listen: a son will be born to you, full of sinful conduct, a reviler of gods and Brahmins.'
सर्वपापरतो दुष्टे तव गर्भे भविष्यति । एवं शप्त्वा गतः सोपि तप एव समाश्रितः
'Devoted to all evil, O wicked one, he will be in your womb.' Having thus cursed her, he too departed, taking up austerities.
गते तस्मिन्महाभागे सा सुनीथा गृहं गता । समाचष्ट महात्मानं पितरं तप्तमानसा
When that great-souled one had departed, Sunitha went home, her mind troubled, and reported everything to her noble father.
यथा शप्ता तदा तेन गंधर्वतनयेन सा । तत्सर्वं संश्रुतं तेन मृत्युना परिभाषितम्
She told her father all that had happened, how she had been cursed by the Gandharva's son, and all that Death had said.
कस्मात्कृतस्त्वयाघातस्तपति दोषवर्जिते । युक्तं नैव कृतं पुत्रि सत्यस्यैव हि ताडनम्
'Why did you strike the ascetic, who was free from fault? O daughter, it was not right to strike one who is truthful.'
एवमाभाष्य धर्मात्मा मृत्युः परमदुःखितः । बभूव स हि तत्तस्यादिष्टमेवं विचिंतयन्
Having spoken thus, the righteous-souled Death became deeply distressed, pondering over what had thus been ordained for her.
सूत उवाच- अत्रिपुत्रो महातेजा अंगो नाम प्रतापवान् । एकदा तु गतो विप्रा नंदनं प्रति स द्विजः
The Sūta said: The mighty and illustrious son of Atri, named Anga, once went, O Brahmins, towards Nandana.
तत्र दृष्ट्वा देवराजं तमिंद्रं पाकशासनम् । अप्सरसां गणैर्युक्तं गंधर्वैः किन्नरैस्तथा
There he saw the king of the gods, Indra, the slayer of Vritra, surrounded by hosts of Apsarases, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras.