इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवेशस्तमंगं प्रति स द्विज । कस्यचित्पुण्यवीर्यस्य पुण्यां कन्यां विवाहय
Having spoken thus, the Lord of gods addressed him: Marry a virtuous maiden, the daughter of one endowed with merit.
तस्यामुत्पादय सुतं शुभं पुण्यावह प्रियम् । स भविष्यति धर्मात्मा मत्प्रसादान्महामते
Beget upon her a good son, bringer of merit and dear to you; by my grace, O wise one, he will be righteous in soul.
सर्वज्ञः सर्ववेत्ता च यादृशो वांछितस्त्वया । एवं वरं ततो दत्वा अंतर्धानं गतो हरिः
All-knowing, knower of everything, just as you desire; having thus granted the boon, Hari disappeared.
ऋषय ऊचुः- शप्ता गंधर्वपुत्रेण सुशंखेन महात्मना । तस्य शापात्कथं जाता किं किं कर्म कृतं तया
The sages said: Cursed by Suśaṅkha, the great-souled son of a Gandharva—how did she come to be so by his curse, and what deeds did she perform?
सा लेभे कीदृशं पुत्रं तस्य शापाद्द्विजोत्तम । सुनीथायाश्च चरितं त्वं नो विस्तरतो वद
What kind of son did she obtain as a result of his curse, O best of twice-born? Tell us in detail the story of Sunīthā.
सूत उवाच- सुशंखेनापि तेनैव सा शप्ता तनुमध्यमा । पितुः स्थानं गता सा तु सुनीथा दुःखपीडिता
Sūta said: By that very Suśaṅkha she was cursed, slender-waisted; Sunīthā, afflicted by sorrow, went to her father's abode.
पितरं चात्मनश्चैव चरितं च प्रकाशितम् । श्रुतवान्सोपि धर्मात्मा मृत्युः सत्यवतां वर
She revealed the deeds of her father and herself; and that righteous one, Death, foremost among the truthful, heard it.
तामुवाच सुनीथां तु सुतां शप्तां महात्मना । भवत्या दुष्कृतं पापं धर्म तेजः प्रणाशनम्
He addressed Sunīthā, his daughter, who had been cursed, with great soul: 'By you, sinful misdeed was committed, destroying your righteousness and radiance.'
कस्मात्कृतं महाभागे सुशांतस्य हि ताडनम् । विरुद्धं सर्वलोकस्य भवत्या परिकल्पितम्
Why did you do this, O highly fortunate one? The striking of Suśānta, who is peaceful, is an act opposed to all the worlds, conceived by you.
कामक्रोधविहीनं तं सुशांतं धर्मवत्सलम् । तपोमार्गे विलीनं च परब्रह्मणि संस्थितम्
That Suśānta, free from desire and anger, devoted to righteousness, absorbed in the path of austerity, established in the Supreme Brahman.
तमेवघातयेद्यो वै तस्य पापं शृणुष्व हि । पापात्मा जायते पुत्रः किल्बिषं लभते बहु
If one strikes him in return, listen to the sin that follows: a sinful soul is born as his son and he accrues much evil.
ताडंतं ताडयेद्यो वै क्रोशंतं क्रोशयेत्पुनः । तस्य पापं स वै भुंक्ते ताडितस्य न संशयः
He who strikes one who strikes, or shouts at one who shouts, surely partakes of the sin of the one struck—there is no doubt of this.
स वै शांतः स जितात्मा ताडयंतं न ताडयेत् । निर्दोषं प्रति येनापि ताडनं च कृतं सुते
He is truly peaceful and self-controlled who does not strike back at one who strikes, even if, O child, some harm has been done to him without fault.
पश्चान्मोहेन पापेन निर्दोषेऽपि च ताडयेत् । निर्दोषं प्रति येनापि हृद्रोगः क्रियते वृथा
If, later, out of delusion or sin, one strikes even the innocent, then, even without cause, he brings heartache upon the blameless.
निर्दोषं ताडयेत्पश्चान्मोहात्पापेन केनचित् । स पापी पापमाप्नोति निर्दोषस्य शरीरजम्
If, out of delusion or by some sin, one strikes the innocent, that sinner incurs the sin arising from the body of the blameless.
निर्दोषो घातयेत्तं वै ताडंतं पापचेतसम् । पुनरुत्थाय वेगेन साहसात्पापचेतनम्
If the innocent, rising up with force, kills the one who strikes with evil intent, then, by such boldness, the evil-minded is slain.
पापकर्तुश्च यत्पापं निर्दोषं प्रति गच्छति । ताडनं नैव तस्माद्वै कार्यं दोषवतोऽपि च
Whatever sin the wrongdoer commits against the innocent, that sin returns to him; therefore, one should not strike even the guilty.
दुष्कृतं च महत्पुत्रि त्वयैव परिपालितम् । शप्ता तेनापि याद्यैव तस्मात्पुण्यं समाचर
O daughter, you have preserved a great misdeed, and for that you have been cursed; therefore, now perform virtuous acts.
सतां संगं समासाद्य सदैव परिवर्तय । योगध्यानेन ज्ञानेन परिवर्तय नंदिनि
Always seek the company of the virtuous, and turn yourself toward good; transform yourself, Nandini, through yoga, meditation, and knowledge.
सतां संगो महापुण्यो बहुश्रेयो विधायकः । बाले पश्य सुदृष्टांतं सतां संगस्य यद्गुणम्
Association with the virtuous is supremely meritorious and brings great benefit; O child, observe well the example of the virtues gained by such company.
अपां संस्पर्शनात्पानात्स्नानात्तत्र महाधियः । मुनयः सिद्धिमायांति बाह्याभ्यंतरक्षालिताः
By touching, drinking, or bathing in water, the great sages attain perfection, being cleansed both outwardly and inwardly.
शुचिष्मंतो भवंत्येते लोकाः सर्वे चराचराः । आपः शांताः सुशीताश्च मृदुगात्राः प्रियंकराः
All these worlds, moving and unmoving, become pure; the waters are calm, cool, gentle to the touch, and pleasing.
निर्मला रसवत्यश्च पुण्यवीर्या मलापहाः । तथा संतस्त्वया ज्ञेया निषेव्याश्च प्रयत्नतः
They are pure, full of flavor, endowed with virtuous power, and remove impurities; in the same way, the virtuous should be known by you and diligently served.
यथा वह्निप्रसंगाच्च मलं त्यजति कांचनम् । तथा सतां हि संसर्गात्पापं त्यजति मानवः
Just as gold, by contact with fire, casts off its impurity, so too does a person, by association with the virtuous, abandon sin.
सत्यवह्निः प्रदीप्तश्च प्रज्वलेत्पुण्यतेजसा । सत्येन दीप्ततेजास्तु ज्ञानेनापि सुनिर्मलः
The fire of truth, blazing, burns with the radiance of virtue; by truth its brilliance shines, and by knowledge it is made pure.
अत्युष्णो ध्यानभावेन अस्पृश्यः पापजैर्नरैः । सत्यवह्नेः प्रसंगाच्च पापं सर्वं विनश्यति
By the heat of meditation, it is untouchable by those tainted with sin; and by association with the fire of truth, all sin is destroyed.
तस्मात्सत्यस्य संसर्गः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा त्वया । पापभारं परित्यज्य पुण्यमेवं समाश्रय
Therefore, you must always seek the company of truth; casting off the burden of sin, take refuge only in virtue.
सूत उवाच- एवं पित्रा सुनीथा सा दुःखिता प्रतिबोधिता । नमस्कृत्य पितुः पादौ गता सा निर्जनं वनम्
Sūta said: Thus, having been instructed by her father while she was sorrowful, Sunīthā, after bowing at her father's feet, went to a solitary forest.
कामं क्रोधं परित्यज्य बाल्यभावं तपस्विनी । मोहद्रोहौ च मायां च त्यक्त्वा एकांतमास्थिता
Having abandoned desire, anger, childishness, delusion, hatred, and illusion, the ascetic woman withdrew into solitude.
तस्याः सख्यः समाजग्मुः क्रीडार्थं लीलयान्विताः । तां ददृशुर्विशालाक्ष्यः सुनीथां दुःखभागिनीम्
Her friends, adorned with playfulness, gathered together for amusement; those broad-eyed ones saw Sunitha, afflicted by sorrow.