ध्यायंतीं चिंतयानां तामूचुश्चिंतापरायणाः । कस्माच्चिंतसि भद्रे त्वमनया चिंतयान्विता
Seeing her absorbed in meditation and deep thought, those devoted to reflection spoke: 'Why, O blessed one, are you so immersed in thought?'
तन्नो वै कारणं ब्रूहि चिंतादुःखप्रदायिनी । एकैव सार्थकी चिंता धर्मस्यार्थे विचिंत्यते
'Tell us the reason for this, for such anxious thought brings sorrow. Only one kind of thought is meaningful: that which is directed toward righteousness.'
द्वितीया सार्थका चिंता योगिनां धर्मनंदिनी । अन्या निरर्थिका चिंता तां नैव परिकल्पयेत्
'A second meaningful thought is that which delights the righteous among yogis. Any other thought is fruitless and should not be entertained.'
कायनाशकरी चिंता बल तेजः प्रणाशिनी । नाशयेत्सर्वसौख्यं तु रूपहानिं निदर्शयेत्
'Thought destroys the body, saps strength and brilliance; it ruins all happiness and brings about loss of beauty.'
तृष्णां मोहं तथा लोभमेतांश्चिंता हि प्रापयेत् । पापमुत्पादयेच्चिंता चिंतिता च दिने दिने
'Thought leads to craving, delusion, and greed; when indulged in daily, it gives rise to sin.'
चिंताव्याधिप्रकाशाय नरकाय प्रकल्पयेत् । तस्माच्चिंतां परित्यज्य चानुवर्तस्व शोभने
'Thought brings about disease and leads to hell. Therefore, O beautiful one, abandon anxious thought and follow the right path.'
अर्जितं कर्मणा पूर्वं स्वयमेव नरेण तु । तदेव भुंक्तेऽसौ जंतुर्ज्ञानवान्न विचिंतयेत्
'Whatever a person has previously acquired by action, that alone he experiences; the wise do not worry.'
तस्माच्चिंतां परित्यज्य सुखदुःखादिकं वद । तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सुनीथा वाक्यमब्रवीत्
'Therefore, abandon anxious thought and tell us about your happiness or sorrow.' Hearing their words, Sunitha spoke.
सूत उवाच- यथा शप्ता वने पूर्वं सुशंखेन महात्मना । तासु सर्वं समाख्यातं सखीष्वेव विचेष्टितम्
Sūta said: As she had previously been cursed in the forest by the great-souled Suśankha, Sunitha recounted everything to her friends, describing all that had happened.
आत्मनश्च महाभागा दुःखेनातिप्रपीडिता । सुनीथोवाच- अन्यच्चैव प्रवक्ष्यामि सख्यः शृण्वंतु सांप्रतम्
And, greatly afflicted by sorrow herself, the blessed Sunitha said: 'I will tell you something else as well, friends, listen now.'
मदीयरूपसंपत्ति वयः सगुणसंपदः । विलोक्य तातश्चिंतात्मा संजातो मम कारणात्
'Seeing my beauty, youth, and abundance of virtues, my father became anxious because of me.'
देवेभ्यो दातुकामोऽसौ मुनिभ्यस्तु महायशाः । मां च हस्ते विगृह्यैव सर्वान्वाक्यमुदाहरत्
'Wishing to give me to the gods or to the great sages, he took me by the hand and spoke these words to all.'
गुणयुक्ता सुता बाला ममेयं चारुलोचना । दातुकामोस्मि भद्रं वो गुणिने सुमहात्मने
'This girl, my daughter, endowed with virtues and lovely eyes, I wish to give to a worthy and noble soul—may it be well for you all.'
मृत्योर्वाक्यं ततो देवा ऋषयः शुश्रुवुस्तदा । तमूचुर्भाषमाणं ते देवा इंद्र पुरोगमाः
Then the gods and sages heard the words of Mṛtyu; the gods, led by Indra, spoke to him.
तव कन्या गुणाढ्येयं शीलानां परमो निधिः । दोषेणैकेन संदुष्टा ऋषिशापेन तेन वै
'Your daughter, rich in virtues, is the supreme treasure of good conduct, but she has been tainted by a single fault due to the curse of a sage.'
अस्यामुत्पत्स्यते पुत्रो यस्य वीर्यात्पुमान्किल । भविता स महापापी पुण्यवंशविनाशकः
'From her will be born a son, and by his power he will be a man; he will become a great sinner and the destroyer of a noble lineage.'
गंगातोयेन संपूर्णः कुंभ एव प्रदृश्यते । सुरायाबिन्दुनालिप्तो मद्यकुम्भः प्रजायते
A pot filled with water from the Ganges is seen as such; a pot of liquor, touched by a drop of alcohol, becomes liquor.
पापस्य पापसंसर्गात्कुलं पापि प्रजायते । आरनालस्य वै बिंदुः क्षीरमध्ये प्रयाति चेत्
From association with sin, a sinful person is born into a family; if a drop of buttermilk enters milk,
पश्चान्नाशयते क्षीरमात्मरूपं प्रकाशयेत् । तद्वद्विनाशयेद्वंशं पापः पुत्रो न संशयः
Afterwards, it destroys the milk and reveals its own nature; in the same way, a sinful son will destroy the lineage—there is no doubt.
अनेनापि हि दोषेण तवेयं पापभागिनी । अन्यस्मै दीयतां गच्छ देवैरुक्तः पिता मम
Because of this fault, she is a bearer of sin for you; let her be given to another, go—my father was told this by the gods.
देवैश्चापि सगंधर्वैर्ऋषिभिश्च महात्मभिः । तैश्चापि संपरित्यक्तः पिता मे दुःखपीडितः
By the gods, Gandharvas, and great sages, my father was abandoned by them, afflicted by sorrow.
ममान्ये चापि स्वीकारं न कुर्वंति हि सज्जनाः । एवं पापमयं कर्म मया चैव पुरा कृतम्
Others, too, do not accept me, nor do the virtuous; thus, this sinful act was committed by me in the past.
संतप्ता दुःखशोकेन वनमेव समाश्रिता । तप एव चरिष्यामि करिष्ये कायशोषणम्
Tormented by grief and sorrow, I have taken refuge in the forest; I will practice austerity and cause my body to waste away.
भवतीभिः सुपृष्टाहं कार्यकारणमेव हि । मम चिंतानुगं कर्म मया तद्वः प्रकाशितम्
You have questioned me well regarding the cause and effect; my actions, following my thoughts, I have revealed to you.
एवमुक्त्वा सुनीथा सा मृत्योः कन्या यशस्विनी । विरराम च दुःखार्ता किंचिन्नोवाच वै पुनः
Having spoken thus, Sunitha, the illustrious daughter of Death, ceased, afflicted by sorrow, and said nothing further.
सख्य ऊचुः- दुःखमेव महाभागे त्यज कायविनाशनम् । नास्ति कस्य कुले दोषो देवैः पापं समाश्रितम्
Her friends said—O noble one, abandon this destruction of the body in sorrow; in whose family is there fault? Sin is taken up by the gods.
जिह्ममुक्तं पुरा तेन ब्रह्मणा हरसंनिधौ । देवैश्चापि स हि त्यक्तो ब्रह्माऽपूज्यतमोऽभवत्
Long ago, Brahma spoke deceitfully in the presence of Shiva; he was abandoned by the gods, and Brahma became the least honored.
ब्रह्महत्या प्रयुक्तोऽसौ देवराजोपि पश्य भोः । देवैः सार्धं महाभागस्त्रैलोक्यं परिभुंजति
Even Indra, the king of gods, committed Brahminicide—see, O noble one; yet, together with the gods, he enjoys the three worlds.
गौतमस्य प्रियां भार्यामहल्यां गतवान्पुरा । परदाराभिगामी स देवत्वे परिवर्त्तते
Once, he went to the beloved wife of Gautama, Ahalya; though he approached another's wife, he remains among the gods.
ब्रह्महत्योपमं कर्म दारुणं कृतवान्हरः । ब्रह्मणस्तु कपालेन चाद्यापि परिवर्तते
Shiva performed a terrible act, akin to Brahminicide; even now, he wanders with Brahma's skull.