वाहनानि विचित्राणि यानान्येव महामते । नानागंधान्सकर्पूरं यमपंथ सुखप्रदे
Various vehicles and conveyances, O wise one; fragrances of many kinds with camphor, which bring comfort on the path of Yama.
उपानहौ प्रदातव्ये यदीच्छेद्विपुलं सुखम् । एतैर्दानैर्महाराज यमपंथं सुखेन वै
Footwear should be given if one desires abundant happiness; with these gifts, O great king, the path of Yama is traversed with ease.
प्रयाति मानवो राजन्यमदूतैरलंकृतम्
A person proceeds, O king, adorned by the messengers of Yama.
एकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः 2.41 वेन उवाच- पुत्रो भार्या कथं तीर्थं पितामाता कथं वद । गुरुश्चैव कथं तीर्थं तन्मे विस्तरतो वद
Chapter Forty-One. Vena said: How is a son a sacred place, how is a wife, and how are father and mother? Tell me; and how is a teacher a sacred place? Explain this to me in detail.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच- अस्ति वाराणसी रम्या गंगायुक्ता महापुरी । तस्यां वसति वैश्यैकः कृकलो नाम नामतः
Sri Vishnu said: There is Varanasi, delightful, a great city joined with the Ganges; in it dwells a merchant named Krkala.
तस्य भार्या महासाध्वी पतिव्रतपरायणा । धर्माचारपरा नित्यं सा वै पतिपरायणा
His wife was a great and virtuous woman, devoted to her husband; always intent on righteous conduct, she was devoted to her husband.
सुकला नाम पुण्यांगी सुपुत्रा चारुमंगला । सत्यंवदा सदा शुद्धा प्रियाकारा प्रियप्रिया
Named Sukala, blessed with a pure body, a good daughter, and charmingly auspicious; always truthful, ever pure, pleasing in appearance, beloved of the beloved.
एवंगुणैः समायुक्ता सुभगा चारुकारिणी । स वैश्य उत्तमो नाना धर्मज्ञो ज्ञानवान्गुणी
Endowed with such qualities, fortunate and beautiful in action; that merchant was excellent, knowledgeable in various dharmas, wise and virtuous.
पुराणे श्रौतधर्मे च सदा श्रवणतत्परः । तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन बहुपुण्यप्रदायकम्
In the Purana and Vedic dharma, always intent on listening; through pilgrimage, he bestowed much merit.
श्रद्धया निर्गतो यात्रां तीर्थानां पुण्यमंगलाम् । ब्राह्मणानां प्रसंगेन सार्थवाहेन तेन च
With faith, he set out on a journey to the auspicious holy places; accompanied by Brahmins and by that caravan leader.
प्रस्थितो धर्ममार्गं तु तमुवाच पतिव्रता । पतिस्नेहेन संमुग्धा भर्तारं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Setting out on the path of dharma, his devoted wife spoke to him; filled with affection for her husband, she addressed him with words.
सुकलोवाच- अहं ते धर्मतः पत्नी सहपुण्यकरा प्रिय । पतिमार्गं प्रतीक्ष्याहं पतिदेवं यजाम्यहम्
Sukala said: I am your wife by dharma, dear, a companion in merit; awaiting the path of my husband, I worship my husband as a god.
कदा नैव मया त्याज्यं सामीप्यं ते द्विजोत्तम । तवच्छायां समाश्रित्य करिष्ये धर्ममुत्तमम्
O best of twice-born, when shall I never forsake your nearness? Sheltering in your shade, I will perform the highest dharma.
पतिव्रताख्यं पापघ्नं नारीणां गतिदायकम् । पुण्यस्त्री कथ्यते लोके या स्यात्पतिपरायणा
That which is called fidelity to one's husband destroys sin and grants women their path; in the world, a virtuous woman is said to be one who is devoted to her husband.
युवतीनां पृथक्तीर्थं विना भर्तुर्न शोभते । सुखदं नास्ति वै लोके स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदायकम्
For young women, separate pilgrimage without their husband is not fitting; there is no happiness in the world, nor anything that grants heaven or liberation.
सव्यं पादं च भर्तुश्च प्रयागं विद्धि सत्तम । वामं च पुष्करं तस्य या नारी परिकल्पयेत्
Know, O noble one, that the husband's right foot is Prayaga, and his left is Pushkara; whichever woman conceives of them thus—
तस्य पादोदकस्नानात्तत्पुण्यं परि जायते । प्रयागपुष्करसमं स्नानं स्त्रीणां न संशयः
From bathing in the water at his feet, that merit arises; for women, bathing is equal to Prayaga and Pushkara, without doubt.
सर्वतीर्थमयो भर्ता सर्वपुण्यमयः पतिः । मखानां यजनात्पुण्यं यद्वै भवति दीक्षिते
The husband is the embodiment of all sacred places, the husband is full of all merit; the merit that comes from performing sacrifices for the initiated—
तत्फलं समवाप्नोति सेवया भर्तुरेव हि । गयादीनां सुतीर्थानां यात्रां कृत्वा हि यद्भवेत्
That fruit is attained by service to the husband alone; whatever results from pilgrimage to holy places like Gaya and others—
तत्फलं समवाप्नोति भर्तुः शुश्रूषणादपि । समासेन प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
That fruit is also attained by attending to the husband; I will briefly explain, listen to my words.
नास्त्यासां हि पृथग्धर्मः पतिशुश्रूषणं विना । तस्मात्कांतसहायं ते कुर्वाणा सुखदायिनी
There is no separate dharma for them apart from service to the husband; therefore, one who acts as a companion to her beloved brings happiness.
तवच्छायां समाश्रित्य आगमिष्यामि नान्यथा । विष्णुरुवाच- रूपं शीलं गुणं भक्तिं समालोक्य वयस्तथा
Sheltering in your shade, I will come, not otherwise. Vishnu said: Considering form, character, virtue, devotion, and also age—
सौकुमार्यं विचार्यैवं कृकलः स पुनःपुनः । यद्येवं हि नयिष्यामि दुर्गमार्गं सुदुःखदम्
Reflecting on her delicacy, thus the tortoise again and again: If it is so, I will lead her on a difficult path, full of hardship.
रूपनाशो भवेच्चास्याः शीतातपविलोडनात् । पद्मगर्भप्रतीकाशमस्याश्चांगं प्रवर्णकम्
Her beauty will be lost from exposure to cold and heat; her limbs, resembling a lotus bud, will become discolored.
झंझावातेन शीतेन कृष्णवर्णं भविष्यति । पंथाः कर्कश सुग्रावा पादौचास्याः सुकोमलौ
By wind and cold, her skin will become dark; the path is rough and stony, her feet are very tender.
एष्यते वेदनां तीव्रामथो गंतुं न च क्षमा । क्षुत्तृष्णाभिपरीतांगी कीदृशीयं भविष्यति
She will experience intense pain and will not be able to proceed; afflicted by hunger and thirst, what condition will she be in?
वामांगी मम च स्थानं सुखस्थानं वरानना । मम प्राणप्रिया नित्यं नित्यं धर्मस्य चाश्रयः
Her left side is my place, a place of comfort, O beautiful-faced one; she is always dear to my life, always a refuge for dharma.
नाशमेति यदा बाला मम नाशो भवेदिह । इयं मे जीविका नित्यमियं प्राणस्य चेश्वरी
When the girl perishes, then I too perish here; she is my constant livelihood, she is the mistress of my life.
न नयिष्ये वनं तीर्थमेकश्चैवाप्यहं व्रजे । चिंतयित्वा क्षणं नूनं कृकलेन महात्मना
I will not lead her to the forest or to a pilgrimage, I will go alone; after reflecting for a moment, the great-souled tortoise—
तस्य चित्तानुगो भावस्तया ज्ञातो नृपोत्तम । पुनरूचे महाभागा भर्त्तारं प्रस्थितं तदा
His feeling followed his mind, and she understood it, O best of kings; then the blessed one spoke again to her husband, who was about to depart.