कस्मादुपेक्षसे कांत तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद । तामुवाच महाराजो नाहं हन्मि इमां स्त्रियम्
Why do you neglect her, beloved? Tell me your reason for this. The great king replied to her: 'I will not kill this woman.'
महादोषं प्रिये दृष्टं स्त्रीवधे दैवतैः किल । तस्मान्न घातयेन्नारीं प्रेषयेहं न कंचन
Beloved, the gods have declared the slaying of a woman to be a great sin; therefore, I will not kill a woman, nor send anyone to do so.
अस्या वधनिमित्तार्थे पापाद्बिभेमि सुंदरि । एवमुक्त्वा तदा राजा विरराम महीपतिः
For the sake of killing her, O beautiful one, I fear sin. Having spoken thus, the king then fell silent.
लुब्धको झार्झरो नाम ददृशे स तु सूकरीम् । कुर्वंतीं कदनं तेषां दुःसहां सुभटैरपि
A hunter named Jhārjhara saw that sow, fiercely attacking them in a way unbearable even for mighty warriors.
आविव्याध सुवेगेन बाणेन निशितेन हि । संलग्नेन तु बाणेन शोणितेन परिप्लुता
With great speed, he pierced her with a sharp arrow; the arrow stuck fast, and she was drenched in blood.
शोभमाना त्वरां प्राप्ता वीरश्रिया समाकुला । तुंडेनापि हतः संख्ये झार्झरः स तया पुनः
Shining, seized by haste, and filled with heroic splendor, she struck Jhārjhara in battle with her tusk.
पतमानेन तेनापि झार्झरेण तदा हता । खड्गेन निशितेनापि पपात विदलीकृता
As he fell, Jhārjhara struck her down with his sharp sword, and she collapsed, her body split open.
श्वसमाना रणेनापि मूर्च्छनाभि परिप्लुता । दुःखेन महताविष्टा जीवमाना महीतले
Breathing heavily from the battle, overwhelmed by faintness and great pain, she lay alive upon the earth.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे पंचचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fifth chapter, called the Story of Sukalā, in the Vena narrative of the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
षट्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः सुकलोवाच- श्वसंतीं शूकरीं दृष्ट्वा पतितां पुत्रवत्सलाम् । सुदेवावकृपयाविष्टा गत्वा तां दुःखितां प्रति
Chapter forty-six. Sukalā said: Seeing the sow, who loved her offspring, fallen and gasping, Sudevā, filled with compassion, approached her in her sorrow.
अभिषिच्य मुखं तस्याः शीतलेनोदकेन च । पुनः सर्वांगमेवापि दुःखितां रणशालिनीम्
She sprinkled the sow's face with cool water, and then, grieving, bathed her entire body, wounded from battle.
पुण्येन शीततोयेन सा उवाचाभिषिंचतीम् । उवाच मानुषीं वाचं सुस्वरं नृपतिप्रियाम्
As she sprinkled her with holy, cool water, the sow spoke to her in a human voice, sweet and pleasing to the king.
सुखं भवतु ते देवि अभिषिक्ता त्वया यदि । संपर्काद्दर्शनात्तेद्य गतो मे पापसंचयः
May happiness be yours, O lady, since you have anointed me; by your touch and sight today, my store of sin is gone.
तदाकर्ण्य महद्वाक्यमद्भुताकारसंयुतम् । चित्रमेतन्मया दृष्टं कृतं तेऽनामयं वचः
Hearing those great and wondrous words, I saw this marvel: you have spoken words free from harm.
पशुजातिमतीचेयं सौष्ठवं भाषते स्फुटम् । स्वरव्यंजनसंपन्नं संस्कृतमुत्तमं मम
Though born as an animal, she speaks with clear refinement, her voice and articulation excellent and pure.
हर्षेण विस्मयेनापि कृत्वा साहसमुत्तमम् । तत्रस्था सा महाभागा तं पतिं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
With joy and amazement, having performed a great deed, that blessed lady, standing there, spoke to her husband.
पश्य राजन्नपूर्वेयं संस्कृतं भाषते महत् । पशुयोनिगता चेयं यथा वै मानुषो वदेत्
See, O king, this unprecedented thing: she speaks refined speech, though born in an animal womb, just as a human would.
तदाकर्ण्य ततो राजा सर्वज्ञानवतां वरः । अद्भुतमद्भुताकारं यन्न दृष्टं श्रुतं मया
Hearing this, the king, foremost among those possessing all knowledge, beheld this wondrous, marvelous sight, never before seen or heard by me.
तामुवाच ततो राजा सुदेवां सुप्रियां तदा । पृच्छ चैनां शुभां कांते का चेयं तु भविष्यति
Then the king spoke to Sudevā, his beloved: 'Ask her, O lovely one, who this auspicious being will be.'
श्रुत्वा तु नृपतेर्वाक्यं सा पप्रच्छ च सूकरीम् । का भविष्यसि त्वं भद्रे चित्रं ते दृश्यते बहु
Hearing the king's words, she questioned the sow: 'Who will you be, O blessed one? Many wonders are seen in you.'
पशुयोनिगता त्वं वै भाषसे मानुषं वचः । सौष्ठवं ज्ञानसंपन्नं वद मे पूर्वचेष्टितम्
Though you are born in an animal womb, you speak human words—refined and full of knowledge. Tell me of your former deeds.
भर्तुश्चापि महाराज भटस्यास्य महात्मनः । कोयं धर्मो महावीर्यो गतः स्वर्गं पराक्रमैः
And of your master, O great king, this heroic servant of noble soul—what is his dharma, this mighty one who has attained heaven through his valor?
आत्मनश्च स्वभर्तुश्च सर्वं पूर्वानुगं वद । एवमुक्त्वा महाभागा विरराम नृपप्रिया
Tell me everything about yourself and your master, all that happened before. Having spoken thus, the blessed queen ceased.
शूकर्युवाच- यदि पृच्छसि मां भद्रे ममास्य च महात्मनः । तत्सर्वं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि चरितं पूर्वचेष्टितम्
The boar said: If you ask me, O good lady, about myself and this great soul, I will tell you everything—our past deeds and actions.
अयमेष महाप्राज्ञो गंधर्वो गीतपंडितः । रंगविद्याधरो नाम सर्वशास्त्रार्थकोविदः
This one is a great sage, a Gandharva skilled in song, known as Rangavidyadhara, learned in the meanings of all the scriptures.
मेरुं गिरिवरश्रेष्ठं चारुकंदरनिर्झरम् । तमाश्रित्य महातेजाः पुलस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः
Relying on Meru, the foremost of mountains, with its beautiful sparkling waterfalls, the illustrious sage Pulastya, best among sages, took up residence there.
तपश्चचार तेजस्वी निर्व्यलीकेन चेतसा । विद्याधरस्तत्र गतः स्वेच्छया स महाप्रभो
That radiant one performed austerities with a mind free from deceit; and there, by his own will, the Vidyadhara also arrived, O great lord.
तमाश्रित्य गिरिश्रेष्ठं गीतमभ्यसते तदा । स्वरतालसमोपेतं सुस्वरं चारुहासिनि
Dwelling on that best of mountains, he practiced singing, accompanied by proper notes and rhythm, with a sweet voice, O lovely-smiling one.
गीतं श्रुत्वा मुनिस्तस्य ध्यानाच्चलितमानसः । गायंतं तमुवाचेदं गीतविद्याधरं प्रति
Hearing his song, the sage's mind was disturbed from meditation; he addressed that Vidyadhara skilled in song with these words.
भवद्गीतेन दिव्येन देवा मुह्यंति नान्यथा । सुस्वरेण सुपुण्येन तालमानेन पंडित
By your divine singing, O learned one, even the gods are bewildered—such is its sweetness, virtue, and perfect rhythm.