अग्निं च पितरं चैव न त्यजेत्स्वामिनं शुभे । सदा विप्रः सुतो भृत्यः सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
One should never abandon the sacred fire, father, or master, O auspicious one; always, a Brahmin, son, or servant—this is the truth, I declare.
परित्यज्य प्रगच्छंति ते यांति नरकार्णवम् । पतितं व्याधितं देवि विकलं कुष्ठिनं तथा
Those who abandon them and depart go to the ocean of hell; whether fallen, diseased, crippled, or leprous—
सर्वकर्मविहीनं च गतवित्तादिसंचयम् । भर्तारं न त्यजेन्नारी यदि श्रेय इहेच्छति
Even if deprived of all actions and bereft of wealth and other possessions, a woman should not abandon her husband if she desires her own good here.
त्यक्त्वा कांतं व्रजेन्नारी अन्यत्कार्यमिहेच्छति । सा मता पुंश्चली लोके सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृता
If a woman leaves her beloved and seeks another out of desire, she is regarded as a wanton woman in the world, excluded from all righteousness.
गते भर्तरि या ग्रामं भोगं शृंगारमेव च । लौल्याच्च कुरुते नारी पुंश्चली वदते जनः
When her husband is gone, a woman indulges in pleasures and sensuality in the village; due to her fickleness, people call her a wanton.
एवं धर्मं विजानामि वेदशास्त्रैश्च संमतम् । दानवा राक्षसाः प्रेता धात्रा सृष्टा यदादितः
Thus I understand dharma, as accepted by the Vedas and scriptures: demons, rakshasas, and pretas were created by the Creator from the beginning.
तत्रेह कारणं सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि न संशयः । ब्राह्मणा दानवाश्चैव पिशाचाश्चैव राक्षसाः
I will now explain the entire reason for this, without doubt: Brahmins, demons, pisachas, and rakshasas.
धर्मार्थं सकलं प्रोक्तमधीतं तैस्तु सुंदरि । विंदंति सकलं सर्वे आचरंति न दानवाः
All dharma and artha has been spoken and studied by them, O beautiful one; all understand it, but only the demons do not practice it.
विधिहीनं प्रकुर्वंति दानवा ज्ञानवर्जिताः । अन्यायेन व्रजंत्येते मानवा विधिवर्जिताः
Demons, lacking knowledge, act without proper rules; these humans, devoid of regulation, proceed unjustly.
तेषां शासनहेत्वर्थं कृता एतेपि नान्यथा । विधिहीनं प्रकुर्वंति ये हि धर्मं नराधमाः
For the sake of governing them, these rules were made, and not otherwise; those who act without proper rules are the lowest among men.
तान्वयं शासयामो वै दंडेन महता किल । भवत्या दारुणं कर्म कृतमेव सुनिर्घृणम्
We punish them with severe penalties; the deed done by you is indeed harsh and utterly merciless.
गार्हस्थ्यं च परित्यज्य अत्रायाता किमर्थतः । वदस्येवं मुखेनापि अहं हि पतिदेवता
Having abandoned household life, why have you come here? Speak openly, for I am devoted to my husband.
कर्मणा नास्ति तद्दृष्टं पतिदैवत्यमेव ते । भर्तारं तं परित्यज्य किमर्थं त्वमिहागता
By action, your devotion to your husband is not seen; having abandoned your husband, for what reason have you come here?
शृंगारं भूषणं वेषं कृत्वा तिष्ठसि निर्घृणा । किमर्थं हि कृतं पापे कस्यहेतोर्वदस्व मे
You stand here, heartless, having adorned yourself with ornaments and attire for sensuality; for what sinful purpose have you done this? Tell me for whose sake.
निःशंका वर्त्तसे चापि प्रमत्ता गिरिकानने । मया त्वं साधिता पापा दंडेन महता शृणु
You act without concern, careless, in the mountain forest; you, sinful one, have been subdued by me with severe punishment—listen.
अधर्मचारिणी दुष्टा पतिं त्यक्त्वा समागता । क्वास्ते तत्पतिदेवत्वं दर्शय त्वं ममाग्रतः
You, evil-doer, acting against dharma, have come here after abandoning your husband; where is your devotion to your husband? Show it before me.
भवती पुंश्चली नाम यया त्यक्तः स्वकः पतिः । पृथक्छय्या यदा नारी तदा सा पुंश्चली मता
You are called a wanton, by whom her own husband is abandoned; when a woman sleeps apart from her husband, she is considered a wanton.
योजनानां शतैकस्य सोन्तरेण प्रवर्त्तते । क्वास्ति ते पतिदैवत्यं पुंश्चल्याचारचारिणी
When there is a distance of one hundred yojanas between you, where is your devotion to your husband, you who follow the conduct of a wanton?
निर्लज्जे निर्घृणे दुष्टे किं मे वदसि संमुखी । तपसः क्वास्ति ते भावः क्व तेजोबलमेव च
Shameless, heartless, wicked one, what do you say to me face to face? Where is your asceticism, where is your energy and strength?
दर्शयस्व ममाद्यैव बलवीर्यपराक्रमम् । पद्मावत्युवाच- स्नेहेनापि समानीता श्रूयतामसुराधम
Show me today your power, valor, and prowess. Padmavati spoke: Even by affection I was brought here—listen, O lowest of asuras.
भर्तुर्गेहादहं पित्रा क्वास्ते तत्र च पातकम् । नैव कामान्न लोभाच्च न मोहान्न च मत्सरात्
I was brought from my husband's house by my father; where is the fault in that? Not from desire, nor from greed, nor from delusion, nor from envy.
आगताहं पतिं त्यक्त्वा पतिभावेन संस्थिता । भर्तृरूपच्छलेनापि त्वयैव परिवंचिता
I have come, having abandoned my husband, yet I remain devoted to him; even by your deception in the guise of my husband, I have been cheated by you.
भवंतं माथुरं ज्ञात्वा गताहं सम्मुखं तव । मायाविनं यदा जाने त्वामेवं दानवाधम
Knowing you to be Māthura, I came before you; but when I realized you are a deceiver, a lowly demon—
एकेन हुंकृतेनैव भस्मीभूतं करोम्यहम् । गोभिल उवाच- चक्षुर्हीना न पश्यंति मानवाः शृणु सांप्रतम्
With a single utterance of 'hum', I can reduce you to ashes. Gobhila said: The blind cannot see, O human, listen now—
धर्मनेत्रविहीना त्वं कथं जानासि मामिह । यदा ते भाव उत्पन्नः पितुर्गेहं प्रति शृणु
Deprived of the eye of dharma, how do you recognize me here? When your mind turned toward your father's house, listen—
पतिध्यानं परित्यज्य मुक्ता ध्यानेन त्वं तदा । ज्ञाननेत्रं तदा नष्टं स्फुटं च हृदये तव
Having abandoned meditation on your husband, you were freed by another focus; then, the eye of knowledge was lost, and your heart became unclear.
कथं मां त्वं विजानासि ज्ञानचक्षुर्हता भुवि । कस्या माता पिता भ्राता कस्याः स्वजनबांधवाः
How can you know me, when your eye of knowledge has been destroyed on earth? Who is a mother, father, or brother to a woman? Who are her own people and kin?
सर्वस्थाने पतिर्ह्येको भार्यायास्तु न संशयः । इत्युक्त्वा हि प्रहस्यैव गोभिलो दानवाधमः
In every situation, the husband alone is the wife’s true relation—of this there is no doubt. Having said this, Gobhila, the wicked demon, laughed.
न भयं विद्यते तेऽद्य ममापि शृणु पुंश्चलि । किं भवेत्तव शापेन वृथैव परिकंपसे
You have nothing to fear from me today—listen, wanton woman. Why do you tremble in vain because of your husband's curse?
ममगेहं समाश्रित्य भुंक्ष्व भोगान्मनोऽनुगान् । पद्मावत्युवाच- गच्छ पापसमाचार किं त्वं वदसि निर्घृणः
Come to my house and enjoy pleasures as your mind desires. Padmāvatī said: Go away, wicked one! How heartless are your words!