प्रत्युवाच सहस्राक्षं मन्मथो बलदर्पितः । गम्यतां तत्र देवेश यत्रास्ते सा पतिव्रता
Then Manmatha, filled with pride in his strength, replied to the thousand-eyed one: 'Let us go there, O lord of gods, where that devoted wife resides.'
मानं वीर्यं बलं धैर्यं तस्याः सत्यं पतिव्रतम् । गत्वाहं नाशयिष्यामि कियन्मात्रा सुरेश्वर
'Her honor, strength, power, courage, and truthfulness in chastity—I will destroy them, O lord of gods, in but a little while, having gone there.'
समाकर्ण्य सहस्राक्षो वचनं मन्मथस्य च । भो भोनंग शृणुष्व त्वमधिकं भाषितं मुधा
Hearing the words of Manmatha, the thousand-eyed one said: 'O serpent, listen further to what has been spoken in vain.'
सुदृढा सत्यवीर्येण सुस्थिरा धर्मकर्मभिः । सुकलेयमजेया वै तत्र ते पौरुषं नहि
'She is firmly established in truthful strength, steadfast in righteous deeds; this Sukalā cannot be conquered—there is no manliness for you there.'
इत्याकर्ण्य ततः क्रुद्धो मन्मथस्त्विन्द्रमब्रवीत् । ऋषीणां देवतानां च बलं मया प्रणाशितम्
Hearing this, Manmatha, then angered, spoke to Indra: 'The strength of sages and gods has been destroyed by me.'
अस्या बलं कियन्मात्रं भवता मम कथ्यते । पश्यतस्तव देवेश नाशयिष्यामि तां स्त्रियम्
'How much strength does she have, that you speak of to me? In your presence, O lord of gods, I will destroy that woman.'
नवनीतं यथा चाग्नेस्तेजो दृष्ट्वा द्रवं व्रजेत् । तथेमां द्रावयिष्यामि स्वेन रूपेण तेजसा
Just as butter, when touched by fire, melts upon seeing its heat, in the same way I will melt her with my own blazing energy.
गच्छ तत्र महत्कार्यमुपस्थं सांप्रतं ध्रुवम् । कस्मात्कुत्ससि मे तेजस्त्रैलोक्यस्य विनाशनम्
Go there now, for a great task awaits you at this very moment; why do you scorn my power, which can destroy the three worlds?
विष्णुरुवाच- आकर्ण्य वाक्यं तु मनोभवस्य एतामसाध्यां तव कामजाने । धैर्यं समुद्यम्य च पुण्यदेहां पुण्येन पुण्यां बहुपुण्यचाराम्
Viṣṇu said: Hearing the words of the god of desire, I understood your difficult wish, born of longing. Gathering my courage, I beheld the virtuous woman, whose body was made pure by merit, whose actions were righteous, and who was devoted to good deeds.
पश्यामि ते पौरुषमुग्रवीर्यमितो हि गत्वा तु धनुष्मता वै । तेनापि सार्धं प्रजगाम भूयो रत्या च दूत्या च पतिव्रतां ताम्
I saw your strength and fierce vigor; then, accompanied by the archer, I went forth again, along with Rati as messenger, to approach that devoted wife.
एकां सुपुण्यां स्वगृहस्थितां तां ध्यानेन पत्युश्चरणे नियुक्ताम् । यथा सुयोगी प्रविधाय चित्तं विकल्पहीनं न च कल्पयेत
There I saw a supremely virtuous woman, dwelling in her own home, absorbed in meditation at her husband's feet, her mind steady and undistracted, just as a true yogi fixes his mind, free from all wavering and imagination.
अत्यद्भुतं रूपमनंततेजोयुतं चकाराथ सतीप्रमोहम् । नीलांचितं भोगयुतं महात्मा झषध्वजश्चैव पुरंदरश्च
Then, with wondrous form, endowed with boundless radiance, he cast a spell of bewilderment upon Sati. The great-souled one, marked with blue and full of enjoyment, as well as the bannered with the fish and Purandara, were also present.
दृष्ट्वा सुलीलं पुरुषं महांतं चरंतमेवं परिकामभावम् । जाया हि वैश्यस्य महात्मनस्तु मेने न सा रूपयुतं गुणज्ञम्
Seeing that graceful and mighty man moving about in such a way, filled with desire, the wife of the great-souled Vaiśya did not regard him, though he was endowed with beauty and knowledge of virtues.
अंभो यथा पद्मदले गतं वै प्रयाति मुक्ताफलकस्य कीर्तिम् । तद्वत्स्वभावः परिसत्ययुक्तो जज्ञे च तस्यास्तु पतिव्रतायाः
Just as water placed on a lotus leaf swiftly departs, gaining the fame of a pearl, so too her own nature, joined with perfect truth, was born in that devoted wife.
अनेन दूती परिप्रेषिता पुरा यामां युवत्या ह गुणज्ञमेनम् । लीलास्वरूपं बहुधात्मभावं ममैष सर्वं परिदर्शयेच्च
Previously, a messenger had been sent to her, that young woman, to show her this man who knows virtue, whose form is playful, whose nature is manifold—indeed, all this was revealed to her.
ममैव कालं प्रबलं विचिंत्यागतो हि मे कांतगुणैश्च सत्खलः । रत्यासमेतस्तु कथं च जीवेत्सत्याश्मभारेण प्रमर्दितश्च
Considering only my own powerful time, I came, being both virtuous and wicked through the qualities of my beloved; but how could one united with Rati survive, crushed by the weight of truth?
ममापि भावं परिगृह्य कांतो जीवेत्कियान्वापि सुबुद्धियुक्तः । शून्यो हि कायो मम चास्ति सद्यश्चेष्टाविहीनो मृतकल्प एव
Even if my beloved, endowed with great wisdom, were to accept my feelings, how long could he live? For my body is now empty, immediately devoid of action, as if lifeless.
कायस्य ग्रामस्य प्रजाः प्रनष्टाः सुविक्रियाख्यं परिगृह्य कर्म । ममाधिकेनापि समं सुकांतं स ऊर्द्ध्वशोभामनयच्च कामः
The inhabitants of the village of my body have perished, having taken on the action called 'complete transformation.' Even with my superiority, that beloved one, equal to me, has attained the highest splendor through desire.
यदामृतो बलवान्हर्षयुक्तः स्वयंदृशा वै परिनृत्यमानः । तथा अनेनापि प्रभाषयेद्भुतं यो मां हि वाञ्छत्यपि भोक्तुकामः
When nectar, powerful and full of joy, dances about in its own form, so too, by this, one may speak of a marvel—whoever desires me, even wishing to enjoy me.
एवं विचार्यैव तदा महासती सत्याख्यरज्ज्वा दृढबद्धचेतना । गृहं स्वकीयं प्रविवेश सा तदा तत्तस्यभावं नियमेन वेत्तुम्
Thus reflecting, the great and virtuous wife, her mind firmly bound with the cord of truth, entered her own house at that time, determined to know his true nature.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे- चतुःपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-fourth chapter, called the 'Story of Sukalā,' in the Vena narrative of the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
विष्णुरुवाच- भावं विदित्वा सुरराट्च तस्याः प्रोवाच कामं पुरतः स्थितं सः । न चास्ति शक्या स्मर ते जयाय सत्यात्मकध्यान सुदंशिता सती
Viṣṇu said: Knowing her state of mind, the king of the gods spoke to Kāma, who stood before him: 'There is no way, O Smara, for you to conquer her, for she is a chaste woman, firmly established in meditation on truth.'
धर्माख्य चापं स्वकरे गृहीत्वा ज्ञानाभिधानं वरमेव बाणम् । योद्धुं रणे संप्रति संस्थिता सती वीरो यथा दर्पितवीर्यभावः
Taking up the bow called Dharma in his hand, and the excellent arrow named Knowledge, she now stands ready to fight in battle, like a hero filled with pride in his strength.
जिगीषयेयं पुरुषार्थमेव त्वमात्मनः कुरुषे पौरुषं तु । त्वामद्य जेतुं समरे समर्था यद्भाव्यमेवं तदिहैव चिंत्यम्
She desires to win only the true purpose of life; you, for your part, display your own strength. If you are able to defeat her in battle today, then let whatever is destined be considered here.
दग्धोसि पूर्वं त्वमिहैव शंभुना महात्मना तेन समं विरोधम् । कृत्वा फलं तस्य विकर्मणश्च जातोस्यनंगः स्मर सत्यमेव
You were previously burned here by the great soul Śaṃbhu; having opposed him, you received the result of your wrongful action, and thus you were born as Anaṅga, O Smara, this is indeed the truth.
यथा त्वया कर्म कृतं पुरा स्मर फलं तु प्राप्तं तु तथैव तीव्रम् । सुकुत्सितां योनिमवाप्स्यसि ध्रुवं साध्व्यानया सार्धमिहैव कथ्यसे
Just as you performed deeds before, remember that you received their intense result; you will surely attain a contemptible birth, and here you are spoken of together with this virtuous woman.
ये ज्ञानवंतः पुरुषा जगत्त्रये वैरं प्रकुर्वन्ति महात्मभिः समम् । भुंजन्ति ते दुष्कृतमेवतत्फलं दुःखान्वितं रूपविनाशनं च
Those wise men in the three worlds who make enmity with great souls experience only the fruit of their evil deeds—suffering and the destruction of their form.
व्याघुष्य आवां तु व्रजाव काम एनां परित्यज्य सतीं प्रयुज्य । सत्याः प्रसंगेन पुरा मया तु लब्धं फलं पापमयं त्वसह्यम्
Let us declare openly and depart, O Kāma, abandoning this chaste woman; through my association with truth in the past, I received a sinful and unbearable result.
त्वमेव जानासि चरित्रमेतच्छप्तोस्मि तेनापि च गौतमेन । जातश्च मेषवृषणः सदा ह्यहं भवान्गतो मां तु विहाय तत्र
You alone know this conduct; I was cursed by Gautama as well, and I was always born with the genitals of a ram; you departed, leaving me there.
तेजः प्रभावो ह्यतुलः सतीनां धाता समर्थः सहितुं न सूर्यः । सुकुत्सितं रूपमिदं तु रक्षेत्पुरानुसूया मुनिना हि शप्तम्
The power and radiance of chaste women is incomparable; the creator is capable, but even the sun cannot endure it; this contemptible form is protected, for it was cursed by the sage Anasūyā.