निरुध्य सूर्यं परिवेगवंतमुद्यंतमेवं प्रभया सुदीप्तम् । भर्तुश्च मृत्युं परिबाधमानं मांडव्यशापस्य च कौंडिनस्य
Blocking the sun, which moves swiftly and rises with brilliant light, and opposing the death of the husband, as well as the curse of Māṇḍavya and Kauṇḍinya—
अत्रेः प्रिया सत्यपतिव्रता तया स्वपुत्रतां देवत्रयं हि नीतम् । न किं पुरा मन्मथ ते श्रुतं सदा संस्कारयुक्ताः प्रभवंति सत्यः
Satyā, the beloved and devoted wife of Atri, led the three gods to become her own sons; have you not always heard, O Manmatha, that those endowed with discipline truly prevail?
सावित्रीनाम्नी द्युमत्सेनपुत्री नीतं प्रियं सा पुनरानिनाय । यमादिहैवाश्वपतेः सुपुत्रं सती त्वमेवं परिसंश्रुतं च
Sāvitrī, named thus, daughter of Dyumatsena, brought back her beloved, and again restored him; here, Satī also gave the noble son of the lord of horses, as you have heard.
अग्नेः शिखां कः परिसंस्पृशेद्वै तरेद्धिकः सागरमेव मूढः । गले तु बद्धासु शिलां भुजाभ्यां को वा सतीं वश्यति वीतरागाम्
Who can touch the flame of Agni, or cross the ocean, O fool? Who, with stones tied around his neck by his own arms, can subdue a chaste woman who is free from passion?
उक्ते तु वाक्ये बहुनीतियुक्ते इंद्रेण कामस्य सुशिक्षणार्थम् । आकर्ण्य वाक्यं मकरध्वजस्तु उवाच देवेंद्रमथैनमेव
When Indra spoke these many wise words for the proper instruction of Kāma, hearing them, the bannered one of Makara replied to Indra himself.
काम उवाच- तवातिदेशादहमागतो वै धैर्यं सुहृत्त्वं पुरुषार्थमेव । त्यक्त्वा तदर्थं परिभाषसे मां निःसत्वरूपं बहुभीतियुक्तम्
Kāma said: By your command I have come, abandoning courage, friendship, and human purpose; for that reason you speak to me, lacking all vigor and filled with many fears.
व्याबुद्धि यास्यामि यदा सुरेशस्याल्लोकमध्ये मम कीर्तिनाशः । ऊढिंकरोमानविहीन एव सर्वे वदिष्यंत्यनया जितं माम्
When I go with a confused mind, O lord of gods, my fame will be destroyed among people; I will be mocked, deprived of honor, and all will say that I have been defeated by her.
ये वै जिता देवगणाश्च दानवाः पूर्वं मुनींद्रास्तपसः प्रयुक्ताः । हास्यं करिष्यंति ममापि सद्यो नार्या जितो मन्मथ एष भीमः
Those gods and demons who were previously conquered, and the great sages engaged in austerity, will at once make me a laughingstock—Manmatha, the terrible, conquered by a woman.
तस्मात्प्रयास्यामि त्वयैव सार्धमस्या बलं मानमतः सुरेश । तेजश्च धैर्यं परिणाशयिष्ये कस्माद्भवानत्र बिभेति शक्र
Therefore, I will go together with you, O lord of gods, and destroy her strength and pride; I will annihilate her power and courage—why do you fear here, O Śakra?
संबोध्य चैवं स सुराधिनाथं चापं गृहीतं सशरं सुपुष्पम् । उवाच क्रीडां पुरतः स्थितां तां विधाय मायां भवती प्रयातु
Thus addressing the lord of the gods, he took up his bow, with arrows and beautiful flowers, and said to her, who stood before them in play: 'Let this illusion be enacted, O lady, proceed.'
वैश्यस्य भार्यां सुकलां सुपुण्यां सत्येस्थितां धर्मविदां गुणज्ञाम् । इतो हि गत्वा कुरु कार्यमुक्तं साहाय्यरूपं च प्रिये सखे शृणु
Go to the wife of the merchant, Sukalā, virtuous, steadfast in truth, knowing righteousness and qualities; go from here and do the task as instructed, in the form of assistance, dear friend, listen.
क्रीडां समाभाष्य ततो मनोभवस्त्वंते स्थितां प्रीतिमथाह्वयत्पुनः । कार्यं भवत्या ममकार्यमुत्तममे तां सुस्नेहैः परिभावयत्वम्
After speaking of play, then Manobhava, standing there, again invited her with affection; let your task be my highest purpose, honor her with true affection.
इंद्रं हि दृष्ट्वा सुकला यथा भवेत्स्नेहानुगा चारुविलोचनेयम् । तैस्तैः प्रभावैर्गुणवाक्ययुक्तैर्नयस्व वश्यं च प्रिये सखे शृणु
Just as Sukalā, with her lovely eyes, becomes affectionate upon seeing Indra, so you should guide her to be under your sway, dear friend, by means of various influences and words of virtue; listen.
भो भोः सखे साधय गच्छ शीघ्रं मायामयं नंदनरूपयुक्तम् । पुष्पोपयुक्तं च फलप्रधानं घुष्टं रुतैः कोकिलषट्पदानाम्
O friend, accomplish this and go quickly, employing the wondrous form of Nandana, adorned with flowers and abundant fruits, resounding with the calls of cuckoos and bees.
आहूय वीरं मकरंदमेव रसायनं स्वादुगुणैरुपेतम् । सहानिलाद्यैर्निजकर्मयुक्तैः संप्रेषयित्वा पुनरेव कामम्
Summon the valiant Makara, endowed with the qualities of sweet nectar, accompanied by the wind and other agents of your own actions, and send forth desire once again.
एवं समादिश्य महत्ससैन्यं त्रैलोक्यसंमोहकरं तु कामः । चक्रे प्रयाणं सुरराजसार्धं संमोहनायैव महासतीं ताम्
Thus instructing his great army, which could enchant the three worlds, Kāma set out together with the king of the gods, intending to captivate that great and virtuous woman.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे पंचपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-fifth chapter, concerning the story of Sukalā, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa, within the tale of Vena.
विष्णुरुवाच- तस्याः सत्यविनाशाय मन्मथः ससुराधिपः । प्रस्थितः सुकलां तर्हि सत्यो धर्ममथाब्रवीत्
Viṣṇu said: For the destruction of her truthfulness, Manmatha, along with the lord of the gods, set out; then Satya spoke to Dharma.
पश्य धर्म महाप्राज्ञ मन्मथस्य विचेष्टितम् । तवार्थमात्मनश्चैव पुण्यस्यापि महात्मनः
See, O Dharma, wise one, the actions of Manmatha, undertaken for your sake, for himself, and for the virtuous great soul.
विसृजामि महास्थानं वास्तुरूपं सुखोदयम् । सत्याख्यं च सुप्रियाख्यं सुदेवाख्यं गृहोत्तमम्
I create a great abode, a dwelling that brings happiness, named Satya, Supriya, and Sudeva, the finest of houses.
तमेव नाशयेद्गत्वा काम एष प्रमत्तधीः । रिपुरूपः सुदुष्टात्मा अस्माकं हि न संशयः
Kāma, whose mind is careless, will go there and destroy it; he is our enemy, of wicked nature—there is no doubt.
पतिस्तपोधनो विप्रः सुसती या पतिव्रता । सुसत्यो भूपतिर्धर्मममगेहानसंशयः
The husband is a sage, a Brahmin, rich in austerity; the wife is truly devoted, a chaste woman; the king is righteous—these are the dwellers in my house, without doubt.
यत्राहं वृद्धिसंपुष्टस्तत्र वासो हि ते भवेत् । तत्र पुण्यं समायाति श्रद्धया सह क्रीडते
Where I am nourished and strengthened, there your residence should be; there virtue arrives, and, accompanied by faith, delights.
क्षमा शांत्या समायुक्ता आयाति मम मंदिरम् । यथा सत्यो दमश्चैव दया सौहृदमेव च
Forgiveness, joined with tranquility, comes to my abode, as do truthfulness, self-restraint, compassion, and friendship.
प्रज्ञायुक्तः स निर्लोभो यत्राहं तत्र संस्थितः । शुचिः स्वभावस्तत्रैव अमी च मम बांधवाः
Where wisdom is present and greed is absent, there I reside; purity is inherent there, and these are my companions.
अस्तेयमप्यहिंसा च तितिक्षा वृद्धिरेव च । मम गेहे समायाता धन्यतां शृणु धर्मराट्
Non-stealing, non-violence, endurance, and growth—all these arrive at my house; listen, O king of Dharma, to the blessedness.
गुरूणां चापि शुश्रूषा विष्णुर्लक्ष्म्या समावृतः । मद्गेहं तु समायांति देवाश्चाग्निपुरोगमाः
Service to elders, and Viṣṇu surrounded by Lakṣmī, also come to my house; the gods, led by Agni, enter as well.
मोक्षमार्गं प्रकाशेद्यो ज्ञानोदीप्त्या समन्वितः । एतैः सार्धं वसाम्येव सतीषु धर्मवत्सु च
He who reveals the path to liberation, endowed with the radiance of knowledge, dwells with me, along with virtuous women and the righteous.
साधुष्वेतेषु सर्वेषु गृहरूपेषु मे सदा । उक्तेनापि कुटुंबेन वसाम्येव त्वया सह
Among all these virtuous ones, in the forms of houses, I always reside; even with the family previously mentioned, I dwell with you.
ससत्वाः साधुरूपास्ते वेधसा मे गृहीकृताः । संचरामि महाभाग स्वच्छंदेन च लीलया
Those possessing virtue, in the form of goodness, have been established in my house by the Creator; I move among them, O greatly fortunate one, freely and playfully.