नूतनं गृहमिच्छामि स्त्रियाख्यं पतिभूपतिम् । कृकलस्यापि पुण्यस्य प्रियेयं शिवमंगला
I desire a new house, named for women and husbands; this beloved Śivamaṅgalā is the wife of Kṛkalasya, who is virtuous.
तद्गृहं सुकलाख्यं मे दग्धुं पापः समुद्यतः । अयमेष सहस्राक्षः कामेन सहितो बली
That house, called Sukalā, is mine; the wicked one is intent on burning it; this powerful thousand-eyed one, together with Kāma.
कामस्य कारणात्कस्मात्पूर्ववृत्तं न विंदति । अहल्यायाः प्रसंगेन मेषोपस्थो व्यजायत
Because of Kāma, he does not recall the previous event; through the affair with Ahalyā, the sheep's form was produced.
पौरुषं हि मुनेर्दृष्ट्वा सत्याश्चैव प्रधषर्णात् । नष्टः कामस्य दोषेण सुरराट्तत्र संस्थितः
Seeing the manliness of the sage and due to Satī's violation, the king of gods was ruined by the fault of Kāma and remained there.
भुक्तवान्दारुणं शापं दुःखेन महतान्वितः । कृकलस्य प्रियामेनां सुकलां पुण्यचारिणीम्
He endured a harsh curse, accompanied by great suffering; this beloved Sukalā, virtuous in conduct, is the wife of Kṛkalasya.
एष हंतुं सहस्राक्ष उद्यतः कामसंयुतः । यथा चेंद्रेण नायाति काम एष तथा कुरु
This thousand-eyed one, joined with Kāma, is intent on killing; just as Indra does not approach Kāma, so do likewise.
धर्मराज महाप्राज्ञ भवान्मतिमतां वरः । धर्मराज उवाच- ऊनं तेजः करिष्यामि कामस्य मरणं तथा
O King of Dharma, greatly wise, you are foremost among the intelligent; Dharmarāja said: I will diminish the power of Kāma and likewise bring about his death.
एकोपायो मया दृष्टस्तमिहैव प्रपश्यतु । प्रज्ञा चैषा महाप्राज्ञा शकुनीरूपचारिणी
I have seen a single means; let him observe it here; this wisdom is greatly wise, moving in the form of a bird.
भर्तुरागमनं पुण्यं शब्देनाख्यातु खे यतः । शकुनस्य प्रभावेण भर्तुश्चागमनेन च
The meritorious return of the husband was proclaimed aloud in the sky, due to the power of the bird and the husband's arrival.
दुष्टैर्नष्टा न भूयेत स्वस्थचित्ता न संशयः । प्रज्ञा संप्रेषिता तेन गता सा सुकलागृहम्
She, whose mind was at peace, would not again be lost to the wicked—there is no doubt; thus, guided by wisdom, she went to Sukalā's house.
प्रकुर्वती महच्छब्दं दृष्टदेवेव सा बभौ । पूजिता मानिता प्रज्ञा धूपदीपादिभिस्तदा
Making a great sound, she shone as if she had seen a deity; at that time, Prajñā was honored and respected with incense, lamps, and the like.
ब्राह्मणं सुकलापृच्छत्किमेषा च वदेन्मम । ब्राह्मण उवाच- भर्तुश्चागमनं ब्रूते तवैव सुभगे स्थिरा
Sukalā asked the brāhmaṇa, 'What does she say to me?' The brāhmaṇa said: 'O fortunate one, she speaks of your husband's return, which is certain.'
दिनसप्तकमध्ये स आगमिष्यति नान्यथा
Within seven days, he will return—there is no doubt.
इत्येवमाकर्ण्यसुमंगलं वचः प्रहर्षयुक्ता सहसा बभूव । धर्मज्ञमेकं सगुणं हि कांतं शकुनात्प्रदिष्टं हि समागतं तम्
Hearing these most auspicious words, she was suddenly filled with joy; for the virtuous, wise, and noble beloved, indicated by the omen, was indeed returning.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे षट्पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-sixth chapter in the story of Sukalā, in the narrative of Vena, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
विष्णुरुवाच- क्रीडा सतीरूप धरा प्रभूत्वा गेहं गता चारु पतिव्रतायाः । तामागतां सत्यस्वरूपयुक्ता सा सादरं वाक्यमुवाच धन्या
Viṣṇu said: The Earth, taking the form of Satī, entered the house of the devoted wife, and, endowed with the nature of truth, that blessed one spoke to her with respect.
वाक्यैः सुपुण्यैः परिपूजिता सा उवाच क्रीडा सुकलां विहस्य । मायानुगं विश्वविमोहनं सती प्रत्युत्तरं सत्यप्रमेयुक्तम्
Honored with most virtuous words, Krīḍā smiled and spoke to Sukalā; Satī, with words full of truth and immeasurable meaning, replied with an answer that was accompanied by illusion and capable of enchanting the world.
ममापि भर्ता प्रबलो गुणज्ञो धीरः सविद्यो महिमाप्रयुक्तः । त्यक्त्वा गतः पापतरांसुपुण्यो मामेव नाथः शृणु पुण्यकीर्तिः
My husband too is strong, wise, steadfast, learned, and endowed with greatness; having abandoned those who are sinful, he, most virtuous, has gone—listen to the fame of my lord.
वाक्यैस्तु पुण्यैरबलास्वभावादाकर्ण्य सर्वं सुकला समुक्तम् । संशुद्धभावां च विचिंत्य चाह कस्माद्गतः सुंदरि तेऽद्य नाथः
Hearing all these virtuous words, due to her gentle nature, Sukalā, with a purified mind, considered and asked: 'O beautiful one, why has your lord left you today?'
विहाय ते रूपमतीव सत्यमाचक्ष्व सर्वं भवती सुभर्तुः । ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोति सखीस्वरूपा गृहमागता मे
Abandoning your beauty, speak the whole truth, O lady of a noble husband; my friend, who has come to my house in the form of a companion, does everything through meditation.
क्रीडा बभाषे शृणु सत्यमेतं चरित्रभावं मम भर्त्तुरस्य । अहं प्रिये यस्य सदैव युक्ता यमिच्छते तं प्रतिसांत्वयामि
Krīḍā said: 'Listen to this truth, the nature of my character and my husband's; O dear one, I am always devoted to him, and I comfort him in whatever he desires.'
कर्तुः सुपुण्यं वचनं सुभर्तुर्ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोमि । एकांतशीला सगुणानुरूपा शुश्रूषयैकस्तमिहैव देवि
I perform all the virtuous acts and words of my noble husband, engaged in meditation; I am devoted to solitude, suited to his virtues, and serve him alone here, O goddess.
मम पूर्व विपाकोऽयं संप्रत्येव प्रवर्तते । यतस्त्यक्त्वा गतो भर्त्ता मामेवं मंदभागिनीम्
This is the result of my previous actions, which is now manifest; therefore, my husband has left me, so unfortunate as I am.
सखे न धारये जीवं स्वकीय कायमेव च । पत्याहीनाः कथं नार्यः सुजीवंति च निर्घृणाः
O friend, I cannot bear to live, nor even my own body; how do women, deprived of their husbands, live on, being so pitiless?
रूपशृंगारसौभाग्यं सुखं संपच्च नान्यथा । नारीणां हि महाभागो भर्ता शास्त्रेषु गीयते
Beauty, charm, good fortune, happiness, and prosperity—none of these are otherwise; for in the scriptures, the husband is praised as the greatest blessing for women.
तया सर्वं समाकर्ण्य यदुक्तं क्रीडया तदा । सत्यभावं विदित्वा सा मेने संभाषितं तदा
Having heard all that was spoken by Krīḍā, she, knowing her sincerity, accepted her words as true.
विश्वस्ता सा महाभागा सुकला पतिदेवता । तामुवाच पुनः सर्वमात्मचेष्टानुगं वचः
That noble, faithful wife, full of trust, then spoke again, saying all that was in her heart.
समासेन समाख्यातं पूर्ववृत्तांतमात्मनः । यथा भर्ता गतो यात्रां पुण्यसाधनतत्परः
In brief, she recounted the past events of her life—how her husband, intent on gaining merit, had set out on a journey.
आत्मदुःखं सुसत्यं च तप एव मनस्विनि । बोधिता क्रीडया सा तु समाश्वास्य पतिव्रता
She revealed her own true suffering and her austerities, O steadfast one; yet, in play, she was comforted by the devoted wife.
सूत उवाच- एकदा तु तया प्रोक्तं क्रीडया सुकलां प्रति । सखे पश्य वनं सौम्यं दिव्यवृक्षैरलंकृतम्
Sūta said: Once, in jest, she spoke to Sukalā: 'Friend, look at this lovely forest adorned with divine trees.'