स्वगृहं प्राप्य मेधावी दृष्ट्वा तां च पतिव्रताम् । सार्थवाहेन तेनापि स्वस्थानं प्राप्य बुद्धिमान्
Arriving at his house, the wise man saw his devoted wife. The caravan leader, too, having reached his own place, was thoughtful.
तया समागतं दृष्ट्वा भर्तारं धर्मकोविदम् । कृतं सुमंगलं पुण्यं भर्तुरागमने तदा
Seeing her husband, learned in dharma, return, she performed auspicious and meritorious acts at his arrival.
समाचष्ट स धर्मात्मा धर्मस्यापि विचेष्टितम् । समाकर्ण्य महाभागा भर्तुर्वाक्यं मुदावहम्
That righteous man recounted to her all that Dharma had done. Hearing her husband's joyful words, the blessed woman rejoiced.
धर्मवाक्यं प्रशस्याथ अनुमेने च तं तथा । विष्णुरुवाच- अथो स कृकलो वैश्यस्तया सार्धं सुपुण्यकम्
She praised Dharma's words and accepted them as such. Viṣṇu said: Then that Vaiśya Kṛkala, together with her, performed a most virtuous act.
चकार श्रद्धया श्राद्धं देवतागृहसंस्थितः । पितरो देव गंधर्वा विमानैश्च समागताः
With faith, he performed the śrāddha, while the gods were present in the house. Ancestors, gods, and gandharvas arrived in their celestial vehicles.
तुष्टुवुस्तौ महात्मानौ दंपती मुनयस्तथा । अहं चापि तथा ब्रह्मा देव्यायुक्तो महेश्वरः
They praised those two great souls, the husband and wife, as did the sages. I myself, along with Brahmā, the goddess, and Maheśvara, was present.
सर्वे देवाः सगंधर्वा विमानैश्च समागताः । अहमेव ततो ब्रह्मा देव्यायुक्तो महेश्वरः
All the gods, together with the gandharvas, arrived in their celestial vehicles. I myself, along with Brahmā, the goddess, and Maheśvara, was present.
सर्वे देवाः सगंधर्वास्तस्याः सत्येन तोषिताः । ऊचुश्च तौ महात्मानौ धर्मज्ञौ सत्यपंडितौ
All the gods and gandharvas were pleased by her truthfulness. They spoke to those two great souls, wise in dharma and truth.
भार्यया सह भद्रं ते वरं वरय सुव्रत । कृकल उवाच- कस्य पुण्यप्रसंगेन तपसश्च सुरोत्तमाः
With your wife, may you be blessed! Choose a boon, O steadfast one. Kṛkala said: By whose merit and austerity, O best of gods,
सभार्याय वरं दातुं भवंतो हि समागताः । इंद्र उवाच- एषा सती महाभागा सुकला चारुमंगला
have you all gathered here to grant a boon to me together with my wife?
अस्याः सत्येन तुष्टाः स्म दातुकामा वरं तव । समासेन तु तत्प्रोक्तं पूर्ववृत्तांतमेव च
Indra said: This virtuous, highly fortunate, and auspicious Sukalā—by her truthfulness we are pleased and wish to grant you a boon. In brief, the former story has been told.
तस्याश्चरितमाहात्म्यं श्रुत्वा भर्ता स हर्षितः । तया सह स धर्मात्मा हर्षव्याकुललोचनः
Hearing of her deeds and greatness, her husband was delighted. With her, that righteous man’s eyes were filled with joy.
ननाम देवताः सर्वा उवाच च पुनः पुनः । यदि तुष्टा महाभागा त्रयो देवाः सनातनाः
All the deities bowed repeatedly and spoke again and again: If the three eternal gods are satisfied, O greatly fortunate one,
अन्ये च ऋषयः पुण्याः कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि । जन्मजन्मनि देवानां भक्तिमेवं करोम्यहम्
And other virtuous sages, showing compassion toward me, I perform devotion to the gods in every birth in this way.
धर्मसत्यरतिः स्यान्मे भवतां हि प्रसादतः । पश्चाद्धि वैष्णवं लोकं सभार्यश्च पितामहैः
May I have delight in righteousness and truth by your grace; afterwards, may I reach the Vaishnava realm with my wife and ancestors.
गंतुमिच्छाम्यहं देवा यदि तुष्टा महौजसः । देवा ऊचुः- एवमस्तु महाभाग सर्वमेव भविष्यति
I wish to go there, O gods, if you, mighty ones, are pleased. The gods said: So be it, O greatly fortunate one, all shall come to pass.
पुष्पवृष्टिं ततश्चक्रुस्तयोरुपरि भूपते । जगुर्गीतं महापुण्यं ललितं सुस्वरं ततः
Then, O king, they showered flowers upon them; they sang a highly auspicious, charming song with melodious voices.
गंधर्वा गीततत्त्वज्ञा ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः । ततो देवाः सगंधर्वाः स्वंस्वं स्थानं नृपोत्तम
The Gandharvas, who know the essence of song, sang, and the groups of Apsaras danced; then the gods together with the Gandharvas, O best of kings,
वरं दत्वा प्रजग्मुस्ते स्तूयमानाः पतिव्रताम् । नारीतीर्थं समाख्यातमन्यत्किंचिद्वदामि ते
Having granted the boon, departed, praised by the devoted wife; the sacred place for women has been described, I will tell you something else.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं पुण्याख्यानमनुत्तमम् । यः शृणोति नरो राजन्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
All this has been told to you, the supreme, auspicious story; whoever hears it, O king, is freed from all sins.
श्रद्धया शृणुते नारी सुकलाख्यानमुत्तमम् । सौभाग्येन तु सत्येन पुत्रपौत्रैर्न मुच्यते
A woman who listens with faith to this excellent tale of Sukalā, by good fortune and truth, is not deprived of sons and grandsons.
मोदते धनधान्येन सहभर्त्रा सुखी भवेत् । पतिव्रता भवेत्सा च जन्मजन्मनि नान्यथा
She enjoys wealth and grain, and is happy with her husband; she becomes devoted to her husband in every birth, never otherwise.
ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांश्च क्षत्रियो विजयी भवेत् । धनधान्यं भवेच्चैव वैश्यगेहे न संशयः
A Brahmin becomes learned in the Vedas, a Kshatriya becomes victorious; there is certainly wealth and grain in the house of a Vaishya, without doubt.
धर्मज्ञो जायते राजन्सदाचारः सुखी भवेत् । शूद्र सुःखमवाप्नोति पुत्रपौत्रैः प्रवर्धते
A king is born knowledgeable in righteousness, of good conduct, and happy; a Shudra attains happiness and prospers with sons and grandsons.
विपुला जायते लक्ष्मीर्धनधान्यैरलंकृता
Great prosperity arises, adorned with wealth and grain.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे षष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixtieth chapter, the story of Sukalā, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa, Vena narrative, of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
वेन उवाच- भार्यातीर्थं समाख्यातं सर्वतीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम् । पितृतीर्थं समाख्याहि पुत्राणां तारणं परम्
Vena said: The sacred place for wives has been described, the foremost among all holy places; describe the sacred place for ancestors, the supreme deliverance for sons.
विष्णुरुवाच- कुरुक्षेत्रे महाक्षेत्रे कुंडलो नाम ब्राह्मणः । सुकर्मा नाम सत्पुत्रः कुंडलस्य महात्मनः
Viṣṇu said: In Kurukṣetra, the great field, there was a Brahmin named Kuṇḍala; his virtuous son was named Sukarmā, son of the great-souled Kuṇḍala.
गुरू तस्य महावृद्धौ धर्मज्ञौ शास्त्रकोविदौ । द्वावेतौ तु महात्मानौ जरया परिपीडितौ
His teachers were very aged, knowledgeable in righteousness and skilled in scriptures; these two great souls were afflicted by old age.
तयोः शुश्रूषणं चक्रे भक्त्या च परया ततः । धर्मज्ञो भावसंयुक्तो अहर्निशमनारतम्
He served them with utmost devotion; knowledgeable in righteousness, endowed with feeling, he attended to them day and night without ceasing.