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.
तस्माद्वेदानधीते स पितुः शास्त्राण्यनेकशः । सर्वाचारपरो दक्षो धर्मज्ञो ज्ञानवत्सलः
Therefore, he studied the Vedas and many treatises from his father, excelling in all conduct, skilled, knowledgeable in dharma, and devoted to wisdom.
अंगसंवाहनं चक्रे गुर्वोश्च स्वयमेव सः । पादप्रक्षालनं चैव स्नानभोजनकीं क्रियाम्
He himself performed the massaging of his teacher's limbs, as well as the washing of feet and the duties of bathing and serving food.
भक्त्या चैव स्वभावेन तद्ध्याने तन्मयो भवेत् । मातापित्रोश्च राजेंद्र उपचर्यां प्रकारयेत्
With devotion and by his very nature, absorbed in meditation on that, he would serve his mother and father, O king.
सूत उवाच- तद्वर्तमानकाले तु बभूव नृपसत्तम । पिप्पलो नाम वै विप्रः कश्यपस्य महात्मनः
Sūta said: At that time, O best of kings, there was a brāhmaṇa named Pippala, of great soul, descended from Kaśyapa.
तपस्तेपे निराहारो जितात्मा जितमत्सरः । दयादानदमोपेतः कामं क्रोधं विजित्य सः
He practiced austerities, fasting, self-controlled, free from envy, endowed with compassion, charity, and restraint, having conquered desire and anger.
दशारण्यगतो धीमाञ्ज्ञानशांतिपरायणः । सर्वेंद्रियाणि संयम्य तपस्तेपे महामनाः
Going to the Daśārṇya forest, wise and devoted to knowledge and peace, he restrained all his senses and performed great austerities with a steadfast mind.
तपःप्रभावतस्तस्य जंतवो गतविग्रहाः । वसंति सुयुगे तत्र एकोदरगता इव
By the power of his austerity, the creatures there, free from enmity, lived together in that blessed age as if within a single womb.
तत्तपस्तस्य मुनयो दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमाययुः । नेदृशं केनचित्तप्तं यथासौ तप्यते मुनिः
Seeing his austerity, the sages were amazed; no one had ever performed such penance as that sage did.
देवाश्च इंद्रप्रमुखाः परं विस्मयमाययुः । अहो अस्य तपस्तीव्रं शमश्चेंद्रियसंयमः
Even the gods, led by Indra, were greatly astonished: 'Ah! How intense is his austerity, and how great his tranquility and control of the senses!'
निर्विकारो निरुद्वेगः कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । शीतवातातपसहो धराधर इवस्थितः
Unchanging, undisturbed, free from desire and anger, able to endure cold, wind, and heat, he stood firm like a mountain.