विमानेनागतो योसौ स्त्रिया सार्द्धं द्विजोत्तम । दिव्यरूपधरो यस्तु स कस्तु कमलेक्षणः
Who is that one who arrived in a celestial vehicle with a woman, O best of twice-born? Who is he, bearing a divine form, O lotus-eyed one?
का च नारी महाभाग महामांसं प्रभक्षति । स कश्चाप्यागतस्तात सा चैवाभ्येत्य भक्षति
Who is that woman, O blessed one, who devours great flesh? And who is that man who arrived, father, and she too comes and eats?
प्रहसेते तदा ते द्वे स्त्रियौ तात वदस्व नः । ऊचतुस्तौ तथा चान्ये देहिदेहीति वा पुनः
Then those two women laughed, O father, tell us; and those two, as well as others, said again and again, 'Give us your body!'
तेद्वेत्वं मे समाचक्ष्व महाभीषणके स्त्रियौ । एतन्मे संशयं तात छेत्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत
Tell me about those two exceedingly terrifying women; resolve this doubt for me, O father, you who are steadfast in virtue.
एवमुक्त्वा महाराज विरराम स चांडजः । एवं पृष्टस्तृतीयेन विज्वलेनात्मजेन सः
Having spoken thus, O great king, the offspring of Candaja paused; thus questioned by the third, his radiant son.
प्रोवाच सर्वं वृत्तांतं च्यवनस्यापि शृण्वतः
He narrated the entire story, even as Cyavana listened.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थे च्यवनचरित्रे त्रिनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-third chapter in the account of Cyavana at the Guru Tirtha, in the story of Vena, in the Bhumi Khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
कुंजल उवाच- श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि तत्सर्वं कारणं सुत । यस्मात्तौ तादृशौ जातौ स्वमांसपरिभक्षकौ
Kunjala said: Listen, I will explain everything, the cause, O son, why those two became such, devourers of their own flesh.
सर्वत्र कारणं कर्म शुभाशुभं न संशयः । पुण्येन कर्मणा पुत्र नरः सौख्यं प्रभुंजति
The cause everywhere is karma, whether auspicious or inauspicious, there is no doubt; by virtuous actions, O son, a person attains happiness.
दुष्कृतं भुंजते चात्र पापयुक्तेन कर्मणा । सूक्ष्मवर्त्मविचार्यैवं शास्त्रज्ञानेन चक्षुषा
Here, one suffers evil through actions joined with sin; considering the subtle path with the eye of scriptural knowledge.
स्थूलधर्मं प्रदृष्ट्वैव सुविचार्य पुनः पुनः । समारभेन्नरः कर्म मनसा निपुणेन च
Having carefully considered the general principle again and again, a person should undertake action with a discerning mind.
समूर्तिकारकः शिल्पी रसमावर्त्तयेद्यथा । अग्नेश्च तेजसा पुत्र ज्वालाभिश्च समंततः
Just as a sculptor who shapes forms causes the essence to flow, O son, with the fire's energy and the flames all around,
द्रवीभूतो भवेद्धातुर्वह्निना तापितः शनैः । यादृशं वत्स भक्ष्यंतु रसपक्वं निषेच्यते
The metal, when gradually heated by fire, becomes molten; in the same way, my dear, food is cooked and then consumed.
तादृशं जायते वत्स रूपं चैव न संशयः । यादृशं क्रियते कर्म तादृशं परिभुज्यते
Such is the form that arises, my dear, without doubt; as is the action performed, so is what is enjoyed.
कर्म एव प्रधानं यद्वर्षारूपेण वर्त्तते । क्षेत्रेषु यादृशं बीजं वपते कृषिकारकः
Action alone is primary, which operates in the form of results; just as a farmer sows whatever kind of seed in the fields,
तादृशं भुंजते तात फलमेव न संशयः । यादृशं क्रियते कर्म तादृशं परिभुज्यते
Such is the fruit, dear one, that he enjoys—there is no doubt; as is the action performed, so is what is experienced.
विनाशहेतुः कर्मास्य सर्वे कर्मवशा वयम् । कर्म दायादका लोके कर्म संबंधिबांधवाः
Action is the cause of destruction for him; we are all subject to action. In this world, action is the heir, and action is the connection of relatives.
कर्माणि चोदयंतीह पुरुषं सुखदुःखयोः । सुवर्णं रजतं वापि यथारूपं निषिच्यते
Actions here impel a person toward happiness and suffering; just as gold or silver is cast in whatever form,
तथा निषिच्यते जंतुः पूर्वकर्मवशानुगः । पंचैतानीह दृश्यंते गर्भस्थस्यैव देहिनः
So too is a being cast, following the force of previous actions; these five are seen here for the embodied one in the womb:
आयुः कर्म च वित्तं च विद्यानि धनमेव च । यथा मृत्पिंडकं कर्त्ता कुरुते यद्यदिच्छति
Lifespan, action, wealth, knowledge, and possessions; just as a potter shapes a lump of clay as he wishes,
तथा कर्मकृतं चैव कर्त्तारं प्रतिपद्यते । देवत्वमथ मानुष्यं पशुत्वं पक्षितां तथा
So too, what is fashioned by action is attained by the doer: divinity, humanity, animal birth, or birdhood,
तिर्यक्त्वं स्थावरत्वं वा याति जंतुः स्वकर्मभिः । स एव तु तथा भुंक्ते नित्यं विहितमात्मनः
Or the state of other creatures or of plants—a being attains according to its own actions; and he alone continually enjoys what is ordained for himself.
आत्मना विहितं दुःखमात्मना विहितं सुखम् । गर्भशय्यामुपादाय भुंजते पूर्वदेहिकम्
Suffering is ordained by oneself, happiness is ordained by oneself; taking up the bed of the womb, one enjoys the results of previous embodiment.
पूर्वदेहकृतं कर्म न कश्चित्पुरुषोत्तमः । बलेन प्रज्ञया वापि समर्थः कर्तुमन्यथा
No one, O best of men, is able by strength or wisdom to alter the action performed in a previous body.
स्वकृतान्येव भुंजंति दुःखानि च सुखानि च । हेतुतः कारणैर्वापि सोहं कारेण बाध्यते
They indeed experience only what they themselves have done, both suffering and happiness; whether by cause or by means, one is bound by one's own doing.
यथा धेनुसहस्रेषु वत्सो विंदति मातरम् । तद्वच्छुभाशुभं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति
Just as among a thousand cows, a calf finds its mother, so too, good or bad action follows the doer.
उपभोगादृते यस्य नाश एव न विद्यते । प्राक्तनं बंधनं कर्म कोन्यथाकर्तुमर्हति
Except through enjoyment, there is no destruction of it; who else can undo the bondage of previous action?
सुशीघ्रमनुधावंतं विधानमनुधावति । शोभते संनिपातेन यथाकर्म पुराकृतम्
Swiftly pursuing, destiny pursues him; what was done before shines forth at the proper time.
उपतिष्ठति तिष्ठंतं गच्छं तमनुगच्छति । करोति कुर्वतः कर्मच्छायेवानु विधीयते
It attends upon one who stands, follows one who goes, acts with one who acts; karma is always present, like a shadow.
यथा छायातपौ नित्यं सुसंबद्धौ परस्परम् । उपसर्गा हि विषया उपसर्गा जरादयः
Just as shadow and sunlight are always closely joined together, so too are obstacles—sense objects and old age—inseparably linked.