खगान्नानाविधांश्चैव विध्वा कांश्चित्प्रपातयेत् । पक्षिणो घातयन्क्रुद्धो बर्हिणश्च विशेषतः
He would kill various kinds of birds, and in his anger would especially bring down some, slaying birds and particularly peacocks.
लुब्धको हि महापापो दुष्टो दुष्टजनप्रियः । भार्या तथाविधा तस्य पुंश्चली च महामया
For the hunter is a great sinner, wicked, and dear to wicked people; his wife is of the same kind, a deceitful and cunning woman.
एवं विहरतस्तस्य बहुकालो व्यवर्त्तत । एकदा निशि पापीयान्श्रीवृक्षोपरि संस्थितः
Thus, as he wandered about in this way, much time passed; one night, that more sinful man was stationed atop a śrī tree.
कोलं हंतुं धनुःपाणिः शरं संयोज्य कार्मुके । एवं निशा गता तस्य जाग्रतो निमिषस्य हि । माघमासे सितायां वै चतुर्दश्यां नगात्मजे
With bow in hand, he fitted an arrow to shoot a jackal; so the night passed for him, remaining awake without blinking, on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Māgha, O daughter of the mountain.
श्रीवृक्षपत्राणि बहूनि तत्र संच्छेदयामास रुषान्वितोऽपि । श्रीवृक्षमूले परिवर्त्तमानं लिगं च तस्योपरितानि पेतुः
There, though filled with anger, he cut many leaves from the śrī tree; those leaves fell upon the liṅga lying at the base of the śrī tree, as he moved about.
श्रीवृक्षपर्णानि च दैवयोगात्जातं च सर्वं शिवपूजनं तत्
By the will of fate, all those śrī tree leaves became an act of worship to Śiva.
गंडूषकारिणा तेन स्नपनं च महत्कृतम् । अज्ञानिना च तेनैव पुष्कसेन दुरात्मना
By making water in his mouth, he performed a great ablution; though ignorant, that wicked Puṣkasa did so.
माघमासे सिते पक्षे चतुर्दश्यां विधूदये । पुष्कसो हि दुराचारो निष्पन्नो गतकल्मषः
In the month of Māgha, on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight, at moonrise, that evil-doer Puṣkasa became purified of his sins.
तस्य भार्या प्रचंडा च आगता तस्य सन्निधौ । निराशा च निराहारा यत्रासौ पुष्कसः स्थितः
His fierce wife came to him there, in his presence; she was hopeless and hungry, where that Puṣkasa was staying.
न प्राप्तः शूकरस्तेन मृगोऽपि महिषोऽपि वा । अशनार्थं च तस्यैव अन्नमादाय भामिनी
He had not obtained a boar, nor a deer, nor even a buffalo; so his radiant wife brought food for him to eat.
तेन दृष्टा प्रचंडा सा आयांती क्रूरलोचना । सा तस्य भार्या नद्यां वै जलमध्ये पपात ह
That fierce woman, with cruel eyes, was seen by him as she approached; she, his wife, fell into the water of the river.
तावत्तयोक्तश्चंडात्मा एहि शीघ्रं च भक्षय । समानीतं त्वदर्थं च मत्स्यमांसं मयाधुना
Then that fierce-souled woman said, 'Come quickly and eat; I have just brought fish and meat for you.'
कृतं किं मूढ पूर्वेद्युर्मांसं पार्श्वे न दृश्यते । नाशितं च त्वया मूढ कुटुंबं लंघते तव
'What have you done, fool? The meat I brought yesterday is not to be seen at your side; you have eaten it, fool, and you are neglecting your household.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं चंडायाश्चंडरूपवान् । शिवरात्र्युपवासेन रात्रौ जागरणेन च
Hearing these words of the fierce woman, that fierce-natured man, through the fasting and night vigil of Śivarātri,
शुद्धांतःकरणो जातः स्नातुं नद्यां शुचिव्रतः । यावत्स्नाति स दुष्टात्मा तावत्श्वा तत्र चागतः
became pure in heart, and, observing a vow of purity, went to bathe in the river; as that wicked man was bathing, a dog arrived there.
शुना तदा भक्षितं च सर्वं मांसं सुरेश्वरि । चंडा प्रकुपिता तं च श्वानं हंतुमुपस्थिता
Then, O goddess of the gods, the dog ate all the meat; Caṇḍā, enraged, prepared to kill that dog.
निवारिता हि चंडेन चंडा प्रकुपिता तदा । न हंतव्यस्त्वया चैष किमनेनाशुभं कृतम्
But Caṇḍā was restrained by Caṇḍa, though she was furious at that time; 'You must not kill this one—what harm has he done?'
तयोक्तं भक्षितं चान्नं अनेनैव दुरात्मना । किं त्वं भक्षयिता मूढ भविताद्य बुभुक्षितः
She said, 'This wicked one has eaten the food; what will you eat, fool, when you become hungry today?'
पुष्कस उवाच। यच्छुना भक्षितं चान्नं तेनाहं परितोषितः । किमनेन शरीरेण नश्वरेण गतायुषा
Puṣkasa said: The food that was eaten by the dog has satisfied me. What is the use of this perishable body, whose life has departed?
ये पुष्यंति शरीरं वै सर्वभावेन भामिनि । मूढास्ते पापिनो ज्ञेया लोकद्वय बहिष्कृताः
Those who nourish their bodies with all their being, O beautiful one, are to be known as foolish sinners, excluded from both worlds.
तस्मान्मानं परित्यज्य कामं चापि दुरात्मताम् । स्वस्थाभावविमर्शेन तत्वबुध्या स्थिरा भव
Therefore, abandoning pride and desire, as well as wickedness, become steadfast through reflection on your own well-being and understanding of truth.
अहमेतच्छरीरं वै खङ्गधारव्रतेन च । त्यक्ष्याम्यद्य वरारोहे किं चिरंजीवनेन मे
Today, O lovely one, I will renounce this body by the vow of the sword’s edge. What is the point of living long for me?
इत्युक्त्वा खङ्गमाकृष्य यावद्भिनत्ति कं स्वकम् । आगताश्च गणास्तावद्बहवः शिवनोदिताः
Having spoken thus, he drew his sword and was about to strike himself, when many hosts, sent by Śiva, arrived.
विमानानि बहून्यत्र आगतानि तदंतिके । दृष्ट्वा स चैव तान्येवं विमानानि गणांस्तथा
Many celestial vehicles came near at that moment; seeing those vehicles and the hosts, he gazed at them.
उवाच परया भक्त्या पुष्कसोऽपि च तान्प्रति । कस्मात्समागता यूयं सर्वे रुद्राक्षधारिणः
Puṣkasa, with deep devotion, spoke to them: Why have you all gathered here, you wearers of Rudrākṣa beads?
सर्वे स्फटिकसंकाशाः सर्वे चंद्रार्द्धशेखराः । कपर्दिनश्चर्मपरीतवाससो भुजंगभोगैः कृतहारभूषणाः
All were shining like crystal, all adorned with the crescent moon, their hair matted, clad in hides, and wearing garlands of serpents as ornaments.
श्रियान्विता रुद्रसमानवीर्या यथातथं भो वदतोचितं मम । पुष्कसेन तदा पृष्टा ऊचुस्ते रुद्रपार्षदाः
Endowed with splendor, equal in might to Rudra, speak to me as is fitting, O sirs. Thus questioned by Puṣkasa, the attendants of Rudra replied.
गणा ऊचुः। प्रेषितास्मो वयं चंड शिवेन परमेष्ठिना । आगच्छ त्वरितो भूत्वा सस्त्रीको यानमारुह
The hosts said: We have been sent by fierce Śiva, the supreme lord. Come quickly, board the vehicle with your wife.
लिगार्चनं कृतं यच्च त्वया रात्रौ शिवस्य च । तेन कर्मविपाकेन प्राप्तोऽसि परमां गतिम्
The worship of the liṅga that you performed at night for Śiva, by the result of that deed, you have attained the highest state.
तथोक्तो वीरभद्रेण उवाच प्रहसन्निव । किं मया सुकृतं चीर्णं पापिना पुष्कसेन हि
Thus addressed by Vīrabhadra, Puṣkasa replied, almost laughing: What good deed have I, a sinner, performed?