निष्पापास्त्रिदिवं यांति पापिष्ठा यांति शुद्धताम् । संदेहो नात्र कर्तव्यः स्नाने वै यमुनाजले
The sinful become pure and the pure attain heaven; there should be no doubt at all about the power of bathing in the waters of the Yamunā.
सर्वेऽधिकारिणो ह्यत्र विष्णुभक्तौ तथा नृप । सर्वेषां सर्वदा देवी यमुना पापनाशिका
All are eligible here, O king, for devotion to Viṣṇu; at all times, the goddess Yamunā destroys the sins of everyone.
एष एव परो मंत्र एतच्च परमं तपः । प्रायश्चित्तं परं चैव यमुनास्नानमुत्तमम्
This alone is the supreme mantra, this is the highest austerity, and the greatest atonement is indeed bathing in the Yamunā.
नृणां जन्मांतराभ्यासात्कालिंदी मज्जने मतिः । अध्यात्मज्ञानकौशल्यं जन्माभ्यासाद्यथा नृप
From repeated births, people develop the resolve to bathe in the Kālindī, just as skill in spiritual knowledge comes from repeated births, O king.
संसारकर्दमालेप प्रक्षालन विशारदम् । पावनं पावनानां च यमुनास्नानमुत्तमम्
Bathing in the Yamunā is the best of purifiers, skilled in washing away the filth of worldly existence.
स्नातास्तत्र च ये राजन्सर्वकामफलप्रदे । शुभांश्च भुंजते भोगांश्चंद्र सूर्यग्रहोपमान्
Those who bathe there, O king, receive the fruits of all desires and enjoy auspicious pleasures, like the moon, sun, and planets.
यमुना मोक्षदा प्रोक्ता मथुरासंगता यदि । मथुरायां च कालिंदी पुण्याधिकविवर्द्धिनी
The Yamunā is said to grant liberation, especially when joined with Mathurā; in Mathurā, the Kālindī increases merit even more.
अन्यत्र यमुना पुण्या महापातकहारिणी । विष्णुभक्तिप्रदा देवी मथुरा संगता भवेत्
Elsewhere, the Yamunā is holy and removes great sins; when united with Mathurā, the goddess grants devotion to Viṣṇu.
भक्तिभावेन संयुक्ता कालिंद्यां यदि मज्जयेत् । कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि वसते सन्निधौ हरेः
If one immerses in the Kālindī with devotion, one dwells in the presence of Hari for thousands of millions of aeons.
मुक्तिं प्रयांति मनुजाः नूनं सांख्येन वर्जिताः । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति तृप्ताः कल्पशतैर्दिवि
People certainly attain liberation, even without Sāṃkhya knowledge; their ancestors are satisfied in heaven for hundreds of aeons.
ये पिबंति नरा राजन्यमुनासलिलं शुभम् । पंचगव्यसहस्रैस्तु सेवितैः किं प्रयोजनम्
What need is there for thousands of offerings of the five products of the cow for those men who drink the pure water of the royal Yamuna?
कोटितीर्थसहस्रैस्तु सेवितैः किं प्रयोजनम् । तत्र दानं च होमश्च सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्
What need is there for thousands of visits to millions of sacred fords? There, every gift and sacrifice becomes a million times more fruitful.
नारद उवाच-। अत्र ते वर्णयिष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्निषधे नगरे वरे
Narada said: Here I will recount to you an ancient legend. Long ago, in the Krita age, O King, in the excellent city of Nishadha—
आसीद्वैश्यः कुबेराभो नामतो हेमकुंडलः । कुलीनः सत्क्रियो देवद्विजपावकपूजकः
There was a merchant named Hemakundala, who was like Kubera in wealth; noble by birth, devoted to good deeds, and a worshipper of gods, brahmins, and fire.
कृषिवाणिज्यकर्त्तासौ विविधक्रयविक्रयी । गोघोटकमहिष्यादि पशुपोषणतत्परः
He engaged in agriculture and trade, buying and selling various goods, and was devoted to the care of cows, horses, buffaloes, and other animals.
पयो दधीनि तक्राणि गोमयानि तृणानि च । काष्ठानि फलमूलानि लवणाद्रा र्!दिपिप्पली
He always sold milk, curds, buttermilk, cow dung, grass, wood, fruits, roots, salt, ginger, and long pepper.
धान्यानि शाकतैलानि वस्त्राणि विविधानि च । धातूनिक्षुविकारांश्च विक्रीणीते स सर्वदा
He constantly sold grains, vegetables, oils, various kinds of cloth, metals, sugarcane products, and their derivatives.
इत्थं नानाविधैर्वैश्य उपायैरपरैस्तथा । उपार्जयामास सदा अष्टौ हाटककोटयः
Thus, by these and other various means of a merchant, he always amassed eight crores of gold.
एवं महाधनः सोथ हाकर्णपलितोभवत् । पश्चाद्विचार्य संसारक्षणिकत्वं स्वचेतसि
Thus, having become very wealthy, he grew old and gray-haired; then, reflecting in his mind on the transience of worldly life—
तद्धनस्य षडंशेन धर्मकार्यं चकार सः । विष्णोरायतनं चक्रे गृहं चक्रे शिवस्य च
He used one-sixth of that wealth for acts of righteousness; he built a temple for Vishnu and a house for Shiva.
तडागं खानयामास विपुलं सागरोपमम् । वाप्यश्च पुष्करिण्यश्च बहुधा तेन कारिताः
He had a great tank dug, vast as the ocean, and caused many wells and ponds to be made.
वटाश्वत्थाम्रकंकोल जंबू निंबादि काननम् । स्वसत्वेन तदा चक्रे तथा पुष्पवनं शुभम्
He established groves of banyan, sacred fig, mango, jujube, rose-apple, neem, and other trees, and also created a beautiful flower garden with his own wealth.
उदयास्तमनं यावदन्नपानं चकार सः । पुराद्बहिश्चतुर्दिक्षु प्रपां चक्रेऽतिशोभनाम्
From sunrise to sunset, he provided food and drink; and outside the city, in all four directions, he built a most splendid rest house.
पुराणेषु प्रसिद्धानि यानि दानानि भूपते । ददौ तानि सधर्म्मात्मा नित्यं दानपरस्तदा
He gave all the gifts renowned in the ancient scriptures, O King, always intent on righteousness and constantly devoted to giving.
यावज्जीवकृते पापे प्रायाश्चित्तमथाकरोत् । देवपूजापरो नित्यं नित्यं चातिथिपूजकः
For every sin committed in his life, he performed atonement; he was always devoted to worshipping the gods and daily honored guests.
तस्येत्थं वर्त्तमानस्य संजातौ द्वौ सुतौ नृप । तौ सुप्रसिद्ध नामानौ श्रीकुंडल विकुंडलौ
While he was living in this way, two sons were born to him, O King; both became well-known by the names Shrikuṇḍala and Vikuṇḍala.
तयोर्मूर्ध्नि गृहं त्यक्त्वा जगाम तपसे वनम् । तत्राराध्य परं देवं गोविंदं वरदं प्रभुम्
After leaving his home to those two, he went to the forest for ascetic practice; there he worshipped the supreme Lord Govinda, the bestower of boons.
तपःक्लिष्ट शरीरोऽसौ वासुदेवमनाः सदा । प्राप्तः स वैष्णवं लोकं यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
His body worn by austerity, his mind always fixed on Vasudeva, he attained the Vaishnava world, where, having gone, one never grieves.
अथ तस्य सुतौ राजन्महामान समन्वितौ । तरुणौ रूपसंपन्नौ धनगर्वेण गर्वितौ
Then, O King, his two sons, filled with great pride, were young, handsome, and arrogant because of their wealth.
दुःशीलौ व्यसनासक्तौ धर्मकर्माद्यदर्शकौ । न वाक्यं चागतौ मातुर्वृद्धानां वचनं तथा
Of bad character, addicted to vice, they disregarded all duties of righteousness and did not heed the words of their mother or the advice of elders.