अपरः स्थाप्यतां स्वर्गेयत्र भोगा ह्यनुत्तमाः । कृतांताज्ञां ततः श्रुत्वा दूतैश्च क्षिप्रकारिभिः
'Let the other be established in heaven, where enjoyments are truly unsurpassed.' Hearing the command of Death, the swift messengers acted accordingly.
निक्षिप्तो रौरवे घोरे यो ज्येष्ठो हि नराधिप । तेषां दूतवरः कश्चिदुवाच मधुरं वचः
The elder, O lord of men, was cast into the dreadful Raurava hell; then one among their chief messengers spoke sweet words.
विकुंडल मया सार्द्धमेहि स्वर्गं ददामि ते । भुंक्ष्व भोगान्सुदिव्यांस्त्वमर्जितान्स्वेन कर्मणा
'Vikuṇḍala, come with me; I grant you heaven. Enjoy the most divine pleasures, earned by your own actions.'
नारदउवाच- ततो हृष्टमनाः सोऽथ दूतं पप्रच्छ तं पथि । संदेहं हृदि कृत्वा तु विस्मयं परमं गतः । विचारयन्हृदि स्वर्गः कस्य हेतोः फलं मम
Nārada said: Then, his mind delighted, he questioned that messenger on the path, having formed a doubt in his heart and reached great astonishment, pondering within, 'For what reason is heaven the fruit for me?'
विकुंडल उवाच- हे दूतवर पृच्छामि संशयं त्वामहं परम् । आवां जातौ कुले तुल्ये तुल्यं कर्म तथा कृतम्
Vikuṇḍala said: O chief messenger, I ask you my highest doubt. We two were born in the same family, performed the same deeds likewise.
दुर्मृत्युरपि तुल्योभूत्तुल्यो दृष्टो यमस्तथा । कथं स नरके क्षिप्तस्तुल्यकर्म्मा ममाग्रजः
Even our deaths were alike, and Yama was seen similarly; how is it that my elder brother, with equal actions, was cast into hell?
ममाभवत्कथं नाकमिति मे छिंधि संशयम् । देवदूत न पश्यामि मम स्वर्गस्य कारणम्
How did heaven come to me? Resolve this doubt of mine. O divine messenger, I do not see the cause for my attainment of heaven.
देवदूत उवाच- माता पिता सुतो जाया स्वसा भ्राता विकुंडल । जन्महेतोरियं संज्ञा जंतोः कर्म्मोपभुक्तये
The divine messenger said: Mother, father, son, wife, sister, brother, O Vikuṇḍala—these are names arising from birth, for the experience of deeds by the living being.
एकस्मिन्पादपे यद्वच्छकुनानां समागमः । यद्यत्समीहितं कर्म कुरुते पूर्वभावितः
Just as birds gather on a single tree, so each performs the actions desired, shaped by previous causes.
तस्य तस्य फलं भुंक्ते कर्म्मणः पुरुषः सदा । सत्यं वदामि ते प्रीत्या नरैः कर्म्म शुभाशुभम्
Each person always enjoys the fruit of their own actions. I speak the truth to you with affection: among men, actions—good or bad—bring their results.
स्वकृतं भुज्यते वैश्य कालेकाले पुनःपुनः । एकः करोति कर्माणि एकस्तत्फलमश्नुते
One enjoys what one has done, merchant, again and again in due time; one performs actions, and one alone receives their fruit.
अन्यो न लिप्यते वैश्य कर्मणान्यस्य कुत्रचित् । अपतन्नरके पापैस्तवभ्राता सुदारुणैः । त्वं च धर्मेण धर्मज्ञ स्वर्गं प्राप्नोषि शाश्वतम्
Another is not affected, merchant, by the actions of someone else anywhere; your brother fell into hell through his terrible sins, while you, knowledgeable in dharma, attain eternal heaven through righteousness.
विकुंडल उवाच- आबाल्यान्मम पापेषु न पुण्येषु रतं मनः । अस्मिञ्जन्मनि हे दूत दुष्कृतं हि कृतं मया
Vikuṇḍala said: From childhood, my mind was not inclined to virtue, but to sin; in this life, O messenger, I have indeed committed evil.
देवदूत न जानामि सुकृतं कर्म चात्मनः । यदि जानासि मत्पुण्यं तन्मे त्वं कृपया वद
O divine messenger, I do not know any virtuous deed of mine; if you know my merit, please tell me out of compassion.
देवदूत उवाच- शृणु वैश्य प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्त्वया पुण्यमर्जितम् । जानामि तदहं सर्वं न त्वं वेत्सि सुनिश्चितम्
The divine messenger said: Hear, O merchant, I will tell you of the merit you have acquired; I know all of it, but you certainly do not.
हरिमित्रसुतो विप्रः सुमित्रो वेदपारगः । आसीत्तस्याश्रमः पुण्यो यमुना दक्षिणेतटे
There was a brahmin named Sumitra, son of Harimitra, learned in the Vedas; his holy hermitage was on the southern bank of the Yamuna.
तेन सख्यं वने तस्मिंस्तव जातं विशांवर । तत्संगेन त्वया स्नातं माघमासद्वयं तथा
In that forest, O best of men, your friendship with him arose; through his association, you bathed for two months of Māgha.
कालिंदी पुण्यपानीये सर्वपापहरे वरे । तत्तीर्थे लोकविख्याते नाम्ना पापप्रणाशने
In the holy waters of the Kālindī, the best remover of all sins; at that famous ford, known as the destroyer of sins.
एकेन सर्वपापेभ्यो विमुक्तस्त्वं विशांपते । द्वितीयमाघपुण्येन प्राप्तः स्वर्गस्त्वयानघ
By one such bath you were freed from all sins, O king of men; by the merit of the second Māgha, you attained heaven, O sinless one.
त्वं तत्पुण्यप्रभावेण मोदस्व सततं दिवि । नरकेषु तव भ्राता महतीं पापयातनाम्
By the power of that merit, may you always rejoice in heaven; but your brother suffers great torment in the hells.
छिद्यमानोऽसिपत्रैश्च भिद्यमानस्तु मुद्गरैः । चूर्ण्यमानः शिलापृष्ठे तप्तांगारेषु भर्जितः
He is being cut by swords, struck by mallets, crushed on stone slabs, and roasted on burning coals.
इति दूतवचः श्रुत्वा भ्रातृदुःखेन दुःखितः । पुलकांकित सर्वांगो दीनोऽसौ विनयान्वितः
Hearing these words of the messenger, afflicted by his brother's suffering, his whole body bristling, he became dejected and humble.
उवाच तं देवदूतं मधुरं निपुणं वचः । मैत्री सप्तपदी साधो सतां भवति सत्फला
He spoke to that divine messenger sweet and skillful words: 'O good one, the friendship of the virtuous, even for seven steps, bears true fruit.'
मित्रभावं विचिंत्य त्वं मामुपाकर्तुमर्हसि । ततो हि श्रोतुमिच्छामि सर्वज्ञस्त्वं मतो मम
Considering our bond of friendship, you ought to help me; therefore I wish to hear from you, for I regard you as all-knowing.
यमलोकं न पश्यंति कर्मणा केन मानवाः । गच्छंति निरयं येन तन्मे त्वं कृपया वद
By what action do people not see the world of Yama, and by what do they go to hell? Out of compassion, please tell me this.
देवदूत उवाच- सम्यक्पृष्टं त्वया वैश्य नष्टपापोऽसि सांप्रतम् । विशुद्धे हृदये पुंसां बुद्धिः श्रेयसि जायते
The divine messenger said: You have asked rightly, O merchant; you are now free from sin. When the heart is pure, wisdom for the highest good arises in people.
यद्यप्यवसरोनास्ति मम सेवापरस्य वै । तथापि च तव स्नेहात्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथामति
Though I am always engaged in service and have no leisure, still, out of affection for you, I will tell you according to my ability.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा सर्वावस्थासु सर्वदा । परपीडां न कुर्वंति न ते यांति यमालयम्
Those who, by deed, mind, or speech, never cause harm to others in any situation, at any time—they do not go to the abode of Yama.
न वेदैर्न च दानैश्च न तपोभिर्न चाध्वरैः । कथंचित्स्वर्गतिं यांति पुरुषाः प्राणिहिंसकाः
Not by Vedic study, nor by gifts, nor by austerities, nor by sacrifices, do those who harm living beings ever attain heaven.
अहिंसा परमो धर्मो ह्यहिंसैव परं तपः । अहिंसा परमं दानमित्याहुर्मुनयः सदा
Nonviolence is the highest dharma; nonviolence is the supreme austerity; nonviolence is the greatest gift—so the sages always declare.