वेपंते सर्वपापानि यमुनायां गते नरे । नाशके सर्वपापानां यदि स्नास्यति वारिणि
All sins tremble when a person enters the Yamuna; if one bathes in its waters, all sins are destroyed.
पावका इव दीप्यंते यमुनायां नरोत्तमाः । विमुक्ताः सर्वपापेभ्यो मेघेभ्य इव चंद्रमाः
The best of men shine in the Yamuna like fire, freed from all sins, like the moon freed from clouds.
आर्द्र शुष्कलघुस्थूलं वाङ्मनः कर्मभिः कृतम् । तत्र स्नानं दहेत्पापं पावकः समिधो यथा
Whether moist or dry, light or heavy, whatever is done by speech, mind, or action—there, bathing burns away sin as fire consumes fuel.
प्रामादिकं च यत्पापं ज्ञानाज्ञानकृतं च यत् । स्नानमात्रेण नश्येत यमुनायां नृपोत्तम
Any sin committed through negligence, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is destroyed merely by bathing in the Yamuna, O best of kings.
निष्पापास्त्रिदिवं यांति पापिष्ठा यांति शुद्धताम् । संदेहो नात्र कर्तव्यः स्नाने वै यमुनाजले
The most sinful become sinless and attain purity; there should be no doubt here regarding bathing in the waters of the Yamuna.
सर्वेऽधिकारिणो ह्यत्र विष्णुभक्तौ तथा नृप । सर्वेषां सर्वदा देवी यमुना पापनाशिका
All are eligible here, O king, especially those devoted to Vishnu; for all, at all times, the goddess Yamuna is the destroyer of sin.
एष एव परो मंत्र एतच्च परमं तपः । प्रायश्चित्तं परं चैव यमुनास्नानमुत्तमम्
This indeed is the supreme mantra, and this is the highest austerity; the best atonement is the excellent bath in the Yamuna.
नृणां जन्मांतराभ्यासात्कालिंदी मज्जने मतिः । अध्यात्मज्ञानकौशल्यं जन्माभ्यासाद्यथा नृप
Through the habit of many births, people develop the inclination to immerse in the Kalindi; just as skill in spiritual knowledge arises from repeated births, O king.
संसारकर्दमालेप प्रक्षालन विशारदम् । पावनं पावनानां च यमुनास्नानमुत्तमम्
The bath in the Yamuna is most excellent, skilled in washing away the mud of worldly existence, and is the purest among all that purify.
स्नातास्तत्र च ये राजन्सर्वकामफलप्रदे । शुभांश्च भुंजते भोगांश्चंद्र सूर्यग्रहोपमान्
Those who bathe there, O king, obtain the fruits of all desires; they enjoy auspicious pleasures, shining like the moon, sun, and planets.
यमुना मोक्षदा प्रोक्ता मथुरासंगता यदि । मथुरायां च कालिंदी पुण्याधिकविवर्द्धिनी
The Yamuna is said to grant liberation, especially when joined with Mathura; in Mathura, the Kalindi increases in merit.
अन्यत्र यमुना पुण्या महापातकहारिणी । विष्णुभक्तिप्रदा देवी मथुरा संगता भवेत्
Elsewhere, the Yamuna is holy and removes great sins; when united with Mathura, the goddess bestows devotion to Vishnu.
भक्तिभावेन संयुक्ता कालिंद्यां यदि मज्जयेत् । कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि वसते सन्निधौ हरेः
If one, filled with devotion, immerses in the Kalindi, he dwells in the presence of Hari for thousands of millions of aeons.
मुक्तिं प्रयांति मनुजाः नूनं सांख्येन वर्जिताः । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति तृप्ताः कल्पशतैर्दिवि
Men certainly attain liberation, even without Sankhya; their ancestors are satisfied and remain content in heaven for hundreds of aeons.
ये पिबंति नरा राजन्यमुनासलिलं शुभम् । पंचगव्यसहस्रैस्तु सेवितैः किं प्रयोजनम्
What need is there, O king, for thousands of offerings of the five products of the cow, for those men who drink the auspicious water of the Yamuna?
कोटितीर्थसहस्रैस्तु सेवितैः किं प्रयोजनम् । तत्र दानं च होमश्च सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्
What use is there for thousands of crores of sacred bathing places? There, all gifts and sacrifices yield a crore-fold result.
नारद उवाच-। अत्र ते वर्णयिष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्निषधे नगरे वरे
Narada said: Here I will relate to you an ancient history; in the past, in the Krita age, O king, in the excellent city of Nishadha—
आसीद्वैश्यः कुबेराभो नामतो हेमकुंडलः । कुलीनः सत्क्रियो देवद्विजपावकपूजकः
There was a merchant, resembling Kubera, named Hemakundala; noble by birth, righteous in conduct, and a worshipper of gods, brahmins, and fire.
कृषिवाणिज्यकर्त्तासौ विविधक्रयविक्रयी । गोघोटकमहिष्यादि पशुपोषणतत्परः
He was engaged in agriculture and trade, buying and selling various goods; he was devoted to the care of cows, horses, buffaloes, and other animals.
पयो दधीनि तक्राणि गोमयानि तृणानि च । काष्ठानि फलमूलानि लवणाद्रा र्!दिपिप्पली
He dealt in milk, curds, buttermilk, cow dung, and grass; also in wood, fruits, roots, salt, wet ginger, and long pepper.
धान्यानि शाकतैलानि वस्त्राणि विविधानि च । धातूनिक्षुविकारांश्च विक्रीणीते स सर्वदा
He always sold grains, vegetables, oils, various kinds of cloth, and products made from metals and sugarcane.
इत्थं नानाविधैर्वैश्य उपायैरपरैस्तथा । उपार्जयामास सदा अष्टौ हाटककोटयः
Thus, by various means and other methods, the merchant continually amassed eight crores of gold.
एवं महाधनः सोथ हाकर्णपलितोभवत् । पश्चाद्विचार्य संसारक्षणिकत्वं स्वचेतसि
In this way, he became extremely wealthy, but later, seeing his hair turn gray, he reflected in his mind on the fleeting nature of worldly life.
तद्धनस्य षडंशेन धर्मकार्यं चकार सः । विष्णोरायतनं चक्रे गृहं चक्रे शिवस्य च
With one-sixth of that wealth, he performed acts of righteousness; he built a temple for Vishnu and a house for Shiva.
तडागं खानयामास विपुलं सागरोपमम् । वाप्यश्च पुष्करिण्यश्च बहुधा तेन कारिताः
He excavated a large reservoir, vast as the ocean, and constructed many ponds and lakes.
वटाश्वत्थाम्रकंकोल जंबू निंबादि काननम् । स्वसत्वेन तदा चक्रे तथा पुष्पवनं शुभम्
He established a grove with banyan, fig, mango, kohl, jambu, neem, and other trees, and likewise created a beautiful flower garden.
उदयास्तमनं यावदन्नपानं चकार सः । पुराद्बहिश्चतुर्दिक्षु प्रपां चक्रेऽतिशोभनाम्
From sunrise to sunset, he provided food and drink; outside the city, in all four directions, he built splendid rest-houses.
पुराणेषु प्रसिद्धानि यानि दानानि भूपते । ददौ तानि सधर्म्मात्मा नित्यं दानपरस्तदा
He gave those gifts renowned in the ancient scriptures, always devoted to righteousness and constantly intent on giving.
यावज्जीवकृते पापे प्रायाश्चित्तमथाकरोत् । देवपूजापरो नित्यं नित्यं चातिथिपूजकः
For the sins committed during his lifetime, he performed atonement; he was always devoted to worshipping the gods and to honoring guests.
तस्येत्थं वर्त्तमानस्य संजातौ द्वौ सुतौ नृप । तौ सुप्रसिद्ध नामानौ श्रीकुंडल विकुंडलौ
While he lived thus, O king, two sons were born to him, both well-known by name: Śrīkuṇḍala and Vikuṇḍala.