इत्थं तु तद्धनं ताभ्यां विनियुक्तमसद्व्ययैः । वारस्त्री विट शैलूष मल्ल चारण बंदिषु
Thus, that wealth was spent by them on improper expenses: on courtesans, gamblers, actors, wrestlers, spies, and bards.
अपात्रे तद्धनं दत्तं क्षिप्तं बीजमिवोषरे । न सत्पात्रे च तद्दत्तं न ब्राह्मणमुखे हुतम्
That wealth was given to the unworthy, cast away like seed on barren ground; it was not given to the worthy, nor offered into the mouth of a Brahmin.
नार्चितो भूतभृद्विष्णुः सर्वपापप्रणाशनः । उभयोरेव तद्द्रव्यमचिरेण क्षयं ययौ
They did not worship Viṣṇu, the sustainer of beings, destroyer of all sins; and so, the wealth of both quickly came to an end.
ततस्तौ दुःखमापन्नौ कार्पण्यं परमं गतौ । शोचमानौ तु मुह्यंतौ क्षुत्पीडादुःखपीडितौ
Then, the two fell into misery, reaching utter destitution; grieving and bewildered, afflicted by hunger and suffering.
तयोस्तु तिष्ठतोर्गेहे नास्ति यद्भुज्यते तदा । स्वजनैर्बांधवैस्सर्वैः सेवकैरुपजीविभिः
While they remained in their house, there was nothing to eat, and all their relatives, friends, servants, and dependents abandoned them.
द्रव्याभावे परित्यक्तौ चिंत्यमानौ ततः पुरे । पश्चाच्चौर्य्यं समारब्धं ताभ्यां च नगरे नृप
Lacking wealth, they were forsaken and became the subject of gossip in the city; afterwards, the two began to steal in the town, O King.
राजतो लोकतो भीतौ स्वपुरान्निःसृतौ तदा । चक्रतुर्वनवासं तौ सर्वेषामुपपीडितौ
Fearing the king and the people, they left their own city and dwelt in the forest, oppressed by all.
जघ्नतुः सततं मूढौ शितैर्बाणैर्विषार्पितैः । नानापक्षिवराहांश्च हरिणान्रोहितांस्तथा
The two, always deluded, killed with sharp, poisoned arrows many kinds of birds, boars, deer, and red antelopes.
शशकाञ्छल्लकान्गोधान्श्वापदांश्चेतरान्बहून् । महाबलौ भिल्लसंगावाखेटकभुजौ सदा
They slew hares, porcupines, monitor lizards, wild beasts, and many others, being mighty, always among bands of hunters, wielding clubs.
एवं मांसमयाहारौ पापाहारौ परंतप । कदाचिद्भूधरं प्राप्तो ह्येकोऽन्यश्च वनं गतः
Thus, consuming sinful food of meat, O scorcher of foes, one of them once reached a mountain, while the other went into the forest.
शार्दूलेन हतो ज्येष्ठः कनिष्ठः सर्पदंशितः । एकस्मिन्दिवसे राजन्पापिष्ठौ निधनं गतौ
The elder was killed by a tiger, the younger bitten by a snake; on the same day, O King, the two most sinful met their end.
यमदूतैस्ततोबद्ध्वा पापैर्नीतौ यमालयम् । गत्वाभिजगदुःसर्वे ते दूताः पापिनावुभौ
Then, bound by the messengers of Yama for their sins, they were taken to the abode of Yama; upon arriving, all those messengers reported about both sinners.
धर्मराज नरावेतावानीतौ तव शासनात् । आज्ञां देहि स्वभृत्येषु प्रसीद करवाम किम्
"O Lord of Justice, these two men have been brought here by your command; give your order to your servants—be gracious, what should we do?"
आलोच्य चित्रगुप्तेन तदा दूताञ्जगौ यमः । एकस्तु नीयतां वीर निरयं तीव्रवेदनम्
Then, after consulting with Citragupta, Yama spoke to the messengers: "Let one be taken to a hell of intense suffering, O heroes."
अपरः स्थाप्यतां स्वर्गेयत्र भोगा ह्यनुत्तमाः । कृतांताज्ञां ततः श्रुत्वा दूतैश्च क्षिप्रकारिभिः
"Let the other be placed in heaven, where there are supreme enjoyments." Hearing the command of Death, the swift messengers acted at once.
निक्षिप्तो रौरवे घोरे यो ज्येष्ठो हि नराधिप । तेषां दूतवरः कश्चिदुवाच मधुरं वचः
The elder was cast into the dreadful Raurava hell, O king of men; then, one of the chief messengers spoke sweet words.
विकुंडल मया सार्द्धमेहि स्वर्गं ददामि ते । भुंक्ष्व भोगान्सुदिव्यांस्त्वमर्जितान्स्वेन कर्मणा
O Vikuṇḍala, come with me; I will 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, with a joyful heart, he questioned the messenger on the path, holding doubt in his heart and filled with great wonder, 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 best of messengers, I ask you this profound question. We were born in the same family, performed the same actions alike.
दुर्मृत्युरपि तुल्योभूत्तुल्यो दृष्टो यमस्तथा । कथं स नरके क्षिप्तस्तुल्यकर्म्मा ममाग्रजः
Even Durmṛtyu was equal, and Yama was seen as equal too. How is it that my elder brother, with equal deeds, has been cast into hell?
ममाभवत्कथं नाकमिति मे छिंधि संशयम् । देवदूत न पश्यामि मम स्वर्गस्य कारणम्
How is it that I have attained heaven? Remove this doubt of mine. O divine messenger, I do not see the cause of my reaching 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 names arise for a being due to birth, for the experience of karma.
एकस्मिन्पादपे यद्वच्छकुनानां समागमः । यद्यत्समीहितं कर्म कुरुते पूर्वभावितः
Just as birds gather on a single tree, so each one performs actions as previously determined by their own nature.
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: by their deeds, people experience good and bad.
स्वकृतं भुज्यते वैश्य कालेकाले पुनःपुनः । एकः करोति कर्माणि एकस्तत्फलमश्नुते
One enjoys what one has done, merchant, again and again, in due time. One acts alone, and alone one enjoys the result.
अन्यो न लिप्यते वैश्य कर्मणान्यस्य कुत्रचित् । अपतन्नरके पापैस्तवभ्राता सुदारुणैः । त्वं च धर्मेण धर्मज्ञ स्वर्गं प्राप्नोषि शाश्वतम्
No one is affected by another's actions anywhere, merchant. Your brother has fallen into hell because of terrible sins, while you, knower of righteousness, attain eternal heaven through virtue.
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 of any good deed of my own. If you know of any merit of mine, please tell me out of kindness.
देवदूत उवाच- शृणु वैश्य प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्त्वया पुण्यमर्जितम् । जानामि तदहं सर्वं न त्वं वेत्सि सुनिश्चितम्
The divine messenger said: Hear, merchant, I will tell you the merit you have acquired. I know it all, though you certainly do not remember.
हरिमित्रसुतो विप्रः सुमित्रो वेदपारगः । आसीत्तस्याश्रमः पुण्यो यमुना दक्षिणेतटे
There was a brāhmaṇa named Sumitra, son of Harimitra, learned in the Vedas. His holy hermitage was on the southern bank of the Yamunā.