कपाटोत्पाटनार्थी तु यत्नेन महताऽभवत् । लोहयंत्रावरुद्धश्च स नोद्धाटयितुं क्षमः
He tried with great effort to break open the door, but it was secured with an iron mechanism, and he was unable to force it open.
आरुरोह तदा तस्य ब्राह्मणस्याविशद्गृहम् । प्रविश्य तद्गृहं क्रूरः कृपणं पाणिनादधत्
Then he climbed up and entered the house of that brāhmaṇa; entering the house, the cruel man placed his hand on the poor man.
अट्टालिकां स पापिष्ठो नापितस्तस्करक्रियः । तत्रापश्यत्प्रसुप्तौ तौ दंपतीरतिविह्वलौ
That most wicked barber, engaged in theft, ascended the upper story and there saw the two spouses deeply distressed and asleep.
जगाम च तयोः पार्श्वे हेमभूषाजिघृक्षया । शय्याया एकदेशस्थं गृहीत्वा भूषणं बहु
He approached them, desiring their gold ornaments, and taking many ornaments that were lying on one part of the bed—
हर्तुं तदंगतो हस्तं प्रससार स नापितः । तस्करस्पर्शतो विप्रो जजागार भयातुरः
The barber stretched out his hand to take them, but the brāhmaṇa, frightened by the touch of the thief, awoke.
न किंचिदूचे संमील्य नेत्रे तत्रैव संस्थितः । यदा स तस्करः पापो गृहीत्वा देहभूषणम्
He said nothing, keeping his eyes closed and lying there; when that wicked thief took the ornaments from his body—
चलितः स तदा तेन दोर्भ्यामात्तो द्विजेन हि । पश्चादागत्य वित्तस्यासहमानेन संक्षयम्
Then, as the thief was leaving, the brāhmaṇa seized him with both arms, unable to bear the loss of his wealth.
तेनापि नृप चौरेण कृपाणेन हतो द्विजः । विदीर्णोदरमध्यस्तु तातमातरितीरयन्
Then, O King, that thief killed the brāhmaṇa with a dagger; his belly torn open, he called out for his father and mother.
वदंतः किंकिमेत्येतत्पार्श्वं तस्या ययुर्जनाः । ददृशुस्तं निःसृतांत्रं रुधिरालिप्तविग्रहम्
People came to his side, asking, 'What happened? What is this?' They saw him, his entrails protruding, his body smeared with blood.
पप्रच्छुश्च मुकुंदेदं कर्म केनेदृशं कृतम् । सोऽपि कृच्छ्रेण महता प्रोवाचेदं स्वबांधवान्
They asked Mukunda, 'By whom was this deed done?' With great difficulty, he told his relatives.
मुकुंद उवाच-। ममैव परिपाकोऽयं पूर्वोपार्जितकर्मणाम् । न कश्चित्सुखदुःखस्य दाता कस्यापि देहिनः
Mukunda said: 'This is only the ripening of my own past actions; no one is the giver of happiness or sorrow to any embodied being.'
धर्मोऽधर्मश्च तावेव तेषां मूलं पुराकृतौ । नारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा स तु भूयस्यापीडया गाढपीडितः
'Righteousness and unrighteousness, both, have their root in previous actions.' Nārada said: Having spoken thus, he, greatly afflicted by pain—
तत्याज भूपते प्राणान्पश्यतां सुहृदां तदा । विललाप तदा तस्य माता द्विजसती नृप
Then, O King, in the presence of his friends, he gave up his life; at that time, his mother, the noble brāhmaṇa lady, lamented.
निधाय तच्छिरः स्वांके कुंडलाभ्यामलंकृतम् । मातोवाच- हा हतास्मि त्वया वत्स दशामंत्यां च गच्छता
Placing his head, adorned with earrings, on her lap, his mother said: 'Alas, I am destroyed by you, my child, as you depart at the final moment.'
दिनश्रीरिव सूर्येण पश्चिमाचललंबिना । यदंगं चंदनालेपयोग्यं तव महामते
'Just as the beauty of the day is lost when the sun sets behind the western mountain, so your body, O wise one, fit to be anointed with sandal, now—'
मां मज्जयार्तिशोकाब्धौ तदिदं धूलिधूसरम्
'—has become covered with dust, plunging me into the ocean of pain and grief.'
तांबूलचर्वणेभ्यासो यस्त्वया विहितस्त्वसौ । स एव रुधिरोद्गार मिश्रेण क्रियते ध्रुवम् । तव ये लोचने पूर्वं जिग्यतुः कमलश्रियम्
The habit of chewing betel that you established is indeed the cause of this mixture of blood and phlegm being expelled; those eyes of yours, which once surpassed the beauty of lotuses—
त एव सांप्रतं जाते तिमिरौघा वृते इव । उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ वत्स त्वं शिष्यानध्यापयात्मनः
—those very eyes are now covered by a mass of darkness; arise, arise, dear one, instruct your students yourself.
यथावद्वैश्वदेवांते पूजयातिथिमागतम् । द्वारि स्थिता वयस्यास्ते त्वाह्वयंति प्रयाहि तान्
Just as, at the conclusion of the Vaiśvadeva rite, one worships a guest who has arrived, so too your friends are standing at the door, calling for you—go to them.
दातव्यं यद्ददस्वैभ्यो गृहीतव्यं गृहाण तत् । हाहा देहि प्रतिवचः पतामि तव पादयोः
Give to them what should be given, and accept what should be accepted; alas, give me a reply, I fall at your feet.
नोचेदहं विमोक्ष्यामि प्राणांस्तव समीपतः । नारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा मूर्छिता तस्य मुकुंदस्य प्रसूस्तदा
Otherwise, I will give up my life here at your side; Nārada said: Having spoken thus, the wife of Mukunda then fainted.
भार्या तस्य शिरः स्वांके विधाय व्यलपच्च सा । भार्योवाच- नाममार्गेण पाथोधे मदीयं वचनं शृणु
Placing her husband's head in her lap, she lamented; the wife said: Listen to my words, O ocean, by the path of your name.
रुष्टोऽसि चेत्समं मात्रा कुतो वद ममाग्रतः । न कदाचित्त्वया साधो मौनमीदृक्कृतं पुरा । केनापि लघुना भ्रात्रा ह्यपमानः कृतस्तव
If you are angry, tell me openly in my presence; never before, O noble one, have you kept such silence; has some younger brother insulted you in some way?
शुकोऽयं पंजरस्थस्ते नान्नमत्ति त्वया विना । भोजयैनं सुसिद्धान्नं कलवाचं च सारिकाम्
This parrot of yours, kept in a cage, will not eat food without you; feed him well-cooked rice, and the sweet-voiced mynah bird as well.
रामराम हरेकृष्ण विष्णो नामावलीमिति । पाठयोत्तिष्ठ निपुणौ द्वावेतौ सारिकाशुकौ
Recite to these two—the mynah and the parrot—the string of names: 'Rāma, Rāma, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu'; arise and teach them, for they are clever.
अपराद्धं मया किं ते यत्वं मां नाभिभाषसे । यत्त्वया मे धनं दत्तं तन्मया साधुरक्षिणम्
What offense have I committed against you, that you do not speak to me? The wealth you gave me, I have guarded faithfully.
अर्पितं यत्त्वया नाथ निजतेजो ममोदरे । सूतिकालमहं तस्य नोपेक्षे त्वामनुव्रजे
What you entrusted to me, O lord—your own brilliance within my womb—when the time of birth comes, I will not neglect it; I will follow you.
नारद उवाच- एवं विलप्य सा तस्य मुकुंदस्य प्रिया तदा । न रुरोद स्वभर्तारमनुगंतुमना सती
Nārada said: Thus lamenting, she, the beloved of Mukunda, did not weep, for she was intent on following her husband.
अथ तस्य मुकुंदस्य गुरुर्वेदायनाभिधः । संन्यासी पर्यटन्पृथ्वीं तस्य वेश्म ययौ नृप
Then the guru of Mukunda, named Vedāyana, a renunciant wandering the earth, came to his house, O king.
मुकुंदः क्व गतो माता भार्या तस्य च धीमतः । न दृश्यते तदा तेन पृष्टेत्याचष्ट चेटिका
He asked, 'Where has Mukunda gone, and his wise mother and wife? They are not to be seen.' To this, the maidservant replied.