पतितेष्वस्थिखंडेषु तीर्थेऽस्मिन्नुतमोत्तमे । गुरुलोपोद्भवं पापं सद्यो नष्टं ममाभवत
When I fell among the fragments of bones at this most excellent of sacred fords, the sin arising from neglect of my teacher was instantly destroyed.
तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन लब्धा च स्वर्गतिर्मया । सुखं स्वर्गे निवत्स्यामि यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश
By the grace of this sacred place, I attained heaven; I shall dwell happily in heaven for as long as the fourteen Indras reign.
यमस्य नगरे तस्मिन्याः प्रजा निवसंति वै । पापिनां भयदायिन्यो धर्मिणां ता मनोहराः
In that city of Yama, the beings who dwell there are terrifying to sinners, but enchanting to the righteous.
सिंहास्या गजकोलास्या महादंष्ट्रोन्नतोदरीः । बिडालास्याः पिंगकेश्यो भामिन्यो दीर्घपत्कराः
With lion faces, elephant and boar faces, great fangs, swollen bellies, cat faces, tawny-haired, radiant, and with long hands.
तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन निःपापोहं यदाभवम् । तदा मया प्रजा दृष्टा दिव्यरूपा यमालये
By the grace of this sacred ford, when I became free from sin, then I saw those beings in Yama's abode, possessing divine forms.
सर्वास्ताः सत्यवादिन्यो विनयाचारसंचिताः । दिव्याभरणधारिण्यो दिव्यांबरविभूषिताः
All of them spoke truthfully, were endowed with humility and good conduct, adorned with divine ornaments, and clothed in celestial garments.
इत्येतत्कथितं तात यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ । अनुजानीहि मां गंतुममरेशपुरीं प्रति
Thus, O dear one, I have told you what you asked me; now permit me to go to the city of the Lord of the Immortals.
नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य स सन्यासी स्वशिष्योक्तं वचस्तदा । भूयः पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा मुकुंदं तं द्विजं नृप
Nārada said: Hearing thus, the ascetic listened to his disciple's words, and then, righteous in soul, he questioned that twice-born Mukunda again, O king.
वेदायन उवाच- बाल्यावधि गुरुस्नेहं मत्तोऽधीतं त्वयाखिलम् । शब्दशास्त्रसमेतश्च वेदस्तु सपदक्रमः
Vedāyana said: From childhood you have learned all from me with the affection of a teacher, together with the science of words and the Veda in its entirety, with all its steps.
विहिता मम शुश्रूषा भावेन भवतोत्तमा । त्वयि संति सतां साधो गुणाः शमदमादयः
You have rendered the service due to me with devotion, O best of men; in you, O virtuous one, are found the qualities of the good, such as tranquility and self-restraint.
गुरुलोपकृतं पापं कथं ते समजायत । एतदाख्याहि मे तात यथा जानामि तत्वतः
How did the sin arising from neglect of your teacher come upon you? Tell me this, dear one, so that I may know the truth.
मुकुंद उवाच- जन्मोपवीतकन्यानां धातारो निगमस्य च । यज्ञोपवीतदातुश्च नाज्ञाभंगः कृतो मया
Mukunda said: I have not violated the command of the creators of the sacred thread for girls, nor of the Veda, nor of the giver of the sacred thread.
श्वश्रुश्वशुरयोः सेवा भृत्येनेव कृता मया । तवापि शास्त्रदातुश्च नाज्ञाभंगः कृतो मया
I have served my father-in-law and mother-in-law as a servant would; nor have I ever disobeyed you, my teacher in the scriptures.
पुरोधा यः कुलाचार्यो वेदवेदांतपारगः। तस्यापराद्धं केचिन्मे तत्र त्वं श्रोतुमर्हसि
He who is the family priest, the preceptor, accomplished in the Veda and its end—some offense against him was committed by me; you ought to hear of it.
यद्यस्माकं कुले पुत्रो जायते धर्मकोविद । तदा पुरोधसे धेनुमेकां वा तस्य दक्षिणाम्
If a son skilled in righteousness is born in our family, then a cow, or something equivalent, is to be given as a fee to the family priest.
दत्त्वा संच्छिद्यते नालमिति वंशस्य नः स्थितिः । पुरा ममैव पुत्रे तु जातमात्रे शुभेऽहनि
Having given that, the lineage is considered pure and established; but formerly, on the auspicious day when my own son was born—
कुलक्रिया मया तात न कृता मूढबुद्धिना । तस्याश्चाकरणेनैव गुरुलोपकरोऽभवम्
Father, I did not perform the family rites, being of foolish mind; by neglecting them, I became one who caused the loss of my lineage.
निवेदितमिदं सर्वं गुरुलोपाद्यथा मम । पापमासीदनुज्ञा मे देहि यामि सुरालयम्
All this has been reported by me, how sin befell me due to the loss of my lineage; grant me permission, I will go to the abode of the gods.
वेदायन उवाच- इंद्रप्रस्थांतरावर्तिन्येषा या कोशला शुभा । स्मृतिरस्याः प्रसादेन दृश्यते पूर्वजन्मनः
Vedāyana said: Within the region of Indraprastha, this auspicious Kośalā exists; by her grace, memory of one's previous birth is seen.
केन पुण्येन तीर्थेऽस्मिन्नस्थीनि पतितानि ते । मुकुंदाख्याहि चैतस्य स्मृतिरस्ति तवानघ
By what merit have your bones fallen in this holy place? Tell, O Mukunda, if you possess memory of this.
मुकंद उवाच- एकस्तु ब्राह्मणः कश्चित्सायं मद्गृहमागतः । तस्मै स्थानं मया दत्तं भोजनं च यथाविधि
Mukunda said: Once, a certain Brahmin came to my house in the evening; I gave him a place and food according to proper custom.
सोऽपि भुक्त्वा यथाकामं सुष्वाप शयने शुभे । निशीथे तस्य सर्वांगे ज्वरोऽभूदति दारुणः
He ate as he wished and slept on a fine bed; at midnight, a severe fever afflicted his whole body.
तेन पीडितसर्वांगो निद्रां लेभे न स द्विजः । प्रभात एव तत्याज प्राणान्मृत्यावुपस्थिते
Tormented in every limb, that Brahmin could not sleep; at dawn, with death approaching, he departed from life.
तस्य दाहादि कर्माणि विहितानि मया गुरो । तदस्थीनि च गंगायां पातितानि विधानतः
I performed the prescribed rites for his cremation, O teacher; and his bones were properly cast into the Ganges.
तेन पुण्येन मेस्थीनि पतितानि शिवप्रदे । तीर्थेऽस्मिन्कोशले नाम्नि ब्रह्मदेवविनिर्मिते
By that merit, my bones have fallen in this holy place, Kośalā, created by Brahmadeva, which bestows auspiciousness.
नारद उवाच- स्वचरितमितिराजन्स द्विजः प्रोच्य सद्यः सुरसुभगशरीरो द्यां ययौ यानगत्या । इदमकथित मया तं तस्करात्प्राप्य मृत्युं व्यलभत दिवमेतत्तीर्थराजप्रसादात्
Nārada said: Having spoken thus, that Brahmin, radiant as a god, immediately ascended to heaven in a celestial vehicle; I have narrated how he met death at the hands of a thief, yet attained heaven by the grace of this king of holy places.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्ये मुकुंदोपाख्याने दशाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the two hundred and tenth chapter in the story of Mukunda, in the section on the glory of the Kalindi, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the revered Padma Mahāpurāṇa, which contains fifty-five thousand verses.
नारद उवाच- शिवे तवपुरः सर्वं मुकंदाख्यानमुत्तमम् । कथितं चंडकस्यापि नापितस्य शृणुष्व मे
Nārada said: O auspicious one, before you I have recounted the excellent story of Mukunda; now listen to the tale of Caṇḍaka, the barber.
यस्मिन्दिने मुकुंदस्तु ब्राह्मणस्तेन घातितः । चंडकेन तदा राजंस्तद्वृत्तं नागरैः श्रुतम्
On the day Mukunda, the Brahmin, was slain by Caṇḍaka, O king, that event was heard by the townspeople.
श्रुत्वा तैस्तन्नृपस्याग्रे निवेदितमिति स्फुटम् । नागरा ऊचुः । चंडकेन हतो राजन्मुकुंदो ब्राह्मणोत्तमः
Having heard it, they reported it clearly before the king; the townspeople said: Caṇḍaka has killed Mukunda, the foremost Brahmin, O king.