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.
नीतं च तद्धनं भूरि यद्युक्तं तद्विधीयताम् । त्वमस्माकं प्रजानां हि रक्षकः शासकोऽसताम्
He has taken much wealth; if it is proper, let it be restored. You are the protector of our people and the ruler over the wicked.
नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य स भूपालो मंत्रिणं पार्श्ववर्तिनम् । उवाच कोपरक्ताक्षः किमेभिः कथ्यते शृणु
Nārada said: Hearing this, the king, his eyes reddened with anger, addressed his minister who stood nearby: What is being said by these people? Listen.
शीघ्रमानयतं पापं नोचेत्त्वां घातयाम्यहम् । उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ पापिष्ठ साधूनां शं विधीयताम्
Quickly bring the wicked one; otherwise, I will have you killed. Arise, arise, O most sinful one; let the welfare of the virtuous be ensured.
पीड्यंते विषये यस्य प्रजा दस्युभिरुल्बणैः । स नृपो नरकं याति तेभ्यस्ताश्चेन्न रक्षति
In whose realm the subjects are oppressed by fierce robbers, that king goes to hell if he does not protect them.
नारद उवाच- निशम्येति वचो राज्ञः सचिवः स शिवे नृपः । वेगेन हयमारुह्य पदातिशतसंयुतः
Nārada said: Hearing the king’s command, the minister, together with the king, swiftly mounted a horse, accompanied by hundreds of foot soldiers.
ययौ गृहे मुकुंदस्य तस्य बंधूनपृच्छत । मुकुंदः केन निहतः सत्यं ब्रूत ममाग्रतः
He went to Mukunda’s house and questioned his relatives: ‘By whom was Mukunda killed? Tell me the truth before me.’
तं पापं निहनिष्यामि शासनाद्भूपतेरहम् । नारद उवाच- श्रुत्वेति मंत्रिणो वाक्यं प्रत्यूचुर्विप्रबांधवाः
I will destroy that wicked one by the king’s order. Nārada said: Hearing these words of the minister, the relatives of the brāhmaṇa replied.
विप्रबांधवा ऊचुः - चंडकेन हतो मंत्रिन्मुकुंदो नापितेन हि । इदं पलायमानस्य तस्योष्णीषं पपात वै
The brāhmaṇa’s relatives said: Mukunda was killed by the fierce barber. As he was fleeing, his turban fell off.
दृष्टः स्वचक्षुषा वध्वा मुकुंदस्यैव सोघकृत् । किं कुर्मस्तेन पापेन मज्जिताः शोकसागरे
He was seen with her own eyes by Mukunda’s wife, committing the crime. What can we do with that sinner, drowned in the ocean of grief?
नारद उवाच - इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां बंधूनां ब्राह्मणस्य हि । स मंत्री तस्य पापस्य नापितस्य गृहं ययौ
Nārada said: Hearing those words of the brāhmaṇa’s relatives, the minister went to the house of that wicked barber.
अश्वादुत्तीर्य तरसा तद्गृहं स्वयमाविशत् । कतिभिः पत्तिभिः सार्द्धं शयानं च ददर्श ह
Dismounting quickly from his horse, he entered the house himself, together with a few soldiers, and saw the barber lying there.
पत्तयस्तु तदाज्ञप्ताः केशेष्वाकृष्य तत्क्षणात् । तल्पादुत्थापयामासुस्तं पापं नापिताधमम्
The soldiers, commanded at that moment, dragged him by the hair and lifted that wicked, vile barber from his bed.
किं किमित्येव संजल्पन्नेत्रे उन्मीलयत्यसौ । यावत्स नापितः पापस्तावत्तं ददृशे पुरः
Muttering ‘What, what?’ he opened his eyes, and as soon as the sinful barber saw them before him,
संस्मरंतं निजं कर्म रात्रौ यत्कृतवानघम् । अधोमुखः क्षणं तस्थौ पश्यन्मूर्ध्नि स्थितं यमम्
Remembering his own deed, the sin he committed at night, he stood for a moment with his head bowed, seeing Yama standing above his head.
ग्राहयित्वा च सचिवस्तं पापं च स्वपत्तिभिः । निनाय नृपतेः पार्श्वमिति चोवाच भूपतिम्
The minister, having seized that wicked one with his soldiers, brought him before the king and spoke to the ruler.
आनीतो ब्रह्महा राजन्नयं चंडक नापितः । यदाज्ञापयसि स्वामिंस्तरसा तत्करोम्यहम्
He said: ‘O king, here is the murderer of a brāhmaṇa, the fierce barber. Whatever you command, master, I will do at once.’
राजोवाच- धर्मज्ञ सचिवश्रेष्ठ शृणु त्वं वचनं मम । इयं सरिद्वरा युष्मंश्चंद्रभागात्र निर्मलाः
The king said: ‘O wise minister, listen to my words. This river, Candrabhāgā, is pure and excellent among rivers.’
त्यजंति येऽत्र वै प्राणाल्लँभंते ते सुरास्पदम् । अत एष न हंतव्यः पापात्मा ह्यत्र नापितः
Those who give up their lives here attain the abode of the gods. Therefore, this sinful barber must not be killed here.
पंचकोशांतरे ह्यस्या मर्यादाया बहिर्यदि । नरकान्दारुणान्ह्येष ब्रह्महा यातु मा चिरम्
If, outside the boundary of this river, in the region of Pañcakośa, he crosses the limit, let this murderer of a brāhmaṇa quickly go to the dreadful hells.
नारदोवाच- इत्युक्तस्तेन वै राज्ञा स राजन्मंत्रिसत्तमः । श्वपचान्प्रेरयामास हंतुं तं भूपशासनात्
Nārada said: Thus instructed by the king, the excellent minister sent the outcaste men to kill him by the king’s order.