स्वमेव भवनं गत्वा चिंतयामास दुःखितः । रात्रौ मृत्युर्दिवा चेति न जानाति महानपि
Returning to his own house, he sat thinking in distress: even a great person does not know whether death comes by night or by day.
परलोके सुखं दुःखमिह भोगविनोदनम् । क्रिमिकीटमनुष्याद्यैः सुख दुःखैः पृथक्पृथक्
In the next world there is happiness or suffering; here, enjoyment brings pleasure and pain, each experienced differently by worms, insects, humans, and others.
प्रतिजीवंतु हेतूनां भेदोऽपि सुविनिश्चयः । एकस्यापि हि जीवस्य नास्ति चैकविधा स्थितिः
It is well established that the causes for each living being are distinct; for even a single soul, there is not just one kind of existence.
जन्मकाले महाऽज्ञानं शैशवेत्यल्पबोधनम् । स्खलत्पदेल्पविज्ञानं बाल्ये चाल्पं तथैव च
At birth there is great ignorance; in infancy, little understanding; in childhood, faltering steps and limited knowledge, and so it remains.
कौमारे क्रीडनरतिर्यौवने विषयोषितम् । यौवने विनिवृत्ते तु द्रव्यसंपादनेषणा
In boyhood, one delights in play; in youth, in sensual pleasures and women; when youth has passed, there is the pursuit of wealth and possessions.
वार्द्धके भोगलिप्सा च न भोक्तुं क्षमतेपि च । दूषिका श्लेष्मलालाभिर्वलीपलितकंपनैः
In old age, there is desire for enjoyment, but one is unable to partake; afflicted by phlegm, saliva, wrinkles, gray hair, and trembling.
श्वासकासानिलाक्षिप्तैर्हृषीकैर्विकलैर्युतः । किंचिद्धर्तुं न शक्नोति न च जानाति किंचन
Assailed by breathlessness, coughing, wind, and impaired senses, he cannot hold on to anything, nor does he know anything.
तिष्ठंतीषु परस्त्रीषु गुह्यस्थानं प्रदर्शयेत् । कोशकंडूयनपरः क्रूरो जीवितलक्षणैः
While women stand nearby, he exposes his private parts, preoccupied with scratching himself, harsh in his ways, marked by the signs of life.
कंडूयते स्फिचौ वस्त्रमुद्धृत्य च विचालयन् । भुंजानः श्लेष्मणा ग्रासं ग्रसितुं न च शक्नुयात्
He scratches his buttocks, lifting and moving his garment; while eating, phlegm chokes his food, and he is unable to swallow.
यदा कासस्तदा जज्ञे पायुवायुश्च शब्दवान् । निःसृतिश्च मलस्यापि श्लेष्मनिर्गम एव च
When he coughs, then wind passes from the anus with sound; excretion of waste and discharge of phlegm also occur.
स्नुषादिभर्त्सनं बाल तालहास्यनिदर्शनम् । गुरुनिर्गमनादीनि संचिंत्य च पुनः पुनः
He is scolded by his daughter-in-law and others, mocked by children, and repeatedly recalls things like the departure of elders.
आहूतो भोजनाद्यर्थं भोज्यान्नादि विनिंदयन् । चिरमुष्णं च निर्भर्त्स्य पुनश्चिंतामवाप सः
When called for food and such, he criticizes the meal, reproaching it for being long cold, and again falls into anxious thought.
अतिदुष्कृतिकर्म्माहं कथं भोक्ष्ये कथं स्वपे । कथं तिष्ठे कथं गच्छे परलोकः कथं भवेत्
"Having done such wicked deeds, how shall I eat, how shall I sleep, how shall I stand, how shall I go, and what will become of the next world?"
इति चिंताकुलो नित्यं न नमत्यपरान्वितः । द्विजस्य सदनं गत्वा पुराणज्ञस्य राघव
Thus, always troubled by such thoughts, he does not bow to others; going to the house of a learned Brahmin, O Raghava,
लज्जावाक्कृतवक्त्रश्च किंकरोमीत्यभाषत । न किंचिदप्युवाचासौ द्विजः पौराणिकस्तदा
With a face cast down in shame, he said, "What should I do?" But the Brahmin versed in the Puranas said nothing at all.
पापोयमिति विज्ञाय शिष्येण निरगामयत् । गौतमोपि विनिर्गम्य द्वार्येव च बहिः स्थितः
Recognizing him as a sinner, he had his disciple send him away; Gautama too went out and stood just outside the door.
भुव्यासीनं तु विज्ञाय पुराणार्थविचारकम् । कथं कथमपि प्राप्य पीठं दत्तं च नाभजत्
Seeing him seated on the ground, pondering the meaning of the Puranas, he somehow approached but did not accept the seat offered.
निषण्णो भूतले राम पुराणज्ञमभाषत । प्रायश्चित्तं करिष्यामि तदत्रैव विधीयताम्
Sitting on the earth, O Rama, he spoke to the knower of the Puranas: "I wish to perform atonement; let it be prescribed here itself."
ब्राह्मण उवाच- पापानि कीर्तयस्व त्वं सर्वथैव कृतानि तु । स चापि नाऽकृतं किंचिन्मया पापमितीरयन्
The Brahmin said: Proclaim all the sins you have committed, without exception; and he, declaring, 'There is not a single sin I have not committed,' spoke thus.
रुदन्पपात भूम्यां च कथं तातेति पीडितः । ब्राह्मणस्तमथ प्राह प्रायश्चित्तं न विद्यते
Weeping, he fell to the ground, tormented, saying, 'How, father?' Then the Brahmin said to him, 'There is no expiation.'
महापापं त्रिरावृत्ते पुनश्च यदि चेत्कृतम् । गौतम उवाच- पौराणिक महाभाग प्राप्यापि त्वामहं कथम्
If a great sin is committed three times, and again if it is done— Gautama said: O illustrious Pauranika, even after reaching you, how can I—
पापयुक्तो द्विजश्रेष्ठ संगतिर्विफला भवेत् । पौराणिक उवाच- शास्त्रं प्रमाणं सर्वेषां प्रायश्चित्तविनिर्णये
O best of twice-born, one tainted by sin, association with such is fruitless. Pauranika said: Scripture is the authority for all decisions regarding expiation.
तद्विना यो हि तं ब्रूयात्प्रायाश्चित्तं न तद्भवेत् । सकृत्कृते सकृत्प्रोक्तं द्वितीये द्विगुणं भवेत्
Without that, if someone prescribes expiation, it is not valid; for a first offense, the prescribed penance is done once, for a second, it is doubled.
तृतीये त्रिगुणं प्रोक्तं चतुर्थे नास्ति निष्कृतिः । त्वया कृतं तु बहुधा चतुर्विधमपीच्छया
For a third offense, it is said to be tripled; for a fourth, there is no atonement. But you have committed many and of four kinds, by your own desire.
कथं वक्तुमहं शक्तः प्रायश्चित्तं भवादृशे । गौतमोऽपि पुनः प्राह क्व गंतव्यं मयेति च । उपवासत्रयं कृत्वा शिवरात्रिमविंदत
How am I able to prescribe expiation for someone like you? Gautama again said, 'Where should I go?' Having performed a three-day fast, he observed the night of Shiva.
चतुर्थमुपवासं च चकारातीव दुःखितः । पारणं चाप्यमायां स कृतवान्फलवल्कलैः
He undertook a fourth fast as well, greatly afflicted; and he broke his fast at the proper time, with fruits and bark garments.
अथ प्रदक्षिणं चक्रे श्रीशैलस्य च स द्विजः । गतवान्मंदिरं पश्चाच्चिंतयातिकृशः श्वसन्
Then that Brahmin performed circumambulation of Shri Shaila, and afterwards, thin and sighing, he went to the temple, reflecting deeply.
कथं पापनिवृत्तिर्मे तूष्णींभूतस्य सेत्स्यति । अनंतमविचार्यं किं पापं च सुमहत्तरम्
How will my release from sin occur, now that I have become silent? What is this immense, boundless sin?
श्रुत्वा न कोपि मे ब्रूयात्प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयताम् । किंतु कस्मिन्पुराणे तु श्रुते ज्ञातं भविष्यति
Though I have heard, no one tells me the prescribed expiation; but perhaps, by hearing some Purana, it will become known.
इति कृत्वा मतिं सोथ पुराणज्ञमभाषत । पुराणमेकं मे तात व्याख्यातु भगवानिति
Thinking thus, he then spoke to the knower of the Puranas: 'O revered one, please explain to me one Purana.'