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.'
जातकर्मादिसंस्कारान्कारयस्व ममाशु वै । द्विजो भूत्वा शृणोम्यद्य प्रायश्चित्तं करोम्यतः
'Quickly perform for me the rites from birth onwards; becoming a Brahmin, I will listen today and perform expiation.'
विधायकं पुराणं मे भविष्यति च कीर्तितम् । अतः शक्यं करिष्यामि पुराणार्थं विनिश्चयन्
'Let a Purana that is authoritative for me be recited; then I will be able to act, having determined the meaning of the Purana.'
पौराणिक उवाच- यथावत्कीर्तयिष्यामि पुराणं पापनाशनम् । यथाज्ञानं यथाशक्ति यथाशुद्धं यथाविधि
Pauranika said: I will recite the Purana properly, which destroys sin, to the best of my knowledge, ability, purity, and according to the rules.
किं वांच्छसि पुराणं तु कीर्तयिष्ये तदेव तु । गौतम उवाच- सर्वं रुचि पुराणं मे वक्तव्यं किं हितं वद
'Which Purana do you desire? I will recite that.' Gautama said: 'Tell me the Purana that is most beneficial and pleasing to me.'
श्रुते यस्मिन्भिदा नैव जायते तु हरीशयोः । पौराणिक उवाच- कौर्मोक्तं यत्पुराणं तद्देवयोरभिदाभिधम्
'In which, when heard, no discord arises between Hari and Isha.' Pauranika said: 'The Purana spoken by the Tortoise, which is free from discord between the two gods.'
शृणोति यस्तत्प्रथमं तस्य पापं विनश्यति । तस्य वक्ता तु यो विप्रस्तस्य विघ्नांतरं भवेत्
Whoever hears it first, his sin is destroyed; but for the Brahmin who recites it, obstacles arise.
श्रोतव्यं मन्यते पापो यदि भार्या विनश्यति । किंचैकं दुष्करं वक्ष्ये श्रोतुर्वक्तुरनिंदकम्
If a wicked man thinks he should listen when his wife perishes, I will now speak of one thing difficult to do, which is blameless for both the listener and the speaker.
व्याख्यातरि यदि प्रीतिर्द्धर्मादेव प्रकाशिनी । आचारदर्शने पुण्ये कर्ममोक्षादिदर्शके
If affection arises for the expositor, revealed solely through dharma, in the observation of conduct, in merit, and in the demonstration of actions leading to liberation,
तदा तुष्टो महेशः स्याद्विष्णुरिष्टफलप्रदः । पितरस्तारितास्तेन यांति ते परमां गतिम्
Then Mahesha becomes pleased, Vishnu grants the desired fruits, and the ancestors are rescued by that, attaining the highest state.
श्रीराम उवाच- कथं पातकसंघात संक्रमे ब्राह्मणाधमे । पुराणज्ञः कथं व्याख्यां चकार द्विजसत्तम
Śrī Rāma said: How, in the midst of a multitude of sins, did the lowest of Brahmins, who knew the Purāṇas, deliver an exposition, O best of twice-born?
शंभुरुवाच- अध्यापने चाध्ययने जायते चाथ संगमः । संगतौ वत्सरं राम याति पातकि पातकम्
Śaṃbhu said: In teaching and in study, union arises, and through union, O Rāma, for a year, the sinner accumulates sin.
पुराणज्ञे तु काकुत्स्थ सर्वतत्वार्थवेदिनि । अपिपातकसंदोह चीर्णपापं प्रणश्यति
But for one who knows the Purāṇas, O descendant of Kakutstha, who understands the essence of all principles, even a heap of great sins is destroyed, and committed sins perish.
प्रभूतवह्निनाशे हि धूमराशिर्यथैव हि । शलभो दीपनाशाय वह्निनाशाय न प्रभुः
Just as, when a great fire is extinguished, a mass of smoke remains, so too a moth, though drawn to the lamp, cannot extinguish the fire.
कृतं पापं तथान्येषां नाशनाय पुराणिकः । भूतादिग्रस्तमर्त्यानां भूतादि भयमोचकः
In the same way, the Purāṇika destroys the sins committed by others; for mortals seized by beings such as spirits, he removes their fear of such beings.
समंत्रवानपनयेद्यथा न स्वयमातुरः । पौराणिकस्तथा पापं न किंचित्प्राप्तुमर्हति
Just as one skilled in mantras removes afflictions but is not himself afflicted, so too the Purāṇika does not deserve to receive any sin.
आत्मना च कृतं पापमन्यैरपि च यत्कृतम् । पुराणज्ञो नाशयति त्वतिदुष्टं स्वकर्म्म वा
Whether the sin is committed by himself or by others, the knower of the Purāṇas destroys it, whether it is exceedingly wicked or his own action.
भवानीशे हृषीकेशे समवृत्तिर्विवेकवान् । लोकवेदक्रियावेत्ता रुद्रजाप्यतिनिःस्पृहः
He is equal-minded toward Bhavānī and Īśa, toward Hṛṣīkeśa, discerning, skilled in worldly and Vedic actions, unattached to Rudra recitations.
तुष्टः शांतः क्रियादक्षः प्रभूतो योगकृद्वशी । यथैव ते पुराणज्ञो वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः
He is content, peaceful, adept in rituals, powerful, a practitioner of yoga, self-controlled; just as your Purāṇika was the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha.
नियोगात्तव भूपाल अयोध्यायामतिष्ठत । अपालयद्भुवं कृत्स्नां त्वां च रक्षः समापतत्
By your command, O king, he remained in Ayodhyā, protected the entire earth, and guarded you when danger approached.
स च शुक्रोपदेशेन राक्षसस्त्वामथाभ्यगात् । निद्रासक्तं हनिष्यामि नान्यथावसरस्त्विति
Then, by the instruction of Śukra, the demon came to you, saying, 'I will kill you while you are absorbed in sleep; there is no other opportunity.'