अत्रैवोदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । मुनयो वीतरागाश्च कामक्रोधविवर्जिताः
Here I will recount an ancient legend: sages free from passion, devoid of desire and anger.
पुरा कीकटसंज्ञे वै देशे धर्मविवर्जिते । आसीत्पुल्कसजातीयो नरः शबरसंज्ञितः
Long ago, in a land called Kikata, devoid of righteousness, there lived a man of the Pulka race, known as Shabara.
नित्यं जंतुवधोद्युक्तः शरासनधरो मुहुः । तीर्थं प्रति यियासूनां बलाद्धरति जीवितम्
Always intent on killing creatures, constantly wielding bow and arrow, he forcibly took the lives of those wishing to go to holy places.
अनेकप्राणिहत्याकृत्परस्वे निरतः सदा । सदा रागादिसंयुक्तः कामक्रोधादिसंयुतः
He committed many killings, always engaged in taking others' property, always bound by passion, desire, and anger.
विचरत्यनिशं भीमे वने प्राणिवधंकरः । विषसंसक्तबाणाग्र रूढचापगुणोद्धुरः
He roamed day and night in the dreadful forest, causing death to living beings, with poison-tipped arrows and a taut bowstring.
सैकदा पर्यटन्व्याधः प्राणिमात्रभयंकरः । कालं प्राप्तं न जानाति समीपेऽप्युग्रमानसः
Once, as the hunter wandered, terrifying all creatures, he did not perceive the arrival of death, even though it was near and his mind fierce.
यमदूतास्तु संप्राप्ताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः । ताम्रकेशा दीर्घनखा लंबदंष्ट्रा भयानकाः
The messengers of Yama arrived, holding nooses and clubs, with copper-colored hair, long nails, hanging fangs, and frightening appearance.
श्यामा लोहस्यनिगडान्बिभ्रतो मोहकारकाः । बध्नंतु पापिनं ह्येनं प्राणिमात्रभयंकरम्
Dark, bearing iron shackles, causing delusion, they bound the sinner, this terror to all living beings.
कदाचिन्मनसा नायं प्राणिमात्रोपकारकः । परदार परद्रव्य परद्रोहपरायणः
At no time, even in thought, was this one helpful to any living being; he was devoted to others' wives, others' wealth, and to harming others.
एतस्य जिह्वां महतीमहं निष्कासयाम्यतः । एको वदति चैतस्य चक्षुरुत्पाटयाम्यहम्
Therefore, I will tear out this one's great tongue; one says this, and I will pluck out his eye.
एको वदति चैतस्य करौ कृंतामि पापिनः । अन्यो वदत्यहं कर्णौ कर्तयामि दुरात्मनः
One says this, and I will cut off the hands of this sinner; another says, I will sever the ears of this wicked one.
एवं वदंतः सुभृशं दन्तैर्दन्तनिपीडकाः । आगत्य तं दुरात्मानं सायुधास्तस्थुरुन्मदाः
Thus, speaking fiercely, those with teeth like pestles approached that evil soul, armed and maddened.
एको दूतस्तदा सर्परूपं धृत्वादशत्पदे । स दष्टमात्रः सहसा गतासुः पर्यजायत
Then one messenger, taking the form of a serpent with ten mouths, bit him, and at once, as soon as he was bitten, his life departed.
तदा तं लोहपाशेन बद्ध्वा ते यमकिंकराः । कशाभिस्ताडयामासुर्मुद्गरैः प्राहरन्क्रुधा
Then those servants of Yama bound him with iron fetters, struck him with whips, and beat him with maces in anger.
अहो दुष्ट दुरात्मंस्त्वं कदाचिन्नाचरः शुभम् । मनसापि यतस्त्वां वै क्षेप्स्यामो रौरवेषु च
Oh, you wicked, evil-minded one, you never performed any good, not even in thought; therefore, we will cast you into the Raurava hells.
त्वङ्मांसं वायसा रौद्रा भक्षयिष्यंति वै क्रुधा । आजन्मतस्तु भवता न कृतं हरिसेवनम्
Fierce crows, enraged, will devour your flesh; from birth you never served Hari.
त्वया कलत्रपुत्राद्या द्रोहं कृत्वा सुपोषिताः । न कदाचित्स्मृतो देवः पापहारी जनार्दनः
By you, your wife, children, and others were well maintained through harm to others, but never once did you remember Janardana, the remover of sins.
तस्मात्त्वां लोहशंकौ वा कुंभीपाके च रौरवे । धर्मराजाज्ञया सर्वे नेष्यामो बहुताडनैः
Therefore, by the command of Dharmaraja, we will take you, with many beatings, to the iron spikes, or to Kumbhipaka and Raurava.
एवमुक्त्वा यदानेतुं समैच्छन्यमकिंकराः । तावत्प्राप्तो महाविष्णुचरणाब्जपरायणः
Having spoken thus, when the servants of Yama wished to take him, at that moment arrived one devoted to the lotus feet of Mahavishnu.
यमदूतास्तदा दृष्टा वैष्णवेन महात्मना । पाशमुद्गरदंडादिदुष्टायुधधरा गणाः
Then the Yamadutas, armed with nooses, maces, staffs, and other cruel weapons, were seen by the great-souled Vaishnava.
पुल्कसं लोहनिगडैर्बद्ध्वा यातुं समुद्यताः । बन्ध बन्ध ग्रसच्छिन्धि भिन्धि भिन्धीति वादिनः
They had bound the outcaste with iron shackles and were ready to take him, shouting, 'Bind! Bind! Devour! Cut! Pierce! Break!'
तदा कृपालुस्तं प्रेक्ष्य पद्मनाभपरायणः । अत्यंतकृपयायुक्तं चेतस्तत्र तदाकरोत्
Then, seeing him, the compassionate one devoted to Padmanabha, filled with utmost mercy, made up his mind there.
असौ महादुष्ट पीडां मा यातु मम सन्निधौ । मोचयाम्यहमद्यैव यमदूतेभ्य एव च
Let this great sinner not suffer torment in my presence; today itself I will free him from the Yamadutas.
इति कृत्वा मतिं तस्मिन्कृपायुक्तो मुनीश्वरः । शालग्रामशिलां हस्ते गृहीत्वास्य गतोंऽतिके
Having made this resolve, the compassionate lord among sages took a Shalagrama stone in his hand and approached him.
तस्य पादोदकं पुण्यं तुलसीदलमिश्रितम् । मुखे विनिक्षिपन्कर्णे रामनाम जजाप ह
He placed the sacred water from his feet, mixed with tulasi leaves, into his mouth and ear, and recited the name of Rama.
तुलसीं मस्तके तस्य धारयामास वैष्णवः । शिलां हृदि महाविष्णोर्धृत्वा प्राह स वैष्णवः
The Vaishnava placed tulasi on his head, held the stone of Mahavishnu at his heart, and spoke.
गच्छंतु यमदूता वै यातनासु परायणाः । शालग्रामशिलास्पर्शो दहतात्पातकं महत्
Let the messengers of Yama, devoted to the torments, depart; the touch of the Shalagrama stone at once burns away even great sin.
इत्युक्तवति तस्मिन्वै गणा विष्णोर्महाद्भुताः । आययुस्तस्य सविधे शिलास्पर्शाद्गतांहसः
When he had spoken thus, wondrous attendants of Vishnu arrived there, for the one whose sins had been removed by touching the stone.
पीतवस्त्राः शंखचक्रगदापद्मविराजिताः । आगत्य मोचयामासुर्लोहपाशाद्दुरासदात्
Clad in yellow garments, adorned with conch, discus, mace, and lotus, they came and released him from the dreadful iron fetters.
मोचयित्वा महापापकारकं पुल्कसं नरम् । ऊचुः किमर्थं बद्धोऽयं वैष्णवः पूज्यदेहभृत्
Having freed the man, a Pulka by birth, who had committed great sins, they said: 'For what reason is this Vaishnava, bearer of a worshipful body, bound?'