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?'
कस्याज्ञाकारका यूयं यदधर्मप्रकारकाः । मुंचंतु वैष्णवं त्वेनं किमर्थं विधृतो ह्ययम्
'By whose command do you act, engaging in such unrighteous conduct? Release this Vaishnava—why is he being held by you?'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य जगदुर्यमकिंकराः । धर्मराजाज्ञया प्राप्ता नेतुं पापिनमुद्यताः
Hearing these words, the servants of Yama replied: 'By the order of Dharmaraja we have come, prepared to take away this sinner.'
नासौ कदाचिन्मनसा प्राणिमात्रोपकारकः । प्राणिहत्या महापापकारी दुष्टशरीरभृत्
'Never, even in thought, did he help any living being; he committed the great sin of killing creatures, bearing a wicked body.'
नॄन्बहूंस्तीर्थयात्रायां गच्छतोऽसौ व्यलुंठयत् । परदाररतो नित्यं सर्वपापाधिकारकः
'He robbed many people on pilgrimage, always indulged in others' wives, and was engaged in every kind of sin.'
तस्मान्नेतुं वयं प्राप्ताः पापिनं पुल्कसं नरम् । भवद्भिर्मोचितः कस्मादकस्मादागतैर्भटैः
'Therefore we have come to take away this sinful Pulka man. Why has he been released by you warriors who appeared suddenly?'
विष्णुदूता ऊचुः। ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं प्राणिकोटिवधोद्भवम् । शालग्रामशिलास्पर्शः सर्वं दहति तत्क्षणात्
The messengers of Vishnu said: 'Sin arising from killing even millions of beings, including brahma-hatya and the like, is instantly burned away by the touch of the Shalagrama stone.'
रामेति नाम यच्छ्रोत्रे विश्रंभादागतं यदि । करोति पापसंदाहं तूलं वह्निकणो यथा
'If the name "Rama" enters the ear with trust, it burns up sin just as a spark of fire consumes cotton.'
तुलसी मस्तके यस्य शिला हृदि मनोहरा । मुखे कर्णेऽथवा राम नाम मुक्तस्तदैव सः
'He who has tulasi on his head, the delightful stone at his heart, and the name of Rama on his mouth or ear—he is liberated at that very moment.'
तस्मादनेन तुलसी मस्तके विधृता पुरा । श्रावितं रामनामाशु शिला हृदि सुधारिता
'Therefore, this one had tulasi placed on his head before, the name of Rama was made to be heard quickly, and the stone was firmly placed at his heart.'
तस्मात्पापसमूहोऽस्य दग्धः पुण्यकलेवरः । यास्यते परमं स्थानं पापिनां यत्सुदुर्ल्लभम्
'Therefore, the mass of his sins has been burned; his body is now meritorious, and he will attain the supreme abode, which is very difficult for sinners to reach.'