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.'
वर्षायुतं तत्र भुक्त्वा भोगान्सर्वमनोहरान् । भारते जन्म संप्राप्य समाराध्य जगद्गुरुम्
'There, after enjoying all delightful pleasures for ten thousand years, he will be born in Bharata, and worship the teacher of the world.'
प्राप्स्यते परमं स्थानं सुरासुरसुदुर्ल्लभम् । न ज्ञातो महिमा सम्यक्छिलायाः परमेष्ठिनः
'He will attain the supreme abode, exceedingly rare for gods and demons; the true greatness of the stone of the Supreme Lord is not fully known.'
दृष्टा स्पृष्टार्चिता वापि सर्वपापहरा क्षणात् । इत्युक्त्वा विरताः सर्वे महाविष्णोर्गणा मुदा
'Seen, touched, or worshipped, it removes all sin in an instant.' Having spoken thus, all the hosts of Mahavishnu withdrew joyfully.
याम्यास्ते किंकरा राज्ञे कथयामासुरद्भुतम् । वैष्णवो हर्षमापेदे रघुनाथपरायणः
The servants of Yama then reported this wondrous event to their king; the Vaishnava, devoted to Raghunatha, experienced great joy.
मुक्तोऽसौ यमपाशाच्च गमिष्यति परं पदम् । तदाजगाम विमलं किंकिणीजालमंडितम्
He is freed from the bonds of Yama and will attain the supreme state; at that moment, he arrived at the spotless place adorned with a network of tinkling bells.
विमानं देवलोकात्तु मनोहारि महाद्भुतम् । तत्रारुह्य गतः स्वर्गं महापुण्यैर्निषेवितम्
A wondrous, captivating celestial vehicle came from the realm of the gods; ascending it, he reached heaven, which is served by those of great merit.
भोगान्भुक्त्वा स विपुलानाजगाम महीतलम् । काश्यां जन्म समासाद्य शुचिवाडवसत्कुले
After enjoying abundant pleasures, he returned to the earth; he obtained birth in Kāśī, in a pure and noble family of the Śucivāḍava lineage.
आराध्य जगतामीशं गतवान्परमं पदम् । स पापी साधुसंगत्या शालग्रामशिलां स्पृशन्
Having worshipped the Lord of all worlds, he attained the supreme state; that sinner, through association with the virtuous and touching the Śālagrāma stone,
महापीडाविनिर्मुक्तो गतवान्परमं पदम् । मया तेऽभिहितं राजन्गंडकीचरितं महत्
Freed from great suffering, he attained the supreme state; I have told you, O king, the great story of the Gaṇḍakī.
श्रुत्वा विमुच्यते पापैर्भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विंदति
Upon hearing it, one is freed from sins and attains both enjoyment and liberation.