तया नवीनया वीरो भार्यया सहितोऽनिशम् । यथासुखं स बुभुजे विषयान्मनसः प्रियान्
With his new wife, the hero enjoyed, day and night, all the pleasures dear to his heart as he wished.
धर्माचारेण पुण्यात्मा सत्यपुण्यमतिः सदा । सत्ययामितया सत्या सुमत्याराधितो बभौ
With righteous conduct, always possessing a pure and truthful mind, he shone, honored by Satyā, the virtuous and wise.
निरस्ता तेन सा चित्रा विचित्रा वरवर्णिनी । स्वैरिणी गुणसंसर्गधर्मविद्वेषिणी ततः
Rejected by him, that remarkable and beautiful woman, of excellent complexion, became independent, hostile to virtue, and averse to the company of the good.
भ्रमते जारसंयुक्ता मुक्ताचारा गतत्रपा । सा पापरतसंयुक्ता रक्ता दूती विकर्मणि
She wandered, joined with lovers, behaving freely, without shame; she was engaged in sinful acts, attached to a messenger, and intent on wicked deeds.
कुशला कुट्टिनीकर्म कलासु त्वन्ययोषिताम् । गृहभंगमसौ चक्रे वक्रेण मनसा हिता
Skilled in the work of a procuress and the arts of other women, she caused the ruin of households, acting with a crooked mind for her own benefit.
साध्वीं नारीं समाहूय पापवाक्यैश्च नोदयेत् । नर्मलोभकथाकेलि प्रत्ययोत्पत्तिहेतुभिः
Summoning a virtuous woman, she would incite her with sinful words—using playful talk, stories of greed, and amusements as means to create trust.
मनांसि चालयेत्पापा पुरुषाणां च योषिताम् । साधूनां सा स्त्रियो भव्याः परेभ्यः प्रतिपादयेत्
That sinful woman would disturb the minds of men and women, and deliver good and noble women to others.
कारयत्येव कपटं धर्मग्रामविवर्जनम् । एवं वर्षशतं भुक्त्वा पश्चाद्वेश्याविधिस्थिता
She would always practice deceit, abandoning the path of righteousness; thus, after enjoying a hundred years, she remained in the state of a courtesan.
कालेन निधनं प्राप्ता सततं पापनिश्चया । जाता तव गृहे पुत्री दिव्यादेवीति सा सुता
In time, constantly intent on sin, she met her end; she was then born in your house as a daughter, known as Divyādevī, your own child.
सुंदरी रूपसंपन्ना पुरा दृष्टेन नोदिता । नारद उवाच-। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दिवोदासोऽतिविस्मितः । उवाच राजा मधुरं जातूकर्णं मुनिं वचः
Beautiful and endowed with grace, she was not awakened by her previous sight; Narada said: Thus, hearing these words, Divodāsa was greatly astonished, and the king spoke sweetly to the sage Jātūkarṇa.
दिवोदास उवाच-। यदीदृशी सा दुरितप्रचारा सदा दुराचाररता प्रयाता । कथं ममश्रीपतिदैवतस्य महाकुलीनस्य सुतानुरूपा
Divodāsa said: If she was always engaged in sinful conduct and devoted to wicked ways, how is she suitable as the daughter of mine—lord of Śrī, a great noble, and devoted to the gods?
सुदुर्ल्लभं राजकुले विशाले लेभे च सा श्रीमतिजन्मधन्यम् । पुण्येन केनापि मुने पवित्रे चित्रा विचित्रेण च कर्मकर्त्री
How did she obtain such a rare and illustrious birth in the vast royal lineage? By what merit, O sage, did that remarkable and diverse doer of deeds achieve this pure result?
नारद उवाच-। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भूमिपस्य मुनिस्ततः । किञ्चिद्विहस्य तु प्राज्ञो वचः सूनृतमब्रवीत्
Narada said: Hearing the king's words, the wise sage then smiled a little and spoke these truthful words.
जातूकर्ण उवाच-। चित्रा विचित्रसुरतैरथ वंचयंती प्रच्छन्नकामुकविटान्धनधीविहीनान् । वेश्या बभूव विषपानमितश्चरित्वा कालेन नागनगरे महति प्रसिद्धे
Jātūkarṇa said: Chitrā, deceiving impoverished, foolish, and secret lovers with various arts of love, became a courtesan; after living such a life, she became renowned in the great city of Nāganagara.
कोऽपि तत्र समायातः सायं विप्रः समार्दितः । अर्दमानो विशुद्धात्मा नगरे नागसंज्ञके
One evening, a certain Brahmin, afflicted and pure in heart, arrived there in the city called Nāga.
अपश्यन्नपरं स्थानं मूढश्चित्रागृहं ययौ । तया संमोहितोऽत्यर्थं वेश्यया दृष्टियोगतः
Finding no other place and bewildered, he went to Chitrā's house; there, he was greatly enchanted by the courtesan through her glances.
पादसंवाहनस्नानतांबूलासनभोजनैः । विलासैस्तोषितः सोऽपि खेदहीनोऽभवत्तदा
With foot massages, baths, betel, seats, food, and pleasures, she satisfied him, and he became free from fatigue at that time.
ततो विचित्रैः सुरतोपचारैरदृष्टबुद्ध्यैव तया स विप्रः । संसेवितोऽयं रजनीमशेषामवाहयद्भावविशेषलुब्धः
Then, with various arts of love, she served that Brahmin, whose mind was unknowing; captivated by her, he spent the entire night, eager for special affection.
प्रातः प्रयाणाभिमुखः कथंचिदुवाच चित्रामनुरक्तचित्तः । संतोषितः स्वैश्चरितैः स्वकृत्यैर्वचस्तयाचैकधिया तदानीम्
In the morning, preparing to depart, his heart attached to Chitrā, he spoke—satisfied by her actions and his own deeds, and with a single mind, he addressed her.
ब्राह्मण उवाच-। कार्यः प्रत्युपकारस्ते तोषितेन मया प्रिये । स्वदृढं च निजं दुःखं कथयाम्यविशेषतः
The Brahmin said: Since you are pleased with me, I must repay your kindness, dear one; I will tell you my own sorrow, fully and without reserve.
पुरा कथां हि वदतां विप्राणां नर्मदातटे । शुभं यत्सर्वपापघ्नं तदाकर्णय सादरम्
Once, as the Brahmins were telling stories on the banks of the Narmada, listen attentively now to that auspicious tale, which destroys all sins.
यो दिनत्रयमपि प्रयत्नतः स्नाति मेषउपयादि भास्करे । भास्करेऽनुदित एव माधवे मासि सोऽघनिचयैर्विमुच्यते
Whoever, with effort, bathes for even three days when the sun enters Aries, before sunrise in the month of Mādhava, is freed from heaps of sin.
संपूर्णमपि वैशाखे यो बहिः स्नानमाचरेत् । विधिना माधवं देवमर्चयेत्सोपि पापहा
Whoever performs an external bath throughout the month of Vaiśākha, and worships the god Mādhava according to the prescribed method, he too becomes free from sin.
पुण्यतीर्थे विशेषेण स्नानदानक्रियादिभिः । महापापैर्विमुच्येत मानवो मासि माधवे
Especially by bathing, giving gifts, and performing rites at holy places, a person is freed from great sins in the month of Mādhava.
तावन्महापापचयः शरीरे शरीरिणस्तिष्ठति निर्विशंकः । यावन्मुदा चोषसि मेषराशिमुपागते मज्जति नो दिनेशे
The accumulation of great sins remains in the body of the embodied being, without doubt, as long as, with joy, you do not bathe when the sun enters Aries and has not yet set.
एवमाकर्णितस्तेषां विप्राणां वदतां मया । अनेकदुरितांभोधि तरणे पोत उत्तमः
Thus, as I listened to those Brahmins speaking, I found the best boat for crossing the ocean of countless misdeeds.
अदूरे शिवदेहा च वर्ततेऽसौ सरिद्वरा । तत्र स्नातुं गमिष्येऽहं तदाघौघवधाय च
Not far away lies that excellent river, the body of Shiva; I will go there to bathe and to destroy the flood of sins.
यदि ते रोचते कांते विरक्तं वामनो भवेत् । तन्मया त्वं समागच्छ वैशाखस्नानहेतवे
If it pleases you, dear one, or if you are detached, then come with me for the purpose of bathing in Vaiśākha.
अनित्यं जीवितमिदं यौवनं चातिसुंदरम् । हेतुर्नरकवासस्य दुर्वारश्च स नो भवेत्
This life is impermanent, and youth, though exceedingly beautiful, is the cause of dwelling in hell and is difficult to restrain for us.
आराधितस्त्वयाहं च पातितो दुरितार्णवे । महतामपि यत्सत्यं दुष्टस्थितशरीरिणाम्
Though I have been worshipped by you, I have been cast into the ocean of misfortune; this is true even for the great, when they are embodied in a wicked state.