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.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन न विलंबोचितः क्षणः । उद्धरिष्येऽपि भवतीं विरक्तिर्यदि ते हृदि
Why say much more? This moment is not fit for delay; I will rescue you, if detachment is in your heart.
चित्रोवाच-। स्वामिन्न दृष्टयोगेन तव संगतिधर्मतः । ध्रुवं विरक्तं मच्चेतो निंद्यमेतद्भवं प्रति
Citrā said: O lord, by seeing you and by the nature of our union, my mind is certainly detached from you; this is blameworthy for you.
नूनमेवं मया शास्त्रे श्रुतं यत्साधुसंगमः । अचिंत्यायै नमस्तस्यै ततो नियतायै पुनः
Surely, I have heard in the scriptures that association with the virtuous is inconceivable; I bow to her, and again to her who is steadfast.
जातूकर्ण उवाच-। इति भाष्यततस्तेन समं चित्रा ययौ तदा । विद्यमानं धनं किंचिदादाय मुनिनोदिता
Jātūkarṇa said: Thus, after he had spoken, Citrā went with him, taking a little wealth as instructed by the sage.
ततः परं सोऽपि पुनर्द्विजन्मा वैशाखमासे शिवदेहदेहम् । अवाप सस्नौ च दिनेशमस्यै स्नानाय सद्योऽथ ददौ दयालुः
Then that twice-born one, in the month of Vaiśākha, at the body of Shiva, bathed and immediately, out of compassion, gave the merit of that bath to her.
हृदयालुरयं विप्रः स्नापयामास तां तदा । यथोचितविधानेन चित्रामुच्चित्रभाषिणीम्
That compassionate Brahmin then bathed her, Citrā of eloquent speech, according to the proper method.
वैशाखस्नानमाहात्म्यं तत्र शुश्राव सा मुदा । पठमानेषु विप्रेषु पुराणानि पृथक्पृथक्
There, with joy, she heard the glory of bathing in Vaiśākha, as the Brahmins recited the Purāṇas, each separately.
यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण क्षीयते दुरितांधकः । यथा सूर्योदये नैव तिमिरौघः प्रणश्यति
By merely hearing it, the darkness of misfortune is destroyed, just as, at sunrise, the mass of darkness is dispelled.
सा शिवे शिवतनूजले पुनः स्नानतोऽजनिकरे विधानतः । स्नानतो विमलमानसोदया सूर्यकांतिरिव निर्मला बभौ
She, after bathing again in the water sanctified by Śiva's presence, according to the prescribed rites, shone with a pure mind, radiant and spotless like the light of the sun.
तत्र मज्जंति रेवायां सेवायां निरता हरेः । वैशाखे विविधा लोका लोकानंत्यमभीप्सवः
There, in the Reva, people devoted to the service of Hari immerse themselves during the month of Vaiśākha, seeking the endless worlds.