परस्परं च भाषंतः कृशाः कृष्णवपुः श्रियः । यावदेवं स विप्राग्र्यो विचारयति धीरधीः
Speaking among themselves, emaciated, with dark bodies and bereft of splendor—as the foremost Brahmin pondered thus with steady mind,
तावदागम्यते सर्वे दूरस्था मुनिमादरात् । बद्धांजलिपुटा भूत्वा प्रणम्योचुरिति स्फुटम्
At that moment, all of them, who were at a distance, approached the sage with reverence, palms joined, bowed, and spoke clearly as follows.
पंचपुरुषा ऊचुः - भव्यं भवंतं पुरुषोत्तमं वै विभ्राजमानं चरितेन मान्यम् । मन्यामहे विप्र दयालुमुख्यं वाचं समाकर्णय नोसि मैत्रः
The five men spoke: We regard you, O Supreme Person, as noble, radiant through your conduct, and worthy of respect. We consider you, O Brahmin, to be compassionate and foremost; listen to our words, for you are friendly to us.
संतः प्रतिष्ठा दीनानां दैवादुद्भूतपापिनाम् । आर्तानामार्तिहंतारो दर्शनादेव साधवः
The virtuous are the refuge of the afflicted, even of those who have become sinners through fate; the good destroy the suffering of the distressed merely by their presence.
अहं पांचालदेशीयः क्षत्रियो वीरवाहनः । ब्राह्मणं हतवान्मोहाच्छरेण शब्दवेधिना
I am a Kshatriya from the land of Panchala, named Viravahana. Out of delusion, I killed a Brahmin with an arrow that strikes by sound.
शिखासूत्रविहीनस्तु तिलकेन विवर्जितः । अटामि जगतीमेनां ब्रह्मघ्नोऽहमिति ब्रुवन्
Deprived of the topknot and sacred thread, and lacking the mark of tilaka, I wander this earth, declaring myself a slayer of Brahmins.
ब्रह्मघ्नायातिपापाय भिक्षा मह्यं प्रदीयताम् । एवं सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु भ्रमन्नत्रास्मि चागतः
For the sin of Brahmin-slaying, which is exceedingly wicked, let alms be given to me. Thus, wandering through all the sacred places, I have arrived here, fearful.
ब्रह्महत्या न मेद्यापि प्रयाति मुनिसत्तम । एवं मे वर्षमेकं हि व्यतीतं कुर्वतो विभो
Even in the sacred places, O best of sages, the sin of Brahmin-slaying does not depart from me. Thus, O Lord, a whole year has passed while I have acted so.
दह्यमानस्य पापेन शोकाकुलितचेतसः । चंद्रशर्मापरो विप्रो योयं संलक्ष्यते द्विज
Burned by sin, with a mind troubled by sorrow, there is another Brahmin here, named Chandrasharma, whom you see, O twice-born.
गुरुघाती स तु ब्रह्मन्मोहाकुलितमानसः । मोहाकुलितचित्तत्वाद्गुरुघातक उच्यते
He is a slayer of his teacher, O Brahmin, his mind confused by delusion. Because of his deluded state, he is called a teacher-slayer.
निवसन्मागधेदेशे संत्यक्तः स्वजनैस्ततः । दैवादसावपि मुने भ्रमन्निह समागतः
Living in the land of Magadha, abandoned by his own people, he too, O sage, has come here, wandering by fate.
शिखासूत्रविहीनस्तु विप्रलिंगविवर्जितः । मया पृष्टस्तु वृत्तांतं सत्यमेवावदद्द्विजः
Deprived of the topknot and sacred thread, lacking the marks of a Brahmin, when questioned by me, he truthfully recounted his story, O twice-born.
वसता यद्गुरोर्गेहे क्रोधाकुलितचेतसा । महामोहगतेनापि यथा वै घातितो गुरुः
While residing in his teacher's house, his mind agitated by anger, and overcome by great delusion, he killed his teacher as described.
तेन पापेन दग्धोऽसौ वर्तते शोकपीडितः । तृतीयोऽयं पुनः स्वामिन्वेदशर्मासमाहितः
Afflicted by that sin, he remains tormented by sorrow. The third, again, is the master Vedasharma, who is disturbed.
सुरापो ब्राह्मणो जातो मोहाद्वेश्याप्रसंगतः । पृष्टो मयायमपि मे यथावृत्तं तथाब्रवीत्
A Brahmin, addicted to liquor, born from association with a hated woman due to delusion; when questioned by me, he told me his story as it happened.
आत्मनश्चेष्टितं सर्वं मनस्तापेन पीडितः । निरस्तः सर्वलोकैश्च भार्याबंधुजनैरपि
Tormented in mind by all his actions, rejected by all people, and even by his wife and relatives.
तेन पापेन संलिप्तो भ्रमन्नत्रायमागतः । चतुर्थो विधुरो नाम वैश्योऽयं गुरुतल्पगः
Entangled in that sin, wandering, he has arrived here. The fourth is named Vidhura, a Vaishya who has committed the grave sin of violating his teacher's wife.
मोहान्मासत्रयं यावद्वेश्याभूतां च मातरम् । बुभुजे स विदेहस्थां ज्ञाततत्त्वस्ततश्चरन्
Out of delusion, for three months, he enjoyed his mother, who had become a hated woman and was living elsewhere; later, realizing the truth, he wandered.
दुःखितोऽभ्यागमद्भूमिं भ्रमन्निह मुने पुनः । पंचमोऽयं महापापी पापिसंसर्गकारकः
Distressed, he came to this land, wandering here again, O sage. The fifth is a great sinner, a cause of sinful association.
प्रत्यहं धनलोभेन स्तेयादिकृतवानघम् । वैश्योतिपातकैः क्रांतस्ततस्त्यक्तो जनैः स्वयम्
Every day, out of greed for wealth, he committed sins such as theft; being overcome by grave transgressions as a Vaishya, he was abandoned by people of his own accord.
निर्विण्णमानसो दैवान्नंदनामेह संगतः । एवं पंचापि पापिष्ठाः स्थानमेकमुपागताः
With minds weary and dejected, they gathered here at Nandana by fate; thus, all five great sinners arrived at the same place.
कः कस्यापि न संपर्कं भोजनाच्छादनादिभिः । न करोति महाभाग विना वार्तां द्विजोत्तम
No one among them, O most fortunate one, engages in any contact—such as eating or sharing shelter—without first conversing, O best of twice-born.
विशंत्येकासने नैव न स्वपंत्येकसंस्तरे । एवं दुःखसमाक्रांता नानातीर्थेषु वै गताः
They do not sit together on the same seat, nor do they sleep on the same bedding; thus, afflicted by suffering, they have wandered to various holy places.
नास्माकं पातकं घोरं प्रयाति मुनिसत्तम । दृष्ट्वा भवंतं दीप्यंतं प्रसन्नानि मनांसि नः
Our terrible sin, O best of sages, does not depart; but seeing you shining before us, our minds become serene.
वदंति दुरितप्रांतं साधोस्ते पुण्यदर्शनात् । उपायं वद नः स्वामिन्यथा पापक्षयो हि नः
It is said that the end of misfortune comes from beholding the virtuous; O master, tell us a means by which our sins may be destroyed.
ज्ञायते करुणोऽस्माभिर्विप्र वेदार्थवित्प्रभो । आर्तानां मार्गमाणानां पश्चात्तापमुपेयुषाम्
We recognize your compassion, O learned knower of the Vedas; for those who are suffering, seeking a way, and filled with remorse.
मोहादवाप्तपापानां त्वमुद्धर्तासि निश्चितम् । नारद उवाच- तेषामिति वचः श्रुत्वा मुनिशर्मा मुनिस्ततः
You are certainly the deliverer of those who have incurred sin out of delusion; Narada said—Hearing these words, the sage Munisharma then replied.
इदमाह विचार्येति करुणावरुणालयः । मुनिशर्मोवाच- यूयमज्ञानतः प्राप्तपातकाः सत्यभाषिणः
He, the abode of compassion and mercy, after considering, spoke these words: Munisharma said—You have incurred sin out of ignorance, though you speak the truth.
अनुतापयुतास्तस्मादनुग्राह्या मयाधुना । शृणुध्वं मे वचः सत्यमूर्ध्वबाहुर्वदाम्यहम्
Because you are filled with repentance, you are now worthy of my grace; listen to my true words, which I declare with uplifted hand.
यन्मयांगिरसः पूर्वं श्रुतं मुनिसमागमे । दृष्टं वेदेषु शास्त्रेषु श्रुतं गुरुमुखात्तथा
What I once heard from Angiras in an assembly of sages, what is seen in the Vedas and scriptures, and what I have learned from my teacher’s lips—