पाणिपीडनमारभ्य चैतदंतमहर्निशम् । वाङ्मनःकर्मभिर्भर्ता सेवितो यदि भक्तितः
'From the pressing of my hands, day and night, with speech, mind, and actions, I have served my husband with devotion.'
व्यभिचारो यथा न स्यादवस्थात्रितये मम । तेन सत्येन मे पत्या सार्द्धं यानं प्रयच्छत
'Just as there has been no transgression by me in any of the three states, by that truth, grant me passage together with my husband.'
इत्युक्त्वाथ स्वहस्ताग्रपुष्पकं द्रुतमाक्षिपत् । प्रविष्टा ज्वलनं दीप्तमथापश्यद्विमानकम्
Having said this, she quickly cast the flower from her own hand and entered the blazing fire, and then saw a celestial chariot.
सूर्येण सममुत्कृष्टमप्सरोगीतशोभितम् । आरुरोह विमानं सा भर्त्रा साकं दिवं ययौ
Raised up together with the Sun and adorned by the songs of apsarases, she ascended the chariot and went to heaven with her husband.
यमः प्राहाथ संपूज्य वनितां तां पतिव्रताम् । अक्षयः स्वर्ग एवेह न च पापं तवास्ति वै
Then Yama, having honored that devoted wife, said: 'Heaven here is inexhaustible for you, and indeed, you have no sin.'
कोटिद्वयसमास्तत्र नरके हंत पातकम् । मृष्टमेव न संदेहः किंतु पातकमेव च
There, the sin endured in hell for two crores of ages is certainly washed away—there is no doubt—but the sin itself remains.
एकं शिवस्य दीपाज्यभक्षणेन समर्जितम् । न वापि नरके पातः श्वानजन्मशतं भवेत्
By consuming the ghee of Śiva’s lamp, one sin is cleansed; but not even by falling into hell would one be born as a dog for a hundred lives.
अव्ययोवाच- अग्निप्रवेशशुद्धानां पुनश्च नरकः कथम् । अग्निप्रवेशात्सर्वेषां पापानां नाशनं भवेत्
Avyayā said: 'How can there be hell again for those purified by entering fire? By entering fire, all sins should be destroyed.'
यम उवाच- शिवद्रव्यापहारस्य पातकं नैव नश्यति । इत्थमाहपुरा शंभुरन्येषां नाशनं भवेत्
Yama said: The sin of stealing objects belonging to Shiva never perishes; thus spoke Shambhu in ancient times. For other sins, destruction may occur.
अथ स श्वानतामाप्य शताब्दं स्यात्ततः परम् । दधीचमंदिरं प्राप्तो मृत्योरास्य गतो हि सः
Then, having assumed the form of a dog, he remained so for a hundred years; thereafter, he reached the temple of Dadhīca and entered the mouth of death.
तस्य भित्तिसमीपे तु भस्मास्ते ह्यभिमंत्रितम् । भस्मनि श्वा पपाताथ ममार च गतो यमम्
Near the wall of his temple, there was sacred ash, consecrated with mantras; the dog fell upon the ash, died, and went to Yama.
यमः संपूज्यावनतो भवान्पुण्यतमो मुनिः । मद्गेहे भवतः स्थानं न योग्यं गम्यतां बहिः
Yama, having worshipped and bowed, said: You are the most virtuous sage; your presence in my abode is not proper—please depart outside.
अथ गत्वा बहिस्तस्थौ सारमेयो यमोदितः । संतापावस्थितं तं च नारदो दृष्टवानमुम्
Then, having gone outside, the dog stood as instructed by Yama; Nārada saw him, who was in a state of distress.
पप्रच्छ च किमर्थं त्वमिह तिष्ठसि दीप्तिमान् । शिवभस्मस्थितमृतं शैवं जाने महामते
He asked: For what reason do you stand here, radiant one? I know you died upon the Shiva-ash, O wise one.
शैवानां पापिनां चापि साहसेन तनुत्यजाम् । यमलोको न चास्तीति शिवाज्ञा शिवनोदिता
For sinful Shaivas who abandon their bodies by force, there is no realm of Yama; this is Shiva's command, spoken by Shiva.
दधीच उवाच- इत्थमाभाष्य तं श्वानं कैलासमगमन्मुनिः । दंडवत्प्रणिपत्येशं व्यज्ञापयदथो हरम्
Dadhīca said: Having thus spoken to the dog, the sage went to Kailāsa, prostrated himself before the Lord, and then petitioned Hara.
देव कश्चिद्यमपुराद्बहिरास्ते स कुक्कुरः । भस्मन्येव मृतस्तद्वद्भवलोकं स चार्हति
O Lord, a certain dog stands outside Yama's city; he died upon the ash, so he deserves your world.
अथ मुख्यगणाविष्टो वीरभद्रः शिवेरितः । आनयामास तं श्वानं दिव्यरूपधरं तदा
Then, possessed by the chief Gaṇas and instructed by Shiva, Vīrabhadra brought that dog, who assumed a divine form.
महेशपादप्रणतं देवायाथ व्यजिज्ञपत् । आह माहेश्वरो देवं गणमेनं कुरुष्व मे
Having bowed at the feet of Mahesha, he petitioned the Lord; Maheshvara said: Make this one a member of my Gaṇa.
तथेति च शिवः प्राह गणः श्वानमुखोऽभवत् । दधीच उवाच-। अतुल्यं भस्ममाहात्म्यं मयोक्तं ते शुचिस्मिते
Shiva replied, 'So be it.' The dog became a Gaṇa with a dog's face. Dadhīca said: I have told you, O pure-smiling one, the incomparable greatness of the ash.
इतः परं हि किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि सुव्रते
What more would you wish to hear, O virtuous lady?
शुचिस्मितोवाच- कश्यपं जमदग्निं च देवानां च पुरा कथम् । ररक्ष भस्म तद्ब्रह्मन्समाचक्ष्व मुने मम
Śucismita said: How did the ash once protect Kaśyapa, Jamadagni, and the gods? Tell me, O sage, about this, O Brahman.
दधीच उवाच- कश्यपादियुता देवाः पूर्वमभ्यागमन्गिरिम् । शोकरं नाम विख्यातं गिरिमध्ये सुशोभनम्
Dadhīca said: The gods, accompanied by Kaśyapa and others, once approached a mountain, renowned as Shokara, beautiful in its midst.
नानाविहंगसंकीर्णं नानामुनिगणाश्रयम् । वासुदेवाश्रयं रम्यमप्सरोगणसेवितम्
It was filled with various birds, inhabited by many groups of sages, delightful as the abode of Vāsudeva, and served by hosts of apsarases.
विचित्रवृक्षसंवीतं सर्वर्तुकुसुमोज्ज्वलम् । तथाविधं प्रविश्यैते गिरिं वयमथापरे
It was surrounded by wondrous trees, radiant with flowers of all seasons; entering such a mountain, we and others proceeded.
स्तुवंतः केशवं तत्र गताः स्म गिरिशेश्वरम् । दृष्ट्वा तत्र महाज्वालां प्रविष्टाश्च वयं च ताम्
There, praising Keśava, we reached the lord of the mountain; seeing a great flame there, we entered it.
मामेकं तु तिरस्कृत्य ह्यदहद्देवता मुनीन् । मां ददाह ततः पश्चाद्भस्मीभूता वयं शुभे
Having disregarded me alone, the goddess consumed the sages and gods; then, O auspicious one, she burned me as well, and we became ashes.
अस्मानेतादृशान्दृष्ट्वा वीरभद्रः प्रतापवान् । केनापिकारणेनासौ गतवान्पर्वतं च तम्
Seeing us in such a state, the mighty Vīrabhadra, for some reason, departed for that mountain.
भस्मोद्धूलितसर्वांगो मस्तकस्थशिवः शुचिः । एकाकी निःस्पृहः शान्तो हाहाशब्दमथाशृणोत्
His whole body covered in ash, pure Shiva upon his head, alone, free from desire, peaceful, he then heard cries of lamentation.
अथ चिंतापरश्चासीन्म्रियमाण शवध्वनिः । शवानामिवगंधश्च दृश्यते तन्निरीक्षणे
Then, absorbed in thought, he heard the sound of dying bodies; and as he looked, there appeared a smell like that of corpses.