कथं ते चिरविच्छेदं सोढुं शक्नोमि दुःसहम् । यदा मय्यनुकंपास्ति तव पीनपयोधरे
How can I endure such a long separation from you, which is unbearable? When you, with full breasts, show compassion toward me—
तदा कियद्दिनं तिष्ठ मया सह वराङ्गने । ततो देवाधिराजस्य वदंती बहुसंपदम्
Then, O fair-limbed one, stay with me for a little while; afterward, speak of the great prosperity of the king of the gods.
वर्षाणामयुतं तस्थौ सा देवनिलये सती । पद्मगन्धोवाच- आज्ञां देहि सुराधीश साधितुं सुमनोरथम्
She remained in the abode of the gods for ten thousand years. Padmagandha said: Give me permission, O lord of the gods, to fulfill my cherished desire.
व्रजाम्यहं कर्मभूमिं वंदे पादद्वयं तव । इन्द्र उवाच- त्वत्प्रेमसिंधुमानेन मया चन्द्रनिभानने
I shall go to the realm of action; I bow to your two feet. Indra said: Because of the greatness of your ocean of love for me, O moon-faced one—
स्थित्वा कतिदिनं पश्चाद्गमिष्यसि यथासुखम् । ततस्तुकौतुकागारे तेन सार्द्धमहर्निशम्
After staying for a few days, you may depart as you wish. Then, in the house of amusements, together with him, day and night—
क्रीडंती पद्मगंधा सा तस्थौ वर्षायुतत्रयम् । सुराधीशं ततः सेति तदा प्राह मुदान्विता
Padmagandha played there, and she remained for three ten-thousand-year periods. Then, she joyfully addressed the lord of the gods.
आदेशं कुरु गच्छामि पृथिवीं प्रति संप्रति । इंद्र उवाच- जाड्यं जहीहि सुश्रोणि तिष्ठात्रैव मया सह
Give me instructions; I am now going to the earth. Indra said: Cast off your lethargy, O lovely-hipped one, and stay here with me.
त्वां त्यक्तुं न हि शक्नोमि प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसीम् । पद्मगन्धोवाच- पुण्यक्षये सुराधीश यदा यास्याम्यहं भुवि
I cannot leave you, who are dearer to me than life itself. Padmagandha said: O lord of the gods, when my merit is exhausted, then I shall go to earth.
तदा चिरं ते विच्छेदो भविष्यति मया सह । यद्विच्छेदे मया नाथ पुनर्गंतुं भुवं प्रति
Then, your separation from me will be long; when separated, O lord, I wish to return to earth again.
इच्छाम्यहं पुनर्द्यौश्च पुण्योपार्जनहेतवे । कर्मभूमिमहं गत्वा येनोपायेन वासव
I wish to return to heaven again for the sake of earning merit; having gone to the realm of action, by whatever means, O Vasava—
तत्करिष्यामि विच्छेदः कदाचित्स्यात्त्वया न मे । इन्द्र उवाच- भद्रे त्वया यदा नूनं कर्मेदं कर्तुमिच्छितम्
I shall do that; if separation ever occurs, it will not be by you. Indra said: O blessed one, whenever you truly wish to perform this action—
तदा गच्छ पुनः शीघ्रमागमिष्यसि सुंदरि । सह नेत्राद्धि विगलद्वाष्पसिक्ततनुस्ततः
Then go; you will return quickly, O beautiful one. With tears flowing from her eyes, her body wet—
दोर्भ्यामालिङ्ग्य तां शक्रो गच्छेत्याह प्रिये वदन् । तदादेशात्ततः साध्वी कर्मभूमिं समागता
Embracing her with his arms, Shakra said, 'Go, dear one.' By his command, the virtuous woman then went to the realm of action.
जाता च हस्तिनी योनौ भूत्वा जातिस्मरा द्विज । स्मरंती निजवृत्तांतं सा कियद्भिर्दिनैस्ततः
She was born in the womb of an elephant, and became a twice-born, remembering her previous story. Remembering her own past, after a few days—
जगाम जाह्नवीतीरं हस्तियोनिसु संभवा । गङ्गायां स्नानमासाद्य गङ्गाकर्दमभूषिता
She went to the bank of the Jahnavi, having been born among elephants. Having bathed in the Ganges, she was adorned with Ganges mud.
गंगागंगेति जल्पंती ह्रदं निम्नं विवेश सा । तस्मिन्गंगाह्रदे गत्वा हस्तिनी पर्वताकृतिः
Uttering 'Ganga, Ganga,' she entered the deep pool. In that Ganges pool, the elephant, mountain-shaped, entered.
निजां जातिं स्मरंती सा जगाम पंचतां पुनः । तस्याः साहसमालोक्य हस्तिनीं सर्वदेवताः
She, recalling her own birth, passed again into death; seeing the elephant's boldness, all the gods
ववर्षुः पारिजाताद्यैः कुसुमैरुत्तमैर्मुदा । तामानेतुं ततः शक्रः सर्वदेवगणैर्वृतः
joyfully showered her with excellent flowers such as pārijāta; then Śakra, surrounded by all the hosts of gods, brought her forth
वेगात्तच्चिरविच्छेदात्कृष्णांगीं सुमना ययौ । पुष्पकेतां समालोक्य दिव्यदेहां सुराधिपः
With speed, after a long separation, Sumana went to the dark-skinned Puṣpaketā; seeing her divine form, the lord of the gods
कथयन्निजदुःखानि निजावासं जगाम ह । पुलोमजा च रंभा च प्रम्लोचा चोर्वशी तथा
spoke of his own sorrows and returned to his abode; Pulomajā, Rambhā, Pramlocā, and Urvaśī likewise,
सुंदर्योऽन्याश्च युवतीस्तस्यास्त्यक्त्वा मुदा गताः । शक्रस्य हृदयोत्साहं तन्वंती सा वरांगना
and other beautiful young women, joyfully departed from her; that excellent woman inspired courage in Śakra's heart
पुरंदरपुरे तस्थौ सुभगा प्रीतिवल्लभा । यस्यास्तिष्ठंति गङ्गायां यावदस्थीनि जैमिने
She remained in Purandara's city, fortunate and beloved; as long as her bones rest in the Gaṅgā, O Jaimini,
कुलकोटिशतं तावत्तस्थावास सुरालये । राजानो दिविराज्येषु ये ये भूतास्तपोबलात्
for as many hundreds of millions of families, she stays in the abode of the gods; the kings who, by the power of austerity,
तेषांतेषां स्नेहभूमिर्भवत्यमरसुंदरी । गंगास्थिमज्जनादेव जैमिने फलमीदृशम्
have attained the realms of the gods, for each of them, the celestial maiden becomes a ground of affection; such is the fruit, O Jaimini, of immersing bones in the Gaṅgā
गंगायां त्यजतो देहं फलं वक्तुं न शक्यते । मृतं शरीरं गंगायां यावदस्थीनि जैमिने
The fruit of abandoning the body in the Gaṅgā cannot be described; as long as the bones remain in the Gaṅgā, O Jaimini,
कल्पकोटिशतं तावत्तस्या वासः सुरालये । मृतं शरीरं गंगायां स्रोतोभिश्चलितं द्विज
for as many hundreds of millions of aeons, that one dwells in the abode of the gods; O twice-born, when a dead body in the Gaṅgā is carried away by the currents,
दृश्यते देहिनस्तस्य तत्फलं शृणु जैमिने । स्वर्गे देवांगना त्रस्तचारुचामरवायुभिः
the result for that embodied soul, listen, O Jaimini: in heaven, celestial maidens, frightened, fan him with charming chowries
वीजितः स्वर्णपर्यंके सुप्तस्तिष्ठति कौतुकी । जाह्नवीसैकते यस्य शरीरं दृश्यते मृतम्
He lies asleep, delighted, on a golden couch, fanned; whose dead body is seen on the sandbank of the Jāhnavī,
दिवाकरकरैस्तप्तं कुलं तस्य वदाम्यहम् । सुगन्धैश्चंदनैर्दिव्यैर्लिप्तसर्वकलेवरः १०० 7.8.
I tell you, his family is purified by the rays of the sun; his entire body is anointed with divine fragrant sandalwood
दिव्याङ्गनाभिः सहितो दिवि क्रीडतिसर्वदा । काकैर्गृध्रैश्च कंकैश्च शकुंतैर्भीष्ममातरि
He always sports in heaven with divine maidens; but if his body is devoured by crows, vultures, jackals, and terrifying birds