प्रतिजीवंतु हेतूनां भेदोऽपि सुविनिश्चयः । एकस्यापि हि जीवस्य नास्ति चैकविधा स्थितिः
For each living being, the causes of happiness and sorrow are certainly different; even for a single being, there is no uniform state.
जन्मकाले महाऽज्ञानं शैशवेत्यल्पबोधनम् । स्खलत्पदेल्पविज्ञानं बाल्ये चाल्पं तथैव च
At birth there is great ignorance; in infancy, little understanding; in childhood, little knowledge with faltering steps.
कौमारे क्रीडनरतिर्यौवने विषयोषितम् । यौवने विनिवृत्ते तु द्रव्यसंपादनेषणा
In boyhood, delight in play; in youth, passion for sense objects and women; when youth passes, the pursuit of wealth arises.
वार्द्धके भोगलिप्सा च न भोक्तुं क्षमतेपि च । दूषिका श्लेष्मलालाभिर्वलीपलितकंपनैः
In old age, there is desire for enjoyment, but one is unable to enjoy; afflicted by phlegm, saliva, wrinkles, gray hair, and trembling.
श्वासकासानिलाक्षिप्तैर्हृषीकैर्विकलैर्युतः । किंचिद्धर्तुं न शक्नोति न च जानाति किंचन
Afflicted by breathlessness, coughing, and wind, his senses disturbed and impaired, he is unable to hold anything and does not recognize anything at all.
तिष्ठंतीषु परस्त्रीषु गुह्यस्थानं प्रदर्शयेत् । कोशकंडूयनपरः क्रूरो जीवितलक्षणैः
While standing among other men's wives, he exposes his private parts, scratches himself constantly, and is cruel, marked by the signs of life's decline.
कंडूयते स्फिचौ वस्त्रमुद्धृत्य च विचालयन् । भुंजानः श्लेष्मणा ग्रासं ग्रसितुं न च शक्नुयात्
He scratches his buttocks, lifting and shifting his garment, and while eating, though his food is mixed with phlegm, he is unable to swallow it.
यदा कासस्तदा जज्ञे पायुवायुश्च शब्दवान् । निःसृतिश्च मलस्यापि श्लेष्मनिर्गम एव च
When he coughs, then arises a noisy expulsion of wind from the anus, and there is discharge of excrement as well as the flowing out of phlegm.
स्नुषादिभर्त्सनं बाल तालहास्यनिदर्शनम् । गुरुनिर्गमनादीनि संचिंत्य च पुनः पुनः
He is rebuked by his daughter-in-law and others, mocked by children with clapping and laughter, and repeatedly reflects on things like the departure of elders.
आहूतो भोजनाद्यर्थं भोज्यान्नादि विनिंदयन् । चिरमुष्णं च निर्भर्त्स्य पुनश्चिंतामवाप सः
When called for food and the like, he criticizes the meal, scolding that it is long cold, and then again falls into worry.
अतिदुष्कृतिकर्म्माहं कथं भोक्ष्ये कथं स्वपे । कथं तिष्ठे कथं गच्छे परलोकः कथं भवेत्
"I have committed exceedingly evil deeds—how shall I eat, how shall I sleep, how shall I stand, how shall I go, and what will become of the next world?"
इति चिंताकुलो नित्यं न नमत्यपरान्वितः । द्विजस्य सदनं गत्वा पुराणज्ञस्य राघव
Thus, always troubled by such thoughts, not bowing to others, he goes to the house of a twice-born who knows the Purāṇas, O Rāghava.
लज्जावाक्कृतवक्त्रश्च किंकरोमीत्यभाषत । न किंचिदप्युवाचासौ द्विजः पौराणिकस्तदा
Ashamed and with downcast speech, he says, "What should I do?" But that learned Brāhmaṇa said nothing at all.
पापोयमिति विज्ञाय शिष्येण निरगामयत् । गौतमोपि विनिर्गम्य द्वार्येव च बहिः स्थितः
Recognizing him as sinful, the teacher sent him away; and Gautama, too, went out and stood just outside the door.
भुव्यासीनं तु विज्ञाय पुराणार्थविचारकम् । कथं कथमपि प्राप्य पीठं दत्तं च नाभजत्
Seeing him seated on the ground, pondering the meaning of the Purāṇas, he somehow approached, but did not accept the seat that was offered.
निषण्णो भूतले राम पुराणज्ञमभाषत । प्रायश्चित्तं करिष्यामि तदत्रैव विधीयताम्
Sitting on the earth, O Rāma, he spoke to the knower of the Purāṇas: "I will perform expiation; let it be prescribed here and now."
ब्राह्मण उवाच- पापानि कीर्तयस्व त्वं सर्वथैव कृतानि तु । स चापि नाऽकृतं किंचिन्मया पापमितीरयन्
The Brāhmaṇa said: "You must recount all the sins you have committed in every way." And he replied, "There is nothing I have not done—indeed, I have committed every sin."
रुदन्पपात भूम्यां च कथं तातेति पीडितः । ब्राह्मणस्तमथ प्राह प्रायश्चित्तं न विद्यते
Weeping, he fell to the ground, tormented, saying, "How, father?" Then the Brāhmaṇa said to him, "There is no expiation for you."
महापापं त्रिरावृत्ते पुनश्च यदि चेत्कृतम् । गौतम उवाच- पौराणिक महाभाग प्राप्यापि त्वामहं कथम्
If a great sin is committed three times, and then again, O Gautama—Gautama said: "O most fortunate knower of the Purāṇas, how could I, even having approached you—"
पापयुक्तो द्विजश्रेष्ठ संगतिर्विफला भवेत् । पौराणिक उवाच- शास्त्रं प्रमाणं सर्वेषां प्रायश्चित्तविनिर्णये
"—being sinful, O best of Brāhmaṇas, any association with me would be fruitless." The Purāṇika said: "Scripture is the authority for all decisions regarding expiation."
तद्विना यो हि तं ब्रूयात्प्रायाश्चित्तं न तद्भवेत् । सकृत्कृते सकृत्प्रोक्तं द्वितीये द्विगुणं भवेत्
"Without it, whatever expiation one prescribes is not valid. For a first offense, the prescribed penance is performed once; for a second, it is doubled."
तृतीये त्रिगुणं प्रोक्तं चतुर्थे नास्ति निष्कृतिः । त्वया कृतं तु बहुधा चतुर्विधमपीच्छया
"For a third, it is said to be threefold; for a fourth, there is no atonement. But you have committed many sins, even of four kinds, and by your own desire."
कथं वक्तुमहं शक्तः प्रायश्चित्तं भवादृशे । गौतमोऽपि पुनः प्राह क्व गंतव्यं मयेति च । उपवासत्रयं कृत्वा शिवरात्रिमविंदत
How can I possibly declare an expiation suitable for one such as you? Even Gautama again asked, 'Where should I go?' After performing three fasts, he observed the night of Shiva.
चतुर्थमुपवासं च चकारातीव दुःखितः । पारणं चाप्यमायां स कृतवान्फलवल्कलैः
He undertook a fourth fast as well, though greatly afflicted, and he broke his fast with fruits and bark.
अथ प्रदक्षिणं चक्रे श्रीशैलस्य च स द्विजः । गतवान्मंदिरं पश्चाच्चिंतयातिकृशः श्वसन्
Then that twice-born one circumambulated the holy mountain Shri Shaila, and afterwards, emaciated and sighing, he went to the temple, deep in thought.
कथं पापनिवृत्तिर्मे तूष्णींभूतस्य सेत्स्यति । अनंतमविचार्यं किं पापं च सुमहत्तरम्
How will I be freed from sin, remaining silent as I am? What endless, unfathomable, and exceedingly great sin is this?
श्रुत्वा न कोपि मे ब्रूयात्प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयताम् । किंतु कस्मिन्पुराणे तु श्रुते ज्ञातं भविष्यति
Having heard, no one tells me what expiation should be prescribed. But in which Purana, when heard, will knowledge arise?
इति कृत्वा मतिं सोथ पुराणज्ञमभाषत । पुराणमेकं मे तात व्याख्यातु भगवानिति
Having thus resolved, he spoke to one learned in the Puranas: 'O revered one, please explain to me a Purana.'
जातकर्मादिसंस्कारान्कारयस्व ममाशु वै । द्विजो भूत्वा शृणोम्यद्य प्रायश्चित्तं करोम्यतः
'Quickly perform for me the birth and other sacraments. Becoming a twice-born, I will listen today and perform expiation.'
विधायकं पुराणं मे भविष्यति च कीर्तितम् । अतः शक्यं करिष्यामि पुराणार्थं विनिश्चयन्
'The Purana that prescribes the rite will be recited for me. Therefore, I will be able to act, having determined the meaning of the Purana.'