सनत्कुमार उवाच- गतोऽहं धर्मराजानं द्रष्टुं संपूजितो मुदा । श्रुतिभिः परया भक्त्या तेनोक्तोऽस्मि सुखासने
Sanatkumara said: I went, honored with joy, to see Dharmaraja; with supreme devotion I was addressed by him, seated comfortably, in accordance with the Vedas.
मया तत्रोपविष्टेन दृष्टं किंचिन्महाद्भुतम् । कांचनेन विमानेन वैडूर्यकृतवेदिना
As I sat there, I saw something truly wondrous: a golden aerial chariot, with a platform made of beryl.
मणिमुक्तविचित्रेण किंकिणीजालशोभिना । आगतं पुरुषं तत्र आसनाद्देवसत्तम
Adorned with jewels and pearls, shining with a network of little bells, a man arrived there, O best of gods, from his seat.
ससंभ्रमं समुत्थाय दृष्ट्वा धर्मः स्वयं विभुः । गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे पाणौ पूजितोऽर्घेण वै ततः
Seeing him, Dharma himself, the mighty one, rose up with excitement, took his right hand, and honored him with arghya.
शिरस्याघ्राय देवेशः पुरः स्थाप्य ततः परम् । पूजयित्वा तु तं धर्म इदं वाक्यमुवाच ह
The lord of the gods then smelled his head, set him before himself, and after worshipping him, Dharma spoke these words.
सुस्वागतं धर्मदर्शिन्प्रीतोऽस्मि दर्शनात्तव । समीपे मम तिष्ठस्व किंचिज्ज्ञानं वदस्व मे
Welcome, O seer of Dharma! I am pleased by your sight. Remain near me and speak to me some knowledge.
पुनर्यास्यसि तत्स्थानं यत्र ब्रह्मा व्यवस्थितः । इत्युक्ते च ततश्चान्यो विमानवरमास्थितः
Afterwards, you will return to that place where Brahma abides. When this was said, another, seated in a splendid chariot, arrived.
आगतः पुरुषो देवो यत्र तिष्ठति धर्मराट् । स पूजितो विमानस्थः प्रश्रयावनतेन च
A divine man arrived at the place where Dharmaraja stood; he too, seated in his chariot, was honored, bowing with humility.
सामपूर्वं तथोक्त्वा तु यथापूर्वं नरः स्वयम् । किमनेन कृतं कर्म यस्य तुष्टो भवान्भृशम्
Having spoken with gentle words, just as before, the man himself asked: What deed did this one perform, for which you are so greatly pleased?
अत्र मे कौतुकं जातं कृता हि स्वयमेव तु । यदस्य भवता पूजा सविस्मयमनंतरम्
At this, curiosity arose in me, for the worship was performed by you yourself; what is the reason for your wondrous honor towards him?
तथैवास्य कृता पूजा द्वितीयस्य नरस्य तु । मेनेऽहं शुभकर्माणौ विमानं वरसत्तमौ
In the same way, you worshipped this second man; I considered both to be doers of auspicious deeds, the best among those in splendid chariots.
यस्त्वमाभ्यां स्वयं पूजां कुरुषे धर्मकारणात् । ब्रह्माविष्णुशिवाद्यैस्तु पूज्यसे त्वं सदानिशम्
For what reason, O Dharma, do you yourself honor these two? You are always worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others.
यस्येदृक्परमं पुण्यं किमेतौ कर्म चक्रतुः । कथ्यतां मम सर्वज्ञ फलं दिव्यमवापतुः
Whose supreme merit is such as this? What deeds did these two perform? Tell me, all-knowing one, what divine fruit they attained.
तच्छ्रुत्वा स तु मां प्राह शृणु कर्मानयोः कृतम् । यत्कृत्वार्हमिहायातौ तच्छृणुष्व महामते
Hearing this, he said to me: Listen to the deeds performed by these two; having done them, they have come here—hear this, O wise one.
धर्म उवाच- वैदिशं नाम नगरं पृथिव्यामस्ति विश्रुतम् । तत्राभूत्पृथिवीपालो धरापाल इति श्रुतः
Dharma said: There is a renowned city on earth called Vaidiśa. There, a king named Dharāpāla was known.
कस्मिन्काले पुरा देवी शशाप स्वगणं क्रुधा । मदृतेन परा नारी भर्त्तुर्यन्मे निवेशिता
Once, in ancient times, the goddess, angered, cursed her own retinue: 'Because another woman, not me, was placed by my husband—'
तस्माद्द्वादशवर्षाणि जंबुकस्त्वं भविष्यसि । इत्युक्तः स च बभ्राम जंबुको मेदिनीतलम्
'Therefore, for twelve years, you shall become a jackal.' Thus spoken to, he wandered the earth as a jackal.
वेतसी वेत्रवत्योस्तु संगमे लोकविश्रुते । शापांतो भविता पुत्र इत्युक्तं गिरिकन्यया
'At the famous confluence of the Vetasī and Vetravatī rivers, the curse will end, my son,' said the mountain maiden.
तत्र चानशनं कृत्वा क्षेत्रे प्राणांस्ततोऽत्यजत् । दिव्यरूपवपुर्भूत्वा जगाम विष्णुसन्निधौ
There, after fasting, he gave up his life in the field, and, taking on a divine form, he went to the presence of Viṣṇu.
तत्राश्चर्यं महद्दृष्ट्वा धरापालो महीपतिः । विष्णोरायतनं कृत्वा क्षेत्रे प्राणंस्ततोऽत्यजत्
There, witnessing a great wonder, King Dharāpāla built a temple of Viṣṇu in the field and then gave up his life.
दिव्यरूपवपुर्भूत्वा स्थापयामास तं प्रभुम् । तस्मिन्पुरे नरान्सर्वा सन्नियोज्यास्य वीक्षणे
Assuming a divine form, he installed that Lord, and in that city he appointed all the people to attend upon Him.
शुभमायतनं विष्णोस्तस्मिन्ग्रामे सदा जनैः । पूर्णं तु ब्राह्मणादीनां पूजयित्वा कदंबकम्
In that village, the auspicious temple of Viṣṇu was always filled with people, and after worshipping the brāhmaṇas and others, they offered the kadamba flowers.
इतिहासपुराणज्ञं वाचकं तु विशेषतः । पूजयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठं विद्याश्रेष्ठं महामतिः
Especially, the wise king worshipped the best among twice-born, learned in history and Purāṇas, a man of great intellect and knowledge.
पुस्तकं चापि संपूज्य गंधपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् । ततस्तमाह राजासौ वाचकं विनयान्वितः
He also worshipped the book itself, with fragrance, flowers, and so forth, in due order. Then the king, full of humility, addressed the reciter.
एतदायतनं विष्णोः कारितं च तवाग्रतः । चातुर्वर्ण्यमिदं चापि श्रोतुकामं कदंबकम्
'This temple of Viṣṇu has been established before you; I wish to hear the entire account of the four varṇas.'
तिष्ठतीह द्विजश्रेष्ठ कुरु पुस्तकवाचनम् । यावत्संवत्सरं विप्र गृह्य वृत्तिं त्वनुत्तमाम्
'Remain here, best of twice-born, and recite the book. For a full year, O brāhmaṇa, receive the best livelihood from me.'
स्वर्णनिष्कशतं चात्र ततो दास्ये तथापरम् । पूर्णे वर्षे द्विजश्रेष्ठ श्रेयोऽथ महमात्मनः
'I will give here a hundred gold coins, and then more besides. At the end of the year, O best of twice-born, I will further grant you my own highest good.'
एवं प्रवर्तितं तत्र पुण्यं पुस्तकवाचनम् । वर्षसंगतमात्रे तु तथा च मुनिसत्तम
Thus, the meritorious recitation of the book was established there, to be performed annually, O best of sages.
अथायुषः क्षयाच्चायं कालधर्ममुपेयिवान् । मया चास्य विमानं हि विष्णुना प्रेरितं दिवः
Then, when his lifespan ended, he attained the law of time (death); and by me, prompted by Viṣṇu, his celestial chariot was sent from heaven.
इत्येषा कर्मणां व्युष्टिः पुण्यमाख्यानसंज्ञकम् । श्रुतं पाद्मं महत्पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम्
Thus is the result of actions called the merit of sacred narrative: the great, holy, sin-destroying Padma has been heard.