युधिष्ठिर उवाच- साधु कृष्ण त्वया प्रोक्तमादिदेवो भवान्प्रभो । स्वेदजा अंडजाश्चैव उद्भिज्जाश्च जरायुजाः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: Excellent, Kṛṣṇa, what you have spoken! You are the primeval Lord, O Master. Beings born from sweat, eggs, sprouts, and wombs—
तेषां कर्त्ता विकर्त्ता त्वं पालकः क्षयकारकः । माघस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु षट्तिला कथिता त्वया
You are their creator, their destroyer, their protector, and the one who brings about their end. In the dark fortnight of Māgha, you have described the Ṣaṭtilā.
शुक्ले च का भवेद्देव कथयस्व प्रसादतः । किं नाम को विधिस्तस्याः को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते
O God, what occurs in the bright fortnight? Please tell me graciously—what is its name, what is its procedure, and which deity is worshipped there?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- कथयिष्यामि राजेंद्र शुक्ले माघस्य या भवेत् । जया नामेति विख्याता सर्वपापहरा परा
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: I shall tell you, O king, about the vow that occurs in the bright fortnight of Māgha, which is renowned as Jayā, supreme and destroyer of all sins.
पवित्रा पापहंत्री च कामदा मोक्षदा नृणाम् । ब्रह्महत्यापहंत्री च पिशाचत्वविनाशिनी
It is pure, destroys sin, grants desires and liberation to people; it removes the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa and destroys ghostly afflictions.
नैव तस्या व्रते चीर्णे प्रेतत्वं जायते नृणाम् । नातः परतरा काचित्पापघ्नी मोक्षदायिनी
When this vow is observed, people do not become ghosts; there is no greater destroyer of sin or giver of liberation than this.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजन्कर्त्तव्या सा प्रयत्नतः । श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल कथा पौराणिकी शुभा
For this reason, O king, it should be performed diligently. Listen, O tiger among kings, to the auspicious ancient tale.
पंकजे च पुराणेऽस्या महिमा कथितो मया । एकदा नाकलोके वै इंद्रो राज्यं चकार ह
In the Purāṇa called Padma, I have described its greatness. Once, in the world of the gods, Indra was ruling as king.
देवास्तत्र सुखेनैव निवसंति मनोरमे । पीयूषपाननिरता अप्सरोगणसेविताः
The gods dwell there in happiness, in that delightful place, devoted to drinking nectar, attended by hosts of apsarases.
नंदनं तु वनं तत्र पारिजातोपसेवितम् । रमयंति रमंतेऽत्र अप्सरोभिर्दिवौकसः
There is the Nandana grove, adorned with parijata trees; there, the celestials find pleasure and delight with the apsarases.
एकदा रममाणोऽसौ देवेंद्रः स्वेच्छया नृप । नर्त्तयामास वै हर्षात्पंचाशत्कोटिनायकः
Once, as he was enjoying himself there, Indra, at his own will, began to dance joyfully, leading fifty crore attendants.
गंधर्वास्तत्र गायंति गंधर्वः पुष्पदंतकः । चित्रसेनस्तु तत्रैव चित्रसेनसुता तथा
There, the gandharvas sing—Gandharva Pushpadantaka, and likewise Citrar Sena, and also Citrar Sena’s daughter.
मालिनीति च नाम्ना तु चित्रसेनस्य योषिता । मालिन्यास्तु समुत्पन्ना पुष्पदंती च नामतः
And by name, Citrar Sena’s wife is called Malini; and from Malini was born Pushpadanti by name.
पुष्पदंतस्य पुत्रोऽसौ माल्यवान्नाम नामतः । पुष्पदंत्याश्च रूपेण माल्यवानतिमोहितः
Pushpadanta’s son is named Malyavan; and Malyavan was utterly captivated by the beauty of Pushpadanti.
तया ह्येवं कटाक्षैश्च माल्यवांश्च वशीकृतः । लावण्यं रूपसंपन्नं तस्या रूपं निशामय
Indeed, by her glances, Malyavan was enchanted; behold her beauty, endowed with charm and loveliness.
बाहू तस्याश्च कामेन कंठपाशौ कृताविव । कर्णायते तु नयने रक्तांते घूर्णिते तथा
Her arms, as if entwined around the neck by desire; her eyes, with red corners, are rolling and glance toward the ears.
कर्णौ तु शोभनौ तस्याः कुण्डलाभ्यां नृपोत्तम । कंबुग्रीवायुता सैव दिव्याभरणभूषिता
Her ears, O best of kings, are beautiful, adorned with earrings; she possesses a conch-like neck, embellished with divine ornaments.
पीनोन्नतौ कुचौ तस्यास्तौ हेमकलशाविव । मध्यं क्षामं च चार्वंग्या मुष्टिग्राह्यमनुत्तमम्
Her two breasts are full and high, like golden pitchers; her slender waist, most excellent, could be grasped with a fist.
नितंबौ विस्तृतौ चास्या विस्तीर्णा जघनस्थली । चरणौ शोभमानौ च रक्तोत्पलसमद्युती
Her hips are broad, her loins expansive; her feet shine, radiant like red lotuses.
ईदृश्या पुष्पवत्या स माल्यवानतिमोहितः । शक्रस्य परितोषाय नृत्यार्थं तौ समागतौ
Malyavan was utterly captivated by such a flower-like maiden; the two came together to dance for Indra’s pleasure.
गायमानौ तु तौ तत्र अप्सरोगणसेवितौ । मदनाभिपरीतांगौ पुष्पदंती च माल्यवान्
There, the two sang, attended by hosts of apsarases; their bodies overcome by passion—Pushpadanti and Malyavan.
परस्परानुरागेण व्यामोहवशमागतौ । न शुद्धगानं गायेतां चित्तभ्रमसमन्वितौ
Overwhelmed by mutual love, they fell under the sway of infatuation; their minds distracted, they could not sing purely.
बद्धदृष्टी तथान्योन्यं कामबाणवशं गतौ । ज्ञात्वा लेखर्षभस्तत्र संगतं मानसं तयोः
Their eyes fixed on each other, both overcome by the arrows of desire; seeing their minds united, Lekharshabha (Indra) perceived their state.
तालक्रियामानलोपात्तथा गीतविसर्जनात् । चिंतयित्वा तु मघवा ह्यवमानं तथात्मनः
Because of their neglect of rhythm and abandonment of song, Maghavan (Indra), reflecting on the insult to himself, became thoughtful.
कुपितश्च तयोरर्थे शापं दास्यन्निदं जगौ । धिग्धिग्वां पतितौ मूढावाज्ञाभंग कृतौ मम
Angry on their account, he prepared to utter a curse and spoke: 'Shame, shame! You two have fallen, deluded, and disobeyed my command.'
युवां पिशाचौ भवतां दंपतीभावधारिणौ । मर्त्यलोकमनुप्राप्तौ भुंजानौ कर्मणः फलम्
'You two shall become pisacas, taking the form of a married couple, descending to the world of mortals, experiencing the fruit of your actions.'
एवं मघवता शप्तावुभौ दुःखितमानसौ । हिमवंतं गिरिं प्राप्ताविंद्रशापाद्विमोहितौ
Thus, having been cursed by Maghavan, both, their minds afflicted with sorrow, reached Mount Himavat, bewildered by Indra's curse.
उभौ पिशाचतां प्राप्तौ दारुणं दुःखमेव च । संतप्तमानसौ तत्र हिमकृच्छ्रगतावुभौ
Both attained the state of piśācas and terrible suffering; their minds tormented, they endured the harsh cold there.
गंधर्वत्वमप्सरस्त्वं न जानीतो विमौहितौ । पीड्यमानौ निदाघेन देहपातकजेन च
Though one was a gandharva and the other an apsaras, in their delusion they did not know this, being afflicted by the heat and the sin that led to the fall of their bodies.
न निशायां सुखं शांतिं लभेते कर्मपीडितौ । परस्परं वादमानौ चेरतुर्गिरिगह्वरे
Tormented by their deeds, they found neither comfort nor peace at night; arguing with each other, they wandered through the mountain caves.