तस्मादेनां समादाय संशुद्धां पापवर्जिताम्
Therefore, taking her purified and free from sin,
परकांतेन तां नाद्य शुद्धामपि गृहं नये ॥ ६.७८.
Even though she is pure, I will not bring her home today, since she was with another man.
इत्युक्त्वा च द्विजश्रेष्ठस्तां त्यक्त्वापि शुचिव्रतः
Having spoken thus, the foremost Brahmin, though devoted to purity, abandoned her.
सापि तेन परित्यक्ता पतिना हृष्टमानसा
She too, abandoned by her husband, was joyful in her heart.
तेनैव परकांतेन विशेषेण रतिक्रियाम्
With that very paramour, she engaged in the act of pleasure with special intensity.
अथान्ये परलोकस्य भीत्याऽतीव व्यवस्थिताः
Then others, out of great fear of the next world, became extremely restrained.
दूरतोऽपि समभ्येत्य ते सर्वे तत्र मंदिरे
All of them, even from a distance, approached that temple.
निमज्जंति ततः कुण्डे तस्मिन्पातकनाशने
Thereafter, they immersed themselves in that pond which destroys sins.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे नष्टो धर्मः पत्नीसमुद्भवः
Meanwhile, righteousness arising from fidelity to one's wife disappeared.
यो यां पश्यति रूपाढ्यां नारीमपि कुलोद्भवाम्
Whoever sees a woman endowed with beauty, even if she is of noble birth,
तथा नारी सुरूपाढ्यं यं पश्यति नरं क्वचित्
Likewise, whenever a woman sees a man endowed with handsome form,
लिप्यते न च पापेन कथंचित्तकृतेन च ६.७८.
Neither is stained by sin, however it may have been committed.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य तत्र राजा विदूरथः
Then, at some time, there was a king named Viduratha there.
तस्य भार्याऽभवत्तन्वी तरुणी वररूपधृक्
He had a slender, youthful wife, possessing excellent beauty.
न तस्याः स जराग्रस्तश्चित्ते वसति पार्थिवः
But in her mind, the king, afflicted by old age, did not dwell.
पार्थिवोऽपि परिज्ञाय तस्यास्तच्च विचेष्टितम्
The king, having perceived her conduct,
तत्कुण्डं पूरयामास ततः पांशूत्करैर्द्रुतम्
Swiftly filled that pond with heaps of earth.
यश्चैतत्पूरितं कुण्डं पांशुना निखनिष्यति
Whoever will dig up that pond, filled with earth,
परदारकृतं पापं तस्य संपत्स्यतेऽखिलम्
All the sin arising from adultery will accrue to him.
जगाम स्वगृहं पश्चात्प्रहृष्टेनांतरात्मना
Afterwards, with a delighted heart, he went to his own house.
अथ तां विरतां ज्ञात्वा सोऽन्यचित्तां प्रियां नृपः
Then, knowing her to have withdrawn and to have her mind elsewhere, the king—her beloved—
अन्यस्मिन्दिवसे शस्त्रं सूक्ष्मं वेण्यां निधाय सा ६.७८.
On another day, she placed a fine weapon in her braid.
ततस्तेन समं हास्यं कृत्वा क्षत्रियभावजम्
Then, together with him, she made a jest arising from his Kshatriya nature.
ततो निद्रावशं प्राप्तं तं नृपं सा नृपप्रिया
Afterwards, that beloved of the king found the king overcome by sleep.
एवं तस्य फलं जातं सद्यस्तीर्थस्य भंगजम्
Thus, the result for him was produced immediately, arising from the breaking of the sacred place.
अद्यापि तत्र देवेशो रुद्रशीर्षः स तिष्ठति
Even today, the Lord of the gods, Rudraśīrṣa, remains there.
यस्तस्य पुरतः स्थित्वा जपेद्रुद्रशिरः शुचिः
Whoever stands before it and recites the Rudraśīrṣa with purity,
वांछितं लभते चाशु तस्येशस्य प्रभावतः
quickly obtains the desired object by the power of that Lord.
रुद्रशीर्षं न संदेहः स याति परमां गतिम्
There is no doubt that one who recites the Rudraśīrṣa attains the highest state.
नित्यं दिनकृतात्पापान्मुच्यते द्विजसत्तमाः
O best of twice-born, he is freed every day from sins committed by day.