शय्यादानविमानानि दानानि विविधानि च
Beds, gifts, and various kinds of donations,
भूयः शृणु परं व्यास सुन्दरकुण्डफलं स्मृतम्
Now listen further, Vyāsa, to the supreme and renowned fruit of Sundara-kuṇḍa.
पिशाचो मोक्षमापन्नः शिव रूपधरो गतः
A piśāca attained liberation, assuming the form of Śiva and departed.
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो यद्यपि ब्रह्महा भवेत्
One is freed from all sins, even if he should be a slayer of a brāhmaṇa.
कोऽसौ पिशाच इति ख्यातः किं तेन दुष्कृतं कृतम्
Who is this piśāca, as he is known, and what evil deed did he commit?
कथं तीर्थप्रसंगोऽस्य जातो वै द्विज सत्तम
How did his connection with the holy place arise, O best of twice-born?
यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत् ।।5.1.53.
By merely hearing of whom, all sins are destroyed.
ब्राह्मणो देवलो नाम दाक्षिणात्यो द्विजाधमः
There was a brāhmaṇa named Devala, a southerner, the lowest among twice-born.
गुरुद्रोही कितवो धूर्तो गुरुहा गुरुतल्पगः
He was a betrayer of his teacher, a gambler, a rogue, a murderer of his guru, and one who violated his teacher’s wife.
अभक्ष्यभक्षकश्चैव वेदशास्त्रविवर्जितः
He ate forbidden foods and was devoid of Vedic knowledge and scriptures.
विश्वासघातको मानी चोरसंगरतः खलः
He was a betrayer of trust, arrogant, fond of associating with thieves, and wicked.
बहवो निहता मार्गे पापाचारेण जंतवः
Many creatures were slain by him on the road through his sinful conduct.
तत्रैको ब्राह्मणो दांतो वेदवेदांगपारगः
There was one brāhmaṇa there, self-controlled and learned in the Vedas and their branches.
श्वशुरगृहे स्थिता भार्या तामादाय यशस्विनीम्
His wife, renowned and residing in her father’s house, he took with him.
तस्य स्त्री च वरारोहा रूपलावण्यशालिनी
His wife was of excellent form, endowed with beauty and charm.
हते भर्तरि दुःखार्ता पतिविरहकातरा
When her husband was killed, she was overcome with grief, distressed by separation from her husband.
आरुरोह चितां दीप्तां पतिना हृष्टमानसा 5.1.53.
With a joyful heart, she ascended the blazing funeral pyre along with her husband.
गृहीत्वा चलितो मार्गे गृहीतो राजकिंकरैः नीतोऽसौ राजभवनं निवेदितो राजसंनिधौ
He was seized on the road, apprehended by the king’s servants, taken to the royal palace, and presented before the king.
पातितो वै गले बद्ध्वा रज्जुना वृक्षकोटरे
He was hanged, having his neck bound with a rope, in the hollow of a tree.
तेन कर्मविपाकेन रौरवं नरकं गतः
Because of that karmic result, he went to the Raurava hell.
ततोऽन्यं नरकं प्राप्तो यमशासनकारकैः
After that, he reached another hell, driven there by the enforcers of Yama's commands.
मुद्गरैस्ताड्यमानो हि शृंखलाभिश्च किंकरैः
There, he was beaten with mallets and bound with chains by the servants.
एवं बहुविधान्कुण्डान्भुक्त्वा पापी नवान्नवान्
Thus, the sinner endured many kinds of hells, one after another.
महाकायो महारावो महोदरः सूचीमुखः
He became one of great size, with a loud voice, a huge belly, and a mouth like a needle's eye.
ततः कष्टतरां प्राप्य पैशाचीं तनुमाश्रितः
Then, attaining an even more wretched state, he took on a demoniac body.
विण्मूत्रदूषितोच्छिष्टपूतिपर्युष्टभोजनः
His food was polluted with excrement, urine, leavings, and putrid, stale remains.
भग्नवापीतडागे च शुष्कवृक्षे निरूदके 5.1.53.
His dwelling was in broken wells and tanks, on dry trees, and in waterless places.
निवासो रोचते तस्य सर्वदा सर्वसंधिषु
He always found pleasure in such places, at all times and in every region.
यत्र माहेश्वरं लिंगं सुन्दरं कुंडमुत्तमम्
Wherever there was a beautiful Maheśvara liṅga or an excellent pond,
घातयित्वा च तं पापं जलार्थी कुंडमाविशत्
Having killed that sinner, one seeking water entered the pond.