Varaha Purana

इति श्रीवराहपुराणे भगवच्छास्त्रे गोकर्णमाहात्म्ये एकसप्तत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the one hundred seventy-first chapter in the glorious Varaha Purana, in the divine scripture, in the greatness of Gokarna.

श्रीवराह उवाच प्रथमेऽह्नि यथा कृत्यमेवमेव त्रयोदश

Sri Varaha said: On the first day, as was the duty, so too on the thirteenth.

ता देव्यो नृत्यगीतेषु कुशलाश्चागमेऽभवन्

Those goddesses became skilled in dance and song.

गोकर्णः सर्वभावेन गृहं विस्मृतवानसौ

Gokarna, with all his being, forgot his home.

विवर्णं वदना दीना भग्नालंकारवाससः

Their faces appeared pale, dejected, with broken ornaments and garments.

दृश्यन्ते विकृताकाराः सव्रणा रुधिरस्रवाः

They are seen with deformed bodies, covered in wounds and flowing with blood.

अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गो नैव च नैव च

For the one without a son, there is no path, nor heaven, nor anything else.

एवं ज्ञात्वा स पप्रच्छ तासां रूपविपर्ययम्

Knowing this, he asked about the change in their appearance.

देव्य ऊचुः कालात्मकः स भगवान्भुज्यते सुकृतं यतः

The goddesses said: That Lord is time itself, by whom good deeds are enjoyed.

स एव नित्यकालं च पृच्छति स्म तदुत्तरम्

He alone, as eternal time, kept asking that question and its answer.

निश्चयार्थं पुनः सोऽथ गोकर्णस्ताः प्रणम्य च 172.

Then, for the sake of certainty, Gokarna again bowed to them.

यदि गोप्यं ममार्त्तस्य वैरूप्यं कथयिष्यथ

If you reveal the disfigurement of my suffering, though it is meant to be kept secret—

एवमुक्ते तदा तासां मध्ये एकाऽब्रवीदिदम्

When this was said, then among them, one spoke these words:

शृणु वत्स वदिष्येऽहं विरूपकरणं यथा

Listen, child, I will tell you how the disfigurement came about.

आस्ते मधुपुरी रम्या नृणां मुक्तिप्रदायिनी

There is the delightful city of Madhu, which grants liberation to men.

चातुर्मास्यं तीर्थसेवी स गतो भक्तिपूर्वकम्

He went there with devotion, observing the holy rites of the four months.

आरामवाटिकाः शुभ्राः प्राकारवरवेष्टिताः

There were splendid pleasure gardens, encircled by excellent walls.

फलवन्तो द्रुमास्तस्मिन्सर्वर्त्तुसुमनोहराः

Within them stood fruitful trees, charming in every season.

सेवकैर्नाशितः सर्वं आरामः सफलद्रुमः

All the pleasure gardens with their fruitful trees were destroyed by the servants.

बहुधा वार्यमाणैस्तु पापबुद्धिसमाश्रितैः

Though many tried to stop them, those with wicked minds persisted.

पञ्जरस्थो यथा सिंहः कोऽस्मांस्त्राता भवेदिति 172.

Like a lion trapped in a cage, he wondered, 'Who will save us?'

रुरोदोच्चैः स्वरं दीना हा कष्टमिति जल्पती

She cried out in a loud, distressed voice, lamenting, 'Alas, how terrible!'

श्रूयते बहुधाकारो गोकर्णोऽप्यतिदुःखितः

It is heard that Gokarna, too, was deeply afflicted in many ways.

प्राञ्जलिर्दीनया वाचा सान्त्वयामास ताः शनैः

With joined palms and a gentle, sorrowful voice, he gradually consoled them.

भविता यदि तत्राहं राजानं तं निवारयम्

If I am present there, I will restrain that king.

इत्युक्तमात्रे वचने ताः सर्वा लब्धचेतसः कस्त्वं कथय कस्माच्च स्थानाद्यत्त्वमिहागतः

As soon as these words were spoken, all of them regained their composure: 'Who are you? Tell us, and why have you come here from your place?'

गोकर्ण उवाच पूर्वं दृष्टा भवत्यो वै चार्वंग्यश्चारुलोचनाः

Gokarna said: Formerly, I saw you all, beautiful in form and lovely-eyed.

इदानीं मलिना जाता मम शोकविवर्द्धनाः

Now you have become disheveled, increasing my sorrow.

ज्येष्ठा सोवाच तस्याग्रे पुष्पजात्या स्वलंकृताः

In front of him, the eldest spoke, adorned with flowers of her kind.