Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 57
Sourceविष्णुरुवाच- क्रीडा सतीरूप धरा प्रभूत्वा गेहं गता चारु पतिव्रतायाः । तामागतां सत्यस्वरूपयुक्ता सा सादरं वाक्यमुवाच धन्या १। वाक्यैः सुपुण्यैः परिपूजिता सा उवाच क्रीडा सुकलां विहस्य । मायानुगं विश्वविमोहनं सती प्रत्युत्तरं सत्यप्रमेयुक्तम् २। ममापि भर्ता प्रबलो गुणज्ञो धीरः सविद्यो महिमाप्रयुक्तः । त्यक्त्वा गतः पापतरांसुपुण्यो मामेव नाथः शृणु पुण्यकीर्तिः ३। वाक्यैस्तु पुण्यैरबलास्वभावादाकर्ण्य सर्वं सुकला समुक्तम् । संशुद्धभावां च विचिंत्य चाह कस्माद्गतः सुंदरि तेऽद्य नाथः ४। विहाय ते रूपमतीव सत्यमाचक्ष्व सर्वं भवती सुभर्तुः । ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोति सखीस्वरूपा गृहमागता मे ५। क्रीडा बभाषे शृणु सत्यमेतं चरित्रभावं मम भर्त्तुरस्य । अहं प्रिये यस्य सदैव युक्ता यमिच्छते तं प्रतिसांत्वयामि ६। कर्तुः सुपुण्यं वचनं सुभर्तुर्ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोमि । एकांतशीला सगुणानुरूपा शुश्रूषयैकस्तमिहैव देवि ७। मम पूर्व विपाकोऽयं संप्रत्येव प्रवर्तते । यतस्त्यक्त्वा गतो भर्त्ता मामेवं मंदभागिनीम् ८। सखे न धारये जीवं स्वकीय कायमेव च । पत्याहीनाः कथं नार्यः सुजीवंति च निर्घृणाः ९। रूपशृंगारसौभाग्यं सुखं संपच्च नान्यथा । नारीणां हि महाभागो भर्ता शास्त्रेषु गीयते १०। तया सर्वं समाकर्ण्य यदुक्तं क्रीडया तदा । सत्यभावं विदित्वा सा मेने संभाषितं तदा ११। विश्वस्ता सा महाभागा सुकला पतिदेवता । तामुवाच पुनः सर्वमात्मचेष्टानुगं वचः १२। समासेन समाख्यातं पूर्ववृत्तांतमात्मनः । यथा भर्ता गतो यात्रां पुण्यसाधनतत्परः १३। आत्मदुःखं सुसत्यं च तप एव मनस्विनि । बोधिता क्रीडया सा तु समाश्वास्य पतिव्रता १४। सूत उवाच- एकदा तु तया प्रोक्तं क्रीडया सुकलां प्रति । सखे पश्य वनं सौम्यं दिव्यवृक्षैरलंकृतम् १५। तत्र तीर्थं परं पुण्यमस्ति पातकनाशनम् । नानावल्लीवितानैश्च सुपुष्पैः परिशोभितम् १६। आवाभ्यामपि गंतव्यं पुण्यहेतोर्वरानने । समाकर्ण्य तया सार्द्धं सुकला मायया तदा १७। प्रविवेश वनं दिव्यं नंदनोपममेव सा । सर्वर्तुकुसुमोपेतं कोकिलाशतनादितम् १८। गीयमानं सुमधुरैर्नादैर्मधुकरैरपि । कूजद्भिः पक्षिभिः पुण्यैः पुण्यध्वनिसमाकुलम् १९। चंदनादिकवृक्षैश्च सौरभैश्च विराजितम् । सर्वभोगैः सुसंपूर्णं माधव्या माधवेन वै २०। रचितं मोहनायैव सुकलायाश्च कारणात् । तया सार्धं प्रविष्टा सा तद्वनं सर्वभावनम् २१। ददर्श सौख्यदं पुण्यं मायाभावं न विंदति । वीक्षमाणा वनं दिव्यं तया सह जनेश्वर २२। शक्रोपि चाभ्ययात्तत्र देवमूर्तिविराजितः । तया दूत्या समं प्राप्तः कामस्तत्र समागतः २३। सर्वभोगपतिर्भूत्वा कामलीलासमाकुलः । काममाह समाभाष्य एषा सा सुकुला गता २४। प्रहरस्व महाभाग क्रीडायाः पुरतः स्थिताम् । मायां कृत्वा समानीता क्रीडया तव संनिधौ २५। पौरुषं दर्शयाद्यैव यद्यस्ति कुरु निश्चितम् । काम उवाच- आत्मरूपं दर्शयस्व चतुरं लीलयान्वितम् २६। येनाहं प्रहराम्येतां पंचबाणैः सहस्रदृक् । इंद्र उवाच- क्वास्ते ते पौरुषं मूढ येन लोकं विडंबसे २७। ममाधारपरोभूत्वा योद्धुमिच्छसि सांप्रतम् । काम उवाच- तेनापि देवदेवेन महादेवेन शूलिना २८। पूर्वमेव हृतं रूपं ममकायो न विद्यते । इच्छाम्यहं यदा नारीं हंतुं शृणुष्व सांप्रतम् २९। पुंसां कायं समाश्रित्य आत्मरूपं प्रदर्शये । पुमांसं वा सहस्राक्ष नार्याः कार्यं समाश्रये ३०। पूर्वदृष्टा यदा नारी तामेव परिचिंतयेत् । चिंत्यमानस्य पुंसस्तु नार्यारूपं पुनःपुनः ३१। अदृष्टं तु समाश्रित्य पुंसमुन्मादयाम्यहम् । तथाप्युन्मादयाम्येवं नारीरूपं न संशयः ३२। संस्मरणात्स्मरो नाम मम जातं सुरेश्वर । तां दृष्ट्वा तादृशोरंग वस्तुरूपं समाश्रये ३३। आत्मतेजः प्रकाशेन बाध्यबाधकतां व्रजेत् । नारीरूपं समाश्रित्य धीरं पुरुषं प्रमोहयेत् ३४। पुरुषं तु समाश्रित्य भावयामि सुयोषितम् । रूपहीनोस्मि हे इंद्र अस्मद्रूपं समाश्रयेत् ३५। तवरूपं समाश्रित्य तां साधये यथेप्सिताम् । एवमुक्त्वा स देवेंद्रं कायं तस्य महात्मनः ३६। सखासौ माधवस्यापि समाश्रित्य सुमायुधः ३७। तामेव हंतुं कुसुमायुधोपि साध्वीं सुपुण्यां कृकलस्य भार्याम् । समुत्सुकस्तिष्ठति बाणलक्षं तस्याश्च कायं नयनैर्विलोक्य ३८। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे सप्तपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः ५७ ।
viṣṇuruvāca- krīḍā satīrūpa dharā prabhūtvā gehaṃ gatā cāru pativratāyāḥ | tāmāgatāṃ satyasvarūpayuktā sā sādaraṃ vākyamuvāca dhanyā 1| vākyaiḥ supuṇyaiḥ paripūjitā sā uvāca krīḍā sukalāṃ vihasya | māyānugaṃ viśvavimohanaṃ satī pratyuttaraṃ satyaprameyuktam 2| mamāpi bhartā prabalo guṇajño dhīraḥ savidyo mahimāprayuktaḥ | tyaktvā gataḥ pāpatarāṃsupuṇyo māmeva nāthaḥ śṛṇu puṇyakīrtiḥ 3| vākyaistu puṇyairabalāsvabhāvādākarṇya sarvaṃ sukalā samuktam | saṃśuddhabhāvāṃ ca viciṃtya cāha kasmādgataḥ suṃdari te'dya nāthaḥ 4| vihāya te rūpamatīva satyamācakṣva sarvaṃ bhavatī subhartuḥ | dhyānopayuktā sakalaṃ karoti sakhīsvarūpā gṛhamāgatā me 5| krīḍā babhāṣe śṛṇu satyametaṃ caritrabhāvaṃ mama bhartturasya | ahaṃ priye yasya sadaiva yuktā yamicchate taṃ pratisāṃtvayāmi 6| kartuḥ supuṇyaṃ vacanaṃ subharturdhyānopayuktā sakalaṃ karomi | ekāṃtaśīlā saguṇānurūpā śuśrūṣayaikastamihaiva devi 7| mama pūrva vipāko'yaṃ saṃpratyeva pravartate | yatastyaktvā gato bharttā māmevaṃ maṃdabhāginīm 8| sakhe na dhāraye jīvaṃ svakīya kāyameva ca | patyāhīnāḥ kathaṃ nāryaḥ sujīvaṃti ca nirghṛṇāḥ 9| rūpaśṛṃgārasaubhāgyaṃ sukhaṃ saṃpacca nānyathā | nārīṇāṃ hi mahābhāgo bhartā śāstreṣu gīyate 10| tayā sarvaṃ samākarṇya yaduktaṃ krīḍayā tadā | satyabhāvaṃ viditvā sā mene saṃbhāṣitaṃ tadā 11| viśvastā sā mahābhāgā sukalā patidevatā | tāmuvāca punaḥ sarvamātmaceṣṭānugaṃ vacaḥ 12| samāsena samākhyātaṃ pūrvavṛttāṃtamātmanaḥ | yathā bhartā gato yātrāṃ puṇyasādhanatatparaḥ 13| ātmaduḥkhaṃ susatyaṃ ca tapa eva manasvini | bodhitā krīḍayā sā tu samāśvāsya pativratā 14| sūta uvāca- ekadā tu tayā proktaṃ krīḍayā sukalāṃ prati | sakhe paśya vanaṃ saumyaṃ divyavṛkṣairalaṃkṛtam 15| tatra tīrthaṃ paraṃ puṇyamasti pātakanāśanam | nānāvallīvitānaiśca supuṣpaiḥ pariśobhitam 16| āvābhyāmapi gaṃtavyaṃ puṇyahetorvarānane | samākarṇya tayā sārddhaṃ sukalā māyayā tadā 17| praviveśa vanaṃ divyaṃ naṃdanopamameva sā | sarvartukusumopetaṃ kokilāśatanāditam 18| gīyamānaṃ sumadhurairnādairmadhukarairapi | kūjadbhiḥ pakṣibhiḥ puṇyaiḥ puṇyadhvanisamākulam 19| caṃdanādikavṛkṣaiśca saurabhaiśca virājitam | sarvabhogaiḥ susaṃpūrṇaṃ mādhavyā mādhavena vai 20| racitaṃ mohanāyaiva sukalāyāśca kāraṇāt | tayā sārdhaṃ praviṣṭā sā tadvanaṃ sarvabhāvanam 21| dadarśa saukhyadaṃ puṇyaṃ māyābhāvaṃ na viṃdati | vīkṣamāṇā vanaṃ divyaṃ tayā saha janeśvara 22| śakropi cābhyayāttatra devamūrtivirājitaḥ | tayā dūtyā samaṃ prāptaḥ kāmastatra samāgataḥ 23| sarvabhogapatirbhūtvā kāmalīlāsamākulaḥ | kāmamāha samābhāṣya eṣā sā sukulā gatā 24| praharasva mahābhāga krīḍāyāḥ purataḥ sthitām | māyāṃ kṛtvā samānītā krīḍayā tava saṃnidhau 25| pauruṣaṃ darśayādyaiva yadyasti kuru niścitam | kāma uvāca- ātmarūpaṃ darśayasva caturaṃ līlayānvitam 26| yenāhaṃ praharāmyetāṃ paṃcabāṇaiḥ sahasradṛk | iṃdra uvāca- kvāste te pauruṣaṃ mūḍha yena lokaṃ viḍaṃbase 27| mamādhāraparobhūtvā yoddhumicchasi sāṃpratam | kāma uvāca- tenāpi devadevena mahādevena śūlinā 28| pūrvameva hṛtaṃ rūpaṃ mamakāyo na vidyate | icchāmyahaṃ yadā nārīṃ haṃtuṃ śṛṇuṣva sāṃpratam 29| puṃsāṃ kāyaṃ samāśritya ātmarūpaṃ pradarśaye | pumāṃsaṃ vā sahasrākṣa nāryāḥ kāryaṃ samāśraye 30| pūrvadṛṣṭā yadā nārī tāmeva pariciṃtayet | ciṃtyamānasya puṃsastu nāryārūpaṃ punaḥpunaḥ 31| adṛṣṭaṃ tu samāśritya puṃsamunmādayāmyaham | tathāpyunmādayāmyevaṃ nārīrūpaṃ na saṃśayaḥ 32| saṃsmaraṇātsmaro nāma mama jātaṃ sureśvara | tāṃ dṛṣṭvā tādṛśoraṃga vasturūpaṃ samāśraye 33| ātmatejaḥ prakāśena bādhyabādhakatāṃ vrajet | nārīrūpaṃ samāśritya dhīraṃ puruṣaṃ pramohayet 34| puruṣaṃ tu samāśritya bhāvayāmi suyoṣitam | rūpahīnosmi he iṃdra asmadrūpaṃ samāśrayet 35| tavarūpaṃ samāśritya tāṃ sādhaye yathepsitām | evamuktvā sa deveṃdraṃ kāyaṃ tasya mahātmanaḥ 36| sakhāsau mādhavasyāpi samāśritya sumāyudhaḥ 37| tāmeva haṃtuṃ kusumāyudhopi sādhvīṃ supuṇyāṃ kṛkalasya bhāryām | samutsukastiṣṭhati bāṇalakṣaṃ tasyāśca kāyaṃ nayanairvilokya 38| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne sukalācaritre saptapaṃcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 57 |
English translation
Viṣṇu said :
1-3. Rati , taking up the form of a chaste lady, went to the house of the charming loyal wife. She (i.e. Sukalā ) the blessed one, endowed with a truthful nature, respectfully spoke to her (i.e. Rati). Rati, the chaste lady, well-honoured with very auspicious words, smiled and spoke to Sukalā, words full of deceit, alluring all and containing a truthful topic: “(Please) listen, my husband, my lord, who is very strong, who appreciates virtues, who is wise and learned, who is endowed with greatness, who has a holy name, left me who am more (i.e. very) sinful and has gone away.”
4-5. Sukalā, due to her feminine nature, after having heard all that she (i.e. Rati) said through agreeable words, took her to be of a very pure nature, and said to her: “O beautiful lady, why did your lord abandon your beautiful form and go away? Today tell me the truth about your good husband. You, endowed with meditation, who have come to my house, and being of the nature of my friend, are doing everything for me.”
6-10. Rati said: “Listen to the real account of my lord. O dear one, I was always engaged (in giving him) what he desired, and thus appeased him. To carry out the auspicious words of my good lord, I did everything attentively. I am of an extremely good disposition, virtuous and worthy of him through my rendering service to him who is supreme for me in this wor1d. This is the fruit of my former (deeds) which appears now only, and due to which my husband has thus gone away after abandoning me, who am luckless. O friend, I do not (i.e. cannot) sustain my life and my body. How do shameless women live well without their husbands? In the scriptures, a husband is described to be the beauty, decoration, good fortune, happiness and wealth, and not otherwise (i.e. and none else).”
11-14. She (i.e. Sukalā) having heard all that Rati said, and looking upon it as the truth, believed her talk. That magnanimous Sukalā, devoted to her husband, and confiding (in Rati), again spoke to her words describing her acts. She told in brief all her former account. “Since the husband, intent upon gaining religious merit, has gone on a pilgrimage, our grief is very true, and so is our suffering, O you virtuous lady.” Having (thus) cheered up the chaste lady, Rati advised her.
Sūta said :
15-22. Once that Rati said to Sukalā: “O friend, see the pleasing wood adorned by divine trees. There is a very auspicious sacred place, destroying sins. It looks charming due to the spreading out of many creepers, and good flowers. O you of an excellent face, we too should go (there).” Hearing that Sukalā entered, with Rati, that divine forest, resembling Indra ’s garden. It was having flowers of all seasons, and was resounding with calls of hundreds of cuckoos; it was full of the music of bees’ sweet hummings; it was full of the auspicious sounds of propitious birds; it shone with trees like the sandal and with fragrances. It was full of all pleasures and with the spring-creeper and the spring season. It was put up to allure Sukalā. With her she (i.e. Rati) entered the wood, pleasing to all. She saw the auspicious (grove) giving pleasure (but) did not know the fraudulent intention (of Rati), when, O lord of men, she saw the divine wood with her (i.e. Rati).
23-26a. Shining with his divine form, Indra also went to that place. Cupid also came there along with that messenger. (Indra) being the lord of all enjoyments, and full of amorous sports, called Cupid and said to him: “This Sukalā has come. O glorious one, strike her standing before you and brought by Rati through trickery near you. If you have valour show it today. Do it certainly.”
Cupid said :
26b-27a. O you thousand-eyed (Indra), show your charming form, endowed with amorous sport, so that I shall strike (her) with (my) five arrows.
Indra said :
27b-28a. O fool, where is your valour with which you afflict people? Now you desire to fight after taking my support.
Cupid said :
28b-36a. Formerly only that trident-holder, Mahādeva (i.e. Śiva ), the god of gods has snatched away my form. My body does not exist. Listen, when I desire to strike a woman, I manifest my form by resorting to a male body. O thousand-eyed (Indra), I shall now execute the mission by resorting to (the body of) a man. When a lady is repeatedly thinking about the form of a man (i.e. about a man) not seen before, I excite the man by resorting to him. In the same way, I shall certainly excite this one of the form of a woman (i.e. I shall certainly excite this woman). There is no doubt about it. O lord of gods, I got the name ‘ Smara ’ as I was thought of. Seeing her I shall, (being) like that, resort to the (particular) colour, object or form. My lustre would repel what is to be repelled by means of its brightness, and by resorting to the form of a woman it would allure (even) a strong-minded man; and resorting to a man (-form) I shall secure this woman for you. O Indra, I am formless. I would resort to my (original) form (and) resorting to your body I shall secure her as desired (by you).
36b-38. Having thus addressed the lord of gods, Cupid too, who was the friend of the Spring Season and who had flowers as his weapons, having resorted to the body of that magnanimous (Indra), was eager, looking, with his eyes, at the target of his arrows—the chaste, very meritorious wife of Kṛkala—to strike her.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 42662, revision 335496 (2022-04-09T18:52:31Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364264.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.