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Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 206

Chapter 206

Unit 618 of 693Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 206Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 2061 source entries

Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 206

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सौभरिरुवाच- धर्मराजशिबिः श्रीमानाकर्ण्य तद्वचो मुनेः । नारदस्याब्रवीत्प्रीतमना इति तमुत्तमम् १। शिबिरुवाच- मुने तीर्थवरस्यास्य निगमोद्बोध कस्य ते । माहात्म्यं वर्णितं सम्यक्श्रुतं पापहरं मया २। इंद्रप्रस्थेत्र शतशः संति तीर्थानि वै मुने । अन्यस्यापि समाचक्ष्व माहात्म्यं यदि विद्यते ३। नारद उवाच- इंद्रप्रस्थांतरावर्तिन्येषा या द्वारका नृप । अस्यां पुरा हि यद्वृत्तं तत्ते वच्मि शृणुष्व मे ४। काम्पिल्येऽथ द्विजः कश्चित् पुष्पेषुर्मूर्तिमानिव । सर्वासां योषितां चित्तहारी स्यादग्रविभ्रमैः ५। संगीतविद्याकुशलः कोकिलामधुरध्वनिः । एकदा स करे वीणां धारयन्वादयन्मुहुः ६। कंठेन कोकिलालाप मधुरेण नराधिप । गायन्बभ्राम नगरे प्रतिरथ्यं महामतिः ७। तस्य गीतिध्वनिं श्रुत्वा मूर्छनातानसंयुतम् । त्वक्त्वा स्वगृहकार्याणि तमीयुः पौरयोषितः ८। मोहितास्तस्य रूपेण कामवेगं न सेहिरे । जाता स्खलितवीर्यास्ता गीतं श्रुत्वा समक्षतः ९। ब्रह्मणो मानसं येन लोभितं भारतीं प्रति । शिवस्यार्द्धशरीरं च पार्वत्यै येन दापितम् १०। ताभ्यामन्यो जनो लोके वशी वा ज्ञानवानपि । यः स्मरं तं क्षमो जेतुं स्त्रियः प्रकृतिचंचलाः ११। ताः स्मरावेशमासोढुं न साध्योपि विषेहिरे । वक्तव्यमिति किं राजन्लोके कामो हि दुर्जयः १२। अथ तास्तत्र तत्रेयुर्यत्र यत्र व्रजत्यसौ । प्रगायन्कंठवीणाभ्यां प्रगायन्स्वरमोहितः १३। तासां पतिसुतभ्रातृपितरोऽथ नराधिप । आगत्य भर्त्सयित्वा ता निन्युः स्वान्स्वान्गृहान्प्रति १४। तमन्विष्य पुनस्तास्तु जग्मुः सर्वास्तदंतिके । यदा तदा पौरजना वृत्तं तत्प्राहुरीश्वरे १५। राजापि तं समाहूय पप्रच्छ रहसि द्विजम् । केन मंत्रेण भो विप्र मोहितास्ताः पुरस्त्रियः १६। तन्ममाचक्ष्व विप्रेंद्र दास्यामि बहु ते धनम् । नोचेन्निष्कासयामि त्वां निजराज्यान्न संशयः १७। नारद उवाच- श्रुत्वेति नृपतेर्वाक्यं नृपतिं स द्विजोत्तमः । उवाच सत्यं तस्याग्रे वचोरूपगुणार्णवः १८। द्विज उवाच- न मंत्रं नौषधं राजन्विद्यते मयि भिक्षुके । किंतु ते नगरे सर्वा योषितो ह्यजितेंद्रियाः १९। रूपं मम समालोक्य श्रुत्वा गीतध्वनिं तथा । स्मरवेगं सहंते न राजंस्तव पुरे स्त्रियः २०। किं करोमि महाराज कोऽपराधोस्ति मे विभो । पुराकृतमिवोल्लंघ्यं शासनं न महीपते २१। नारद उवाच- उशीनरशीबे राजन्नेवं कथयति द्विजे । सर्वे पौराः समेत्याथ प्रावदन्निति भूपतिम् २२। पौरा ऊचुः - राजन्ननेन विप्रेण मोहिताः पौरयोषितः । गृहेषु न हि तिष्ठंति ह्यस्माभिरनिवारिताः २३। यद्ययं मोहनः स्त्रीणां नगरे वत्स्यति प्रभो । तदा देशांतराण्येव यास्यामो वयमद्य वै । गतोऽस्माकं वृषो देवो हव्यकव्यक्रियात्मकः २४। तमनुप्रस्थितात्क्षेत्राद्गौरियं पापिनामिव । विना तं शरणं यातं त्यक्तश्रीभिर्नरेश्वर २५। अथैनमनुयास्यंति वासिताभिर्वृषं यथा । शून्यालये कथं लक्ष्मीर्यत्नतोप्यवतिष्ठति २६। धर्मोऽर्थश्च गृहं चैतत् त्रयं स्त्रीवशगं यतः । कांताधर्म धनाधीना तयोर्नाशे न तिष्ठति २७। नारद उवाच- एवं वदत्सु पौरेषु स्त्रियस्तेषां समागताः । राजांतिक उपाविष्टा इत्यूचुस्ताः परस्परम् २८। पौरस्त्रिय ऊचुः । कामं वामाकृतिं विप्रमेनं प्राप्यमनांसि नः । उल्लसंति दिवाधीशं कमलानीव वारिणि २९। संकुचंति विना तेन कुमुदानि यथेंदुना । आगच्छंतमिलित्वैनंधारयामोनृपाग्रतः ३०। अवध्योऽयं वयं चास्य किं करिष्यति भूपतिः । नारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा तास्त्वरावत्यो जगृहुस्तं द्विजोत्तमम् ३१। पश्यतां निजभर्तॄणां राज्ञश्चैव पुरस्तदा । ऊचुश्चैनं मनोनाथ गृहानागच्छ हृच्छयम् ३२। शमयाशु विनाद्यत्वां स्थातुं नैव च शक्नुमः । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तासां स विप्रः प्रत्युवाच ह ३३। विप्र उवाच- भवतीनामहं पुत्रो भवत्यो मातरो मम । गृहान्किमर्थमुत्सृज्य भवत्यः पर्यटंति हि ३४। आराधयत नाथान्स्वान्यतो लोकद्वयं ध्रुवम् । आराधितेषु पतिषु विष्णुः सर्वसुरेश्वरः ३५। प्रसन्नो भवति त्वत्र प्रसन्ने किमु दुर्लभम् । या स्त्री स्वपतिमुत्सृज्य सेवतेऽन्यसुखेच्छया ३६। सापवादमवाप्नोति याति घोरां च दुर्गतिम् । उषित्वा तत्र कल्पांते यावत्सा पतिवंचना ३७। पुनस्तस्माद्विनिर्गत्य स्थावरत्वं प्रपद्यते । तस्मादपि पशुत्वं सा लभते बहुजन्मसु ३८। ततो मुक्ता मनुष्यत्वे व्यंगा भवति तत्र सा । एवं पापगतिं ज्ञात्वा निवर्तध्वमतो जनात् ३९। नो वा यास्यथ देहांते नरकं भृशदारुणम् । यदिच्छंति भवंत्यो मे सुखं तन्नेह लप्स्यथ । पापमेव हि युष्माकं यतोधःपतनं नृणाम् ४०। नारद उवाच- श्रुत्वैवं वचनं तस्य दृष्ट्वा भर्तृसुखानि च । लज्जयानम्र मुख्यस्ता लतावातहता इव ४१। तासां तु पुरनारीणां स्मराग्निर्भृशदारुणः । शशाम तस्य शीतेन बटोर्वचनवारिणा ४२। उत्थाय चेलुः सर्वास्ता विनिंदंत्य इति स्मरम् । ब्रह्मशक्रादिदेवानामपि मोहकरं नृप ४३। स्त्रिय ऊचुः । धिगिमं पापकर्माणं शीलदारुकुठारकम् । कामवामदृशां प्रीत्यै धन्यो येन हतः स्मरः ४४। किं वदेम जगत्पूज्यां रुक्मिणीं जठरे यया । धृतः प्रद्युम्ननाम्नाऽसौ राहुः स्त्रीशीलचंद्रभुक् ४५। स देवाधम आयाति यदि नो दृष्टगोचरम् । भूयो ध्यानकृतेशान दृगग्नौ तं क्षिपामहे ४६। येनायं जनितः पापो ह्यात्मारामेण विष्णुना । कृतः षोडशसाहस्रस्त्रीप्रियः का हि नः कथा ४७। एवं विनिंद्य तं कामं तुष्टुवुस्तं द्विजोत्तमम् । शीलं स्वस्य च तासां च रक्षितं येन भूपते ४८। धन्या सामुष्य जननी ययायं ब्राह्मणोत्तमः । स्मरजिन्निर्मितो लोके परधर्मस्य रक्षकः ४९। धिगस्तु नो राजलोकैर्हसिताः स्मरनिर्जिताः । याभिर्वाक्यमनोभ्यां च जनितं पापमुल्बणम् ५०। नारद उवाच- एवं विचिंतयंत्यस्ता एक्यमत्ययुताः स्त्रियः । जग्मुः स्वंस्वं गृहं सर्वा द्विजवाक्येन बोधिताः ५१। अथ राजापि कांपिल्यस्तं द्विजं वस्त्रभूषणैः । संपूज्य प्रेषयामास सद्गृहे संयतेंद्रियम् ५२। अथागच्छति काले तु कारूषाधिपतिर्बली । कांपिल्याधिपतिं सैन्यैर्नगरं रुरुधे तदा ५३। तयोर्युद्धमभूद्घोरं तेन युद्धे स घातितः । नगरं लुठितं सर्वं हताः शूराश्च सर्वशः ५४। ता स्त्रियः कालकूटं तु खादित्वा मरणं गताः । प्रायश्चित्तं तु न कृतं ताभिः पापस्य तस्य तु ५५। येन पापेन ताः सर्वा भीषणाख्यस्य रक्षसः । राक्षस्यो नगरे जाता महाकाया भयानकाः ५६। तत्र ता निहिताः सर्वाः पुरनार्यो हनूमता । यज्ञांश्च रसतो जिष्णोस्तिष्ठतां रथकेतने ५७। पुनस्ता एव राक्षस्यो बभूवुर्मारवेध्वनि । क्षुधार्ताश्च तृषार्ताश्च दर्शनेन भयप्रदाः ५८। एवं तेन तु पापेन वाङ्मनोविहितेन तु । ताभिर्जन्मद्वयं प्राप्तं राक्षसीयोनिमिश्रितम् ५९। पापेन नाशितं तासां स नृपं नगरद्वयम् । अतएव न कर्त्तव्यं परकांतनिषेवणम् ६०। नारीभिः पापभीताभिर्वाङ्मनोभ्यामपि प्रभो । रोगी जडो दरिद्रो वा नेत्राभ्यां वर्जितोऽपि वा । न त्याज्यः स्वपतिः स्त्रीभिः इच्छंतीभिस्तु सद्गतिम् ६१। कथितमिदं मया मनोवचोभ्यां जनितमघं च यदन्यकांतभक्त्या । फलमपि च यदेव लब्धमाभिस्तदपि शिबे बहुविस्तरेण तुभ्यम् ६२। इंद्रप्रस्थगता न ये ममनघा या द्वारका दृश्यते तास्तस्या जलबिंदुदेहपतनात्पौरस्त्रियो रेभिरे । स्वर्गं चित्तवचोऽन्यकांत भजनाज्जातं विमुच्वोल्बणं क्रव्यादत्वमवाप्य देववनिताभावं सुराह्लाददम् ६३। इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्ये द्वारकावर्णंनंनाम षष्ठाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २०६।

saubhariruvāca- dharmarājaśibiḥ śrīmānākarṇya tadvaco muneḥ | nāradasyābravītprītamanā iti tamuttamam 1| śibiruvāca- mune tīrthavarasyāsya nigamodbodha kasya te | māhātmyaṃ varṇitaṃ samyakśrutaṃ pāpaharaṃ mayā 2| iṃdraprasthetra śataśaḥ saṃti tīrthāni vai mune | anyasyāpi samācakṣva māhātmyaṃ yadi vidyate 3| nārada uvāca- iṃdraprasthāṃtarāvartinyeṣā yā dvārakā nṛpa | asyāṃ purā hi yadvṛttaṃ tatte vacmi śṛṇuṣva me 4| kāmpilye'tha dvijaḥ kaścit puṣpeṣurmūrtimāniva | sarvāsāṃ yoṣitāṃ cittahārī syādagravibhramaiḥ 5| saṃgītavidyākuśalaḥ kokilāmadhuradhvaniḥ | ekadā sa kare vīṇāṃ dhārayanvādayanmuhuḥ 6| kaṃṭhena kokilālāpa madhureṇa narādhipa | gāyanbabhrāma nagare pratirathyaṃ mahāmatiḥ 7| tasya gītidhvaniṃ śrutvā mūrchanātānasaṃyutam | tvaktvā svagṛhakāryāṇi tamīyuḥ paurayoṣitaḥ 8| mohitāstasya rūpeṇa kāmavegaṃ na sehire | jātā skhalitavīryāstā gītaṃ śrutvā samakṣataḥ 9| brahmaṇo mānasaṃ yena lobhitaṃ bhāratīṃ prati | śivasyārddhaśarīraṃ ca pārvatyai yena dāpitam 10| tābhyāmanyo jano loke vaśī vā jñānavānapi | yaḥ smaraṃ taṃ kṣamo jetuṃ striyaḥ prakṛticaṃcalāḥ 11| tāḥ smarāveśamāsoḍhuṃ na sādhyopi viṣehire | vaktavyamiti kiṃ rājanloke kāmo hi durjayaḥ 12| atha tāstatra tatreyuryatra yatra vrajatyasau | pragāyankaṃṭhavīṇābhyāṃ pragāyansvaramohitaḥ 13| tāsāṃ patisutabhrātṛpitaro'tha narādhipa | āgatya bhartsayitvā tā ninyuḥ svānsvāngṛhānprati 14| tamanviṣya punastāstu jagmuḥ sarvāstadaṃtike | yadā tadā paurajanā vṛttaṃ tatprāhurīśvare 15| rājāpi taṃ samāhūya papraccha rahasi dvijam | kena maṃtreṇa bho vipra mohitāstāḥ purastriyaḥ 16| tanmamācakṣva vipreṃdra dāsyāmi bahu te dhanam | nocenniṣkāsayāmi tvāṃ nijarājyānna saṃśayaḥ 17| nārada uvāca- śrutveti nṛpatervākyaṃ nṛpatiṃ sa dvijottamaḥ | uvāca satyaṃ tasyāgre vacorūpaguṇārṇavaḥ 18| dvija uvāca- na maṃtraṃ nauṣadhaṃ rājanvidyate mayi bhikṣuke | kiṃtu te nagare sarvā yoṣito hyajiteṃdriyāḥ 19| rūpaṃ mama samālokya śrutvā gītadhvaniṃ tathā | smaravegaṃ sahaṃte na rājaṃstava pure striyaḥ 20| kiṃ karomi mahārāja ko'parādhosti me vibho | purākṛtamivollaṃghyaṃ śāsanaṃ na mahīpate 21| nārada uvāca- uśīnaraśībe rājannevaṃ kathayati dvije | sarve paurāḥ sametyātha prāvadanniti bhūpatim 22| paurā ūcuḥ - rājannanena vipreṇa mohitāḥ paurayoṣitaḥ | gṛheṣu na hi tiṣṭhaṃti hyasmābhiranivāritāḥ 23| yadyayaṃ mohanaḥ strīṇāṃ nagare vatsyati prabho | tadā deśāṃtarāṇyeva yāsyāmo vayamadya vai | gato'smākaṃ vṛṣo devo havyakavyakriyātmakaḥ 24| tamanuprasthitātkṣetrādgauriyaṃ pāpināmiva | vinā taṃ śaraṇaṃ yātaṃ tyaktaśrībhirnareśvara 25| athainamanuyāsyaṃti vāsitābhirvṛṣaṃ yathā | śūnyālaye kathaṃ lakṣmīryatnatopyavatiṣṭhati 26| dharmo'rthaśca gṛhaṃ caitat trayaṃ strīvaśagaṃ yataḥ | kāṃtādharma dhanādhīnā tayornāśe na tiṣṭhati 27| nārada uvāca- evaṃ vadatsu paureṣu striyasteṣāṃ samāgatāḥ | rājāṃtika upāviṣṭā ityūcustāḥ parasparam 28| paurastriya ūcuḥ | kāmaṃ vāmākṛtiṃ vipramenaṃ prāpyamanāṃsi naḥ | ullasaṃti divādhīśaṃ kamalānīva vāriṇi 29| saṃkucaṃti vinā tena kumudāni yatheṃdunā | āgacchaṃtamilitvainaṃdhārayāmonṛpāgrataḥ 30| avadhyo'yaṃ vayaṃ cāsya kiṃ kariṣyati bhūpatiḥ | nārada uvāca- ityuktvā tāstvarāvatyo jagṛhustaṃ dvijottamam 31| paśyatāṃ nijabhartṝṇāṃ rājñaścaiva purastadā | ūcuścainaṃ manonātha gṛhānāgaccha hṛcchayam 32| śamayāśu vinādyatvāṃ sthātuṃ naiva ca śaknumaḥ | ityākarṇya vacastāsāṃ sa vipraḥ pratyuvāca ha 33| vipra uvāca- bhavatīnāmahaṃ putro bhavatyo mātaro mama | gṛhānkimarthamutsṛjya bhavatyaḥ paryaṭaṃti hi 34| ārādhayata nāthānsvānyato lokadvayaṃ dhruvam | ārādhiteṣu patiṣu viṣṇuḥ sarvasureśvaraḥ 35| prasanno bhavati tvatra prasanne kimu durlabham | yā strī svapatimutsṛjya sevate'nyasukhecchayā 36| sāpavādamavāpnoti yāti ghorāṃ ca durgatim | uṣitvā tatra kalpāṃte yāvatsā pativaṃcanā 37| punastasmādvinirgatya sthāvaratvaṃ prapadyate | tasmādapi paśutvaṃ sā labhate bahujanmasu 38| tato muktā manuṣyatve vyaṃgā bhavati tatra sā | evaṃ pāpagatiṃ jñātvā nivartadhvamato janāt 39| no vā yāsyatha dehāṃte narakaṃ bhṛśadāruṇam | yadicchaṃti bhavaṃtyo me sukhaṃ tanneha lapsyatha | pāpameva hi yuṣmākaṃ yatodhaḥpatanaṃ nṛṇām 40| nārada uvāca- śrutvaivaṃ vacanaṃ tasya dṛṣṭvā bhartṛsukhāni ca | lajjayānamra mukhyastā latāvātahatā iva 41| tāsāṃ tu puranārīṇāṃ smarāgnirbhṛśadāruṇaḥ | śaśāma tasya śītena baṭorvacanavāriṇā 42| utthāya celuḥ sarvāstā viniṃdaṃtya iti smaram | brahmaśakrādidevānāmapi mohakaraṃ nṛpa 43| striya ūcuḥ | dhigimaṃ pāpakarmāṇaṃ śīladārukuṭhārakam | kāmavāmadṛśāṃ prītyai dhanyo yena hataḥ smaraḥ 44| kiṃ vadema jagatpūjyāṃ rukmiṇīṃ jaṭhare yayā | dhṛtaḥ pradyumnanāmnā'sau rāhuḥ strīśīlacaṃdrabhuk 45| sa devādhama āyāti yadi no dṛṣṭagocaram | bhūyo dhyānakṛteśāna dṛgagnau taṃ kṣipāmahe 46| yenāyaṃ janitaḥ pāpo hyātmārāmeṇa viṣṇunā | kṛtaḥ ṣoḍaśasāhasrastrīpriyaḥ kā hi naḥ kathā 47| evaṃ viniṃdya taṃ kāmaṃ tuṣṭuvustaṃ dvijottamam | śīlaṃ svasya ca tāsāṃ ca rakṣitaṃ yena bhūpate 48| dhanyā sāmuṣya jananī yayāyaṃ brāhmaṇottamaḥ | smarajinnirmito loke paradharmasya rakṣakaḥ 49| dhigastu no rājalokairhasitāḥ smaranirjitāḥ | yābhirvākyamanobhyāṃ ca janitaṃ pāpamulbaṇam 50| nārada uvāca- evaṃ viciṃtayaṃtyastā ekyamatyayutāḥ striyaḥ | jagmuḥ svaṃsvaṃ gṛhaṃ sarvā dvijavākyena bodhitāḥ 51| atha rājāpi kāṃpilyastaṃ dvijaṃ vastrabhūṣaṇaiḥ | saṃpūjya preṣayāmāsa sadgṛhe saṃyateṃdriyam 52| athāgacchati kāle tu kārūṣādhipatirbalī | kāṃpilyādhipatiṃ sainyairnagaraṃ rurudhe tadā 53| tayoryuddhamabhūdghoraṃ tena yuddhe sa ghātitaḥ | nagaraṃ luṭhitaṃ sarvaṃ hatāḥ śūrāśca sarvaśaḥ 54| tā striyaḥ kālakūṭaṃ tu khāditvā maraṇaṃ gatāḥ | prāyaścittaṃ tu na kṛtaṃ tābhiḥ pāpasya tasya tu 55| yena pāpena tāḥ sarvā bhīṣaṇākhyasya rakṣasaḥ | rākṣasyo nagare jātā mahākāyā bhayānakāḥ 56| tatra tā nihitāḥ sarvāḥ puranāryo hanūmatā | yajñāṃśca rasato jiṣṇostiṣṭhatāṃ rathaketane 57| punastā eva rākṣasyo babhūvurmāravedhvani | kṣudhārtāśca tṛṣārtāśca darśanena bhayapradāḥ 58| evaṃ tena tu pāpena vāṅmanovihitena tu | tābhirjanmadvayaṃ prāptaṃ rākṣasīyonimiśritam 59| pāpena nāśitaṃ tāsāṃ sa nṛpaṃ nagaradvayam | ataeva na karttavyaṃ parakāṃtaniṣevaṇam 60| nārībhiḥ pāpabhītābhirvāṅmanobhyāmapi prabho | rogī jaḍo daridro vā netrābhyāṃ varjito'pi vā | na tyājyaḥ svapatiḥ strībhiḥ icchaṃtībhistu sadgatim 61| kathitamidaṃ mayā manovacobhyāṃ janitamaghaṃ ca yadanyakāṃtabhaktyā | phalamapi ca yadeva labdhamābhistadapi śibe bahuvistareṇa tubhyam 62| iṃdraprasthagatā na ye mamanaghā yā dvārakā dṛśyate tāstasyā jalabiṃdudehapatanātpaurastriyo rebhire | svargaṃ cittavaco'nyakāṃta bhajanājjātaṃ vimucvolbaṇaṃ kravyādatvamavāpya devavanitābhāvaṃ surāhlādadam 63| iti śrīpādmemahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kāliṃdīmāhātmye dvārakāvarṇaṃnaṃnāma ṣaṣṭhādhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 206|

English translation

Saubhari said :

1. That religious king, the wealthy Śibi , having heard those words of the sage Nārada , was pleased in his mind, and (thus) spoke to the best one:

Śibi said :

2-3. O sage, you have properly described the greatness of this excellent holy place Nigamodbodhaka. I have heard it; that removes sins. O sage, there are hundreds of holy places in this Indraprastha . Tell me the greatness of some other holy place, if there is any.

Nārada said :

4-17. O king, I shall tell you what formerly took place in this Dvārakā which is situated within Indraprastha. Listen to it from me. In Kāmpilya there was a certain brāhmaṇa , Cupid embodied as it were. He attracted the hearts of all women with his excellent amorous actions. He was skilled in the science of music. His voice was sweet like that of a cuckoo. Once, that very intelligent one, holding a lute in his hand, repeatedly playing upon it, singing, without an equal, with voice sweet like that of a cukoo, moved in the city. Having heard the sound of his song, full of melody and protracted tones, the wives of citizens abandoned their domestic work and went (to him). Fascinated by his handsome form, they could not bear the force of lust. Hearing the song actually they were disturbed. What other self-controlled and wise person than the two (viz. Brahmā and Śiva ) is able to conquer Cupid who created a longing for Sarasvatī in the mind of Brahmā, or who made half of Śiva’s body to be given to Pārvatī ? And women are fickle by nature. Even the chaste ones were unable to put up with the excitement caused by Cupid. What could be said, O king? Cupid is difficult to be conquered in the world. They went everywhere he, singing with his throat and lute and fascinating with his tone, went. Their husbands, sons, brothers and fathers came there, and threatening them, took them (back) to their own homes, O king. When they again looking for him, approached him, the citizens told the account to their king. The king too called the best brāhmaṇa and asked him in private: “O best brāhmaṇa, tell me by means of which charm you fascinated the women in the city. I shall give you much wealth. Othewise I shall drive you out of my kingdom. There is no doubt about it.”

Nārada said :

18. Hearing these words of the king, the best brāhmaṇa, the ocean of handsomeness and virtues, spoke to him true words.

The Brāhmaṇa said :

19-21. O king, I, a beggar, have neither a charm nor a herb; but all the women in your city have no control over their senses. O king, the women in your city cannot put up with the force of lust on seeing my handsome form and hearing the sound of my songs. O great king, what can I do? O lord, what is my fault? The order of the king, like (the fruits of) former acts, can never be resisted.

Nārada said :

22 . O king Uśīnara- Śibi, when the brāhmaṇa was telling like this all citizents, coming together, spoke thus to the king:

The citizens said :

23-27. O king, this brāhmaṇa has fascinated the wives of the citizens. They do not remain in their houses. They cannot be stopped by us. O lord, if this one who infatuates the women lives in the city, then today (only) we shall go to other countries. Our bull-god of the nature of havya and kavya (oblations to gods and dead ancestors) has gone(?). They have started going after him like a cow from the field of sinners. O lord of men, we, abandoned by glory, have no other shelter to seek. They will follow him as the female elephants follow their lord. How can Lakṣmī (wealth) remain in a vacant house? Since these three, viz. piety, worldly riches and house, depend upon the wife, one that depends upon the wife’s piety and wealth cannot remain, when the two are lost.

Nārada said :

28. When the citizens were speaking like this, their wives came to the king, sat there, and thus spoke to one another:

The wives of the citizens said :

29-31a. Our minds open excessively on seeing this brāhmaṇa of a charming form as lotuses in the water do on seeing the lord of the day and they close in his absence as the white lotuses close without the moon: come, together we shall seize (and take) him before the king. He is not fit to be killed, nor are we. What will the king do?

Nārada said :

31b-33. Saying so, they hurriedly seized the best brāhmaṇa, when their own husbands were watching and in front of the king himself; and they said to him: “O lord of our minds, come to our house, and quickly pacify (the agony) tormenting our hearts. Today we cannot remain (i.e. live) without you.” Hearing these words of them, the brāhmaṇa replied:

The brāhmaṇa said :

34-40. I am your son; you are my mothers. Leaving your houses, why are you wandering? Propitiate your own lords, since, when the husbands are propitiated, wives certainly (enjoy) the two worlds, and Viṣṇu , the lord of gods, is pleased. (And) when he is pleased, what is difficult to be obtained? That woman who, forsaking her own husband, resorts to another (man) with a desire for enjoyment, invites censure and goes to a fearful hell. She, the deceiver of her husband, lives there till the end of the kalpa . Again having moved out of it, she reaches the state of an inanimate object. Even from there, she obtains beasthood for many existences. Then freed from that (stock) she is born as a crippled one. Knowing the sinful course to be like this, turn away from Cupid. Otherwise at the end (i.e. fall) of your body, you will go to a very fearful hell. You will not have the pleasure that you desire to get from me. It is your sin, since it is a fall of a human being.

Nārada said :

41-43. Having heard his words like these, and seeing the faces of their husbands, they hung down their faces through shame like creepers struck by a (stormy) wind. The very terrible fire of lust of the women in the city went out due to the cold water in the form of the words of the chap. O king, all of them, condemning Cupid as one that fascinates even gods like Brahmā, Indra , got up, and walked (away).

The women said :

44-52. Fie upon this, committing sinful acts, an axe to the wood in the form of good character! He who has struck Cupid for the happiness of passionate beautiful women, is blessed. What should we say to Rukmiṇī , venerable to the world, who carried in her womb this Rāhu , named Pradyumna , eating the Moon of the good character of women? If that mean god comes within the range of our sight again, we shall throw him into the fire of the eye of the lord (Śiva) by meditating upon him. He, the sinful one, whom Viṣṇu, delighted in self, created, made Viṣṇu dear to (or the lover of) sixteen thousand women. Then what can be said about us?

Having thus censured that Cupid, the women praised that best brāhmaṇa who preserved his own character and that of them also, O king. ‘Blessed is that mother of this (best brāhmaṇa) who gave, birth to this excellent brāhmaṇa who vanquished Cupid and preserved the virtue of others! Fie upon us who were laughed at by the king’s men, who were vanquished by Cupid, and by whom great sin was committed through speech and mind!’ All the women who were thus thinking, who were of the same view, being admonished by the brāhmaṇa’s words, went to their respective houses. Then king Kāmpilya also, having honoured that brāhmaṇa with garments and ornaments, sent him to the house of that good man.

53-63. As time went on, the powerful lord of Kārūṣa besieged lord of Kāmpilya and his city with armies (i.e. a large army). A great war took place between the two. He (i.e. Kārūṣa king) got him killed. He plundered the entire city and the brave ones were killed everywhere. Those women eating (i.e. drinking) Kālakūṭa (poison) died. They had not made any atonement for that sin. Due to that sin all those were born as demonesses with huge bodies and causing fear in the city of the demon called Bhīṣaṇa . All the women in the city were killed by Hanūmat, occupying the banner of the chariot of Viṣṇu relishing sacrifices. The same were again born as demonesses on the path to Maru . They were oppressed by hunger and thirst, and caused fear at their sight. Thus due to the sin committed by means of speech and mind, they obtained two existences, mixed with (i.e. along with) the existence as demonesses. Due to their sin the two cities along with their kings were destroyed. Therefore, O lord, women, fearing sin, should never resort to another lover even through speech or mind. Women desiring salvation should not desert their husband even though he is diseased, dull, poor or blind. O Śibi, I have told you in great detail about the sin produced through devotion to another lover by means of speech or mind, so also the fruit of it obtained by these (women). By the drops (of water) of the pious Dvārakā, seen by those going to Indraprastha, falling on their bodies, the women in the city reached heaven after abandoning the severe condition of corpse-eaters, which they had reached due to their having resorted to another lover, and obtained the form of divine ladies delighting gods.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22577, revision 336619 (2022-04-25T13:41:48Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365790.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.