Padmanabha Returns and His Wife Speaks of Duty

Verse 1 (12.369.1)

अथ काले बहुतिथे पूर्णे प्राप्तो भुजङ्गमः । दत्ताभ्यनुज्ञः स्वं वेश्म कृतकर्मा विवस्वता ॥

atha kāle bahutithe pūrṇe prāpto bhujaṅgamaḥ | dattābhyanujñaḥ svaṃ veśma kṛtakarmā vivasvatā

Then, when many days had passed and the time was complete, the serpent came back to his home, released from his service to Vivasvat, his task done.

Verse 2 (12.369.2)

तं भार्याऽप्युपचक्राम पादशौचादिभिर्गुणैः । उपपन्नां च तां साध्वीं पन्नगः पर्यपृच्छत ॥

taṃ bhāryā'pyupacakrāma pādaśaucādibhirguṇaiḥ | upapannāṃ ca tāṃ sādhvīṃ pannagaḥ paryapṛcchata

His wife too came to him with the courtesies of washing his feet and the rest; and the serpent questioned that virtuous woman, so attentive.

Note on the text: Wikisource भार्याऽप्युपचक्राम for the CE bhāryā samabhikrāmat; recension variant, kept.

Verse 3 (12.369.3)

अथ त्वमसि कल्याणि देवतातिथिपूजने । पूर्वमुक्तेन विधिना युक्ता कर्मसु वर्तसे ॥

atha tvamasi kalyāṇi devatātithipūjane | pūrvamuktena vidhinā yuktā karmasu vartase

Are you, good lady, engaged in your duties, in the worship of the gods and guests, in the manner I told you before?

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha (the page prints no new heading; the verse is his direct speech after the narration of verse 2). Wikisource अथ for the CE api, and ...कर्मसु वर्तसे for yuktena matsamam; recension variants, kept.

Verse 4 (12.369.4)

न खल्वस्यकृतार्थेन स्त्रीबुद्ध्या मार्दवीकृता । मद्वियोगेन सुश्रोणि विमुक्ता धर्मसेतुना ॥

na khalvasyakṛtārthena strībuddhyā mārdavīkṛtā | madviyogena suśroṇi vimuktā dharmasetunā

I hope you have not, softened by a woman's heart in my absence, with your purpose unfulfilled, let go of the bridge of dharma, O fair-hipped one.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Naga Padmanabha, continuing. Wikisource विमुक्ता for the CE viyuktā; recension variant, kept.

Verse 5 (12.369.5)

शिष्याणां गुरुशुश्रूषा विप्राणां वेदधारणम् । भृत्यानां स्वामिवचनं राज्ञो लोकानुपालनम् ॥

śiṣyāṇāṃ guruśuśrūṣā viprāṇāṃ vedadhāraṇam | bhṛtyānāṃ svāmivacanaṃ rājño lokānupālanam

For pupils, service to the teacher; for Brahmins, the bearing of the Veda; for servants, obeying their master; for kings, the protection of the world;

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Wikisource वेदधारणम् for the CE vedapāraṇam (the page footnote gives वेदपालनम्); recension variant, kept.

Verse 6 (12.369.6)

सर्वभूतपरित्राणं क्षत्रधर्म इहोच्यते । वैश्यानां यज्ञसंवृत्तिरातिथेयसमन्विता ॥

sarvabhūtaparitrāṇaṃ kṣatradharma ihocyate | vaiśyānāṃ yajñasaṃvṛttirātitheyasamanvitā

the protection of all beings is called the Kshatriya's dharma here; for Vaishyas, the carrying on of sacrifice together with hospitality to guests;

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya).

Verse 7 (12.369.7)

विप्रक्षत्रियवैश्यानां शुश्रूषा शूद्रकर्म तत् । गृहस्थधर्मो नागेन्द्र सर्वभूतहितैषिता ॥

viprakṣatriyavaiśyānāṃ śuśrūṣā śūdrakarma tat | gṛhasthadharmo nāgendra sarvabhūtahitaiṣitā

service to Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas is the Shudra's duty. For the householder, O lord of serpents, it is to wish the good of all beings;

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya).

Verse 8 (12.369.8)

नियताहारता नित्यं व्रतचर्या यथाक्रमम् । धर्मो हि धर्मसंबन्धादिन्द्रियाणां विशेषतः ॥

niyatāhāratā nityaṃ vratacaryā yathākramam | dharmo hi dharmasaṃbandhādindriyāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ

moderation in food always, and keeping of vows in due order; for dharma, indeed, comes of ties with dharma, and above all through the senses.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Wikisource धर्मसंबन्धादिन्द्रियाणां विशेषतः for the CE indriyāṇāṃ viśeṣaṇam (the page footnote gives क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः); recension variant, kept.

Verse 9 (12.369.9)

अहं कस्य कुतो वाऽपि कः को मे ह भवेदिति । प्रयोजनमतिर्नित्यमेवं मोक्षाश्रमे वसेत् ॥

ahaṃ kasya kuto vā'pi kaḥ ko me ha bhavediti | prayojanamatirnityamevaṃ mokṣāśrame vaset

"Whose am I? Whence am I? Who am I, and who is mine?" One whose mind is set on what matters should thus always live in the hermitage of liberation.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Line 2 ending मोक्षाश्रमे वसेत् for the CE mokṣāśramī bhavet; recension variant, kept.

Verse 10 (12.369.10)

पतिव्रतात्वं भार्यायाः परमो धर्म उच्यते । तवोपदेशान्नागेन्द्र तच्च तत्त्वेन वेद्मि वै ॥

pativratātvaṃ bhāryāyāḥ paramo dharma ucyate | tavopadeśānnāgendra tacca tattvena vedmi vai

For a wife, devotion to her husband is called the highest dharma. And through your teaching, O lord of serpents, I truly know this.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya).

Verse 11 (12.369.11)

साऽहं धर्मं विजानन्ती धर्मनित्ये त्वयि स्थिते । सत्पथं कथमृत्सृज्य यास्यामि विपथं पथः ॥

sā'haṃ dharmaṃ vijānantī dharmanitye tvayi sthite | satpathaṃ kathamṛtsṛjya yāsyāmi vipathaṃ pathaḥ

Knowing dharma so, and you steadfast in dharma, how could I abandon the true path and go astray from the road onto a wrong way?

Note on the text: Corrected धर्ननित्ये → धर्मनित्ये (misprint in Wikisource; न for म; the CE reads dharmanitye). Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Line 2 second half विपथं पथः for the CE viṣame pathi; recension variant, kept.

Verse 12 (12.369.12)

देवतानां महाभाग धर्मचर्या न हीयते । अतिथीनां च सत्कारे नित्ययुक्ताऽस्म्यतन्द्रिता ॥

devatānāṃ mahābhāga dharmacaryā na hīyate | atithīnāṃ ca satkāre nityayuktā'smyatandritā

O fortunate one, my practice of dharma toward the gods does not lapse, and in honouring guests I am always diligent and unwearied.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya).

Verse 13 (12.369.13)

सप्ताष्टदिवसास्त्वद्य विप्रस्येहागतस्य वै । तच्च कार्यं न मे ख्याति दर्शनं तव काङ्क्षति ॥

saptāṣṭadivasāstvadya viprasyehāgatasya vai | tacca kāryaṃ na me khyāti darśanaṃ tava kāṅkṣati

Seven or eight days ago a Brahmin came here, and he does not tell me his errand; he longs only for the sight of you.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Wikisource तच्च for the CE sa ca; recension variant, kept.

Verse 14 (12.369.14)

गोमत्यास्त्वेष पुलिने त्वद्दर्शनसमुत्सुकः । आसीनो वर्तयन्ब्रह्म ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः ॥

gomatyāstveṣa puline tvaddarśanasamutsukaḥ | āsīno vartayanbrahma brāhmaṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ

He is sitting on the bank of the Gomati now, eager to see you, a Brahmin of firm vows, reciting the Veda.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya).

Verse 15 (12.369.15)

अहं त्वनेन नागेन्द्र सत्यपूर्वं समाहिता । प्रस्थाप्यो मत्सकाशं स संप्राप्तो भुजगोत्तमः ॥

ahaṃ tvanena nāgendra satyapūrvaṃ samāhitā | prasthāpyo matsakāśaṃ sa saṃprāpto bhujagottamaḥ

He has spoken truthfully to me, O lord of serpents, and I have taken his words to heart: "When that best of serpents has come, he is to be sent to me."

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Wikisource सत्यपूर्वम् for the CE sāmapūrvam; recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (12.369.16)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महाप्राज्ञ तत्र गन्तुं त्वमर्हसि । दातुमर्हसि वा तस्य दर्शनं दर्शनश्रवः ॥

etacchrutvā mahāprājña tatra gantuṃ tvamarhasi | dātumarhasi vā tasya darśanaṃ darśanaśravaḥ

Having heard this, O great-minded one, you ought to go there, or at least grant him, O serpent, the sight of you that he came for.

Note on the text: Speaker: the serpent's wife, replying to her husband (the page prints only the Bhishma heading at the start of the adhyaya). Page footnote: दर्शनश्रवः = हे सर्प.