Dharma's Teaching to Krikala

Verse 1 (padma.2.59.1)

विष्णुरुवाच- कृकलः सर्वतीर्थानि साधयित्वा गृहं प्रति । प्रस्थितः सार्थवाहेन महानंदसमन्वितः

viṣṇuruvāca- kṛkalaḥ sarvatīrthāni sādhayitvā gṛhaṁ prati prasthitaḥ sārthavāhena mahānaṁdasamanvitaḥ

Vishnu said: Krikala, having completed his round of all the sacred tirthas, set out toward home together with a caravan, filled with great joy.

Verse 2 (padma.2.59.2)

एवं चिंतयते नित्यं संसारः सफलो मम । तृप्ताः स्वर्गं प्रयास्यंति पितरो मम नान्यथा

evaṁ ciṁtayate nityaṁ saṁsāraḥ saphalo mama tṛptāḥ svargaṁ prayāsyaṁti pitaro mama nānyathā

He thought constantly thus: 'My life in this world has now become fruitful; my satisfied ancestors will surely go to heaven, and in no other way.'

Verse 3 (padma.2.59.3)

तावत्प्रत्यक्षरूपेण बद्ध्वा तस्य पितामहान् । पुरतस्तस्य संब्रूते नहि ते पुण्यमुत्तमम्

tāvatpratyakṣarūpeṇa baddhvā tasya pitāmahān puratastasya saṁbrūte nahi te puṇyamuttamam

Then, in a visible form, appearing before him with his ancestors bound, one spoke to him: 'You have gained no supreme merit at all.'

Verse 4 (padma.2.59.4)

दिव्यरूपो महाकायः कृकलं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । तव तीर्थफलं नास्ति श्रममेव वृथा कृथाः

divyarūpo mahākāyaḥ kṛkalaṁ vākyamabravīt tava tīrthaphalaṁ nāsti śramameva vṛthā kṛthāḥ

That figure of divine form, of vast body, spoke thus to Krikala: 'You have no fruit of your pilgrimage at all — you have only undergone useless toil in vain.'

Verse 5 (padma.2.59.5)

स्वयं संतोषमाप्नोषि नहि ते पुण्यमुत्तमम् । एवं श्रुत्वा ततो वैश्यः कृकलो दुःखपीडितः

svayaṁ saṁtoṣamāpnoṣi nahi te puṇyamuttamam evaṁ śrutvā tato vaiśyaḥ kṛkalo duḥkhapīḍitaḥ

'You yourself have obtained only self-satisfaction — no supreme merit at all is yours.' Hearing this, the merchant Krikala grew stricken with sorrow.

Verse 6 (padma.2.59.6)

भवान्कः संवदस्येवं कस्माद्बद्धाः पितामहाः । केन दोषप्रभावेण तन्मेत्वं कारणं वद

bhavānkaḥ saṁvadasyevaṁ kasmādbaddhāḥ pitāmahāḥ kena doṣaprabhāveṇa tanmetvaṁ kāraṇaṁ vada

'Who are you, who speak thus to me? Why are my ancestors bound? By what fault's effect — tell me the reason.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.59.7)

कस्मात्तीर्थफलं नास्ति मम यात्रा कथं नहि । सर्वमेव समाचक्ष्व यदि जानासि संस्फुटम्

kasmāttīrthaphalaṁ nāsti mama yātrā kathaṁ nahi sarvameva samācakṣva yadi jānāsi saṁsphuṭam

'Why is there no fruit of my pilgrimage — how has my journey come to nothing? Tell me everything plainly, if you know it.'

Verse 8 (padma.2.59.8)

धर्म उवाच- पूतां पुण्यतमां स्वीयां भार्यां त्यक्त्वा प्रयाति यः । तस्य पुण्यफलं सर्वं वृथा भवति नान्यथा

dharma uvāca- pūtāṁ puṇyatamāṁ svīyāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā prayāti yaḥ tasya puṇyaphalaṁ sarvaṁ vṛthā bhavati nānyathā

Dharma said: 'Whoever, abandoning his own pure and most sacred wife, goes on a journey — for him, all fruit of merit becomes vain, in no other way.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.59.9)

धर्माचारपरां पुण्यां साधुव्रतपरायणाम् । पतिव्रतरतां भार्यां सुगुणां पुण्यवत्सलाम्

dharmācāraparāṁ puṇyāṁ sādhuvrataparāyaṇām pativrataratāṁ bhāryāṁ suguṇāṁ puṇyavatsalām

'A wife devoted to righteous conduct, sacred, given wholly to good vows, delighting in devotion to her husband, virtuous, and beloved for her merit —'

Verse 10 (padma.2.59.10)

तामेवापि परित्यज्य धर्मकार्यं प्रयाति यः । वृथा तस्य कृतः सर्वो धर्मो भवति नान्यथा

tāmevāpi parityajya dharmakāryaṁ prayāti yaḥ vṛthā tasya kṛtaḥ sarvo dharmo bhavati nānyathā

'—whoever abandons even such a wife and goes forth to perform righteous deeds, all the dharma he has done becomes vain, in no other way.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.59.11)

सर्वाचारपरा भव्या धर्मसाधनतत्परा । पतिव्रतरता नित्यं सर्वदा ज्ञानवत्सला

sarvācāraparā bhavyā dharmasādhanatatparā pativrataratā nityaṁ sarvadā jñānavatsalā

'She who is devoted to right conduct in all things, splendid, intent on accomplishing dharma, ever devoted to her husband, always dear to wisdom —'

Verse 12 (padma.2.59.12)

एवं गुणा भवेद्भार्या यस्य पुण्या महासती । तस्य गेहे सदा देवास्तिष्ठंति च महौजसः

evaṁ guṇā bhavedbhāryā yasya puṇyā mahāsatī tasya gehe sadā devāstiṣṭhaṁti ca mahaujasaḥ

'—such a virtuous, sacred, great chaste wife, whoever has her — in his house the gods, of great splendor, ever dwell.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.59.13)

पितरो गेहमध्यस्थाः श्रेयो वांछंति तस्य च । गंगाद्याः पुण्यनद्यश्च सागरास्तत्र नान्यथा

pitaro gehamadhyasthāḥ śreyo vāṁchaṁti tasya ca gaṁgādyāḥ puṇyanadyaśca sāgarāstatra nānyathā

'The ancestors, dwelling within that house, wish him well; the Ganga and other sacred rivers, and the very oceans, dwell there, and in no other place.'

Verse 14 (padma.2.59.14)

पुण्या सती यस्य गेहे वर्तते सत्यतत्परा । तत्र यज्ञाश्च गावश्च ऋषयस्तत्र नान्यथा

puṇyā satī yasya gehe vartate satyatatparā tatra yajñāśca gāvaśca ṛṣayastatra nānyathā

'In whose house a sacred, chaste wife, devoted to truth, dwells — there are sacrifices, there are cows, there the sages dwell, and nowhere else.'

Verse 15 (padma.2.59.15)

तत्र सर्वाणि तीर्थानि पुण्यानि विविधानि च । भार्यायोगेन तिष्ठंति सर्वाण्येतानि नान्यथा

tatra sarvāṇi tīrthāni puṇyāni vividhāni ca bhāryāyogena tiṣṭhaṁti sarvāṇyetāni nānyathā

'There, all the sacred tirthas of every kind dwell too — all of them, through the presence of the wife, and in no other way.'

Verse 16 (padma.2.59.16)

पुण्यभार्याप्रयोगेण गार्हस्थ्यं संप्रजायते । गार्हस्थ्यात्परमो धर्मो द्वितीयो नास्ति भूतले

puṇyabhāryāprayogeṇa gārhasthyaṁ saṁprajāyate gārhasthyātparamo dharmo dvitīyo nāsti bhūtale

'Through the union of a virtuous wife, the householder's state comes into true being; and there is no dharma higher than the householder's life — none second to it on this earth.'

Verse 17 (padma.2.59.17)

गृहस्थस्य गृहः पुण्यः सत्यपुण्यसमन्वितः । सर्वतीर्थमयो वैश्य सर्वदेवसमन्वितः

gṛhasthasya gṛhaḥ puṇyaḥ satyapuṇyasamanvitaḥ sarvatīrthamayo vaiśya sarvadevasamanvitaḥ

'The house of a householder is sacred, joined with truth and merit; O merchant, it embodies every tirtha, joined with every god.'

Verse 18 (padma.2.59.18)

गार्हस्थ्यं च समाश्रित्य सर्वे जीवंति जंतवः । तादृशं नैव पश्यामि अन्यमाश्रममुत्तमम्

gārhasthyaṁ ca samāśritya sarve jīvaṁti jaṁtavaḥ tādṛśaṁ naiva paśyāmi anyamāśramamuttamam

'All creatures live by taking refuge in the householder's state; I see no other stage of life so excellent as this.'

Verse 19 (padma.2.59.19)

मंत्राग्निहोत्रं देवाश्च सर्वे धर्माः सनातनाः । दानाचाराः प्रवर्तंते यस्य पुंसश्च वै गृहे

maṁtrāgnihotraṁ devāśca sarve dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ dānācārāḥ pravartaṁte yasya puṁsaśca vai gṛhe

'In whose house mantras, fire-oblation, all the gods, all the eternal dharmas, and the practices of giving are carried on —'

Verse 20 (padma.2.59.20)

एवं यो भार्यया हीनस्तस्यगेहं वनायते । यज्ञाश्च वै न सिध्यंति दानानि विविधानि च

evaṁ yo bhāryayā hīnastasyagehaṁ vanāyate yajñāśca vai na sidhyaṁti dānāni vividhāni ca

'—but he who is without a wife, his house becomes like a wilderness; sacrifices do not succeed there, nor manifold acts of charity.'

Verse 21 (padma.2.59.21)

भार्याहीनस्य पुंसोपि न सिध्यति महाव्रतम् । धर्मकर्माणि सर्वाणि पुण्यानि विविधानि च

bhāryāhīnasya puṁsopi na sidhyati mahāvratam dharmakarmāṇi sarvāṇi puṇyāni vividhāni ca

'For a man without a wife, even great vows do not succeed, nor do all his righteous acts, nor his manifold acts of merit.'

Verse 22 (padma.2.59.22)

नास्ति भार्यासमं तीर्थं धर्मसाधनहेतवे । शृणुष्व त्वं गृहस्थस्य नान्यो धर्मो जगत्त्रये

nāsti bhāryāsamaṁ tīrthaṁ dharmasādhanahetave śṛṇuṣva tvaṁ gṛhasthasya nānyo dharmo jagattraye

'There is no tirtha equal to a wife for the accomplishment of dharma. Hear this: for a householder there is no other dharma in the three worlds.'

Verse 23 (padma.2.59.23)

यत्र भार्या गृहं तत्र पुरुषस्यापि नान्यथा । ग्रामे वाप्यथवारण्ये सर्वधर्मस्य साधनम्

yatra bhāryā gṛhaṁ tatra puruṣasyāpi nānyathā grāme vāpyathavāraṇye sarvadharmasya sādhanam

'Wherever the wife is, there alone is the true home of a man, and nowhere else — whether in a village or in the forest, that is the true means of accomplishing every dharma.'

Verse 24 (padma.2.59.24)

नास्ति भार्यासमं तीर्थं नास्ति भार्यासमं सुखम् । नास्ति भार्यासमं पुण्यं तारणाय हिताय च

nāsti bhāryāsamaṁ tīrthaṁ nāsti bhāryāsamaṁ sukham nāsti bhāryāsamaṁ puṇyaṁ tāraṇāya hitāya ca

'There is no tirtha equal to a wife, no happiness equal to a wife, no merit equal to a wife, for one's deliverance and true good.'

Verse 25 (padma.2.59.25)

धर्मयुक्तां सतीं भार्यां त्यक्त्वा यासि नराधम । गृहं धर्मं परित्यज्य क्वास्ते धर्मस्य ते फलम्

dharmayuktāṁ satīṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā yāsi narādhama gṛhaṁ dharmaṁ parityajya kvāste dharmasya te phalam

'O base man, you left behind your righteous, chaste wife and went away, forsaking your house and your dharma — where then is the fruit of your dharma?'

Verse 26 (padma.2.59.26)

तया विना यदा तीर्थे श्राद्धदानं कृतं त्वया । तेन दोषेण वै बद्धास्तव पूर्वपितामहाः

tayā vinā yadā tīrthe śrāddhadānaṁ kṛtaṁ tvayā tena doṣeṇa vai baddhāstava pūrvapitāmahāḥ

'When you performed the ancestral offering at the tirtha without her, by that very fault your former ancestors have been bound.'

Verse 27 (padma.2.59.27)

भवांश्चौरो ह्यमी चौरा यैस्तु भुक्तं सुलोलुपैः । त्वया दत्तस्य श्राद्धस्य अन्नमेवं तया विना

bhavāṁścauro hyamī caurā yaistu bhuktaṁ sulolupaiḥ tvayā dattasya śrāddhasya annamevaṁ tayā vinā

'You yourself are a thief, and these too, greedy ones, are thieves — those who ate the food of the shraddha you gave, offered thus without her.'

Verse 28 (padma.2.59.28)

सुपुत्रः श्रद्धया युक्तः श्राद्धदानं ददाति यः । भार्या दत्तेन पिंडेन तस्य पुण्यं वदाम्यहम्

suputraḥ śraddhayā yuktaḥ śrāddhadānaṁ dadāti yaḥ bhāryā dattena piṁḍena tasya puṇyaṁ vadāmyaham

'A good son, filled with faith, who gives the ancestral offering — I tell you of the merit that comes from the pinda offered by his wife's own hand.'

Verse 29 (padma.2.59.29)

यथाऽमृतस्य पानेन नृणां तृप्तिर्हि जायते । तथा पितॄणां श्राद्धेन सत्यंसत्यं वदाम्यहम्

yathā'mṛtasya pānena nṛṇāṁ tṛptirhi jāyate tathā pitṝṇāṁ śrāddhena satyaṁsatyaṁ vadāmyaham

'Just as men attain satisfaction by drinking amrita, so too, through such shraddha, do the ancestors — this I tell you, truly, truly.'

Verse 30 (padma.2.59.30)

गार्हस्थ्यस्य च धर्मस्य भार्या भवति स्वामिनी । त्वयैषा वंचिता मूढ चौरकर्मकृतं वृथा

gārhasthyasya ca dharmasya bhāryā bhavati svāminī tvayaiṣā vaṁcitā mūḍha caurakarmakṛtaṁ vṛthā

'The wife is the very mistress of the householder's dharma. By you, O fool, she has been cheated, and your deed, done as a thief's work, has come to nothing.'

Verse 31 (padma.2.59.31)

अमी पितामहाश्चौरा यैर्भुक्तं तु तया विना । भार्या पचति चेदन्नं स्वहस्तेनामृतोपमम्

amī pitāmahāścaurā yairbhuktaṁ tu tayā vinā bhāryā pacati cedannaṁ svahastenāmṛtopamam

'These ancestors have become thieves, having eaten what was offered without her. But if a wife herself cooks the food with her own hand, it becomes like very nectar.'

Verse 32 (padma.2.59.32)

तदन्नमेवभुंजंति पितरो हृष्टमानसाः । तेनैव तृप्तिमायांति संतुष्टाश्च भवंति ते

tadannamevabhuṁjaṁti pitaro hṛṣṭamānasāḥ tenaiva tṛptimāyāṁti saṁtuṣṭāśca bhavaṁti te

'That very food the ancestors eat with glad hearts; by it alone they attain satisfaction, and they become truly content.'

Verse 33 (padma.2.59.33)

तस्माद्भार्यां विना धर्मः पुरुषस्य न सिध्यति । नास्ति भार्यासमं तीर्थं पुंसां सुगतिदायकम्

tasmādbhāryāṁ vinā dharmaḥ puruṣasya na sidhyati nāsti bhāryāsamaṁ tīrthaṁ puṁsāṁ sugatidāyakam

'Therefore, without a wife, a man's dharma does not succeed. There is no tirtha equal to a wife, the true bestower of good destiny for men.'

Verse 34 (padma.2.59.34)

भार्यां विना च यो धर्मः स एव विफलो भवेत्

bhāryāṁ vinā ca yo dharmaḥ sa eva viphalo bhavet

'Whatever dharma is performed without a wife — that alone becomes utterly fruitless.'