Indra's Purification and the Four Great Sinners

Verse 1 (padma.2.91.1)

कुंजल उवाच- ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतस्तु सहस्राक्षो यदा पुरा । गौतमस्य प्रियासंगादगम्यागमनं महत्

kuṁjala uvāca- brahmahatyābhibhūtastu sahasrākṣo yadā purā gautamasya priyāsaṁgādagamyāgamanaṁ mahat

Kunjala said: "When Indra, the thousand-eyed one, once long ago, through intimacy with Gautama's wife, became overcome with the great sin of approaching a forbidden woman, and with the sin of killing a brahmin -"

Verse 2 (padma.2.91.2)

संजातं पातकं तस्य त्यक्तो देवैश्च ब्राह्मणैः । सहस्राक्षस्तपस्तेपे निरालंबो निराश्रयः

saṁjātaṁ pātakaṁ tasya tyakto devaiśca brāhmaṇaiḥ sahasrākṣastapastepe nirālaṁbo nirāśrayaḥ

"- that sin arose in him; abandoned by the gods and by brahmins, the thousand-eyed one performed austerity, without support, without refuge."

Verse 3 (padma.2.91.3)

तपोंते देवताः सर्वा ऋषयो यक्षकिन्नराः । देवराजस्य पूजार्थमभिषेकं प्रचक्रिरे

tapoṁte devatāḥ sarvā ṛṣayo yakṣakinnarāḥ devarājasya pūjārthamabhiṣekaṁ pracakrire

"At the end of his austerity, all the gods, sages, yakshas, and kinnaras performed a consecration in honor of the king of the gods."

Verse 4 (padma.2.91.4)

देशं मालवकं नीत्वा देवराजं सुतोत्तम । चक्रे स्नानं महाभाग कुंभैरुदकपूरितैः

deśaṁ mālavakaṁ nītvā devarājaṁ sutottama cakre snānaṁ mahābhāga kuṁbhairudakapūritaiḥ

"Taking the king of the gods to the land of Malava, O best of sons, O most fortunate one, they performed a bathing rite with pots filled with water."

Verse 5 (padma.2.91.5)

स्नापितुं प्रथमं नीतो वाराणस्यां स्वयं ततः । प्रयागे तु सहस्राक्ष अर्घतीर्थे ततः पुनः

snāpituṁ prathamaṁ nīto vārāṇasyāṁ svayaṁ tataḥ prayāge tu sahasrākṣa arghatīrthe tataḥ punaḥ

"He was first taken to be bathed in Varanasi itself, then at Prayaga, O thousand-eyed one, then again at the Arghya-tirtha -"

Verse 6 (padma.2.91.6)

पुष्करेण महात्मासौ स्नापितः स्वयमेव हि । ब्रह्मादिभिः सुरैः सर्वैर्मुनिवृंदैर्द्विजोत्तम

puṣkareṇa mahātmāsau snāpitaḥ svayameva hi brahmādibhiḥ suraiḥ sarvairmunivṛṁdairdvijottama

"- that great soul was bathed by Pushkara itself; by Brahma and all the other gods, by hosts of sages, O best of the twice-born,"

Verse 7 (padma.2.91.7)

नागैर्वृक्षैर्नागसर्पैर्गंधर्वैस्तु सकिन्नरैः । स्नापितो देवराजस्तु वेदमंत्रैः सुसंस्कृतः

nāgairvṛkṣairnāgasarpairgaṁdharvaistu sakinnaraiḥ snāpito devarājastu vedamaṁtraiḥ susaṁskṛtaḥ

"- by the Nagas, by trees, by serpents, by gandharvas and kinnaras, the king of the gods was bathed, duly consecrated with Vedic mantras."

Verse 8 (padma.2.91.8)

मुनिभिः सर्वपापघ्नैस्तस्मिन्काले द्विजोत्तम । शुद्धे तस्मिन्महाभागे सहस्राक्षे महात्मनि

munibhiḥ sarvapāpaghnaistasminkāle dvijottama śuddhe tasminmahābhāge sahasrākṣe mahātmani

"By sages who destroy all sin, O best of the twice-born, at that time, when that great and blessed thousand-eyed one had been purified -"

Verse 9 (padma.2.91.9)

ब्रह्महत्या गता तस्य अगम्यागमनं तथा । ब्रह्महत्या ततो नष्टा अगम्यागमनेन च

brahmahatyā gatā tasya agamyāgamanaṁ tathā brahmahatyā tato naṣṭā agamyāgamanena ca

"- his sin of killing a brahmin then departed, and likewise his sin of approaching a forbidden woman; the killing of the brahmin was destroyed, and the sin of that forbidden union too -"

Verse 10 (padma.2.91.10)

पापेन तेन घोरेण सार्द्धमिंद्रस्य भूतले । सुप्रसन्नः सहस्राक्षस्तीर्थेभ्यो हि वरं ददौ

pāpena tena ghoreṇa sārddhamiṁdrasya bhūtale suprasannaḥ sahasrākṣastīrthebhyo hi varaṁ dadau

"- that terrible sin, together with Indra's earthly guilt, was removed. Well pleased, the thousand-eyed one gave a boon to the tirthas -"

Verse 11 (padma.2.91.11)

भवंतस्तीर्थराजानो भविष्यथ न संशयः । मत्प्रसादात्पवित्राश्च यस्मादहं विमोक्षितः

bhavaṁtastīrtharājāno bhaviṣyatha na saṁśayaḥ matprasādātpavitrāśca yasmādahaṁ vimokṣitaḥ

"'You shall become, without doubt, the kings of tirthas. By my grace you have become pure, since I have been freed -'"

Verse 12 (padma.2.91.12)

सुघोरात्किल्बिषादत्र युष्माभिर्विमलैरहम् । एवं तेभ्यो वरं दत्वा मालवाय वरं ददौ

sughorātkilbiṣādatra yuṣmābhirvimalairaham evaṁ tebhyo varaṁ datvā mālavāya varaṁ dadau

"'- from that most terrible sin here, by you, the stainless ones.'" Having thus given them a boon, he then gave a boon to Malava as well -

Verse 13 (padma.2.91.13)

यस्मात्त्वया मलं मेऽद्य विधृतं श्रमदायकम् । तस्मात्त्वमन्नपानैश्च धनधान्यैरलंकृतः

yasmāttvayā malaṁ me'dya vidhṛtaṁ śramadāyakam tasmāttvamannapānaiśca dhanadhānyairalaṁkṛtaḥ

"'Since you have today borne my taint, which causes such distress, therefore you shall be adorned with food, drink, wealth, and grain.'"

Verse 14 (padma.2.91.14)

भविष्यसि न संदेहो मत्प्रसादान्न संशयः । सुदुःकालैर्विना त्वं तु भविष्यसि सुपुण्यवान्

bhaviṣyasi na saṁdeho matprasādānna saṁśayaḥ suduḥkālairvinā tvaṁ tu bhaviṣyasi supuṇyavān

"'You shall become so, without doubt, by my grace; free from times of hardship, you shall become greatly meritorious.'"

Verse 15 (padma.2.91.15)

एवं तस्मै वरं दत्वा देवराजः पुरंदरः । क्षेत्राणि सर्वतीर्थानि देशो मालवकस्तथा

evaṁ tasmai varaṁ datvā devarājaḥ puraṁdaraḥ kṣetrāṇi sarvatīrthāni deśo mālavakastathā

Having thus given him a boon, Indra, Purandara, together with the sacred fields of all the tirthas and the land of Malava as well -

Verse 16 (padma.2.91.16)

आखंडलेन सार्द्धं ते स्वस्थानं प्रतिजग्मिरे । सूत उवाच- तदाप्रभृति चत्वारः प्रयागः पुष्करस्तथा

ākhaṁḍalena sārddhaṁ te svasthānaṁ pratijagmire sūta uvāca- tadāprabhṛti catvāraḥ prayāgaḥ puṣkarastathā

- along with Akhandala, returned to their own places. Suta said: "From that time onward, those four - Prayaga, Pushkara,"

Verse 17 (padma.2.91.17)

वाराणसी चार्घतीर्थं प्राप्ता राजत्वमुत्तमम्

vārāṇasī cārghatīrthaṁ prāptā rājatvamuttamam

"- Varanasi, and the Arghya-tirtha - attained supreme sovereignty."

Verse 18 (padma.2.91.18)

कुंजल उवाच- अस्ति पंचालदेशेषु विदुरो नाम क्षत्रियः । तेन मोहप्रसंगेन ब्राह्मणो निहतः पुराः

kuṁjala uvāca- asti paṁcāladeśeṣu viduro nāma kṣatriyaḥ tena mohaprasaṁgena brāhmaṇo nihataḥ purāḥ

Kunjala said: "There is, in the land of Panchala, a kshatriya named Vidura; through the confusion of delusion he once killed a brahmin."

Verse 19 (padma.2.91.19)

शिखासूत्रविहीनस्तु तिलकेन विवर्जितः । भिक्षार्थमटतेसोऽपि ब्रह्मघ्नोहं समागतः

śikhāsūtravihīnastu tilakena vivarjitaḥ bhikṣārthamaṭateso'pi brahmaghnohaṁ samāgataḥ

"Without the sacred tuft, without the tilaka mark, he still wanders begging for alms: 'I, a killer of a brahmin, have come here -'"

Verse 20 (padma.2.91.20)

ब्रह्मघ्नाय सुरापाय भिक्षा चान्नं प्रदीयताम् । गृहेष्वेवं समस्तेषु भ्रमते याचते पुरा

brahmaghnāya surāpāya bhikṣā cānnaṁ pradīyatām gṛheṣvevaṁ samasteṣu bhramate yācate purā

"'- let alms and food be given to this killer of a brahmin, this drinker of liquor.' Thus he wandered at every house, begging -"

Verse 21 (padma.2.91.21)

एवं सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु अटित्वैव समागतः । ब्रह्महत्या न तस्यापि प्रयाति द्विजसत्तम

evaṁ sarveṣu tīrtheṣu aṭitvaiva samāgataḥ brahmahatyā na tasyāpi prayāti dvijasattama

"- having wandered through all the tirthas too, he arrived without relief; O best of the twice-born, the sin of killing a brahmin still does not depart from him."

Verse 22 (padma.2.91.22)

वृक्षच्छायां समाश्रित्यदह्यमानेन चेतसा । संस्थितो विदुरः पापो दुःखशोकसमन्वितः

vṛkṣacchāyāṁ samāśrityadahyamānena cetasā saṁsthito viduraḥ pāpo duḥkhaśokasamanvitaḥ

"Taking shelter in the shade of a tree, his mind burning, that sinful Vidura sat there, filled with sorrow and grief."

Verse 23 (padma.2.91.23)

चंद्रशर्मा ततो विप्रो महामोहेन पीडितः । न्यवसन्मागधे देशे गुरुघातकरश्च सः

caṁdraśarmā tato vipro mahāmohena pīḍitaḥ nyavasanmāgadhe deśe gurughātakaraśca saḥ

"There, a brahmin named Chandrasharma arrived, afflicted by great delusion, who had dwelt in the land of Magadha, and who had killed his own guru -"

Verse 24 (padma.2.91.24)

स्वजनैर्बंधुवर्गैश्च परित्यक्तो दुरात्मवान् । स हि तत्र समायातो यत्रासौ विदुरः स्थितः

svajanairbaṁdhuvargaiśca parityakto durātmavān sa hi tatra samāyāto yatrāsau viduraḥ sthitaḥ

"- abandoned by his own kinsmen and relatives, that evil-souled one came to that very place where Vidura sat."

Verse 25 (padma.2.91.25)

शिखासूत्रविहीनस्तु विप्रलिंगैर्विवर्जितः । तदासौ पृच्छितस्तेन विदुरेण दुरात्मना

śikhāsūtravihīnastu vipraliṁgairvivarjitaḥ tadāsau pṛcchitastena vidureṇa durātmanā

"Without the sacred tuft, deprived of the marks of a brahmin - then that evil-souled Vidura questioned him:"

Verse 26 (padma.2.91.26)

भवान्को हि समायातोः दुर्भगो दग्धमानसः । विप्रलिंगविहीनस्तु कस्मात्त्वं भ्रमसे महीम्

bhavānko hi samāyātoḥ durbhago dagdhamānasaḥ vipraliṁgavihīnastu kasmāttvaṁ bhramase mahīm

"'Who are you, come here, unfortunate one, your mind burning? Devoid of the marks of a brahmin, why do you wander the earth?'"

Verse 27 (padma.2.91.27)

विदुरेणोक्तमात्रस्तु चंद्रशर्मा द्विजाधमः । आचष्टे सर्वमेवापि यथापूर्वकृतं स्वकम्

vidureṇoktamātrastu caṁdraśarmā dvijādhamaḥ ācaṣṭe sarvamevāpi yathāpūrvakṛtaṁ svakam

"As soon as Vidura had said this, that lowest of brahmins, Chandrasharma, told him everything, just as he had done before -"

Verse 28 (padma.2.91.28)

पातकं च महाघोरं वसता च गुरोर्गृहे । महामोहगतेनापि क्रोधेनाकुलितेन च

pātakaṁ ca mahāghoraṁ vasatā ca gurorgṛhe mahāmohagatenāpi krodhenākulitena ca

"- the most terrible sin, committed while dwelling in his guru's house, overcome by great delusion and troubled by anger -"

Verse 29 (padma.2.91.29)

गुरोर्घातः कृतः पूर्वं तेन दग्धोस्मि सांप्रतम् । चंद्रशर्मा च वृत्तांतमुक्त्वा सर्वमपृच्छत

gurorghātaḥ kṛtaḥ pūrvaṁ tena dagdhosmi sāṁpratam caṁdraśarmā ca vṛttāṁtamuktvā sarvamapṛcchata

"'- I formerly killed my own guru; by that I am now consumed.'" Chandrasharma, having told his story, then asked in turn -

Verse 30 (padma.2.91.30)

भवान्को हि सुदुःखात्मा वृक्षच्छायां समाश्रितः । विदुरेण समासेन आत्मपापं निवेदितम्

bhavānko hi suduḥkhātmā vṛkṣacchāyāṁ samāśritaḥ vidureṇa samāsena ātmapāpaṁ niveditam

"'Who are you, of such sorrowful soul, taking shelter in the shade of a tree?'" Vidura then briefly related his own sin.

Verse 31 (padma.2.91.31)

अथ कश्चिद्द्विजः प्राप्तस्तृतीयः श्रमकर्षितः । वेदशर्मेति वै नाम बहुपातकसंचयः

atha kaściddvijaḥ prāptastṛtīyaḥ śramakarṣitaḥ vedaśarmeti vai nāma bahupātakasaṁcayaḥ

Then a third brahmin also arrived, worn out with fatigue, named Vedasharma, a mass of many accumulated sins.

Verse 32 (padma.2.91.32)

द्वाभ्यामपि सुसंपृष्टः को भवान्दुःखिताकृतिः । कस्माद्भ्रमसि वै पृथ्वीं वद भावं त्वमात्मनः

dvābhyāmapi susaṁpṛṣṭaḥ ko bhavānduḥkhitākṛtiḥ kasmādbhramasi vai pṛthvīṁ vada bhāvaṁ tvamātmanaḥ

Well questioned by both: "Who are you, of such sorrowful appearance? Why do you wander the earth? Tell us what is in your mind."

Verse 33 (padma.2.91.33)

वेदशर्मा ततः सर्वमात्मचेष्टितमेव च । कथयामास ताभ्यां वै ह्यगम्यागमनं कृतम्

vedaśarmā tataḥ sarvamātmaceṣṭitameva ca kathayāmāsa tābhyāṁ vai hyagamyāgamanaṁ kṛtam

Vedasharma then told them all of his own conduct - that he had committed the sin of approaching a forbidden woman.

Verse 34 (padma.2.91.34)

धिक्कृतः सर्वलोकैश्च अन्यैः स्वजनबांधवैः । तेन पापेन संलिप्तो भ्रमाम्येवं महीमिमाम्

dhikkṛtaḥ sarvalokaiśca anyaiḥ svajanabāṁdhavaiḥ tena pāpena saṁlipto bhramāmyevaṁ mahīmimām

"'Cursed by all people, and by my own other kinsmen and relatives too - tainted by that sin, I wander thus over this whole earth.'"

Verse 35 (padma.2.91.35)

वंजुलो नाम वैश्योथ सुरापायी समागतः । स गोघ्नश्च विशेषेण तैश्च पृष्टो यथा पुरा

vaṁjulo nāma vaiśyotha surāpāyī samāgataḥ sa goghnaśca viśeṣeṇa taiśca pṛṣṭo yathā purā

Then a vaishya named Vanjula came there, a drinker of liquor, and, in particular, a killer of cows; he too was questioned by them, as before.

Verse 36 (padma.2.91.36)

तेन आवेदितं सर्वं पातकं यत्पुराकृतम् । तैराकर्णितमन्यैश्च सर्वं तस्यप्रभाषितम्

tena āveditaṁ sarvaṁ pātakaṁ yatpurākṛtam tairākarṇitamanyaiśca sarvaṁ tasyaprabhāṣitam

He too declared all the sin he had formerly committed; and by them, and by others too, all that he said was heard.

Verse 37 (padma.2.91.37)

एवं चत्वारःपापिष्ठा एकस्थानं समागताः । कः कस्यापि न संपर्कं भोजनाच्छादनेन च

evaṁ catvāraḥpāpiṣṭhā ekasthānaṁ samāgatāḥ kaḥ kasyāpi na saṁparkaṁ bhojanācchādanena ca

Thus four most sinful men came together in one place. None of them would have any contact with another, whether through food or clothing -

Verse 38 (padma.2.91.38)

करोति च महाभाग वार्तां चक्रुः परस्परम् । न विशंत्यासने चैके न स्वपंत्येकसंस्तरे

karoti ca mahābhāga vārtāṁ cakruḥ parasparam na viśaṁtyāsane caike na svapaṁtyekasaṁstare

- O most fortunate one; yet they conversed with one another. Some would not sit on the same seat, nor sleep on the same bedding -

Verse 39 (padma.2.91.39)

एवं दुःखसमाविष्टा नानातीर्थेषु वै गताः । तेषां तु पापका घोरा न नश्यंति च नंदन

evaṁ duḥkhasamāviṣṭā nānātīrtheṣu vai gatāḥ teṣāṁ tu pāpakā ghorā na naśyaṁti ca naṁdana

- thus, filled with sorrow, they went to various tirthas; but, my son, their terrible sins did not depart -

Verse 40 (padma.2.91.40)

सामर्थ्यं नास्ति तीर्थानां महापातकनाशने । विदुराद्यास्ततस्ते तु गताः कालंजरं गिरिम्

sāmarthyaṁ nāsti tīrthānāṁ mahāpātakanāśane vidurādyāstataste tu gatāḥ kālaṁjaraṁ girim

- for the tirthas do not have the power to destroy such great sins. So Vidura and the others then went to the Kalanjara mountain.