The Glory of Plastering the Temple of Hari

Verse 1 (padma.4.2.1)

सूत उवाच । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि चान्यधर्म्मं पुरातनम् । व्यासजैमिनिसंवादं श्रोतॄणां पापनाशनम् ।

sūta uvāca śṛṇu śaunaka vakṣyāmi cānyadharmmaṁ purātanam vyāsajaiminisaṁvādaṁ śrotṝṇāṁ pāpanāśanam

Suta said: Hear, O Shaunaka — I shall now tell another ancient teaching, the dialogue of Vyasa and Jaimini, which destroys the sin of those who hear it.

Verse 2 (padma.4.2.2)

जैमिनिरुवाच । कर्म्मणा हि गुरो केन मंदिरं जगतीपतेः । याति तत्कथयस्वाद्य नरः पापी च मे प्रभो ।

jaiminiruvāca karmmaṇā hi guro kena maṁdiraṁ jagatīpateḥ yāti tatkathayasvādya naraḥ pāpī ca me prabho

Jaimini said: By what act, O guru, does even a sinful man reach the temple of the Lord of the world? Tell me this today, O lord.

Verse 3 (padma.4.2.3)

व्यास उवाच । श्रीकृष्णमंदिरे यो वै लेपनं कुरुते नरः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः श्रांतो याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

vyāsa uvāca śrīkṛṣṇamaṁdire yo vai lepanaṁ kurute naraḥ sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ śrāṁto yāti harergṛham

Vyasa said: The man who plasters the floor of Shri Krishna's temple is freed from every sin, and, however weary, comes at last to the house of Hari.

Verse 4 (padma.4.2.4)

यश्चांबुलेपनं कुर्यात्संक्षेपाच्छृणु जैमिने । तस्यपुण्यमहं वच्मि मंदिरे जगतीपतेः ।

yaścāṁbulepanaṁ kuryātsaṁkṣepācchṛṇu jaimine tasyapuṇyamahaṁ vacmi maṁdire jagatīpateḥ

And for one who plasters it with water, hear briefly, O Jaimini — I shall tell of the merit he gains in the temple of the Lord of the world.

Verse 5 (padma.4.2.5)

तत्र यावंति पश्यंति रजांसि च द्विजोत्तम । तावत्कल्पसहस्राणि स वसेद्विष्णुमंदिरे ।

tatra yāvaṁti paśyaṁti rajāṁsi ca dvijottama tāvatkalpasahasrāṇi sa vasedviṣṇumaṁdire

O best of brahmins, for as many specks of dust as are seen there, for that many thousand kalpas does he dwell in Vishnu's temple.

Verse 6 (padma.4.2.6)

पुरासीद्दंडको नाम्ना चौरो लोकभयप्रदः । ब्रह्मस्वहारी मित्रघ्नो युगे द्वापरसंज्ञके ।

purāsīddaṁḍako nāmnā cauro lokabhayapradaḥ brahmasvahārī mitraghno yuge dvāparasaṁjñake

In the Dvapara age there once was a thief named Dandaka, a terror to the people, a plunderer of brahmins' wealth, and a betrayer of friends.

Verse 7 (padma.4.2.7)

असत्यभाषी क्रूरश्च परस्त्रीगमने रतः । गोमांसाशी सुरापश्च पाखंडजनसंगभाक् ।

asatyabhāṣī krūraśca parastrīgamane rataḥ gomāṁsāśī surāpaśca pākhaṁḍajanasaṁgabhāk

He was a liar and cruel, given to consorting with other men's wives, an eater of beef, a drinker of liquor, and a companion of heretics.

Verse 8 (padma.4.2.8)

वृत्तिच्छेदी द्विजातीनां न्यासापहारकस्तथा । शरणागतहंता च वेश्याविभ्रमलोलुपः ।

vṛtticchedī dvijātīnāṁ nyāsāpahārakastathā śaraṇāgatahaṁtā ca veśyāvibhramalolupaḥ

He cut off the livelihood of the twice-born, seized the deposits entrusted to him, slew those who came to him for refuge, and was greedy for the allurements of courtesans.

Verse 9 (padma.4.2.9)

एकदा स द्विजश्रेष्ठ कस्यचिद्विष्णुमंदिरम् । जगाम हरणार्थाय विष्णोर्द्रव्यं स मूढधीः ।

ekadā sa dvijaśreṣṭha kasyacidviṣṇumaṁdiram jagāma haraṇārthāya viṣṇordravyaṁ sa mūḍhadhīḥ

O best of brahmins, one day that dim-witted man went to a certain temple of Vishnu to steal the god's belongings.

Verse 10 (padma.4.2.10)

अथ द्वारि प्रविश्यासावंघ्रिः कर्द्दमसंयुतः । प्रोच्छितः सकलं निम्ने भूमौ देवगृहस्य च ।

atha dvāri praviśyāsāvaṁghriḥ karddamasaṁyutaḥ procchitaḥ sakalaṁ nimne bhūmau devagṛhasya ca

Then, as he entered at the doorway, all the mud caking his feet was wiped clean off, low onto the floor of the god's house.

Verse 11 (padma.4.2.11)

तेनैव कर्म्मणा भूमिर्निम्नरिक्ता बभूव ह । लोहस्य च शलाकाभ्यां मुद्घाट्यत्वररंमुदा ।

tenaiva karmmaṇā bhūmirnimnariktā babhūva ha lohasya ca śalākābhyāṁ mudghāṭyatvararaṁmudā

By that very act the low, uneven patches of the floor were filled and smoothed; then, with two iron rods, he quickly and gladly forced the door open.

Verse 12 (padma.4.2.12)

प्रविवेश हरेर्गेहं वितानवरशोभितम् । रत्नकांचनदीपाढ्यं परिध्वस्त महत्तमम् ।

praviveśa harergehaṁ vitānavaraśobhitam ratnakāṁcanadīpāḍhyaṁ paridhvasta mahattamam

He entered the house of Hari, resplendent with a fine canopy, rich with lamps of jewels and gold, and utterly magnificent.

Verse 13 (padma.4.2.13)

नानापुष्पसुगंधाढ्यं नानापात्रसमाकुलम् । सुवासितस्य तैलस्य गंधेन परिपूरितम् ।

nānāpuṣpasugaṁdhāḍhyaṁ nānāpātrasamākulam suvāsitasya tailasya gaṁdhena paripūritam

It was rich with the fragrance of many flowers, crowded with many vessels, and filled with the scent of perfumed oil.

Verse 14 (padma.4.2.14)

अनेनहारकेणाथ पर्य्यंके सुमनोहरे । शायितो राधया सार्द्धं दृष्टः पीतांबरोऽच्युतः ।

anenahārakeṇātha paryyaṁke sumanohare śāyito rādhayā sārddhaṁ dṛṣṭaḥ pītāṁbaro'cyutaḥ

There, upon a most beautiful couch, that thief saw the yellow-robed Achyuta reclining together with Radha.

Verse 15 (padma.4.2.15)

प्रणम्य राधिकानाथं निष्पापः सोऽभवत्तदा । नेष्याम्यथ न नेष्यामि अनेन किं भवेन्मम ।

praṇamya rādhikānāthaṁ niṣpāpaḥ so'bhavattadā neṣyāmyatha na neṣyāmi anena kiṁ bhavenmama

Bowing to the Lord of Radhika, he became free of sin that very moment. He thought: 'Shall I take it, or shall I not? What good would this do me?'

Verse 16 (padma.4.2.16)

सेवां कर्त्तुमशक्तोऽहं यतश्चौरोऽस्मि सर्वदा । द्रव्येण कार्यमस्तीति तन्नेतुं कृतवान्मनः ।

sevāṁ karttumaśakto'haṁ yataścauro'smi sarvadā dravyeṇa kāryamastīti tannetuṁ kṛtavānmanaḥ

'I am unfit to serve him, for I have always been a thief; yet I do need wealth' — thinking so, he resolved to take it away.

Verse 17 (padma.4.2.17)

पातयित्वांशुकं भूमौ कौशेयं कमलापतेः । बबंध वस्तुजातं च पाणौ कृत्वा सकंपितः ।

pātayitvāṁśukaṁ bhūmau kauśeyaṁ kamalāpateḥ babaṁdha vastujātaṁ ca pāṇau kṛtvā sakaṁpitaḥ

Letting the silken garment of the Lord of Lakshmi fall to the floor, he, trembling, gathered up the objects in his hands and bundled them.

Verse 18 (padma.4.2.18)

विष्णोर्मायापतेश्चाथ तानि सर्वाणि जैमिने । कृत्वा शब्दं सुघोरं च पतितान्यथ तानि वै ।

viṣṇormāyāpateścātha tāni sarvāṇi jaimine kṛtvā śabdaṁ sughoraṁ ca patitānyatha tāni vai

Then, O Jaimini, all those belongings of Vishnu, Lord of Maya, fell down with a most terrible clatter.

Verse 19 (padma.4.2.19)

परित्यज्य सुनिद्रां च धावंत इति किन्वहो । आगता बहुशो लोकाश्चोरो द्रव्यं जवेन च ।

parityajya sunidrāṁ ca dhāvaṁta iti kinvaho āgatā bahuśo lokāścoro dravyaṁ javena ca

Abandoning their deep sleep, crowds of people came running, crying 'What is this — a thief!' — and the goods scattered in the confusion.

Verse 20 (padma.4.2.20)

त्यक्त्वा धनं च चौरोऽपि त्रस्तः किंचिज्जगाम ह । दंशितः कालसर्पेण मृतोऽसौ गतकिल्बिषः ।

tyaktvā dhanaṁ ca cauro'pi trastaḥ kiṁcijjagāma ha daṁśitaḥ kālasarpeṇa mṛto'sau gatakilbiṣaḥ

Abandoning the wealth, the thief too fled a short way in terror; bitten by a black serpent, he died there, already free of his sin.

Verse 21 (padma.4.2.21)

यमाज्ञया तस्य दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः । आगतास्तं समानेतुं दंष्ट्रिणश्चर्मवाससः ।

yamājñayā tasya dūtāḥ pāśamudgarapāṇayaḥ āgatāstaṁ samānetuṁ daṁṣṭriṇaścarmavāsasaḥ

By Yama's command, his messengers came to fetch him — fanged, clad in hides, with nooses and clubs in hand.

Verse 22 (padma.4.2.22)

बबंधुश्चर्मपाशेन निन्युर्दुर्गमवर्त्मना । दृष्ट्वा तं शमनः क्रुद्धः पप्रच्छ सचिवं प्रति ।

babaṁdhuścarmapāśena ninyurdurgamavartmanā dṛṣṭvā taṁ śamanaḥ kruddhaḥ papraccha sacivaṁ prati

They bound him with a leather noose and led him off by a hard road. Seeing him, Yamaraja grew angry and questioned his minister.

Verse 23 (padma.4.2.23)

यम उवाच । अनेन किं कृतं कर्म पापं वा पुण्यमेव वा । समूलं वद हे प्राज्ञ चित्रगुप्त ममाग्रतः ।

yama uvāca anena kiṁ kṛtaṁ karma pāpaṁ vā puṇyameva vā samūlaṁ vada he prājña citragupta mamāgrataḥ

Yama said: What has this man done, O wise Chitragupta — sin, or merit indeed? Tell me all of it from the root, before me.

Verse 24 (padma.4.2.24)

चित्रगुप्त उवाच । सृष्टानि यानि पापानि विधात्रा पृथिवीतले । कृतान्यनेन मूढेन सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम् ।

citragupta uvāca sṛṣṭāni yāni pāpāni vidhātrā pṛthivītale kṛtānyanena mūḍhena satyametanmayoditam

Chitragupta said: Whatever sins the Creator has fashioned upon this earth, this fool has committed every one of them — this I tell you truly.

Verse 25 (padma.4.2.25)

किंत्वाकर्णय लोकेश सुकृतं चास्य वर्त्तते । मन्येऽहं यमुनाभ्रातः सर्वपापविलोपि तत् ।

kiṁtvākarṇaya lokeśa sukṛtaṁ cāsya varttate manye'haṁ yamunābhrātaḥ sarvapāpavilopi tat

But hear, O lord of the world — he has one good deed as well; O brother of Yamuna, I judge it enough to erase all his sin.

Verse 26 (padma.4.2.26)

धर्मराज उवाच । किं पुण्यं वर्त्ततेऽमात्य वद सारं ममांतिके । श्रुत्वैवं तद्विधास्यामि यत्र योग्यो भवेदसौ ।

dharmarāja uvāca kiṁ puṇyaṁ varttate'mātya vada sāraṁ mamāṁtike śrutvaivaṁ tadvidhāsyāmi yatra yogyo bhavedasau

Dharmaraja said: What is his merit, O minister? Tell me its essence; hearing it, I shall send him where he truly belongs.

Verse 27 (padma.4.2.27)

यमस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा सभयश्चित्रगुप्तकः । कृत्वा हस्तांजलिं प्राह चात्मनः स्वामिने द्विज ।

yamasya vacanaṁ śrutvā sabhayaścitraguptakaḥ kṛtvā hastāṁjaliṁ prāha cātmanaḥ svāmine dvija

Hearing Yama's words, Chitragupta, somewhat fearful, folded his hands and spoke to his own lord.

Verse 28 (padma.4.2.28)

चित्रगुप्त उवाच । हरणार्थं हरेर्द्रव्यं गतोऽसौ पापिनां वरः । प्रोज्झितः कर्द्दमो राजन्पादयोर्द्वारतो हरेः ।

citragupta uvāca haraṇārthaṁ harerdravyaṁ gato'sau pāpināṁ varaḥ projjhitaḥ karddamo rājanpādayordvārato hareḥ

Chitragupta said: O king, this worst of sinners went to steal Hari's belongings; but at Hari's very doorway the mud of his feet came away.

Verse 29 (padma.4.2.29)

बभूव लिप्ता सा भूमिर्बिलच्छिद्र विवर्जिता । तेन पुण्यप्रभावेण निर्गतं पातकं महत् । वैकुंठं प्रतियोग्योऽसौ निर्गतस्तव दंडतः ।

babhūva liptā sā bhūmirbilacchidra vivarjitā tena puṇyaprabhāveṇa nirgataṁ pātakaṁ mahat vaikuṁṭhaṁ pratiyogyo'sau nirgatastava daṁḍataḥ

Every crack and hollow of that floor was filled; by the power of that merit his great sin has departed. He is freed from your punishment, and fit now for Vaikuntha.

Verse 30 (padma.4.2.30)

व्यास उवाच । श्रुत्वा स वचनं तस्य पीठं कनकनिर्मितम् । ददौ तस्मै चोपविष्टस्तत्र पूज्योयमेनसः ।

vyāsa uvāca śrutvā sa vacanaṁ tasya pīṭhaṁ kanakanirmitam dadau tasmai copaviṣṭastatra pūjyoyamenasaḥ

Vyasa said: Hearing these words, Yamaraja gave him a seat wrought of gold, and, seated there, freed of sin, he became worthy of honor.

Verse 31 (padma.4.2.31)

ननाम शिरसा तं वै प्रोवाच विनयान्वितः । यम उवाच । पवित्रं मंदिरं मेऽद्य पादयोस्तद्धि रेणुभिः ।

nanāma śirasā taṁ vai provāca vinayānvitaḥ yama uvāca pavitraṁ maṁdiraṁ me'dya pādayostaddhi reṇubhiḥ

He bowed his head in humility before him. Yama said: My own court has today been made sacred by the dust of your feet.

Verse 32 (padma.4.2.32)

कृतार्थोऽस्मि कृतार्थोऽस्मि कृतार्थोऽस्मि न संशयः । इदानीं गच्छ भो साधो हरेर्मंदिरमुत्तमम् ।

kṛtārtho'smi kṛtārtho'smi kṛtārtho'smi na saṁśayaḥ idānīṁ gaccha bho sādho harermaṁdiramuttamam

'I am fulfilled, I am fulfilled, I am fulfilled — there is no doubt of it. Now go, O good soul, to that supreme abode of Hari,

Verse 33 (padma.4.2.33)

नानाभोगसमायुक्तं जन्ममृत्युनिवारणम् । व्यास उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा धर्मराजोऽसौ स्यंदने स्वर्णनिर्मिते ।

nānābhogasamāyuktaṁ janmamṛtyunivāraṇam vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā dharmarājo'sau syaṁdane svarṇanirmite

which is furnished with every enjoyment, and which ends birth and death.' Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, Dharmaraja set him upon a golden chariot,

Verse 34 (padma.4.2.34)

राजहंसयुते दिव्ये तमारोप्य गतैनसम् । समस्तसुखदं स्थानं प्रेषयामास चक्रिणः ।

rājahaṁsayute divye tamāropya gatainasam samastasukhadaṁ sthānaṁ preṣayāmāsa cakriṇaḥ

divine and yoked with royal swans, and sent that now-sinless soul to the all-blissful abode of the wheel-bearing Vishnu.

Verse 35 (padma.4.2.35)

एवं प्रविष्टो वैकुंठे तत्र तस्थौ सुखं चिरम् । लेपनं ये प्रकुर्वंति भक्त्या तु हरिमंदिरम् ।

evaṁ praviṣṭo vaikuṁṭhe tatra tasthau sukhaṁ ciram lepanaṁ ye prakurvaṁti bhaktyā tu harimaṁdiram

Thus entering Vaikuntha, he dwelt there long in happiness. As for those who, with devotion, plaster the temple of Hari —

Verse 36 (padma.4.2.36)

तेषां किं वा भविष्यति न जानेऽहं द्विजोत्तम । य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या पठेद्यो वा समाहितः ।

teṣāṁ kiṁ vā bhaviṣyati na jāne'haṁ dvijottama ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā paṭhedyo vā samāhitaḥ

what shall become of them, O best of brahmins, I do not even know how to tell. Whoever hears this with devotion, or recites it with a composed mind —

Verse 37 (padma.4.2.37)

कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं नश्यत्येव न संशयः ।

koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ naśyatyeva na saṁśayaḥ

the sin gathered across ten million births is surely destroyed for him — there is no doubt of it.