The Glory of Keeping One's Word

Verse 1 (padma.4.26.1)

शौनक उवाच । श्रोतुमिच्छामि ते प्राज्ञ कथयस्व समूलकम् । प्रतिज्ञापालने पुण्यं खंडने किं च किल्बिषम् ।

śaunaka uvāca śrotumicchāmi te prājña kathayasva samūlakam pratijñāpālane puṇyaṁ khaṁḍane kiṁ ca kilbiṣam

Shaunaka said: O wise one, I wish to hear from you in full detail — what merit lies in keeping a promise, and what sin in breaking it?

Verse 2 (padma.4.26.2)

अनृते शपथे किं वा सत्ये किंचिद्भवेन्मुने । दक्षिणं किंकरं दत्वा कृपां कृत्वा कृपार्णव ।

anṛte śapathe kiṁ vā satye kiṁcidbhavenmune dakṣiṇaṁ kiṁkaraṁ datvā kṛpāṁ kṛtvā kṛpārṇava

What comes of a false oath, and what of a true one, O sage? O ocean of compassion, bestow your grace on this servant and tell me.

Verse 3 (padma.4.26.3)

सूत उवाच । शृणुष्व मुनिशार्दूल कथयामि समूलतः । वैष्णवानां त्वमग्र्योऽसि सर्वलोकहिते रतः ।

sūta uvāca śṛṇuṣva muniśārdūla kathayāmi samūlataḥ vaiṣṇavānāṁ tvamagryo'si sarvalokahite rataḥ

Suta said: Listen, O foremost of sages, I shall tell you in full detail; you are foremost among Vaishnavas, devoted to the welfare of every world.

Verse 4 (padma.4.26.4)

धेनूनां तु शतं दत्त्वा यत्फलं लभते नरः । तस्मात्कोटिगुणं पुण्यं प्रतिज्ञापालने द्विज ।

dhenūnāṁ tu śataṁ dattvā yatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ tasmātkoṭiguṇaṁ puṇyaṁ pratijñāpālane dvija

O Brahmin, whatever fruit a man obtains by giving away a hundred cows, keeping a promise brings merit a hundred million times greater than that.

Verse 5 (padma.4.26.5)

प्रतिज्ञाखंडनान्मूढो निरयं याति दारुणम् । शतमन्वंतरं यावत्पच्यते नात्र संशयः ।

pratijñākhaṁḍanānmūḍho nirayaṁ yāti dāruṇam śatamanvaṁtaraṁ yāvatpacyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

By breaking a promise, a fool goes to a terrible hell; he is cooked there for a hundred manvantaras, without doubt.

Verse 6 (padma.4.26.6)

ततोऽत्र जन्म चासाद्य निर्धनस्य निकेतने । अन्नवस्त्रैर्विहीनः स्या क्लेशी चापि स्वकर्मणा ।

tato'tra janma cāsādya nirdhanasya niketane annavastrairvihīnaḥ syā kleśī cāpi svakarmaṇā

Then, taking birth here in the house of a poor man, deprived of food and clothing, he suffers affliction through his own deeds.

Verse 7 (padma.4.26.7)

सत्येन शपथं कुर्याद्देवाग्निगुरुसन्निधौ । तावद्दहति वै गात्रं विष्णोर्वंशो न लुप्यते ।

satyena śapathaṁ kuryāddevāgnigurusannidhau tāvaddahati vai gātraṁ viṣṇorvaṁśo na lupyate

By swearing truthfully in the presence of a god, of fire, or of one's guru — even should it cost him dearly — the lineage of Vishnu is never destroyed for him.

Verse 8 (padma.4.26.8)

मिथ्यायां शपथे विप्र किमहं वच्मि सांप्रतम् । शतमन्वंतरं विप्र निरयं मिथ्यया किमु ।

mithyāyāṁ śapathe vipra kimahaṁ vacmi sāṁpratam śatamanvaṁtaraṁ vipra nirayaṁ mithyayā kimu

But of a false oath, O Brahmin, what indeed shall I now say? A hundred manvantaras in hell, O Brahmin — what indeed does falsehood not deserve!

Verse 9 (padma.4.26.9)

निर्माल्यं श्रीहरेः स्पृष्ट्वा सत्येन मुनिपुंगव । गृहीत्वा पुरुषान्सप्त पच्यते निरये चिरम् ।

nirmālyaṁ śrīhareḥ spṛṣṭvā satyena munipuṁgava gṛhītvā puruṣānsapta pacyate niraye ciram

O bull among sages, even one who swears truthfully while touching Shri Hari's own remnant offering, should he break it, is cooked in hell for a long time, taking seven generations down with him.

Verse 10 (padma.4.26.10)

कदाचिज्जन्म संप्राप्य कुष्ठी च प्रतिजन्मनि । सत्येनैवं भवेद्विप्र अनृते वै किमुच्यते ।

kadācijjanma saṁprāpya kuṣṭhī ca pratijanmani satyenaivaṁ bhavedvipra anṛte vai kimucyate

Sometimes, taking birth again, he becomes a leper in birth after birth — even for a broken truthful oath such a fate can follow, O Brahmin; what then is to be said of falsehood!

Verse 11 (padma.4.26.11)

यो मर्त्यो दक्षिणं दत्वा करं तत्प्रतिपाल्यते । तस्य प्राप्तिर्भवेत्कृष्णः सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम् ।

yo martyo dakṣiṇaṁ datvā karaṁ tatpratipālyate tasya prāptirbhavetkṛṣṇaḥ satyaṁ satyaṁ vadāmyaham

Whatever mortal, having given his right hand in pledge, keeps that promise, attains Krishna himself — I say this truly, truly.

Verse 12 (padma.4.26.12)

करं दत्त्वा तु यो मर्त्यो वचनस्य च पालनम् । तावन्न कुर्यात्पितरः प्राप्नुवंति च यातनाम् ।

karaṁ dattvā tu yo martyo vacanasya ca pālanam tāvanna kuryātpitaraḥ prāpnuvaṁti ca yātanām

Whatever mortal, having given his hand, does not fulfill his word — his ancestors, for as long as he fails to keep it, undergo torment.

Verse 13 (padma.4.26.13)

स्वयं तु मुनिशार्दूल निरयं चातिदारुणम् । उद्धारं कोटिपुरुषैर्मृतो याति न संशयः ।

svayaṁ tu muniśārdūla nirayaṁ cātidāruṇam uddhāraṁ koṭipuruṣairmṛto yāti na saṁśayaḥ

He himself, O foremost of sages, goes to a most terrible hell; and dying, he drags a hundred million of his forebears down with him, denying them their release — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 14 (padma.4.26.14)

शौनक उवाच । कृष्णप्राप्तिः पुरा कस्य करस्य प्रतिपालनात् । दक्षिणस्य मुने ब्रूहि श्रोतुमिच्छामि सादरात् ।

śaunaka uvāca kṛṣṇaprāptiḥ purā kasya karasya pratipālanāt dakṣiṇasya mune brūhi śrotumicchāmi sādarāt

Shaunaka said: O sage, whose attainment of Krishna, formerly, came about through keeping a promise sealed by the right hand? Tell me this; I wish to hear it with reverence.

Verse 15 (padma.4.26.15)

सूत उवाच । पुरा किंचित्पुरे शूद्रो नाम्नासीद्वीरविक्रमः । बह्वाशी पृथुलांगश्च बहुवक्तातिसुंदरः ।

sūta uvāca purā kiṁcitpure śūdro nāmnāsīdvīravikramaḥ bahvāśī pṛthulāṁgaśca bahuvaktātisuṁdaraḥ

Suta said: Formerly, in a certain city, there was a Shudra named Viravikrama — a great eater, broad of body, most eloquent, and handsome,

Verse 16 (padma.4.26.16)

धनवान्पुत्रवान्सभ्यो विद्वान्सर्वजनप्रियः । विप्राणामतिथीनां च पूजकः सर्वदैव तु ।

dhanavānputravānsabhyo vidvānsarvajanapriyaḥ viprāṇāmatithīnāṁ ca pūjakaḥ sarvadaiva tu

wealthy, blessed with sons, cultured, learned, and dear to all people; he was ever a worshipper of Brahmins and of guests,

Verse 17 (padma.4.26.17)

पितृभक्तो द्विजश्रेष्ठ प्रतिज्ञापालकः सदा । वाचां गुरुजनानां च पालको हरिसेवकः ।

pitṛbhakto dvijaśreṣṭha pratijñāpālakaḥ sadā vācāṁ gurujanānāṁ ca pālako harisevakaḥ

devoted to his ancestors, O best of Brahmins, ever a keeper of his promises, obedient to the words of his elders, and a servant of Hari.

Verse 18 (padma.4.26.18)

एकदा सुंदरो गेहं श्वपचस्तस्य छद्मना । प्राप्तो धृत्वा ब्राह्मणस्य रूपं वै तरुणः सुधीः ।

ekadā suṁdaro gehaṁ śvapacastasya chadmanā prāpto dhṛtvā brāhmaṇasya rūpaṁ vai taruṇaḥ sudhīḥ

One day a dog-cooker, an outcaste, by trickery assumed the form of a Brahmin — a handsome, intelligent young man — and came to his house.

Verse 19 (padma.4.26.19)

ब्राह्मण उवाच । शृणु मे वचनं धीर मम जाया मृता शुभा । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथयाद्यानुकंपया ।

brāhmaṇa uvāca śṛṇu me vacanaṁ dhīra mama jāyā mṛtā śubhā kiṁ karomi kva gacchāmi kathayādyānukaṁpayā

The disguised Brahmin said: "Listen to my words, O steadfast one — my virtuous wife has died. What shall I do, where shall I go? Tell me now, out of compassion."

Verse 20 (padma.4.26.20)

विवाहं यो जनः कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणं च विशेषतः । किं च दानैः किं च तीर्थैः किं यज्ञैर्व्रतकोटिभिः ।

vivāhaṁ yo janaḥ kuryādbrāhmaṇaṁ ca viśeṣataḥ kiṁ ca dānaiḥ kiṁ ca tīrthaiḥ kiṁ yajñairvratakoṭibhiḥ

"What use is marriage to one such as this, especially a Brahmin? What use are gifts, what use are pilgrimages, what use are sacrifices and a hundred million vows, without a wife?"

Verse 21 (padma.4.26.21)

इति श्रुत्वा त्वसौ विप्रं चोक्तवान्वीरविक्रमः । शृणु मे वचनं ब्रह्मन्बालास्ति मम कन्यका ।

iti śrutvā tvasau vipraṁ coktavānvīravikramaḥ śṛṇu me vacanaṁ brahmanbālāsti mama kanyakā

Hearing this, Viravikrama said to that Brahmin: "O Brahmin, hear my words — I have a young daughter."

Verse 22 (padma.4.26.22)

यदिच्छा ते भवेद्विप्र दास्यामि विधिपूर्वकम् । नय मे दक्षिणं हस्तं दास्यामि चान्यथा नहि ।

yadicchā te bhavedvipra dāsyāmi vidhipūrvakam naya me dakṣiṇaṁ hastaṁ dāsyāmi cānyathā nahi

"If it is your wish, O Brahmin, I shall duly give her to you. Take my right hand — otherwise I shall not give her."

Verse 23 (padma.4.26.23)

तस्यैतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा जग्राह दक्षिणं करम् । श्वपचो हर्षयुक्तो वै प्रोवाच वचनं त्विति ।

tasyaitadvacanaṁ śrutvā jagrāha dakṣiṇaṁ karam śvapaco harṣayukto vai provāca vacanaṁ tviti

Hearing his words, the dog-cooker, filled with joy, took hold of his right hand, and spoke these words —

Verse 24 (padma.4.26.24)

ब्राह्मण उवाच । कृत्वा शुभ क्षणं मह्यं देहि कन्यां शुभान्विताम् । विलंबे बहुविघ्नं स्यादिति शास्त्रेषु निश्चितम् ।

brāhmaṇa uvāca kṛtvā śubha kṣaṇaṁ mahyaṁ dehi kanyāṁ śubhānvitām vilaṁbe bahuvighnaṁ syāditi śāstreṣu niścitam

The disguised Brahmin said: "Fix an auspicious hour and give me the well-adorned maiden. It is settled in the scriptures that delay brings many obstacles."

Verse 25 (padma.4.26.25)

वीरविक्रम उवाच । तुभ्यं श्वः कन्यकां ब्रह्मन्दास्यामि नास्ति चान्यथा । दक्षिणं च करं दत्वा न कुर्यात्पुरुषाधमः ।

vīravikrama uvāca tubhyaṁ śvaḥ kanyakāṁ brahmandāsyāmi nāsti cānyathā dakṣiṇaṁ ca karaṁ datvā na kuryātpuruṣādhamaḥ

Viravikrama said: "O Brahmin, tomorrow I shall give you the maiden; there is no other way. Only the basest of men, having given his right hand, would go back on it."

Verse 26 (padma.4.26.26)

सूत उवाच । ब्राह्मणं कृष्णशर्माणं चाहूयाकथयन्मुने । पुरोहितमिदं सर्वं प्रोवाच संविदं द्विज ।

sūta uvāca brāhmaṇaṁ kṛṣṇaśarmāṇaṁ cāhūyākathayanmune purohitamidaṁ sarvaṁ provāca saṁvidaṁ dvija

Suta said: O sage, summoning a Brahmin named Krishnasharma, he told his family priest this whole matter.

Verse 27 (padma.4.26.27)

कथं विप्राय ते कन्यां शूद्राय दातुमिच्छसि । अज्ञातायाकुलीनाय न ददस्व विशेषतः ।

kathaṁ viprāya te kanyāṁ śūdrāya dātumicchasi ajñātāyākulīnāya na dadasva viśeṣataḥ

The priest said: "How can you wish to give your daughter to this man, taking a Shudra in disguise for a Brahmin? Do not give her, especially to one whose family is unknown."

Verse 28 (padma.4.26.28)

ऊचुस्तज्जातयः सर्वे जनकाद्यास्तपोधन । अस्माकं वचनं तात शृणुष्व वीरविक्रम ।

ūcustajjātayaḥ sarve janakādyāstapodhana asmākaṁ vacanaṁ tāta śṛṇuṣva vīravikrama

O ascetic, all his kinsmen, his father among them, said: "Dear Viravikrama, listen to us —"

Verse 29 (padma.4.26.29)

न ज्ञायते कुलं यस्य देशगोत्रधनं तथा । शीलं वयस्तस्य कन्या स्वजनैर्न च दीयते ।

na jñāyate kulaṁ yasya deśagotradhanaṁ tathā śīlaṁ vayastasya kanyā svajanairna ca dīyate

"— a daughter is not given by her own kin to one whose lineage, country, gotra, wealth, character, and age are unknown."

Verse 30 (padma.4.26.30)

स उवाच द्विजश्रेष्ठ दत्तं मे दक्षिणं करम् । कदाचिदन्यथाकर्तुं न शक्नोमि च सर्वथा ।

sa uvāca dvijaśreṣṭha dattaṁ me dakṣiṇaṁ karam kadācidanyathākartuṁ na śaknomi ca sarvathā

He said: "O best of Brahmins, I have given him my right hand; under no circumstance can I ever act otherwise."

Verse 31 (padma.4.26.31)

इत्युक्त्वा तान्स विप्राय कन्यां दातुं प्रचक्रमे । दृष्ट्वेति ज्ञातयः सर्वे विस्मयमद्भुतं ययुः ।

ityuktvā tānsa viprāya kanyāṁ dātuṁ pracakrame dṛṣṭveti jñātayaḥ sarve vismayamadbhutaṁ yayuḥ

So saying, he proceeded to give the maiden to that Brahmin. Seeing this, all his kinsmen were struck with utter astonishment.

Verse 32 (padma.4.26.32)

सत्यं तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शंखचक्रगदाधरः । आविर्बभूव सहसा चारुह्य गरुडं मुने ।

satyaṁ tadvacanaṁ śrutvā śaṁkhacakragadādharaḥ āvirbabhūva sahasā cāruhya garuḍaṁ mune

Hearing the truth of his word, Hari, bearer of conch, discus and mace, suddenly appeared, mounted upon Garuda, O sage.

Verse 33 (padma.4.26.33)

श्रीभगवानुवाच । धन्यं ते च कुलं धर्मोधन्यस्ते जननी पिता । धन्यं ते वचनं सत्यं धन्यं ते दक्षिणं करम् ।

śrībhagavānuvāca dhanyaṁ te ca kulaṁ dharmodhanyaste jananī pitā dhanyaṁ te vacanaṁ satyaṁ dhanyaṁ te dakṣiṇaṁ karam

Shri Bhagavan said: "Blessed is your family and your dharma, blessed are your father and mother, blessed is your true word, blessed is your right hand,"

Verse 34 (padma.4.26.34)

धन्यं कर्म्म च ते जन्म त्रैलोक्ये नैव विद्यते । एवं ते कर्मणा साधो चोद्धारं कुरुषे कुलम् ।

dhanyaṁ karmma ca te janma trailokye naiva vidyate evaṁ te karmaṇā sādho coddhāraṁ kuruṣe kulam

"— blessed is your deed and blessed your birth; nowhere in the three worlds is there anything like it! O virtuous one, thus through your deed you have redeemed your entire lineage."

Verse 35 (padma.4.26.35)

सूत उवाच । एवं ब्रुवति श्रीकृष्णे विमानं स्वर्णनिर्मितम् । आगतं हरिगणैर्युक्तं सर्वत्र गरुडध्वजम् ।

sūta uvāca evaṁ bruvati śrīkṛṣṇe vimānaṁ svarṇanirmitam āgataṁ harigaṇairyuktaṁ sarvatra garuḍadhvajam

Suta said: As Shri Krishna spoke thus, a chariot made of gold arrived there, filled with Hari's own attendants, its banner everywhere bearing the mark of Garuda.

Verse 36 (padma.4.26.36)

सर्वं तस्य कुलं ब्रह्मन्स श्वपाकपुरोहितम् । रथे चारोपयामास शंखपद्मधरः स्वयं ।

sarvaṁ tasya kulaṁ brahmansa śvapākapurohitam rathe cāropayāmāsa śaṁkhapadmadharaḥ svayaṁ

O Brahmin, Hari himself, bearer of conch and lotus, seated his entire family, together with that dog-cooker's priest, upon the chariot.

Verse 37 (padma.4.26.37)

गृहीत्वा तान्हरिः सर्वान्गतो वैकुंठमंदिरम् । तत्र तस्थौ चिरं ते च कृत्वा भोगं सुदुर्ल्लभम् ।

gṛhītvā tānhariḥ sarvāngato vaikuṁṭhamaṁdiram tatra tasthau ciraṁ te ca kṛtvā bhogaṁ sudurllabham

Taking them all, Hari went to the temple of Vaikuntha; there they dwelt for a long time, enjoying a bliss most difficult to attain.

Verse 38 (padma.4.26.38)

वचनं लंघयेद्यस्तु यस्तु वा दक्षिणं करम् । सकुलो निरयं याति सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम् ।

vacanaṁ laṁghayedyastu yastu vā dakṣiṇaṁ karam sakulo nirayaṁ yāti satyaṁ satyaṁ vadāmyaham

Whoever breaks his word, or whoever breaks a pledge sealed by the right hand, goes to hell together with his entire lineage — I say this truly, truly.

Verse 39 (padma.4.26.39)

तस्यान्नं तु जलं ब्रह्मन्न ग्राह्यं पितृदैवतैः । त्यक्त्वा धर्मो गृहं तस्य भीत्या याति द्विजोत्तम ।

tasyānnaṁ tu jalaṁ brahmanna grāhyaṁ pitṛdaivataiḥ tyaktvā dharmo gṛhaṁ tasya bhītyā yāti dvijottama

O Brahmin, the ancestral deities do not accept his food and water; dharma, O best of Brahmins, out of fear, abandons his house and departs.

Verse 40 (padma.4.26.40)

दत्वाशां यो जनः कुर्यान्नैराश्यं चैव मूढधीः । स स्वकान्कोटिपुरुषान्गृहीत्वा नरकं व्रजेत् ।

datvāśāṁ yo janaḥ kuryānnairāśyaṁ caiva mūḍhadhīḥ sa svakānkoṭipuruṣāngṛhītvā narakaṁ vrajet

Whatever foolish man gives hope and then brings disappointment goes to hell, dragging a hundred million of his forebears down with him.

Verse 41 (padma.4.26.41)

वचनं लंघयेद्यस्तु धर्मस्तस्य विलंघति । नृपाग्नितस्करैर्विप्र सत्यं सत्यं सुनिश्चितम् ।

vacanaṁ laṁghayedyastu dharmastasya vilaṁghati nṛpāgnitaskarairvipra satyaṁ satyaṁ suniścitam

Whoever breaks his word, dharma breaks faith with him in turn — kings, fire, and thieves afflict him, O Brahmin; this is settled truth, truth indeed.

Verse 42 (padma.4.26.42)

स्वर्गोत्तरमिमं सम्यक्श्रुत्वा स्वर्गोत्तरं व्रजेत् । जीवन्मुक्तस्त्विहामुत्र कृष्णाख्यं धाम चोत्तमम् ।

svargottaramimaṁ samyakśrutvā svargottaraṁ vrajet jīvanmuktastvihāmutra kṛṣṇākhyaṁ dhāma cottamam

Whoever properly hears this chapter called Svargottara, "Beyond Heaven," attains that very Svargottara; liberated even while living, he attains, both here and in the world beyond, that supreme abode called Krishna's own.