The Courtesan Freed by a Careless Offering

Verse 1 (padma.4.6.1)

शौनक उवाच । केन पुण्येन भो सूत वैकुंठं समवाप्यते । तद्वदस्व शृण्वतो मे पोतो हि भवसागरे ।

śaunaka uvāca kena puṇyena bho sūta vaikuṁṭhaṁ samavāpyate tadvadasva śṛṇvato me poto hi bhavasāgare

Shaunaka said: By what merit, O Suta, is Vaikuntha attained? Tell it to me as I listen — you are indeed a boat for me upon the ocean of worldly existence.

Verse 2 (padma.4.6.2)

सूत उवाच । साधुसाधु मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वमंगलकारक । कथयामि समासेन शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् ।

sūta uvāca sādhusādhu muniśreṣṭha sarvamaṁgalakāraka kathayāmi samāsena śṛṇvatāṁ pāpanāśanam

Suta said: Well said, well said, O best of sages, bringer of all auspiciousness! I shall tell it in brief — it destroys the sin of all who hear it.

Verse 3 (padma.4.6.3)

विष्णवे ब्राह्मणायैव मृदावेश्मविनिर्मितम् । यो वै दद्याद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ तस्य पुण्यं निशामय ।

viṣṇave brāhmaṇāyaiva mṛdāveśmavinirmitam yo vai dadyāddvijaśreṣṭha tasya puṇyaṁ niśāmaya

O best of brahmins, hear the merit of one who gives to Vishnu, or to a brahmin, a house built of clay.

Verse 4 (padma.4.6.4)

विष्णुलोके च स विप्रः सर्वपापविवर्जितः । सौधवासी भवेन्नित्यं विष्णुलोके प्रपूज्यते ।

viṣṇuloke ca sa vipraḥ sarvapāpavivarjitaḥ saudhavāsī bhavennityaṁ viṣṇuloke prapūjyate

That brahmin, freed from every sin, becomes ever a dweller in a mansion in the world of Vishnu, and is greatly honored there.

Verse 5 (padma.4.6.5)

विष्णवे सौधगेहं यो दद्याद्वै ब्राह्मणाय च । हरेर्न्निकेतनं प्राप्य स्वर्गवासी भवेद्ध्रुवम् ।

viṣṇave saudhagehaṁ yo dadyādvai brāhmaṇāya ca harernniketanaṁ prāpya svargavāsī bhaveddhruvam

Whoever gives a mansion-house to Vishnu, or to a brahmin, surely obtains the abode of Hari and becomes a dweller in heaven.

Verse 6 (padma.4.6.6)

अंते विष्णुपुरं गत्वा युक्तः कोटिकुलैर्द्विज । स्वर्णसौधे गृहे स्थित्वा कुर्याद्भोगं यथासुखम् ।

aṁte viṣṇupuraṁ gatvā yuktaḥ koṭikulairdvija svarṇasaudhe gṛhe sthitvā kuryādbhogaṁ yathāsukham

O brahmin, at the end he goes to the city of Vishnu together with ten million generations of his family, and, dwelling in a golden mansion, enjoys happiness at will.

Verse 7 (padma.4.6.7)

ब्राह्मणस्थापने पुण्यं यद्वै भवति भो मुने । संख्यां कर्तुमशक्तस्तु तद्वेधाः सर्वकारकः ।

brāhmaṇasthāpane puṇyaṁ yadvai bhavati bho mune saṁkhyāṁ kartumaśaktastu tadvedhāḥ sarvakārakaḥ

O sage, the merit that comes from housing a brahmin is beyond the count even of the Creator, maker of all things.

Verse 8 (padma.4.6.8)

गण्यंते रेणवश्चैव गण्यंते वृष्टिबिंदवः । न गण्यंते विधात्रापि ब्रह्मसंस्थापने फलम् ।

gaṇyaṁte reṇavaścaiva gaṇyaṁte vṛṣṭibiṁdavaḥ na gaṇyaṁte vidhātrāpi brahmasaṁsthāpane phalam

The specks of dust may be counted, and the drops of rain may be counted, but not even the Creator can count the fruit of housing a brahmin.

Verse 9 (padma.4.6.9)

नारदेन पुरा ब्रह्मा पृष्टः संसारसंभवः । वेधास्तं कथयामास तच्छृणुष्व महामुने ।

nāradena purā brahmā pṛṣṭaḥ saṁsārasaṁbhavaḥ vedhāstaṁ kathayāmāsa tacchṛṇuṣva mahāmune

Once, long ago, Narada asked this very question of Brahma, the source of the world's creation; hear, O great sage, what the Creator told him.

Verse 10 (padma.4.6.10)

पुरासीद्द्वापरे ब्रह्मन्वारनारी सुशोभना । सुकेशी हरिणीनेत्रा सुमध्या चारुहासिनी ।

purāsīddvāpare brahmanvāranārī suśobhanā sukeśī hariṇīnetrā sumadhyā cāruhāsinī

O brahmin, long ago in the Dvapara age there was a courtesan of great beauty, with lovely hair, deer-like eyes, a slender waist, and a charming smile.

Verse 11 (padma.4.6.11)

नाम्ना सा चंचलापांगी ययौ देशांतरं कदा । सर्वपापसमायुक्ता नरके पातयंति च ।

nāmnā sā caṁcalāpāṁgī yayau deśāṁtaraṁ kadā sarvapāpasamāyuktā narake pātayaṁti ca

Named Chanchalapangi, she once traveled to a distant land — a woman bound up with the kind of sin that casts one down into hell.

Verse 12 (padma.4.6.12)

संगेन सिंधुनाकांक्षी जनान्देवालयं गता । तत्र क्षणं सोपविष्टा तांबूलभक्षणं कृतम् ।

saṁgena siṁdhunākāṁkṣī janāndevālayaṁ gatā tatra kṣaṇaṁ sopaviṣṭā tāṁbūlabhakṣaṇaṁ kṛtam

Traveling with a company of people toward the sea, she came upon a temple; sitting there a moment, she chewed betel-leaf.

Verse 13 (padma.4.6.13)

शेषं चूर्णं सौधभित्तौ दत्वा निम्ने कुतूहलात् । ततो गता जारकांक्षी धनार्थं नगरं प्रति ।

śeṣaṁ cūrṇaṁ saudhabhittau datvā nimne kutūhalāt tato gatā jārakāṁkṣī dhanārthaṁ nagaraṁ prati

Out of idle curiosity she wiped the leftover lime-paste onto the temple's low wall, and then went on toward the city, seeking wealth and a lover.

Verse 14 (padma.4.6.14)

जारेण केनचित्सार्द्धं संकेतः सहसा कृतः । संकेतं तु गता वेश्या वनं रात्रौ विमोहिता ।

jāreṇa kenacitsārddhaṁ saṁketaḥ sahasā kṛtaḥ saṁketaṁ tu gatā veśyā vanaṁ rātrau vimohitā

She suddenly made an assignation with a certain lover. Infatuated, the courtesan went by night to the forest, to the appointed meeting-place.

Verse 15 (padma.4.6.15)

संकेतं नागतो वैश्यो व्यशंकिष्टविलोकिता । कथं कांतो नागतो मे सर्पव्याघ्रैश्च भक्षितः ।

saṁketaṁ nāgato vaiśyo vyaśaṁkiṣṭavilokitā kathaṁ kāṁto nāgato me sarpavyāghraiśca bhakṣitaḥ

The lover did not come to the meeting-place; looking about anxiously, she grew afraid — 'Why has my beloved not come? Has he been devoured by a snake or a tiger?

Verse 16 (padma.4.6.16)

संकेतनं कथं हित्वा गतः किं कामविह्वलः । अन्यया ज्ञातया सार्द्धमभिलाषी भवेत्किमु ।

saṁketanaṁ kathaṁ hitvā gataḥ kiṁ kāmavihvalaḥ anyayā jñātayā sārddhamabhilāṣī bhavetkimu

How could he abandon our appointment and leave? Has he perhaps, overcome with desire, gone longing for some other woman he knows?'

Verse 17 (padma.4.6.17)

परामृष्यैतद्हृद्यंतः कोटपालभयाद्द्विज । नगरं नागता सा हि रुद्धे लोकपथे तमैः ।

parāmṛṣyaitadhṛdyaṁtaḥ koṭapālabhayāddvija nagaraṁ nāgatā sā hi ruddhe lokapathe tamaiḥ

O brahmin, turning this over in her heart, and fearing the city guards, she did not go on to the city, for in the darkness the public road lay closed.

Verse 18 (padma.4.6.18)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे व्याघ्रः कामरूपी बलात्क्षुधी । प्रेषितः कालदेवेनाग्रसदागत्य तां द्विज ।

etasminnaṁtare vyāghraḥ kāmarūpī balātkṣudhī preṣitaḥ kāladevenāgrasadāgatya tāṁ dvija

Meanwhile, O brahmin, a shape-shifting tiger, fiercely hungry, sent by the god of time, came and forcibly devoured her.

Verse 19 (padma.4.6.19)

ततस्तु यमुनाभ्रातुर्दूतास्ते भीमवर्षिणः । आगता गिरिकूटांगा नेतुं तां पापकर्मणा ।

tatastu yamunābhrāturdūtāste bhīmavarṣiṇaḥ āgatā girikūṭāṁgā netuṁ tāṁ pāpakarmaṇā

Then the terrible, mountain-bodied messengers of Yama, brother of Yamuna, came to lead her away for her sinful deeds —

Verse 20 (padma.4.6.20)

वक्रपादा वक्रमुखा उन्नासा बहुदंष्ट्रिणः । चर्मरज्जूर्मुद्गरांश्च गृहीत्वा पांशुलां द्विज ।

vakrapādā vakramukhā unnāsā bahudaṁṣṭriṇaḥ carmarajjūrmudgarāṁśca gṛhītvā pāṁśulāṁ dvija

crooked-footed, crooked-faced, sharp-nosed, many-fanged, holding leather ropes and clubs — O brahmin, they came for that fallen woman —

Verse 21 (padma.4.6.21)

बंधयामासुरुन्मत्ता गणिकां चर्म्मरज्जुभिः । शंखचक्रगदापद्मधारिणो वनमालिनः ।

baṁdhayāmāsurunmattā gaṇikāṁ carmmarajjubhiḥ śaṁkhacakragadāpadmadhāriṇo vanamālinaḥ

and those maddened messengers bound her with leather ropes. Just then, bearers of conch, discus, mace, and lotus, wearing garlands of forest flowers,

Verse 22 (padma.4.6.22)

प्रेषिता देवदेवेन तद्भक्तवत्सलेन च । कृष्णजीमूतसंकाशाः स्फुरद्वदनपंकजाः ।

preṣitā devadevena tadbhaktavatsalena ca kṛṣṇajīmūtasaṁkāśāḥ sphuradvadanapaṁkajāḥ

sent by the God of gods, affectionate to his devotees, dark as a rain-cloud, their lotus-faces radiant —

Verse 23 (padma.4.6.23)

श्रेणीधराश्चारुनासा दिव्यकुंडलभूषिताः । ददृशुः पथि गच्छंतो विष्णोर्दूतामहात्मनः ।

śreṇīdharāścārunāsā divyakuṁḍalabhūṣitāḥ dadṛśuḥ pathi gacchaṁto viṣṇordūtāmahātmanaḥ

wearing rows of ornaments, fine-featured, adorned with divine earrings — those great-souled messengers of Vishnu were seen upon the road.

Verse 24 (padma.4.6.24)

विष्णुदूता ऊचुः । के यूयं विकृताकारा लक्ष्यंते कर्बुरा इव । इमां विष्णोः प्रियतमां नीत्वा क्व व्रजथोत्तमाम् । इदं वचनमाकर्ण्य तेषां ते तु द्रुतं ययुः ।

viṣṇudūtā ūcuḥ ke yūyaṁ vikṛtākārā lakṣyaṁte karburā iva imāṁ viṣṇoḥ priyatamāṁ nītvā kva vrajathottamām idaṁ vacanamākarṇya teṣāṁ te tu drutaṁ yayuḥ

The messengers of Vishnu said: 'Who are you, of such misshapen form, looking so mottled? Where are you taking this excellent woman, so dear to Vishnu?' Hearing these words, Yama's messengers fled at once.

Verse 25 (padma.4.6.25)

अथ ते क्रोधसंपन्ना विष्णोर्दूता महाबलाः । जघ्नुस्ते संदेशहरान्यमस्य जगतः प्रभोः ।

atha te krodhasaṁpannā viṣṇordūtā mahābalāḥ jaghnuste saṁdeśaharānyamasya jagataḥ prabhoḥ

Then, filled with anger, the mighty messengers of Vishnu struck and drove off those messengers of Yama, lord of the departed.

Verse 26 (padma.4.6.26)

चक्रादिशस्त्रसंघैश्च सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभैः । कृतांतस्य भटाः सर्वे रुदंतस्ते पलायिताः ।

cakrādiśastrasaṁghaiśca sūryakoṭisamaprabhaiḥ kṛtāṁtasya bhaṭāḥ sarve rudaṁtaste palāyitāḥ

Before their array of weapons — discus and the rest, radiant as ten million suns — all of Death's soldiers fled away weeping.

Verse 27 (padma.4.6.27)

यमं प्रोचुः सभीताश्च वृत्तांतं सकलं द्विज । यमोऽपि तत्कथां श्रुत्वा चित्रगुप्तमुवाच ह ।

yamaṁ procuḥ sabhītāśca vṛttāṁtaṁ sakalaṁ dvija yamo'pi tatkathāṁ śrutvā citraguptamuvāca ha

O brahmin, terrified, they told the whole account to Yama; and Yama, hearing that story, spoke to Chitragupta.

Verse 28 (padma.4.6.28)

धर्म उवाच । केन पुण्येन भो मंत्रिन्वेश्या मुक्तिं समागता । एतन्मे पृच्छत सर्वं कथयस्व यथार्हतः ।

dharma uvāca kena puṇyena bho maṁtrinveśyā muktiṁ samāgatā etanme pṛcchata sarvaṁ kathayasva yathārhataḥ

Dharmaraja said: By what merit, O minister, has this courtesan come to liberation? Look into it and tell me all of it, as is fitting.

Verse 29 (padma.4.6.29)

चित्रगुप्त उवाच । तया पापान्यर्जितानि जन्मतः सुबहून्यपि । किंत्वाकर्णय लोकेश यदि स्यात्पुण्यमस्ति तत् ।

citragupta uvāca tayā pāpānyarjitāni janmataḥ subahūnyapi kiṁtvākarṇaya lokeśa yadi syātpuṇyamasti tat

Chitragupta said: She has gathered a great many sins since her birth. But hear, O lord of the world — if she has any merit at all, it does exist.

Verse 30 (padma.4.6.30)

गणिकैकदा धर्म्मराज सर्वालंकारभूषिता । कांचित्पुरीं जगामाशु जारकांक्षी धनार्थिनी ।

gaṇikaikadā dharmmarāja sarvālaṁkārabhūṣitā kāṁcitpurīṁ jagāmāśu jārakāṁkṣī dhanārthinī

O Dharmaraja, once this courtesan, adorned with every ornament, went swiftly to a certain city, seeking a lover and desiring wealth.

Verse 31 (padma.4.6.31)

तत्र देवालये तस्मिन्स्थित्वा तांबूलभक्षणं । कृत्वा तच्छेषचूर्णं तु ददौ भित्तौ तु कौतुकात् ।

tatra devālaye tasminsthitvā tāṁbūlabhakṣaṇaṁ kṛtvā taccheṣacūrṇaṁ tu dadau bhittau tu kautukāt

There, staying at that temple, she chewed betel, and out of idle curiosity wiped the leftover lime-paste onto its wall.

Verse 32 (padma.4.6.32)

तेन पुण्यप्रभावेण गणिका गतपातका । वैकुंठं प्रति सा याति निर्गता तव दंडतः ।

tena puṇyaprabhāveṇa gaṇikā gatapātakā vaikuṁṭhaṁ prati sā yāti nirgatā tava daṁḍataḥ

By the power of that merit, the courtesan became free of sin; she is freed from your punishment and even now goes toward Vaikuntha.

Verse 33 (padma.4.6.33)

सूत उवाच । इति श्रुत्वा ततो दूता यमोऽपि वचनं द्विज । व्यापारे चान्यतश्चित्तं ददौ सा गणिकापि च ।

sūta uvāca iti śrutvā tato dūtā yamo'pi vacanaṁ dvija vyāpāre cānyataścittaṁ dadau sā gaṇikāpi ca

Suta said: O brahmin, hearing this, Yama's messengers, and Yama himself, accepted this account and turned their attention to their own affairs once more, and that courtesan too now set her mind entirely on Vishnu's world.

Verse 34 (padma.4.6.34)

आरूढा स्यंदने दिव्ये राजहंसयुते तथा । विष्णुलोकं ययौ सा च वेष्टिता विष्णुकिंकरैः ।

ārūḍhā syaṁdane divye rājahaṁsayute tathā viṣṇulokaṁ yayau sā ca veṣṭitā viṣṇukiṁkaraiḥ

Then, mounted upon a divine chariot yoked with royal swans, and surrounded by the servants of Vishnu, she went to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 35 (padma.4.6.35)

श्रीविष्णोराज्ञया साथ कुलकोटियुतापि च । तस्थौ सौधगृहे विप्र नानाभोगं चकार ह ।

śrīviṣṇorājñayā sātha kulakoṭiyutāpi ca tasthau saudhagṛhe vipra nānābhogaṁ cakāra ha

O brahmin, by the command of Shri Vishnu, together now with ten million generations of her family, she dwelt in a mansion and enjoyed every kind of pleasure.

Verse 36 (padma.4.6.36)

भक्त्या यो वै हरेर्गेहे दद्याच्चूर्णं प्रयत्नतः । पुण्यं किं वा भवेत्तस्य न जाने द्विजपुंगव ।

bhaktyā yo vai harergehe dadyāccūrṇaṁ prayatnataḥ puṇyaṁ kiṁ vā bhavettasya na jāne dvijapuṁgava

O foremost of brahmins, what merit would come to one who, with devotion and deliberate effort, offers such lime-paste in the very house of Hari — this I do not know how to say.

Verse 37 (padma.4.6.37)

भक्त्याध्यायं पठेद्यो वै शृणोति सादरेण च । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो यात्यसौ हरिमंदिरम् ।

bhaktyādhyāyaṁ paṭhedyo vai śṛṇoti sādareṇa ca sarvapāpavinirmukto yātyasau harimaṁdiram

Whoever with devotion recites this chapter, or hears it with reverence, is freed from every sin and goes to the temple of Hari.