The Story of Dhaneshvara

Verse 1 (padma.6.113.1)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच। पुरावंतीपुरे वासी विप्र आसीद्धनेश्वरः । ब्रह्मकर्मपरिभ्रष्टः पापनिष्ठः सुदुर्मतिः

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca purāvaṁtīpure vāsī vipra āsīddhaneśvaraḥ brahmakarmaparibhraṣṭaḥ pāpaniṣṭhaḥ sudurmatiḥ

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Long ago, in the city of Avanti, there lived a brahmin named Dhaneshvara. He had fallen away from brahminical duty, was devoted to sin, and was thoroughly evil-minded.

Verse 2 (padma.6.113.2)

रसकंबलचर्मादि विक्रयानृतवर्त्तनः । स्तेयवेश्यासुरापानद्यूतसंसक्तमानसः

rasakaṁbalacarmādi vikrayānṛtavarttanaḥ steyaveśyāsurāpānadyūtasaṁsaktamānasaḥ

He earned his living selling liquor, blankets, hides, and similar goods through dishonest dealing, and his mind was ever given over to theft, visiting prostitutes, drinking wine, and gambling.

Verse 3 (padma.6.113.3)

देशाद्देशांतरं गच्छन्क्रयविक्रयकारणात् । माहिष्मतीं पुरीं यातः कदाचित्स धनेश्वरः

deśāddeśāṁtaraṁ gacchankrayavikrayakāraṇāt māhiṣmatīṁ purīṁ yātaḥ kadācitsa dhaneśvaraḥ

Roaming from region to region for the sake of trade, that Dhaneshvara once arrived at the city of Mahishmati.

Verse 4 (padma.6.113.4)

महिषेण कृता पूर्वं तस्मान्माहिष्मतीभवत् । यस्यां वप्रतटाभाति नर्मदा पापनाशिनी

mahiṣeṇa kṛtā pūrvaṁ tasmānmāhiṣmatībhavat yasyāṁ vaprataṭābhāti narmadā pāpanāśinī

It had been founded long ago by Mahisha, and so came to be called Mahishmati — the city on whose ramparted banks the sin-destroying river Narmada shines.

Verse 5 (padma.6.113.5)

कार्तिकव्रतिनस्तत्र नानाग्रामागतान्नरान् । स दृष्ट्वा विक्रयं कुर्वन्मासमेकमुवास ह

kārtikavratinastatra nānāgrāmāgatānnarān sa dṛṣṭvā vikrayaṁ kurvanmāsamekamuvāsa ha

Seeing there the observers of the Kartika vow, men who had come from many villages, he stayed on for a month carrying on his trade.

Verse 6 (padma.6.113.6)

स नित्यं नर्मदातीरे भ्रमन्विक्रयकारणात् । ददर्श ब्राह्मणान्स्नातान्जपदेवार्चनेरतान्

sa nityaṁ narmadātīre bhramanvikrayakāraṇāt dadarśa brāhmaṇānsnātānjapadevārcaneratān

Roaming daily on the bank of the Narmada for the sake of trade, he saw brahmins who had bathed and were engaged in silent recitation and the worship of the gods.

Verse 7 (padma.6.113.7)

कांश्चित्पुराणं पठतः कांश्चित्तच्छ्रवणे रतान् । नृत्यगायनवादित्रविष्णुस्तवनतत्परान्

kāṁścitpurāṇaṁ paṭhataḥ kāṁścittacchravaṇe ratān nṛtyagāyanavāditraviṣṇustavanatatparān

Some were reciting the Puranas, others were absorbed in listening to them, and yet others were devoted to dance, song, instrumental music, and the praise of Vishnu.

Verse 8 (padma.6.113.8)

विष्णुमुद्रांकितान्कांश्चिन्मालातुलसिधारिणः । ददर्श कौतुकाविष्टस्तत्र तत्र धनेश्वरः

viṣṇumudrāṁkitānkāṁścinmālātulasidhāriṇaḥ dadarśa kautukāviṣṭastatra tatra dhaneśvaraḥ

Some bore Vishnu's emblems marked upon their bodies, others wore garlands of tulasi — Dhaneshvara, filled with curiosity, kept watching them here and there.

Verse 9 (padma.6.113.9)

नित्यं परिभ्रमंस्तत्र दर्शनस्पर्शभाषणात् । वैष्णवानां तथा विष्णोर्नामश्रावादि सोऽलभत्

nityaṁ paribhramaṁstatra darśanasparśabhāṣaṇāt vaiṣṇavānāṁ tathā viṣṇornāmaśrāvādi so'labhat

Roaming there daily, merely through seeing, touching, and speaking with the Vaishnavas, and through hearing the names of Vishnu, he too came to gain some merit.

Verse 10 (padma.6.113.10)

एवं मासं स्थितःसोऽथ कार्तिकोद्यापने विधौ । क्रियमाणे ददर्शासौ भक्तैर्जागरणं हरेः

evaṁ māsaṁ sthitaḥso'tha kārtikodyāpane vidhau kriyamāṇe dadarśāsau bhaktairjāgaraṇaṁ hareḥ

Having stayed there for a month in this way, he then witnessed, at the time of the concluding rite of the Kartika vow, the devotees performing the night-long vigil of Hari.

Verse 11 (padma.6.113.11)

पौर्णमास्यां ततोऽपश्यद्विविधं पूजनादिकम् । दक्षिणा भोजनाद्यं च दीपदानं व्रतस्थितैः

paurṇamāsyāṁ tato'paśyadvividhaṁ pūjanādikam dakṣiṇā bhojanādyaṁ ca dīpadānaṁ vratasthitaiḥ

Then on the full-moon day he saw the many acts of worship performed by the vow-observers — the giving of gifts, the feeding of others, and the offering of lamps.

Verse 12 (padma.6.113.12)

ततोऽर्कास्तमये चैवं दीपोत्सवविधिं तदा । क्रियमाणं ददर्शासौ प्रीत्यर्थं त्रिपुरद्विषः

tato'rkāstamaye caivaṁ dīpotsavavidhiṁ tadā kriyamāṇaṁ dadarśāsau prītyarthaṁ tripuradviṣaḥ

Then, at sunset, he saw the rite of the lamp-festival being performed for the delight of the Enemy of Tripura [Shiva].

Verse 13 (padma.6.113.13)

त्रिपुराणां कृतो दाहो यतस्तस्यां शिवेन तु । अतस्तु क्रियते तस्यां तिथौ भक्तैर्महोत्सवः । मम रुद्रस्य यः कश्चिदंतरं परिकल्पयेत्

tripurāṇāṁ kṛto dāho yatastasyāṁ śivena tu atastu kriyate tasyāṁ tithau bhaktairmahotsavaḥ mama rudrasya yaḥ kaścidaṁtaraṁ parikalpayet

Since it was on that very lunar day that Shiva burned the three Tripura cities, the devotees celebrate a great festival on that day. Whoever imagines any difference between Me and Rudra —

Verse 14 (padma.6.113.14)

तस्य पुण्यक्रियाः सर्वा निष्फलाः स्युर्न संशयः । तत्र नृत्यादिकं पश्यन्बभ्राम स धनेश्वरः । तावत्कृष्णाहिना दष्टो विकलः स पपात ह । जनास्तंपति तं वीक्ष्य परिवव्रुः कृपान्विताः

tasya puṇyakriyāḥ sarvā niṣphalāḥ syurna saṁśayaḥ tatra nṛtyādikaṁ paśyanbabhrāma sa dhaneśvaraḥ tāvatkṛṣṇāhinā daṣṭo vikalaḥ sa papāta ha janāstaṁpati taṁ vīkṣya parivavruḥ kṛpānvitāḥ

— all of that person's meritorious deeds become fruitless, without doubt. While wandering about watching the dancing and the rest, that Dhaneshvara was bitten by a black serpent; overcome, he collapsed. Seeing him fallen, the people gathered around him, filled with compassion.

Verse 15 (padma.6.113.15)

तुलसीमिश्रितैस्तोयैस्तन्मुखं सिषिचुस्तदा । अथ देहे परित्यक्ते तं बद्ध्वा यमकिंकराः

tulasīmiśritaistoyaistanmukhaṁ siṣicustadā atha dehe parityakte taṁ baddhvā yamakiṁkarāḥ

Then they sprinkled his face with water mixed with tulasi. Thereafter, when his body had been given up, Yama's messengers bound him,

Verse 16 (padma.6.113.16)

बाध्यमानं कशाघातैर्निन्युः संयमिनीं रुषा । चित्रगुप्तस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा निर्भर्त्स्यावेदयत्तदा

bādhyamānaṁ kaśāghātairninyuḥ saṁyaminīṁ ruṣā citraguptastu taṁ dṛṣṭvā nirbhartsyāvedayattadā

— and, beating him with whips, led him in fury to Saṁyamanī, the city of Yama. Then Chitragupta, seeing him, rebuked him and reported —

Verse 17 (padma.6.113.17)

यमायतेन बाल्यात्तु कर्म यद्दुष्कृतं कृतम् । चित्रगुप्त उवाच। नैवास्य दृश्यते किंचिदाबाल्यात्सुकृतं क्वचित्

yamāyatena bālyāttu karma yadduṣkṛtaṁ kṛtam citragupta uvāca naivāsya dṛśyate kiṁcidābālyātsukṛtaṁ kvacit

— to Yama, this man's evil deeds committed since childhood. Chitragupta said: Not the smallest good deed of his can be found anywhere, from his very childhood;

Verse 18 (padma.6.113.18)

दुष्कृतं शक्यते वक्तुं शतवर्षैर्न भास्करे । पापमूर्तिरयं दुष्टः केवलं दृश्यते विभो

duṣkṛtaṁ śakyate vaktuṁ śatavarṣairna bhāskare pāpamūrtirayaṁ duṣṭaḥ kevalaṁ dṛśyate vibho

Even the Sun could not recount his misdeeds in a hundred years; O Lord, this wicked man appears to be nothing but sin itself, embodied.

Verse 19 (padma.6.113.19)

तस्मादाकल्पमर्यादं निरये परिपाच्यताम् । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच। निशम्येत्थं वचः क्रोधाद्यमः प्राह स्वकिंकरान्

tasmādākalpamaryādaṁ niraye paripācyatām śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca niśamyetthaṁ vacaḥ krodhādyamaḥ prāha svakiṁkarān

Therefore let him be cooked in hell for the full span of a kalpa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Hearing these words, Yama, in anger, spoke thus to his own servants —

Verse 20 (padma.6.113.20)

दर्शयन्नात्मनोरूपं कालाग्निसदृशप्रभम् । यम उवाच। भो प्रेतापनयस्वैनं बध्यमानं स्वमुद्गरैः

darśayannātmanorūpaṁ kālāgnisadṛśaprabham yama uvāca bho pretāpanayasvainaṁ badhyamānaṁ svamudgaraiḥ

— displaying his own form, blazing like the fire of universal dissolution. Yama said: O Pretapa, take this man away bound, beaten with your maces,

Verse 21 (padma.6.113.21)

कुंभीपाके क्षिपस्वाशु तैलक्वथनशब्दिते । यावत्क्षिप्तस्तु तत्रासौ तावच्छीतलतां ययौ

kuṁbhīpāke kṣipasvāśu tailakvathanaśabdite yāvatkṣiptastu tatrāsau tāvacchītalatāṁ yayau

— and cast him swiftly into Kumbhipaka, that hell resounding with boiling oil. But the very moment he was thrown in, it turned cold.

Verse 22 (padma.6.113.22)

कुंभीपाको यथा वह्निः प्रह्लादक्षेपणात्पुरा । तद्दृष्ट्वा महदादश्चर्यं प्रेतपो विस्मयान्वितः

kuṁbhīpāko yathā vahniḥ prahlādakṣepaṇātpurā taddṛṣṭvā mahadādaścaryaṁ pretapo vismayānvitaḥ

— just as that fire once turned cold when Prahlada was cast into it, long ago. Seeing this great wonder, Pretapa was struck with astonishment.

Verse 23 (padma.6.113.23)

वेगादागत्य तत्सर्वं यमायाकथयत्तदा । यमस्तु कौतुकं श्रुत्वा प्रेतपेन निवेदितम्

vegādāgatya tatsarvaṁ yamāyākathayattadā yamastu kautukaṁ śrutvā pretapena niveditam

Coming there swiftly, he told the whole matter to Yama. Yama, hearing this astonishing report given by Pretapa,

Verse 24 (padma.6.113.24)

आः किमेतदिति प्रोच्य सम्यगेतद्विचारयत् । तावदभ्यागतस्तत्र नारदः प्रहसंस्त्वरन्

āḥ kimetaditi procya samyagetadvicārayat tāvadabhyāgatastatra nāradaḥ prahasaṁstvaran

— exclaiming "Ah, what is this?", he began to reflect carefully upon it. Just then Narada arrived there, smiling and in haste.

Verse 25 (padma.6.113.25)

यमेन पूजितः सम्यक्तं दृष्ट्वा वाक्यमब्रवीत् । नारद उवाच। नैवायं निरयान्भोक्तुं क्षमः सवितृनंदन

yamena pūjitaḥ samyaktaṁ dṛṣṭvā vākyamabravīt nārada uvāca naivāyaṁ nirayānbhoktuṁ kṣamaḥ savitṛnaṁdana

Duly honored by Yama, Narada, seeing him, spoke these words. Narada said: O Son of the Sun, this man is not fit to undergo the hells;

Verse 26 (padma.6.113.26)

यस्मादेतस्य संजातं कर्म यन्निरयापहम् । यः पुण्यकर्मणां कुर्याद्दर्शनस्पर्शभाषणम्

yasmādetasya saṁjātaṁ karma yannirayāpaham yaḥ puṇyakarmaṇāṁ kuryāddarśanasparśabhāṣaṇam

for a deed has arisen in him that wards off hell. Whoever merely sees, touches, or converses with those who perform meritorious deeds —

Verse 27 (padma.6.113.27)

तत्षडंशमवाप्नोति पुण्यस्य नियतं नरः । असंख्यातैस्तुसंसर्गैः कृतवानेष यद्धरेः

tatṣaḍaṁśamavāpnoti puṇyasya niyataṁ naraḥ asaṁkhyātaistusaṁsargaiḥ kṛtavāneṣa yaddhareḥ

— that man certainly obtains a sixth part of their merit. Since this man has had countless such contacts with the devotees of Hari,

Verse 28 (padma.6.113.28)

कार्तिकव्रतिभिर्मासं तस्मात्पुण्यांशभागयम् । परिचर्याकरस्तेषां संपूर्णव्रतपुण्यभाक्

kārtikavratibhirmāsaṁ tasmātpuṇyāṁśabhāgayam paricaryākarasteṣāṁ saṁpūrṇavratapuṇyabhāk

— for a whole month with the observers of the Kartika vow — this man has thereby become a sharer in a portion of their merit. Through serving them, he shares in the full merit of their vow.

Verse 29 (padma.6.113.29)

अतोऽस्योर्जव्रतोद्भूतपुण्यसंख्या न विद्यते । कार्त्तिकव्रतिनां पुंसां पातकानि महांत्यपि

ato'syorjavratodbhūtapuṇyasaṁkhyā na vidyate kārttikavratināṁ puṁsāṁ pātakāni mahāṁtyapi

Hence the merit born in him from the Urja [Kartika] vow cannot even be reckoned. Even the great sins of men who keep the Kartika vow —

Verse 30 (padma.6.113.30)

नाशयत्येव सर्वाणि विष्णुः सद्भक्तवत्सलः । अंते तन्नामभिस्तोयैस्तुलसीमिश्रितैस्त्वयम्

nāśayatyeva sarvāṇi viṣṇuḥ sadbhaktavatsalaḥ aṁte tannāmabhistoyaistulasīmiśritaistvayam

— Vishnu, who is ever tender toward His true devotees, destroys them all. And at this man's end too, through water mixed with tulasi accompanied by the divine names,

Verse 31 (padma.6.113.31)

वैष्णवानुग्रही यस्मान्नरके नैव पच्यते । तस्मान्निहतपापोऽयं सद्गतिं यातुमर्हति

vaiṣṇavānugrahī yasmānnarake naiva pacyate tasmānnihatapāpo'yaṁ sadgatiṁ yātumarhati

— since he has received the grace of the Vaishnavas, he shall not be cooked in hell at all. Therefore, his sins now destroyed, this man deserves to attain a good destiny.

Verse 32 (padma.6.113.32)

आर्द्रैः शुष्कैर्यथापापैर्निरये भोगसंनिधिः । प्राप्यते सुकृतैस्तद्वत्स्वर्गभोगस्य संनिधिः

ārdraiḥ śuṣkairyathāpāpairniraye bhogasaṁnidhiḥ prāpyate sukṛtaistadvatsvargabhogasya saṁnidhiḥ

Just as, through sins whether fresh or stale, the experience of hell is obtained, so too, through good deeds, the experience of heavenly enjoyment is obtained.

Verse 33 (padma.6.113.33)

तस्मादकामपुण्यो हि यक्षयोनिस्थितस्त्वसौ । विलोक्य नरकान्सर्वान्पापभोगमवाप्नुयात्

tasmādakāmapuṇyo hi yakṣayonisthitastvasau vilokya narakānsarvānpāpabhogamavāpnuyāt

Therefore, though possessed of merit without having sought it, let him remain in the state of a Yaksha, and only after beholding all the hells, let him receive the experience due to his sin.

Verse 34 (padma.6.113.34)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा गतवति नारदेऽथ सौरिस्तद्वाक्यश्रवणविबुद्ध तत्सुकर्मा । विप्रं तं पुनरनयत्स्वकिंकरेण तान्सर्वान्निरयगणान्प्रदर्शयिष्यन्

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca ityuktvā gatavati nārade'tha sauristadvākyaśravaṇavibuddha tatsukarmā vipraṁ taṁ punaranayatsvakiṁkareṇa tānsarvānnirayagaṇānpradarśayiṣyan

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Having spoken thus, when Narada had gone, the Son of the Sun, his good judgment awakened by hearing those words, again had his servant bring that brahmin back, intending now to show him all the multitude of hells.