The Tale of Dharmadatta

Verse 1 (skanda.2.121.1)

॥पृथुरुवाच॥ यदूर्जव्रतिनः पुंसः फलं महदुदादृतम् ॥ तत्पुनर्ब्रूहि माहात्म्यं केन चीर्णमिदं शुभम्

pṛthuruvāca yadūrjavratinaḥ puṁsaḥ phalaṁ mahadudādṛtam || tatpunarbrūhi māhātmyaṁ kena cīrṇamidaṁ śubham

Prithu said: The great fruit of the Kartika-observant man that you have described — tell me again of this auspicious glory: by whom was it once practiced?

Verse 2 (skanda.2.121.2)

॥नारद उवाच॥ आसीत्सह्याद्रिविषये करवीरपुरे पुरा ॥ ब्राह्मणो धर्मवित्कश्चिद्धर्मदत्तेति विश्रुतः

nārada uvāca āsītsahyādriviṣaye karavīrapure purā || brāhmaṇo dharmavitkaściddharmadatteti viśrutaḥ

Narada said: Long ago, in Karavirapura in the Sahyadri region, there lived a brahmin learned in dharma, renowned by the name Dharmadatta.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.121.3)

विष्णुव्रतकरः सम्यग्विष्णुपूजारतः सदा ॥ कदाचित्कार्तिके मासि हरिजागरणाय सः

viṣṇuvratakaraḥ samyagviṣṇupūjārataḥ sadā || kadācitkārtike māsi harijāgaraṇāya saḥ

He always kept the vow of Vishnu and was ever devoted to Vishnu's worship. Once, in the month of Kartika, in order to keep the Hari-jagarana vigil, he —

Verse 4 (skanda.2.121.4)

रात्र्यां तुर्यावशेषायां जगाम हरिमन्दिरम् ॥ हरिपूजोपकरणान्प्रगृह्य व्रजता तदा

rātryāṁ turyāvaśeṣāyāṁ jagāma harimandiram || haripūjopakaraṇānpragṛhya vrajatā tadā

set out for Hari's temple in the last watch of the night, carrying the implements for Hari's worship as he went —

Verse 5 (skanda.2.121.5)

तेन दृष्टा समायाता राक्षसी भीमदर्शना ॥ तां दृष्ट्वा भयवित्रस्तः कंपितावयवस्तदा

tena dṛṣṭā samāyātā rākṣasī bhīmadarśanā || tāṁ dṛṣṭvā bhayavitrastaḥ kaṁpitāvayavastadā

He saw a rakshasi of terrible appearance approaching. Seeing her, he was seized with fear, his limbs trembling.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.121.6)

पूजोपकरणैः सर्वैः पयोभिश्चाहनद्भयात् ॥ संस्मृत्य तद्धरेर्नाम तुलसीयुक्तवारिणा ॥ तेन वै हतमात्रे तु पापं तस्या ह्यगाल्लयम्

pūjopakaraṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ payobhiścāhanadbhayāt || saṁsmṛtya taddharernāma tulasīyuktavāriṇā || tena vai hatamātre tu pāpaṁ tasyā hyagāllayam

In fear, calling to mind Hari's name, he struck at her with all his worship implements and with Tulasi-mixed water. The very instant he struck her thus, her sin was instantly destroyed.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.121.7)

अथ संस्मृत्य सा पूर्वजन्मकर्मविपाकजाम् ॥ स्वां दशामब्रवीद्विप्रं दंडवच्च प्रणम्य वै

atha saṁsmṛtya sā pūrvajanmakarmavipākajām || svāṁ daśāmabravīdvipraṁ daṇḍavacca praṇamya vai

Then, recalling her own condition, the result of deeds from a former birth, she prostrated fully before the brahmin and said —

Verse 8 (skanda.2.121.8)

॥कलहोवाच॥ पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन दशामेतां गतास्म्यहम् ॥ तत्कथं नु पुनर्विप्र प्रयास्याम्युत्तमां गतिम्

kalahovāca pūrvakarmavipākena daśāmetāṁ gatāsmyaham || tatkathaṁ nu punarvipra prayāsyāmyuttamāṁ gatim

Kalaha said: "By the ripening of past deeds, I have come to this condition. Now, O brahmin, how shall I attain a good destiny?"

Verse 9 (skanda.2.121.9)

॥नारद उवाच॥ तां दृष्ट्वा प्रणतां सम्यग्वदमानां स्वकर्म तत् ॥ अतीव विस्मितो विप्रस्तदा वचनमब्रवीत्

nārada uvāca tāṁ dṛṣṭvā praṇatāṁ samyagvadamānāṁ svakarma tat || atīva vismito viprastadā vacanamabravīt

Narada said: Seeing her thus bowed, telling of her own deed, the brahmin, greatly astonished, then spoke these words —

Verse 10 (skanda.2.121.10)

॥धर्मदत्त उवाच॥ केन कर्मविपाकेन त्वं दशामीदृशीं गता ॥ कुत्रत्या का च किं शीला तत्सर्वं कथयस्व मे

dharmadatta uvāca kena karmavipākena tvaṁ daśāmīdṛśīṁ gatā || kutratyā kā ca kiṁ śīlā tatsarvaṁ kathayasva me

Dharmadatta said: "By what deed have you come to this condition? Where are you from, who are you, and what was your character — tell me all of this."

Verse 11 (skanda.2.121.11)

॥कलहोवाच॥ सौराष्ट्रनगरे ब्रह्मन्भिक्षुर्नामाऽभवद्द्विजः ॥ तस्याहं गृहिणी पूर्वं कलहाख्याऽतिनिष्ठुरा

kalahovāca saurāṣṭranagare brahmanbhikṣurnāmā'bhavaddvijaḥ || tasyāhaṁ gṛhiṇī pūrvaṁ kalahākhyā'tiniṣṭhurā

Kalaha said: "O brahmin, in the city of Saurashtra there lived a twice-born man named Bhikshu. I was formerly his wife, an extremely harsh woman named Kalaha.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.121.12)

न कदाचिन्मया भर्तुर्वचसाऽपि शुभं कृतम् ॥ नाऽर्पितं तस्य मिष्टान्नं भर्तुर्वचनशीलया

na kadācinmayā bhartūrvacasā'pi śubhaṁ kṛtam || nā'rpitaṁ tasya miṣṭānnaṁ bhartūrvacanaśīlayā

Never did I do anything good for my husband, even in speech; through my willful nature, I never even offered him sweet food.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.121.13)

कलहप्रियया नित्यं मयोद्विग्नमना यदा ॥ परिणेतुं यदाऽन्यां स मतिं चक्रे पतिर्मम

kalahapriyayā nityaṁ mayodvignamanā yadā || pariṇetuṁ yadā'nyāṁ sa matiṁ cakre patirmama

Being fond of quarrel, my husband, always distressed by me, resolved to marry another woman —

Verse 14 (skanda.2.121.14)

ततो गरं समादाय प्राणास्त्यक्ता मया द्विज ॥ अथ बद्ध्वा बध्यमानां मां निन्युर्यमकिंकराः

tato garaṁ samādāya prāṇāstyaktā mayā dvija || atha baddhvā badhyamānāṁ māṁ ninyuryamakiṁkarāḥ

then, O brahmin, I took poison and gave up my life. Then Yama's messengers bound me and led me off, beating me as they went.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.121.15)

यमश्च मां तदा दृष्ट्वा चित्रगुप्तमपृच्छत ॥ ॥यम उवाच॥ अनया किं कृतं कर्म चित्रगुप्त विलोकय

yamaśca māṁ tadā dṛṣṭvā citraguptamapṛcchata || yama uvāca anayā kiṁ kṛtaṁ karma citragupta vilokaya

Yama, seeing me, then asked Chitragupta. Yama said: "Chitragupta, look and see what deeds this woman has done.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.121.16)

प्राप्नोत्वेषा च तत्कर्म शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् ॥ ॥कलहोवाच॥ चित्रगुप्तस्तदा वाक्यं भर्त्सयन्मामुवाच सः

prāpnotveṣā ca tatkarma śubhaṁ vā yadi vā'śubham || kalahovāca citraguptastadā vākyaṁ bhartsayanmāmuvāca saḥ

Let her receive the fruit of those deeds, whether good or bad." Kalaha said: Then Chitragupta, rebuking me, spoke these words —

Verse 17 (skanda.2.121.17)

॥चित्रगुप्त उवाच॥ अनया तु कृतं कर्म शुभं किंचिन्न विद्यते ॥ मिष्टान्नं भुंजमानेयं न भर्तरि तदर्पितम्

citragupta uvāca anayā tu kṛtaṁ karma śubhaṁ kiṁcinna vidyate || miṣṭānnaṁ bhuṁjamāneyaṁ na bhartari tadarpitam

Chitragupta said: "This woman has done no good deed whatsoever. Eating sweet food herself, she never offered it to her husband —

Verse 18 (skanda.2.121.18)

अतश्च वल्गुलीयोन्यां स्वविष्ठादाऽवतिष्ठतु ॥ भर्तुर्द्वेषात्तदाप्येषा नित्यं कलहकारिणी

ataśca valgulīyonyāṁ svaviṣṭhādā'vatiṣṭhatu || bhartūrdveṣāttadāpyeṣā nityaṁ kalahakāriṇī

therefore let her dwell in the womb of a bat, feeding on her own excrement. Because she hated her husband and was ever quarrelsome —

Verse 19 (skanda.2.121.19)

विष्ठादां सूकरीं योनिं तस्मात्तिष्ठत्वियं हरे ॥ पाकभांडे सदा भुंक्ते भुंक्ते चैका यतस्ततः

viṣṭhādāṁ sūkarīṁ yoniṁ tasmāttiṣṭhatviyaṁ hare || pākabhāṇḍe sadā bhuṁkte bhuṁkte caikā yatastataḥ

let her also dwell in the womb of a filth-eating sow, O Hari. And since she always ate alone from the cooking-pot, sharing with no one —

Verse 20 (skanda.2.121.20)

तस्मादेषा बिडाल्यस्तु स्वजाताऽपत्यभक्षिणी ॥ भर्तारमपि चोद्दिश्य ह्यात्मघातः कृतोऽनया

tasmādeṣā biḍālyastu svajātā'patyabhakṣiṇī || bhartāramapi coddiśya hyātmaghātaḥ kṛto'nayā

therefore let her also become a cat that devours its own offspring. And since she committed self-slaughter out of spite against her husband —

Verse 21 (skanda.2.121.21)

तस्मात्प्रेतशरीरेऽपि तिष्ठत्वेकाऽतिनिंदिता ॥ अतश्चैषा मरुद्देशं प्रापितव्या भटैरियम्

tasmātpretaśarīre'pi tiṣṭhatvekā'tinindita || ataścaiṣā marudveśaṁ prāpitavyā bhaṭairiyam

therefore let her also dwell alone in a most despised ghost-body. Let her be conveyed by the soldiers of Yama to the desert land,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.121.22)

तत्र प्रेतशरीरस्था चिरं तिष्ठत्वियं ततः ॥ ऊर्ध्वं योनित्रयं चैषा भुनक्त्वशुभकारिणी

tatra pretaśarīrasthā ciraṁ tiṣṭhatviyaṁ tataḥ || ūrdhvaṁ yonitrayaṁ caiṣā bhunaktvaśubhakāriṇī

and there, in that ghost-body, let her remain for a long time; after that, this doer of ill shall also endure the three births."

Verse 23 (skanda.2.121.23)

॥कलहोवाच॥ साहं पंचशताब्दानि प्रेतदेहे स्थिता किल ॥ क्षुतृड्भ्यां पीडिताऽऽविश्य शरीरं वणिजस्य च

kalahovāca sāhaṁ paṁcaśatābdāni pretadehe sthitā kila || kṣutṛḍbhyāṁ pīḍitā'āviśya śarīraṁ vaṇijaśca

Kalaha said: "Thus I remained in a ghost-body for five hundred years. Tormented by hunger and thirst, I entered the body of a merchant

Verse 24 (skanda.2.121.24)

आयाता दक्षिणं देशं कृष्णावेण्योश्च संगमम् ॥ तत्तीरं संश्रिता यावत्तावत्तस्य शरीरतः

āyātā dakṣiṇaṁ deśaṁ kṛṣṇāveṇyośca saṁgamam || tattīraṁ saṁśritā yāvattāvattasya śarīrataḥ

and came to the southern land, to the confluence of the Krishna and Veni rivers. As I clung to his body there on that bank,

Verse 25 (skanda.2.121.25)

शिवविष्णुगणैर्दूरमपकृष्टा बलादहम् ॥ ततः क्षुत्क्षामया दृष्टो मया हि त्वं द्विजोत्तम

śivaviṣṇugaṇairdūramapakṛṣṭā balādaham || tataḥ kṣutkṣāmayā dṛṣṭo mayā hi tvaṁ dvijottama

the ganas of Shiva and Vishnu forcibly dragged me far away from it. Then, wasted by hunger, I saw you, O best of brahmins —

Verse 26 (skanda.2.121.26)

त्वद्धस्ततुलसीवारिसंसर्गगतपापया ॥ तत्कृत्यं कुरु विप्रेंद्र कथं मुक्तिमियाम्यहम् ॥ योनित्रयादग्रभवादस्माच्च प्रेतदेहतः

tvaddhastatulasīvārisaṁsargagatapāpayā || tatkṛtyaṁ kuru vipreṁdra kathaṁ muktimiyāmyaham || yonitrayādagrabhavādasmācca pretadehataḥ

and, through contact with the Tulasi-mixed water from your hand, my sin was destroyed. O foremost of brahmins, do now whatever is needed so that I may attain liberation from this ghost-body and from those three births yet to come."

Verse 27 (skanda.2.121.27)

इत्थं विचिंत्य कलहावचनं द्विजाग्र्यस्तत्कर्मपाकभयविस्मयदुःखयुक्तः ॥ तद्ग्लानिदर्शनकृपाचलचित्तवृत्ति ध्यात्वा चिरं स वचनं निजगाद दुःखात्

itthaṁ vicintya kalahāvacanaṁ dvijāgryastatkarmapākabhayavismayaduḥkhayuktaḥ || tadglānidarśanakṛpācalacittavṛtti dhyātvā ciraṁ sa vacanaṁ nijagāda duḥkhāt

Reflecting thus on Kalaha's words, that foremost of brahmins was filled with fear, wonder, and sorrow at the fruit of her deeds; his heart stirred to compassion at the sight of her wretchedness, he pondered for a long while and then, sorrowfully, spoke these words.