Padmavati Is Grief-stricken

Sukala said:

1-12. Hearing her words, Gobhila said (these) words: " Tell me the reason for which you desire to curse me. By what blemish am I defiled that you are ready to curse me? O auspicious one, I am a demon by name Gobhila, a warrior of Paulastya (i.e. Ravana). I act like a demon, I know excellent lore. I know the meaning of the Vedas and branches of knowledge, I am also skilled in arts. All this I know. (Now) listen about my demonish behaviour. I enjoy per force the wealth and the wives of others, and do so in no other way. Listen, we demons properly follow the demonish ways and do so knowingly. I am telling you the truth (and) the truth (only). Everyday we observe the loopholes of brahmanas. By (putting in) difficulties we destroy their penance; there is no doubt about this. Finding a loophole in the brahmanas we destroy them, O respectable lady. There is no doubt about this. O you of a beautiful face, listen. We destroy a sacrifice in honour of gods, (other) sacrifices and religious rites. There is no doubt about this. There is no doubt that we live by keeping far away excellent brahmanas, the god Lord Narayana, and a chaste, illustrious lady of a good mind and devoted to her husband. O respectable lady, demons cannot bear the lustre of a good brahmana, of glorious Hari (i.e. Vishnu), and of a lady loyal to her husband. The demons, the best evil spirits flee away due to the fear of a chaste lady, of Vishnu and of a good brahmana. I am roaming over the earth, according to the way of life of a demon. Why do you desire to curse me? What do you think my fault is? " Padmavati said:

13-14. You alone have destroyed my dharma (chastity) and good body, O sinner, I am a chaste, pitiable, and virtuous woman, loving my husband. I remained on my own (i.e. followed my own) course (of life). You have defiled me through deceit. Therefore, O wicked one, I shall certainly burn you too. Gobhila said:

15-16. If you agree I shall explain to you the way of the life of even a brahmana, who has kept the sacred fire. O princess, listen. Offering oblation (to fire), he should not leave the firechamber. He alone is one who has kept the sacred fire and who offers sacrifice everyday.

17-18. O you of an excellent face, I shall also tell you about another (thing) — the way of life of a servant. O respectable lady, he is called a meritorious servant, who is always pure in mind, deeds and speech, who always obeys (his master) and remains behind and in front of him.

19-20. That virtuous, learned and eminent son, who protects his father and especially his mother by his mind (i.e. willingly), by his body and his actions, has (the merit of)a bath in Bhaglrathi everyday. He who does (i.e. behaves) in an opposite manner, is undoubtedly a sinner.

21-24a. I shall also narrate to you another excellent vow (in honour) of the husband. O you beautiful lady, listen. That lady alone, who everyday renders service to her husband by good words, mind (i.e. willingly) and actions, and she, who is pleased when her husband is pleased, she, who would not abandon her angry husband, she who does not find fault with him, and she who is contented (though) beaten (by him), and she who always stands in the forefront in all the deeds of her husband, is called a woman devoted to her husband.

24b-28. A father, though fallen, or full of many blemishes, or affected with leprosy or who is angry, is never to be abandoned on any account by his sons. Those sons (who) indeed serve their father or mother, go to the highest heaven. That is the highest place of Vishnu. The servants who in this way wait upon their masters go to the heaven of the lord through the grace of the master. A brahmana (who) does not abandon (keeping) fire, goes to Brahma's heaven. A brahmana, who abandons (keeping) fire is called the husband of a shudra woman. There is no doubt that a servant, by deserting his master, would be plotting against his master.

29. A brahmana should never give up (keeping) fire, a son should never abandon his father, and a servant should never desert his master. I am telling the truth (and) the truth (only).

30-34. Those who go away leaving (these), go to the ocean in the form of hell. If, O respectable lady, a woman desires her welfare here (i.e. in this world), she should never desert her husband who is fallen, diseased, languid, affected with leprosy, or who is void of (i.e. unable to do) all acts, and whose accumulation of wealth has been lost. A woman who would leave her husband and go and desire to work for someone else here (i.e. in this world), is looked upon as an unchaste woman and is fully excommunicated. People call that woman an unchaste one, who, through fickleness, enjoys pleasures and decorates herself when her husband has gone to (some other) village. Thus I know the dharma (which is) also approved by the Vedas and the sacred treatises.

35-45. There is no doubt that I shall tell you the entire reason about this, viz. as to why at the beginning the creator created demons, goblins and evil spirits. Brahmanas, demons, fiends, goblins, have, O beautiful lady, studied all that is said about dharma. Demons know all (that), but do not practise it. Demons, void of knowledge, do (all acts) without the (proper) rite. Men abandoned by (i.e. not practising) rites go (i.e. act) unjustly. They (i.e. demons) are created for disciplining them (i.e. such men); and not for anything else. We discipline those mean men, who perform (various) acts without proper rites by severely punishing them. You have done a terrible and very cruel act. Why, abandoning your state of a housewife, did you come here? And with your own mouth (i.e. you yourself) are saying that you are a lady loyal to your husband! But that your loyalty to your husband is not seen through your action. Leaving the husband, why have you come here? Decorating yourself, putting on ornaments and (attractive) dress, and (thus) being shameless, you are staying here. O sinful one, tell me why, for what purpose, you have done (this). Being fearless and wanton, you are living in the mountain-forest. Listen, I have subdued you, a sinner, with a great (i.e. severe) punishment. Behaving impiously, you, a wicked woman, have abandoned your husband, and come (here). Where is your loyalty to your husband? Show that before (i.e. to) me. You are indeed an unchaste woman, who have deserted your husband. When a woman occupies a separate bed (i.e. does not occupy the same bed as her husband does), she is looked upon as unchaste.

46. Your husband is at a distance of a hundred yojanas. Where is your loyalty to your husband? You are behaving like an unchaste woman.

47-48a. O you shameless woman, O you cruel one, O you wicked one, facing me (i.e. to me) what (will) you say (now)? Where does your penance exist? Where is your lustre? Where is your power? Show me, today only, your power, valour and prowess. Padmdvati said:

48b-52a. O you mean demon, listen. My father brought me here from my husband's house through affection. What sin is there? I, who am devoted to my husband, have come (here) leaving my husband not through lust, or greed, or delusion or hostility (to him). You yourself, taking the guise of my husband, have deceived me. I went forth to you, taking you to be (the king of) Mathura. O you mean demon, (now) when I know you to be (a demon) using tricks, I shall reduce you to ashes just with one hum-sound. Gobhila said:

52b-56a. Blind human beings do not (i.e. cannot) see. Now listen. How do you, bereft of the eye of dharma know me now? Listen; when a desire for (visiting) your father's house arose in you after you had stopped thinking about your husband, then, your eye of wisdom in your heart had evidently perished. (Now), with your eye of wisdom lost, how do you recognise me on the earth (i.e. here)? To which wife mother, father, brother, kinsmen and relatives belong? (i.e. none of them is related to her). In all (these) places (i.e. in the places of all these), the husband alone (remains); there is no doubt about this.

56b-58a. Saying so, and laughing loudly, the mean demon Gobhila (again spoke: ) " O you unchaste woman, listen. Today I have no (cause of) fear from you. What would happen by means of your curse? You are unnecessarily trembling. Resorting to my house, enjoy pleasures as you like." Padmdvati said:

58b-59. Go (away), O you of wicked acts. What are you, being shameless, talking? I have (always) lived as a chaste woman, devoted to my husband. O you great sinner, if you talk (shamelessly) like this, I shall burn you.

60-62. Saying so, she sat on the ground in a secluded place. Gobhila said to her who was afflicted with great grief; " O you beautiful one, I have deposited my germ into your womb. From it will spring up a son who will agitate the three worlds." Speaking like this, the demon Gobhila then left.

63. When that demon of wicked acts and sinful behaviour had gone, the princess, full of great grief, wept.

 

CHAPTER FIFTYONE

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