Padmdvati Returns to Her Husband's Place

The wife of the brahmana said:

1-2. When that wicked-hearted Gobhila of a bad conduct had left, Padmavatl, being full of great grief, wept. O best brahmana, hearing her weeping, all her beautiful friends asked the princess.

3-4. (They said: ) " Well-being to you, why are you weeping? Tell us your story (i.e. what you did). Tell us where the great king, your (husband) the lord of Mathura, who had invited you by addressing you (as) 'O dear one' is". Weeping again, again she spoke with grief.

5-6. She told (them) everything that had taken place through error. They took her who was weeping and was extremely afflicted to her father's house. Then the damsels told (the account) in the presence of (i.e. to) her mother. Hearing that the queen (i.e. her mother) went to her husband's mansion.

7-10a. She told the account of her daughter to her husband. Hearing it, the king was extremely grieved. Giving her a vehicle, clothes etc. he sent her, along with attendants, to Mathura. She went to the mansion of her dear (husband). The father and the mother concealed the blemish of their daughter, O best brahmana; but the righteous-minded Ugrasena, seeing Padmavatl who had arrived, was glad, and again quickly said these words to her:

10b-ll. " O you beautiful lady, I cannot live without you. You are very lustrous; O dear one, you are always dear to me due to your virtues, character, devotion, truth and qualities like devotion to your husband."

12. Ugrasena, the lord of men, the best king, speaking (like this) to dear wife Padmavatl, enjoyed in her company.

13-16. The fierce foetus, causing fear to all the worlds, grew. Padmavatl knew the cause of that foetus. Night and day she thought about it growing in her womb: 'Whatis the use of this one, destroyer of the worlds, being born? Now I have nothing to do with this wicked son.' Everywhere she enquired about a herb that would cause abortion. The lady, secured (i.e. tried to

1096 Padma Purana secure) a great (i.e. effective) herb for abortion. Everyday she adopted many remedies for abortion.

17-21. The foetus, fearful to all the worlds, grew. Then the foetus said to his mother, Padmavati: " O mother, why do you trouble yourself by (using) the herbs everyday? (The span of) life increases due to religious merit, and life becomes short due to sin. (Beings) live or die according to the ripening of their deeds. Painful foetuses depart, while others, that are immature (i.e. not properly developed) die as soon as they are born on the earth. Some others are endowed with youth. All children, old men, young men, being under the sway of vital power, die and (i.e. or) live according to the ripening of their deeds. There is no doubt that medicinal herbs, formulae and deities are only a means.

22-24. You do not know me — what kind of (foetus) I am. Formerly you have seen and heard about the very powerful (demon) Kalanemi, who is a very mighty (demon) among the demons, causing fear to the three worlds. In the great war between gods and demons I was formerly killed by Vishnu. To finish enmity with (i.e. to take revenge on him, I have come to your womb. O mother, do not act rashly and do not exert yourself everyday."

25-3la. O best brahmana, speaking thus to his mother, he ceased (speaking). His mother then gave up her exertion, (but) became very much afflicted. When ten years had passed, he grew. Then he became very lustrous, and that Kamsa became very powerful, who harrassed the people, the residents of the three worlds; and who, killed by Vasudeva, went to (i.e. obtained) salvation. There is no doubt about it. Thus O dear one, I have heard like this. Whatever will happen, will happen. I have told you what has been determined in all the Puranas. The daughter, who lives in her father's house, perishes. O dear one, a daughter should not have longing for staying in her father's house. Abandoning this wicked one, a great sinner, be composed. Great sin and terrible grief would be obtained (by us if we keep her here). O dear one, enjoy with me, that leads to felicity in the world. The female hog said:

31 b-4J a. That best brahmana, hearing these words containing good advice, decided to forsake (his daughter). He then called me. He gave me everything like garments and decorations (and said to me). " O good one, listen. Due to your bad conduct, that best, intelligent brahmana went (away). O you wicked one, O you of a bad couduct in the family, go there where your husband is. There is no doubt about this (i.e. this cannot be otherwise); (or go to) the place which you like. Do as you are advised." O you glorious one, after my father had said like this, I, a shameless woman, abandoned by my father, mother and (other) members of the family, quickly went away, O you beautiful lady. 0 you good lady, I did (i.e. could) not secure a comfortable abode. People reproached me saying, '(Oh) this unchaste lady has arrived.' Void of the pride of my family, and wandering (here and there), I went from (my father's) country, to a holy Shiva-temple in Saurastra in the Gurjara-country. It was a city full of prosperity and known as Vanasthala. Listen, O queen, at that time I was very much oppressed by hunger. Taking a potsherd in my hand I started begging. Being extremely afflicted I entered the gates of householders. People saw my form and reproached it. They did not give me alms, (saying) 'this wicked one has come (here)'. I thus obtained proper food with difficulty, and was entirely oppressed with poverty.

41b-43. While wandering, I saw an excellent house, surrounded by a high rampart, with a chamber for (the recitation) of the Vedas, which was crowded with many brahmanas; it was full of wealth and grains, and was adorned with male and female servants. I entered that beautiful house, affluent with glory.

44. That house which was auspicious all round was the house of that Shivasarman only. Sudeva, afflicted with grief, said: " (Please) give (me) alms."

45-47. The best brahmana, Shivasarman, heard the words: " Give (me) alms". That righteous-minded, very intelligent Shivasarman, smiled and said to his beautiful wife Mangala by name, who was of the nature of Lakshmi: " O dear one, this enfeebled one has come to (our) door for alms. O auspicious and dear one, being full of great pity, call her and give her food. She has come to me after having recognised me."

48-50. Mangala said to her dear husband: " I shall give her food dear to (i.e. liked by) her." Speaking like this to her husband Mangala, endowed with auspiciousness, again fed me, the weak one, with sweet food. That righteous-minded, great sage Shivasarman said to me: " Who are you that have come here? To whom do you belong? On what mission do you roam everywhere over the earth. Tell me."

51-53. Having thus heard the words of my glorious husband, I, the sinner, recognised him by his voice. When I saw my husband, I hung down my face through shame. Mangala, beautiful in all limbs, said to (our) husband: " Tell me who she is, (since) on seeing you she is ashamed. Please favour me and tell me who she might be."

 

CHAPTER FIFTYTWO

Sudeva Goes to Heaven

Shivasarman said:

1. O Mangala, if you are now asking, then listen to (my) words. O you of an excellent face (i.e. O you beautiful one), know that for which you have asked (me).

2-5. O you of charming eyes, this miserable one who has now come in the form of a beggar, is the daughter of the brahmana Vasudatta. O good one, this one is Sudeva, my wife, always dear to me. Leaving her (father's) country for some reason, she has come (here). O you beautiful one, she is scorched by grief due to me and separation from me. Recognising me, she has come to you in the form of a beggar. Realising this, O good one, you, desiring what is very dear to me, should show her good hospitality. There is no doubt about it (i.e. you should certainly show her good hospitality). (The female hog said: )

6-14. Mangala, who looked upon her husband as a deity, and who herself was extremely auspicious, was full of great joy on just hearing the words of her husband. O you beautiful one, she made (arrangements for) my bath, clothes and food. O you good one, I, devoted to my husband, was adorned by her, dear to her husband, with golden ornaments decked with jewels. O queen, I was graced by her with respect, bath and food. I was (also) respected by my husband. In my heart there was endless, very poignant grief, fully destroying my life. I observed her respect for me; in the same way (I noted) my affliction. I had terrible anxiety due to which my life departed (i.e. was about to depart). I, a sinner, committing bad acts never gave a good answer to this best brahmana. I did not wash his feet, nor did I shampoo his body, nor did I give the glorious one (company) in solitude. How shall I, of a wicked resolution, talk to him? Then at night I fell there into the ocean of grief. When I was thinking like this, my heart burst; then O beautiful lady, my life, leaving my body, departed.

15-27a. Then there came brave, fierce messengers of Yama who held maces, discs and swords. O you illustrious one, I was, bound by them with chains binding strongly. I, who was weeping and who was very much afflicted, was taken by them to Yama's city. Being beaten with mallets I was harassed along the difficult path. Being reproached by them I was ushered into the presence of Yama. The noble and angry Yama looked at me. I was thrown into a heap of ashes; I was thrown into a heap of hells. An iron figure of man was made; it was heated in fire, and it was hurled on my breast for having deceived my husband. I was very much tormented with various troubles; I was burnt with the fire in hell; I was thrown into an oval vessel and on mud and sand. I was cut with blades of swords and dragged by a machine used for raising water. The noble one hurled me on Kutasalmali trees. I fell into pus, blood and feces, full of insects. O princess, the same magnanimous one thus threw me into all poignant hells full of trouble. I was torn up with saw, and was very much struck with darts. O princess, I was also hurled into other hells; I was thrown into hollows like wombs, and into a painful narrow passage. That lord of Dharma (i.e. Yama) threw me into hells. Reaching (i.e. being born in) the species of goats, I experienced very terrible pain. I went to (i.e. was born in) the species of jackals and again that of a bitch; (then) I was born as a hen, a cat and a rat.

27b-32a. Thus that Yama threw me into different species, and I was troubled in all births. O princes, he himself made (i.e. created) me a female hog on the earth. O you glorious one, there are many kinds of holy places in your hand. O you of an excellent complexion, you yourself sprinkled that (holy) water on me. O queen, O beautiful lady, by your favour, my sin has vanished, O you of an excellent face, by the lustrous religious merit of you only. Knowledge is produced in me. Now emancipate me, who have fallen into the hell-like peril. When (i.e. if) O queen, you do not emancipate me, I shall again go (back) to a terrible hell. O you illustrious one, protect me who am experiencing grief. Due to sinful thoughts I suffered. I am wretched, I am without a shelter. Sudevd said:

32b-33a. O auspicious one, now tell me what good deed I have done that would give rise to religious merit, by which I would emancipate you. The female hog said:

33b-39a. This illustrious Iksvaku-king, the son of Manu, the very wise one, is Vishnu, and you are Lakshmi, not otherwise (i.e. and none else). O you auspicious one, you are devoted to your husband; you are glorious; you are a loyal wife; you are always chaste; you are full of all holy places; you are dear; O queen, you are full of everything and are always full of all gods. You alone are a great loyal wife in the world; you who have day and night rendered service to your husband, are dear to the king. O beautiful one, if you (desire to) do what I like, give me your merit earned by the service to your husband, even for a day. You are my mother, you are my father, you are my eternal preceptor. I am sinful, of wicked acts, given to falsehood and without knowledge. O glorious one, emancipate me. I am afraid of being beaten by Yama. Sukala said:

39b-40a. Having heard like this, she saw the king and said to him: " O great king, what do (i.e. should) I do? What does this beast say? "

Iksvdku (king) said:

40b-41a. O auspicious one, with your merit emancipate this one who is unhappy, helpless and gone to (i.e. born in) a sinful species. It will be very righteous.

41b-47. That very charming and auspicious lady Sudeva, when addressed like this, said " O you beautiful lady, I have given you (my) merit for a year." When the queen uttered these words, just at that moment the hog became endowed with beauty and youth, adorned with a divine garland, got a divine body covered with lustrous flames, was rich with the beauty of all ornaments, and adorned with many jewels. She had a divine form, besmeared with divine sandal. The good one got into a divine aeroplane, and went into the higher region. She saluting the queen with her neck bowed down (in respect for the queen) then said: " O you magnanimous one, well-being to you; O beautiful lady, due to your favour, I, being free from sin, am going to the holiest and auspicious heaven." O best one, listen, having thus saluted her, Sudeva went to heaven. I have (thus) told you all this as told by Sukala.

 

CHAPTER FIFTYTHREE

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