Adhyaya 45

Verse 1

पंचचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः । सुकलोवाच । अथ ते लुब्धकाः सर्वे शूकरीं प्रति जग्मिरे । शूराश्च दारुणाः प्राप्ताः पाशहस्ताश्च भीषणाः

Sukalā said: Then all those hunters set out toward the sow. They arrived—bold and fierce—terrifying, with nooses in their hands.

Verse 2

चतुरश्च ततो डिंभान्कृत्वा स्थित्वा च शूकरी । कुटुंबेन समं कांतं हतं दृष्ट्वा महाहवे

Then the clever sow, having gathered her piglets and standing there, saw her beloved slain together with his family in the great battle.

Verse 3

भर्तुर्मे चिंतितं प्राप्तमृषिदेवैश्च पूजितः । गतः स्वर्गं महात्मासौ वीर्येणानेन कर्मणा

My husband obtained what he had long wished for; honored by sages and by the gods, that great-souled one went to heaven through the power of this deed.

Verse 4

अनेनापि पथा यास्ये स्वर्गं भर्त्ता स तिष्ठति । तया सुनिश्चितं कृत्वा पुत्रान्प्रतिविचिंतितम्

“By this very path as well I shall go to heaven, where my husband abides.” Having resolved thus with certainty, she then thought about her sons.

Verse 5

यदा जीवंति मे बालाश्चत्वारो वंशधारकाः । भवत्यस्य सुवीरस्य कोलस्यापि महात्मनः

So long as my four children—upholders of the lineage—remain alive, prosperity will attend this valiant Kola, noble-souled and great of heart.

Verse 6

केनोपायेन पुत्रान्वै रक्षायुक्तान्करोम्यहम् । इति चिंतापरा भूत्वा दृष्ट्वा पर्वतसंकटम्

“By what means can I keep my sons properly protected?” Thus, filled with anxious thought, she looked upon the perilous mountain pass.

Verse 7

तत्र मार्गं सुविस्तीर्णं निष्कासाय प्रयास्यते । तया सुनिश्चितं कृत्वा पुत्रान्प्रति विचिंतितम्

There she set out to make a broad, well-laid pathway for their escape. Having resolved it firmly, she then reflected again concerning her sons.

Verse 8

तानुवाच महाराज पुत्रान्प्रति सुमोहितान् । यावत्तिष्ठाम्यहं पुत्रास्तावद्गच्छत शीघ्रगाः

The great king said to his sons, utterly bewildered: “So long as I remain here, my sons, go at once—quickly.”

Verse 9

तेषां मध्ये सुतो ज्येष्ठः कथं यास्यामि मातरम् । संत्यज्य जीवलोभाच्च धिङ्मे मातः सुजीवितम्

“Among them I am the eldest son—how could I go to my mother after abandoning her out of greed to preserve my own life? Fie upon me, Mother—fie upon this wretched life of mine.”

Verse 10

पितृवैरं करिष्यामि साधयिष्ये रणे रिपून् । गृहीत्वा त्वं कनीयसोभ्रातॄन्स्त्रीन्दुर्गकंदरम्

“I shall avenge my father’s enmity; in battle I will subdue the foes. You—taking my younger brothers and the women—go to the secure mountain-cave stronghold.”

Verse 11

पितरं मातरं त्यक्त्वा यो याति हि स पापधीः । नरकं च प्रयात्येव कृमिकोटिसमाकुलम्

One who abandons his father and mother and goes away is of sinful understanding; he surely goes to hell, crowded with crores of worms.

Verse 12

तमुवाच सुदुःखार्ता त्वां त्यक्त्वाहं कथं सुत । संयास्यामि महापापा त्रयो गच्छंतु मे सुताः

Overwhelmed with grief, she said to him: “My son, how can I live after abandoning you? I am a great sinner—let my three sons depart.”

Verse 13

कनीयसस्त्रयस्त्वेव गता गिरिवनांतरम् । तौ जग्मतू रणभुवं तेषामेव सुपश्यताम्

But the three younger ones went into the interior of the mountain-forest; and those two, before their very eyes, went to the battlefield.

Verse 14

तेजसा सुबलेनापि गर्जंतौ च पुनःपुनः । अथ ते लुब्धकाः शूराः संप्राप्ता वातरंहसः

Roaring again and again, endowed with radiant splendor and great strength, then those brave hunters arrived—swift as the rushing wind.

Verse 15

पथा तेनापि दुर्गेण त्रयस्ते प्रेषिता नृप । तिष्ठतः स्म पथं रुद्ध्वा द्वावेतौ जननीसुतौ

O king, even by that arduous path, three of your men were sent forth. Yet these two—sons of the same mother—stood there, barring the way.

Verse 16

लुब्धकाश्च ततः प्राप्ताः खड्गबाणधनुर्धराः । प्रजघ्नुस्तोमरैस्तीक्ष्णैश्चक्रैश्च मुशलैस्ततः

Then the greedy men arrived, bearing swords, arrows, and bows; and straightaway they struck down their foes with sharp javelins, discus-weapons (cakras), and clubs.

Verse 17

मातरं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा तनयो युध्यते स तैः । दंष्ट्रया निहताः केचित्केचित्तुंडेन घातिताः

Placing his mother behind him, the son fought against them. Some were slain by his tusk, and others were struck down by his beak.

Verse 18

संजघान खुराग्रैश्च शूराश्च पतिता रणे । युयुधे शूकरः संख्ये दृष्टो राज्ञा महात्मना

With the sharp tips of his hooves he struck down the warriors, who fell in battle. The boar fought on in the thick of combat, seen there by the great-souled king.

Verse 19

पितुः सकाशाच्छूरोयमिति ज्ञात्वा ससम्मुखः । बाणपाणिर्महातेजा मनुसूनुः प्रतापवान्

Knowing from his father’s side that “this man is a hero,” the illustrious and mighty son of Manu—radiant with great splendor—came forward to face him, arrow in hand.

Verse 20

निशितेनापि बाणेन अर्द्धचंद्रानुकारिणा । राज्ञा हतः पपातोर्व्यां विद्धोरस्को महात्मना

Struck by the noble king with a sharp half-moon–shaped arrow, his chest pierced through, he fell upon the earth.

Verse 21

ममार सहसा भूमौ पपात स हि शूकरः । पुत्रमोहं परं प्राप्ता तस्योपरि गता स्वयम्

That boar suddenly died and fell to the ground. Overcome by fierce delusion for her son, she herself went and lay upon him.

Verse 22

तया च निहताः शूरास्तुंडघातैर्महीतले । निपेतुर्लुब्धकाः शूराः कतिनष्टा मृता नृप

Struck down by her beak-blows upon the earth, those warriors were slain. The greedy fighters fell; many were destroyed and died, O king.

Verse 23

द्रावयंती महत्सैन्यं दंष्ट्रया सूकरी ततः । यथा कृत्या समुद्भूता महाभयविधायिका

Then the sow, driving the great army away with her tusk, appeared like a conjured malignant force—arisen suddenly and causing tremendous terror.

Verse 24

तमुवाच ततो राज्ञी देवराजसुतोपमम् । अनया निहतं राजन्महत्सैन्यं तवैव हि

Then the queen spoke to him—who was like the son of the king of the gods: “O king, it is indeed by her that your great army has been slain.”

Verse 25

कस्मादुपेक्षसे कांत तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद । तामुवाच महाराजो नाहं हन्मि इमां स्त्रियम्

“Why do you ignore me, beloved? Tell me the reason.” The great king replied to her, “I will not kill this woman.”

Verse 26

महादोषं प्रिये दृष्टं स्त्रीवधे दैवतैः किल । तस्मान्न घातयेन्नारीं प्रेषयेहं न कंचन

Beloved, the gods have indeed declared that killing a woman is a very great sin. Therefore, one should not kill a woman; I shall not order anyone (to do so).

Verse 27

अस्या वधनिमित्तार्थे पापाद्बिभेमि सुंदरि । एवमुक्त्वा तदा राजा विरराम महीपतिः

“O beautiful one, I fear sin in undertaking her killing as the pretext.” Having spoken thus, the king—lord of the earth—then fell silent.

Verse 28

लुब्धको झार्झरो नाम ददृशे स तु सूकरीम् । कुर्वंतीं कदनं तेषां दुःसहां सुभटैरपि

A hunter named Jhārjhara then saw a sow, who was making a slaughter of them—so fierce that even brave warriors could scarcely endure her.

Verse 29

आविव्याध सुवेगेन बाणेन निशितेन हि । संलग्नेन तु बाणेन शोणितेन परिप्लुता

He pierced (her) with a sharp arrow shot with great speed. With that arrow lodged in (her), she was drenched in blood.

Verse 30

शोभमाना त्वरां प्राप्ता वीरश्रिया समाकुला । तुंडेनापि हतः संख्ये झार्झरः स तया पुनः

Radiant and rushing forward, filled with the splendor of heroic valor, she again struck down Jhārjhara in the midst of battle—even with her beak.

Verse 31

पतमानेन तेनापि झार्झरेण तदा हता । खड्गेन निशितेनापि पपात विदलीकृता

Then she was struck by that very Jhārjhara weapon as it fell; and by a keen sword as well she fell, split asunder.

Verse 32

श्वसमाना रणेनापि मूर्च्छनाभि परिप्लुता । दुःखेन महताविष्टा जीवमाना महीतले

Still breathing, yet worn out by the struggle, overwhelmed by repeated swoons, she lay upon the earth—engulfed by immense sorrow, barely sustaining life.

Verse 45

इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे । पंचचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the forty-fifth chapter in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Purāṇa, in the episode of Vena, concerning the account of Sukalā.