Shrikundala and Vikundala were young and rich. They therefore, soon lost their heads. Instead of sticking to the righteous path, they fell upon evil ways and devoted themselves to idle pursuits. They soon squandered away all their money in leading dissolute lives. When their money was all spent, their false friends deserted them, and Shrikundala and Vikundala had to life a life of penury.

Unable to bear the pangs of hunger, the two brothers went to the forest and became hunters. They hunted game for food. While they were in the forest, Shrikundala was killed by a tiger and Vikundala died of snake-bite.

Since they died at the same time, they were brought before Yama together.

“Take Shrikundala to the most severe of hells,” Yama instructed his messengers. “And take Vikundala to heaven.”

Yama’s words greatly mystified Vikundala. To the messenger who was to take him to heaven, he queried, “How is this possible? We brothers have been born in the same family. We have performed our evil acts together. We have died accidental deaths at the same time. How is it then that my brother should go to hell and I to heaven? I see no reason why I should be so rewarded.”

“What you say is true.” Replied the messenger. “But there is something that you have forgotte. Let me refresh your memory for you. You had a brahmana friend named Svamita. He had a hermitage on the banks of the river Yamuna. You went to visit him once and bathed in the tirtha known as papapranashana. It is thanks to that punya that all your sins have been forgiven and you are going to heaven. As for your brother, he did not bathe in the tirtha. He has to rot in hell.”

“That is not replied the messenger. “Eight lives earlier, you accumulated a lot of punya. If you transfer that punya to your brother, he will be freed from hell.”

“What was that punya?” asked Vikundala. “I don’t remember.”

“Many years ago, there was a sage named Shakuni,” said the messenger. “He had nine sons. Four of these sons, Nirmoha, Dhyanakashtha, Jitakama and Gunadhika, became sages. They spent their time in meditation. Once, they happened to visit a city in search of alms. Eight lives ago, you lived in that city as a brahmana. You not only gave the sages alms. You made them welcome under your roof. That was the punya I mentioned. If you transfer this to your brother, he will ascend to heaven.”

Vikundala gladly transferred the punya to Shrikundala. Shrikundala was freed from hell and both brothers went to heaven together.

Such is the wonderful story of Vikundala.

The Padma Purana now was a section on the Puranas.