गुणैरप्सरसां दिव्यैर्मेनके त्वं विशिष्यसे। श्रेयो मे कुरु कल्याणि यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु
'Among the celestial nymphs, you, Menaka, excel in virtues; do me a favor, blessed one, listen to what I will tell you.'
असावादित्यशङ्काशो विश्वामित्रो महातपाः। तप्यमानस्तपो घोरं मम कम्पयते मनः
'That great ascetic Vishvamitra, radiant as the sun, is performing fierce penance, and he is shaking my mind.'
मेनके तव भारोऽयं विश्वामित्रः सुमध्यमे। शंसितात्मा सुदुर्धर्ष उग्रे तपसि वर्तते
'Menaka, this task is yours: Vishvamitra, O slender-waisted one, is resolute and nearly impossible to disturb, established in fierce austerity.'
स मां न च्यावयेत्स्थानात्तं वै गत्वा प्रलोभय। चर तस्य तपोविघ्नं कुरु मे प्रियमुत्तमम्
'Go and entice him so that he does not cast me down from my position; disrupt his penance and do me this great favor.'
रूपयौवनमाधुर्यचेष्टितस्मितभाषणैः। लोभयित्वा वरारोहे तपसस्तं निवर्तय
'With beauty, youth, sweetness, gestures, smiles, and speech, O lovely-hipped one, entice him and turn him away from his penance.'
महातेजाः स भगवांस्तथैव च महातपाः। कोपनश्च तथा ह्येनं जानाति भगवानपि
'He is a great and radiant sage, possessed of immense austerity and quick to anger; even the Lord knows this about him.'
तेजस्तपसश्चैव कोपस्य च महात्मनः। त्वमप्युद्विजसे यस्य नोद्विजेयमहं कथम्
'Of his energy, austerity, and wrath, even you are afraid, yet how is it that I would not be afraid?'
महाभागं वसिष्ठं यः पुत्रैरिष्टैर्व्ययोजयत्। क्षत्रजातश्च यः पूर्वमभवद्ब्राह्मणो बलात्
'He who deprived the greatly fortunate Vasishtha of his beloved sons, and who, though born a kshatriya, forcibly became a brahmin.'
शौचार्थं यो नदीं चक्रे दुर्गमां बहुभिर्जलैः। यां तां पुण्यतमां लोके कौशिकीति विदुर्जनाः
'He who, for the sake of purity, created a river difficult to cross and full of waters, which people in the world know as the most sacred Kausiki.'
बभार यत्रास्य पुरा काले दुर्गे महात्मनः। दारान्मतङ्गो धर्मात्मा राजर्षिर्व्याधतां गतः
'Where, in former times, in that difficult place, the great-souled sage's wife was once supported by Matanga, the righteous royal sage who had become a hunter.'
अतीतकाले दुर्भिक्षे अभ्येत्य पुनराक्षमम्। मुनिः पारेति नद्या वै नाम चक्रे तदा प्रभुः
'When a famine had passed, the sage came again to Akshama, and there, by the river, the lord named it Pāreti.'
मतङ्गं याजयाञ्चक्रे यत्र प्रीतमनाः स्वयम्। त्वं च सोमं भयाद्यस्य गतः पातुं सुरेश्वर
'There, with a glad heart, he caused Matanga to perform a sacrifice, and you, out of fear, went to drink Soma, O lord of the gods.'
चकारान्यं च लोकं वै क्रुद्धो नक्षत्रसंपदा। प्रतिश्रवणपूर्वाणि नक्षत्राणि चकार यः। गुरुशापहतस्यापि त्रिशङ्कोः शरणं ददौ
In his anger, he created another world, endowed with stars; he made the constellations beginning with Śravaṇa, and gave refuge to Triśaṅku, even though he was struck down by the curse of his guru.
ब्रह्मर्षिशापं राजर्षिः कथं मोक्ष्यति कौशिकः। अवमत्य तदा देवैर्यज्ञाङ्गं तद्विनाशितम्
How could Kauśika, the royal sage, free himself from the curse of a brahmarṣi, when the gods, scorning him, destroyed the sacrificial rite?
अन्यानि च महातेजा यज्ञाङ्गान्यसृजत्प्रभुः। निनाय च तदा स्वर्गं त्रिशङ्कुं स महातपाः
That mighty ascetic, the lord of great energy, created other sacrificial limbs, and at that time led Triśaṅku to heaven.
एतानि यस्य कर्माणि तस्याहं भृशमुद्विजे। यथाऽसौ न दहेत्क्रुद्धस्तथाऽऽज्ञापय मां विभो
I am greatly afraid of him whose deeds are these; instruct me, O lord, so that he does not burn me in his anger.
तेजसा निर्दहेल्लोकान्कम्पयेद्धरणीं पदा। संक्षिपेच्च महामेरुं तूर्णमावर्तयेद्दिशः
By his energy he could burn up the worlds, shake the earth with his foot, swiftly compress mighty Meru, and turn the directions around.
तादृशं तपसा युक्तं प्रदीप्तमिव पावकम्। कथमस्मद्विधा नारी जितेन्द्रियमभिस्पृशेत्
How could a woman like me approach one so endowed with ascetic power, blazing like fire, and with senses conquered?
हुताशनमुखं दीप्तं सूर्यचन्द्राक्षितारकम्। कालजिह्वं सुरश्रेष्ठ कथमस्मद्विधा स्पृशेत्
How could a woman like me touch one whose face is like blazing fire, whose eyes are the sun, moon, and stars, whose tongue is time, O best of gods?
यमश्च सोमश्च महर्षयश्च साध्या विश्वे वालस्विल्याश्च सर्वे। एतेऽपि यस्योद्विजन्ते प्रभावा- त्तस्मात्कस्मान्मादृशी नोद्विजेत
Even Yama, Soma, the great sages, the Sādhyas, the Viśvedevas, and all the Vālakhilyas are afraid of his power—so why should a woman like me not be afraid?
त्वयैवमुक्ता च कथं समीप- मृषेर्न गच्छेयमहं सुरेन्द्र। रक्षां च मे चिन्तय देवराज यथा त्वदर्थं रक्षिताऽहं चरेयम्
Having been told thus by you, O lord of gods, how could I approach the sage? Think of my protection, O king of the gods, so that, for your sake, I may act under your protection.
कामं तु मे मारुतस्तत्र वासः प्रक्रीडिताया विवृणोतु देव। भवेच्च मे मन्मथस्तत्र कार्ये सहायभूतस्तु तव प्रसादात्
Let the wind-god provide me a dwelling there for my play, as I desire, O god; and let Kāma, by your favor, be my helper in this task.
वनाच्च वायुः सुरभिः प्रवाया- त्तस्मिन्काले तमृषिं लोभयन्त्याः। तथेत्युक्त्वा विहिते चैव तस्मिं- स्ततो ययौ साऽऽश्रमं कौशिकस्य
Then the fragrant wind blew from the forest, enticing the sage at that time; having agreed, and after all was arranged, she went to Kauśika’s hermitage.
एवमुक्तस्तया शक्रः संदिदेश सदागतिम्। प्रातिष्ठत तदा काले मेनका वायुना सह
Thus addressed by her, Śakra gave the command for her constant coming; then, at the proper time, Menakā set out together with the wind.
अथापश्यद्वरारोहा तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषम्। मिश्वामित्रं तप्यमानं मेनका भीरुराश्रमे
Then Menakā, of lovely limbs and fearful at heart, saw Viśvāmitra, whose sins had been burned away by asceticism, practicing austerities in his hermitage.
अभिवाद्य ततः सा तं प्राक्रीडदृषिसन्निधौ। अपोवाह च वासोऽस्या मारुतः शशिसंनिभम्
Having saluted him, she began to play in the presence of the sage; and the wind carried away her garment, shining like the moon.
सागच्छत्त्वरिता भूमिं वासस्तदभिलिप्सती। कुत्सयन्तीव सव्रीडं मारुतं वरवर्णिनी
She, swift-footed, went to the ground, wishing to retrieve her garment, and, as if reproaching the wind with modesty, she, of lovely complexion, moved on.
पश्यतस्तस्य राजर्षेरप्यग्निसमतेजसः। विश्वामित्रस्ततस्तां तु विषमस्थामनिन्दिताम्
Even as the royal sage, whose splendor was equal to fire, looked on, Viśvāmitra saw her, faultless and in a difficult situation.
गृद्धां वाससि संभ्रान्तां मेनकां मुनिसत्तमः। अनिर्देश्यवयोरूपामपश्यद्विवृतां तदा
The best of sages saw Menakā, eager for her garment and agitated, revealed, her age and beauty beyond description.
तस्या रूपगुणान्दृष्ट्वा स तु विप्रर्षभस्तदा। चकार भावं संसर्गे तया कामवशं गतः
Seeing her qualities and beauty, that foremost of brahmins then fell under the sway of desire and wished for union with her.