प्रव्रज्या हि सुदुःखेयं सुकुमार्या विशेषतः । राजपुत्र्याः प्रकृत्या चक कुमार्यास्तव भामिनि
Renunciation is indeed very difficult, especially for a delicate woman, and by nature for a princess, O beautiful one, and for you, a maiden.
भद्रे दोषा हि विद्यन्ते बहवो वरवर्णिनि । आश्रमे वै वसन्त्यास्ते न भवेयुः पितुर्गृहे
O gentle lady, there are indeed many faults for a woman of noble appearance living in an ashram; these would not exist in her father's house.
ततस्त्वन्येऽब्रुवन्वाक्यं तापसास्तां तपस्विनीम्
Then other ascetics spoke words to that devoted woman.
त्वामिहैकाकिनीं दृष्ट्वा निर्जने गहने वने। प्रार्थयिष्यन्तिराजानस्तस्मान्मैवं मनः कृथाः
Seeing you alone in this remote, dense forest, kings will desire you; therefore, do not set your mind on this.
न शक्यं काशिनगरं पुनर्गन्तुं पितुर्गृहान्। अवज्ञाता भविष्यामि बान्धवानां न संशयः
It is not possible for me to return to the city of Kashi or to my father's house; I will be despised by my relatives, there is no doubt.
उषितास्मि तथा बाल्ये पितुर्वेश्मनि तापसाः । नाहं गमिष्ये भद्रं वस्तत्र यत्र पिता मम। तपस्तप्तुमभीप्सामि तापसैः परिरक्षिता
I have already lived in my father's house in my childhood, O ascetics; I will not go, may it be well, to where my father is. I wish to practice austerities, protected by the ascetics.
यथा परेऽपि मे लोके न स्यादेवं महात्ययः । दौर्भाग्यं तापसश्रेष्ठास्तस्मात्तप्स्याम्यहं तपः
So that such a great misfortune does not befall me even in another life, O best of ascetics, for this reason I will practice austerities.
इत्येवं तेषु विप्रेषु चिन्तयन्सु यथातथम्। राजर्षिस्तद्वनं प्राप्तस्तपस्वी होत्रवाहनः । `तां तथा भाविनीं दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा चोद्विग्रमानसः
While the Brahmins were thus thinking in various ways, the royal sage Hotravahana, devoted to austerity, arrived at that forest. Seeing her thus, and hearing her, his mind was troubled.
ततस्ते तापसाः सर्वे पूजयन्ति स्म तं नृपम् । पूजाभिः स्वागताद्याभिरासनेनोदकेन च
Then all the ascetics honored that king with offerings of welcome, a seat, and water.
तस्योपविष्टस्य सतो विश्रान्तस्योपश्रृण्वतः। पुनरेव कथां चक्रुः कन्यां प्रति वनौकसः
As he sat, rested, and listened, the forest-dwellers again spoke about the maiden.
अम्बायास्तां कथां श्रुत्वा काशिराज्ञश्च भारत। राजर्षिः स महातेजा बभूवोद्विग्रमानसः
Hearing the story of Amba and the king of Kashi, O Bharata, that royal sage of great splendor became troubled in mind.
तां तथावादिनीं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा च स महातपाः । राजर्षिः कृपयाविष्टो महात्मा होत्रवाहनः
Hearing her speak thus and seeing her, the great ascetic, the royal sage Hotravahana, was filled with compassion.
स वेपमान उत्थाय मातुस्तस्याः पिता तदा। तां कन्यामङ्कमारोप्य पर्यश्वासयत प्रभो
Then, her father rose trembling, and lifting that maiden onto his lap, he sought to comfort her, O lord.
स तामपृच्छत्कार्त्स्न्येन व्यसनोत्पत्तिमादितः । सा च तस्मै यथावृत्तं विस्तरेण न्यवेदयत्
He questioned her thoroughly about the origin of her misfortune, and she related to him in detail all that had happened.
ततः स राजर्षिरभूद्दुःखशोकसमन्वितः। कार्यं च प्रतिपेदे तन्मनसां सुमहातपाः
Thereupon, that royal sage was overcome with sorrow and grief, and that great ascetic resolved in his mind what should be done.
अब्रवीद्वेपमानश्च कन्यामार्तां सुदुःखितः । मा गाः पितुर्गृहं भद्रे मातुस्ते जनको ह्यहम्
Trembling and deeply afflicted, he spoke to the suffering maiden: 'Do not go to your father's house, dear one; for I am your mother's father.'
दुःखं छिन्द्यामहं ते वै मयि वर्तस्व पुत्रिके। पर्याप्तं ते मनो वत्से यदेवं परिशुष्यसि
'I will remove your sorrow—remain with me, my child. Enough, dear one, let your mind not be so parched with grief.'
गच्छ मद्वचनाद्रामं जामदग्न्यं तपस्विनम् । रामस्ते सुमहद्दुःखं शोकं चैवापनेष्यति
'Go, at my word, to the ascetic Rāma, son of Jamadagni. Rāma will dispel your great sorrow and grief.'
हनिष्यति रणे भीष्मं न करिष्यति चेद्वचः । तं गच्छ भार्गवश्रेष्ठं कालाग्निसमतेजसम्
'If Bhīṣma does not heed his words, he will slay him in battle. Go to that foremost of Bhārgavas, whose brilliance equals the fire of time.'
प्रतिष्ठापयिता स त्वां समे पथि महातपाः । ततस्तु सुस्वरं बाष्पसुत्सृजन्ती पुनः पुनः
'That great ascetic will establish you on the right path.' Then, her voice choked with tears, she spoke again and again—
अब्रवीत्पितरं मातुः मा तदा होत्रवाहनम् । अभिवादयित्वा शिरसा गमिष्ये तव शासनात्
She said to her mother's father, Hotravāhana: 'Having bowed my head in reverence, I shall go at your command.'
अपि नामाद्य पश्येयमार्यं तं लोकविश्रुतम् । कथं च तीव्रं दुःकं मे नाशकयिष्यति भार्गवः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं यथा यास्यमि तत्र वैः
'Perhaps today I may see that noble one, renowned in the world. How will Bhārgava remove my intense sorrow? This I wish to know, and how I shall go there.'
रामं द्रक्ष्यसि भद्रे त्वं जामदग्न्यं महावने। उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्तं सत्यसन्धं महाबलम्
'You will see Rāma, O blessed one, son of Jamadagni, in the great forest—engaged in fierce austerity, steadfast in truth, of great might.'
महेन्द्रं वै गिरिश्रेष्ठं रामो नित्यमुपास्ति ह। ऋषयो वेदविद्वांसो गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा
'Rāma constantly worships Mahendra, the best of mountains. There, seers learned in the Vedas, Gandharvas, and Apsarases also gather.'
तत्र गच्छस्व भद्रं ते ब्रूयाश्चैनं वचो मम। अभिवाद्य च तं मूंर्ध्ना तपोवृद्धं दृढव्रतम्
'Go there, may good befall you, and speak to him these words of mine. Bowing your head, address that elder in asceticism, firm in his vows.'
ब्रूयाश्चैनं पुनर्भद्रे यत्ते कार्यं मनीषितम् । मयि संकीर्तिते रामः सर्वं तत्ते करिष्यति
'Say to him again, dear one, what you desire to accomplish. If you mention my name to Rāma, he will do everything for you.'
मम रामः सखा वत्से प्रीतियुक्तः सुहृच्च मे। जमदग्निसुतो वीरः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
'Rāma is my friend, dear child, affectionate and a true companion to me—the heroic son of Jamadagni, the foremost among all bearers of arms.'
एवं ब्रुवति कन्यां तु पार्थिवे होत्रवाहने । अकृतव्रणः प्रादुरासीद्रामस्यानुचरः प्रियः
As Hotravāhana, the king, spoke thus to the maiden, Akṛtavraṇa, Rāma's dear companion, appeared.
ततस्ते मनुयः सर्वे समुत्तस्थुः महस्रशः । स च राजा वयोवृद्धः सृञ्ययो होत्रवाहनः
Then all those men rose up together in great numbers, and the aged king Hotravāhana of the Sṛñjayas also stood up.
ततो दृष्ट्वा कृतातिथ्यमन्योन्यं ते वनौकसः । सहिता भरतश्रेष्ठ निषेदुः परिवार्य तम्
Then, having shown each other due hospitality, those dwellers of the forest, together with the best of the Bharatas, sat down surrounding him.