एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मेनकायां प्रजज्ञिवान्। गन्धर्वराजो विप्रर्षे विश्वावसुरिति स्मृतः
At that very time, O sage, the king of the Gandharvas, known as Vishvavasu, was born from Menaka.
अप्सरा मेनका तस्य तं गर्भं भृगुनन्दन। उत्ससर्ज यथाकालं स्थूलकेशाश्रमं प्रति
Menaka, the Apsaras, at the proper time, released that child of hers, O descendant of Bhrigu, towards the hermitage of Sthulakesha.
उत्सृज्य चैव तं गर्भं नद्यास्तीरे जगाम सा। अप्सरा मेनका ब्रह्मन्निर्दया निरपत्रपा
And abandoning that embryo on the riverbank, O Brahman, the Apsaras Menaka departed, merciless and shameless.
कन्याममरगर्भाभां ज्वलन्तीमिव च श्रिया। तां ददर्श समुत्सृष्टां नदीतीरे महानृषिः
A great sage saw the girl, shining with beauty like one born of the immortals, lying abandoned on the riverbank.
स्थूलकेशः स तेजस्वी विजने बन्धुवर्जिताम्। स तां दृष्ट्वा तदा कन्यां स्थूलकेशो महाद्विजः
Sthulakesha, that radiant one, saw the girl alone in the wilderness, bereft of kin.
जग्राह च मुनिश्रेष्ठः कृपाविष्टः पुपोष च। ववृधे सा वरारोहा तस्याश्रमपदे शुभे
The best of sages, filled with compassion, took her and raised her; she of lovely form grew up in his auspicious hermitage.
जातकाद्याः क्रियाश्चास्या विधिपूर्वं यथाक्रमम्। स्थूलकेशो महाभागश्चकार सुमहानृषिः
Sthulakesha, the great and illustrious sage, performed all the birth and other rites for her, in proper order and according to rule.
प्रमदाभ्यो वरा सा तु सत्त्वरूपगुणान्विता। ततः प्रमद्वरेत्यस्या नाम चक्रे महानृषिः
Endowed with beauty, form, and virtue surpassing other women, the great sage named her Pramadvara.
तामाश्रमपदे तस्य रुरुर्दृष्ट्वा प्रमद्वराम्। बभूव किल धर्मात्मा मदनोपहतस्तदा
Seeing Pramadvara in his hermitage, Ruru, righteous of soul, was overcome by love.
पितरं सखिभिः सोऽथ श्रावयामास भार्गवम्। प्रमतिश्चाभ्ययाचत्तां स्थूलकेशं यशस्विनम्
Then Ruru informed his father, the descendant of Bhrigu, along with his friends, and Pramati approached the renowned Sthulakesha to ask for her.
ततः प्रादात्पिता कन्यां रुरवे तां प्रमद्वराम्। विवाहं स्थापयित्वाग्रे नक्षत्रे भगदैवते
Then her father gave the maiden Pramadvara to Ruru, arranging the marriage at an auspicious time under a star presided over by the gods.
ततः कतिपयाहस्य विवाहे समुपस्थिते। सखीभिः क्रीडती सार्धं सा कन्यावरवर्णिनी
After a few days, when the wedding was near, that maiden of excellent complexion was playing with her friends.
नापश्यत्संप्रसुप्तं वै भुजंगं तिर्यगायतम्। पदा चैनं समाक्रामन्मुमूर्षुः कालचोदिता
She did not see a snake lying asleep, stretched out across her path, and, prompted by fate, she stepped on it, desiring to die.
स तस्याः संप्रमत्तायाश्चोदितः कालधर्मणा। विषोपलिप्तान्दशनान्भृशमङ्गे न्यपातयत्
That snake, aroused by the law of time as she was heedless, struck her body fiercely with its poison-covered fangs.
सा दष्टा तेन सर्पेण पपात सहसा भुवि। विवर्णा विगतश्रीका भ्रष्टाभरणचेतना
Bitten by that serpent, she suddenly fell to the ground, her color gone, her beauty vanished, her ornaments and consciousness lost.
निरानन्दकरी तेषां बन्धूनां मुक्तमूर्धजा। व्यसुरप्रेक्षणीया सा प्रेक्षणीयतमाऽभवत्
She, with loosened hair, lifeless and no longer to be seen, became a source of grief for her relatives, though once most worthy of sight.
प्रसुप्तेवाभवच्चापि भुवि सर्पविषार्दिता। भूयो मनोहरतरा बभूव तनुमध्यमा
Struck by the serpent's poison, she lay on the ground as if asleep, and her slender form became even more enchanting.
ददर्श तां पिता चैव ये चैवान्ये तपस्विनः। विचेष्टमानां पतितां भूतले पद्मवर्चसम्
Her father and other ascetics saw her, fallen and writhing on the earth, radiant as a lotus.
ततः सर्वे द्विजतराः समाजग्मुः कृपान्विताः। स्वस्त्यात्रेयो महाजानुः कुशिकः शङ्खमेखलः
Then all the eminent twice-born, filled with compassion, gathered there: Svastyatreya, Mahajanu, Kushika, and Shankhamekhala.
उद्दालकः कठश्चैव श्वेतश्चैव महायशाः। भरद्वाजः कौणकृत्स्य आर्ष्टिषेणोऽथ गौतमः
Uddalaka, Katha, the illustrious Shveta, Bharadvaja, Kaunakritsa, Arstishena, and Gautama also came.
प्रमतिः सह पुत्रेण तथान्ये वनवासिनः। तां ते कन्यां व्यसुं दृष्ट्वा भुजंगस्य विषार्दिताम्
Pramati, along with his son and other forest-dwellers, saw that maiden lifeless, struck down by the serpent's poison.
रुरुदुः कृपयाऽविष्टा रुरुस्त्वार्तो बहिर्ययौ। ते च सर्वे द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तत्रैवोपाविशंस्तदा
Overcome by compassion, they wept; but Ruru, stricken with grief, went outside, while all those best of twice-born sat there at that time.
तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु। रुरुश्चुक्रोश गहनं वनं गत्वाऽतिदुःखितः
While those great-souled brahmins were seated there, Ruru, deeply distressed, went into the dense forest and cried aloud.
शोकेनाभिहतः सोऽथ विलपन्करुणं बहु। अब्रवीद्वचनं शोचन्प्रियां स्मृत्वा प्रमद्वराम्
Then, overwhelmed by sorrow, he lamented much and bitterly, speaking words of grief as he remembered his beloved Pramadvara.
शेते सा भुवि तन्वङ्गी मम शोकविवर्धिनी। `प्राणानपहरन्तीव पूर्णचन्द्रनिभानना
She lies on the ground, slender-limbed, increasing my sorrow, her face like the full moon, as if she is taking away my very life.
यदि पीनायतश्रोणी पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणा। मुमूर्षुरपि मे प्राणानादायाशु गमिष्यति
If she, with full, broad hips and eyes like lotus petals, is about to die, will she swiftly depart, taking my life with her?
पितृमातृसखीनां च लुप्तपिण्डस्य तस्य मे।' बान्धवानां च सर्वेषां किं नु दुःखमतःपरम्
For my father, mother, friends, and all my kin, what greater sorrow can there be than this loss of one so dear, bereft of offerings?
यदि दत्तं तपस्तप्तं गुरवो वा मया यदि। सम्यगाराधितास्तेन संजीवतु मम प्रिया
If I have ever given, performed austerities, or properly honored my teachers, by that merit let my beloved live again.
यथा च जन्मप्रभृति यतात्माऽहं धृतव्रतः। प्रमद्वरा तथाद्यैषा समुत्तिष्ठतु भामिनी
And as I have been self-controlled and steadfast in my vows since birth, so may this radiant Pramadvara rise up today.
[एवं लालप्यतस्तस्य भार्यार्थे दुःखितस्य च। देवदूतस्तदाऽभ्येत्य वाक्यमाह रुरुं वने।।]
[As he lamented thus, grieving for his wife, a divine messenger approached Ruru in the forest and spoke these words.]