सा बभ्राम वने शून्ये पीनोन्नतपयोधरा
She wandered in the empty forest, her breasts full and high.
तां ददर्श बुधः सौम्यां रूपौदार्यगुणान्विताम्
Budha saw her, gentle and endowed with beauty, nobility, and virtues.
दधौ गर्भं तदुदरे इलाया रूपतोषितः
He placed an embryo in her womb, having been pleased with Ilā's form.
चंद्रवंशकरो राजा आद्यः सर्वमहीक्षिताम्
The king, originator of the lunar dynasty, was the first among all rulers of the earth.
सर्वपापप्रशमनी सर्वोपद्रवनाशिनी
She is the remover of all sins, the destroyer of all calamities.
आसीद्राजा विदेहानां मिथिलायां स वैरिभिः 4.54.
There was a king of Videha, in Mithilā, beset by enemies.
ऊर्मिला नाम बभ्राम महीं बालकसंयुता
A woman named Ūrmilā wandered the earth, accompanied by a child.
चकारोदरपूर्त्यर्थं नित्यं कंडनपेषणे
She constantly ground and pounded for the sake of filling her belly.
कारुण्यान्मातृवात्सल्यात्क्षुधासंपीड्यमानयोः
Out of compassion, motherly affection, and being afflicted by hunger,
पुत्रस्तस्या विदेहायां गत्वा स्वपितुरासने
Her son, in Videha, went and sat upon his father's seat.
अन्विष्य धर्मराज्ञो वै सा कन्या मिथिवंशजा
Seeking the king of righteousness, that maiden of the Mithila lineage—
श्यामला नाम चार्वंगी प्रसिद्धा श्रूयते श्रुतौ
She is known as Shyāmalā, beautiful in every limb, renowned in the scriptures.
वहस्व सर्वव्यापारं श्यामले त्वं गृहे मम
O Shyāmalā, bear all the household duties in my home.
किं त्वेते पंजराः सप्त कीलकैरतियंत्रिताः
But what are these seven cages, tightly fastened with bolts?
एवमस्त्विति साप्युक्ता निजं कर्म चकार ह उद्धाटयित्वा प्रथमं ददर्श जननीं स्वकाम्
When she was thus addressed, she performed her own task; opening the first, she saw her own mother.
सा पच्यमाना क्रंदंती भीषणैर्यमकिंकरैः 4.54.
She was being cooked, crying out, tormented by the terrifying servants of Yama.
तथैव तालकं दत्त्वा व्रीडिता सा मनस्विनी
In the same way, having given the talaka, that noble woman became ashamed.
सुधावल्लिप्यमानां तां शिलातल्पेष्टकेन तु क्रकचैः पाट्यते मूर्ध्नि घण्टायुक्तैः करोल्बणैः
She was being smeared with nectar, but on a stone slab, with a brick, her head was being sawed by dreadful hands equipped with bells.
चतुर्थे पञ्जरे स्थाने भीषणैर्दारुणाननैः
In the fourth cage, in that place, with terrifying, fierce-faced beings—
पञ्चमे निहिता भूमौ कण्ठे पादेन पीडिता
In the fifth, she was placed on the ground, pressed at the throat by a foot.
षष्ठे चेक्षुयन्त्रगतां मस्तके मुद्गराहताम्
In the sixth, she was seen within a torture device, struck on the head with a mallet.
सप्तमे पञ्जरे चीर्णस्वनां पूतिकगंधिनीम् श्यामला म्लानवदना किंचिन्नोवाच भामिनी
In the seventh, she was in a cage, making faint sounds, reeking of decay, dark, with a withered face; the lady spoke a little.
अथागतं यमं प्राह सरोषा श्यामला पतिम् येनेयं विविधैर्घातैर्वध्यते बहुधा त्वया
Then, as Yama arrived, the dark woman, angry, addressed her husband: 'By you, she is killed in many ways with various torments.'
यमः प्राह प्रियां दृष्ट्वा भद्रे ह्युद्घाटितास्त्वया
Yama, seeing his beloved, replied: 'O good lady, you have revealed it.'
तव मात्रा सुतस्नेहाद्गोधूमा ये हृताः किल
Because of your mother's affection for her son, she indeed took the wheat.
ब्रह्मस्वं प्रणयाद्भुक्तं दहत्यासप्तमं कुलम् 4.54.
Enjoying Brahmin property out of affection burns up to the seventh generation.
गोधूमास्त इमे भूताः कृमिरूपाः सुदारुणाः
These wheat grains have become terrible worms.
तथापि त्वां समासाद्य सा च जामातरं शुभम्
Nevertheless, having met you, she and her virtuous son-in-law—
तच्छ्रुत्वा चिन्तयाविष्टश्चिरं स्थित्वा जगाद ताम्
Hearing this, he stood for a long time, absorbed in thought, and then spoke to her.
इतश्च सप्तमेऽतीते जन्मनि ब्राह्मणी शुभा बुधाष्टमी सुसंपूर्णा यथोक्तफलदायिनी
In the seventh past life from here, she was a virtuous Brahmin woman; on a fully completed Wednesday eighth, she gave the prescribed fruit.