तद्दिने नगरे तस्मिन्भ्रामितो गर्दभोपरि
On that day, in that city, he was paraded on a donkey.
तस्य रूपं समालोक्य मुमोह सुखभाविनी
Seeing his appearance, the woman who delighted in happiness fainted.
स गत्वा नृपतिं प्राह पंचलक्षधनं मम
He went and said to the king, 'The five hundred thousand in wealth is mine.'
विहस्याह नृपस्तं वै चौरोऽयं धनलुंठकः
Laughing, the king said to him, 'This is a thief, a plunderer of wealth.'
इति श्रुत्वा निराशोऽभूत्स चौरो मरणं गतः
Hearing this, the thief became hopeless and met his death.
एतस्मिन्नेव तत्पुत्री देवमायाविमोहिता
At that very moment, his daughter was deluded by the divine illusion.
तदा प्रसन्ना सा दुर्गा तावुजीव्य प्रसादतः
Then, pleased, that Durgā granted them long life by her favor.
इत्युक्त्वा स तु भूपालं पुनः प्राह विहस्य तम्
Having said this, he again spoke to the king, smiling at him.
तस्यै किं च प्रदातव्यं मया तत्स्नेहरूपिणा
What should I give to her, who is of the nature of affection for me?
अतो रोदितवान्पश्चाद्धसने कारणं शृणु ।। 3.2.13.
Therefore, I wept afterwards—listen to the reason for my laughter.
अधर्मिणे च नाकस्य फलं दातुं समर्हति
One who is unrighteous is not worthy to receive the fruit of heaven.
अतः स हसितः पूर्वं मोहितो हरिलीलया
Therefore, he laughed at first, deluded by Hari's play.
वाक्यं तेन कृतं शूल्यामतो जीवितवाच्छुचिः
Because of that, he spoke harsh words, and thus the pure one was saved alive.
राजन्पुष्पावती रम्या नगरी तत्र भूपतिः
O King, there was a delightful city named Puṣpāvatī, where a king resided.
चन्द्रप्रभा तस्य पत्नी रूपयौवन शालिनी
His wife was Candraprabhā, endowed with beauty and youth.
कदाचित्स्वालिभिः सार्द्धं विपिनं कुसुमाकरम्
Once, together with her friends, she went to a grove filled with flowers.
मोहिता चाभवद्देवी विप्रोपि पतितः क्षितौ
There, the queen was enchanted, and the Brāhmaṇa also fell to the ground.
तस्यां गतायां सदने द्वौ विप्रौ तत्र चागतौ
When she had returned home, two Brāhmaṇas arrived there.
तथागतं द्विजं दृष्ट्वा रूपयौवनशालिनम्
Seeing the Brāhmaṇa who had come, endowed with beauty and youth,
स श्रुत्वा रोदनं कृत्वा सर्वं तस्मै न्यवेदयत्
He, having heard, wept and told him everything.
गृहे जप्त्वा महामंत्रं चामुण्डाबीजसंयुतम्
In the house, he recited the great mantra, joined with the seed-syllable of Cāmuṇḍā.
एकया सुंदरी कन्या द्वादशाब्दमयी शुभा
There was a single beautiful maiden, auspicious and twelve years old.
द्वौ गतौ राजसदने नृपमाशीर्भिरर्च्य तम् 3.2.14.
The two went to the royal palace and worshipped the king with blessings.
पलायितौ सुतः पत्नी तावन्वेष्टुं समाययौ
The son and wife, having fled, came together to search for them.
यावदहं न गच्छामि स्वगेहे रक्ष धर्मतः तस्यै समर्प्य तां पश्चात्स द्विजो गेहमाययौ
Until I return to my own house, protect her righteously; after entrusting her to that woman, the twice-born went home.
सुदेवस्तु निशीथे वै रमणीं प्राह निर्भयः
Then, in the middle of the night, Sudeva spoke to the woman without fear.
साह मे हृदये नित्यं सुदेवो ब्राह्मणोत्तमः
She said, 'Sudeva, the best of Brahmins, is always in my heart.'
सुदेवश्चाह भोः सुभूर्यदि ते ब्राह्मणोत्तमम् साह ते सर्वदा दासी भवामि द्विजभामिनि
And Sudeva said, 'O Subhū, if you desire the best of Brahmins, I shall always be your servant, O twice-born lady.'
इति श्रुत्वा सुदेवस्तु मुखान्निष्कृष्य यंत्रकम्
Hearing this, Sudeva removed the device from her mouth.
चतुर्मास्यो भवद्गर्भस्तस्मिन्काले तु भो नृप
O king, at that time, after four months, she became pregnant.