मोहितः कामबाणेन मूर्च्छितः पतितो भुवि
Struck by the arrow of desire, bewildered, he fainted and fell to the ground.
शिबिकां चैव संस्थाप्य सभायां च समैरयत्
He arranged for a palanquin and had it brought into the assembly.
कस्येयं सुन्दरी भार्या कुतो जाता महोत्तमा
Whose beautiful wife is this? From where has this most excellent woman come?
ममेयं सुन्दरी नारी रत्नदत्तस्य सा सुता
This beautiful woman is mine; she is the daughter of Ratnadatta.
मम दासस्य या पत्नी त्वद्योग्या भूपते सदा
The wife of my servant is always suitable for you, O king.
इत्युक्तः क्रोधताम्राक्षो भूपतिस्तमुवाच ह
Thus addressed, the king, his eyes red with anger, spoke to him.
गृह्णामि यदि तां देवीं नरके यमकिंकराः
If I take that lady, the servants of Yama will drag me to hell.
इत्युक्त्वा भूपतिस्तूर्णं विरहाग्निप्रपीडितः
Having said this, the king, tormented by the fire of separation, acted quickly.
इत्युक्त्वा स तु वैतालो नृपं प्राह शृणुष्व भोः
Having said this, the Vetala then spoke to the king: 'Listen, O king.'
सेनापतिस्तु तत्रैव भस्मसादभवत्क्षणात्
Right there, the commander of the army was reduced to ashes in an instant.
स्वर्गं गतास्तु ते सर्वे कस्य पुण्याधिकं मतम्
All of them went to heaven; whose merit is considered greater?
मरणं किंकरस्यैव योग्यं भूपतिहेतवे
Is the death of the servant alone proper for the sake of the king?
दत्ता यत्किंकरेणैव सुंदरी नृपहेतवे
A beautiful woman was given by a servant for the sake of the king.
जित्वा कामं तथा पाल्यं धर्मं तस्मान्नृपेऽधिकम्
Having conquered desire, one should protect dharma, for it is superior to the king.
शृणु भूप महाभाग कथां तव मनोरमाम्
Hear, O greatly fortunate king, the delightful story meant for you.
उज्जयिन्यां महाभाग महासेनो नृपोऽभवेत्
In Ujjayinī, O greatly fortunate one, there was a king named Mahāsena.
गुणाकरस्तस्य सुतो मद्यमांसपरायणः
His son was Guṇākara, devoted to wine and meat.
बांधवैः स परित्यक्तो बभ्राम वसुधातले
Abandoned by his relatives, he wandered upon the earth.
कपर्दी नाम तं योगी कपालान्नैरपूजयत्
A yogi named Kapardī worshipped him with skull-offerings.
तदातिथ्यं तदर्थं स यक्षिणीं समुपाह्वयत्
For the sake of that hospitality, he summoned a yakṣiṇī.
प्रातः काले तु संप्राप्ते कैलासं यक्षिणी गता
When morning came, the yakṣiṇī went to Kailāsa.
कपर्दी प्रददौ तस्मै विद्यां यक्षिणिकर्षिणीम्
Kapardī gave him the knowledge that attracts yakṣiṇīs.
स जजाप शुभं मन्त्रं न प्राप्ता कामचारिणी
He recited the auspicious mantra, but the wish-fulfilling yakṣiṇī did not appear.
प्राप्तवान्पितरौ नत्वा स्वगेहे निवसन्निशि ।। 3.2.17.
Having bowed to his parents, he returned and stayed in his own house at night.
प्रतिबोधिवनं प्राप्तस्तच्छिष्यत्वमुपाययौ
He reached Pratibodhivana and became a disciple there.
न प्राप्ता योगिनी देवी तदा चिन्तातुरो ऽभवत्
The yoginī goddess did not appear then, and he became troubled by anxiety.
पुनराह कथं देवी न प्राप्ता यक्षिणी प्रिया
Again he asked, 'O goddess, why did the beloved yakṣiṇī not appear?'
त्रिविधं कर्म भो विप्र सिद्ध्यर्थे साधकाय वै
O brāhmaṇa, there are three kinds of actions for the accomplishment of success.
सुन्दरांगकृतं ज्ञेयं पुनर्वाक्कायसंभवम्
One should know the action performed by a beautiful body, and again, that which arises from speech and body.
परत्र च भुवर्लोके पिण्डदेहकृतं स्मृतम्
And in the other world, in the realm of the ancestors, action performed with the gross body is remembered.