भक्ष्यार्थं तु उभौ यातौ कपोतो नगम् अभ्यगात् सापि दैववशात् पुत्र पञ्जरस्थैव वर्तते
Both went out in search of food; the pigeon returned to the tree, but by fate, the young one remained confined in the cage.
गृहीता लुब्धकेनाथ जीवमानेव वर्तते कपोतको ऽप्य् अपत्यानि मातृहीनान्य् उदीक्ष्य च
She was captured alive by the hunter and remained so; the male pigeon, seeing his children deprived of their mother,
वर्षं च भीषणं प्राप्तम् अस्तं यातो दिवाकरः स्वकोटरं तया हीनम् आलोक्य विललाप सः
A dreadful rain arrived, the sun had set; seeing his nest bereft of her, he lamented.
तां बद्धां पञ्जरस्थां वा न बुबोध कपोतराट् अन्वारेभे कपोतो वै प्रियाया गुणकीर्तनम्
He did not realize that she was bound and caged; the pigeon began to recall the virtues of his beloved.
नाद्याप्य् आयाति कल्याणी मम हर्षविवर्धिनी मम धर्मस्य जननी मम देहस्य चेश्वरी
Even now my virtuous one, who increases my joy, who is the mother of my dharma and the mistress of my body, has not returned.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां सैव नित्यं सहायिनी तुष्टे हसन्ती रुष्टे च मम दुःखप्रमार्जनी
She alone is always my companion in dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation; smiling when pleased, removing my sorrow when angry.
सखी मन्त्रेषु सा नित्यं मम वाक्यरता सदा नाद्याप्य् आयाति कल्याणी संप्रयाते ऽपि भास्करे
She is ever my confidante in counsel, always delighted by my words; even now my virtuous one has not returned, though the sun has set.
न जानाति व्रतं मन्त्रं दैवं धर्मार्थम् एव च पतिव्रता पतिप्राणा पतिमन्त्रा पतिप्रिया
She knows not vow, mantra, destiny, or the meaning of dharma and wealth; devoted to her husband, her life is for her husband, her counsel is for her husband, and her love is for her husband.
नाद्याप्य् आयाति कल्याणी किं करोमि क्व यामि वा किं मे गृहं काननं च तया हीनं हि दृश्यते
Even now my virtuous one has not returned; what shall I do, or where shall I go? My home and the forest both appear empty without her.
तया युक्तं श्रिया युक्तं भीषणं वापि शोभनम् नाद्याप्य् आयाति मे कान्ता यया गृहम् उदीरितम्
With her, whether in prosperity or adversity, even the dreadful becomes beautiful; even now my beloved, who made the home delightful, has not returned.
विनानया न जीविष्ये त्यजे वापि प्रियां तनुम् किं कुर्वन्तु त्व् अपत्यानि लुप्तधर्मस् त्व् अहं पुनः
Without her, I do not wish to live, or I will abandon this dear body; what will the children do? I am bereft of righteousness.
एवं विलपतस् तस्य भर्तुर् वाक्यं निशम्य सा पञ्जरस्थैव सा वाक्यं भर्तारम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
As he lamented thus, hearing her husband's words, she, still in the cage, spoke these words to her husband:
अत्राहम् अस्मि बद्धैव विवशास्मि खगोत्तम आनीताहं लुब्धकेन बद्धा पाशैर् महामते
Here I am, bound, helpless, O best of birds; I was brought here by the hunter, bound with cords, O wise one.
धन्यास्म्य् अनुगृहीतास्मि पतिर् वक्ति गुणान् मम सतो वाप्य् असतो वापि कृतार्थाहं न संशयः
I am blessed, I am favored, for my husband speaks of my virtues; whether I am good or not, I am fulfilled, without doubt.
तुष्टे भर्तरि नारीणां तुष्टाः स्युः सर्वदेवताः विपर्यये तु नारीणाम् अवश्यं नाशम् आप्नुयात्
When the husband is pleased, all the gods are pleased with women; but in the opposite case, a woman surely meets with ruin.
त्वं दैवं त्वं प्रभुर् मह्यं त्वं सुहृत् त्वं परायणम् त्वं व्रतं त्वं परं ब्रह्म स्वर्गो मोक्षस् त्वम् एव च
You are my destiny, you are my lord, you are my friend, you are my refuge; you are my vow, you are the supreme Brahman, you alone are heaven and liberation.
मा चिन्तां कुरु कल्याण धर्मे बुद्धिं स्थिरां कुरु त्वत्प्रसादाच् च भुक्ता हि भोगाश् च विविधा मया अलं खेदेन मज्जेन धर्मे बुद्धिं कुरु स्थिराम्
Do not grieve, O virtuous one; keep your mind steady in dharma. By your grace, I have enjoyed many pleasures. Enough of sorrow; immerse your mind firmly in dharma.
इति श्रुत्वा प्रियावाक्यम् उत्ततार नगोत्तमात् यत्र सा पञ्जरस्था तु कपोती वर्तते त्वरम्
Hearing his beloved's words, he rose swiftly from the great tree to where his mate remained in the cage.
ताम् आगत्य प्रियां दृष्ट्वा मृतवच् चापि लुब्धकम् मोचयामीति ताम् आह निश्चेष्टो लुब्धको ऽधुना
She came and, seeing her beloved as if dead, said to the motionless hunter, 'Release him!'
मा मुञ्चस्व महाभाग ज्ञात्वा संबन्धम् अस्थिरम् लुब्धानां खेचरा ह्य् अन्नं जीवो जीवस्य चाशनम्
Do not release him, O noble one, knowing the unstable nature of relationships; hunters are food for those who move in the sky, and life is the food of life.
नापराधं स्मराम्य् अस्य धर्मबुद्धिं स्थिरां कुरु गुरुर् अग्निर् द्विजातीनां वर्णानां ब्राह्मणो गुरुः
I do not recall any fault of his; keep your mind firm in righteousness. The teacher is fire for the twice-born; among the classes, the Brahmin is the teacher.
पतिर् एव गुरुः स्त्रीणां सर्वस्याभ्यागतो गुरुः अभ्यागतम् अनुप्राप्तं वचनैस् तोषयन्ति ये
The husband alone is the teacher for women; the guest is the teacher for all. Those who please a guest who has arrived with words are praised.
तेषां वागीश्वरी देवी तृप्ता भवति निश्चितम् तस्यान्नस्य प्रदानेन शक्रस् तृप्तिम् अवाप्नुयात्
For them, the goddess of speech is surely satisfied. By giving food to such a one, even Indra attains satisfaction.
पितरः पादशौचेन अन्नाद्येन प्रजापतिः तस्योपचाराद् वै लक्ष्मीर् विष्णुना प्रीतिम् आप्नुयात्
The ancestors are satisfied by washing the feet, Prajapati by food and drink; by such service, Lakshmi is pleased by Vishnu.
शयने सर्वदेवास् तु तस्मात् पूज्यतमो ऽतिथिः अभ्यागतम् अनुश्रान्तं सूर्योढं गृहम् आगतम् तं विद्याद् देवरूपेण सर्वक्रतुफलो ह्य् असौ
All the gods are present on the bed; therefore, the guest is most worthy of honor. A guest who arrives, weary, at sunset, entering the house, should be known as a form of the gods, for he is the fruit of all sacrifices.
अभ्यागतं श्रान्तम् अनुव्रजन्ति देवाश् च सर्वे पितरो ऽग्नयश् च तस्मिन् हि तृप्ते मुदम् आप्नुवन्ति गते निराशे ऽपि च ते निराशाः
All the gods, ancestors, and fires follow a guest who arrives weary; when he is satisfied, they rejoice, and when he departs unsatisfied, they too are unsatisfied.
तस्मात् सर्वात्मना कान्त दुःखं त्यक्त्वा शमं व्रज कृत्वा तिष्ठ शुभां बुद्धिं धर्मकृत्यं समाचर
Therefore, O beloved, with all your being, abandon sorrow and attain tranquility; keep your mind pure and perform righteous acts.
उपकारो ऽपकारश् च प्रवराव् इति संमतौ उपकारिषु सर्वो ऽपि करोत्य् उपकृतिं पुनः
Helping and harming are both considered excellent; everyone does good in return to those who help them.
अपकारिषु यः साधुः पुण्यभाक् स उदाहृतः
But he who does good to those who harm him is called virtuous and attains merit.
आवयोर् अनुरूपं च त्वयोक्तं साधु मन्यसे किंतु वक्तव्यम् अप्य् अस्ति तच् छृणुष्व वरानने
You have spoken fittingly for both of us, and I consider it good; yet there is something more to be said—listen, O beautiful-faced one.