जित्वा यक्षान् बहुविधान् उवास दश शर्वरीः यक्षेश्वरो मृगो भूत्वा भार्ययापि वने वसन्
Having conquered the Yakshas of many kinds, he remained for ten nights; the lord of the Yakshas, taking the form of a deer, lived in the forest with his wife.
हृतगेहो वनं प्राप्तो हृतभृत्यः स यक्षिणीम् प्राह चिन्तापरो भूत्वा मृगीरूपधरां प्रियाम्
Having lost his home and servants, he entered the forest; worried, he spoke to his beloved Yakshini, who had assumed the form of a doe.
राजा ऽयं दुर्मनाः कान्ते व्यसनासक्तमानसः कथम् आयाति विपदं तत्रोपायो विचिन्त्यताम्
This king, O beloved, is troubled, his mind attached to misfortune; how does he encounter calamity? Let a remedy for this be considered.
पापर्द्धिव्यसनान्तानि राज्यान्य् अखिलभूभुजाम् प्रापयोमावनं सुभ्रूर् मृगी भूत्वा मनोहरा
All the kingdoms of the earth's rulers end in evil and misfortune; O fair-browed one, let us go to the forest, you become a charming doe.
प्रविशेत् तत्र राजायं स्त्री भविष्यत्य् असंशयम् करणीयं त्वया भद्रे न चैतद् युज्यते मम अहं तु पुरुषो येन त्वं पुनः स्त्री च यक्षिणी
There, the king will surely enter, and a woman will arise; you must do this, O gentle one, for it does not suit me. I am a man, and you are again a woman, a Yakshini.
कथं त्वया न गन्तव्यम् उमावनम् अनुत्तमम् गते ऽपि त्वयि को दोषस् तन् मे कथय तत्त्वतः
Why should you not go to the excellent forest of Uma? Even if you go, what fault is there? Tell me the truth of this.
हिमवत्पर्वतश्रेष्ठ उमया सहितः शिवः देवैर् गणैर् अनुवृतो विचचार यथासुखम् पार्वती शंकरं प्राह कदाचिद् रहसि स्थितम्
On the great mountain Himavat, Shiva, accompanied by Uma, wandered at ease, followed by gods and attendants. Once, Parvati spoke to Shankara in private.
स्त्रीणाम् एष स्वभावो ऽस्ति रतं गोपायितं भवेत् तस्मान् मे नियतं देशम् आज्ञया रक्षितं तव
This is the nature of women: pleasure must be guarded. Therefore, by your command, let my place be protected.
देहि मे त्रिदशेशान उमावनम् इति श्रुतम् विना त्वया गणेशेन कार्त्तिकेयेन नन्दिना
Give me, O lord of the gods, the forest of Uma, as I have heard; without you, Ganesha, Karttikeya, or Nandi.
यस् त्व् अत्र प्रविशेन् नाथ स्त्रीत्वं तस्य भवेद् इति
Whoever enters here, O lord, shall become a woman.
इत्य् आज्ञोमावने दत्ता प्रसन्नेनेन्दुमौलिना किं करोमि पुमान् कान्ते त्वया प्रणयनार्दितः तस्मान् मया न गन्तव्यम् उमाया वनम् उत्तमम्
Thus the command was given for the forest of Uma by the gracious moon-crested one. What shall I do, O beloved, as a man, afflicted by your love? Therefore, I must not go to Uma's excellent forest.
तद् भर्तृवचनं श्रुत्वा यक्षिणी कामरूपिणी मृगी भूत्वा विशालाक्षी इलस्य पुरतो ऽभवत्
Hearing her husband's words, the Yakshini, capable of assuming forms, became a doe with wide eyes and appeared before Ila.
यक्षस् तु संस्थितस् तत्र ददर्शेलो मृगीं तदा मृगयासक्तचित्तो वै मृगीं दृष्ट्वा विशेषतः
The Yaksha, standing there, saw Ila's doe at that time; his mind was absorbed in hunting, especially upon seeing the doe.
एक एव हयारूढो निर्ययौ तां मृगीम् अनु साकर्षत शनैस् तं तु राजानं मृगयाकुलम्
Mounted alone on a horse, he went out following that doe; she slowly drew the king, who was eager for the hunt.
शनैर् जगाम सा तत्र यद् उमावनम् उच्यते अदृश्या तु मृगी तस्मै दर्शयन्ती क्वचित् क्वचित्
She went slowly to the place called the forest of Uma; the doe was invisible to him, sometimes appearing, sometimes not.
तिष्ठन्ती चैव गच्छन्ती धावन्ती च विभीतवत् हरिणी चपलाक्षी सा तम् आकर्षद् उमावनम्
Standing, moving, and running in fear, the doe with restless eyes drew him toward the forest of Uma.
अनुप्राप्तो हयारूढस् तत् प्राप स उमावनम् उमावनं प्रविष्टं तं ज्ञात्वा सा यक्षिणी तदा
He arrived mounted on his horse and reached the Umā forest; perceiving that he had entered the Umā forest, the yakṣiṇī recognized him.
मृगीरूपं परित्यज्य यक्षिणी कामरूपिणी दिव्यरूपं समास्थाय चाशोकतरुसंनिधौ
Abandoning her deer form, the yakṣiṇī, who could assume any shape at will, took on a divine appearance and stood near the aśoka tree.
तच्छाखालम्बितकरा दिव्यगन्धानुलेपना दिव्यरूपधरा तन्वी कृतकार्या समा तदा
Clinging to a branch with her hand, anointed with divine fragrance, slender and adorned with a celestial form, she had accomplished her purpose at that time.
हसन्ती नृपतिं प्रेक्ष्य श्रान्तं हयगतं तदा मृगीम् आलोकयन्तं तं चपलाक्षम् इलं तदा
Seeing the king, weary and mounted on his horse, gazing at the deer with restless eyes, she laughed.
भर्तृवाक्यम् अशेषेण स्मरन्ती प्राह भूमिपम्
Remembering her husband's words completely, she then spoke to the king.
हयारूढाबला तन्वि क्व एकैव तु गच्छसि पुरुषस्य च वेषेण इले कम् अनुयास्यसि
Delicate one, mounted on a horse, where are you going alone? And, dressed as a man, whom are you following, O Ila?
इलेति वचनं श्रुत्वा राजासौ क्रोधमूर्छितः यक्षिणीं भर्त्सयित्वासौ ताम् अपृच्छन् मृगीं पुनः
Hearing these words addressed to Ila, the king, overcome with anger, rebuked the yakṣiṇī and again questioned the deer.
तथापि यक्षिणी प्राह इले किम् अनुवीक्षसे इलेति वचनं श्रुत्वा धृतचापो हयस्थितः
Still, the yakṣiṇī said, 'O Ila, why do you keep looking at me?' Hearing these words, he, holding his bow, remained on horseback.
कुपितो दर्शयाम् आस त्रैलोक्यविजयी धनुः पुनः सा प्राह नृपतिं महात्मानम् इले स्वयम्
Angry, the conqueror of the three worlds displayed his bow; again, she spoke to the great-souled king Ila herself.
प्रेक्षस्व पश्चान् मां ब्रूहि असत्यां सत्यवादिनीम् तदा चालोकयद् राजा स्तनौ तुङ्गौ भुजान्तरे
'Look behind you, then speak to me, who am truthful and not false.' Then the king beheld her high breasts between her arms.
किम् इदं मम संजातम् इत्य् एवं चकितो ऽभवत्
'What is this that has happened to me?'—thus he became bewildered.
किम् इदं मम संजातं जानीते भवती स्फुटम् वद सर्वं यथातथ्यं त्वं का वा वद सुव्रते
'What is this that has happened to me? Do you know clearly? Tell me everything as it truly is. Who are you? Speak, O virtuous one.'
हिमवत्कन्दरश्रेष्ठे समन्युर् वसते पतिः यक्षाणाम् अधिपः श्रीमांस् तद्भार्याहं तु यक्षिणी
In the best cave of Himavat dwells my husband, the illustrious lord of the yakṣas; I am his wife, a yakṣiṇī.
यत्कन्दरे भवान् राजा तूपविष्टः सुशीतले यस्य यक्षा हता मोहात् त्वया हि संगरं विना
In whose cave you, O king, are seated in cool comfort, whose yakṣa was slain by you in ignorance, without battle.