लक्षितो ऽसि महाराज यत् ते मनसि वर्तते यच् छूरसेन कृत्यं स्याद् अनुजानीहि मां ततः
You are discerned, O great king, regarding what is in your mind; whatever task is to be done in Śūrasena, permit me for that.
वृद्धामात्यवचः श्रुत्वा भूषणाच्छादनोक्तिभिः संपूज्य प्रेषयाम् आस महत्या सेनया सह
Having heard the words of the aged minister, honoring him with ornaments and garments, he sent him forth together with a great army.
स पूर्वदेशम् आगत्य महाराजं समेत्य च संपूज्य विविधैर् वाक्यैर् उपायैर् नीतिसंभवैः
He, having arrived in the eastern region, met the great king and honored him with various words and methods derived from the science of polity.
महाराजसुतायाश् च भोगवत्या महामतिः शूरसेनस्य नृपतेः सूनोर् नागस्य धीमतः
The wise son of Śūrasena, the king, named Nāga, sought the enjoyment of the king's daughter, Bhogavatī.
विवाहायाकरोत् संधिं मिथ्यामिथ्यावचोउक्तिभिः पूजयाम् आस नृपतिं भूषणाच्छादनादिभिः
For the marriage, he made an alliance using both true and false statements, and honored the king with ornaments, garments, and other gifts.
अवाप्य पूजां नृपतिर् ददामीत्य् अवदत् तदा तत आगत्य राज्ञे ऽसौ वृद्धामात्यो महामतिः
Having received honor, the king then said, 'I shall give,' and afterwards, the wise elder minister came to the king.
शूरसेनाय तद् वृत्तं वैवाहिकम् अवेदयत् ततो बहुतिथे काले वृद्धामात्यो महामतिः
He reported the marriage event to Śūrasena, and after a long time, the wise elder minister,
पुनर् बलेन महता वस्त्रालंकारभूषितः जगाम तरसा सर्वैर् अन्यैश् च सचिवैर् वृतः
Again, adorned with splendid garments and ornaments, accompanied by all the other ministers, he went swiftly with great force.
विवाहाय महामात्यो महाराजाय बुद्धिमान् सर्वं प्रोवाच वृद्धो ऽसाव् अमात्यः सचिवैर् वृतः
For the marriage, the wise elder minister, surrounded by counselors, spoke everything to the great king.
अत्रागन्तुं न चायाति शूरसेनस्य भूपतेः पुत्रो नाग इति ख्यातो बुद्धिमान् गुणसागरः
Here, the son of Śūrasena, the renowned Nāga, wise and a sea of virtues, does not come.
क्षत्रियाणां विवाहाश् च भवेयुर् बहुधा नृप तस्माच् छस्त्रैर् अलंकारैर् विवाहः स्यान् महामते
O king, marriages among Kṣatriyas occur in many ways; therefore, O wise one, marriage should be with weapons and ornaments.
क्षत्रिया ब्राह्मणाश् चैव सत्यां वाचं वदन्ति हि तस्माच् छस्त्रैर् अलंकारैर् विवाहस् त्व् अनुमन्यताम्
Kṣatriyas and Brāhmaṇas indeed speak truthful words; therefore, let the marriage with weapons and ornaments be approved.
वृद्धामात्यवचः श्रुत्वा विजयो राजसत्तमः मेने वाक्यं तथा सत्यम् अमात्यं भूपतिं तदा
Hearing the words of the elder minister, Vijaya, the best among kings, considered the statement true and regarded the minister as the king at that time.
विवाहम् अकरोद् राजा भोगवत्याः सविस्तरम् शस्त्रेण च यथाशास्त्रं प्रेषयाम् आस तां पुनः
The king performed the marriage of Bhogavatī in detail, and, according to the scriptures, sent her again with weapons.
स्वान् अमात्यांस् तथा गाश् च हिरण्यतुरगादिकम् बहु दत्त्वाथ विजयो हर्षेण महता युतः
Vijaya, filled with great joy, gave his own ministers, cows, gold, horses, and much else.
ताम् आदायाथ सचिवा वृद्धामात्यपुरोगमाः प्रतिष्ठानम् अथाभ्येत्य शूरसेनाय तां स्नुषाम्
Then, taking her, the counselors led by the elder minister set out, and arriving, presented her as a daughter-in-law to Śūrasena.
न्यवेदयंस् तथोचुस् ते विजयस्य वचो बहु भूषणानि विचित्राणि दास्यो वस्त्रादिकं च यत्
They reported and spoke many words of Vijaya, and presented various splendid ornaments, maidservants, garments, and other items.
निवेद्य शूरसेनाय कृतकृत्या बभूविरे विजयस्य तु ये ऽमात्या भोगवत्या सहागताः
Having reported to Śūrasena, those ministers of Vijaya who had come with Bhogavatī became satisfied with their task accomplished.
तान् पूजयित्वा राजासौ बहुमानपुरःसरम् विजयाय यथा प्रीतिस् तथा कृत्वा व्यसर्जयत्
That king honored them with great respect, and, showing affection for Vijaya, dismissed them after proper hospitality.
विजयस्य सुता बाला रूपयौवनशालिनी श्वश्रूश्वशुरयोर् नित्यं शुश्रूषन्ती सुमध्यमा
The young daughter of Vijaya, endowed with beauty and youth, always served her mother-in-law and father-in-law, possessing a graceful form.
भोगवत्याश् च यो भर्ता महासर्पो ऽतिभीषणः एकान्तदेशे विजने गृहे रत्नसुशोभिते
The lord of Bhogavati, a great and exceedingly fearsome serpent, dwells alone in a secluded place, in a house splendid with jewels.
सुगन्धकुसुमाकीर्णे तत्रास्ते सुखशीतले स सर्पो मातरं प्राह पितरं च पुनः पुनः
There, in that cool and pleasant abode strewn with fragrant flowers, that serpent repeatedly spoke to his mother and father.
मम भार्या राजपुत्री किं मां नैवोपसर्पति तत् पुत्रवचनं श्रुत्वा सर्पमातेदम् अब्रवीत्
"My wife is a princess—why does she not approach me?" Hearing her son's words, the serpent's mother spoke thus.
धात्रिके गच्छ सुभगे शीघ्रं भोगवतीं वद तव भर्ता सर्प इति ततः सा किं वदिष्यति
"Nurse, go quickly, O fortunate one, to Bhogavati and tell her: 'Your husband is a serpent.' Then let us see what she will say."
धात्रिका च तथेत्य् उक्त्वा गत्वा भोगवतीं तदा रहोगता उवाचेदं विनीतवद् अपूर्ववत्
The nurse, having said "So be it," went at that time to Bhogavati, and, finding her alone, addressed her respectfully as if for the first time.
जाने ऽहं सुभगे भद्रे भर्तारं तव दैवतम् न चाख्येयं त्वया क्वापि सर्पो न पुरुषो ध्रुवम्
"I know, O fortunate and noble lady, that your husband is a divine being. But you must never reveal this anywhere: your husband is certainly a serpent, not a man."
तस्यास् तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा भोगवत्य् अब्रवीद् इदम्
Hearing those words from her, Bhogavati spoke as follows.
मानुषीणां मनुष्यो हि भर्ता सामान्यतो भवेत् किं पुनर् देवजातिस् तु भर्ता पुण्येन लभ्यते
"Among humans, a husband is generally a man; but a husband of divine birth is attained only through great merit."
भोगवत्यास् तु तद् वाक्यं सा च सर्वं न्यवेदयत् सर्पाय सर्पमात्रे च राज्ञे चैव यथाक्रमम्
Bhogavati then conveyed all these words in order to the serpent, to the serpent's mother, and to the king.
रुरोद राजा तद्वाक्यात् स्मृत्वा तां कर्मणो गतिम् भोगवत्य् अपि तां प्राह उक्तपूर्वां पुनः सखीम्
Hearing these words, the king wept, recalling the course of fate; and Bhogavati again spoke to her friend as she had before.