तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सर्वक्रतुफलप्रदम् स्नानं कृत्वा निम्नभेदे यः पश्यति सुरान् इमान्
Bathing and giving gifts there bestow the fruit of all sacrifices; after bathing at the channel’s division, whoever sees these gods—
इह चामुत्र वा निम्नं न किंचित् तस्य विद्यते सर्वोन्नतिम् अवाप्यासौ मोदते दिवि शक्रवत्
Here or hereafter, for him, there is no decline at the channel; having attained all exaltation, he rejoices in heaven like Indra.
नन्दीतटम् इति ख्यातं तीर्थं वेदविदो विदुः तस्य प्रभावं वक्ष्यामि शृणु यत्नेन नारद
The holy place known as Nandītaṭa is known to those learned in the Vedas; I will declare its greatness—listen carefully, O Nārada.
अत्रिपुत्रो महातेजाश् चन्द्रमा इति विश्रुतः सर्वान् वेदांश् च विधिवद् धनुर्वेदं यथाविधि
The mighty son of Atri, known as Candramas, properly studied all the Vedas and the science of archery as prescribed.
अधीत्य जीवात् सर्वाश् च विद्याश् चान्या महामते गुरुपूजां करोमीति जीवम् आह स चन्द्रमाः बृहस्पतिस् तदा प्राह चन्द्रं शिष्यं मुदान्वितः
Having learned all knowledge from Jīva, Candramas said, 'I will honor my teacher'; then Bṛhaspati, pleased, spoke to his disciple Candra.
मम प्रिया तु जानीते तारा रतिसमप्रभा
Know that my beloved is Tārā, radiant as Rati.
प्रष्टुं तां च तदा प्रायाद् अन्तर् वेश्म स चन्द्रमाः तारां तारामुखीं दृष्ट्वा जगृहे तां करेण सः
Then Candramas went inside the house to ask her; seeing Tārā, whose face was like a star, he took her by the hand.
स्ववेश्म प्रति तां लोभाद् बलाद् आकर्षयत् तदा तावद् धैर्यनिधिर् ज्ञानी मतिमान् विजितेन्द्रियः
Out of desire, he forcibly drew her towards his own house; then, that ocean of patience, wise, intelligent, and self-controlled—
यावन् न कामिनीनेत्रवागुराभिर् निबध्यते विशेषतो रहःसंस्थां कामिनीम् आयतेक्षणाम्
So long as a man is not especially ensnared by the net of a woman's desirous glances, he does not seek out a woman with long, inviting eyes in a private place.
विलोक्य न मनो याति कस्य कामेषु वश्यताम् अत एवान्यपुरुषदर्शनं न कदाचन
Upon seeing such a woman, whose mind does not become subject to desire? For this reason, a virtuous woman should never look upon another man.
कुलवध्वा रहः कार्यं भीतया शीलविप्लुतेः विज्ञाय तत् परिजनात् सहसोत्थाय निर्गतः
A woman of good family, fearing the loss of her virtue, should conduct her private affairs carefully; if discovered by the attendants, she should immediately rise and depart.
दृष्ट्वा तद् दुष्कृतं कर्म बृहस्पतिर् उदारधीः शशाप कोपाच् चाक्षिप्य वाग्भिर् विप्रियकारिभिः
Seeing that wrongful deed, Bṛhaspati, of noble mind, cursed in anger and reproached him with harsh words for his misdeed.
पराभिभूताम् आलोक्य कान्तां कः सोढुम् ईश्वरः युयुधे तेन जीवो ऽपि देवश् चन्द्रमसा रुषा
Who, upon seeing his beloved overcome by another, could endure it, even if he were a lord? Even the god Candra, out of anger, fought with him for her.
न शापैर् हन्यते चन्द्रो नायुधैः सुरमन्त्रितैः बृहस्पतिप्रणीतैश् च न मन्त्रैर् हन्यते शशी
The moon is not destroyed by curses, nor by weapons, nor by the spells of the gods; nor is the moon slain by the mantras composed by Bṛhaspati.
तदा चन्द्रस् तु तां तारां नीत्वा संस्थाप्य मन्दिरे बुभुजे बहुवर्षाणि रोहिणीं चाकुतोभयः
Then Candra took Tārā and established her in his palace, enjoying her for many years, and also, without fear, Rohiṇī.
न जीयेत तदा देवैर् न कोपैः शापमन्त्रकैः न राजभिर् न ऋषिभिर् न साम्ना भेददण्डनैः
At that time, he could not be overcome by the gods, nor by anger, curses, or spells; not by kings, nor by sages, nor by conciliation, division, or punishment.
यदा भार्यां न लेभे ऽसौ गुरुः सर्वप्रयत्नतः सर्वोपायक्षये जीवस् तदा नीतिम् अथास्मरत्
When the guru could not regain his wife despite every effort and all possible means being exhausted, then Jīva remembered the path of policy.
अपमानं पुरस्कृत्य मानं कृत्वा तु पृष्ठतः स्वार्थम् उद्धरते प्राज्ञः स्वार्थभ्रंशो हि मूर्खता
A wise person, putting aside honor and accepting humiliation, pursues his own interest; for the loss of one's own interest is indeed folly.
साध्यं केनाप्य् उपायेन जानद्भिः पुरुषैः फलम् वृथाभिमानिनः शीघ्रं विपद्यन्ते विमोहिताः
Those who know, by any means, should accomplish their goal; the vain and deluded quickly come to ruin.
एवं निश्चित्य मेधावी शुक्रं गत्वा न्यवेदयत् तम् आगतं कविर् ज्ञात्वा संमानेनाभ्यनन्दयत्
Having resolved thus, the wise one went to Śukra and informed him; the poet, knowing he had come, welcomed him with honor.
उपविष्टं सुविश्रान्तं पूजितं च यथाविधि पर्यपृच्छद् दैत्यगुरुस् तदागमनकारणम्
When he was seated, well-rested, and duly honored, the guru of the Daityas inquired about the reason for his coming.
गृहागतस्य विमुखाः शत्रवो ऽप्य् उत्तमा नहि तस्मै स विस्तरेणाह भार्याहरणम् आदितः
Even enemies who come to one's house should not be treated with hostility; therefore, he told him in detail about the abduction of his wife from the beginning.
बृहस्पतेस् तदा वाक्यं श्रुत्वा कोपान्वितः कविः अपराधं तु चन्द्रस्य मेने शिष्यस्य नारद अतिक्रमम् इमं श्रुत्वा कोपात् कविर् अथाब्रवीत्
Hearing Bṛhaspati's words, the poet became angry; but Nārada, hearing of this transgression by his disciple Candra, considered it an offense and, enraged, the poet spoke.
तदा भोक्ष्ये तदा पास्ये तदा स्वप्स्ये तदा वदे यदानये प्रियां भ्रातस् तव भार्यां परार्दिताम्
Then I shall eat, then I shall drink, then I shall sleep, then I shall speak—when, brother, your beloved wife, wronged by another, is restored to you.
ताम् आनीय भवं पूज्य चन्द्रं शप्त्वा गुरुद्रुहम् पश्चाद् भोक्ष्ये महाबाहो शृणु वाचं ग्रहेश्वर
Bring her here, honor her, curse Candra for betraying his teacher, and only then, O mighty-armed lord of the planets, will I eat—listen to my words.
एवम् उक्त्वा स जीवेन दैत्याचार्यो जगाम ह शिवम् आराध्य यत्नेन परं सामर्थ्यम् आप्तवान्
Having spoken thus to Jīva, the preceptor of the Daityas went away; worshipping Śiva with effort, he attained supreme power.
वरान् अवाप्य विविधाञ् शंकराद् भावपूजितात् शिवप्रसादात् किं नाम देहिनाम् इह दुर्लभम्
Having obtained various boons from Śaṅkara, worshipped by Bhāva, by the grace of Śiva, what indeed is unattainable here for embodied beings?
जगाम शुक्रो जीवेन तारया यत्र चन्द्रमाः वर्तते तं शशापोच्चैः शृणु त्वं चन्द्र मे वचः
Śukra went with Jīva to the place where the Moon abides; there he loudly cursed the Moon, saying, 'Hear my words, O Moon!'
यस्मात् पापतरं कर्म त्वया पाप मदात् कृतम् कुष्ठी भूयास् ततश् चन्द्रं शशापैवं रुषा कविः
Because you, out of sinful arrogance, have committed a deed more wicked than sin itself, therefore, O Moon, be afflicted with leprosy—thus the sage cursed him in anger.
कविशापप्रदग्धो ऽभूत् तदैव मृगलाञ्छनः प्रापुः क्षयं न के नाम गुरुस्वामिसखिद्रुहः
Burned by the sage’s curse, he immediately became marked by a deer; who indeed does not meet ruin, having betrayed teacher, master, or friend?