कण्डुर् नाम महातेजा ऋषिः परमधार्मिकः सत्यवादी शुचिर् दान्तः सर्वभूतहिते रतः
There was a sage named Kaṇḍu, of great brilliance, supremely righteous, truthful in speech, pure, self-controlled, and devoted to the welfare of all beings.
जितेन्द्रियो जितक्रोधो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः अवाप परमां सिद्धिम् आराध्य पुरुषोत्तमम्
Having mastered his senses and anger, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, he attained the highest perfection by worshipping the Supreme Person.
अन्ये ऽपि तत्र संसिद्धा मुनयः संशितव्रताः सर्वभूतहिता दान्ता जितक्रोधा विमत्सराः
There were also other accomplished sages there, firm in their vows, devoted to the good of all beings, self-restrained, conquerors of anger, and free from envy.
को ऽसौ कण्डुः कथं तत्र जगाम परमां गतिम् श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे तस्य चरितं ब्रूहि सत्तम
Who is this Kaṇḍu, and how did he attain the supreme state there? We wish to hear his story—please tell it, O noble one.
शृणुध्वं मुनिशार्दूलाः कथां तस्य मनोहराम् प्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन मुनेस् तस्य विचेष्टितम्
Listen, O best of sages, to the delightful tale of his; I shall briefly relate the deeds of that sage.
पवित्रे गोमतीतीरे विजने सुमनोहरे कन्दमूलफलैः पूर्णे समित्पुष्पकुशान्वितैः
On the pure and charming bank of the river Gomati, in a secluded and beautiful place, abundant with roots, fruits, and flowers, and supplied with sacred sticks and kusa grass,
नानाद्रुमलताकीर्णे नानापुष्पोपशोभिते नानापक्षिरुते रम्ये नानामृगगणान्विते
Adorned with various trees and creepers, resplendent with many kinds of flowers, delightful with the calls of diverse birds, and inhabited by many groups of animals,
तत्राश्रमपदं कण्डोर् बभूव मुनिसत्तमाः सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पाढ्यं कदलीखण्डमण्डितम्
There was the hermitage of Kaṇḍu, O best of sages, rich with fruits and flowers of all seasons, and decorated with clusters of banana trees.
तपस् तेपे मुनिस् तत्र सुमहत् परमाद्भुतम् व्रतोपवासैर् नियमैः स्नानमौनसुसंयमैः
There the sage performed very great and wondrous austerities, with vows, fasts, disciplines, bathing, silence, and strict self-control.
ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षासु स्थण्डिलेशयः आर्द्रवासास् तु हेमन्ते स तेपे सुमहत् तपः
In summer, he practiced the fivefold fire austerity; in the rainy season, he lay on the bare ground; in winter, wearing wet garments, he performed intense penance.
दृष्ट्वा तु तपसो वीर्यं मुनेस् तस्य सुविस्मिताः बभूवुर् देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धविद्याधरास् तथा
Seeing the power of his austerity, the gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and Vidyādharas were greatly astonished.
भूमिं तथान्तरिक्षं च दिवं च मुनिसत्तमाः कण्डुः संतापयाम् आस त्रैलोक्यं तपसो बलात्
Kaṇḍu, by the force of his austerity, caused the earth, the sky, and heaven to become heated, O best of sages, affecting all three worlds.
अहो ऽस्य परमं धैर्यम् अहो ऽस्य परमं तपः इत्य् अब्रुवंस् तदा दृष्ट्वा देवास् तं तपसि स्थितम्
Beholding him steadfast in penance, the gods then said, 'Ah, what supreme endurance! Ah, what supreme austerity!'
मन्त्रयाम् आसुर् अव्यग्राः शक्रेण सहितास् तदा भयात् तस्य समुद्विग्नास् तपोविघ्नम् अभीप्सवः
Then, together with Indra, the gods, anxious and fearful of his power, deliberated, wishing to obstruct his austerity.
ज्ञात्वा तेषाम् अभिप्रायं शक्रस् त्रिभुवनेश्वरः प्रम्लोचाख्यां वरारोहां रूपयौवनगर्विताम्
Knowing their intention, Indra, lord of the three worlds, summoned Pramlocā, of lovely form, proud of her beauty and youth.
सुमध्यां चारुजङ्घां तां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नां प्रोवाच फलसूदनः
She was slender-waisted, graceful in limb, with full hips and breasts, endowed with all auspicious marks; to her, the fruit-destroyer spoke.
प्रम्लोचे गच्छ शीघ्रं त्वं यदासौ तप्यते मुनिः विघ्नार्थं तस्य तपसः क्षोभयस्वांशु सुप्रभे
'Pramlocā, go quickly while that sage is engaged in austerity; for the sake of disturbing his penance, O radiant one, agitate him.'
तव वाक्यं सुरश्रेष्ठ करोमि सततं प्रभो किंतु शङ्का ममैवात्र जीवितस्य च संशयः
'O best of gods, I shall always do your bidding, lord; yet I have some fear here, and a doubt about my very life.'
बिभेमि तं मुनिवरं ब्रह्मचर्यव्रते स्थितम् अत्युग्रं दीप्ततपसं ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभम्
I fear that sage, steadfast in the vow of celibacy, exceedingly fierce, ablaze with austerity, radiant like fire and the sun.
ज्ञात्वा मां स मुनिः क्रोधाद् विघ्नार्थं समुपागताम् कण्डुः परमतेजस्वी शापं दास्यति दुःसहम्
Knowing that I have come to him out of anger to cause hindrance, that supremely powerful sage Kaṇḍu will utter a curse that is unbearable.
उर्वशी मेनका रम्भा घृताची पुञ्जिकस्थला विश्वाची सहजन्या च पूर्वचित्तिस् तिलोत्तमा
Urvaśī, Menakā, Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, Puñjikasthalā, Viśvācī, Sahajanyā, Pūrvacitti, and Tilottamā—
अलम्बुषा मिश्रकेशी शशिलेखा च वामना अन्याश् चाप्सरसः सन्ति रूपयौवनगर्विताः
Alambuṣā, Miśrakeśī, Śaśilekhā, Vāmanā, and other Apsarases, proud of their beauty and youth, are also present.
सुमध्याश् चारुवदनाः पीनोन्नतपयोधराः कामप्रधानकुशलास् तास् तत्र संनियोजय
Slender-waisted, lovely-faced, with full and prominent breasts, skilled in the arts of desire—assign them there.
तस्यास् तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनः प्राह शचीपतिः तिष्ठन्तु नाम चान्यास् तास् त्वं चात्र कुशला शुभे
Hearing her words, the lord of Śacī replied again: Let the others remain, but you, O auspicious one, are skilled here.
कामं वसन्तं वायुं च सहायार्थे ददामि ते तैः सार्धं गच्छ सुश्रोणि यत्रास्ते स महामुनिः
For your assistance, I grant you Kāma, Vasanta, and Vāyu; go with them, O fair-hipped one, to where that great sage dwells.
शक्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा तदा सा चारुलोचना जगामाकाशमार्गेण तैः सार्धं चाश्रमं मुनेः
Hearing Śakra's words, she of beautiful eyes then went by the path of the sky, together with them, to the sage's hermitage.
गत्वा सा तत्र रुचिरं ददर्श वनम् उत्तमम् मुनिं च दीप्ततपसम् आश्रमस्थम् अकल्मषम्
Arriving there, she saw a splendid and excellent forest, and the sage, blazing with austerity, dwelling in his hermitage, free from impurity.
अपश्यत् सा वनं रम्यं तैः सार्धं नन्दनोपमम् सर्वर्तुवरपुष्पाढ्यं शाखामृगगणाकुलम्
She beheld that delightful forest, together with them, resembling Nandana, filled with flowers of all seasons and crowded with groups of branch-dwelling deer.
पुण्यं पद्मबलोपेतं सपल्लवमहाबलम् श्रोत्ररम्यान् सुमधुराञ् शब्दान् खगमुखेरितान्
It was sacred, endowed with lotus strength, with great leaves and shoots, filled with pleasing, sweet sounds made by birds.
सर्वर्तुफलभाराढ्यान् सर्वर्तुकुसुमोज्ज्वलान् अपश्यत् पादपांश् चैव विहंगैर् अनुनादितान्
She saw trees laden with fruit in every season, shining with flowers of all seasons, and resounding with birds.