रूपयौवनसंपन्नम् अतीव सुमनोहरम् दिव्यालंकारसंयुक्तं षोडशवत्सराकृति
He appeared endowed with beauty and youth, exceedingly enchanting, adorned with divine ornaments, in the form of a sixteen-year-old.
दिव्यवस्त्रधरं कान्तं दिव्यस्रग्गन्धभूषितम् सर्वोपभोगसंपन्नं सहसा तपसो बलात्
Wearing divine garments, handsome, adorned with heavenly garlands and fragrances, possessing all enjoyments, he suddenly, by the power of austerity—
दृष्ट्वा सा तस्य तद् वीर्यं परं विस्मयम् आगता अहो ऽस्य तपसो वीर्यम् इत्य् उक्त्वा मुदिताभवत्
Seeing his vigor, she was filled with utmost wonder. 'Ah, such is the power of his austerity!' she exclaimed, and became delighted.
स्नानं संध्यां जपं होमं स्वाध्यायं देवतार्चनम् व्रतोपवासनियमं ध्यानं च मुनिसत्तमाः
Bathing, twilight rites, recitation, oblation, self-study, worship of deities, vows, fasting, discipline, and meditation—O best of sages—
त्यक्त्वा स रेमे मुदितस् तया सार्धम् अहर्निशम् मन्मथाविष्टहृदयो न बुबोध तपःक्षयम्
He abandoned all these and, delighted, enjoyed with her day and night, his heart seized by love, unaware that his austerity was fading.
संध्यारात्रिदिवापक्षमासर्त्वयनहायनम् न बुबोध गतं कालं विषयासक्तमानसः
The passing of twilight, night, day, fortnight, month, season, and year—he did not notice time passing, his mind attached to pleasure.
सा च तं कामजैर् भावैर् विदग्धा रहसि द्विजाः वरयाम् आस सुश्रोणिः प्रलापकुशला तदा
And she, skilled in amorous arts, O twice-born, cleverly enticed him in private with words born of desire, the lovely-hipped one.
एवं कण्डुस् तया सार्धं वर्षाणाम् अधिकं शतम् अतिष्ठन् मन्दरद्रोण्यां ग्राम्यधर्मरतो मुनिः
Thus, Kaṇḍu, devoted to household ways, dwelt with her for more than a hundred years in the valley of Mandara, O sage.
सा तं प्राह महाभागं गन्तुम् इच्छाम्य् अहं दिवम् प्रसादसुमुखो ब्रह्मन्न् अनुज्ञातुं त्वम् अर्हसि
She said to that blessed one, 'I wish to go to heaven. Be gracious, O Brahman, and permit me to depart.'
तयैवम् उक्तः स मुनिस् तस्याम् आसक्तमानसः दिनानि कतिचिद् भद्रे स्थीयताम् इत्य् अभाषत
Thus addressed, the sage, his mind attached to her, said, 'Stay a few more days, dear one.'
एवम् उक्ता ततस् तेन साग्रं वर्षशतं पुनः बुभुजे विषयांस् तन्वी तेन सार्धं महात्मना
Thus spoken to by him, she remained with that great soul, slender one, enjoying pleasures together for another hundred years.
अनुज्ञां देहि भगवन् व्रजामि त्रिदशालयम् उक्तस् तयेति स पुनः स्थीयताम् इत्य् अभाषत
'Grant me leave, blessed one—I will go to the abode of the gods,' she said. Again he replied, 'Stay a while longer.'
पुनर् गते वर्षशते साधिके सा शुभानना याम्य् अहं त्रिदिवं ब्रह्मन् प्रणयस्मितशोभनम्
When more than a hundred years had passed, that woman of auspicious face, O Brahman, departed for heaven, her smile radiant with affection.
उक्तस् तयैवं स मुनिः पुनर् आहायतेक्षणाम् इहास्यतां मया सुभ्रु चिरं कालं गमिष्यसि
The sage, addressed by her in this way, spoke again to the wide-eyed woman: 'Remain here, O beautiful-browed one, you will depart after a long time.'
तच्छापभीता सुश्रोणी सह तेनर्षिणा पुनः शतद्वयं किंचिद् ऊनं वर्षाणां समतिष्ठत
Fearing that curse, the lovely-hipped woman, together with that sage, remained for nearly two hundred years, slightly less, in his company.
गमनाय महाभागो देवराजनिवेशनम् प्रोक्तः प्रोक्तस् तया तन्व्या स्थीयताम् इत्य् अभाषत
For departure to the abode of the king of gods, the blessed one was told by the slender woman, 'Stay,' and thus she spoke.
तस्य शापभयाद् भीरुर् दाक्षिण्येन च दक्षिणा प्रोक्ता प्रणयभङ्गार्तिवेदिनी न जहौ मुनिम्
Out of fear of his curse, timid and gentle, she, knowing the pain of breaking affection, did not leave the sage.
तया च रमतस् तस्य परमर्षेर् अहर्निशम् नवं नवम् अभूत् प्रेम मन्मथासक्तचेतसः
With her, the great sage enjoyed day and night; ever new was his love, his mind absorbed in passion.
एकदा तु त्वरायुक्तो निश्चक्रामोटजान् मुनिः निष्क्रामन्तं च कुत्रेति गम्यते प्राह सा शुभा
Once, the sage, impelled by urgency, left his hut; as he was departing, the auspicious woman asked, 'Where are you going?'
इत्य् उक्तः स तया प्राह परिवृत्तम् अहः शुभे संध्योपास्तिं करिष्यामि क्रियालोपो ऽन्यथा भवेत्
Thus addressed by her, he replied, 'The day has turned, O lovely one; I will perform evening worship, otherwise my ritual would be neglected.'
ततः प्रहस्य मुदिता सा तं प्राह महामुनिम् किम् अद्य सर्वधर्मज्ञ परिवृत्तम् अहस् तव गतम् एतन् न कुरुते विस्मयं कस्य कथ्यते
Then, laughing joyfully, she spoke to the great sage: 'O knower of all dharmas, is it today that your day has passed? This does not cause wonder; to whom is it told?'
प्रातस् त्वम् आगता भद्रे नदीतीरम् इदं शुभम् मया दृष्टासि सुश्रोणि प्रविष्टा च ममाश्रमम्
In the morning, O blessed one, you came to this beautiful riverbank; I saw you, lovely-hipped, and you entered my hermitage.
इयं च वर्तते संध्या परिणामम् अहो गतम् अवहासः किमर्थो ऽयं सद्भावः कथ्यतां मम
Now evening is here, the day has passed; what is the reason for this jest? Tell me truly, what is this situation?
प्रत्यूषस्य् आगता ब्रह्मन् सत्यम् एतन् न मे मृषा किंत्व् अद्य तस्य कालस्य गतान्य् अब्दशतानि ते
At dawn you arrived, O Brahman, this is true, not false; but today, for that period, hundreds of years have passed for you.
ततः ससाध्वसो विप्रस् तां पप्रच्छायतेक्षणाम् कथ्यतां भीरु कः कालस् त्वया मे रमतः सदा
Then, trembling, the sage questioned the wide-eyed woman: 'Tell me, timid one, how much time has passed while you have been with me?'
सप्तोत्तराण्य् अतीतानि नववर्षशतानि च मासाश् च षट् तथैवान्यत् समतीतं दिनत्रयम्
Seven hundred and nine years have passed, and six months as well, and three more days have elapsed.
सत्यं भीरु वदस्य् एतत् परिहासो ऽथवा शुभे दिनम् एकम् अहं मन्ये त्वया सार्धम् इहोषितम्
Is this true, timid one, what you say, or is it a jest, O auspicious one? I think only a single day has been spent here with you.
वदिष्याम्य् अनृतं ब्रह्मन् कथम् अत्र तवान्तिके विशेषाद् अद्य भवता पृष्टा मार्गानुगामिना
How could I speak falsehood here in your presence, O Brahman? Especially today, when you have questioned me, following the proper path.
निशम्य तद् वचस् तस्याः स मुनिर् द्विजसत्तमाः धिग् धिङ् माम् इत्य् अनाचारं विनिन्द्यात्मानम् आत्मना
Hearing her words, the sage, foremost among twice-born, reproached himself, saying, 'Fie, fie upon me!' condemning his own misconduct.
तपांसि मम नष्टानि हतं ब्रह्मविदां धनम् हृतो विवेकः केनापि योषिन् मोहाय निर्मिता
My austerities are destroyed, the wealth of the knowers of Brahman is lost, discernment has been stolen by someone, and a woman has been created for delusion.