भूयः प्रपच्छ तं कान्तं ज्ञानतत्त्वार्थमादरात्
Again, she earnestly questioned her beloved about the true meaning of knowledge.
यदस्य दर्शनात्ते ऽद्य जातं ज्ञानमतीद्रियम्
Because of seeing him today, a knowledge beyond measure has arisen in her.
कर्मणा येन संप्राप्तावावां तिर्यग्जनिं प्रभो
By what action, O Lord, have we both attained birth among animals?
वर्णयामास चरितं मृग्यश्चैवात्मनस्तदा
Then he described the story of himself and the deer.
संसारे ऽस्मिन्नमहाभागे भावो ऽस्य भवकारणम्
In this world, O greatly fortunate one, his state is the cause of his rebirth.
पुरा द्रविडदेशे तु नानाऋद्धिसमाकुले
Long ago, in the land of Draviḍa, filled with various miraculous powers,
पिता मे शिवदत्तो ऽभून्नाम्ना शास्त्रविशारदः
My father was named Śivadatta, learned in the scriptures.
ज्येष्ठो रामो ऽनुजस्तस्य धमस्तस्यानु जः पृथुः
His eldest son was Rāma, his younger brother was Dharma, and after him was Pṛthu.
उपनीय क्रमात्सर्वाञ्छिवदत्तो महायशाः
Śivadatta, of great fame, initiated all of us in due order.
चत्वारो ऽपि वयं तत्र वेदाध्ययनतत्पराः
All four of us there were devoted to the study of the Vedas.
गत्वारण्यं फलान्यंबुसमित्कुशमृदो ऽन्वहम्
Going to the forest, we daily gathered fruits, water, firewood, sacred grass, and clay.
एकदा तु वयं सर्वे संप्राप्ता पर्वते वने
One day, all of us arrived in the forest on a mountain.
सर्वे स्नात्वा महानद्यामुषसि प्रीतमानसाः
All, having bathed in the great river at dawn, were joyful in mind.
शालस्तमालैः प्रियकैः पनसैः कोविदारकैः
With sal, tamala, priya, jackfruit, and kovidara trees,
जंबूभिः सहकारैश्च कट्फलैर्बृहतीद्रुमैः
With jambu, sahakara, katphala, and mighty trees,
स्निग्धच्छायैः समाहृष्टनानापक्षिनिनादितैः
With dense shade, delighted, and filled with the cries of various birds,
गचैन्द्रैः शारभाद्यैश्च सेवितं कन्दरागतैः
Frequented by elephants, sharabhas, and others dwelling in caves,
सुगन्धिभिर्वृतं चान्यैर्वातोद्धूतपरगिभिः
Covered with fragrant flowers and others, their pollen scattered by the wind,
शृङ्गैः समुल्लिखन्तं च व्योम कौतुकसं युतम्
With peaks scraping the sky, full of wonder,
गर्ज्जतमिव संसक्तं व्यालाद्यैर्मृगपक्षिभिः
Resounding as if with thunder, mingled with wild beasts and birds,
नास्मार्ष्म चात्मनात्मानं वियुक्ताश्च परस्परम्
We did not remember ourselves, and were separated from one another.
निर्झरापात शिरसि पातुकामा जलं प्रिये
Desiring water to fall on the head from the cascade, O beloved,
तत्र प्राप्तो यदृच्छातो जगृहे तां भयर्दिताम्
There, arriving by chance, he took her, who was distressed by fear.
अत्युच्चवत्त्वात्पतितो मृतश्चैणीमनुस्मरन्
Falling from a great height, he died, remembering her.
जातो भद्रे न जाने वै क्व गाता भ्रातरो ऽग्रजाः
Born, O good one, I do not know where the elder brothers have gone.
भूतं भविष्यं च तथा शृणु भद्रे वदाम्यहम्
Hear, O good one, I will tell you of the past and the future.
रामस्यास्य भयात्सो ऽपि भक्षितो हरिणा धुना
Out of fear of this Rama, he too was devoured by a deer long ago.
अवाभ्यां तु जलं पीतं मध्यमे पुष्करे त्विह
By us two, water was drunk here in the middle lotus pond.
तेनानेकभवोत्पन्नं पातकं नाशमागतम्
From that, many births arose; the sin has come to destruction.
गमिष्यावः शुभांल्लोकान्येषु गत्वा न शोचति
We shall go to auspicious worlds; having gone there, one does not grieve.