रत्नेन्द्रसारनिर्माणक्वणन्मञ्जीररञ्जिता । सुवक्रलोचना श्यामा सुचारुकज्जलोज्ज्वला
She was adorned with tinkling anklets made from the finest jewels, had beautiful curved eyes, a dark complexion, and her eyes shone with lovely kohl.
सुचारुसारमुक्ताभदन्तपङ्क्तिमनोहरा । रत्नकुण्डलयुग्मेन चारुगण्डस्थलोज्ज्वला
Her beautiful, even rows of pearl-like teeth were enchanting, and her cheeks shone with a pair of jeweled earrings.
कामिनीष्वतुला बाला गजेन्द्रमन्दगामिनी । सुकोमला चन्द्रमुखी कामाधारा च कामुकी
Among women, she was unmatched, young, moving with the slow grace of a lordly elephant, exceedingly delicate, moon-faced, the very embodiment of desire, and herself full of longing.
स्वर्गमन्दाकिनीतीरे स्नाता स्निग्धाम्बरा वरा । ध्यायन्ती गुरुपादं सा स्वगृहं गमनोन्मुखी
Having bathed on the banks of the heavenly Mandākinī, clad in smooth garments, she, meditating on her teacher’s feet, was preparing to return to her own home.
दृष्ट्वा तस्याश्च सर्वाङ्गमनङ्गबाणपीडितः । भाद्रे चतुर्थ्यां चन्द्रश्च जहार चेतनां व्रज
Seeing all her limbs, pierced by the arrows of love, on the auspicious fourth lunar day, the Moon lost his senses, O Vraja.
ज्ञानं क्षणेन संप्राप्य रथस्थो रमिको बली । रथमारोहयामास करे धृत्वा च तारकम्
Regaining awareness in a moment, the powerful and charming one, standing on his chariot, took Tārā by the hand and made her ascend the chariot.
कामोन्मत्तः कामिनीं तां समाश्लिष्य चुचुम्ब च । शृङ्गारं कर्तुमुद्युक्तं तमुवाच गुरुप्रिया
Maddened by desire, he embraced that woman and kissed her; as he was eager to make love, the beloved of the teacher spoke to him.
तारकोवाच त्यज मां त्यज मां चन्द्र सुरेषु कुलपांसन । गुरुपत्नीं ब्राह्मणीं च पातिव्रत्यपरायणाम्
Tārā said: 'Let me go, let me go, O Moon, disgrace of the gods! I am the wife of your teacher, a Brāhmaṇa woman, wholly devoted to fidelity.'
गुरुपत्नीसंगमने ब्रह्महत्याशतं भवेत् । गुरुपत्नी विप्रपत्नी यदि सा च पतिव्रता
Union with the teacher’s wife is equal to a hundred Brahmin-murders; if she is the wife of a teacher or a Brāhmaṇa, and devoted to her husband.
ब्रह्महत्यासहस्रं च तस्याः संगमने लभेत् । पुत्रस्त्वं तव माताऽहं धैर्य कुरु सुरेश्वार
By union with such a woman, one incurs a thousand Brahmin-murders; you are like a son to me, I am your mother—be steadfast, O lord of the gods.
धिक्त्वां श्रुत्वा सुरगुरुर्भस्मीभूतं करिष्यति । पुत्राधिकश्च शिष्यश्च प्रियो मत्स्वामिनो भवान्
If the teacher hears of this, he will turn you to ashes; a disciple is dearer than a son to my husband.
स्वधर्म रक्ष पापिष्ठ मामेवं मातरं त्यज । दास्यामि स्त्रीवधं तुम्यं यदिमां संग्रहीष्यसि
Protect your own duty, O most sinful one, abandon me, your mother, in this way; if you take me, I shall give you the fate of a woman-slayer.
विलङ्ध्य तारावचनं तां च संभोक्तुमुद्यतम् । शशाप तारा कोपेन निष्कामा सा पतिव्रता
Disregarding Tārā’s words and intent on enjoying her, Tārā, steadfast in fidelity and free from desire, cursed him in anger.
राहुग्रस्तो घनग्रस्तः पापदृश्यो भवान्भव । कलङ्की यक्ष्मणा ग्रस्तो भविष्यसि न संशयः
You shall be seized by Rāhu, covered by clouds, and become a sight of evil; you will be stained, afflicted by consumption—of this there is no doubt.
चन्द्रं शप्त्वा तदा तूर्ण कामदेवं शशाप सा । तेजस्विना केनचित्त्वं भस्मीभूतो भविष्यसि
Having cursed the Moon, she then swiftly cursed Kāmadeva: 'By someone powerful, you shall be reduced to ashes.'
चन्द्रस्तारां गृहीत्वा च कृत्वाऽपि रमणं व्रज । क्रोडेनिधाय प्रययौ रुदतीं ता शुचाऽन्विताम्
The Moon, having taken Tārā and enjoyed her, departed, holding her to his breast, though she wept, overcome with grief.
निर्जने निर्जने रम्ये शैले शैले मनोहरे । सरोनदनदीनां च तीरे तीरे मनोहरे
In lonely, beautiful places, on charming mountains, on the delightful banks of lakes and rivers,
मधुव्रतपिकोक्ते च पुष्पोद्याने सुपुष्पिते । रम्यायां पुष्पशथ्यायां स रेमे रामया सह
In blossoming flower gardens, where bees and cuckoos sang, on lovely flower-strewn paths, he sported with Rāma.
चदनोक्षितसर्वाङ्गो मधुपानरतः सुरः । सुखसंभोगसंसक्तो बुबुधे न दिवानिशम्
His whole body anointed with sandalwood, delighting in drinking honeyed wine, the god, absorbed in sensual pleasures, was unaware of day or night.
मलये मलयारण्ये मलयानिलसंयुते । स्यन्दने चन्दनवने पश्चिमोदधिसंनिधौ
On the Malaya mountain, in the Malaya forest, where the Malaya breeze blew, in sandalwood groves, near the western ocean,
त्रिकूटे वटमूले च तत्र चन्द्रसरोवरे । सुचारुशतपत्राणां पत्रे चन्दनचर्चिते
At Trikūṭa, beneath a banyan tree, there at the Moon Lake, on the leaves of beautiful lotuses anointed with sandalwood,
सुचारुचम्पकोद्याने चम्पकानिलपूजिते । क्षीरोदकाञ्चनीभूमौ क्रौञ्चकाञ्चनपर्वते
In a lovely garden of campaka trees, honored by the breeze scented with campaka, on the golden ground washed by the milk ocean, on the golden mountain of Krauncha,
रत्नशैले मणिमये मणिमन्दिरसुन्दरे । माणिक्यमुक्तासारेण हीरहारेण शोभिते
On a jeweled mountain, resplendent with gems, in a beautiful jeweled palace, adorned with strings of rubies and pearls, and with a necklace of diamonds,
सुचारुवस्त्रचित्राढ्ये श्वेतचामारदर्पणैः । भूषिते रत्नदीपैश्च देवक्रीडे प्रियस्थले
Rich with splendid, variegated garments, with white yak-tail fans and mirrors, adorned with jeweled lamps, in the divine playground, in the beloved place,
वारुणीं मदिरां पीत्वा वरुणानीसमन्वितः । बरुणो रमते यत्र तत्र रेमे तया सह
Having drunk Vāruṇī wine, accompanied by Varuṇānīs, Varuṇa delights there, and there he enjoyed together with her.
पावने पवनोद्याने परिजातानिलेन च । सुगन्धिमोहिते रत्नमालातीरे च निर्मले
In the pure, breezy garden, enchanted by the fragrant wind from the parijāta trees, and on the spotless jeweled shore,
ऋक्षशैले कल्पवृक्षवने वह्निप्रियाश्रमे । पपौ च कामधेनूनां क्षीरं क्षीरोदधेस्तटे
On Ṛkṣa mountain, in the forest of wish-fulfilling trees, at the hermitage dear to Agni, he drank the milk of the wish-fulfilling cows on the shore of the milk ocean.
वह्निशुद्धांशुकयुगं वह्निस्तस्मै ददौ मुदा । वरुणो रत्नमालां च नत्नच्छत्रं समीरणः
Agni joyfully gave him a pair of garments purified by fire; Varuṇa gave a jeweled garland, and Samīraṇa gave a jeweled umbrella.
तत्र दृष्ट्वाऽसुरगुरं बलिगेहात्समागतम् । प्रणम्य सर्वमुक्त्वा च चन्द्रस्तं शरणं ययौ
There, seeing the guru of the asuras who had come from Bali's house, Chandra, after bowing and telling him everything, sought his refuge.
शुक्रस्तं बोधयामास वचनं नीतियुक्तितः । निरपेक्षो सुनिश्रेष्ठो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः
Shukra instructed him with words full of wisdom, impartial, supremely excellent, and accomplished in the Vedas and their branches.