त्यक्त्वाऽऽहारमनिद्रश्च प्रमत्तश्च कृशोदरः । क्षणं तिष्ठति शेते च क्षणं रहसि रोदिति
He abandoned food, became sleepless, distracted, with a thin belly; for a moment he stands, then lies down, then weeps in solitude.
पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा तु क्रन्दन्तं देवकी रुक्मिणी रतिः । अन्याश्च योषितः सर्वाः कथयामासुरीश्वरम्
Seeing their son crying, Devaki, Rukmini, Rati, and all the other women told the lord.
तासां च वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मवुसूदनः । उवाच सर्वतत्त्वज्ञः कृष्णश्च पूर्णमानसः
Hearing their words, Madhusudana laughed; Krishna, knower of all truths, spoke with a full heart.
श्रीभगवानुवाच कामातुरा बाणकन्या रतिं दृष्ट्वा शिवेशयोः । वरं संप्राप दुर्गाया व्याकुला मदनास्त्रतः
The Blessed Lord said: The daughter of Bāṇa, overcome by desire, saw the union of Shiva and Parvati; she obtained a boon from Durga, troubled by the arrows of love.
स्वप्नं च दर्शयामास साऽनिरुद्धं च पार्वती । मम पौत्रं प्रमत्तं च चकार कौतुकेन च
She showed the dream to Aniruddha, and Parvati, my grandson, who was distracted, did so out of curiosity.
तत्पुत्रीं च प्रमतां ता करोमि स्वप्नताऽधुना । स्वच्छन्दं तिष्ठ न चिरं नास्ति चिन्ता मनोव्यथा
Now I make that passionate daughter a dream; remain as you wish, not for long—there is no worry or mental distress.
इति कृष्णः समाश्वास्यसर्वातमासर्वसिद्धिवित् । स्वप्नं च दर्शयामास बाणपुत्रीं च कामुकीम्
Thus Krishna comforted everyone, granting all fulfillment; he showed the dream and the passionate daughter of Bāṇa.
सुप्ता सुतल्पे बाला सा पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिते । नवयौवनसंयुक्ता रत्नभूषणभूषिता
She slept on a soft bed, adorned with flowers and sandalwood, endowed with fresh youth, and decorated with jeweled ornaments.
शयाना रत्नपर्यङ्के ददर्श स्वप्नमीप्सितम् । अतीव निर्जने देशे रत्ननिर्माणमन्दिरे
While lying on a jeweled couch, she saw in her desired dream a palace made of jewels in a most solitary place.
नवीननीरदश्याममतीव नवयौवनम् । कोटिकन्दर्पलीलाभं सस्मितं सुमनोहरम्
There she saw a youth, dark as a fresh raincloud, radiant with the vigor of new youth, possessing the charm of a hundred million Cupids, smiling and supremely captivating.
रत्नकेयुरवलयरत्नमञ्जीररञ्जितम् । रत्नकुण्डलयुग्मेन गण्डस्थलविराजितम्
Adorned with jeweled armlets, bracelets, and anklets, his cheeks shone with a pair of jeweled earrings.
चन्दनोक्षितसर्वाङ्गं भूषितं पीतवाससा । सुचारुमालतीमाल्यवक्षः स्थलसमुज्ज्वलम्
His entire body was anointed with sandalwood, decorated with yellow garments, and his chest was splendid with a beautiful garland of fresh jasmine.
शयानं रत्नपर्यङ्के पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिते । तं दृष्ट्वा सहसा साध्वी तन्मूलं प्रययौ मुदा
He was reclining on a jeweled couch, smeared with flower-paste and sandalwood; seeing him suddenly, the virtuous lady joyfully approached his side.
उवाच मधुरं साध्वी हृदयेन विदूयता । कामात्मजप्रिया कान्ता कामबाणप्रपीडिता
The virtuous lady, her heart agitated, spoke sweetly, afflicted by the arrows of love, beloved and dear to the son of Kāma.
ऊषोवाच कस्त्वं कामुक भद्रं ते मां भजस्व स्मरातुराम् । अतिप्रौढां नवोढां च नवसंगमलालसाम्
Ūṣā said: Who are you, O passionate one? Blessings to you! Accept me, who am tormented by love, exceedingly mature, newly wed, and longing for union.
तवानुरक्तां भक्तां च गान्धर्वेण समुद्वह । विवाहाष्टप्रकारेषु गान्धर्वः सुलभो नृणाम्
Wed me, who am devoted and attached to you, by the gāndharva rite; among the eight forms of marriage, the gāndharva is easily accessible for men.
अनुरक्तां प्रियां प्राप्य त्यजेद्यः कपटी पुमान् । तस्माद्याति महालक्ष्मीः शापं दत्त्वा सुदारुणम्
If a deceitful man, having obtained a loving and devoted beloved, abandons her, then Mahālakṣmī herself gives him a most terrible curse.
पुमानुवाच अहं कृष्णस्य पौत्रश्च कामदेवात्मजः स्वयम् । कथं गृह्णामि त्वां कान्ते तयोरनुमतिं विना
The man said: I am the grandson of Kṛṣṇa and the very son of Kāma; how can I accept you, O lovely one, without the consent of both?
इत्येवमुक्त्वा स पुमानन्तर्धानं चकार सः । कामेन व्याकुला कान्ता न दृष्ट्वा कान्तमीप्सितम्
Having spoken thus, that man vanished; tormented by love, the beloved could not see her desired lover.
निद्रां त्यक्त्वा समुत्थाय तल्पादेव मनोहरात् । विषसाद सखीमध्ये प्रमत्ता रुदती भृशम्
Abandoning sleep, she rose from her charming bed, and, distressed, sat among her friends, weeping intensely in her agitation.
पप्रच्छ तां वराऽऽलीनां किं किमित्येव निश्चितम् । उवाच बौधयामास चित्रलेखा सुयोगिनी
Her best friend asked her repeatedly, 'What is it? What is it?' and Citralekhā, skilled in yoga, began to console her.
चेतनं कुरु कल्याणि कस्माते भीतिरुल्बणा ।स्वयं शंभुः शिवा साक्षाद्दुर्लङ्ध्ये नगरे सति
Citralekhā said: Compose yourself, O blessed one! Why is your fear so intense? Śiva himself, with Śivā, is present in this impregnable city.
शिवस्मरणमात्रेण सर्वारिष्टं पलायते । शिवं भवति सर्वत्र शिव एव शिवालयः
By merely remembering Śiva, all misfortune flees; everywhere there is auspiciousness, for Śiva himself is the abode of auspiciousness.
ध्यानाद्दुर्गतिनाशिन्याः सर्वं दुर्गं विनश्यति । ददाति मङ्गलं तस्मै सर्वमङ्गलमह्गला
By meditating on Durgā, destroyer of misfortune, all difficulties are destroyed; she who is the source of all auspiciousness grants blessings to him.
चित्रलेखावचः श्रुत्वा किंचिन्नोवाच सुन्दरी । त्यक्त्वाऽऽहारं च निद्रां च पुरुषं चिन्तयेत्सदा
Hearing Citralekhā’s words, the beautiful lady said nothing; abandoning food and sleep, she constantly thought of the man.
चित्रलेखा सखी गत्वा बाणमाह च तत्प्रियाम् । दुर्गां च शंकरं स्कन्दं गणेशं योगिनां गुरुम्
Citralekhā, her friend, went and informed Bāṇa’s beloved, and also invoked Durgā, Śaṃkara, Skanda, Gaṇeśa, and the guru of yoginīs.
चित्रलेखावचः श्रुत्वा रुरोदोच्चैर्भृशं सती । बाणश्य शंकराभ्याशे विषसाद प्रमूर्च्छितः जहास शंकरो दुर्गा कार्तिकेयो गणेश्वरः
Hearing Citralekha’s words, Sati wept loudly and bitterly; Bāṇa, near Śaṃkara, collapsed unconscious; Śaṃkara, Durgā, Kārtikeya, and Gaṇeśvara laughed.
गणेश्वर उवाच यो ददाति ध्रुवं दुःखमन्यस्मै दमभमोहितः । सक्ष्मधर्मविचारेण स विन्दति चतुर्गुणम्
Gaṇeśvara said: Whoever, deluded by pride, causes certain suffering to another, finds it returned fourfold through the workings of true justice.
शिवेशयोश्च क्रीडां च दृष्ट्वा या काममोहिता । वरं तस्यै ददौ दुर्गा वरमेव सुदुर्लभम्
Seeing the playful sport of Śiva and his consort, she who was overcome by desire—Durgā granted her a boon, a boon exceedingly rare.
स्वप्ने गत्वा स्वयं देवी मत्तं कृत्वा समरात्मजम् । अधुना वामपार्श्चे च शंभोस्तिष्ठति मूक्वत्
The goddess, going in a dream, made the son of the war-god intoxicated; now, on Śambhu’s left side, she stands as if mute.