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.
सर्वं ज्ञात्वा च सर्वज्ञो भगवान्हरिरीश्वरः । स्वप्ने सुवेषं पुरुषं दर्शयामास कन्याकाम्
Knowing all, the all-knowing Lord Hari, the Supreme Lord, showed in a dream to the desiring maiden a man of splendid appearance.
सुवेषं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा युवानं युवाती सती । परमेच्छा भवेत्तस्या धर्मभीत्या निवर्तते
Seeing a handsome young man, the maiden, though young herself, is seized by intense longing, but out of fear of righteousness, she restrains herself.
सुवेषं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा पुंश्चली पापवंशजा । त्येजेन्निद्रां च स्वाहारं पतिं पुत्रं धनं गृहम्
But seeing a handsome man, a wanton woman of sinful lineage abandons sleep, her own food, husband, son, wealth, and home.
चेतनं गृहकार्य च कुललज्जां कुलद्वयम् । युवानं रतिशूरं चाप्यतिनीच न हि त्यजेत्
She abandons sense, household duties, the honor of both families; yet even the most degraded will not forsake a young, passionate lover.
त्यजेज्जातिं च धर्मं च प्राणांश्च परिणामतः । तस्मात्प्राज्ञः प्रयत्नेन प्राणेभ्यो युवतीं सदा
She may abandon caste, virtue, even her own life in the end; therefore, the wise should always guard a young woman more than their own life.
परिरक्षेच्च सततं मायायुक्तां न विश्वसेत् । हृदयं क्षुरधाराभं नारीणां मधुरं वचः
He should always protect her, never trust one who is skilled in deception; a woman’s words are sweet, but her heart is like the edge of a razor.
तासां मनो न जानन्ति सन्तो वेदाश्च वैदिका । प्रयातु द्वारकां सद्याश्चित्रलेखा सुयोगिनीं
Their minds are not known even by the wise or by the Vedic seers; let Citralekha, the accomplished yogini, go at once to Dvārakā.
अनिरुद्धं समाहर्तुं प्रमात्तमवलीलया । इति श्रुत्वा महादेवो गणेशं तमुवाच ह
To bring back Aniruddha, who was heedless and overcome; hearing this, Mahādeva spoke to Gaṇeśa.
न श्रुणोति यथा बाणः शुभकार्यं तथा कुरु । चित्रलेखा ययौ तुर्णं द्वारकाभवनं हरेः
Just as Bāṇa does not listen, do likewise; Citralekha quickly went to the house of Hari in Dvārakā.
सर्वेषामपि दुर्लङ्ध्यं लीलया प्रविवेश सा । निद्रितं चानिरुद्धं च समाहृत्य च योगतः
She easily entered, though it was impossible for all others; by her yogic power, she brought out the sleeping Aniruddha.