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.
रथमारोहयामास निद्वितं बालकं मुदा । सा मनोयायिनी भद्रा गृहीत्वा बालकं मुने
She placed the sleeping boy joyfully on the chariot; Bhadrā, who could travel by mind, took the boy, O sage.
मुहूर्ताच्छोणितपुरं कृत्वा शङ्खध्वनिं ययौ । अथाऽऽश्रमाभ्यन्तरे च रुरुदुः सर्वयोषितः
In a moment, making the conch sound, she went to Śoṇitapura; then, within the hermitage, all the women wept.
अहो बाणहरो वत्सः क्वगतः प्राणवल्लभः । कृष्णस्ताश्च समाश्वास्य सर्वज्ञः सर्वतत्त्ववित्
‘Oh, where has Bāṇa’s dear son gone, the beloved of our lives?’ Kṛṣṇa, all-knowing and knower of all truths, comforted them.
साम्बकामबलैः सार्ध कृष्णाः सात्यकिना तथा । गृहीत्वा गानुडं वीरं रथमारुह्य सत्वरः
Together with Sāmba, Kāmabalā, and also Sātyaki, Kṛṣṇa quickly mounted the chariot, taking the heroic Gāṇuḍa.
सुदर्शनं पाञ्चजन्यं पद्मं कौमोदकीं गदाम् । पश्चाद्यास्यतिदेवेशो नगरं शोणितं तथा
The lord of the gods will later arrive, bearing Sudarshana, Panchajanya, Padma, Kaumodaki, and the mace, at the city of Shonita.
सगणैःशंकेरणैव पार्वत्या परिरक्षितम् । अथ सा योगिनी धन्या पुण्या मान्या च योषिताम्
With his attendants, Shankara himself, protected by Parvati, then that yogini, blessed, virtuous, and honored among women,
शिष्या दुर्वाससः शान्ता सिद्धयोगेन सिद्धिदा । बारकं बोधयामास रुदन्तं मातरं स्मरन्
Shanta, the disciple of Durvasa, bestowing perfection through accomplished yoga, awakened Baraka, who was weeping, remembering his mother.
स्नापयित्वा ददौ तस्मै माल्यचन्दनभूषणम् । कृत्वा सुवेषं बालस्य कन्यान्तः पुरमीप्सितम्
After bathing him, she gave him garlands, sandalwood, and ornaments; adorning the boy beautifully, she led him to the inner chamber desired by the maiden.
चक्रे प्रवेशं योगेन रक्षकैश्चापि रक्षितम् । तामूषां निद्रितां दृष्ट्वा निराहारां कृशोदरीम्
She enabled his entry by yoga, guarded by protectors; seeing Ushā asleep, fasting, with a slender waist,
शीघ्रं च बोधयामास सखीभिः परिरक्षिताम् । ऊषां कृत्वा च सुस्नातां वस्त्रभूषणभूषिताम्
She quickly awakened Ushā, who was protected by her companions; making Ushā bathe well, and adorning her with garments and ornaments,