राज्यभ्रष्टौ श्रिया भ्रष्टौ कमलातापसावुभौ
Both, deprived of their kingdom and fortune, became ascetics devoted to the lotus.
सम्पद्युक्तौ तदा तौ च नृपश्रेष्ठौ भविष्यतः
At that time, those two, endowed with prosperity, will become foremost among kings.
इत्युक्त्वा च सलक्ष्मीकः सभातोऽभ्यन्तरं गतः
Having spoken thus, he, together with Lakshmi, entered the inner chamber.
शिवश्च तपसे शीघ्रं परिपूर्णतमो ययौ
And Shiva quickly departed, fully intent on ascetic practice.
नारायण उवाच प्रत्येकं वरमिष्टं च संप्रापतुरभीप्सितम्
Nārāyaṇa said: Each received the desired boon they had wished for.
महालक्ष्म्या वरेणैव तौ पृध्वीशौ बभूवतुः
By the boon of Mahālakṣmī, those two became rulers of the earth.
कुशध्वजस्य पत्नी च देवी मालावती सती
Kuśadhvaja's wife was Mālāvatī, the virtuous goddess.
सा च भूतलसम्बन्धाज्ज्ञानयुक्ता बभूव ह ।। कृत्वा वेदध्वनिं स्पष्टमुत्तस्थौ सूतिकागृहे
She, due to her connection with the earth, became endowed with knowledge; having made the sound of the Vedas clear, she rose in the birthing chamber.
वेदध्वनिं सा चकार जातमात्रेण कन्यका
The girl produced the sound of the Vedas immediately upon birth.
जातमात्रेण सुस्नाता जगाम तपसे वनम्
Immediately after birth, having been thoroughly bathed, she went to the forest for ascetic practice.
एकमन्वन्तरं चैव पुष्करे च तपस्विनी
For one manvantara, she practiced austerity at Puṣkara.
तथाऽपि पुष्टा न कृशा नवयौवनसंयुता
Yet she remained nourished, not emaciated, and endowed with youthful beauty.
जन्मान्तरे ते भर्त्ता च भविष्यति हरिः स्वयम्
In another birth, her husband will be Hari himself.
इति श्रुत्वा तु सा रुष्टा चकार च पुनस्तपः 2.14.
Hearing this, she became angry and undertook ascetic practice again.
तत्रैवं सुचिरं तप्त्वा विश्वस्य समुवास सा
There, having performed austerity for a long time, she dwelt in the universe.
दृष्ट्वा साऽतिथिभक्त्या च पाद्यं तस्मै ददौ किल
Seeing him, with hospitality, she gave him water for washing the feet.
तच्च भुक्त्वा स पापिष्ठश्चावात्सीत्तत्समीपतः
Having eaten that, the most sinful one remained nearby.
तां च दृष्ट्वा वरारोहां पीनोन्नतपयोधराम्
And seeing her, the excellent woman, with full and prominent breasts,
मूर्च्छामवाप कृपणः कामबाणप्रपीडितः
The wretched one, afflicted by the arrows of desire, fell into a swoon.
सा सती कोपदृष्ट्या च स्तम्भितं तं चकार ह
She, being virtuous, with an angry glance, rendered him motionless.
तुष्टाव मनसा देवीं पद्मांशां पद्मलोचनाम्
He praised the goddess Padma, lotus-eyed, in his mind.
शशाप च मदर्थे त्वं विनश्यसि सबान्धवः
And she cursed, 'For my sake, you shall perish along with your kin.'
इत्युक्त्वा सा च योगेन देहत्यागं चकार ह
Having spoken thus, she, through yoga, abandoned her body.
अहो किमद्भुतं दृष्टं किं कृतं वा मयाऽधुना ।। 2.14.
'Ah! What wondrous thing have I seen, what have I done now?'
सा च कालान्तरे साध्वी बभूव जनकात्मजा
In time, that virtuous woman became the daughter of Janaka.
महातपस्विनी सा च तपसा पूर्वजन्मनः
She, a great ascetic, by the austerity of her previous birth,
संप्राप्य तपसाऽऽराध्य स्वामिनं च जगत्पतिम्
Having attained, through austerity, and worshipped the Lord of the universe,
जातिस्मरा स्म स्मरति तपसश्च क्रमं पुरा
She, remembering her birth, recalls the sequence of her austerities from before.
नानाप्रकारविभवं चकार सुचिरं सती
The virtuous one performed various kinds of austerities for a long time.
गुणिनं रसिकं शान्तं कान्तवेषमनुत्तमम्
He was virtuous, delightful, peaceful, and possessed an unsurpassed handsome form.