वटाश्वत्थकदम्बैश्च कदलीखण्डराजितम् । जम्बीरैर्बीजपूरैश्च खर्जूरैः पनसैस्तथा
Adorned with banyan, fig, kadamba, and clusters of banana trees, with jambīra, bījapūra, date palms, and jackfruit trees as well.
क्रमुकैर्नारिकेलैश्च केतकैः काञ्चनद्रुमैः । यूथिकाजालकैः शुभ्रैः संवृतं मल्लिकागणैः
With betel, coconut, ketaka, and golden trees; covered by pure jasmine clusters and surrounded by groups of mallikā flowers.
जम्ब्वाम्रतिन्तिणीभिश्च करञ्जकुटजावृतम् । पलाशनिम्बखदिरबिल्वामलकमण्डितम्
Filled with jambū, mango, tamarind, karañja, and kuṭaja trees; adorned with palāśa, nimba, khadira, bilva, and āmalaka trees.
बभूव कोकिलारावः केकास्वनविराजितम् । तत्समीपे शुभे देशे पादपानां गणावृते
The calls of cuckoos and peacocks resounded there; in that beautiful place, surrounded by groups of trees—
भार्गवश्च्यवनः शान्तस्तापसः संस्थितो मुनिः । ज्ञात्वासौ विजनं स्थानं तपस्तेपे समाहितः
Bhārgava Cyavana, the peaceful ascetic, was established there; knowing it was a deserted spot, he practiced austerities with concentration.
कृत्वा दृढासनं मौनमाधाय जितमारुतः । इन्द्रियाणि च संयम्य त्यक्ताहारस्तपोनिधिः
He made a firm seat, adopted silence, controlled his breath, restrained his senses, abandoned food, and was dedicated to austerity.
जलपानादिरहितो ध्यायन्नास्ते पराम्बिकाम् । सवल्मीकोऽभवद्राजल्लँताभिः परिवेष्टितः
Without drinking water or anything else, he sat meditating on the Supreme Mother; O king, he became covered with creepers.
कालेन महता राजन् समाकीर्णः पिपीलिकैः । तथा स संवृतो धीमान्मृत्पिण्ड इव सर्वतः
Over a long period, O king, he was surrounded by ants; thus, the wise one became encased like a lump of clay on all sides.
कदाचित्स महीपालः कामिनीगणसंवृतः । आजगाम सरो राजन् विहर्तुमिदमुत्तमम्
Once, O King, a ruler surrounded by a company of women came to this excellent lake to enjoy himself.
शर्यातिः सुन्दरीवृन्दसंयुतः सलिलेऽमले । क्रीडासक्तो महीपालो बभूव कमलाकरे
King Śaryāti, accompanied by a group of beautiful women, became absorbed in play in the pure waters of the lotus-filled lake.
सुकन्या वनमासाद्य विजहार सखीवृता । सुमनांसि विचिन्वन्ती चञ्चला चञ्चलोपमा
Sukanyā, having entered the forest with her companions, wandered about, gathering flowers, lively and restless as a fluttering bird.
सर्वाभरणसंयुक्ता रणच्चरणनूपुरा । चंक्रममाणा वल्मीकं च्यवनस्य समासदत्
Adorned with all her ornaments and anklets ringing as she walked, she came upon the anthill of Cyavana.
क्रीडासक्तोपविष्टा सा वल्मीकस्य समीपतः । ददर्श चास्य रन्ध्रे वै खद्योत इव ज्योतिषी
Absorbed in play, she sat near the anthill and saw, within its opening, two lights shining like fireflies.
किमेतदिति सञ्चिन्त्य समुद्धर्तुं मनो दधे । गृहीत्वा कण्टकं तीक्ष्णं त्वरमाणा कृशोदरी
Wondering, 'What is this?' she resolved to remove it, and, slender-waisted, quickly took up a sharp thorn.
सा दृष्टा मुनिना बाला समीपस्था कृतोद्यमा । विचरन्ती सुकेशान्ता मन्मथस्येव कामिनी
The young girl, seen by the sage as she stood nearby, ready to act, wandered with her lovely hair, like a lover of Kāma himself.
तां वीक्ष्य सुदतीं तत्र क्षामकण्ठस्तपोनिधिः । तामभाषत कल्याणीं किमेतदिति भार्गवः
Beholding her, beautiful of teeth, the ascetic with emaciated neck, a treasury of austerity, addressed the auspicious girl: 'What is this, O Bhārgava?'
दूरं गच्छ विशालाक्षि तापसोऽहं वरानने । मा भिन्दस्वाद्य वल्मीकं कण्टकेन कृशोदरि
'Go far away, wide-eyed one; I am an ascetic, O lovely-faced girl. Do not pierce this anthill with your thorn, slender-waisted one.'
तेनेदं प्रोच्यमानापि सा चास्य न शृणोति वै । किमु खल्विदमित्युक्त्वा निर्बिभेदास्य लोचने
Though thus spoken to, she did not hear him; saying, 'What indeed is this?' she pierced his eyes.
दैवेन नोदिता भित्त्वा जगाम नृपकन्यका । क्रीडन्ती शङ्कमाना सा किं कृतं तु मयेति च
Driven by fate, the king's daughter pierced them and went away, playing, yet wondering what she had done.
चुक्रोध स तथा विद्धनेत्रः परममन्युमान् । वेदनाभ्यर्दितः कामं परितापं जगाम ह
Thus wounded in the eyes, the sage became extremely angry; tormented by pain, he was overcome with distress.
शकृन्मूत्रनिरोधोऽभूत्सैनिकानां तु तत्क्षणात् । विशेषेण तु भूपस्य सामात्यस्य समन्ततः
At that very moment, all the soldiers, and especially the king and his ministers, were afflicted with a stoppage of urine and feces.
गजोष्ट्रतुरगाणां च सर्वेषां प्राणिनां तदा । ततो रुद्धे शकृन्मूत्रे शर्यातिर्दुःखितोऽभवत्
The same affliction befell all the elephants, camels, horses, and every living being there; thus, with their excretions obstructed, Śaryāti became distressed.
सैनिकैः कथितं तस्मै शकृन्मूत्रनिरोधनम् । चिन्तयामास भूपालः कारणं दुःखसम्भवे
The soldiers reported to him the stoppage of urine and feces, and the king began to ponder the cause of this suffering.
विचिन्त्याह ततो राजा सैनिकान्स्वजनांस्तथा । गृहमागत्य चिन्तार्तः केनेदं दुष्कृतं कृतम्
After considering, the king addressed his soldiers and attendants; returning home, troubled with anxiety, he wondered who had committed this misdeed.
सरसः पश्चिमे भागे वनमध्ये महातपाः । च्यवनस्तापसस्तत्र तपश्चरति दुश्चरम्
In the western part of the lake, in the midst of the forest, the great ascetic Cyavana was performing severe austerities there.
केनाप्यपकृतं तत्र तापसेऽग्निसमप्रभे । तस्मात्पीडा समुत्पन्ना सर्वेषामिति निश्चयः
Someone had wronged that ascetic, blazing like fire; from this, suffering had arisen for all—such was the conclusion.
तपोवृद्धस्य वृद्धस्य वरिष्ठस्य विशेषतः । केनाप्यपकृतं मन्ये भार्गवस्य महात्मनः
I think that some wrong has been done, especially to the venerable, most distinguished, and ascetic Bhargava of great soul.
ज्ञातं वा यदि वाज्ञातं तस्येदं फलमुत्तमम् । कैश्च दुष्टैः कृतं तस्य हेलनं तापसस्य ह
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, this is the supreme result for him; some wicked ones have shown disrespect to that ascetic.
इति पृष्टास्तमूचुस्ते सैनिका वेदनार्दिताः । मनोवाक्कायनितं न विद्मोऽपकृतं वयम्
Thus questioned, the soldiers, tormented by pain, replied to him: 'We do not know of any wrong done by us, whether in thought, word, or deed.'
च्यवनसुकन्ययोर्गार्हस्थ्यवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - इति पप्रच्छ तान्सर्वान् राजा चिन्ताकुलस्तथा । पर्यपृच्छत्सुहृद्वर्गं साम्ना चोग्रतयापि च
Vyasa said: Thus, the king, troubled by anxiety, questioned them all, and also inquired among his friends, both gently and sternly.