तां दृष्ट्वा देवकन्याभां गत्वा चान्तिकमादरात् । ऊचतुः समभिद्रुत्य नासत्यावतिमोहितौ
Seeing her, radiant as a divine maiden, the Ashvins, filled with admiration, approached her respectfully and spoke, overcome with wonder.
क्षणं तिष्ठ वरारोहे प्रष्टुं त्वां गजगामिनि । आवां देवसुतौ प्राप्तौ ब्रूहि सत्यं शुचिस्मिते
O beautiful one, pause for a moment, elephant-gaited lady, so we may ask you; we are the sons of the gods who have come—speak truly, O pure-smiling one.
पुत्री कस्य पतिः कस्ते कथमुद्यानमागता । एकाकिनी तडागेऽस्मिन् स्नानार्थं चारुलोचने
Whose daughter are you? Who is your husband? How did you come to this garden, O lovely-eyed one, alone to bathe in this pond?
द्वितीया श्रीरिवाभासि कान्त्या कमललोचने । इच्छामस्तु वयं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वमाख्याहि शोभने
O lotus-eyed one, you shine with beauty like a second goddess Shri; we wish to know the truth—tell us, O splendid lady.
कोमलौ चरणौ कान्ते स्थितौ भूमावनावृतौ । हृदाये कुरुतः पीडां चलन्तौ चललोचने
O lovely one, your tender feet, unshod, rest upon the ground; as you walk, O restless-eyed, they cause pain in our hearts.
विमानार्हासि तन्वङ्गि कथं पद्भ्यां व्रजस्यदः । अनावृतात्र विपिने किमर्थं गमनं तव
O slender-limbed, you are worthy of riding in a celestial chariot—why do you travel here on foot, uncovered, in this forest? For what purpose is your journey?
दासीशतसमायुक्ता कथं च त्वं विनिर्गता । राजपुत्र्यप्सरा वासि वद सत्यं वरानने
Attended by hundreds of maidservants, how have you come out alone? Are you a princess or an apsara? Speak truly, O beautiful-faced one.
धन्या माता यतो जाता धन्योऽसौ जनकस्तव । वक्तुं त्वां नैव शक्तौ च भर्तुर्भाग्यं तवानघे
Blessed is the mother who bore you, blessed indeed is your father; truly, we are unable to describe the fortune of your husband, O faultless one.
देवलिकाधिका भूमिरियं चैव सुलोचने । प्रचलंश्चरणस्तेऽद्य सम्पावयति भूतलम्
O beautiful-eyed one, this earth surpasses even the celestial realms today, for your moving feet now sanctify the ground.
सौभाग्याश्च मृगाः कामं ये त्वां पश्यन्ति वै वने । ये चान्ये पक्षिणः सर्वे भूरियं चातिपावना
Fortunate indeed are the deer who see you in the forest, and all the other birds as well; this earth is greatly purified.
स्तुत्यालं तव चात्यर्थं सत्यं ब्रूहि सुलोचने । पिता कस्ते पतिः क्वासौ द्रष्टुमिच्छास्ति सादरम्
You are truly worthy of the highest praise, but speak the truth, O beautiful-eyed one: who is your father, who is your husband, and where is he? We wish to see him with respect.
व्यास उवाच - तयोरिति वचः श्रुत्वा राजकन्यातिसुन्दरी । तावुवाच त्रपाक्रान्ता देवपुत्री नृपात्मजा
Vyasa said: Hearing their words, the exceedingly beautiful princess, overcome with modesty, replied to the divine twins.
शर्यातितनयां मां वां वित्तं भार्यां मुनेरिह । च्यवनस्य सतीं कान्तां पित्रा दत्तां यदृच्छया
Know me as the daughter of Sharyati, the wife of the sage Cyavana here, devoted and beloved, given by my father by his own will.
पतिरन्धोऽस्ति मे देवौ वृद्धश्चातीव तापसः । तस्य सेवामहोरात्रं करोमि प्रीतिमानसा
My husband, O gods, is blind, very old, and an ascetic; I serve him day and night with a joyful heart.
कौ युवां किमिहायातौ पतिस्तिष्ठति चाश्रमे । तत्रागत्य प्रकुरुतमाश्रमं चाद्य पावनम्
Who are you two, and why have you come here? Your husband remains in the hermitage. Go there and perform the purifying rites of the hermitage today.
तदाकर्ण्य वचो दस्रावूचतुस्तां नराधिप । कथं त्वमपि कल्याणि पिता दत्ता तपस्विने
Hearing these words, the two Asvins spoke to her, the king's daughter: 'How is it, O auspicious one, that your father gave you to an ascetic?'
भ्राजसेऽस्मिन्वनोद्देशे विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा । न देवेष्वपि तुल्या हि तव दृष्टास्ति भामिनि
You shine in this forest region like a flash of lightning; O beautiful one, even among the gods, none are equal to you in appearance.
त्वं दिव्याम्बरयोग्यासि शोभसे नाजिनैर्वृता । सर्वाभरणसंयुक्ता नीलालकवरूथिनी
You are fit to wear divine garments; you do not suit coverings of animal skin. Adorned with all ornaments, with dark locks of hair, you are radiant.
अहो विधेर्दुष्कलितं विचेष्टितं यदत्र रम्भोरु वने विषीदसि । विशालनेत्रेऽन्धमिमं पतिं प्रिये मुनिं समासाद्य जरातुरं भृशम्
Alas, what a harsh act of fate, that you, with thighs like a plantain, languish here in the forest! O wide-eyed one, you have found as husband a blind, aged, decrepit sage.
वृथा व्रतस्तेन भृशं न शोभसे नवं वयः प्राप्य सुनृत्यपण्डिते । मनोभवेनाशु शराः सुसन्धिताः पतन्ति कस्मिन्पतिरीदृशस्तव
Your vow is in vain, and you do not shine at all, having reached youth and being skilled in graceful dance. Swift arrows of desire are well-aimed—upon whom do they fall, when your husband is such as he?
त्वमन्धभार्या नवयौवनान्विता कृतासि धात्रा ननु मन्दबुद्धिना । न चैनमर्हस्यसितायतेक्षणे पतिं त्वमन्यं कुरु चारुलोचने
You, young and beautiful, have been made the wife of a blind man by the creator, surely lacking in wisdom. O woman with long, dark eyes, you do not deserve such a husband; choose another, O lovely-eyed one.
वृथैव ते जीवितमम्बुजेक्षणे पतिं च सम्प्राप्य मुनिं गतेक्षणम् । वने निवासं च तथाजिनाम्बर- प्रधारणं योग्यतरं न मन्महे
Your life is wasted, O lotus-eyed one, having obtained a sage as husband whose sight is gone. Dwelling in the forest and wearing animal skins—such things are not fitting for you, I think.
अतोऽनवद्याङ्ग्युभयोस्त्वमेकं वरं कुरुषावहिता सुलोचने । किं यौवनं मानिनि सङ्करोषि वृथा मुनिं सुन्दरि सेवमाना
Therefore, O flawless-limbed one, choose one of us for your happiness, O beautiful-eyed woman. Why do you, proud lady, waste your youth serving a sage, O lovely one?
किं सेवसे भाग्यविवर्जितं तं समुज्झितं पोषणरक्षणाभ्याम् । त्यक्त्वा मुनिं सर्वसुखापवर्जितं भजानवद्याङ्ग्युभयोस्त्वमेकम्
Why do you serve that unfortunate one, abandoned by nourishment and protection? Leave the sage, deprived of all pleasures, and choose one of us, O flawless-limbed woman.
त्वं नन्दने चैत्ररथे वने च कुरुष्व कान्ते प्रथितं विहारम् । अन्धेन वृद्धेन कथं हि कालं विनेष्यसे मानिनि मानहीनम्
In Nandana or Caitraratha forest, enjoy renowned pleasures with us, O lovely one. How will you, proud lady, spend your time with a blind, aged man, lacking dignity?
भूपात्मजा त्वं शुभलक्षणा च जानासि संसारविहारभावम् । भाग्येन हीना विजने वनेऽत्र कालं कथं वाहयसे वृथा च
You are a king's daughter, blessed with auspicious marks, and you know the ways of worldly enjoyment. Bereft of fortune, how do you spend your time in this lonely forest, and in vain?
तस्माद्भजस्व पिकभाषिणि चारुवक्त्रे एवं द्वयोस्तव सुखाय विशालनेत्रे । देवालयुषे च कृशोदरि भुङ्क्ष्व भोगान् त्यक्त्वा मुनिं जरठमाशु नृपेन्द्रपुत्रि
Therefore, O sweet-voiced one with charming speech, choose us for your happiness, O wide-eyed woman. O slender-waisted one, enjoy pleasures in the abode of the gods; quickly abandon the aged sage, O king's daughter.
किं ते सुखं चात्र वने सुकेशि वृद्धेन सार्धं विजने मृगाक्षि । सेवा तथान्धस्य नवं वयश्च किं ते मतं भूपतिपुत्रि दुःखम्
What happiness is there for you in this forest, O woman with beautiful hair, together with an old man in this lonely place, O doe-eyed one? Service to the blind and your youthful age—what is your opinion, O king's daughter, of such sorrow?
शशिमुखि त्वमतीव सुकोमला फलजलाहरणं तव नोचितम्
O moon-faced one, you are exceedingly delicate; fetching fruits and water is not suitable for you.
अश्विभ्यां च्यवनद्वारा सोमपानाय प्रतिज्ञावर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - तयोस्तद्भाषितं श्रुत्वा वेपमाना नृपात्मजा । धैर्यमालम्ब्य तौ तत्र बभाषे मितभाषिणी
Vyasa said: Hearing their words, the king's daughter trembled; gathering courage, she spoke to them there, speaking few words.