रत्नाङ्गुलीयकैर्दिव्यैरङ्गुल्यावलिराजिता । दृष्ट्वा तां ललितां रम्यां सुशीलां सुन्दरीं सतीम्
Her fingers were adorned with divine jeweled rings; seeing her, graceful, charming, virtuous, beautiful, and chaste—
उवास तत्समीपे तु मधुरं तामुवाच सः । शङ्खचूड उवाच का त्वं कस्य च कन्या च धन्या मान्या च योषिताम्
He sat down near her and sweetly spoke: Shankhachuda said: Who are you? Whose daughter are you, O blessed and honored among women?
का त्वं मानिनि कल्याणि सर्वकल्याणदायिनि । मौनीभूते किङ्करे मां सम्भाषां कुरु सुन्दरि
Who are you, proud and auspicious one, giver of all good fortune? While I stand here silent, speak to me, O beautiful one.
इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा सकामा वामलोचना । सस्मिता नम्रवदना सकामं तमुवाच सा
Hearing these words, she of lovely eyes, desiring him, smiled, lowered her face, and replied to him with longing.
तुलस्युवाच धर्मध्वजसुताहं च तपस्यायां तपोवने । तपस्विन्यहं तिष्ठामि कस्त्वं गच्छ यथासुखम्
Tulasi said: I am the daughter of Dharmadhvaja, engaged in austerity in this forest of penance; I am an ascetic—who are you? Go as you please.
कामिनीं कुलजातां च रहस्येकाकिनीं सतीम् । न पृच्छति कुले जात इत्येवं मे श्रुतौ श्रुतम्
In my family, it is heard in tradition that one does not question a noble-born, chaste woman who is alone and in private.
लम्पटोऽसत्कुले जातो धर्मशास्त्रार्थवर्जितः । येनाश्रुतः श्रुतेरर्थः स कामीच्छति कामिनीम्
A lustful man, born in a base family, devoid of understanding the meaning of the scriptures, who desires a woman, seeks the meaning of the Vedas without having heard them.
आपातमधुरां मत्तामन्तकां पुरुषस्य ताम् । विषकुम्भाकाररूपाममृतास्यां च सन्ततम्
He desires her who is intoxicating, sweet at first encounter, but brings death to a man, whose form is like a jar of poison, though her mouth is always like nectar.
हृदये क्षुरधाराभां शश्वन्मधुरभाषिणीम् । स्वकार्यपरिनिष्पत्त्यै तत्परा सततं च ताम्
In the heart, she is like the edge of a razor, always speaking sweetly, ever intent on accomplishing her own purpose, constantly devoted to that aim.
कार्यार्थे स्वामिवशगामन्यथैवावशां सदा । स्वान्तर्मलिनरूपां च प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणाम्
For her own ends, she is submissive like a servant, but otherwise always unyielding; inwardly impure in form, yet with a pleasant face and gaze.
श्रुतौ पुराणे यासां च चरित्रमतिदूषितम् । तासु को विश्वसेत्प्राज्ञः प्रज्ञावांश्च दुराशयः
Whose conduct is greatly corrupted, as heard in the Purāṇas and the Vedas—who among the wise would trust them? Even the intelligent, if ill-intentioned, would not.
तासां को वा रिपुर्मित्रं प्रार्थयन्ति नवं नवम् । दृष्ट्वा सुवेषं पुरुषमिच्छन्ति हृदये सदा
Who among them is truly an enemy or a friend? They constantly desire something new; seeing a well-dressed man, they always long for him in their hearts.
बाह्ये स्वार्थं सतीत्वं च ज्ञापयन्ती प्रयत्नतः । शश्वत्कामा च रामा च कामाधारा मनोहरा
Outwardly, with effort, they display chastity for their own gain; yet they are always passionate, alluring, and the very foundation of desire.
बाह्ये छलात्खेदयन्ती स्वान्तर्मैथुनमानसा । कान्तं हसन्ती रहसि बाह्येऽतीव सुलज्जिता
Outwardly, by deceit, they torment, while inwardly their minds dwell on union; laughing with their beloved in private, but outwardly extremely modest.
मानिनी मैथुनाभावे कोपना कलहाङ्कुरा । सुप्रीता भूरिसम्भोगात्स्वल्पमैथुनदुःखिता
Proud, quick to anger in the absence of union, sowing the seeds of quarrel; greatly pleased by frequent enjoyment, but distressed by little union.
सुमिष्टान्नाच्छीततोयादाकाङ्क्षन्ती च मानसे । सुन्दरं रसिकं कान्तं युवानं गुणिनं सदा
In their minds, they desire delicious food and cool water, and always a handsome, passionate, youthful, and virtuous lover.
सुतात्परमभिस्नेहं कुर्वती रसिकोपरि । प्राणाधिकं प्रियतमं सम्भोगकुशलं प्रियम्
She shows the greatest affection for her son, but for the passionate lover, she considers him dearer than life itself, especially if he is skilled in enjoyment.
पश्यन्ती रिपुतुल्यं च वृद्धं वा मैथुनाक्षमम् । कलहं कुर्वती शश्वत्तेन सार्धं सुकोपना
She sees as an enemy or equal to an enemy any old man or one incapable of union, and always quarrels with him, easily angered in his company.
वाचया भक्षयन्ती तं सर्प आखुमिवोल्बणम् । दुःसाहसस्वरूपा च सर्वदोषाश्रया सदा
With words, she devours him fiercely, like a snake devouring a mouse; her nature is difficult to endure, always the abode of all faults.
ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां दुःसाध्या मोहरूपिणी । तपोमार्गार्गला शश्वन्मोक्षद्वारकपाटिका
She is difficult to subdue even for Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others, taking the form of delusion; ever a barrier on the path of austerity, the gatekeeper at the door of liberation.
हरेर्भक्तिव्यवहिता सर्वमायाकरण्डिका । संसारकारागारे च शश्वन्निगडरूपिणी
She obstructs devotion to Hari, is the vessel of all illusion, and in the prison of worldly existence, she is ever like a shackle.
इन्द्रजालस्वरूपा च मिथ्या च स्वप्नरूपिणी । बिभ्रती बाह्यसौन्दर्यमधोऽङ्गमतिकुत्सितम्
Her nature is like a magical illusion, false, like a dream; she bears external beauty, but her limbs are utterly contemptible.
नानाविण्मूत्रपूयानामाधारं मलसंयुतम् । दुर्गन्धिदोषसंयुक्तं रक्तारक्तमसंस्कृतम्
She is the receptacle of various excretions—urine, feces, pus—filled with filth, joined with foul odors and defects, bloody and unrefined.
मायारूपा मायिनां च विधिना निर्मिता पुरा । विषरूपा मुमुक्षूणामदृश्याप्यभिवाञ्छताम्
She is of the form of illusion, created by the Creator for those deluded; like poison for those seeking liberation, yet invisible to those who desire her.
इत्युक्त्वा तुलसी तं तु विरराम च नारद । सस्मितः शङ्खचूडश्च प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे
Having spoken thus, Tulasī became silent, and Nārada also paused. Smiling, Śaṅkhacūḍa began to speak.
शङ्खचूड उवाच त्वया यत्कथितं देवि न च सर्वमलीककम् । किञ्चित्सत्यमलीकं च किञ्चिन्मत्तो निशामय
Śaṅkhacūḍa said: What you have told, O Goddess, is not entirely false; some is true, some is not. Now listen to what I have to say.
निर्मितं द्विविधं धात्रा स्त्रीरूपं सर्वमोहनम् । कृत्वा रूपं वास्तवं च प्रशस्यं चाप्रशंसितम्
The Creator has fashioned two kinds of feminine forms, all enchanting: one is genuine and praiseworthy, the other is not.
लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती दुर्गा सावित्री राधिकादिका । सृष्टिसूत्रस्वरूपा च आद्या सृष्टिर्विनिर्मिता
Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Durgā, Sāvitrī, Rādhikā and others, as well as the forms of creation's thread, are the primordial manifestations brought forth at the beginning.
एतासामंशरूपं च स्त्रीरूपं वास्तवं स्मृतम् । तत्प्रशस्यं यशोरूपं सर्वमङ्गलकारकम्
The partial forms of these, regarded as true feminine forms, are praised as embodiments of fame and bring all auspiciousness.
शतरूपा देवहूती स्वधा स्वाहा च दक्षिणा । छायावती रोहिणी च वरुणानी शची तथा
Śatarūpā, Devahūtī, Svadhā, Svāhā, Dakṣiṇā, Chāyāvatī, Rohiṇī, Varuṇānī, and Śacī as well,