विजहार सपत्नीभ्यां गृहेषूपवनेषु च । क्रीडागिरौ दीर्घिकासु सौधेषु विविधेषु च
He sported with both wives in the palaces, gardens, pleasure hills, ponds, and various mansions.
मनोरमा शुभे काले सुषुवे पुत्रमुत्तमम् । सुदर्शनाभिधं पुत्रं राजलक्षणसंयुतम्
At an auspicious time, Manorama gave birth to an excellent son, named Sudarshana, endowed with royal marks.
लीलावत्यपि तत्पत्नी मासेनैकेन भामिनी । सुषुवे सुन्दरं पुत्रं शुभे पक्षे दिने तथा
Lilavati, his other wife, also gave birth to a handsome son within a month, on an auspicious day in a bright fortnight.
चकार नृपतिस्तत्र जातकर्मादिकं द्वयोः । ददौ दानानि विप्रेभ्यः पुत्रजन्मप्रमोदितः
The king performed the birth rites and other ceremonies for both, and, delighted at the birth of his sons, gave gifts to the Brahmins.
प्रीतिं तयोः समां राजा चकार सुतयोर्नृप । नृपश्चकार सौहार्देष्वन्तरं न कदाचन
The king showed equal affection to both his sons, and never made any distinction between them in his heart.
चूडाकर्म तयोश्चक्रे विधिना नृपसत्तमः । यथाविभवमेवासौ प्रीतियुक्तः परन्तपः
The best of kings performed the cūḍā-karma ceremony for both of them according to proper rites, with affection and in a manner befitting his wealth.
कृतचूडौ सुतौ कामं जह्रतुर्नृपतेर्मनः । क्रीडमानावुभौ कान्तौ लोकानामनुरञ्जकौ
With their hair-tonsure ceremony completed, the two handsome sons delighted the king’s heart as they played together, charming all the people.
तयोः सुदर्शनो ज्येष्ठो लीलावत्याः सुतः शुभः । शत्रुजित्संज्ञकः कामं चाटुवाक्यो बभूव ह
Of the two, the elder was Sudarśana, the auspicious son of Līlāvatī, who was called Śatrujit and was sweet-spoken by nature.
नृपतेः प्रीतिजनको मञ्जुवाक्चारुदर्शनः । प्रजानां वल्लभः सोऽभूत्तथा मन्त्रिजनस्य वै
He, pleasing to the king, gentle in speech and beautiful in appearance, became beloved of the people and also of the ministers.
तथा तस्मिन्नृपः प्रीतिञ्चकार गुणयोगतः । मन्दभाग्यान्मन्दभावो न तथा वै सुदर्शने
Thus, the king showed affection to him because of his virtues, but not so much to Mandabhāga, who was of lesser fortune and disposition.
एवं गच्छति काले तु ध्रुवसन्धिर्नृपोत्तमः । जगाम वनमध्येऽसौ मृगयाभिरतः सदा
As time passed in this way, King Dhruvasandhi, ever fond of hunting, went into the forest.
निघ्नन्मृगान् रुरून्कम्बून्सूकरान्गवयाञ्छशान् । महिषाञ्छरभान्खड्गांश्चिक्रीड नृपतिर्वने
There, the king sported in the forest, killing deer, antelopes, boars, wild oxen, hares, buffaloes, sarabhas, and rhinoceroses.
क्रीडमाने नृपे तत्र वने घोरेऽतिदारुणे । उदतिष्ठन्निकुञ्जात्तु सिंहः परमकोपनः
While the king was thus sporting in that dreadful and terrifying forest, a very enraged lion emerged from a thicket.
राज्ञा शिलीमुखेनादौ विद्धः क्रोधवशं गतः । दृष्ट्वाग्रे नृपतिं सिंहो ननाद मेघनिःस्वनः
Struck first by the king’s arrow and overcome by anger, the lion, seeing the king before him, roared with a sound like thunder.
कृत्वा चोर्ध्वं स लाङ्गूलं प्रसारितबृहत्सटः । हन्तुं नृपतिमाकाशादुत्पपातातिकोपनः
Raising its tail and spreading its great mane, the furious lion leapt from the sky, intent on killing the king.
नृपतिस्तरसा वीक्ष्य दधारासिं करे तदा । वामे चर्म समादाय स्थितः सिंह इवापरः
Seeing this, the king swiftly took up his sword in his hand and, taking his shield in his left, stood firm like another lion.
सेवकास्तस्य ये सर्वे तेऽपि बाणान्पृथक्पृथक् । अमुञ्चन्कुपिताः कामं सिंहोपरि रुषान्विताः
All his attendants, filled with anger, also shot arrows separately at the lion, enraged as they were.
हाहाकारो महानासीत्सम्प्रहारश्च दारुणः । उत्पपात ततः सिंहो नृपस्योपरि दारुणः
A great outcry arose, and a fierce battle took place; then the dreadful lion leapt upon the king.
तं पतन्तं समालोक्य खड्गेनाभ्यहनन्नृपः । सोऽपि क्रूरैर्नखाग्रैश्च तत्रागत्य विदारितः
Seeing the lion falling upon him, the king struck with his sword, but the lion, coming near, tore him with its cruel claws.
स नखैराहतो राजा पपात च ममार वै । चुक्रुशुः सैनिकास्ते तु निर्जघ्नुर्विशिखैस्तदा
Struck by the lion’s claws, the king fell and died; the soldiers cried out and then killed the lion with arrows.
मृतः सिंहोऽपि तत्रैव भूपतिश्च तथा मृतः । सैनिकैर्मन्त्रिमुख्याश्च तत्रागत्य निवेदिताः
There, both the lion and the king died; the chief ministers and soldiers, having arrived, reported this.
परलोकगतं भूपं श्रुत्वा ते मन्त्रिसत्तमाः । संस्कारं कारयामासुर्गत्वा तत्र वनान्तिके
Hearing that the king had departed to the next world, the chief ministers went to the forest and performed his funeral rites.
परलोकक्रियां सर्वां वसिष्ठो विधिपूर्वकम् । कारयामास तत्रैव परलोकसुखावहम्
Vasiṣṭha performed all the rites for the afterlife there, according to prescribed rules, bringing happiness in the next world.
प्रजाः प्रकृतयश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च महामुनिः । सुदर्शनं नृपं कर्तुं मन्त्रं चक्रुः परस्परम्
The people, the ministers, and the great sage Vasiṣṭha together consulted among themselves to make Sudarśana king.
धर्मपत्नीसुतः शान्तः पुरुषश्च सुलक्षणः । अयं नृपासनार्हश्च ह्यब्रुवन्मन्त्रिसत्तमाः
They said, 'This son of the lawful wife is peaceful, virtuous, and possesses good qualities; he is worthy of the royal throne,' declared the foremost ministers.
वसिष्ठोऽपि तथैवाह योग्योऽयं नृपतेः सुतः । बालोऽपि धर्मवान् राजा नृपासनमिहार्हति
Vasiṣṭha also said likewise, 'This son of the king is fit; though young, he is righteous and deserves the royal seat here.'
कृते मन्त्रे मन्त्रिवृद्धैर्युधाजिन्नाम पार्थिवः । तत्राजगाम तरसा श्रुत्वा तूज्जयिनीपतिः
When the decision was made by the senior ministers, King Yudhājit, hearing of it, swiftly arrived there, being the lord of Ujjayinī.
मृतं जामातरं श्रुत्वा लीलावत्याः पिता तदा । तत्राजगाम त्वरितो दौहित्रप्रियकाम्यया
Hearing that his daughter's husband had died, the father of Līlāvatī then came there quickly, desiring the welfare of his grandson.
वीरसेनस्तथाऽऽयातः सुदर्शनहितेच्छया । कलिङ्गाधिपतिश्चैव मनोरमापिता नृपः
Vīrasena also came, wishing for Sudarśana's good, and the king of Kaliṅga, father of Manoramā, arrived as well.
उभौ तौ सैन्यसंयुक्तौ नृपौ साध्वससंस्थितौ । चक्रतुर्मन्त्रिमुख्यैस्तैर्मन्त्रं राज्यस्य कारणात्
Both those kings, accompanied by their armies and standing in anxiety, held a consultation with the chief ministers for the sake of the kingdom.