एतस्मिन्समये पुत्री काशिराजस्य सुप्रिया । नाम्ना शशिकला दिव्या सर्वलक्षणसंयुता
At that time, Supriya, the daughter of the king of Kashi, named Shashikala, divine and endowed with all auspicious marks—
शुश्राव नृपपुत्रं तं वनस्थञ्च सुदर्शनम् । सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नं शूरं काममिवापरम्
Heard of that prince, Sudarshana, dwelling in the forest, handsome, possessing all marks, heroic, like another god of love.
बन्दीजनमुखाच्छ्रुत्वा राजपुत्रं सुसङ्गतम् । चकमे मनसा तं वै वरं वरयितुं धिया
Hearing from the mouths of bards about the well-endowed prince, she desired in her heart to choose him as her husband.
स्वप्ने तस्याः समागम्य जगदम्बा निशान्तरे । उवाच वचनं चेदं समाश्वास्य सुसंस्थिता
In a dream, at night, Jagadamba appeared to her and, comforting her, spoke these words:
वरं वरय सुश्रोणि मम भक्तः सुदर्शनः । सर्वकामप्रदस्तेऽस्तु वचनान्मम भामिनि
"Choose your boon, O lovely-hipped one! Sudarshana, my devotee, will grant you all desires, by my word, O beautiful lady."
एवं शशिकला दृष्टा स्वप्ने रूपं मनोहरम् । अम्बाया वचनं स्मृत्वा जहर्ष भृशभामिनी
Thus Shashikala saw in her dream the enchanting form of the Mother; remembering her words, the noble lady rejoiced greatly.
उत्थिता सा मुदा युक्ता पृष्टा मात्रा पुनः पुनः । प्रमोदे कारणं बाला नोवाचातित्रपान्विता
Rising, filled with joy, she was repeatedly questioned by her mother, but the girl, out of great shyness, did not reveal the cause of her happiness.
जहास मुदमापन्ना स्मृत्वा स्वप्नं मुहुर्मुहुः । सखीं प्राह तदान्यां वै स्वप्नवृत्तं सविस्तरम्
She laughed, filled with delight, recalling her dream again and again, and then told another friend in detail the events of her dream.
कदाचित्सा विहारार्थमवापोपवनं शुभम् । सखीयुक्ता विशालाक्षी चम्पकैरुपशोभितम्
Once, for amusement, she went to a beautiful grove adorned with champaka flowers, accompanied by her friends, her eyes wide and lovely.
पुष्पाणि चिन्वती बाला चम्पकाधःस्थिताबला । अपश्यद्ब्राह्मणं मार्गे आगच्छन्तं त्वरान्वितम्
While gathering flowers, the maiden, standing beneath a champaka tree with her companions, saw a Brahmin hastening along the path.
तं प्रणम्य द्विजं श्यामा बभाषे मधुरं वचः । कुतो देशान्महाभाग कृतमागमनं त्वया
Having bowed to the twice-born one, Śyāmā spoke sweet words: 'From which land, O highly fortunate one, have you come?'
द्विज उवाच भारद्वाजाश्रमाद्बाले नूनमागमनं मम । जातं वै कार्ययोगेन किं पृच्छसि वदस्व मे
The Brahmin said: 'O girl, indeed my coming is from the āśrama of Bhāradvāja. It has happened due to some purpose; why do you ask? Tell me.'
शशिकलोवाच तत्राश्रमे महाभाग वर्णनीयं किमस्ति वै । लोकातिगं विशेषेण प्रेक्षणीयतमं किल
Śaśikalā said: 'O highly fortunate one, is there anything remarkable in that āśrama? Something especially extraordinary, most worthy of being seen?'
ब्राह्मण उवाच ध्रुवसन्धिसुतः श्रीमानास्ते सुदर्शनो नृपः । यथार्थनामा सुश्रोणि वर्तते पुरुषोत्तमः
The Brāhmaṇa said: 'There dwells Sudarśana, the illustrious son of Dhruvasandhi, O lovely-hipped one, a supreme man whose name truly matches his nature.'
तस्य लोचनमत्यन्तं निष्फलं प्रतिभाति मे । येन दृष्टो न वामोरु कुमारस्तु सुदर्शनः
His eyes, to me, seem utterly fruitless, O slender-thighed one, for with them the prince Sudarśana has not seen you.
एकत्र निहिता धात्रा गुणाः सर्वे सिसृक्षुणा । गुणानामाकरं द्रष्टुं मन्ये तेनैव कौतुकात्
All virtues have been placed together by the Creator, wishing to fashion him; I think, out of curiosity, to see the very mine of virtues.
तव योग्यः कुमारोऽसौ भर्ता भवितुमर्हति । योगोऽयं विहितोऽप्यासीन्मणिकाञ्चनयोरिव
That prince is worthy to be your husband; this union is fitting, like that of a jewel and gold.
शशिकलया मातरं प्रति संदेशप्रेषणम् व्यास उवाच श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं श्यामा प्रेमयुक्ता बभूव ह । प्रतस्थे ब्राह्मणस्तस्मात्स्थानादुक्त्वा समाहितः
Vyāsa said: Hearing those words, Śyāmā was filled with love; the Brāhmaṇa, having spoken thus, departed from that place with a focused mind.
सा तु पूर्वानुरागाद्वै मग्ना प्रेम्णाऽतिचञ्चला । कामबाणहतेवास गते तस्मिन्द्विजोत्तमे
But she, due to her previous affection, was deeply immersed in love, restless as if struck by the arrows of Kāma, when that best of Brāhmaṇas had gone.
अथ कामार्दिता प्राह सखीं छन्दोऽनुवर्तिनीम् । विकारश्च समुत्पन्नो देहे यच्छ्रवणादनु
Then, tormented by love, she spoke to her confidante who followed her wishes: 'A change has arisen in my body as a result of hearing about him.'
अज्ञातरसविज्ञानं कुमारं कुलसम्भवम् । दुनोति मदनः पापः किं करोमि क्व यामि च
'The prince, of noble birth, whose taste and knowledge are unknown to me—wicked Love torments me for him. What shall I do? Where shall I go?'
स्वप्नेषु वा मया दृष्टः पञ्चबाण इवापरः । तपते मे मनोऽत्यर्थं विरहाकुलितं मृदु
'Whether seen by me in dreams or not, he is like another god of love; my mind, soft and distressed by separation, burns intensely.'
चन्दनं देहलग्नं मे विषवद्भाति भामिनि । स्रगियं सर्पवच्चैव चन्द्रपादाश्च वह्निवत्
'O beautiful one, sandal smeared on my body feels like poison; garlands seem like snakes, and moonbeams like fire.'
न च हर्म्ये वने शं मे दीर्घिकायां न पर्वते । न दिवा न निशायां वा न सुखं सुखसाधनैः
'Neither in the palace nor in the forest, nor by the pool, nor on the mountain, neither by day nor by night, do I find peace, nor with any means of comfort.'
न शय्या न च ताम्बूलं न गीतं न च वादनम् । प्रीणयन्ति मनो मेऽद्य न तृप्ते मम लोचने
'Neither the bed, nor betel, nor song, nor music pleases my mind today; my eyes are not satisfied.'
प्रयाम्यद्य वने तत्र यत्रासौ वर्तते शठः । भीतास्मि कुललज्जायाः परतन्त्रा पितुस्तथा
'Today I will go to the forest where that deceitful one dwells; I am afraid of family shame and also subject to my father.'
स्वयंवरं पिता मेऽद्य न करोति करोमि किम् । दास्यामि राजपुत्राय कामं सुदर्शनाय वै
'If my father does not arrange a svayaṃvara today, what shall I do? I will give myself to the prince Sudarśana, as I desire.'
सन्त्यन्ये पृथिवीपालाः शतशः सम्भृतर्द्धयः । रमणीया न मे तेऽद्य राज्यहीनोऽप्यसौ मतः
'There are other kings on earth, hundreds, possessing great wealth; yet they do not please me today—he alone, though without a kingdom, is esteemed by me.'
व्यास उवाच एकाकी निर्धनश्चैव बलहीनः सुदर्शनः । वनवासी फलाहारस्तस्याश्चित्ते सुसंस्थिता
Vyasa said: Sudarshana, alone, poor, and weak, living in the forest and subsisting on fruits, held her firmly in his heart.
वाग्बीजस्य जपात्सिद्धिस्तस्या एषाप्युपस्थिता । सोपि ध्यानपरोऽत्यन्तं जजाप मन्त्रमुत्तमम्
By reciting the seed-mantra of speech, he attained success; this too came to him. He devoted himself completely to meditation and chanted the supreme mantra.