चित्ते यस्य भवेत्तं तु बाधितुं कोऽपि न क्षमः । मायया मोहितः शक्रो भूयस्तस्य प्रतिक्रियाम्
Whoever has these seeds established in his mind cannot be disturbed by anyone. Even Indra, deluded by illusion, repeatedly seeks a way to counteract them.
कर्तुं कामवसन्तौ तु समाहूयाब्रवीद्वचः । मनोभव वसन्तेन रत्या युक्तो व्रजाधुना
Then, summoning Kāma and Vasanta, he spoke these words: 'O Kāma, joined with Vasanta and Rati, go now—'
अप्सरोभिः समायुक्तस्तरसा गन्धमादनम् । नरनारायणौ तत्र पुराणावृषिसत्तमौ
'Accompanied by the Apsarases, swiftly proceed to Gandhamādana, where Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the ancient, supreme sages—'
कुरुतस्तप एकान्ते स्थितौ बदरिकाश्रमे । गत्वा तत्र समीपे तु तयोर्मन्मथ मार्गणैः
'Are performing austerities in solitude, residing in the hermitage at Badarikā. Go near them and, with your arrows of love—'
चित्तं कामातुरं कार्यं कुरु कार्यं ममाधुना । मोहयित्वोच्चाटयित्वा विशिखैस्ताडयाशु च
'Make their minds overwhelmed with desire; do my bidding at once. Bewilder them, drive them away, and swiftly strike them with your arrows.'
वशीकुरु महाभाग मुनी धर्मसुतावपि । को ह्यस्मिन् सर्वसंसारे देवो दैत्योऽथ मानवः
'O greatly fortunate one, subdue even those sages, the sons of Dharma. For in this entire world, who—god, demon, or human—'
यस्ते बाणवशं प्राप्तो न याति भृशताडितः । ब्रह्माहं गिरिजानाथश्चन्द्रो वह्निर्विमोहितः
'Having come under the sway of your arrows, does not become bewildered, even when struck intensely? Brahmā, I, Śiva, the Moon, and Agni have all been deluded.'
गणना कानयोः काम त्वद्बाणानां पराक्रमे । वाराङ्गनागणोऽयं ते सहायार्थं मयेरितः
'Who can count the power of your arrows, O Kāma? This host of celestial women has been sent by me to assist you.'
आगमिष्यति तत्रैव रम्भादीनां मनोरमः । एका तिलोत्तमा रम्भा कार्यं साधयितुं क्षमा
'There, the delightful Tilottamā and Rambhā among others will come. Rambhā alone is capable of accomplishing the task.'
त्वमेवैकः क्षमः कामं मिलितैः कस्तु संशयः । कुरु कार्यं महाभाग ददामि तव वाच्छितम्
'You alone, Kāma, are capable, especially when joined by these others—there is no doubt. O greatly fortunate one, accomplish this task; I will grant you whatever you desire.'
प्रलोभितौ मयात्यर्थं वरदानैस्तपस्विनौ । स्थानान्न चलितौ शान्तौ वृथायं मे गतः श्रमः
'I have tempted those ascetics greatly with boons, but they did not move from their place and remained calm. My effort has been in vain.'
तथा वै मायया कृत्वा भीषितौ तापसौ भृशम् । तथापि नोत्थितौ स्थानाद्देहरक्षापरौ न तौ
'Even after frightening those ascetics greatly with illusion, still they did not rise from their place, intent only on protecting their bodies.'
व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शक्रं प्राह मनोभवः । वासवाद्य करिष्यामि कार्यं ते मनसेप्सितम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, Manobhava (Kāma) replied to Śakra, 'O lord of the gods, I will accomplish the task you desire.'
यदि विष्णुं महेशं वा ब्रह्माणं वा दिवाकरम् । ध्यायन्तौ तौ तदास्माकं भवितारौ वशौ मुनी
'If those two sages are meditating on Viṣṇu, Maheśa, Brahmā, or the Sun, then they will come under our control.'
देवीभक्तं वशीकर्तुं नाहं शक्तः कथञ्चन । कामराज महाबीजं चिन्तयन्तं मनस्यलम्
'But I am never able to subdue a devotee of the Goddess, especially one who is constantly contemplating the great seed of Kāma in his mind.'
तां देवीं चेन्महाशक्तिं संश्रितौ भक्तिभावतः । न तदा मम बाणानां गोचरौ तापसौ किल
'If those ascetics have taken refuge in the Great Goddess with devotion, then they are not within the reach of my arrows.'
इन्द्र उवाच गच्छ त्वं च महाभाग सर्वैस्तत्र समुद्यतैः । कार्यं ममातिदुःसाध्यं कर्ता हितमनुत्तमम्
Indra said: Go, O greatly fortunate one, together with all those who are prepared; you must accomplish my task, which is exceedingly difficult, and bring about the highest good.
व्यास उवाच इति तेन समादिष्टा ययुः सर्वे समुद्यताः । यत्र तौ धर्मपुत्रौ द्वौ तेपाते दुष्करं तपः
Vyāsa said: Thus instructed by him, all those who were prepared went to the place where those two sons of Dharma were performing severe austerities.
अप्सरां नारायणसमीपे प्रार्थनाकरणम् व्यास उवाच प्रथमं तत्र सम्प्राप्तो वसन्तः पर्वतोत्तमे । पुष्पिताः पादपाः सर्वे द्विरेफालिविराजिताः
Vyāsa said: First, Spring arrived there on the lofty mountain; all the trees were in bloom, adorned with swarms of bees.
आम्राश्च बकुला रम्यास्तिलकाः किंशुकाः शुभा । सालास्तालास्तमालाश्च मधूकाः पुष्पिता बभुः
The mango trees, the lovely bakula, the tilaka, the auspicious kimshuka, the sāl, tāla, tamāla, and the blossoming madhūka—all were in flower.
बभूवुः कोकिलालापा वृक्षाग्रेषु मनोहराः । वल्ल्योऽपि पुष्पिताः सर्वा आलिलिङ्गुर्नगोत्तमान्
The sweet calls of cuckoos on the treetops became enchanting; all the flowering vines embraced the noble trees.
प्राणिनः स्वासु भार्यासु प्रेमयुक्ताः स्मरातुराः । बभूवुश्चातिमत्ताश्च क्रीडासक्ताः परस्परम्
Creatures, filled with love and overcome by desire, became deeply intoxicated with passion for their own mates, and were absorbed in playful acts with one another.
ववुर्मन्दाः सुगन्धाश्च सुस्पर्शा दक्षिणानिलाः । इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि मुनीनामपि चाभवन्
Gentle, fragrant, and pleasantly cool southern breezes blew; even the senses of sages became agitated.
रतियुक्तस्ततः कामः पूरयन्पञ्चमार्गणान् । चकार त्वरितस्तत्र वासं बदरिकाश्रमे
Then Kāma, united with Rati, swiftly took up residence there in the Badarikā hermitage, filling the five arrows with power.
रम्भा तिलोत्तमाद्याश्च गत्वा तत्र वराश्रमे । गानं चकुः सुगीतज्ञाः स्वरतानसमन्वितम्
Rambhā, Tilottamā, and the other celestial nymphs went to that excellent hermitage and sang, skilled in melodious music, with harmonious notes.
तच्छ्रुत्वा मधुरोद्गीतं कोकिलानाञ्च कूजितम् । भ्रमरालिविरावञ्च प्रबुद्धौ तौ मुनीश्वरौ
Hearing that sweet singing and the cooing of cuckoos, along with the humming of bees, the two great sages awoke.
ऋतुराजमकाले तु दृष्ट्वा तौ पुष्पितं वनम् । जातौ चिन्तापरौ तत्र नरनारायणावृषी
Seeing the forest in full bloom out of season, the two sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa became deeply thoughtful.
किमद्य शिशिरापायः संभृतः समयं विना । प्राणिनो विह्वलाः सर्वे लक्ष्यन्तेऽतिस्मरातुराः
Has the end of winter come today, unseasonably? All creatures appear agitated, overwhelmed by desire.
कालधर्मविपर्यासः कथमद्य दुरासदः । नरं नारायणः प्राह विस्मयोत्कुल्ललोचनः
How has this difficult reversal of the natural order of time occurred today? With eyes wide in astonishment, Nārāyaṇa spoke to Nara.
नारायण उवाच पश्य भ्रातरिमे वृक्षाः पुष्पिताः प्रतिभान्ति वै । कोकिलालापसङ्घुष्टा भ्रमरालिविराजिताः
Nārāyaṇa said: Behold, brother, these trees appear to be in full bloom, resounding with the calls of cuckoos and adorned by swarms of bees.