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.
शिशिरं भीममातङ्गं दारयन्स्वखरैर्नखैः । वसन्तकेसरी प्राप्तः पलाशकुसुमैर्मुने
The fierce winter, like a mighty elephant, has been torn apart by the sharp claws of Spring, which has arrived, O sage, with the blossoms of the palāśa tree.
रक्ताशोककरा तन्वी देवर्षे किंशुकाङ्घ्रिका । नीलाशोककचा श्यामा विकासिकमलानना
The slender kimshuka, with red asoka hands, O divine sage, and the dark one with blue asoka hair, her face like a blooming lotus—
नीलेन्दीवरनेत्रा सा बिल्ववृक्षफलस्तनी । प्रोस्फुल्लकुन्दरदना मञ्जरीकर्णशोभिता
She whose eyes are like blue lotuses, whose breasts are the fruits of the bilva tree, whose teeth are like blossoming jasmine, and whose ears are adorned with flower clusters—
बन्धुजीवाधरा शुभ्रा सिन्धुवारनखोद्भवा । पुंस्कोकिलस्वरा पुण्या कदम्बवसना शुभा
Fair one with bimba-red lips, born from the nails of the sindhuvāra, with the voice of a male cuckoo, auspicious, and clothed in kadamba flowers.
बर्हिवृन्दकलापा च सारसस्वननूपुरा । वासन्ती बद्धरशना मत्तहंसगतिस्तथा
She was adorned with garlands of peacock feathers, anklets sounding like the call of cranes, dressed in spring attire with a girdle tied, and walked with the gait of a proud swan.
पुत्रजीवांशुकन्यस्तरोमराजिविराजिता । वसन्तलक्ष्मीः सम्प्राप्ता ब्रह्मन् बदरिकाश्रमे
Her body shone, wrapped in cloth made from the putrajīva plant, and she was radiant with a line of hair; thus, the goddess of spring arrived, O Brahman, at the Badarikā hermitage.
अकाले किमियं प्राप्ता विस्मयोऽयं ममाधुना । तपोविघ्नकरा नूनं देवर्षे परिचिन्तय
How has she come here out of season? This amazes me now. Surely she is an obstacle to our austerities, O divine sage, consider this.
श्रूयते सुरनारीणां गानं ध्यानविनाशनम् । आवयोस्तपिभङ्गाय कृतं मघवता किल
It is heard that the singing of celestial women destroys concentration; it is said that Maghavan has done this to disrupt our austerities.
ऋतुराडन्यथाकाले प्रीतिं सञ्जनयेत्कथम् । विघ्नोऽयं विहितो भाति भीतेनासुरशत्रुणा
How can the lord of the seasons bring about delight at an improper time? This obstacle appears to have been arranged by the fearful enemy of the asuras.
वाताः सुगन्धाः शीताश्च समायान्ति मनोहराः । नान्यत्कारणमस्तीह शतक्रतुकृतिं विना
Pleasant, fragrant, and cool breezes are arriving, enchanting the mind; there is no other cause here except the act of Śatakratu.