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.
इति ब्रुवति विप्राग्र्ये देवे नारायणे विभौ । सर्वे दृष्टिपथं प्राप्ता मन्मथप्रमुखास्तदा
As the foremost sage was speaking thus to the divine Nārāyaṇa, all, led by Kāma, came into view at that moment.
ददर्श भगवान्सर्वान्नरो नारायणस्तथा । विस्मयाविष्टमनसौ बभूवतुरुभावपि
The blessed Nārāyaṇa and Nara saw them all; both became filled with wonder in their minds.
मन्मथं मेनकां चैव रम्भां चैव तिलोत्तमाम् । पुष्पगन्धां सुकेशीं च महाश्वेतां मनोरमाम्
They saw Kāma, Menakā, Rambhā, Tilottamā, Puṣpagandhā, Sukeśī, Mahāśvetā, and Manoramā.
प्रमद्वरां धृताचीञ्च गीतज्ञां चारुहासिनीम् । चन्द्रप्रभां च सोमां च कोकिलालापमण्डिताम्
They saw Pramadvarā, Dhṛtācī, the expert in song with a lovely smile, Candraprabhā, Somā, adorned with the voice of a cuckoo.
विद्युन्मालाम्बुजाक्ष्यौ च तथा काञ्चनमालिनीम्। एताश्चान्या वरारोहा दृष्टास्ताभ्यां तदान्तिके
They saw Vidyunmālā and Ambujākṣī, as well as one with a golden garland; and many other women of excellent form appeared near them.
तासां द्व्यष्टसहस्राणि पञ्चाशदधिकानि च । वीक्ष्य तौ विस्मितौ जातौ कामसैन्यं सुविस्तरम्
Seeing their number—two thousand and fifty—they were amazed at the vast army of Kāma.
प्रणम्याग्रे स्थिताः सर्वा देववाराङ्गनास्तदा । दिव्याभरणभूषाढ्या दिव्यमालोपशोभिताः
All the divine maidens stood before them, having bowed, adorned with celestial ornaments and shining with divine garlands.
जगुश्छलेन ताः सर्वाः पृथिव्यामतिदुर्लभम् । तत्तथावस्थितं दिव्यं मन्मथादिविवर्धनम्
All of them sang with artifice, a song exceedingly rare on earth; thus, that divine assembly, increasing the power of Kāma, remained there.
शुश्राव भगवान्विष्णुर्नरो नारायणस्तदा । श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच तास्तत्र प्रीत्या नारायणो मुनिः
Then the blessed Viṣṇu, Nara, and Nārāyaṇa heard it; having listened, Nārāyaṇa the sage spoke to them there with affection.
आस्यतां सुखमत्रैव करोम्यातिथ्यमद्भुतम् । भवत्योऽतिथिधर्मेण प्राप्ताःस्वर्गात्सुमध्यमाः
Please sit comfortably here; I will offer you wonderful hospitality. You have come from heaven as guests, O women of lovely form, in accordance with the guest’s duty.