इन्द्रः सुरानथोवाच मुनिना जीविता सती । काव्यस्तप्त्वा तपो घोरं किं करिष्यति मन्त्रवित्
Indra, lord of the gods, spoke to the deities: 'Now that she has been restored to life by the sage, what will Kavi, the master of mantras, do after performing such severe austerity?'
व्यास उवाच गता निद्रा सुरेन्द्रस्य देहेऽक्षेममभून्नृप । स्मृत्वा काव्यस्य वृत्तान्तं मन्त्रार्थमतिदारुणम्
Vyasa said: Sleep departed from Indra's body, O King, and he became uneasy, recalling the incident with Kavi and the extremely harsh intent of his mantra.
विमृश्य मनसा शक्रो जयन्तीं स्वसुतां तदा । उवाच कन्यां चार्वङ्गीं स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः
Having considered this in his mind, Shakra then addressed his beautiful daughter Jayanti with a gentle smile, saying these words:
गच्छ पुत्रि मया दत्ता काव्याय त्वं तपस्विने । समाराधय तन्वङ्गि मत्कृते तं वशं कुरु
'Go, my daughter, I give you to Kavi, the ascetic. Please him, O slender-waisted one, and for my sake bring him under your influence.'
उपचारैर्मुनिं तैस्तैः समाराध्य मनःप्रियैः । भयं मे तरसा गत्वा हर तत्र वराश्रमे
'By serving the sage with various pleasing attentions, dispel my fear swiftly there in his excellent hermitage.'
सा पितुर्वचनं श्रुत्वा तत्रागच्छन्मनोरमा । तमपश्यद्विशालाक्षी पिबन्तं धूममाश्रमे
Hearing her father's words, the lovely Jayanti went there and saw the sage with wide eyes, drinking in the smoke within his hermitage.
तस्य देहं समालोक्य स्मृत्वा वाक्यं पितुस्तदा । कदलीदलमादाय वीजयामास तं मुनिम्
Beholding his body and recalling her father's command, she took a plantain leaf and began to fan the sage.
निर्मलं शीतलं वारि समानीय सुवासितम् । पानाय कल्पयामास भक्त्या परमया लघु
She brought pure, cool, and fragrant water, and with utmost devotion quickly prepared it for him to drink.
छायां वस्त्रातपत्रेण भास्करे मध्यगे सति । रचयामास तन्वङ्गी स्वयं धर्मे स्थिता सती
While the sun was at its height, the slender Jayanti, steadfast in righteousness, fashioned shade for him with a cloth or a leaf.
फलान्यानीय दिव्यानि पक्वानि मधुराणि च । मुमोचाग्रे मुनेस्तस्य भक्षार्थं विहितानि च
She brought divine, ripe, and sweet fruits, and placed them before the sage for him to eat as he wished.
कुशाः प्रादेशमात्रा हि हरिताः शुकसन्निभाः । दधाराग्रेऽथ पुष्पाणि नित्यकर्मसमृद्धये
She gathered fresh green kusa grass, the length of a hand and bright as parrots, and placed flowers before him for the fulfillment of his daily rites.
निद्रार्थं कल्पयामास संस्तरं पल्लवान्वितम् । तस्मिन्मुनौ चादरस्था चकार व्यजनं शनैः
She prepared a bed strewn with leaves for his rest, and with respect, gently fanned the sage as he lay there.
हावभावादिकं किञ्चिद्विकारजननं च तत् । न चकार जयन्ती सा शापभीता मुनेस्तदा
Out of fear of the sage's curse, Jayanti did not display any gestures or expressions that might arouse desire.
स्तुतिं चकार तन्वङ्गी गीर्भिस्तस्य महात्मनः । सुभाषिण्यनुकूलाभिः प्रीतिकर्त्रीभिरप्युत
The slender Jayanti offered hymns of praise to that great-souled sage, using kind and pleasing words that brought him joy.
प्रबुद्धे जलमादाय दधाराचमनाय च । मनोऽनुकूलं सततं कुर्वन्ती व्यचरत्तदा
When he awoke, she brought water for him to rinse his mouth, always acting in ways that pleased his mind.
इन्द्रोऽपि सेवकांस्तत्र प्रेषयामास चातुरः । प्रवृत्तिं ज्ञातुकामो वै मुनेस्तस्य जितात्मनः
Indra, clever as he was, also sent his own attendants there, wishing to know the activities of that self-controlled sage.
एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि परिचर्यापराभवत् । निर्विकारा जितक्रोधा ब्रह्मचर्यपरा सती
Thus, for many years, she remained devoted to service, unwavering, having conquered anger, and dedicated to celibacy.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु परितुष्टो महेश्वरः । वरेण छन्दयामास काव्यं प्रीतमना हरः
When a thousand years were completed, the great Lord, pleased, offered a boon to Kāvya, his mind filled with affection.
ईश्वर उवाच यच्च किञ्चिदपि ब्रह्मन्विद्यते भृगुनन्दन । प्रतिपश्यसि यत्सर्वं यच्च वाच्यं न कस्यचित्
Īśvara said: O Brahman, whatever exists, O descendant of Bhṛgu, whatever you perceive, and whatever is not to be spoken to anyone—
सर्वाभिभावकत्वेन भविष्यसि न संशयः । अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां प्रजेशश्च द्विजोत्तमः
You shall possess supremacy over all, without doubt; you will be invincible among all beings and the lord of progeny, O best of twice-born.
व्यास उवाच एवं दत्त्वा वराञ्छम्भुस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । काव्यस्तामथ संवीक्ष्य जयन्तीं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Vyāsa said: Having granted these boons, Śambhu vanished from there; then Kāvya, seeing Jayantī, spoke these words.
कासि कस्यासि सुश्रोणि ब्रूहि किं ते चिकीर्षितम् । किमर्थमिह सम्प्राप्ता कार्यं वद वरोरु मे
Who are you, whose hips are beautiful? Whose daughter are you? Tell me what you desire. For what purpose have you come here? Speak, O lovely one, what is to be done for you.
किं वाञ्छसि करोम्यद्य दुष्करं चेत्सुलोचने । प्रीतोऽस्मि त्वत्कृतेनाद्य वरं वरय सुव्रते
What do you wish? I will do it today, even if it is difficult, O bright-eyed one. I am pleased by your actions today; choose a boon, O virtuous lady.
ततः सा तु मुनिं प्राह जयन्ती मुदितानना । चिकीर्षितं मे भगवंस्तपसा ज्ञातुमर्हसि
Then, Jayantī, her face radiant with joy, spoke to the sage: O Lord, you should know my intention through my austerity.
शुक्र उवाच ज्ञातं मया तथापि त्वं ब्रूहि यन्मनसेप्सितम् । करोमि सर्वथा भद्रं प्रीतोऽस्मि परिचर्यया
Śukra said: I have understood, yet you should speak what your mind desires. I will certainly do what is auspicious, for I am pleased by your service.
जयन्त्युवाच शक्रस्याहं सुता ब्रह्मन् पित्रा तुभ्यं समर्पिता । जयन्ती नामतश्चाहं जयन्तावरजा मुने
Jayantī said: O Brahman, I am the daughter of Śakra, given to you by my father. My name is Jayantī, and I am the younger sister of Jayanta, O sage.
सकामास्मि त्वयि विभो वाञ्छितं कुरु मेऽधुना । रंस्ये त्वया महाभाग धर्मतः प्रीतिपूर्वकम्
I am desirous of you, O Lord; fulfill my wish now. I wish to enjoy with you, O illustrious one, lawfully and with affection.
शुक्र उवाच मया सह त्वं सुश्रोणि दशवर्षाणि भामिनि । सर्वैर्भूतैरदृश्या च रमस्वेह यदृच्छया
Śukra said: O beautiful-hipped one, for ten years, remain here with me, unseen by all beings, and enjoy as you wish.
व्यास उवाच एवमुक्त्वा गृहं गत्वा जयन्त्याः पाणिमुद्वहन् । तया सहावसद्देव्या दशवर्षाणि भार्गवः
Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, he went home, taking Jayantī's hand; Bhārgava dwelt with the goddess for ten years.
अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां मायया संवृतः प्रभुः । दैत्यास्तमागतं श्रुत्वा कृतार्थं मन्त्रसंयुतम्
Invisible to all beings, the Lord, concealed by his own power, when the demons heard he had arrived, accomplished and accompanied by mantras—