प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यामि गोविन्द पश्यतोऽद्य तवाग्रतः । कथं जीवे त्वया हीना विरहानलतापिता
O Govinda, today I will relinquish my life before your eyes; how can I live, deprived of you, tormented by the fire of separation?
प्रसादं कुरु देवेश शापादस्मात्सुदारुणात् । कदा मुक्ता समीपं ते प्राप्नोमि सुखदं विभौ
Grant me your grace, O Lord of the gods, from this most dreadful curse; when will I be freed and attain your blissful presence, O Sovereign?
हरिरुवाच यदा ते भविता पुत्रः पृथिव्यां मत्समः प्रिये । तदा मां प्राप्य तन्वङ्गि सुखिता त्वं भविष्यसि
Hari said: Dearest, when you have a son on earth equal to me, then, O slender-waisted one, you will reach me and be happy.
शिवप्रसादेन लक्ष्मीद्वारा भगवत्याः समाराधनवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच इति शप्ता भगवता सिन्धुजा कोपयोगतः । कथं सा वडवा जाता रेवन्तेन च किं कृतम्
Janamejaya said: Thus cursed by the Lord, Sindhuja, in a fit of anger, how did she become a mare, and what did Revanta do?
कस्मिन्देशेऽब्धिजा देवी वडवारूपधारिणी । संस्थितैकाकिनी बाला परोषित्पतिका यथा
In which land did the goddess born from the ocean, assuming the form of a mare, dwell alone, like a young woman separated from her husband?
कालं कियन्तमायुष्मन् वियुक्ता पतिना रमा । संस्थिता विजनेऽरण्ये किं कृतं च तया पुनः
O blessed one, for how long did Rama, separated from her husband, remain in that desolate forest, and what did she do there?
समागमं कदा प्राप्ता वासुदेवस्य सिन्धुजा । पुत्रः कथं तया प्राप्तो नारायणवियुक्तया
When did Sindhuja attain union with Vasudeva, and how did she, separated from Narayana, obtain a son?
एतद्वृत्तान्तमार्येश कथयस्व सविस्तरम् । श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि विप्रेन्द्र कथाख्यानमनुत्तमम्
O noble lord, narrate this story in detail; I am eager to hear this excellent tale, O chief of the twice-born.
सूत उवाच इति पृष्टस्तदा व्यासः परीक्षित्तनयेन वै । कथयामास भो विप्राः कथामेतां सुविस्तराम्
Suta said: Thus questioned by the son of Parikshit, Vyasa began to narrate this story, O brahmins, in great detail.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । पावनीं सुखदां कर्णे विशदाक्षरसंयुताम्
Vyasa said: Listen, O king, I will tell you the auspicious ancient tale, purifying and bringing happiness, adorned with clear words.
रेवन्तस्तु रमां दृष्ट्वा शप्ता देवेन कामिनीम् । भयार्तः प्रययौ दूरात्प्रणम्य जगतां पतिम्
Revanta, seeing Rama, who had been cursed by the god and was desirous, terrified, departed after bowing from afar to the Lord of the worlds.
पितुः सकाशं त्वरितो वीक्ष्य कोपं जगत्पतेः । निवेदयामास कथां भास्कराय स शापजाम्
Quickly approaching his father and seeing the wrath of the Lord of the worlds, he reported to Bhaskara the story of the curse.
दुःखिता सा रमा देवी प्रणम्य जगदीश्वरम् । आज्ञप्ता मानुषं लोकं प्राप्ता कमललोचना
The goddess Rama, distressed, bowed to the Lord of the universe; commanded, the lotus-eyed one reached the human world.
सूर्यपत्न्या तपस्तप्तं यत्र पूर्वं सुदारुणम् । तत्रैव सा ययावाशु वडवारूपधारिणी
Where the wife of the sun had previously performed severe austerities, there she swiftly went, assuming the form of a mare.
कालिन्दीतमसासङ्गे सुपर्णाक्षस्य चोत्तरे । सर्वकामप्रदे स्थाने सुरम्यवनमण्डिते
In the place north of Suparnaksha, where the Kalindi and Tamasa meet, endowed with all desires, adorned with a delightful forest.
तत्र स्थिता महादेवं शङ्करं वाञ्छितप्रदम् । दध्यौ चैकेन मनसा शूलिनं चन्द्रशेखरम्
There she remained, meditating with single-mindedness on Mahadeva Shankara, the fulfiller of wishes, the wielder of the trident, crowned with the moon.
पञ्चाननं दशभुजं गौरीदेहार्धधारिणम् । कर्पूरगौरदेहाभं नीलकण्ठं त्रिलोचनम्
She contemplated the five-faced, ten-armed one, who bears half the body of Gauri, whose form is like camphor, blue-throated, and three-eyed.
व्याघ्राजिनधरं देवं गजचर्मोत्तरीयकम् । कपालमालाकलितं नागयज्ञोपवीतिनम्
The god clad in tiger skin, with an upper garment of elephant hide, adorned with a garland of skulls, and wearing a serpent as sacred thread.
सागरस्य सुता कृत्वा हयीरूपं मनोहरम् । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे रमादेवी चकार दुश्चरं तपः
The daughter of the ocean, taking on a beautiful form as a horse, performed severe austerities at that holy place, O King.
ध्यायमाना परं देवं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रिता । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु गतं तत्र महीपते
Absorbed in meditation on the Supreme Lord, embracing renunciation, she spent a thousand divine years there, O ruler of the earth.
ततस्तुष्टो महादेवो वृषारूढस्त्रिलोचनः । प्रत्यक्षोऽभून्महेशानः पार्वतीसहितः प्रभुः
Then, Mahadeva, mounted on a bull and three-eyed, became pleased; the great Lord appeared directly, accompanied by Parvati.
तत्रैत्य सगणः शम्भुस्तामाह हरिवल्लभाम् । तपस्यन्तीं महाभागामश्विनीरूपधारिणीम्
Arriving there with his attendants, Shambhu spoke to Hari's beloved, who was engaged in austerities and had assumed the form of Ashvini.
किं तपस्यसि कल्याणि जगन्मातर्वदस्व मे । सर्वार्थदः पतिस्तेऽस्ति सर्वलोकविधायकः
Why do you perform austerities, O auspicious one, Mother of the universe? Tell me. Your husband is the giver of all things, the creator of all worlds.
हरिं त्यक्त्वाद्य मां कस्मात्स्तौषि देवि जगत्पतिम् । वासुदेवं जगन्नाथं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्
Why, O goddess, do you abandon Hari today and praise me, the Lord of the universe—Vasudeva, the master of all, who grants enjoyment and liberation?
वेदोक्तं वचनं कार्यं नारीणां देवता पतिः । नान्यस्मिन्सर्वथा भावः कर्तव्यः कर्हिचित्क्वचित्
The Vedas declare that for women, the husband is god; in no way should devotion be directed elsewhere, ever, at any time.
पतिशुश्रूषणं स्त्रीणां धर्म एव सनातनः । यादृशस्तादृशः सेव्यः सर्वथा शुभकाम्यया
Service to the husband is the eternal duty of women; whatever his nature, he must always be served with the desire for auspiciousness.
नारायणस्तु सर्वेषां सेव्यो योग्यः सदैव हि । तं त्यक्त्वा देवदेवेशं किं मां ध्यायसि सिन्धुजे
Narayana is always worthy of service by all; having abandoned the Lord of gods, why do you meditate on me, O daughter of the ocean?
लक्ष्मीरुवाच आशुतोष महेशान शप्ताहं पतिना शिव । मां समुद्धर देवेश शापादस्माद्दयानिधे
Lakshmi said: O Lord Maheshana, I have been cursed by my husband, Shiva; rescue me, O Lord of gods, from this curse, O ocean of compassion.
तदोक्तं हरिणा शम्भो शापानुग्रहकारणम् । विज्ञप्तेन मया कामं दयायुक्तेन विष्णुना
Shambhu, what was spoken by Hari was for the purpose of both curse and grace; I have submitted my request to Vishnu, who is full of mercy.
यदा ते भविता पुत्रस्तदा शापस्य मोक्षणम् । भविष्यति च वैकुण्ठवासस्ते कमलालये
When you have a son, then the curse will be lifted; and you will reside in Vaikuntha, O lotus-dweller.