पुष्यार्कयोगसंयुक्ते दिवसे नृपसत्तमः । कारयामास सम्भारानभिषेकार्थमादरात्
On a day joined with the auspicious conjunction of Puṣya and the Sun, the best of kings had the preparations for the consecration made with great care.
द्विजानाहूय वेदज्ञान् सर्वशास्त्रविचक्षणान् । अभिषेकं चकारासौ विधिवत् स्वात्मजस्य ह
Having summoned the twice-born, those learned in the Vedas and skilled in all the scriptures, he performed the consecration of his own son according to proper rite.
जलमानीय तीर्थेभ्यः सागरेभ्यश्च पार्थिवः । स्वयं चकार विथिवदभिषेकं शुभे दिने
The king himself brought water from holy places and oceans, and performed the consecration in due order on an auspicious day.
धनं दत्त्वाथ विप्रेभ्यो राज्यं पुत्रे निवेश्य सः । जगाम वनमेवाशु स्वर्गकामः स भूपतिः
Having given wealth to the Brahmins and installed his son in the kingdom, that king, desiring heaven, quickly departed to the forest.
एकवीरं नृपं कृत्वा सम्मान्य सचिवानथ । भार्यया सह भूपालः प्रविवेश वनं वशी
Having appointed his son as the sole king and honored his ministers, the self-controlled ruler entered the forest together with his wife.
मैनाकशिखरे राजा कृत्वा तार्तीयमाश्रमम् । नित्यं पत्रफलाहारश्चिन्तयामास पार्वतीम्
On the peak of Maināka, the king established his third hermitage, and, sustained always by leaves and fruits, he meditated on Pārvatī.
एवं स नृपतिः कृत्वा दिष्टान्ते सह भार्यया । मृतोऽसौ वासवं लोकं गतः पुण्येन कर्मणा
Thus, having acted as destined, the king died together with his wife, and by his virtuous deeds attained the world of Indra.
इन्द्रलोकं पिता प्राप्त इति श्रुत्वाथ हैहयः । चकार वेदनिर्दिष्टं कर्म चैवौर्ध्वदैहिकम्
Hearing that his father had reached Indra's realm, the Haihaya performed the funeral rites as prescribed by the Vedas.
कृत्वोत्तराः क्रियाः सर्वाः पितुः पार्थिवनन्दनः । राज्यं चकार मेधावी पित्रा दत्तं सुसम्मतम्
Having completed all the final rites for his father, the wise prince ruled the kingdom, duly given and approved by his father.
एकवीरोऽथ धर्मज्ञः प्राप्य राज्यमनुत्तमम् । बुभुजे विविधान् भोगान्सचिवैश्च सुमानितः
Then, being the sole hero and knower of righteousness, having obtained the unsurpassed kingdom, he enjoyed various pleasures, greatly honored by his ministers.
एकस्मिन् दिवसे राजा मन्त्रिपुत्रैः समन्वितः । जगाम जाह्नवीतीरे हयारूढः प्रतापवान्
One day, the powerful king, accompanied by the sons of his ministers, mounted on horseback, went to the bank of the Jāhnavī.
सम्पश्यन् पादपान् रम्यान् कोकिलालापसंयुतान् । पुष्पितान् फलसंयुक्तान् षट्पदालिविराजितान्
He beheld lovely trees, filled with the calls of cuckoos, blossoming and laden with fruit, adorned with swarms of bees.
मुनीनामाश्रमान्दिव्यान् वेदध्वनिनिनादितान् । होमधूमावृताकाशान् मृगशावसमावृतान्
He saw the divine hermitages of sages, resounding with the chanting of the Vedas, their skies filled with the smoke of sacrifices, and populated by young deer.
केदाराञ्छालिसम्पक्वान् गोपिकाभिः सुरक्षितान् । प्रफुल्लपङ्कजारामान्निकुञ्जांश्च मनोरमान्
He saw fields with ripe sheaves, well-guarded by cowherd girls, groves of blooming lotuses, and delightful bowers.
प्रेक्षमाणः प्रियालांस्तु चम्पकान् पनसद्रुमान् । बकुलांस्तिलकान्नीपान्मन्दारांश्च प्रफुल्लितान्
He gazed upon priyāla, campaka, jackfruit trees, bakula, tilaka, nīpa, and fully blossomed mandāra trees.
शालांस्तालांस्तमालांश्च जम्बूचूतकदम्बकान् । स गच्छञ्जाह्नवीतोये प्रफुल्लं शतपत्रकम्
He saw śāla, tāla, tamāla, jambu, mango, and kadamba trees, and, as he went along the waters of the Jāhnavī, a blooming lotus.
पङ्कजं चातिगन्धाढ्यमपश्यदवनीपतिः । दक्षिणे जलजस्याथ पार्श्वे कमललोचनाम्
The lord of the earth saw a lotus of surpassing fragrance, and at its southern side, a woman with lotus-like eyes.
कनकाभां सुकेशीं च कम्बुग्रीवां कृशोदरीम् । बिम्बोष्ठी सुन्दरीं किञ्चित्समुद्यत्सुपयोधराम्
She was golden in complexion, with beautiful hair, a neck like a conch, slender-waisted, with lips like bimba fruit, lovely, and with slightly rising, well-formed breasts.
सुनासां चारुसर्वाङ्गीमपश्यत् कन्यकां नृपः । रुदतीं तां सखीं त्यक्त्वा विह्वलां दुःखपीडिताम्
The king saw a maiden with a lovely nose and beautiful limbs, weeping, abandoned by her companion, distressed and afflicted by sorrow.
साश्रुनेत्रां क्रन्दमानां विजने कुररीमिव । संवीक्ष्य राजा पप्रच्छ कन्यकां शोककारणम्
Seeing her, eyes filled with tears, crying out like a lonely curlew in a deserted place, the king asked the maiden the cause of her grief.
सुनसे ब्रूहि कासि त्वं कस्य पुत्री शुभानने । गन्धर्वी देवकन्याथ कथं रोदिषि सुन्दरि
O lovely-nosed one, tell me, who are you? Whose daughter are you, O auspicious-faced? Are you a Gandharvi, a celestial maiden? Why do you weep, O beautiful one?
कथमेकाकिनी बाले त्यक्ता केन पिकस्वरे । पतिस्ते क्व गतः कान्ते पिता वा ब्रूहि साम्प्रतम्
How, O young girl, have you been left alone, and by whom, you who cry with a voice like a cuckoo? Where has your husband gone, O charming one, or your father? Tell me now.
किं ते दुःखमरालभ्रु कथयाद्य ममान्तिके । करोमि दुःखनाशं ते सर्वथैव कृशोदरि
What sorrow afflicts you, O slender-browed one? Tell me here and now. I will surely remove your suffering, O slender-waisted one.
न राज्ये मम तन्वङ्गि पीडां कोऽपि करोत्यलम् । न भयं चौरजं कान्ते न राक्षसभयं तथा
In my kingdom, O slender-limbed one, no one causes such distress; there is no fear of thieves, O lovely one, nor any fear of demons.
मयि शासति भूपाले नोत्पाता दारुणा भुवि । भयं न व्याघ्रसिंहेभ्यो न भयं कस्यचिद्भवेत्
While I, the king, rule, no dreadful calamities arise on earth; there is no fear from tigers or lions, nor any fear from anyone.
वद वामोरु कस्मात्त्वं विलापं जाह्नवीतटे । करोषि त्राणहीनात्र किं ते दुःखं वदस्व मे
Tell me, O beautiful-thighed one, why you lament here on the bank of the Ganges, bereft of protection; what is your sorrow, tell me.
हन्म्यहं दुःखमत्युग्रं प्राणिनां पृथिवीतले । दैवं च मानुषं कान्ते व्रतमेतन्ममाद्भुतम्
I will destroy even the most terrible suffering of beings on earth; whether fate or human cause, O lovely one, this is my wondrous vow.
विशाललोचने ब्रूहि करोमि तव चिन्तितम् । इत्युक्ते वचने राज्ञा श्रुत्वोवाच मृदुस्वना
Speak, O wide-eyed one, I will do what you desire. Thus addressed by the king, she replied in a gentle voice.
शृणु राजेन्द्र वक्ष्यामि मम शोकस्य कारणम् । विपत्तिरहितः प्राणी कथं रुदति भूपते
Hear, O king of kings, I will tell you the cause of my sorrow. How can a being without misfortune weep, O king?
प्रब्रवीमि महाबाहो यदर्थं रुदती त्वहम् । तव राज्यादन्यदेशे राजा परमधार्मिकः
I will tell you, O mighty-armed one, why I am weeping: In a land other than your kingdom, there is a king supremely righteous.