सन्तोषं कुरु राजेन्द्र दत्ता देवेन विष्णुना । होतुर्वाक्यं नृपः श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा तां कन्यकां शुभाम्
O king of kings, be satisfied, for she has been given by the god Viṣṇu; hearing the words of the priest and seeing that auspicious maiden,
जग्राह परमप्रीतो होत्रा दत्तां सुसम्मताम् । गृहीत्वा नृपतिस्तां तु ददौ पत्न्यै वराननाम्
The king, greatly delighted, accepted the well-approved girl given by the priest; taking her, the king gave her to his wife, whose face was lovely.
आभाष्य रुक्मरेखायै गृहाण सुभगे सुताम् । सा तां कमलपत्राक्षीं प्राप्य कन्यां मनोरमाम्
Addressing Rukmarekhā, he said, 'O fortunate one, accept this daughter'; she, having received that charming maiden with lotus-petal eyes,
जहर्ष मुदिता राज्ञी पुत्रं प्राप्य यथासुखम् । चकार मङ्गलं कर्म जातकर्मादिकं शुभम्
The queen rejoiced, delighted as if she had obtained a son; she performed all the auspicious rites, beginning with the birth ceremony.
पुत्रजन्मसमुत्थं यत्तत्सर्वं विधिवत्ततः । समाप्य च मखं राजा द्विजेभ्यो दक्षिणां शुभाम्
All that was to be done for the birth of a child was properly performed; and having completed the sacrifice, the king gave auspicious gifts to the Brāhmaṇas.
दत्त्वा विसृज्य विप्रेन्द्रान् मुदं प्राप महीपतिः । दिने दिनेऽसितापाङ्गी पुत्रवृद्ध्या भृशं बभौ
Having given and dismissed the foremost Brāhmaṇas, the king attained joy; day by day, the dark-eyed queen shone greatly with the daughter's growth.
मुदं च परमां प्राप नृपभार्या सुतान्विता । उत्सवस्तद्दिने तस्य प्रवृत्तः सुतजन्मजः
The king's wife, now with a child, attained supreme joy; on that day, a festival was held for the birth of the daughter.
पुत्री पुत्रसमात्यर्थं बभूव वल्लभा किल । राज्ञो मन्त्रिसुता चाहं सुबुद्धे मन्मथाकृते
The beloved daughter became, for all purposes, equal to a son; I am the daughter of the king's minister, wise and beautiful as Kāmadeva.
यशोवती च मे नाम समानं वय आवयोः । वयस्याहं कृता राज्ञा क्रीडनाय तया सह
My name is Yaśovatī, and our ages are the same; the king made me her companion for play.
सदा सहचरी जाता प्रेमयुक्ता दिवानिशम् । एकावली गन्धवन्ति यत्र पद्मानि पश्यति
I always became her close friend, filled with affection, day and night; Ekāvalī delights wherever she sees fragrant lotuses.
तत्र सा रमते बाला नान्यत्र सुखमाप्नुयात् । सुदूरे जाह्नवीतीरे भवन्ति कमलान्यपि
There the girl finds joy, and nowhere else does she find happiness; even far away, on the banks of the Jāhnavī, there are lotuses.
रममाणा तत्र याता मत्समेता सखीयुता । मया निवेदितं राजन् पुत्री ते कमलाकरान्
Delighting there, she would go with me and her other friends; I informed you, O King, that your daughter visits the lotus ponds.
प्रेक्षमाणातिदूरे सा प्रयाति निर्जने वने । निषेधिताथ पित्रासौ गृहे कृत्वा जलाशयान्
Seeing them at a great distance, she would go into the lonely forest; then, forbidden by her father, she created lotus ponds at home.
कमलान् वापयित्वाथ पुष्पितान् भ्रमरावृतान् । तथापि निर्ययौ बाला कमलासक्तचेतना
Having caused lotuses to bloom there, full of flowers and swarming with bees, still the girl, her mind attached to lotuses, went out.
तदा राज्ञा रक्षपालाः प्रेरिताः शस्त्रपाणयः । एवं रक्षायुता तन्वी मत्समेता सखीयुता । क्रीडार्थं जाह्नवीतोये नित्यमायाति याति च
Then, guards sent by the king, armed with weapons, would always accompany the slender maiden, together with her friends, for her protection, as she came and went to play in the waters of the Jahnavi.
; हैहयैकवीराय यशोवत्यैकावलीमोचनाय देवीस्वप्नवर्णनम् यशोवत्युवाच प्रातरुत्थाय तन्वङ्गी चलिता च सखीयुता । चामरैर्वीज्यमाना सा रक्षिता बहुरक्षिभिः
Yaśovatī said: Rising early in the morning, the slender-bodied maiden set out with her friends; she was fanned with chowries and protected by many guards.
सायुधैश्चातिसन्नद्धैः सहिता वरवर्णिनी । क्रीडार्थमत्र राजेन्द्र सम्प्राप्ता नलिनीं शुभाम्
Accompanied by well-armed and fully equipped attendants, the radiant maiden arrived here, O king, at the beautiful lotus-pond for play.
अहमप्यनया सार्धं गङ्गातीरे समागता । अप्सरोभिः समेता च कमलैः क्रीडमानया
I too came there with her to the bank of the Ganga, joined by apsarases, as she played with the lotuses.
एकावली तथा चाहं जाते क्रीडापरे यदा । सहसैव तदायातो दानवो बलसंयुतः
When Ekāvalī and I were absorbed in play, suddenly a powerful Dānava arrived.
कालकेतुरिति ख्यातो राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्युतः । परिघासिगदाचापबाणतोमरपाणिभिः
He was known as Kālaketu, surrounded by many rākṣasas, all armed with iron clubs, swords, maces, bows, arrows, and spears.
दृष्टा चैकावली तेन रूपयौवनशालिनी । द्वितीया कामपत्नीव क्रीडमाना सुपङ्कजैः
Seeing Ekāvalī, endowed with beauty and youth, playing with the lovely lotuses, he regarded her as a second wife of Kāma.
मयोक्तैकावली राजन् कोऽयं दैत्यः समागतः । गच्छावो रक्षपालानां मध्ये पङ्कजलोचने
I said to Ekāvalī, 'O lotus-eyed one, who is this Daitya who has come? Let us go among the guards.'
विमृश्यैव सखी चाहं त्वरयैव गते भयात् । मध्ये वै सैनिकानां तु सायुधानां नृपात्मज
Thinking thus, O friend, I quickly went away out of fear, and in the midst of the armed soldiers, O prince.
कालकेतुस्तु तां दृष्ट्वा मोहिनीं मदनातुरः । गदां गुर्वी गृहीत्वा तु धावमानः समागतः
But Kālaketu, seeing her, was maddened by desire; seizing a heavy mace, he rushed forward.
रक्षकान्दूरतः कृत्वा जग्राहाम्बुजलोचनाम् । त्रस्तां वेपथुसंयुक्तां क्रन्दमानां कृशोदरीम्
Driving the guards away, he seized the lotus-eyed maiden, who was trembling in fear, crying out, and slender-waisted.
त्यजैनां मां गृहाणेति मया चोक्तोऽपि दानवः । न मां जग्राह कामार्तस्तां गृहीत्वा विनिःसृतः
Though I cried out, 'Let her go, take me instead,' the lustful Dānava did not seize me, but carried her off.
तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति भाषन्तो रक्षकास्तं महाबलम् । प्रतिषिध्य तु संग्रामं चक्रुर्विस्मयकारकम्
The guards shouted, 'Stop! Stop!' at that mighty one, and, blocking his way, engaged him in a wondrous battle.
तस्यापि राक्षसाः क्रूराः सर्वतः शस्त्रपाणयः । युयुधू रक्षकैः सार्धं स्वामिकार्ये कृतोद्यमाः
The fierce rākṣasas, all armed with weapons, fought with the guards on every side, striving to fulfill their master's command.
संग्रामस्तु तदा जातः कालकेतोस्तथा रणे । निहत्य रक्षकान्सर्वान्गृहीत्वैनां महाबलः
Then a battle took place between Kālaketu and the guards; having slain them all, the mighty one seized her.
युक्तो राक्षससैन्येन निर्जगाम पुरं प्रति । वीक्ष्य तां रुदतीं बालां गृहीता दानवेन तु
Joined by his rākṣasa army, he departed towards his city; seeing the girl, weeping and seized by the Dānava.