एवं संसेव्यमानौ तु स्थितौ राज्ञो गृहे किल । वेदाध्ययनसंशीलावावां वेदव्रते रतौ
Thus, being served in this way, we stayed in the king's house, devoted to Vedic study and observance of Vedic vows.
अहं वीणां करे कृत्वा साधयित्वा स्वरोत्तमम् । गायत्रं साम सुस्वादमगां कर्णरसायनम्
I took up the vīṇā in my hand, tuned it to the finest notes, and sang the Sāma hymns, sweet and pleasing to the ear.
राजपुत्री तु तच्छ्रुत्वा सामगानं मनोहरम् । बभूव मयि रागाढ्या प्रीतियुक्ता विशारदा
Hearing that enchanting Sāma song, the princess became deeply attached to me, filled with affection and skill.
दिने दिनेऽनुरागोऽस्या मयि वृद्धिं गतः परः । ममापि प्रीतियुक्तायां मनो जातं स्पृहापरम्
Day by day, her love for me grew greatly; and seeing her affection, a deep longing arose in my own heart as well.
मम तस्य च सा कन्या भोजनादिषु कर्हिचित् । अकरोदन्तरं किञ्चित्सेवाभेदं रसान्विता
That maiden never made any distinction between me and Parvata in serving food and other needs, always attentive and full of feeling.
स्नानायोष्णजलं मह्यं पर्वताय च शीतलम् । दधि मह्यं तथा तक्रं पर्वतायाप्यकल्पयत्
She would prepare warm water for my bath and cool water for Parvata, and provide curds for me and buttermilk for Parvata.
शयनास्तरणं शुभ्रं मदर्थे पर्यकल्पयत् । प्रीत्या परमया यद्वत्पर्वताय न तादृशम्
She arranged a spotless bed for me out of great affection, but not one of the same quality for Parvata.
विलोकयति मां प्रेम्णा सुन्दरी न च पर्वतम् । ततोऽस्यास्तादृशं दृष्ट्वा पर्वतः प्रेमकारणम्
The beautiful maiden looked at me with love, but not at Parvata; seeing this, Parvata understood the reason for her affection.
मनसा चिन्तयामास किमेतदिति विस्मितः । पप्रच्छ मां रहः सम्यग्ब्रूहि नारद सर्वथा
Astonished, he thought in his mind, 'What is this?' and privately asked me, 'Tell me everything, Nārada, without reservation.'
राजपुत्री त्वयि प्रेम करोति मुदिता भृशम् । ददाति भक्ष्यभोज्यानि स्नेहयुक्ता समन्ततः
The princess is deeply in love with you, delighted, and gives you all kinds of food and drink with affection.
न तथा मयि भेदोऽत्र सन्देहं जनयत्यसौ । मन्यते त्वां पतिं कर्तुं सर्वथा सञ्जयात्मजा
She does not treat me the same way, which arouses my doubt; Sañjaya's daughter surely wishes to make you her husband.
तवापि तादृशं भावं जानामि लक्षणैरहम् । नेत्रवक्त्रविकारैश्च ज्ञायते प्रीतिकारणम्
I also know your feelings are the same, by the signs—your eyes, your face, and your expressions reveal the cause of your affection.
सत्यं वद न ते मिथ्या वक्तव्यं वचनं मुने । स्वर्गतः समयं कृत्वा चलितौ संस्मराधुना
Speak the truth; do not utter false words, O sage. Having made a promise in heaven, you have now broken it—recall this at once.
नारद उवाच पृष्टोऽहं पर्वतेनेदं कारणं तु हठाद्यदा । तदाहं ह्रीसमाक्रान्तः सञ्जातश्चाब्रुवं पुनः
Nārada said: When I was questioned by Parvata about this matter, compelled by insistence, I, overcome with shame, spoke again.
पर्वतैषा विशालाक्षी पतिं मां कर्तुमुद्यता । ममापि मानसो भावो वर्ततेऽस्यां विशेषतः
This wide-eyed woman, Parvati, is eager to make me her husband; and I too have a special affection for her in my heart.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं सत्यं पर्वतः कोपसंयुतः । मामुवाच मुनिर्वाक्यं धिग्धिगिति पुनः पुनः
Hearing these truthful words, Parvata, filled with anger, addressed me repeatedly with the words 'shame, shame!'
प्रथमं शपथान्कृत्वा वञ्चितोऽहं त्वया यतः । भव वानरवक्त्रस्त्वं शापाच्च मम मित्रधुक्
Since you deceived me after first making oaths, become one with the face of a monkey, as a result of my curse, O betrayer of a friend.
इति शप्तस्तु तेनाहं कुपितेन महात्मना । सहसा ह्यभवं क्रूरः शाखामृगमुखस्तदा
Thus cursed by that great soul, in his wrath, I suddenly became cruel, with the face of a branch-dwelling animal.
मयापि न कृता तस्मिन्क्षमा तु भगिनीसुते । सोऽपि शप्तोऽतिकोपाद्वै मा स्वर्गे ते गतिः किल
I did not forgive him for this regarding the daughter of his sister; out of intense anger, I too cursed him: 'May you have no passage to heaven.'
स्वल्पेऽपराधे यस्मान्मां शप्तवानसि पर्वत । तस्मात्तवापि मन्दात्मन् मृत्युलोके स्थितिः किल
Because you cursed me for such a minor offense, O Parvata, therefore you too, dull-minded one, shall remain in the world of mortals.
पर्वतस्तु गतस्तस्मान्नगराद्विमना भृशम् । अहं वानरवक्त्रस्तु सञ्जातस्तत्क्षणादपि
Parvata, greatly distressed, departed from the city; and I, with the face of a monkey, became so at that very moment.
दृष्ट्वा मां वानरं क्रूरं राजपुत्री विलक्षणा । विमनातीव सञ्जाता वीणाश्रवणलालसा
Seeing me as a cruel monkey, the princess became utterly disheartened, longing to hear the sound of the vīṇā.
व्यास उवाच ततः किमभवद्ब्रह्मन् कथं शापान्निवर्तितः । मानुषास्यः पुनर्जातो भवान्ब्रूहि यथाविधि
Vyāsa said: What happened then, O brāhman? How were the curses lifted? Tell how you regained a human face, according to the proper account.
पर्वतः क्व गतो भूयः सङ्गमो युवयोरभूत् । कदा कुत्र कथं सर्वं विस्तरेण वदस्व ह
Where did Parvata go? Did you two meet again? When, where, and how? Tell everything in detail.
नारद उवाच किं ब्रवीमि महाभाग मायायाश्चरितं महत् । दुःखितोऽहं भृशं तत्र पर्वते रुषिते गते
Nārada said: What can I say, O highly fortunate one, about the great deeds of Māyā? I was deeply distressed when Parvata, angered, departed.
पुनः सेवापरात्यर्थं राजपुत्री ममाभवत् । गतेऽथ पर्वते कामं स्थितस्तत्रैव सद्मनि
The princess became exceedingly devoted to service for me; after Parvata left, I remained there in the house, desiring her.
अहं दुःखान्वितो दीनस्तथा वानरवन्मुखः । विशेषेण तु चिन्तार्तः किं मे स्यादिति चिन्तयन्
I, afflicted by sorrow and misery, with the face of a monkey, was especially troubled, pondering what might happen to me.
सञ्जयोऽथ सुतां दृष्ट्वा किञ्चित्प्रकटयौवनाम् । विवाहार्थे राजसुतामपृच्छत्सचिवं तदा
Then Sañjaya, seeing his daughter with signs of emerging youth, asked his minister about the royal princess for marriage.
विवाहकालः सम्प्राप्तः सुताया मम साम्प्रतम् । योग्यं वरं मम ब्रूहि राजपुत्रं सुसम्मतम्
The time for my daughter's marriage has now arrived; tell me an appropriate groom, a royal prince who is well approved.
रूपौदार्यगुणैर्युक्तं शूरं सुकुलसम्भवम् । विवाहं विधिवत्पुत्र्याः करोमि किल साम्प्रतम्
One endowed with beauty, generosity, and virtues, brave and of noble lineage—I will arrange my daughter's marriage according to proper rites, now.