वरं विषधरः सर्पः श्रुत्वा नादं मनोहरम् । अश्रोत्रोऽपि मुदं याति धिक्सकर्णांश्च मानवान्
Even a venomous serpent, upon hearing a delightful sound, feels joy, though it has no ears; shame on those humans who have ears but do not.
बालोऽपि सुस्वरं गेयं श्रुत्वा मुदितमानसः । जायते किन्तु ते वृद्धा न जानन्ति धिगस्तु तान्
Even a child, upon hearing a well-sung, melodious song, becomes joyful; but those elders who do not understand—shame upon them!
पिता मे किं न जानाति नारदस्य गुणान् बत । द्वितीयः सामगो नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु तत्समः
Why does my father not know the virtues of Nārada? Truly, there is no second singer of Sāma equal to him in the three worlds.
तस्मादसौ मया नूनं वृतः पूर्वं समागमात् । पश्चाच्छापवशाज्जातो वानरास्यो गुणाकरः
Therefore, it is certain that I chose him before, at our first meeting; later, by the force of a curse, this treasure of virtues became monkey-faced.
किन्नरा न प्रियाः कस्य भवन्ति तुरगाननाः । गानविद्यासमायुक्ताः किं मुखेन वरेण ह
Who would not love the Kinnaras, though they have horse faces, when they are endowed with the science of song? What use is a handsome face in a husband?
पितरं ब्रूहि मे मातर्वृतोऽयं मुनिसत्तमः । तस्मात्त्वमाग्रहं त्यक्त्वा देहि तस्मै च मां मुदा
Mother, tell my father that this best of sages has been chosen by me; so, giving up your insistence, gladly give me to him.
नारद उवाच इति पुत्र्या वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञी राज्ञे न्यवेदयत् । आग्रहं सुन्दरी ज्ञात्वा सुताया नारदे मुनौ
Nārada said: Hearing her daughter's words, the queen informed the king; knowing her daughter's insistence regarding the sage Nārada, the queen spoke to the king.
विवाहं कुरु राजेन्द्र दमयन्त्याः शुभे दिने । मुनिना स च सर्वज्ञो वृतोऽसौ मनसानया
Arrange the marriage of Damayantī on an auspicious day, O king; for the sage, who knows all, has been chosen by her in her heart.
नारद उवाच इति सञ्चोदितो राज्ञ्या सञ्जयः पृथिवीपतिः । चकार विथिवत्सर्वं विधिं वैवाहिकं ततः
Nārada said: Thus urged by the queen, King Sañjaya performed all the prescribed marriage rites accordingly.
एवं दारग्रहं कृत्वा वानरास्यः परन्तप । स्थितस्तत्रैव मनसा दह्यमानेन चान्वहम्
Thus, having taken a wife, I, with a monkey's face, scorcher of foes, remained there, my mind burning day after day.
यदाऽऽगच्छद्राजसुता सेवार्थं मम सन्निधौ । अभवं दुःखसन्तप्तस्तदाहं वानराननः
Whenever the princess came into my presence to serve me, I, with a monkey's face, was tormented by sorrow.
दमयन्ती तु मां वीक्ष्य प्रफुल्लवदनाम्बुजा । शोकं वानरवक्त्रत्वान्न चकार कदाचन
But Damayantī, seeing me, her face blossoming like a lotus, never showed any grief because of my monkey-face.
एवं गच्छति काले तु सहसा पर्वतो मुनिः । कुर्वंस्तीर्थान्यनेकानि द्रष्टुं मां समुपागतः
As time passed, suddenly the sage Parvata arrived there, performing many pilgrimages, to see me.
मयातिमानितः प्रेम्णा पूजितश्च यथाविधि । आसीन आसने दिव्ये वीक्ष्य मां दुःखितो ह्यभूत्
Honored greatly by me with love and worshipped according to custom, he sat on a splendid seat and, seeing me, became distressed.
कृतदारं वानरास्यं दीनं चिन्तातुरं भृशम् । दयावान्मामुवाचेदं पर्वतो मातुलं कृशम्
Seeing me, married, with a monkey's face, miserable and deeply troubled, the compassionate Parvata spoke to me, his nephew, now emaciated.
मया नारद कोपात्त्वं शप्तोऽसि मुनिसत्तम । निष्कृतिं तस्य शापस्य करोम्यद्य निशामय
Because of anger, O best of sages, I cursed you, Nārada; now behold, I shall make atonement for that curse today.
भव त्वं चारुवदनो मम पुण्येन नारद । दृष्ट्वा राजसुतां चित्ते कृपा जाता ममाधुना
By my merit, Nārada, become handsome-faced; for, seeing the princess, compassion has now arisen in my heart.
नारद उवाच मयापि प्रवणं चित्तं कृत्वा श्रुत्वास्य भाषितम् । अनुग्रहः कृतः सद्यस्तस्य शापस्य तत्क्षणात्
Nārada said: Making my mind humble and hearing his words, I was immediately freed from that curse at that very moment.
भागिनेय तवाप्यस्तु गमनं सुरसद्मनि । शापस्यानुग्रहः कामं कृतोऽयं पर्वताधुना
May you too, nephew, go to the abode of the gods; this favor regarding the curse has now been granted by Parvata.
नारद उवाच जातोऽहं चारुवदनो वचनात्तस्य पश्यतः । राजपुत्री तु सन्तुष्टा मातरं प्राह सत्वरम्
Nārada said: I became handsome-faced by his words, as all saw; and the princess, delighted, quickly spoke to her mother.
मातस्ते सुमुखो जातो जामाता च महाद्युतिः । वचनात्पर्वतस्याद्य मुक्तशापो मुनेरभूत्
Mother, your son-in-law has become handsome-faced and radiant; by Parvata's words, the sage has today been freed from his curse.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राज्ञ्या कथितं तत्तु राजनि । ययौ द्रष्टुं मुनिं तत्र सञ्जयः प्रीतिमांस्तदा
Hearing these words, the queen told the king, and then Sañjaya, full of joy, went there to see the sage.
धनं समर्पितं राज्ञा सन्तुष्टेन तदा महत् । मह्यं च भागिनेयाय पारिबर्हं महात्मना
The satisfied king then offered great wealth, and for me, his nephew, he gave abundant gifts with a noble heart.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं वर्तनं यत्पुरातनम् । मायाया बलमाहात्म्यं ह्यनुभूतं यथा मया
Thus I have told you everything about those ancient events, and how I experienced the power and greatness of Māyā.
संसारेऽस्मिन्महाभाग मायागुणकृतेऽनृते । तनुभृत्तु सुखी नास्ति न भूतो न भविष्यति
O greatly fortunate one, in this world, created by the qualities of Māyā and filled with falsehood, there has never been, nor will there ever be, a being with a body who is truly happy.
कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभो मत्सरो ममता तथा । अहङ्कारो मदः केन जिताः सर्वे महाबलाः
Desire and anger, likewise greed, envy, possessiveness, ego, and pride—by whom have all these, so immensely powerful, ever been conquered?
सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव गुणास्त्रय इमे किल । कारणं प्राणिनां देहसम्भवे सर्वथा मुने
Indeed, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—these three are the qualities that, in every way, are the cause of the embodiment of living beings, O sage.
कस्मिंश्चित्समये व्यास वनेऽहं विष्णुना सह । गच्छन्हास्यविनोदेन स्त्रीभावं गमितः क्षणात्
At a certain time, Vyāsa, while I was wandering in the forest with Viṣṇu, through his playful power, I was suddenly made to assume the form of a woman.
राजपत्नीत्वमापन्नो मायाबलविमोहितः । पुत्राः प्रसूता बहवो गेहे तस्य नृपस्य ह
Deluded by the power of Māyā, I became the wife of a king and bore many sons in the house of that ruler.
व्यास उवाच संशयोऽयं महान्साधो श्रुत्वा ते वचनं किल । कथं नारीत्वमापन्नस्त्वं मुने ज्ञानवान्भृशम्
Vyāsa said: This is a great doubt, O noble one, that has arisen upon hearing your words—how did you, a sage endowed with knowledge, come to assume a woman's form?