आगतं गरुडं वीक्ष्य आरुरोह जनार्दनः । समारोप्य च मां पृष्ठे गमनाय कृतादरः
Seeing Garuḍa arrive, Janārdana climbed up and, with care, seated me behind him for the journey.
चलितो विनतापुत्रो वैकुण्ठाद्वायुवेगवान् । प्रेरितो यत्र कृष्णेन गन्तुकामेन काननम्
The son of Vinatā, swift as the wind, departed from Vaikuṇṭha, urged by Kṛṣṇa, who wished to go to the forest.
महावनानि दिव्यानि सरांसि सरितस्तथा । पुरग्रामाकरादींश्च खेटखर्वटगोव्रजान्
We beheld great and divine forests, lakes, and rivers, as well as cities, villages, mines, settlements, hamlets, and cowherd communities.
मुनीनामाश्रमान् रम्यान् वापीश्च सुमनोहराः । पल्वलानि विशालानि ह्रदान् पङ्कजभूषितान्
We saw the beautiful hermitages of sages, delightful ponds, vast marshes, and lakes adorned with lotuses.
मृगाणां च वराहाणां वृन्दान्यप्यवलोक्य च । गतावावां कान्यकुब्जसमीपं गरुडासनौ
Observing herds of deer and boars as well, we two, seated upon Garuḍa, arrived near Kānyakubja.
तत्र रम्यं सरो दिव्यं दृष्टं पङ्कजमण्डितम् । हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्
There we saw a lovely, divine lake, adorned with lotuses, crowded with swans and waterfowl, and beautified by chakravāka ducks.
नानावर्णैः प्रफुल्लैश्च पङ्कजैरुपरञ्जितम् । शुचि मिष्टजलं भृङ्गयूथनादविराजितम्
It was tinged with blooming lotuses of various colors, its pure and sweet water resounding with the hum of bee swarms.
मामाह भगवान् वीक्ष्य तडागं परमाद्भुतम् । स्पर्धकं चोदधेः क्षीरं मिष्टं वारि विशेषतः
Beholding that wondrous lake, the Blessed Lord said to me: 'Its water is especially sweet, rivaling the milk of the ocean.'
श्रीभगवानुवाच पश्य नारद गम्भीरं सरः सारसनादितम् । सर्वत्र पङ्कजैश्छन्नं स्वच्छनीरप्रपूरितम्
The Blessed Lord said: 'Behold, Nārada, this deep lake, resounding with the cries of cranes, covered everywhere with lotuses and filled with clear water.'
अत्र स्नात्वा गमिष्यावः कान्यकुब्जं पुरोत्तमम् । इत्युक्त्वा गरुडादाशु मामुत्तार्य व्यतारयत्
'After bathing here, we shall proceed to the foremost city, Kānyakubja.' Saying this, he quickly lifted me down from Garuḍa and led me across.
विहस्य भगवांस्तत्र जग्राह मम तर्जनीम् । स्तुवन्सरोवरं भूयस्तीरे मामनयत्प्रभुः
There, the Blessed Lord smiled, took hold of my forefinger, praised the lake again, and led me to the shore.
विश्रम्य तटभागे तु स्निग्धच्छाये मनोहरे । मामुवाच मुने स्नानं कुरु त्वं विमले जले
After resting on the charming bank, shaded by gentle trees, he said to me, 'O sage, bathe in these pure waters.'
पश्चादहं करिष्यामि तडागेऽस्मिन्सुपावने । साधूनामिव चेतांसि जलानि निर्मलानि च
'Afterwards, I too shall bathe in this supremely holy lake. Its waters are as pure as the minds of the virtuous.'
सुरभीणि परागैस्तु पङ्कजानां विशेषतः । इत्युक्तोऽहं भगवता मुक्त्वा वीणां मृगाजिनम्
'They are fragrant with the pollen of lotuses, especially.' Thus addressed by the Blessed Lord, I set aside my vīṇā and deerskin.
स्नानाय कृतधीस्तीरे गतः प्रेमसमन्वितः । पादौप्रक्षाल्य हस्तौच शिखां बद्ध्वा कुशग्रहम्
Intent on bathing, filled with devotion, I went to the shore, washed my feet and hands, tied up my hair, and took up sacred grass.
कृत्वाऽऽचम्य शुचिस्तोये स्नातवानस्मि तज्जले । यदा तस्मिज्जले रम्ये स्नातोऽहं पश्यतो हरेः
Having performed ācamana and purified myself in the clear water, I bathed in that lake as Hari looked on.
विहाय पौरुषं रूपं प्राप्तः स्त्रीत्वमनुत्तमम् । हरिर्गृहीत्वा वीणां मे तथा कृष्णाजिनं शुभम्
As I bathed in those delightful waters, in Hari's presence, I abandoned my male form and attained an incomparable female form; Hari took my vīṇā and my auspicious deerskin.
आरुह्य गरुडं तूर्णं जगाम स्वगृहं क्षणात् । ततोऽहं स्त्रीत्वमापन्नश्चारुभूषणभूषितः
Swiftly mounting Garuḍa, Hari departed to his own abode in an instant. Then I, having become a woman, was adorned with beautiful ornaments.
तत्क्षणान्मनसो जाता पूर्वदेहस्य विस्मृतिः । विस्मृतोऽसौ जगन्नाथो महती विस्मृता पुनः
In that instant, the memory of my previous body vanished from my mind; the Lord of the world was forgotten, and a great oblivion overtook me again.
सम्प्राप्य मोहिनीरूपं तडागान्निर्गतो बहिः । अपश्यं नलिनीजुष्टं सरस्तद्विमलोदकम्
Having assumed a bewitching form, I emerged from the pond and saw before me a lake adorned with lotuses, its water pure and clear.
किमेतदिति मनसाकरवं विस्मयं मुहुः । एवं चिन्तयमानस्य नारीरूपधरस्य मे
I wondered repeatedly in my mind, 'What is this?' and was filled with amazement; as I pondered thus, bearing the form of a woman,
सहसा दृक्पथं प्राप्तस्तत्र तालध्वजो नृपः । गजाश्वरथवृन्दैश्च संवृतो रथसंस्थितः
Suddenly, King Tāladhvaja appeared before my eyes, surrounded by elephants, horses, and chariots, himself seated in a chariot.
युवा भूषणसंवीतो देहवानिव मन्मथः । वीक्ष्य मां भूपतिस्तत्र दिव्यभूषणभूषिताम्
He was young, adorned with ornaments, possessing a handsome body like Cupid; seeing me there, decorated with divine jewels,
राकाचन्द्रमुखीं योषां विस्मयं परमं गतः । पप्रच्छ कासि कल्याणि कस्य पुत्री सुरस्य वा
A woman with a face like the full moon, he was struck with great wonder and asked, 'Who are you, O beautiful one? Whose daughter are you—of a god,
मानुषस्य च वा कान्ते गन्धर्वस्योरगस्य च । एकाकिनी कथं बाला रूपयौवनभूषिता
Or of a human, O lovely one, or of a Gandharva or serpent? How are you, a young maiden, alone here, adorned with beauty and youth?
विवाहिताथ कन्या वा सत्यं वद सुलोचने । किं पश्यसि सुकेशान्ते तडागेऽस्मिन्सुमध्यमे
Are you married or a maiden? Speak the truth, O wide-eyed one. What do you see, O fair-waisted, at the edge of this pond?
चिकीर्षितं पिकालापे ब्रूहि मन्मथमोहिनि । भुङ्क्षव भोगान्मरालाक्षि मया सह कृशोदरि । वाञ्छितान्मनसा नूनं कृत्वा मां पतिमुत्तमम्
Tell me your intention with sweet words, O enchantress; enjoy pleasures with me, O swan-eyed, slender-waisted one, fulfilling your heart's desires by making me your excellent husband.
; नारदस्य पुनः स्वरूपप्राप्तिवर्णनम् नारद उवाच इत्युक्तोऽहं तदा तेन राज्ञा तालध्वजेन च । विमृश्य मनसात्यर्थं तमुवाच विशाम्पते
The restoration of Nārada's original form Nārada said: Thus addressed by King Tāladhvaja, I reflected deeply in my mind and spoke to the lord of men.
राजन्नाहं विजानामि पुत्री कस्येति निश्चयम् । पितरौ क्व च मे केन स्थापिता च सरोवरे
O King, I do not know for certain whose daughter I am, nor where my parents are, nor by whom I was placed in this lake.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथं मे सुकृतं भवेत् । निराधारास्मि राजेन्द्र चिन्तयामि चिकीर्षितम्
What should I do, where should I go, how will I find happiness? I am without support, O king, and I am pondering what to do.