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.
दैवमेव परं राजन्नास्त्यत्र पौरुषं मम । धर्मज्ञोऽसि महीपाल यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु
Only fate rules here, O king; I have no power in this matter. You are wise in righteousness, O ruler of the earth; do as you wish.
तवाधीनास्म्यहं भूप न मे कोऽप्यस्ति पालकः । न पिता न च माता च न स्थानं न च बान्धवाः
I am under your authority, O king; I have no protector. I have neither father nor mother, no home, nor any relatives.
इत्युक्तोऽसौ मया राजा बभूव मदनातुरः । मां निरीक्ष्य विशालाक्षीं सेवकानित्युवाच ह
Thus spoken by me, the king became afflicted by love, and gazing at me, the wide-eyed one, he spoke to his attendants.
नरयानमानयध्वं चतुर्वाह्यं मनोहरम् । आरोहणार्थमस्यास्तु कौशेयाम्बरवेष्टितम्
Bring a beautiful four-horse chariot, wrapped in silk garments, for her to ascend.
मृद्वास्तरणसंयुक्तं मुक्ताजालविभूषितम् । चतुरस्रं विशालं च सुवर्णरचितं शुभम्
Let it be furnished with soft bedding, adorned with pearl nets, spacious and square, splendidly crafted in gold.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भृत्याः सत्वरगामिनः । आनिन्युः शिबिकां दिव्यां मदर्थे वस्त्रवेष्टिताम्
Hearing his command, the swift-moving servants brought a divine palanquin, wrapped in cloth, for me.
आरूढाऽहं तदा तस्यां तस्य प्रियचिकीर्षया । मुदितोऽसौ गृहे नीत्वा मां तदा पृथिवीपतिः
At that time, I mounted that chariot out of desire to please him, and the delighted king brought me to his palace.
विवाहविधिना राजा शुभे लग्ने शुभे दिने । उपयेमे च मां तत्र हुतभुक्सन्निधौ ततः
There, on an auspicious day and at an auspicious moment, the king married me according to the proper rites, in the presence of the sacred fire.
तस्याहं वल्लभा जाता प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी । सौभाग्यसुन्दरीत्येवं नाम तत्र कृतं मम
I became his beloved, dearer to him than life itself; and there, I was given the name Saubhāgyasundarī, the beautiful and fortunate one.
रममाणो मया सार्धं सुखमाप महीपतिः । नानाभोगविलासैश्च कामशास्त्रोदितैस्तथा
The king, enjoying himself with me, attained happiness, indulging in various pleasures and delights as described in the arts of love.
राजकार्याणि सन्त्यज्य क्रीडासक्तो दिवानिशम् । नासौ विवेद गच्छन्तं कालं कामकलारतः
Neglecting royal duties, absorbed in play day and night, he, immersed in the arts of love, did not notice the passage of time.
उद्यानेषु च रम्येषु वापीषु च गृहेषु च । हर्म्येषु वरशैलेषु दीर्घिकासु वरासु च
In beautiful gardens, ponds, palaces, mansions, splendid mountains, and fine lakes, he wandered with me.
वारुणीमदमत्तोऽसौ विहरन्कानने शुभे । विसृज्य सर्वकार्याणि मदधीनो बभूव ह
Intoxicated by strong wine, he roamed in lovely forests, abandoning all his duties, completely under the influence of intoxication.
व्यासाहं तेन संसक्ता क्रीडारसवशीकृता । स्मृतवान्पूर्वदेहं न पुंभावं मुनिजन्म च
I, too, became attached to him, captivated by the pleasures of play; I forgot my previous body, my male nature, and my birth as a sage.
ममैवायं पतिर्योषाहं पत्नीषु प्रिया सती । पट्टराज्ञी विलासज्ञा सफलं जीवितं मम
This is my husband, and I am his beloved among wives; I am the chief queen, skilled in enjoyment—my life has become fruitful.
इति चिन्तयती तस्मिन्प्रेमबद्धा दिवानिशम् । क्रीडासक्ता सुखे लुब्धा तं स्थिता वशवर्तिनी
Thinking thus, bound by love to him day and night, absorbed in play and greedy for pleasure, I remained obedient to him.
विस्मृतं ब्रह्मविज्ञानं ब्रह्मज्ञानं च शाश्वतम् । धर्मशास्त्रपरिज्ञानं तदासक्तमना स्थिता
I forgot knowledge of Brahman and the eternal wisdom of Brahman, as well as understanding of the scriptures of dharma, my mind wholly attached to him.
एवं विहरतस्तत्र वर्षाणि द्वादशैव तु । गतानि क्षणवत्कामक्रीडासक्तस्य मे मुने
Thus, as I enjoyed myself there, twelve years passed like a moment, for I was absorbed in the pleasures of love, O sage.
जाता गर्भवती चाहं मुदं प्राप नृपस्तदा । कारयामास विधिवद्गर्भसंस्कारकर्म च
I became pregnant, and the king rejoiced; he performed the proper rites for the protection of the fetus according to tradition.
अपृच्छद्दोहदं राजा प्रीणयन्मां पुनः पुनः । नाब्रवं लज्जमानाहं नृपं प्रीतमना भृशम्
The king repeatedly asked me about my cravings, seeking to please me, but I, though delighted, was too shy to tell him.