उपदेशेन बहुना किं त्वां प्रति वदे प्रियम् मनोभवो ऽसि तेन त्वं वेत्सि भूतमनोगतम्
What need is there for much instruction to you? I speak kindly to you: you are Manmatha, and thus you know what has happened and what is yet to come.
तद्यथार्थकमेव त्वं कुरु नाकसदां प्रियम् शंकरं योजय क्षिप्रं गिरिपुत्र्या मनोभव संयुतो मधुना चैव ऋतुराजेन दुर्जय
Therefore, do exactly what is appropriate—bring joy to the dwellers of heaven. Quickly unite Śaṃkara with the mountain's daughter, O Manmatha, together with sweetness and the unconquerable lord of seasons.
इत्युक्तो मदनस्तेन शक्रेण स्वार्थसिद्धये प्रोवाच पञ्चबाणो ऽथ वाक्यं भीतः शतक्रतुम्
Thus addressed by Śakra for the fulfillment of his own purpose, the five-arrowed one then spoke, fearful, to Śatakratu.
अनया देवसामग्र्या मुनिदानवभीमया दुःसाध्यः शंकरो देवः किं न वेत्सि जगत्प्रभो
With this assembly of gods, and the formidable presence of sages and demons, Śaṃkara is difficult to subdue, O lord of the world—do you not know this?
तस्य देवस्य वेत्थ त्वं कारणं तु यदव्ययम् प्रायः प्रसादः कोपो ऽपि सर्वो हि महतां महान्
You know the cause of that god's unchanging nature; generally, favor and anger alike are immense in the great.
सर्वोपभोगसारा हि सुन्दर्यः स्वर्गसंभवाः अध्याश्रितं च यत्सौख्यं भवता नष्टचेष्टितम्
All pleasures are embodied in beautiful women born of heaven; and the happiness that was once enjoyed by you has been lost.
प्रमादादथ विभ्रश्येद् ईशं प्रति विचिन्त्यताम् प्रागेव चेह दृश्यन्ते भूतानां कार्यसंभवाः
If, through carelessness, you should fail regarding the Lord, consider this carefully; already, the signs of the beings' purposes are visible here.
विशेषं काङ्क्षतां शक्र सामान्याद्भ्रंशनं फलम् श्रुत्वैतद्वचनं शक्रस् तमुवाचामरैर्युतः
For those who desire distinction, the result of falling from the common is loss. Hearing these words, Śakra, surrounded by immortals, replied.
वयं प्रमाणास्ते ह्यत्र रतिकान्त न संशयः संदेशेन विना शक्तिर् अपकारस्य नेष्यते कस्यचिच् च क्वचिद्दृष्टं सामर्थ्यं न तु सर्वतः
We are your authorities here, O beloved of Rati, without doubt; without a message, the power to harm is not exercised, and ability is seen in some cases, not everywhere.
इत्युक्तः प्रययौ कामः सखायं मधुमाश्रितः रतियुक्तो जगामाशु प्रस्थं तु हिमभूभृतः
Thus addressed, Kāma departed, accompanied by his friend Madhu; together with Rati, he swiftly went to the abode of the mountain.
स तु तत्राकरोच्चिन्तां कार्यस्योपायपूर्विकाम् महार्था ये हि निष्कम्पा मनस्तेषां सुदुर्जयम्
Thereupon, he considered a plan for action, preceded by careful means; for those whose minds are unwavering in great undertakings are truly hard to overcome.
तदादावेव संक्षोभ्य नियतं सुजयो भवेत् संसिद्धिं प्राप्नुयुश्चैव पूर्वं संशोध्य मानसम्
By first agitating the mind, one surely attains victory; and having purified the mind beforehand, one indeed achieves success.
कथं च विविधैर्भावैर् द्वेषानुगमनं विना क्रोधः क्रूरतरासङ्गाद् भीषणेर्ष्यां महासखीम्
And how, by various dispositions, without following after hatred, does anger—arising from cruel association—bring forth that dreadful companion, envy?
चापल्यमूर्ध्नि विध्वस्तधैर्याधारां महाबलाम् तामस्य विनियोक्ष्यामि मनसो विकृतिं पराम्
I shall direct the supreme distortion of the mind, born of darkness, against her whose foundation of courage is shattered at the height of recklessness, though she is mighty.
पिधाय धैर्यद्वाराणि संतोषमपकृष्य च अवगन्तुं हि मां तत्र न कश्चिदतिपण्डितः
Having closed the doors of fortitude and removed contentment, no one, however learned, would be able to perceive me there.
विकल्पमात्रावस्थाने वैरूप्यं मनसो भवेत् पश्चान्मूलक्रियारम्भगम्भीरावर्तदुस्तरः
When the mind is fixed only in uncertainty, it becomes deformed; and afterwards, when the root of action is begun, it is swept into a deep and impassable whirlpool.
हरिष्यामि हरस्याहं तपस्तस्य स्थिरात्मनः इन्द्रियग्राममावृत्य रम्यसाधनसंविधिः
I shall steal away the austerity of Hara, whose self is steadfast, by enveloping his senses with delightful means and arrangements.
चिन्तयित्वेति मदनो भूतभर्तुस्तदाश्रमम् जगाम जगतीसारं सरलद्रुमवेदिकम्
Thus resolved, Madana set out for the hermitage of the Lord of beings, that essence of the world, with its grove of straight trees.
शान्तसत्त्वसमाकीर्णम् अचलप्राणिसंकुलम् नानापुष्पलताजालं गगनस्थगणेश्वरम्
It was filled with tranquil beings, crowded with immovable creatures, adorned with various garlands of flowers and creepers, and lorded over by the hosts of heaven.
निर्व्यग्रवृषभाध्युष्टनीलशाद्वलसानुकम् तत्रापश्यत्त्रिनेत्रस्य रम्यं कंचिद्द्वितीयकम्
On a blue, lush slope, grazed by undisturbed bulls, he saw there a certain delightful second abode of the three-eyed one.
वीरकं लोकवीरेशम् ईशानसदृशद्युतिम् यक्षकुङ्कुमकिञ्जल्कपुञ्जपिङ्गजटासटम्
A heroic figure, lord of the heroes of the world, radiant like Īśāna, with tawny matted locks dusted with the pollen of yakṣa saffron.
वेत्रपाणिनम् अव्यग्रम् उग्रभोगीन्द्रभूषणम् ततो निमीलितोन्निद्रपद्मपत्राभलोचनम्
Holding a staff in hand, undisturbed, adorned with the ornaments of a fierce serpent king, his eyes closed like lotus petals in sleep.
प्रेक्षमाणमृजुस्थानं नासिकाग्रं सुलोचनैः श्रवस्तरससिंहेन्द्रचर्मलम्बोत्तरीयकम्
Gazing steadily at the tip of his nose with beautiful eyes, draped in an upper garment of lion and elephant skin from the forests of Śrāvastī.
श्रवणाहिफलन्मुक्तनिःश्वासानलपिङ्गलम् प्रेङ्खत्कपालपर्यन्ततुम्बिलम्बिजटाचयम्
With ears adorned by the hoods of serpents, his breath glowing like fire, his matted locks swinging, hung with skulls at their ends.
कृतवासुकिपर्यङ्कनाभिमूलनिवेशितम् ब्रह्माञ्जलिस्थपुच्छाग्रनिबद्धोरगभूषणम्
Reclining with Vāsuki as his couch, his navel as the center, adorned with a serpent whose tail-tip was held in Brahmā's joined palms.
ददर्श शंकरं कामः क्रमप्राप्तान्तिकं शनैः ततो भ्रमरझङ्कारमालम्बिद्रुमसानुकम्
Kāma beheld Śaṅkara, having gradually drawn near; then, amidst the humming of bees, he approached the wooded slope.
प्रविष्टः कर्णरन्ध्रेण भवस्य मदनो मनः शंकरस्तमथाकर्ण्य मधुरं मदनाश्रयम्
Madana entered the mind of Bhava through the opening of his ear; and Śaṅkara, hearing that sweet, love-laden sound—
सस्मार दक्षदुहितारं दयितां रक्तमानसः ततः सा तस्य शनकैस् तिरोभूयातिनिर्मला
Remembered Dakṣa's daughter, his beloved, his heart inflamed with passion; then she, pure and radiant, gradually disappeared from his sight.
समाधिभावना तस्थौ लक्ष्यप्रत्यक्षरूपिणी ततस्तन्मयतां यातः प्रत्यूहापिहिताशयः
She remained absorbed in meditation, appearing as the very object of concentration; then, her mind, obstructed by hindrances, became wholly identified with that focus.
वशित्वेन बुबोधेशो विकृतिं मदनात्मिकाम् ईषत्कोपसमाविष्टो धैर्यमालम्ब्य धूर्जटिः
By mastery, the Lord perceived the distortion born of desire; slightly filled with anger, the steadfast Dhūrjaṭi composed himself.