नोद्यमी सुखमाप्नोति नाभार्यः संततिं लभेत्
One who does not exert himself does not attain happiness; one without a wife does not obtain offspring.
अपृच्छन्नैव जानाति अगच्छन्न क्वचिद्व्रजेत्
Without asking, he knows; without going, he travels somewhere.
कस्माद्भूपाल मां त्यक्त्वा धर्माङ्गदगृहे शुभे
Why, O king, have you abandoned me in the auspicious house of Dharmāṅgada?
वीक्ष्यसे राज्यपदवीं समर्थे तनये विभो
You see the royal throne, O lord, in your capable son.
व्रीडान्वितः पुत्रसमीपवर्ती प्रोवाच वाक्यं नृपतिः प्रियान्ताम्
Ashamed, the king, standing near his son, spoke words pleasing to him.
श्रमातुरस्य निद्रा मे प्रवृत्ता मुखदायिनी
Sleep has come to me, weary, and brings relief to my face.
पूजयस्व यथान्या ममेषा पत्नी प्रिया मम
Honor her as you would another; she is my wife, dear to me.
निर्वातवातसंयुक्तं सर्वर्तुसुखदायकम्
Joined with gentle breezes, it gives comfort in all seasons.
शयनं प्राप्य कष्टात्ते अभाग्यो हि धनं यथा
Having reached the bed, you suffer greatly, unfortunate as with wealth.
यद्व्रवीषि वचो देवि तत्करोमि न संशयः
Whatever you say, O lady, I shall do; there is no doubt.
ममोद्वाहेन निर्विण्णान्निराशान्कामभोगयोः
By marrying me, you became disheartened and hopeless regarding enjoyment of desires.
मूर्घ्नि कीलं कनिष्ठाख्यं यो हि राजन्निखानयेत्
O king, whoever places the pin called 'kaniṣṭhā' on the head—
पतिव्रताश्रुदग्धायाः का शान्तिर्मे भविष्यति
What peace will there be for me, when a devoted wife is burned by tears?
किं पुनः प्राकृतं भूप त्वादृशीं तथा
What then of an ordinary woman, O king, like you?
तव स्नेहनिबद्धाङ्गी संभोजयति षड्रसैः
Bound to you by affection, she serves you with dishes of six tastes.
एवंविधा हि शतशो नार्यः संति गृहे तव
Hundreds of such women are present in your house.
मोहिनी वचनं श्रुत्वा व्रीडितो ह्यभवन्नृपः
Hearing Mohinī's words, the king became embarrassed.
इङ्गितज्ञः सुतो ज्ञात्वा दशावस्थागतां नृपम्
The son, skilled in reading gestures, understood the king's condition.
मातृः सर्वाः समाहूय संध्यावलिपुरोगमाः
He summoned all the mothers, with Sandhyāvali at their head.
विमोहिनी मे जननी नवोढा ब्राह्मणः सुता
Vimohinī, my mother, is newly married and the daughter of a brāhmaṇa.
आत्मना सह खेलार्थं तन्मोदध्वं सुहर्षिताः
Together with her, for the sake of play, you should delight her, joyfully.
को हि दीपयते वह्निं स्वदेहे देहिनां वर
Who, O best of embodied beings, would set fire to his own body?
कस्तरेत्सागरं बद्ध्वा ग्रीवायां दारुणां शिलाम्
Who would cross the ocean with a heavy stone tied to his neck?
को निषीदति धारायां खङ्गस्या काशभासिनः
Who would sit upon the blade of a sword shining like Kāśa grass?
सर्वस्यापि प्रदानेन नैतन्मनसि वर्तते
Even by giving away everything, this does not leave the mind.
का दृष्ट्या दयितं कान्तं निरीक्षेदन्ययाहृतम्
What woman would look upon her beloved, her dear one, taken by another?
आत्मप्राणसमं कान्तमन्यस्त्रीकुचपीडनम्
Her beloved, as dear as her own life, being pressed to the bosom of another woman—
सर्वेषामेव दुःखानां दुःखमेतदनन्तकम्
Of all sorrows, this is the sorrow without end.
वरं सर्वा मृताः पुत्र युगपन्मातरस्तव
It would be better, my son, if all your mothers died at once.
यदि मे न पितुः सौख्यं करिष्यथ शुभाननाः
If you, fair-faced ones, do not bring happiness to your father,