संध्यावलीति संबोध्य सखीमध्यसमास्थिताम्
Addressing Saṃdhyāvalī, who was seated among her companions,
पूर्वजन्मनि पत्नी च कैण्डिन्यस्य शुभानने
O auspicious-faced one, in a previous birth I was the wife of Kaiṇḍinya.
जनन्या बन्धुवर्गस्य पितुरिष्टतमा ह्यहम्
I was the most beloved of my father, mother, and the entire family circle.
कुलीनाय सरूपाय स्त्रीसंगरहिताय च
I was given to a noble, handsome man who was free from association with other women.
श्वशुरेणापि मे दत्तं सुवर्णस्यायुतं पुरा
Long ago, even my father-in-law gave me ten thousand pieces of gold.
गोमहिष्यादिसंयुक्ता धनधान्यसमन्विता
I was endowed with cows, buffaloes, and other wealth, and possessed abundant riches and grain.
कालेन पञ्चतां प्राप्तः श्वशुरो वेदतत्त्ववित्
In time, my father-in-law, who was learned in the essence of the Vedas, passed away.
ततो भर्ताञ्जलिं दत्वा पित्रोः श्राद्धमथाकरोत्
After that, my husband, offering reverence, performed the śrāddha rites for his parents.
गतः कौतुकभावेनहृच्छयेन प्रपीडितः
He went, filled with curiosity and tormented by longing in his heart.
प्रविशत्यां नृपगृहे दृष्टास्तेन द्विजन्मना
When entering the king’s house, he was seen by that twice-born man.
स्वगृहे धारयामास क्रीडार्थं दुर्मतिः पतिः
My foolish husband kept me in his own house for amusement.
वर्षत्रये गते देवि निस्वो जातः पतिर्मम
After three years had passed, O goddess, my husband became destitute.
तन्मया नहि दत्तं तु भर्त्रे व्यसनिने तदा
At that time, I did not give anything to my husband, who was afflicted by misfortune.
ततः पितृगृहे वित्तं भृत्यादिकमशेषतः
Then, all the wealth, servants, and the like in my father’s house,
क्षेत्रधान्यादिकं यच्च सभाण्डं सपरिच्छदम्
as well as the fields, grain, and all goods and attendants,
नावमारुह्य मे भर्ता विवेशान्तर्महोदधेः
My husband boarded a boat and entered the depths of the great ocean.
शुभे समुद्रजातानि जीवचेष्ठाङ्कितानि च
O auspicious one, there were creatures of the sea and signs of life arising from the ocean.
गता विशीर्णतां तत्र मृतास्ते नावमाश्रिताः
There, the boat was wrecked, and those who had taken refuge in it perished.
वायुना नीयमानो ऽसौ प्राचीनेन स्वकर्मणा
Carried along by the wind, he moved eastward, driven by his own actions.
बहुनिर् झरणोपेतं बहुपक्षिसमन्वितम्
He came to a place with many streams and abundant birds.
उल्लिखन्तं हि शिखरैः खमध्यं स्वात्मनस्त्रिभिः
With peaks scraping the middle of the sky, as if with three of their own selves.
आरुरोह मुदायुक्तो वित्ताकाङ्क्षी सुलोचने
He climbed up, filled with joy, desiring wealth, O beautiful-eyed one.
तत उत्थाय भक्ष्यार्थं वृक्षांस्तत्र व्यलोकयत्
Then rising up to seek food, he looked at the trees there.
शान्तिं प्राप्तस्ततो ऽपश्यत्सालमेकं सुनिर्मलम्
Having found peace, he saw a single, perfectly pure sāla tree.
तस्याधस्तात्स सुष्वाप स्वोत्तरीयं प्रसार्य च
Beneath it, he slept, spreading out his upper garment.
तावत्सुप्तो ऽतिखिन्नो ऽसौ यावत्सूर्यो ऽस्ततां गतः
While he slept, exhausted, the sun set.
अभ्यगाद्राक्षसो घोरो गर्जमानो यथा घनः
A fierce rākṣasa approached, roaring like a thundercloud.
शुभां काशीपतेः पुत्रीं नाम्ना रत्नावलीं शुभाम्
The beautiful daughter of the king of Kāśī, named Ratnāvalī.
पतिकामा कुमारी सा नाविन्दत्सदृशं पतिम्
That maiden, longing for a husband, did not find a suitable match.
पिता तस्याः प्रदाने तु चिन्ताविष्टो ह्यहर्न्निशम्
Her father, anxious about her marriage, was troubled day and night.