अगस्त्य उवाच। पुरा कृतयुगे राजा मनुर्दंडधरः प्रभुः। तस्य पुत्रोथ नाम्नासीदिक्ष्वाकुरमितद्युतिः
Agastya said: Long ago, in the Krita age, there was a king named Manu, wielder of the rod, a mighty lord; his son, famed as Ikshvaku, shone with splendor.
तं पुत्रं पूर्वजं राज्ये निक्षिप्य भुविसंमतम्। पृथिव्यां राजवंशानां भव राजेत्युवाच ह
Placing his eldest son, esteemed by the world, on the throne, he said, 'Be king among the royal lineages on earth.'
तथेति च प्रतिज्ञातं पितुः पुत्रेण राघव। ततःपरमसंहृष्टः पुनस्तं प्रत्यभाषत
The son promised his father, 'So be it,' O Raghava; then, exceedingly delighted, the father spoke to him again.
प्रीतोस्मि परमोदार कर्मणा ते न संशयः। दंडेन च प्रजा रक्ष न च दंडमकारणम्
'I am pleased with your most noble deed, without doubt; protect the people with the rod, but do not punish without cause.'
अपराधिषु यो दंडः पात्यते मानवैरिह। स दंडो विधिवन्मुक्तः स्वर्गं नयति पार्थिवम्
'The punishment that is rightly inflicted on wrongdoers among men leads the king to heaven.'
तस्माद्दण्डे महाबाहो यत्नवान्भव पुत्रक। धर्मस्ते परमो लोके कृत एवं भविष्यति
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, be diligent in punishment, my son; by doing so, your supreme righteousness will be established in the world.
इति तं बहुसंदिश्य मनुः पुत्रं समाधिना। जगाम त्रिदिवं हृष्टो ब्रह्मलोकमनुत्तमम्
Thus, having given many instructions to his son with concentration, Manu, delighted, departed to the highest realm of Brahma.
जनयिष्ये कथं पुत्रानिति चिंतापरोऽभवत्। कर्मभिर्बहुभिस्तैस्तैस्ससुतैस्संयुतोऽभवत्
He became absorbed in thoughts of how he might produce sons, and through many deeds, he became endowed with those sons.
तोषयामास पुत्रैस्स पितॄन्देवसुतोपमैः। सर्वेषामुत्तमस्तेषां कनीयान्रघुनंदन
He pleased his ancestors with sons who were equal to the children of the gods; among them all, the youngest was Raghunandana.
शूरश्च कृतविद्यश्च गुरुश्च जनपूजया। नाम तस्याथ दंडेति पिता चक्रे स बुद्धिमान्
He was heroic, accomplished in learning, and honored by the people as a teacher; his wise father then named him Danda.
भविष्यद्दण्डपतनं शरीरे तस्य वीक्ष्य च। संपश्यमानस्तं दोषं घोरं पुत्रस्य राघव
Foreseeing the future downfall of Danda's body, and perceiving that terrible fault in his son, O descendant of Raghu,
स विंध्यनीलयोर्मध्ये राज्यमस्य ददौ प्रभुः। स दंडस्तत्र राजाभूद्रम्ये पर्वतमूर्द्धनि
The lord granted him a kingdom between the Vindhya and Nilaya mountains; there, Danda became king atop the beautiful mountain.
पुरं चाप्रतिमं तेन निवेशाय तथा कृतम्। नाम तस्य पुरस्याथ मधुमत्तमिति स्वयम्
He established an incomparable city there for his residence; and he himself named that city Madhumatta.
तथादेशेन संपन्नः शूरो वासमथाकरोत्। एवं राजा स तद्राज्यं चकार सपुरोहितः
Thus endowed by command, the hero made his dwelling there; and so the king ruled that kingdom with his chief priest.
प्रहृष्ट सुप्रजाकीर्णं देवराजो यथा दिवि। ततः स दंडः काकुत्स्थ बहुवर्षगणायुतम्
Filled with joy and surrounded by excellent offspring, like the king of the gods in heaven, Danda, O descendant of Kakutstha,
अकारयत्तु धर्मात्मा राज्यं निहतकंटकं। अथ काले तु कस्मिंश्चिद्राजा भार्गवमाश्रमम्
That righteous soul governed the kingdom, free from thorns; then, at some time, the king approached the hermitage of Bhargava.
रमणीयमुपाक्रामच्चैत्रमासे मनोरमे। तत्र भार्गवकन्यां तु रूपेणाप्रतिमां भुवि
He entered that delightful place in the charming month of Chaitra; there, he saw Bhargava's daughter, unmatched in beauty on earth.
विचरंतीं वनोद्देशे दंडोऽपश्यदनुत्तमाम्। उत्तुंगपीवरीं श्यामां चंद्राभवदनां शुभाम्
As she wandered in the forest region, Danda beheld her, supreme among women: tall, full-bodied, dark, auspicious, with a face like the moon.
सुनासां चारुसर्वांगीं पीनोन्नतपयोधराम्। मध्ये क्षामां च विस्तीर्णां दृष्ट्वा तां कुरुते मुदम्
With a beautiful nose, lovely limbs, and full, prominent breasts; slender in the middle and broad, seeing her, he felt delight.
एकवस्त्रां वने चैकां प्रथमे यौवने स्थिताम्। स तां दृष्ट्वात्वधर्मेण अनंगशरपीडितः
Alone in the forest, clad in a single garment, in the first bloom of youth; seeing her, he was struck by the arrows of love, acting unrighteously.
अभिगम्य सुविश्रांतां कन्यां वचनमब्रवीत्। कुतस्त्वमसि सुश्रोणि कस्य चासि सुशोभने
Approaching the well-rested maiden, he spoke: 'Whence are you, O lovely-hipped one? Whose daughter are you, O beautiful one?'
पीडतोहमनंगेन पृच्छामि त्वां सुशोभने। त्वया मेऽपहृतं चित्तं दर्शनादेव सुंदरि
'Afflicted by love, I ask you, O beautiful one; my heart has been stolen by you, simply by your appearance, O fair one.'
इदं ते वदनं रम्यं मुनीनां चित्तहारकम्। यद्यहं न लभे भोक्तुं मृतं मामवधारय
'This charming face of yours captivates the minds of sages; if I do not obtain you, consider me dead.'
त्वया हृता मम प्राणा मां जीवय सुलोचने। दासोस्मि ते वरारोहे भक्तं मां भज शोभने
'My life has been taken by you, O lovely-eyed one; give me life, O beautiful-waisted woman. I am your servant; accept me as your devoted one, O radiant lady.'
तस्यैवं तु ब्रुवाणस्य मदोन्मत्तस्य कामिनः। भार्गवी प्रत्युवाचेदं वचः सविनयं नृपम्
As he spoke in this way, intoxicated by desire and arrogance, Bhārgavī addressed the king with respectful words.
भार्गवस्य सुतां विद्धि शुक्रस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः। अरजां नाम राजेंद्र ज्येष्ठामाश्रमवासिनः
Know me, O king, to be the daughter of Bhārgava Śukra, whose deeds are pure, named Arajā, the eldest among the dwellers in the hermitage.
शुक्रः पिता मे राजेंद्र त्वं च शिष्यो महात्मनः। धर्मतो भगिनी चाहं भवामि नृपनंदन
Śukra is my father, O king, and you are a disciple of that great soul; by righteousness, I am your sister, O delight of kings.
एवंविधं वचो वक्तुं न त्वमर्हसि पार्थिव। अन्येभ्योपि सुदुष्टेभ्यो रक्ष्या चाहं सदा त्वया
It is not fitting for you, O ruler, to speak such words; I must always be protected by you, even from others who are greatly wicked.
क्रोधनो मे पिता रौद्रो भस्मत्वं त्वां समानयेत्। अथवा राजधर्मेणासंबंधं कुरुषे बलात्
My father is wrathful and fierce; he could reduce you to ashes, or else, by royal law, you would force a forbidden union.
पितरं याचयस्व त्वं धर्मदृष्टेन कर्मणा। वरयस्व नृपश्रेष्ठ पितरं मे महाद्युतिम्
You should ask my father, by a deed seen as righteous; choose my father, O best of kings, who is of great splendor.