अपृच्छत्कस्य कर्माणि शोभनानि च चत्वरे। मया नोक्तेप्युषः काले कस्य मत्प्रियकारणात्
Whose deeds and virtues were inquired about in the square? Even though I did not speak at dawn, for whose sake, dear to me, was it done?
रुच्यकर्मणि दीप्यंते रथ्या चत्त्वर वीथिकाः। परस्परेण संचिंत्य वारमुख्यां च तेऽब्रुवन्
The streets, squares, and avenues shine with pleasing actions; after discussing among themselves, they spoke about the chief event of the day.
अस्माभिर्न कृतं भद्रे कर्म चैतत्प्रमार्जनम्। अथ सा विस्मयं गत्वा संचिंत्य रजनीक्षये
We did not perform this, dear one, nor did we do this cleaning; then she, astonished, reflected as the night came to an end.
तया च दृश्यते सा च तथैव पुनरागता। दृष्ट्वा तां महतीं साध्वीं ब्राह्मणीं च पतिव्रताम्
She was seen, and she returned again just as before; seeing that great and virtuous woman, a Brahmin lady devoted to her husband.
दधार चरणे तस्या हा क्षमस्वेति भाषिणी। आयुर्देहं च संपत्तिर्यशोर्थः कीर्तिरेव च
She placed herself at her feet, saying, 'Ah, forgive me'; life, body, wealth, fame, and reputation.
एतासां मे विनाशाय स्फुरसीव पतिव्रते। यद्यत्प्रार्थयसे साध्वि नित्यं दास्यामि तद्दृढम्
All these seem to be lost to me because of you, devoted wife; whatever you desire, O virtuous one, I will always firmly give.
सुवर्णं मणिरत्नं वा चेलं वा यन्मनोरथं। तामुवाच ततः साध्वी न मे चार्थे प्रयोजनम्
Gold, jewels, gems, or cloth—whatever you wish; then the virtuous woman replied, 'I have no need for wealth.'
अस्ति कार्यं च ते किञ्चिद्वदामि कुरुषे यदि। तदा मे हृदि संतोषः कृतं सर्वं त्वयाऽधुना
If you have any task, tell me, and if you do it; then my heart will be satisfied, for you have now accomplished everything.
गणिकोवाच- सत्यं सत्यं करिष्यामि द्रुतं वद पतिव्रते। कुरु मे रक्षणं मातर्द्रुतं कृत्यं च मे वद
The courtesan said: 'Truly, truly, I will do it quickly; speak, O devoted wife. Protect me, mother, and quickly tell me what must be done.'
त्रपया निकृतं वाच्यं तस्यामुक्तं वरं प्रियम्। क्षणं विमृश्य सा वेश्या कृत्वा क्षांतिमुवाच च
Out of modesty, what was to be spoken was withheld, and she did not utter the dear wish; after pondering for a moment, the courtesan made up her mind and spoke.
कुष्ठिनः पूतिगंधस्य संपर्के दुःखिता भृशम्। दिनैकं च करिष्यामि यद्यागच्छति मद्गृहम्
I am greatly distressed by contact with a leper who has a foul smell; for one day, I will do it, if he comes to my house.
पतिव्रतोवाच- आगमिष्यामि ते गेहमद्य रात्रौ च सुंदरि। भुक्तभोग्यं पतिं हृष्टं पुनर्नेष्यामि मद्गृहम्
The devoted wife said: 'I will come to your house tonight, O beautiful one; after my husband has eaten and is pleased, I will bring him again to my house.'
गणिकोवाच- गच्छ शीघ्रं महाभागे स्वगृहं च पतिव्रते। पतिस्ते चार्द्धरात्रे स आगच्छतु च मद्गृहम्
The courtesan said: 'Go quickly, O noble one, to your own house, devoted wife; let your husband come to my house at midnight.'
बहवो मे प्रियास्संति राजानस्तत्समाश्च ये। एकैको मद्गृहे नित्यं तिष्ठतीह निरंतरम्
Many beloveds are mine, kings and those equal to them; each one always stays in my house without interruption.
अद्याहं मे गृहं शून्यं करिष्यामि च त्वद्भयात्। स चागच्छतु ते भर्त्ता स चास्मान्प्राप्य गच्छतु
Today I will make my house empty because of fear of you; let your husband come, and after meeting us, let him depart.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु सा साध्वी गतासौ स्वगृहे तथा। पत्यौ निवेदयामास कृत्यं ते फलितं प्रभो
Hearing this, the virtuous woman went to her own house; she informed her husband, 'Your task has been accomplished, Lord.'
अद्य रात्रौ च तद्गेहं गंतुं ख्यातिं करोति सा। प्रभूताः पतयस्तस्यास्तव कालो न विद्यते
Tonight she will go to that house, making it known; she has many husbands, and you have no time there.
विप्र उवाच- कथं यास्यामि तद्गेहं मया गंतुं न शक्यते। एतज्ज्ञात्वा कुतः क्षांतिः कृतं कार्यं कथं भवेत्
The Brahmin said: 'How shall I go to that house? I am unable to go; knowing this, how can there be patience, and how will the task be accomplished?'
पतिव्रतोवाच- स्वपृष्ठस्थमहं कृत्वा नेष्यामि तद्गृहं प्रति। सिद्धे ह्यर्थे नयिष्यामि पुनस्ते नैव वर्त्मना
The devoted wife said: I will carry him on my back and take him to his house; once my purpose is fulfilled, I will not return by the same path.
द्विज उवाच- कल्याणि त्वत्कृतेनैव सर्वं मे कृत्यमेष्यति। इदानीं यत्कृतं कर्म स्त्रीजनैरपि दुःसहम्
The brahmin said: O auspicious one, because of you, all my tasks will be accomplished; what you have done now is unbearable even for women.
तस्मिंश्च नगरे रम्ये नित्यं च धनिनो गृहे। पौरेश्च प्रचुरं वित्तं हृतं राज्ञा श्रुतं तदा
And in that beautiful city, in the house of a wealthy man, much wealth belonging to the townspeople was stolen by the king, and this was heard at that time.
श्रुत्वा सर्वान्निशाचारानाहूय नृपती रुषा। जीवितुं यदि वो वांछा चोरं मामद्य दास्यथ
Hearing this, the king, summoning all the night-patrolling guards in anger, said: If you wish to live, today you must give me the thief.
गृहीत्वा तु नृपस्याज्ञां यत्तैर्जिघृक्षयाकुलैः। चारैश्चोरो गृहीतस्तैर्बलाच्चैव नृपाज्ञया५० 1.51.
Then, having received the king's command, those eager and anxious men, along with spies, seized the thief by force, as ordered by the king.
नगरोपांतदेशे च वृक्षमूले घने वने। समाधिस्थोमहातेजामांडव्योमुनिपुंगवः
At the edge of the city, under a tree in a dense forest, the great sage Māṇḍavya, foremost among ascetics, was absorbed in meditation, radiant with great energy.
व्यातिष्ठद्वह्निसंकाशो योगिनां प्रवरो मुनिः। अंतर्नाडीगतो वायुः किंचिन्न प्रतिभाति च
That best of sages, shining like fire, stood there; the breath within his inner channels, he was unaware of anything.
तं ब्रह्मतुल्यं तिष्ठन्तं दृष्ट्वा दुष्टा महामुनिम्। चोरोयमद्भुताकारो धूर्तस्तिष्ठति कानने
Seeing that great sage, standing there like Brahmā, the wicked men said: This is the thief, with a strange appearance, a rogue standing in the forest.
एवमुक्त्वा तु तं पापा बबन्धुर्मुनिसत्तमम्। नोक्ताश्च नेक्षितास्तेन पुरुषा अतिदारुणाः
Having said this, those evil men bound the excellent sage; he neither spoke nor looked at those exceedingly cruel men.
ततो राजा उवाचेदं संप्राप्तस्तस्करो मया। उपांते च पथिद्वारे कुरुध्वं घोरदण्डनम्
Then the king said: The thief has been caught by me; at the edge of the city, at the gate, inflict a terrible punishment.
मांडव्यश्च मुनिस्तत्र पथिशूले च कीलितः। पायुदेशे च तैर्दत्तं शूलं यावच्च मस्तकम्
There Māṇḍavya the sage was impaled on a stake at the city gate; the stake was driven from his anus up to his head by them.
व्यथां स च न जानाति शूले विद्धतनुर्यमात्। अन्यैरपि कृतो दण्डः कृतस्तैस्तु मनोहितः
He did not feel pain, though his body was pierced by the stake; others too were punished, but he was pleased by their actions.