देवैश्चापि सगंधर्वैर्ऋषिभिश्च महात्मभिः । तैश्चापि संपरित्यक्तः पिता मे दुःखपीडितः
By the gods, Gandharvas, and great sages, my father was abandoned by them, afflicted by sorrow.
ममान्ये चापि स्वीकारं न कुर्वंति हि सज्जनाः । एवं पापमयं कर्म मया चैव पुरा कृतम्
Others, too, do not accept me, nor do the virtuous; thus, this sinful act was committed by me in the past.
संतप्ता दुःखशोकेन वनमेव समाश्रिता । तप एव चरिष्यामि करिष्ये कायशोषणम्
Tormented by grief and sorrow, I have taken refuge in the forest; I will practice austerity and cause my body to waste away.
भवतीभिः सुपृष्टाहं कार्यकारणमेव हि । मम चिंतानुगं कर्म मया तद्वः प्रकाशितम्
You have questioned me well regarding the cause and effect; my actions, following my thoughts, I have revealed to you.
एवमुक्त्वा सुनीथा सा मृत्योः कन्या यशस्विनी । विरराम च दुःखार्ता किंचिन्नोवाच वै पुनः
Having spoken thus, Sunitha, the illustrious daughter of Death, ceased, afflicted by sorrow, and said nothing further.
सख्य ऊचुः- दुःखमेव महाभागे त्यज कायविनाशनम् । नास्ति कस्य कुले दोषो देवैः पापं समाश्रितम्
Her friends said—O noble one, abandon this destruction of the body in sorrow; in whose family is there fault? Sin is taken up by the gods.
जिह्ममुक्तं पुरा तेन ब्रह्मणा हरसंनिधौ । देवैश्चापि स हि त्यक्तो ब्रह्माऽपूज्यतमोऽभवत्
Long ago, Brahma spoke deceitfully in the presence of Shiva; he was abandoned by the gods, and Brahma became the least honored.
ब्रह्महत्या प्रयुक्तोऽसौ देवराजोपि पश्य भोः । देवैः सार्धं महाभागस्त्रैलोक्यं परिभुंजति
Even Indra, the king of gods, committed Brahminicide—see, O noble one; yet, together with the gods, he enjoys the three worlds.
गौतमस्य प्रियां भार्यामहल्यां गतवान्पुरा । परदाराभिगामी स देवत्वे परिवर्त्तते
Once, he went to the beloved wife of Gautama, Ahalya; though he approached another's wife, he remains among the gods.
ब्रह्महत्योपमं कर्म दारुणं कृतवान्हरः । ब्रह्मणस्तु कपालेन चाद्यापि परिवर्तते
Shiva performed a terrible act, akin to Brahminicide; even now, he wanders with Brahma's skull.
देवानमंतितं देवमृषयो वेदपारगाः । आदित्यः कुष्ठसंयुक्तस्त्रैलोक्यं च प्रकाशयेत्
The gods, sages, and those versed in the Vedas consider the god among them; the sun, afflicted with leprosy, illuminates the three worlds.
लोकानमंतितं देवं देवाद्याः सचराचराः । कृष्णो भुंक्ते महाशापं भार्गवेण कृतं पुरा
The gods, both moving and unmoving, consider Krishna the god among worlds; he endures the great curse once laid by Bhargava.
गुरुभार्यांगतश्चंद्रः क्षयी तेन प्रजायते । भविष्यति महातेजा राजराजः प्रतापवान्
The moon, who went to his teacher's wife, thus wanes; yet he will be a great radiant king, powerful among kings.
पांडुपुत्रो महाप्राज्ञो धर्मात्मा स युधिष्ठिरः । गुरोश्चैव वधार्थाय अनृतं स वदिष्यति
Yudhishthira, the wise son of Pandu, righteous in soul, will speak falsehood for the purpose of his teacher's death.
एतेष्वेव महत्पापं वर्तते च महत्सु च । वैगुण्यं कस्य वै नास्ति कस्य नास्ति च लांछनम्
Great sin exists among these and among the great; who is without fault, and who is without blemish?
भवती स्वल्पदोषेण विलिप्तासि वरानने । उपकारं करिष्यामस्तवैव वरवर्णिनि
You are tainted by a slight defect, O beautiful-faced one; we shall render you assistance, O woman of excellent complexion.
तवांगे ये गुणाः संति सत्यस्त्रीणां यथा शुभे । अन्यत्रापि न पश्यामस्तान्गुणांश्चारुलोचने
The virtues present in your body, O auspicious one, are as they should be in women; we do not see such virtues elsewhere, O lovely-eyed one.
रूपमेव गुणः स्त्रीणां प्रथमं भूषणं शुभे । शीलमेव द्वितीयं च तृतीयं सत्यमेव च
Beauty is indeed the first ornament and virtue of women, O auspicious one; character is the second, and truth is the third.
आर्जवत्वं चतुर्थं च पंचमं धर्ममेव हि । मधुरत्वं ततः प्रोक्तं षष्ठमेव वरानने
Integrity is the fourth, and righteousness is indeed the fifth; sweetness is then declared as the sixth, O beautiful-faced one.
शुद्धत्वं सप्तमं बाले अंतर्बाह्येषु योषितम् । अष्टमं हि पितुर्भावः शुश्रूषा नवमं किल
Purity is the seventh, O young woman, both within and without in women; the eighth is devotion to one's father, and service is indeed the ninth.
सहिष्णुर्दशमं प्रोक्तं रतिश्चैकादशं तथा । पातिव्रत्यं ततः प्रोक्तं द्वादशं वरवर्णिनि
Patience is declared as the tenth, and delight as the eleventh; fidelity to one's husband is then declared as the twelfth, O woman of excellent complexion.
तैस्त्वं संभूषिता बाले मा बिभेषि वरानने । येनोपायेन ते भर्ता भविष्यति सुधर्मधृक्
You are adorned with these, O young woman; do not fear, O beautiful-faced one; by whatever means, your husband will be a true upholder of dharma.
तमुपायं प्रपश्यामस्तवार्थं वयमेव हि । तामूचुस्ता वराः सख्यो मा त्वं वै साहसं कुरु
We ourselves shall discern that means for your sake; the excellent friends said: do not act rashly.
सूत उवाच- एवमुक्ता सुनीथा सा पुनरूचे सखीस्तु ताः । कथयध्वं ममोपायं येन भर्ता भविष्यति
The charioteer said: Thus addressed, Sunitha again spoke to her friends: Tell me the means by which I may obtain a husband.
तामूचुस्ता वरा नार्यो रंभाद्याश्चारुलोचनाः । रूपमाधुर्यसंयुक्ता भवती भूतिवर्द्धनी
Those excellent women, Rambha and others, O lovely-eyed one, said to her: You, endowed with beauty and sweetness, are an enhancer of prosperity.
ब्रह्मशापेन संभीता वयमत्र समागताः । तां प्रोचुश्च विशालाक्षीं मृत्योः कन्यां सुलोचनाम्
Frightened by Brahma's curse, we have gathered here; they spoke thus to the wide-eyed daughter of Death, Sulocana.
विद्यामेकां प्रदास्यामः पुरुषाणां प्रमोहिनीम् । सर्वमायाविदां भद्रे सर्वभद्रप्रदायिनीम्
We shall bestow upon you a certain knowledge that deludes men, O auspicious one, the wisdom of all enchantments, bestowing all auspiciousness.
विद्याबलं ततो दद्युस्तस्यैताः सुखदायकम् । यं यं मोहयितुं भद्रे इच्छस्येवं सुरादिकम्
Then they gave her the power of that knowledge, which brings happiness; whomever you wish to enchant, O auspicious one, whether gods or others.
तं तं सद्यो मोहय वा इत्युक्ता सा तथाऽकरोत् । विद्यायां हि सुसिद्धायां सा सुनीथा सुनंदिता
Enchant whomever you wish at once, they said; thus she acted, and Sunitha became accomplished in that knowledge.
भ्रमत्येवं सखीभिस्तु पुरुषान्सा विपश्यति । अटमानागता पुण्यं नंदनं वनमुत्तमम्
Thus wandering with her friends, she observed men; roaming, she reached the excellent Nandana forest.