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.
गंगातीरे ततो दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं रूपसंयुतम् । सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं सूर्यतेजः समप्रभम्
Then, on the bank of the Ganges, she saw a Brahmin endowed with beauty, possessing all marks, radiant like the sun.
रूपेणाप्रतिमं लोके द्वितीयमिव मन्मथम् । देवरूपं महाभागं भाग्यवंतं सुभाग्यदम्
Unmatched in beauty in the world, like a second Cupid; divine in form, greatly fortunate, bestower of great fortune.
अनौपम्यं महात्मानं विष्णुतेजः समप्रभम् । वैष्णवं सर्वपापघ्नं विष्णुतुल्यपराक्रमम्
Unmatched, the great soul, radiant with the brilliance of Vishnu; Vaishnava, destroyer of all sins, equal in valor to Vishnu.
कामक्रोधविहीनं तमत्रिवंशविभूषणम्
Free from desire and anger, he is the ornament of the lineage of Atri.
दृष्ट्वा सुरूपं तपसां स्वरूपं दिव्यप्रभावं परितप्यमानम् । पप्रच्छ रंभां सुसखीं सरागा कोयं दिविष्ठः प्रवरो महात्मा
Seeing him, handsome and the true form of asceticism, possessing divine power and suffering, Rambha, his dear companion, asked with affection: 'Who is this distinguished, exalted soul among the gods?'
रंभोवाच- ब्रह्मा अव्यक्तसंभूतस्तस्माज्जज्ञे प्रजापतिः । अत्रिर्नाम स धर्मात्मा तस्य पुत्रो महामनाः
Rambha said: 'Brahma, born from the unmanifest, from him arose the Lord of creatures; his name is Atri, righteous in nature, and his son is great-minded.'
अंगो नाम अयं भद्रे नंदनं वनमागतः । इंद्रस्य संपदं दृष्ट्वा लीलातेजसमुत्तमाम्
'This one, named Anga, O gentle one, has come to Nandana forest; seeing Indra's wealth and supreme playful brilliance—'
कृता स्पृहा अनेनापि इंद्रस्य सदृशे पदे । ईदृशो हि यदा पुत्रो मम स्याद्धर्मसंयुतः
'He too has developed longing for a position equal to Indra's; such a son, endowed with righteousness, if only he were mine.'
सुश्रेयो मे भवेज्जन्म यशः कीर्ति समन्वितम् । आराधितो हृषीकेशस्तपोभिर्नियमैस्तथा
'May my birth be most auspicious, accompanied by fame and glory; having worshipped Hrishikesha with austerities and disciplines—'
सुप्रसन्ने हृषीकेशे वरं याचितवानयम् । इंद्रस्य सदृशं पुत्रं विष्णुतेजः पराक्रमम्
'When Hrishikesha was well pleased, he sought a boon: a son equal to Indra, possessing the brilliance and valor of Vishnu.'
वैष्णवं सर्वपापघ्नं देहि मे मधुसूदन । दत्तवान्स तदा पुत्रमीदृशं सर्वधारकम्
'O Madhusudana, grant me a Vaishnava son, destroyer of all sins; then he bestowed such a son, the supporter of all.'
तदाप्रभृति विप्रेंद्रः पुण्यां कन्यां प्रपश्यति । यथा त्वं चारुसर्वांगी तथायं परिपश्यति
'From that time, the chief of Brahmins beholds a virtuous maiden; just as you are graceful in every limb, so does he perceive this one.'
एनं गच्छ वरारोहे अस्मात्पुत्रो भविष्यति । पुण्यात्मा पुण्यधर्मज्ञो विष्णुतेजः पराक्रमः
'Go to him, O beautiful one, from him you will have a son; virtuous in soul, knowing righteous conduct, radiant with Vishnu's valor.'
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं तथाहं पृच्छिता त्वया । अयं भर्ता भवत्यर्हो भवेदेव न संशयः
'All this has been told to you as you asked; he is worthy to be your husband, without any doubt.'
सुशंखस्यापि यः शापो वृथा सोऽपि भविष्यति । अस्माज्जाते महाभागे पुत्रे धर्मप्रचारिणि
'Even the curse of Sushankha will prove fruitless; when a son is born from this blessed one, a propagator of righteousness.'
भविष्यसि सुखी भद्रे सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम् । सुक्षेत्रे कृषिकारस्तु बीजं वपति तत्परः
'You will be happy, O gentle one, truly, truly I speak; in a good field, the farmer sows the seed with devotion.'
स तथा भुंजते देवि यथा बीजं तथा फलम् । अन्यथा नैव जायेत तत्सर्वं सदृशं भवेत्
'He enjoys the fruit, O goddess, according to the seed; otherwise, it would not be born, and all would be alike.'
अयमेष महाभागस्तपस्वी पुण्यवीर्यवान् । अस्य वीर्यात्समुत्पन्नो अस्यैवगुणसंपदा
'This blessed one is ascetic, endowed with virtuous strength; from his vigor arises offspring, possessing his qualities and virtues.'
युक्तः पुत्रो महातेजाःसर्वदेहभृतां वरः । भविष्यति महाभाग्यो युक्तात्मा योगतत्ववित्
'The son will be suitable, of great energy, foremost among all embodied beings; he will be greatly fortunate, with a disciplined soul, and a knower of yoga's essence.'
एवं हि वाक्यं तु निशम्य बाला रंभाप्रियोक्तं शिवदायकं तत् । विचिंत्य बुद्ध्येह सुनीथया तदा तत्त्वार्थमेतत्परिसत्यमेव हि
Thus, hearing these words spoken by Rambha, dear to her, bestowing auspiciousness, the maiden thoughtfully considered with wise intellect, and recognized this as the true meaning of reality.