नास्त्यासां हि पृथग्धर्मः पतिशुश्रूषणं विना । तस्मात्कांतसहायं ते कुर्वाणा सुखदायिनी
There is no separate dharma for them apart from service to the husband; therefore, one who acts as a companion to her beloved brings happiness.
तवच्छायां समाश्रित्य आगमिष्यामि नान्यथा । विष्णुरुवाच- रूपं शीलं गुणं भक्तिं समालोक्य वयस्तथा
Sheltering in your shade, I will come, not otherwise. Vishnu said: Considering form, character, virtue, devotion, and also age—
सौकुमार्यं विचार्यैवं कृकलः स पुनःपुनः । यद्येवं हि नयिष्यामि दुर्गमार्गं सुदुःखदम्
Reflecting on her delicacy, thus the tortoise again and again: If it is so, I will lead her on a difficult path, full of hardship.
रूपनाशो भवेच्चास्याः शीतातपविलोडनात् । पद्मगर्भप्रतीकाशमस्याश्चांगं प्रवर्णकम्
Her beauty will be lost from exposure to cold and heat; her limbs, resembling a lotus bud, will become discolored.
झंझावातेन शीतेन कृष्णवर्णं भविष्यति । पंथाः कर्कश सुग्रावा पादौचास्याः सुकोमलौ
By wind and cold, her skin will become dark; the path is rough and stony, her feet are very tender.
एष्यते वेदनां तीव्रामथो गंतुं न च क्षमा । क्षुत्तृष्णाभिपरीतांगी कीदृशीयं भविष्यति
She will experience intense pain and will not be able to proceed; afflicted by hunger and thirst, what condition will she be in?
वामांगी मम च स्थानं सुखस्थानं वरानना । मम प्राणप्रिया नित्यं नित्यं धर्मस्य चाश्रयः
Her left side is my place, a place of comfort, O beautiful-faced one; she is always dear to my life, always a refuge for dharma.
नाशमेति यदा बाला मम नाशो भवेदिह । इयं मे जीविका नित्यमियं प्राणस्य चेश्वरी
When the girl perishes, then I too perish here; she is my constant livelihood, she is the mistress of my life.
न नयिष्ये वनं तीर्थमेकश्चैवाप्यहं व्रजे । चिंतयित्वा क्षणं नूनं कृकलेन महात्मना
I will not lead her to the forest or to a pilgrimage, I will go alone; after reflecting for a moment, the great-souled tortoise—
तस्य चित्तानुगो भावस्तया ज्ञातो नृपोत्तम । पुनरूचे महाभागा भर्त्तारं प्रस्थितं तदा
His feeling followed his mind, and she understood it, O best of kings; then the blessed one spoke again to her husband, who was about to depart.
अनघा नैव वै त्याज्या पुरुषैः शृणु सत्तम । मूलमेवं हि धर्मस्य पुरुषस्य महामते
O sinless one, listen, the wife should never be abandoned by men; for she is indeed the very root of righteousness for a man, O wise one.
एवं ज्ञात्वा महाभाग मामेवं नय सांप्रतम् । विष्णुरुवाच- श्रुत्वा सर्वं हि तेनापि प्रियाया भाषितं बहु
Knowing this, O fortunate one, conduct yourself accordingly with me at this time. Vishnu spoke: Having heard all that was said by his beloved, and her many words—
प्रहस्यैव वचो ब्रूते तामेवं कृकलः पुनः । नैव त्याज्या भवेद्भार्या प्राप्ता धर्मेण वै प्रिये
Smiling, Kṛkala spoke again to her: 'A wife obtained lawfully, O beloved, should never be abandoned.'
येन भार्या परित्यक्ता सुनीता धर्मचारिणी । दशांगधर्मस्तेनापि परित्यक्तो वरानने
If a wife, virtuous and righteous, is abandoned, then the tenfold righteousness is also forsaken, O beautiful-faced one.
तस्मात्त्वामेव भद्रं ते नैव त्यक्ष्ये कदा प्रिये । विष्णुरुवाच- एवमाभाष्य तां भार्यां संबोध्य च पुनःपुनः
Therefore, may good come to you; I will never abandon you, O beloved. Vishnu spoke: Thus addressing his wife, and reassuring her again and again—
तस्या अज्ञातमात्रेण ससार्थेन समं गतः । गते तस्मिन्महाभागे कृकले पुण्यकर्मणि
Without her knowledge, he departed together with his caravan. When that noble Kṛkala, engaged in virtuous deeds, had gone—
देवकर्मसुवेलायां काले पुण्ये शुभानना । नैव पश्यति भर्तारं कृकलं निजमंदिरे
At the auspicious time for divine rites, O beautiful-faced one, she did not see her husband Kṛkala in their own house.
समुत्थाय त्वरायुक्ता रुदमाना सुदुःखिता । वयस्यान्पृच्छते भर्तुर्दुःखशोकाधिपीडिता
Rising quickly, overwhelmed with grief and weeping, she questioned her friends about her husband, afflicted by sorrow and pain.
युष्माभिर्वा महाभागा दृष्टोऽसौ कृकलो मम । प्राणेश्वरो गतः क्वापि भवंतो मम बांधवाः
O fortunate ones, have you seen my Kṛkala, the lord of my life, who has gone somewhere? You are my kin.
यदि दृष्टो महाभागाः कृकलो मम सांप्रतम् । भर्तारं पुण्यकर्तारं सर्वज्ञं सत्यपंडितम्
If you have seen my Kṛkala at this time, my husband, the doer of virtuous deeds, the all-knowing, the truly learned—
कथयंतु महात्मानं यदि दृष्टो महामतिः । तस्यास्तद्भाषितं श्रुत्वा तामूचुस्ते महामतिम्
Tell me of that great-souled one, if you have seen him, the wise. Hearing her words, they spoke to that wise lady—
धर्मयात्राप्रसंगेन नाथस्ते कृकलः शुभे । तीर्थयात्रां चकारासौ कस्माच्छोचसि सुव्रते
Because of his journey for righteousness, your husband Kṛkala, O auspicious one, has gone on pilgrimage; why do you grieve, O virtuous lady?
साधयित्वा महातीर्थं पुनरेष्यति शोभने । एवमाश्वासिता सा च पुरुषैराप्तकारिभिः
Having completed the great pilgrimage, he will return, O beautiful one. Thus she was consoled by those trustworthy men.
पुनर्गेहं गता राजन्सुकला चारुभाषिणी । रुरोद करुणं दुःखं सुकलापि परायणा
Then, O king, Sukalā, of lovely speech, returned home; yet Sukalā, devoted, wept bitterly in her sorrow.
यावदायाति मे भर्त्ता भूमौ स्वप्स्यामि संस्तरे । घृतं तैलं न भोक्ष्येऽहं दधिक्षीरं तथैव च
Until my husband returns, I will sleep on the ground, on a mat; I will not partake of ghee, oil, or curd and milk.
लवणं च परित्यक्तं तथा तांबूलमेव च । मधुरं च तथा राजंस्त्यक्तं गुडादिकं तथा
I have renounced salt and betel, and likewise sweet things, O king, such as sugar and the like.
एकाहारा निराहारा तावत्स्थास्ये न संशयः । यावच्चागमनं भर्तुः पुनरेव भविष्यति
I will remain with only one meal, or fasting, until my husband's return; there is no doubt.
एवं दुःखान्विता भूत्वा एकवेणीधरा पुनः । एककंचुकसंवीता मलिना च बभूव सा
Thus afflicted with sorrow, she became one who wore her hair in a single braid, wrapped in a single garment, and became unkempt.
मलिनेनापि वस्त्रेण एकेनैव स्थिता पुनः । हाहाकारं प्रमुंचंती निःश्वसंती सुदुःखिता
Clad in but a single soiled garment, she stood there, wailing aloud, sighing deeply in her great sorrow.
वियोगानलसंदग्धा कृष्णांगी मलधारिणी । एवं दुःखसमाचारा सुकृशा विह्वला तदा
Burned by the fire of separation, her body darkened and covered with grime, thus, in her misery, she became thin and distraught.