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.
रोदमाना दिवारात्रौ निद्रा लेभे न वै निशि । क्षुधां न विंदते राजन्दुःखेन विदलीकृता
Weeping day and night, she found no sleep at night, nor did she feel hunger, O King, so crushed was she by grief.
अथ सख्यः समायाताः पप्रच्छुः सुकलां तदा । सुकले चारुसर्वांगि कस्माद्रोदिषि संप्रति
Then her friends approached and questioned Sukalā, saying, 'Sukalā, beautiful one, why are you weeping now?'
ततस्त्वं कारणं ब्रूहि दुःखस्यास्य वरानने । सुकलोवाच- स मां त्यक्त्वा गतो भर्ता धर्मार्थं धर्मतत्परः
So tell us, lovely-faced one, the reason for this sorrow.' Sukalā said: 'My husband, devoted to righteousness, has left me and gone away for the sake of dharma.'
तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन अटते मेदिनीं ततः । मां त्यक्त्वा स गतः स्वामी निर्दोषां पापवर्जिताम्
On the pretext of a pilgrimage, he wanders the earth; having abandoned me, his blameless and sinless wife, my lord has departed.
अहं साध्वी समाचारा सदा पुण्या पतिव्रता । मां त्यक्त्वा स गतो भर्ता तीर्थ साधनतत्परः
I am virtuous in conduct, always pure, and faithful to my husband; yet he has left me, intent on fulfilling pilgrimage duties.
तेनाहं दुःखिता सख्यो वियोगेनाति पीडिता । जीवनाशो वरं श्रेष्ठो वरं वै विषभक्षणम्
Because of this, O friends, I am sorrowful, tormented by separation; death would be better, or even the drinking of poison.
वरमग्निप्रवेशश्च वरं कायविनाशनम् । नारीं प्रियां परित्यज्य भर्ता याति सुनिष्ठुरः
Better to enter fire, better to destroy the body; for a husband who abandons his beloved wife is truly cruel.
भर्तृत्यागो वरं नैव प्राणत्यागो वरं सखि । वियोगं न समर्थाहं सहितुं नित्यदारुणम्
Abandoning the husband is not preferable, but giving up life is, O friend; I am not able to endure the constant agony of separation.
तेनाहं दुःखिता सख्यो वियोगेनापि नित्यशः । सख्य ऊचुः- तीर्थयात्रां गतो भर्ता पुनरेष्यति ते पतिः
Therefore, O friends, I am ever sorrowful from this separation.' The friends said: 'Your husband has gone on pilgrimage; he will return to you.'
वृथा शोषयसे कायं वृथाशोकं करोषि वै । वृथा त्वं तप्यसे बाले वृथा भोगान्परित्यजेः
You are wasting away your body in vain, grieving needlessly; you torment yourself for nothing, child, and needlessly give up pleasures.