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.
पिबस्व पानं भुंक्ष्व त्वं स्वप्रदत्तं हि पूर्वकम् । कस्य भर्ता सुताः कस्य कस्य स्वजनबांधवाः
Drink what is to be drunk, eat what is given to you from before; whose husband, whose children, whose relatives truly are there?
कः कस्य नास्ति संसारे संबंधः केन चैव हि । भक्ष्यते भुज्यते बाले संसारस्य हि तत्फलम्
Who belongs to whom in this world, and by whom is relationship made? One eats and is eaten, child; that is the fruit of worldly existence.
मृते प्राणिनि कोऽश्नाति को हि पश्यति तत्फलम् । पीयते भुज्यते बाले एतत्संसारतः फलम्
When a living being dies, who eats, who sees that result? It is eaten and drunk, child; this is the fruit of worldly life.
सुकलोवाच- भवतीभिः प्रयुक्तं यत्तन्न स्याद्वेदसंमतम् । यातु भर्तुः पृथग्भूता तिष्ठत्येका सदैव हि
Sukalā said: 'What you have spoken is not in accord with the Vedas; a wife, separated from her husband, should always remain alone.'
पापभूता भवेन्नारी तां न मन्यंति सज्जनाः । भर्तुः सार्धं सदा सख्यो दृष्टो वेदेषु सर्वदा
A woman who acts otherwise becomes sinful; the virtuous do not approve of her. In the Vedas, it is always seen that a wife remains with her husband.
संबंधः पुण्यसंसर्गाज्जायते नात्र संशयः । नारीणां च सदा तीर्थं भर्ता शास्त्रेषु पठ्यते
Relationship arises from contact with virtue—of this there is no doubt; and for women, the husband is always declared in the scriptures to be their holy place.
तमेवावाहयेन्नित्यं वाचा कायेन कर्मभिः । मनसा पूजयेन्नित्यं भावसत्येन तत्परा
One should always invoke him with speech, body, and actions; one should always worship him with the mind, intent on sincerity of feeling.
भर्तुः पार्श्वं महातीर्थं दक्षिणांगं सदैव हि । तमाश्रित्य यदा नारी गृहस्था परिवर्त्तयेत्
The husband's side is a great sacred place, always the right side indeed; when a householder woman revolves around, taking refuge in him—
यजते दानपुण्यैश्च तस्य दानस्य यत्फलम् । वाराणस्यां च गंगायां यत्फलं न च पुष्करे
Whatever fruit comes from sacrifices and gifts, and the merit of giving, whatever fruit is in Varanasi, on the Ganges, or at Pushkara—
द्वारकायां न चावन्त्यां केदारे शशिभूषणे । लभते नैव सा नारी यजमाना सदा किल
Nor in Dvaraka, nor in Avanti, nor at Kedara, beloved of the Moon—such a woman, though always a sacrificer, never attains that fruit.