यथा विनाशं तेजोभिरंधकारः प्रयाति सः । तथा तवाभिषेकेण मम पापं गतं शुभे
Just as darkness departs when struck by light, so, O auspicious one, by your anointing, my sin has vanished.
प्रसादात्तव चार्वंगि लब्धं ज्ञानं पुरातनम् । पुण्यां गतिं प्रयास्यामि इति ज्ञातं मया शुभे
By your grace, O lovely-limbed one, I have regained my former knowledge; I know that I will attain a blessed state, O auspicious one.
श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि पूर्वं वृत्तांतमात्मनः । यत्कृतं तु मया भद्रे पापया दुष्कृतं बहु
'Listen, I will recount the events of my past—many evil deeds were done by me, O good lady, through wickedness.'
कलिंगाख्ये महादेशे श्रीपुरंनाम पत्तनम् । सर्वसिद्धिसमाकीर्णं चतुर्वर्णनिषेवितम्
In the great land called Kalinga, there is a city named Shripura, filled with all perfections and served by the four castes.
वसति स्म द्विजः कोपि वसुदत्त इति श्रुतः । ब्रह्माचारपरोनित्यं सत्यधर्मपरायणः
There lived a certain Brahmin named Vasudatta, renowned for his constant devotion to Vedic conduct and truth and righteousness.
वेदवेत्ता ज्ञानवेत्ता शुचिमान्गुणवान्धनी । धनधान्यसमाकीर्णः पुत्रपौत्रैरलंकृतः
He was learned in the Vedas and in knowledge, pure, virtuous, and wealthy, rich in grain, adorned with sons and grandsons.
तस्याहं तनया भद्रे सोदरैः स्वजनबांधवैः । अलंकारैस्तु शृंगारैर्भूषितास्मि वरानने
I was his daughter, O good lady, among brothers and relatives, adorned with ornaments and decorations, O beautiful-faced one.
सुदेवानाम मे तातश्चकार स महामतिः । तस्याहं दयिता नित्यं पितुश्चापि महामते
My father, of great wisdom, was named Sudeva; I was always dear to him, and he was a man of great understanding.
रूपेणाप्रतिमा जाता संसारे नास्ति तादृशी । रूपयौवनगर्वेण मत्ताहं चारुहासिनी
I was born incomparable in beauty—there was no one like me in the world; intoxicated with pride in my beauty and youth, O lovely-smiling one.
अहं कन्या सुरूपा वै सर्वालंकारशोभिता । मां च दृष्ट्वा ततो लोकाः सर्वे स्वजनवर्गकाः
I was a maiden of exquisite form, adorned with every ornament; seeing me, all the people and my relatives—
मामेवं याचमानास्ते विवाहार्थे वरानने । याचिताहं द्विजैः सर्वैर्न ददाति पिता मम
—all of them, O beautiful-faced one, begged for me in marriage; I was sought by all the Brahmins, but my father did not give me away.
स्नेहाच्चैव महाभागे मुमोह स महामतिः । न दत्ताहं तदा तेन पित्रा चैव महात्मना
Out of affection, O highly fortunate one, that wise man was deluded; at that time, I was not given by my great-souled father.
संप्राप्तं यौवनं बाले मयि भावसमन्वितम् । रूपं मे तादृशं दृष्ट्वा मम माता सुदुःखिता
When I was a young girl and had reached the age of youth, with feelings arising within me, my mother became deeply distressed upon seeing my appearance.
पितरं मे उवाचाथ कस्मात्कन्या न दीयते । त्वं कस्मै सुद्विजायैव ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने
Then my mother said to my father, 'Why is our daughter not being given in marriage? You should give her to a worthy and noble Brahmin, a great soul.'
देहि कन्यां महाभाग संप्राप्ता यौवनं त्वियम् । वसुदत्तो द्विजश्रेष्ठः प्रत्युवाच द्विजोत्तमः
'Give your daughter, O most fortunate one, for she has come of age.' Thus spoke Vasudatta, the best of Brahmins, to my father, the foremost among the twice-born.
मातरं मे महाभागे श्रूयतां वचनं मम । महामोहेनमुग्धोऽस्मि सुताया वरवर्णिनि
'O most fortunate lady, my mother, listen to my words: I am utterly deluded by great attachment to our beautiful daughter.'
यो मे गृहस्थो विप्रो वै भविष्यति शुभे शृणु । तस्मै कन्यां प्रदास्यामि जामात्रे तु न संशयः
'Hear, O auspicious one, who will be the householder Brahmin that becomes my son-in-law. To him I will give my daughter—there is no doubt about the groom.'
मम प्राणप्रिया चैषा सुदेवा नात्र संशयः । एवमूचे मदर्थे स वसुदत्तः पिता मम
'She, Sudeva, is dearer to me than life itself—there is no doubt of this.' Thus, for my sake, my father Vasudatta spoke.
कौशिकस्य कुले जातः सर्वविद्याविशारदः । ब्राह्मणानां गुणैर्युक्तः शीलवान्गुणवाञ्छुचिः
Born in the lineage of Kaushika, skilled in all branches of knowledge, endowed with the virtues of Brahmins, possessing good conduct, virtues, and purity.
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नं पठमानं हि सुस्वरम् । भिक्षार्थं द्वारमायांतं पितृमातृविवर्जितम्
He was accomplished in Vedic study, reciting with a melodious voice, coming to the door for alms, bereft of both father and mother.
तं दृष्ट्वासमनुप्राप्तं रूपं वीक्ष्य महामतिः । तं प्रोवाच पिता एवं को भवान्वै भविष्यति
Seeing him arrive, observing his form, the wise one—my father—spoke to him: 'Who are you, and what will you become?'
किं ते नाम कुलं गोत्रमाचारं वद सांप्रतम् । समाकर्ण्य पितुर्वाक्यं वसुदत्तमुवाच सः
'What is your name, lineage, and family tradition? Tell me now.' Hearing my father's words, Vasudatta replied:
कौशिकस्यान्वये जातो वेदवेदांगपारगः । शिवशर्मेति मे नाम पितृमातृविवर्जितः
'Born in the line of Kaushika, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, my name is Shivaśarman, and I am without father or mother.'
संति मे भ्रातरश्चान्ये चत्वारो वेदपारगाः । एवं कुलं समाख्यातमाचारः कुलसंभवः
'I have other brothers, four in number, all accomplished in the Vedas. Thus I have described my family and its tradition.'
एवं सर्वं समाख्यातं पितरं शिवशर्मणा । शुभे लग्ने तिथौ प्राप्ते नक्षत्रे भगदैवते
Thus, everything was related by Shivaśarman to my father. When an auspicious moment, date, and constellation presided by Bhagadaiva arrived—
पित्रा दत्तास्मि सुभगे तस्मै विप्राय वै तदा । पितृगेहे वसाम्येका तेन सार्धं महात्मना
At that time, my father gave me, O fortunate one, to that Brahmin. I lived alone in my father-in-law's house with that great soul.
नैव शुश्रूषितो भर्ता मया स पापया तदा । पितृमातृसुद्रव्येण गर्वेणापि प्रमोहिता
I did not serve my husband then, being sinful, deluded by pride in my father's and mother's wealth.
अंगसंवाहनं तस्य न कृतं हि मया कदा । रतिभावेन स्नेहेन वचनेन मया शुभे
I never massaged his limbs, O auspicious one, neither with affection nor with loving words.
क्रूरबुद्ध्या हि दृष्टोसौ सर्वदा पापया मया । पुंश्चलीनां प्रसंगेन तद्भावं हि गता शुभे
With a cruel mind, I always looked upon him with sinfulness. Through association with unchaste women, I came to possess such a disposition, O auspicious one.
मातापित्रोश्च भर्तुश्च भ्रातॄणां हितमेव च । न करोम्यहमेवापि यत्रयत्र व्रजाम्यहम्
I never did what was beneficial for my mother, father, husband, or brothers, wherever I went.