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.
एवं मे दुष्कृतं दृष्ट्वा शिवशर्मा पतिर्मम । स्नेहाच्छ्वशुरवर्गस्य मम भर्त्ता महामतिः
Thus, seeing my misdeeds, Śivaśarmā, my husband, out of affection for the family of my father-in-law, my husband, wise and noble, bore it.
न किंचिद्वक्ति मां सोपि क्षमते दुष्कृतं मम । वार्यमाणा कुटुंबेन अहमेवं सुपापिनी
He does not say anything to me, and he even forgives my wrongdoing; though restrained by the household, I alone acted so wickedly.
तस्य शीलं विदित्वा ते साधुत्वं शिवशर्मणः । पितामाता च मे सर्वे मम पापेन दुःखिताः
Knowing his character and the virtue of Śivaśarmā, all my parents are distressed by my sin.
भर्त्ता मे दुष्कृतं दृष्ट्वा स्वगृहान्निर्गतो बहिः । तं देशं ग्राममेनं च परित्यज्य गतस्ततः
My husband, having seen my misdeed, left the house and departed, abandoning this village and place.
गते भर्तरि मे तातः संजातश्चिंतयान्वितः । मम दुःखेन दुःखात्मा यथा रोगेण पीडितः
When my husband had gone, my father became troubled with anxiety, afflicted by my sorrow as if tormented by disease.
मम माता उवाचैनं भर्तारं दुःखपीडितम् । कस्माच्चिंतयसे कांत वद दुःखं ममाग्रतः
My mother spoke to my husband, who was afflicted with grief: 'Why do you worry, beloved? Tell me your sorrow before me.'
वसुदत्त उवाचैनां मातरं मम नंदने । सुतां त्यक्त्वा गतो विप्रो जामाता शृणु वल्लभे
Vasudatta spoke to my mother in the garden: 'The Brahmin, my son-in-law, has left after abandoning your daughter; listen, dear.'
इयं पापसमाचारा निर्घृणा पापचारिणी । अनया हि परित्यक्तः शिवशर्मा महामतिः
This one is of sinful conduct, merciless, a doer of evil; by her, indeed, Śivaśarmā, wise, has been abandoned.
समस्तस्य कुटुंबस्य दाक्षिण्येन महामतिः । ममायं स द्विजः कांते सुदेवां नैव भाषते
For the sake of the whole family, with kindness, that wise Brahmin, my dear, does not speak to Sudevā.
वसते सौम्यभावेन नैव निंदति कुत्सति । सुदेवां पापसंचारां स वै पंडितबुद्धिमान्
He dwells with gentle demeanor, never censuring or reproaching; Sudevā, of sinful ways, he regards with the mind of a learned man.