सत्यकेतुश्च राजेंद्रः सस्मार स पद्मावतीम् । स्वसुतां तां महाभागो माता तस्याः सुदुःखिता
Satyaketu, the king, remembered Padmavati, his own daughter, greatly blessed; her mother was deeply distressed.
स दूतान्प्रेषयामास वैदर्भो मथुरां प्रति । उग्रसेनं नृवीरेंद्रं सादरेण द्विजोत्तम
He sent messengers from Vidarbha to Mathura, to Ugrasena, the heroic king, with respect, O best of Brahmins.
उग्रसेनं महाराजं स दूतो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । विदर्भाधिपतिर्वीरो भक्त्या स्नेहेन नंदयन्
The messenger spoke to King Ugrasena: 'The valiant lord of Vidarbha, with devotion and affection, sends greetings.'
आत्मनः कुशलं ब्रूते भवतां परिपृच्छति । सत्यकेतुर्महाराज त्वामेवं परिपृष्टवान्
'He conveys his own well-being and inquires about yours; O great king Satyaketu, he has thus asked after you.'
दर्शनाय प्रेषयस्व सुतां पद्मावतीं मम । यदि त्वं मन्यसे नाथ प्रीतिस्नेहं हितस्य च
'Send my daughter Padmavati for a visit, if you deem it proper, O lord, for the sake of affection, love, and benefit.'
प्रेषयस्व महाभागां प्रियां प्रीतिकरां तव । औत्कण्ठ्येन महाराज स सोत्कंठेन वर्तते
'Send your greatly blessed, beloved, and joy-giving one; O king, he waits with longing and yearning.'
समाकर्ण्य ततो वाक्यमुग्रसेनो नृपोत्तमः । प्रीत्या स्नेहेन तस्यापि सत्यकेतोर्महात्मनः
Hearing these words, Ugrasena, the foremost king, with affection and love for the great-hearted Satyaketu,
दाक्षिण्येन च विप्रेंद्र प्रेषयामास भूपतिः । पद्मावतीं प्रियां भार्यामुग्रसेनः प्रतापवान्
And with courtesy, O chief of Brahmins, the powerful king Ugrasena sent his beloved wife Padmavati.
प्रेषितानेन राजेंद्र गता पद्मावती स्वकम् । पूर्वं गृहं सती सा तु महाहर्षेण संकुला
Sent by him, O king, Padmavati went to her own former home, filled with great joy.
पितृपूर्वं कुटुंबं तु ददृशे चारुमंगला । पितुः पादौ ननामाथ शिरसा सत्यतत्परा
She saw her ancestral household, auspicious and beautiful; then, devoted to truth, she bowed her father's feet with her head.
आगतायां महाराजा पद्मावत्यां द्विजोत्तम । हर्षेण महताविष्टो विदर्भाधिपतिर्नृपः
When Padmavati arrived, O best of Brahmins, the king of Vidarbha was overcome with great joy.
वर्द्धिता दानमानैश्च वस्त्रालंकारभूषणैः । पद्मावती सुखेनापि पितुर्गेहे प्रवर्तते
Padmavati flourished in her father's house, with gifts, respect, garments, and ornaments, enjoying happiness.
सखीभिः सहिता सा तु निःशंका परिवर्तते । रमते सा तदा तत्र यथापूर्वं तथैव च
Together with her friends, she moved about without worry; she delighted there just as before.
गृहे वने तडागेषु प्रासादे च तथैव सा । पुनर्बालेव भूता सा निर्लज्जा संप्रवर्तते
In the house, in the forest, in the ponds, and in the palace, she behaved again like a child, acting without shame.
निःशंका वर्तते विप्र सखीभिः सह सर्वदा । पतिव्रता महाभागा हर्षेण महतान्विता
O Brahmin, the highly fortunate and devoted wife always lives without fear, together with her friends, filled with great joy.
सुखं तु पितृगेहस्य दुर्लभं श्वशुरे गृहे । एवं ज्ञात्वा तदा रेमे कदा ईदृग्भविष्यति
But happiness in the house of one’s father is rare in the house of the father-in-law; knowing this, she then delighted, wondering when such a time would come again.
अनेन मोहभावेन क्रीडालुब्धा वरानना । सखीभिः सहिता नित्यं वनेषूपवने तदा
Because of this deluded state, the beautiful-faced woman, eager for play, always wandered in the groves and forests together with her friends.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रेऽष्टचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter, the story of Sukalā, in the narrative of Vena, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
ब्राह्मण्युवाच- एकदा तु महाभाग गता सा पर्वतोत्तमे । रमणीयं वनं दृष्ट्वा कदलीखंडमंडितम्
The Brahmin said: Once, O highly fortunate one, she went to a lofty mountain; seeing a beautiful forest adorned with clusters of plantains—
शालैस्तालैस्तमालैश्च नालिकेरैस्तथोत्कटैः । पूगीफलैर्मातुलिगैर्नारंगैश्चारुजंबुकैः
With śāla, tāla, tamāla, and tall coconut trees, with areca nuts, citron, oranges, and lovely rose-apples—
चंपकैः पाटलैः पुण्यैः पुष्पितैः कुटकैर्वटैः । अशोकबकुलोपेतं नानावृक्षैरलंकृतम्
With champaka and pāṭala trees, auspicious and blossoming, with kuṭaka and banyan trees, graced with aśoka and bakula, adorned with various trees—
पर्वतं पुण्यवंतं तं पुष्पितैश्च नगोत्तमैः । सर्वत्र दृश्यते रम्यो नानाधातुसमाकुलः
That blessed mountain, covered with the best flowering trees, appeared delightful everywhere, filled with various minerals.
तडागं सर्वतोभद्रं पुण्यतोयेन पूरितम् । कमलैः पुष्पितैश्चान्यैः सुगंधैः कनकोत्पलैः
There was a most auspicious lake, filled with holy water, with blooming lotuses and other fragrant golden water-lilies.
श्वेतोत्पलैर्विभासंतं रक्तोत्पलसुपुष्पितैः । नीलोत्पलैश्च कह्लारैर्हंसैश्च जलकुक्कुटैः
Shining with white lotuses, with splendid red lotuses in full bloom, with blue lotuses and water-lilies, with swans and waterfowl—
पक्षिभिर्जलजैश्चान्यैर्नानाधातुसमाकुलः । तडागं सर्वतः शुभ्रं नानापक्षिगणैर्युतम्
With birds and other aquatic creatures, filled with various minerals, the lake was pure on all sides, teeming with flocks of diverse birds.
कोकिलानां रुतैः पुण्यैः सुस्वरैः परिशोभितः । मधुराणां तथा शब्दैः सर्वत्र मधुरायते
Adorned by the auspicious, melodious calls of cuckoos, and by sweet sounds everywhere, it became delightful on all sides.
षट्पदानां सुनादेन सर्वत्र परिशोभते । एवंविधं गिरिं रम्यं तदेव वनमुत्तमम्
Resounding everywhere with the pleasant hum of bees, that charming mountain and excellent forest were just so.
तडागं सर्वतोभद्रं ददृशे नृपनंदिनी । वैदर्भी क्रीडमाना सा सखीभिः सहिता तदा
The king’s daughter from Vidarbha saw that most auspicious lake on all sides, as she played there with her friends.
समालोक्य वनं पुण्यं सर्वत्र कुसुमाकुलम् । चापल्येन प्रभावेण स्त्रीभावेन च लीलया
Beholding the blessed forest, everywhere filled with flowers, through her impulsiveness, her power, her womanhood, and playfulness—
पद्मावती सरस्तीरे सखीभिः सहिता तदा । जलक्रीडा समालीना हसते गायते पुनः
Padmāvatī, together with her friends, then entered into water-sports on the shore of the lake, laughing and singing again.