नारी महौषधीं सा हि विंदंती च दिने दिने । गर्भस्य पातनायैव उपाया बहुशः कृताः
That woman found powerful medicines day by day; many means were employed for the expulsion of the fetus.
ववृधे दारुणो गर्भः सर्वलोकभयंकरः । तामुवाच ततो गर्भः पद्मावतीं च मातरम्
The fierce embryo grew, terrifying all the worlds; then the embryo spoke to Padmāvatī, his mother.
कस्मात्त्वं व्यथसे मातरौषधीभिर्दिनेदिने । पुण्येन वर्द्धते चायुः पापेनाल्पं तु जीवितम्
'Mother, why do you torment yourself daily with medicines? By merit life increases, but by sin life is short.'
आत्मकर्मविपाकेन जीवंति च म्रियंति च । आमगर्भाः प्रयांत्यन्ये अपक्वास्तु महीतले
'By the ripening of one's own actions, beings live and die; some depart from the womb unripe, others remain on earth.'
जातमात्रा म्रियंतेऽन्ये कति ते यौवनान्विताः । बाला वृद्धाश्च तरुणा आयुषोवशतां गताः
'Some die immediately after birth, how many reach youth? Children, the aged, and the young all come under the sway of lifespan.'
सर्वे कर्मविपाकेन जीवंति च म्रियंति च । ओषध्यो मंत्रदेवाश्च निमित्ताः स्युर्न संशयः
'All live and die by the ripening of karma; medicines, mantras, and gods may be causes, there is no doubt.'
मामेव हि न जानासि भवती यादृशो ह्यहम् । दृष्टः श्रुतस्त्वया पूर्वं कालनेमिर्महाबलः
'You do not truly know who I am; you have seen and heard of Kalanemi, mighty in strength.'
दानवानां महावीर्यस्त्रैलोक्यस्य भयप्रदः । देवासुरे महायुद्धे हतोहं विष्णुना पुरा
'Of the Dānavas, of great valor, a terror to the three worlds; in the great battle of gods and demons, I was slain long ago by Viṣṇu.'
साधयितुं च तद्वैरमागतोऽस्मि तवोदरम् । साहसं च श्रमं मातर्मा कुरुष्व दिन दिने
I have come to fulfill that enmity, to destroy your womb; Mother, do not undertake such hardship and effort day after day.
एवमुक्त्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठ मातरं विरराम सः । मातोद्यमं परित्यज्य महादुःखादभूत्तदा
Having spoken thus to his mother, O best of Brahmins, he ceased; abandoning his mother's efforts, he then became greatly distressed.
दशाब्दाश्च गता यावत्तावद्वृद्धिमवाप्तवान् । पश्चाज्जज्ञे महातेजाः कंसोभूत्स महाबलः
When ten years had passed, he attained growth; afterwards, the mighty and radiant Kaṃsa was born.
येन संत्रासिता लोकास्त्रैलोक्यस्य निवासिनः । यो हतो वासुदेवेन गतो मोक्षं न संशयः
By him the worlds and all the inhabitants of the three realms were terrified; he was slain by Vāsudeva and attained liberation, without doubt.
एवं श्रुतं मया कांत भविष्यं तु भविष्यति । पुराणेष्वेव सर्वेषु निश्चितं कथितं तव
Thus have I heard, beloved, and so it shall be in the future; this has been certainly declared to you in all the Purāṇas.
पितृगेहेस्थिता कन्या नाशमेवं प्रयाति सा । गृहावासाय मे कांत कन्या मोहं न कारयेत्
A maiden who remains in her father's house meets destruction in this way; beloved, let not a maiden cause you delusion regarding household life.
इमां दुष्टां महापापां परित्यज्य स्थिरो भव । प्राप्तव्यं तु महापापं दुःखं दारुणमेव च
Abandon this wicked, greatly sinful woman and be steadfast; for great sin and terrible suffering are surely to be obtained.
लोके श्रेयःकरं कांत तद्भुंक्ष्व त्वं मया सह । शूकर्युवाच- एतद्वाक्यं सुमंत्रं तु श्रुत्वा स हि द्विजोत्तमः
Enjoy, O beloved, that which brings welfare in this world together with me; Śūkar said—
त्यागे मतिं चकारासौ समाहूता ह्यहं तदा । सकलं वस्त्रशृंगारं मम दत्तं शुभे शृणु
Hearing these most excellent and wise words, that best of Brahmins resolved to renounce; then I was summoned, and all my garments and ornaments were given—listen, O auspicious one.
तवैव दुर्नयैर्विप्रः शिवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः । गतो वै मतिमान्दुष्टे कुलदुष्टप्रचारिणि
Because of your evil ways, O most wicked and corrupter of the family, the wise Brahmin Śivaśarmā has departed.
यत्र ते तिष्ठते भर्ता तत्र गच्छ न संशयः । तव यद्रोचते स्थानं यथादिष्टं तथा कुरु
Where your husband dwells, go there without doubt; whatever place pleases you, do as you are instructed.
एवमुक्त्वा महाभागे पितृमातृकुटुंबकैः । परित्यक्ता गता शीघ्रं निर्लज्जाहं वरानने
Having spoken thus, O noble lady, I was abandoned by my father, mother, and family; shameless, I quickly departed, O beautiful-faced one.
न लभाम्यहमेवापि वासस्थानं सुखं शुभे । भर्त्सयंति च मां लोकाः पुंश्चलीयं समागता
I do not obtain even a comfortable place to stay, O auspicious one; people revile me, saying I am a fallen woman who has come together with others.
अटमाना गता देशात्कुलमानेन वर्जिता । देशे गुर्जरके पुण्ये सौराष्ट्रे शिवमंदिरे
Wandering, I left my home, deprived of family honor; in the holy land of Gurjara, in Saurashtra, at the temple of Śiva—
वनस्थलेति विख्यातं नगरं वृद्धिसंकुलम् । अतीव पीडिता देवि क्षुधयाहं तदा शृणु
There is a city known as Vanasthali, full of prosperity; greatly afflicted by hunger, O goddess, I was there—listen.
कर्परं हि करे गृह्य भिक्षार्थमुपचक्रमे । गृहिणां द्वारदेशेषु प्रविशामि सुदुःखिता
Taking a clay bowl in my hand, I began to beg for alms; deeply distressed, I entered the doorways of householders.
मम रूपं विपश्यंति लोकाः कुत्संति भामिनि । न ददंते च मे भिक्षां पापा चेयं समागता
People, seeing my appearance, scorn me, O beautiful one; and they do not give me alms—this sin has come upon me.
एवं दुःखसमाहारा दारिद्र्यपरिपीडिता । अटंत्या च मया दृष्टं गृहमेकमनुत्तमम्
Thus, afflicted by suffering and oppressed by poverty, as I wandered, I saw a certain most excellent house.
तुंगप्राकारसंवेष्टं वेदशालासमन्वितम् । वेदध्वनिसमाकीर्णं बहुविप्रसमाकुलम्
Surrounded by lofty walls, furnished with halls for Vedic study, filled with the sound of Vedic recitation, and crowded with many learned Brāhmaṇas—
धनधान्यसमाकीर्णं दासीदासैरलंकृतम् । प्रविवेश गृहं रम्यं लक्ष्मीमुदितमेव तत्
Abundant in wealth and grain, adorned with many servants and maids, he entered that delightful house, radiant with prosperity.
तद्गृहं सर्वतोभद्रं तस्यैव शिवशर्मणः । भिक्षां देहीत्युवाचाथ सुदेवा दुःखपीडिता
That house, auspicious in every way, belonged to Śivaśarman alone; there, Sudevā, afflicted by sorrow, spoke: 'Give alms.'
शिवशर्माथ शुश्राव भिक्षाशब्दं द्विजोत्तमः । मंगलां नाम वै भार्यां लक्ष्मीरूपां वराननाम्
Śivaśarman, the best of Brāhmaṇas, heard the call for alms; his wife, named Maṅgalā, beautiful as Lakṣmī, was of lovely countenance.