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.
तां हसन्प्राह धर्मात्मा शिवशर्मा महामतिः । इयं हि दुर्बला प्राप्ता भिक्षार्थं द्वारमागता
Smiling, the righteous and wise Śivaśarman said to her: 'This weak woman has come to the door seeking alms.'
समाहूय प्रिये चैनां देहि त्वं भोजनं शुभे । कृपया परयाविष्टा ज्ञात्वा मां तु समागताम्
'Beloved, call her in and give her food, O auspicious one; knowing that she has come to us, be filled with great compassion.'
प्रोवाच मंगला कांतं दास्यामि प्रिय भोजनम् । एवमुक्त्वा च भर्तारं मंगला मंगलान्विता
Maṅgalā replied to her dear husband, 'I will give her food, beloved.' Having thus spoken to her husband, Maṅgalā, full of auspiciousness—
पुनर्मां भोजयामास मिष्टान्नेन सुदुर्बलाम् । मामुवाच स धर्मात्मा शिवशर्मा महामुनिः
Again served me, who was extremely weak, with delicious food; and that righteous sage Śivaśarman spoke to me—
का त्वमत्र समायाता कस्य वा भ्रमसे जगत् । केन कार्येण सर्वत्र कथयस्व ममाग्रतः
'Who are you, who has come here? For whom do you wander the world? For what purpose have you come? Tell me everything before me.'
एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं भर्तुश्चैव महात्मनः । स्वरेण लक्षितः कांतो मया वै पापया तदा
Hearing these words of her noble husband, I, sinful as I was, recognized his dear one by her voice.
व्रीडयाधोमुखीजाता दृष्टो भर्ता यदा मया । मंगला चारुसर्वांगी भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्
When I saw my husband, I became downcast with shame; and Maṅgalā, graceful in every limb, spoke to her husband:
का चेयं हि समाचक्ष्व त्वां दृष्ट्वा हि विलज्जति । कथयस्व प्रसादेन का च एषा भविष्यति
'Who is this woman? Tell me, for she is embarrassed at seeing you. Out of kindness, say who she is and who she will be.'
शिवशर्मोवाच-। मंगले श्रूयतां वाक्यं यदि पृच्छसि सांप्रतम् । यदर्थं हि त्वया पृष्टं तन्निबोध वरानने
Śivaśarman said: 'Maṅgalā, listen to my words, since you now ask; hear what you have inquired about, O beautiful-faced one.'
इयं हि सांप्रतं प्राप्ता वराकी भिक्षुरूपिणी । वसुदत्तस्य विप्रस्य सुतेयं चारुलोचने
'This poor woman, now come in the form of a mendicant, O lovely-eyed one, is the daughter of the Brāhmaṇa Vasudatta.'