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.'
सुदेवा नाम भद्रेयं मम जाया प्रिया सदा । केनापि कारणेनैव देशं त्यक्त्वा समागता
'Her name is Sudevā, O gentle one; she is always my beloved wife. For some reason, she left her home and has come here.'
ममदुःखेन दग्धेयं वियोगेन वरानने । मां ज्ञात्वा तु समायाता भिक्षुरूपेण ते गृहम्
'Burned by my sorrow, by separation, O beautiful-faced one, she has come to your house in the guise of a mendicant, having recognized me.'
एवं ज्ञात्वा त्वया भद्रे आतिथ्यं परिशोभितम् । कर्त्तव्यं न च संदेह इच्छंत्या मम सुप्रियम्
'Knowing this, O gentle one, you should honor her with hospitality, without any doubt, as she is most dear to me and wishes it.'
भर्तुर्वाक्यं निशम्यैव मंगला पतिदेवता । हर्षेण महताविष्टा स्वयमेव सुमंगला
Hearing her husband's words, Maṅgalā, devoted to her husband, was filled with great joy and herself became truly auspicious.
स्नानाच्छादन भोज्यं च मम चक्रे वरानने । रत्नकांचनयुक्तैश्चाभरणैश्च पतिव्रता
O beautiful-faced one, the devoted wife provided me with bathing, clothing, and food, as well as ornaments adorned with jewels and gold.
अहं हि भूषिता भद्रे तयैव पतिकाम्यया । तयाहं भूषिता देवि मानस्नानैश्च भोजनैः
Indeed, O auspicious one, I was adorned by her, desiring her husband, with ornaments, baths of the mind, and meals.
भर्त्राहं मानिता देवि जातं दुःखमनंतकम् । ममोरसि महातीव्रं सर्वप्राणविनाशनम्
O goddess, I was honored by my husband, but then an unbearable sorrow arose in my heart, a pain so intense it threatened my very life.
तस्या मानो मया दृष्टो दुःखमात्मगतं तथा । चिंता मे दारुणा जाता यया प्राणा व्रजंति मे
I saw her pride, and likewise the suffering within myself; a terrible anxiety arose in me, by which my life was departing.
कदापि वचनं दत्तं न मया पापया शुभम् । अस्यैव विप्रवर्यस्य आचरंत्या च दुष्कृतम्
Never did I, the sinful one, speak a good word, nor did I perform any righteous act for this excellent Brahmin.
पादप्रक्षालनं नैव अंगसंवाहनं नहि । एकांतं न मया दत्तं तस्यैव हि महात्मनः
I never washed his feet, nor massaged his limbs, nor did I ever give him my exclusive attention, that great-souled one.