भाले कुचेषु नेत्रेषु कचाग्रेषु च सर्वदा । नाभौ कट्यां पृष्ठदेशे जघने योनिमंडले
On the forehead, on the breasts, in the eyes, at the tips of the hair always; at the navel, the waist, the back, the hips, and the region of the womb—
अधरे दंतभागेषु कक्षायां हि न संशयः । अंगेष्वेवं प्रत्यंगेषु सर्वत्र निवसाम्यहम्
On the lips, at the base of the teeth, in the armpits—indeed, there is no doubt; in all the limbs and sub-limbs, everywhere, I reside.
नारी मम गृहं देव सदा तत्र वसाम्यहम् । तत्रस्थः पुरुषान्सर्वान्मारयामि न संशयः
A woman is my dwelling, O god; I always abide there. While present there, I destroy all men—there is no doubt.
स्वभावेनाबलादेव संतप्ता मम मार्गणैः । पितरं मातरं दृष्ट्वा अन्यं स्वजनबांधवम्
By their own nature, by weakness, scorched by my arrows, when they see father, mother, or any other relative—
सुरूपं सगुणं देव मम बाणा हता सती । चलते नात्र संदेहो विपाकं नैव चिंतयेत्
If he is handsome and virtuous, O god, struck by my arrows, she wavers—there is no doubt; she does not consider the consequences at all.
योनिः स्पंदेत नारीणां स्तनाग्रौ च सुरेश्वर । नास्ति धैर्यं सुरेशान सुकलां नाशयाम्यहम्
The womb of women throbs, and their nipples, O lord of gods; there is no steadiness, O lord of gods—I destroy even the virtuous.
इंद्र उवाच- पुरुषोहं भविष्यामि रूपवान्गुणवान्धनी । कौतुकार्थमिमां नारीं चालयामि मनोभव
Indra said: I shall become a man, handsome, virtuous, and wealthy; for the sake of curiosity, O Kamadeva, I will agitate this woman.
नैव कामान्न संत्रासान्न वा लोभान्न कारणात् । न वै मोहान्न वै क्रोधात्सत्यं सत्यं रतिप्रिय
Not out of desire, nor out of fear, nor out of greed, nor for any reason; not from delusion, nor from anger—truly, truly, O lover of delight.
कथं मे दृश्यते तस्या महत्सत्यं पतिव्रतम् । निष्कर्षिष्य इतो गत्वा भवन्मोहोत्र कारणम्
How can I see her great and true chastity? I will draw it out, having gone there, for your delusion is the cause here.
एवं कामं च संदिश्य जगाम सुरराट्स्वयम् । आत्मविकृतिसंभूतो रूपवान्गुणवान्स्वयम्
Having thus instructed Kama, the king of the gods himself departed, assuming a form born of his own transformation, handsome and virtuous.
सर्वाभरणशोभांगः सर्वभोगसमन्वितः । भोगलीलासमाकीर्णः सर्वदौदार्यसंयुतः
Adorned with all ornaments, endowed with every enjoyment, surrounded by pleasures and delights, always marked by generosity.
यत्र सा तिष्ठते देवी कृकलस्य प्रिया नृप । आत्मलीलां स्वरूपं च गुणं भावं प्रदर्शयेत्
Where that goddess, beloved of Krikala, resides, O king, there he displayed his own play, form, qualities, and disposition.
नैव पश्यति सा तं तु पुरुषं रूपसंपदम् । यत्रयत्र व्रजेत्सा हि तत्र तां पश्यते नृप
But she does not see that man, endowed with beauty; wherever she goes, O king, there she sees only herself.
साभिलाषेण मनसा तामेवं परिपश्यति । कामचेष्टां सहस्राक्षोऽदर्शयत्सर्वभावकैः
With a mind full of longing, she gazes only at herself in this way; Indra, with a thousand eyes, displayed all gestures of desire.
चतुष्पथे पथे तीर्थे यत्र देवी प्रयाति सा । तत्रतत्र सहस्राक्षस्तामेव परिपश्यति
At crossroads, on roads, at sacred fords—wherever the goddess goes, there, at every place, Indra with a thousand eyes gazes at her.
इंद्रेण प्रेषिता दूती सुकलां प्रति सा गता । सुकलां सुमहाभागां प्रत्युवाच प्रहस्य वै
Sent by Indra, a messenger went to Sukala; approaching the greatly fortunate Sukala, she spoke to her with a smile.
अहो सत्यमहोधैर्यमहो कांतिरहो क्षमा । अस्या रूपेण संसारे नास्ति नारी वरानना
Oh, what truthfulness, what great patience, what radiance, what forbearance! In all the world, O beautiful-faced one, there is no woman like her in form.
का त्वं भवसि कल्याणि कस्य भार्या भविष्यसि । यस्य त्वं सगुणा भार्या स धन्यः पुण्यभाग्भुवि
Who are you, O auspicious lady? Whose wife will you become? Blessed is the man on earth whose virtuous wife you will be.
तस्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तामुवाच मनस्विनी । वैश्यजात्यां समुत्पन्नो धर्मात्मा सत्यवत्सलः
Hearing her words, the noble-minded woman replied: 'Born in the merchant caste is a righteous man, devoted to truth.'
तस्याहं हि प्रिया भार्या सत्यसंधस्य धीमतः । कृकलस्यापि वैश्यस्य सत्यमेव वदामि ते
I am the beloved wife of that wise and truthful merchant named Kṛkala; I speak the truth to you.
मम भर्ता स धर्मात्मा तीर्थयात्रां गतः सुधीः । तस्मिन्गते महाभागे मम भर्तरि संप्रति
My husband, that righteous and wise man, has gone on a pilgrimage; now, O blessed one, my husband is away.
अतिक्रांताः शृणुष्व त्वं त्रयश्चैवापि वत्सराः । ततोहं दुःखिता जाता विना तेन महात्मना
Listen, three years have passed since my great-souled husband departed, and I have become sorrowful without him.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातमात्मवृत्तांतमेव ते । भवती पृच्छते मां का भविष्यति वदस्व मे
All this, my own story, I have told you; you ask me who I will become—tell me, I pray.
सुकलाया वचः श्रुत्वा दूत्या आभाषितं पुनः । मामेवं पृच्छसे भद्रे तत्ते सर्वं वदाम्यहम्
Hearing the words of the messenger Sukalā, you ask me thus, O good lady; therefore, I will tell you everything.
अहं तवांतिकं प्राप्ता कार्यार्थं वरवर्णिनि । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि श्रुत्वा चैवाव धार्यताम्
I have come to you, O beautiful one, for a purpose; listen, I will speak, and having heard, let it be considered.
गतस्ते निर्घृणो भर्ता त्वां त्यक्त्वा तु वरानने । किं करिष्यसि तेनापि प्रियाघातकरेण च
Your merciless husband has left you, O lovely-faced one; what will you do with one who causes pain to his beloved?
यस्त्वां त्यक्त्वा गतः पापी साध्व्याचारसमन्विताम् । किं वा स ते गतो बाले तत्र जीवति वै मृतः
He who abandoned you, endowed with virtuous conduct, is wicked; O girl, whether he has gone, lives, or is dead, what is he to you?
किं करिष्यति तेनैवं भवती खिद्यते वृथा । कस्मान्नाशयते चांगं दिव्यं हेमसमप्रभम्
Why does the lady grieve in vain for such a one? Why destroy your divine body, shining like gold?
बाल्ये वयसि संप्राप्ते मानवो न च विंदति । एकं सुखं महाभागे बालक्रीडां विना शुभे
In childhood, O blessed one, a person finds no happiness except for childish play, even when youth arrives.
वार्द्धके दुःखसंप्राप्तिर्जरा कायं प्रहिंसयेत् । तारुण्ये भुज्यते भोगः सुखात्सर्वो वरानने
In old age comes suffering; decay afflicts the body. In youth, O lovely-faced one, all pleasures are enjoyed happily.