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.
यावत्तिष्ठति तारुण्यं तावद्भुंजंति मानवाः । सुखभोगादिकं सर्वं स्वेच्छया रमते नरः
As long as youth remains, people enjoy all pleasures; a man delights in everything as he wishes.
यावत्तिष्ठति तारुण्यं तावद्भोगान्प्रभुंजते । वयस्यपि गते भद्रे तारुण्ये किं करिष्यति
As long as youth endures, they master pleasures; but when age comes, O good lady, what use is youth then?
संप्राप्ते वार्द्धके देवि किंचित्कार्यं न सिध्यति । स्थविरश्चिंतयेन्नित्यं सुखकार्यं न गच्छति
When old age arrives, O goddess, no undertaking succeeds; the old man always worries, and happiness does not come.
वयस्यपि गते बाले क्रियते सेतुबंधनम् । तादृशोयं भवेत्कायस्तारुण्ये तु गते शुभे
When age has come, O girl, even building a bridge is attempted; such is the body when youth has passed, O auspicious one.
तस्माद्भुंक्ष्व सुखेनापि पिबस्व मधुमाधवीम् । कामाबाणा दहंत्यंगं तवेमे चारुलोचने
Therefore, enjoy yourself in comfort, drink the sweet honeyed wine; O beautiful-eyed one, the arrows of desire are burning your body.
अयमेकः समायातः पुरुषो रूपवान्गुणी । अयं हि पुरुषव्याघ्रः सर्वज्ञो गुणवान्धनी
Here has come a single man, handsome and virtuous; indeed, this man is a tiger among men, all-knowing, endowed with qualities, and wealthy.
तवार्थे नित्यसंयुक्तः स्नेहेन वरवर्णिनि । सुकलोवाच- बाल्यं नास्त्यपि जीवस्य तारुण्यं नास्ति जीविते
He is always devoted to you, O woman of excellent complexion, with affection for your sake. Sukala said: There is no childhood for the living being, nor is there youth in life.
वृद्धत्वं नास्ति चैवास्य स्वयंसिद्धः सुसिद्धिदः । अमरो निर्जरो व्यापी सुसिद्धः सर्ववित्तमः
There is no old age for him either; he is self-accomplished, bestower of perfect success, immortal, ageless, all-pervading, perfectly accomplished, and the best among the wise.
अकामः कामदो लोके आत्मरूपेण वर्तते । यथा गेहस्य संस्थानं तथा कायस्य दृश्यते
Desireless, yet he grants desires in the world, abiding in his own form; as is the structure of a house, so is the appearance of the body.
यथा वार्द्धकिना कायस्तथा सूत्रेण मंदिरम् । अनेककाष्ठसंघातैर्नाना दारुसमुच्चयैः
Just as a house is constructed with a framework of string, with many assemblies of wood and various collections of timber,
मृत्तिकयोदकेनापि समंतात्परिणामयेत् । लिपितं लेपकैः काष्ठं चित्रं भवति चित्रकैः
And by means of clay and water it is shaped all around; wood, when coated with plaster, becomes beautiful with decorations.
प्रथमं रूपमायाति गृहं सूत्रेण सूत्रितम् । पुष्णंति च स्वयं तत्तु लेपनाद्वै दिने दिने
First, the form appears, the house is measured with string; and it is nourished day by day by the application of plaster.
वायुनांदोलितं नित्यं गृहं च मलिनायते । मध्यमो वर्तुतः कालो गृहस्य परिकथ्यते
Constantly shaken by the wind, the house becomes dirty; in the middle period, the age of the house is described.
रूपहानिर्भवेत्तस्य गृहस्वामी विलेपयेत् । स्वेच्छया च गृहस्वामी रूपवत्त्वं नयेद्गृहम्
Its beauty fades, and the master of the house applies plaster; and at his own will, the master brings the house to a state of beauty.
तारुण्यं तस्य गेहस्य दूतिके परिकथ्यते । काष्ठसंघैश्च जीर्णत्वं बहुकालैः प्रयाति सः
The youth of that house, O messenger, is described; and with the assemblies of wood, over much time, it becomes worn out.
स्थानभ्रष्टाः प्रजायंते मूलाग्रे प्रचलंति ते । न सहेल्लेपनाभारमाधारेण प्रतिष्ठति
The parts at the base become loose and begin to move; unable to bear the weight of the plaster, it does not stand firm.
एतद्गृहस्य वार्द्धक्यं कथितं शृणु दूतिके । पतमानं गृहं दृष्ट्वा गृहस्वामी परित्यजेत्
Thus, the old age of the house has been described, listen, O messenger; seeing the house collapsing, the master abandons it.
गृहमन्यं प्रवेशाय प्रयात्येव हि सत्वरम् । तथा बाल्यं च तारुण्यं नृणां वृद्धत्वमेव च
He quickly goes to enter another house; in the same way, childhood, youth, and old age come to people.
स बाल्ये बालरूपश्च ज्ञानहीनं प्रकारयेत् । चित्रयेत्कायमेवापि वस्त्रालंकारभूषणैः
In childhood, he displays the form of a child, lacking knowledge; he adorns the body itself with clothes and ornaments.
लेपनैश्चंदनैश्चान्यैस्तांबूलप्रभवादिभिः । कायस्तरुणतां याति अतिरूपो विजायते
With ointments, sandalwood, and other things arising from betel, the body attains youth and becomes exceedingly handsome.