क्रीडा बभाषे शृणु सत्यमेतं चरित्रभावं मम भर्त्तुरस्य । अहं प्रिये यस्य सदैव युक्ता यमिच्छते तं प्रतिसांत्वयामि
Krīḍā said: 'Listen to this truth, the nature of my character and my husband's; O dear one, I am always devoted to him, and I comfort him in whatever he desires.'
कर्तुः सुपुण्यं वचनं सुभर्तुर्ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोमि । एकांतशीला सगुणानुरूपा शुश्रूषयैकस्तमिहैव देवि
I perform all the virtuous acts and words of my noble husband, engaged in meditation; I am devoted to solitude, suited to his virtues, and serve him alone here, O goddess.
मम पूर्व विपाकोऽयं संप्रत्येव प्रवर्तते । यतस्त्यक्त्वा गतो भर्त्ता मामेवं मंदभागिनीम्
This is the result of my previous actions, which is now manifest; therefore, my husband has left me, so unfortunate as I am.
सखे न धारये जीवं स्वकीय कायमेव च । पत्याहीनाः कथं नार्यः सुजीवंति च निर्घृणाः
O friend, I cannot bear to live, nor even my own body; how do women, deprived of their husbands, live on, being so pitiless?
रूपशृंगारसौभाग्यं सुखं संपच्च नान्यथा । नारीणां हि महाभागो भर्ता शास्त्रेषु गीयते
Beauty, charm, good fortune, happiness, and prosperity—none of these are otherwise; for in the scriptures, the husband is praised as the greatest blessing for women.
तया सर्वं समाकर्ण्य यदुक्तं क्रीडया तदा । सत्यभावं विदित्वा सा मेने संभाषितं तदा
Having heard all that was spoken by Krīḍā, she, knowing her sincerity, accepted her words as true.
विश्वस्ता सा महाभागा सुकला पतिदेवता । तामुवाच पुनः सर्वमात्मचेष्टानुगं वचः
That noble, faithful wife, full of trust, then spoke again, saying all that was in her heart.
समासेन समाख्यातं पूर्ववृत्तांतमात्मनः । यथा भर्ता गतो यात्रां पुण्यसाधनतत्परः
In brief, she recounted the past events of her life—how her husband, intent on gaining merit, had set out on a journey.
आत्मदुःखं सुसत्यं च तप एव मनस्विनि । बोधिता क्रीडया सा तु समाश्वास्य पतिव्रता
She revealed her own true suffering and her austerities, O steadfast one; yet, in play, she was comforted by the devoted wife.
सूत उवाच- एकदा तु तया प्रोक्तं क्रीडया सुकलां प्रति । सखे पश्य वनं सौम्यं दिव्यवृक्षैरलंकृतम्
Sūta said: Once, in jest, she spoke to Sukalā: 'Friend, look at this lovely forest adorned with divine trees.'
तत्र तीर्थं परं पुण्यमस्ति पातकनाशनम् । नानावल्लीवितानैश्च सुपुष्पैः परिशोभितम्
There is a most holy pilgrimage site there, destroyer of sins, splendid with various creepers and beautiful blossoms.
आवाभ्यामपि गंतव्यं पुण्यहेतोर्वरानने । समाकर्ण्य तया सार्द्धं सुकला मायया तदा
'We too should go there, O beautiful-faced one, for the sake of merit.' Hearing this, Sukalā went along with her, through illusion.
प्रविवेश वनं दिव्यं नंदनोपममेव सा । सर्वर्तुकुसुमोपेतं कोकिलाशतनादितम्
She entered that divine forest, as enchanting as Nandana, filled with flowers of every season and the calls of hundreds of cuckoos.
गीयमानं सुमधुरैर्नादैर्मधुकरैरपि । कूजद्भिः पक्षिभिः पुण्यैः पुण्यध्वनिसमाकुलम्
The place resounded with the sweet songs of bees and the auspicious cries of birds, filling the air with sacred sounds.
चंदनादिकवृक्षैश्च सौरभैश्च विराजितम् । सर्वभोगैः सुसंपूर्णं माधव्या माधवेन वै
It shone with sandalwood and other fragrant trees, and was abundantly supplied with every pleasure, by Mādhavya and Mādhava.
रचितं मोहनायैव सुकलायाश्च कारणात् । तया सार्धं प्रविष्टा सा तद्वनं सर्वभावनम्
It was created solely to enchant Sukalā; together with her, she entered that wondrous, all-nourishing forest.
ददर्श सौख्यदं पुण्यं मायाभावं न विंदति । वीक्षमाणा वनं दिव्यं तया सह जनेश्वर
She beheld that bliss-giving, holy place, yet found no trace of illusion; gazing upon the divine forest with her companion, O lord of men.
शक्रोपि चाभ्ययात्तत्र देवमूर्तिविराजितः । तया दूत्या समं प्राप्तः कामस्तत्र समागतः
Indra himself arrived there, radiant in divine form; with that messenger, Kāma also came to that place.
सर्वभोगपतिर्भूत्वा कामलीलासमाकुलः । काममाह समाभाष्य एषा सा सुकुला गता
Becoming lord of all enjoyments, overwhelmed by the play of desire, Kāma spoke: 'Here is Sukalā, she has arrived.'
प्रहरस्व महाभाग क्रीडायाः पुरतः स्थिताम् । मायां कृत्वा समानीता क्रीडया तव संनिधौ
'Strike, O fortunate one, at her who stands before you in play; she has been brought here by illusion, for your pleasure.'
पौरुषं दर्शयाद्यैव यद्यस्ति कुरु निश्चितम् । काम उवाच- आत्मरूपं दर्शयस्व चतुरं लीलयान्वितम्
'Show your manliness now, if you have it—act decisively.' Kāma said: 'Reveal your own clever, playful form.'
येनाहं प्रहराम्येतां पंचबाणैः सहस्रदृक् । इंद्र उवाच- क्वास्ते ते पौरुषं मूढ येन लोकं विडंबसे
'With that, I will strike her with my five arrows, O thousand-eyed one.' Indra said: 'Where is your manliness, fool, that you mock the world?'
ममाधारपरोभूत्वा योद्धुमिच्छसि सांप्रतम् । काम उवाच- तेनापि देवदेवेन महादेवेन शूलिना
'Now, wishing to fight, you have become dependent on me.' Kāma said: 'Even by that god of gods, the great lord Śiva, my form was taken away before.'
पूर्वमेव हृतं रूपं ममकायो न विद्यते । इच्छाम्यहं यदा नारीं हंतुं शृणुष्व सांप्रतम्
'My body no longer exists; listen now as I tell you when I wish to strike a woman.'
पुंसां कायं समाश्रित्य आत्मरूपं प्रदर्शये । पुमांसं वा सहस्राक्ष नार्याः कार्यं समाश्रये
Assuming the body of a man, I reveal my own form; or, O thousand-eyed one, I assume the function of a woman.
पूर्वदृष्टा यदा नारी तामेव परिचिंतयेत् । चिंत्यमानस्य पुंसस्तु नार्यारूपं पुनःपुनः
When a woman previously seen is contemplated, the man imagines her form again and again.
अदृष्टं तु समाश्रित्य पुंसमुन्मादयाम्यहम् । तथाप्युन्मादयाम्येवं नारीरूपं न संशयः
But even relying on one unseen, I can inflame a man; thus, I indeed cause infatuation in this way, taking the form of a woman—there is no doubt.
संस्मरणात्स्मरो नाम मम जातं सुरेश्वर । तां दृष्ट्वा तादृशोरंग वस्तुरूपं समाश्रये
From remembrance, O lord of gods, arises what is called desire in me; seeing her, I assume the form of that very object.
आत्मतेजः प्रकाशेन बाध्यबाधकतां व्रजेत् । नारीरूपं समाश्रित्य धीरं पुरुषं प्रमोहयेत्
Through the radiance of my own energy, opposition and counteraction arise; by assuming the form of a woman, even a steadfast man is deluded.
पुरुषं तु समाश्रित्य भावयामि सुयोषितम् । रूपहीनोस्मि हे इंद्र अस्मद्रूपं समाश्रयेत्
Assuming the form of a man, I imagine a beautiful woman; I am lacking in beauty, O Indra, so I assume another form.