नेपथ्यांतश्चरी राजन्सा तस्मिन्नृत्यकर्मणि । मकरंदो महाप्राज्ञः क्षोभयामास भूपतिम्
O king, she moved behind the scenes in that dance performance; the wise Makaranda began to stir the king.
यथायथा पश्यति नृत्यमुत्तमं गीतं समाकर्णति स क्षितीशः । तथातथा मोहितवान्स भूपतिं नटीप्रणीतेन महानुभावः
The more the king beheld the excellent dance and listened to the song, the more he was enchanted by the great actress’s performance.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने मातापितृतीर्थे ययातिचरित्रे षट्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the seventy-sixth chapter in the story of Yayāti at the holy site of Mother and Father, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the tale of Vena.
सुकर्मोवाच- कामस्य गीतलास्येन हास्येन ललितेन च । मोहितो राजराजेंद्रो नटरूपेण पिप्पल
Sukarma said: By Kāma’s singing, dancing, humor, and grace, the king of kings, Pippala, was enchanted by the actor’s form.
कृत्वा मूत्रं पुरीषं च स राजा नहुषात्मजः । अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचमासने उपविष्टवान्
Having relieved himself of urine and excrement, that king, the son of Nahusha, sat down on his seat without cleansing his feet.
तदंतरं तु संप्राप्य संचचार जरा नृपम् । कामेनापि नृपश्रेष्ठ इंद्रकार्यं कृतं हितम्
In that interval, old age entered the king; yet, even with desire, O best of kings, the task of Indra was accomplished for his benefit.
निवृत्ते नाटके तस्मिन्गतेषु तेषु भूपतिः । जराभिभूतो धर्मात्मा कामसंसक्तमानसः
When that play was over and those people had departed, the righteous king, overcome by old age, had his mind attached to desire.
मोहितः काममोहेन विह्वलो विकलेंद्रियः । अतीव मुग्धो धर्मात्मा विषयैश्चापवाहितः
Bewildered by the delusion of desire, agitated, with his senses impaired, the righteous king was exceedingly infatuated and carried away by sensual pleasures.
एकदा तु गतो राजा मृगया व्यसनातुरः । वने च क्रीडते सोपि मोहरागवशं गतः
Once, the king, afflicted by the passion for hunting, went into the forest and played there, overcome by the power of delusion and attachment.
सरसं क्रीडमानस्य नृपतेश्च महात्मनः । मृगश्चैकः समायातश्चतुःशृंगो ह्यनौपमः
As the great-souled king was playing by the lake, a unique four-horned deer approached.
सर्वांगसुंदरो राजन्हेमरूपतनूरुहः । रत्नज्योतिः सुचित्रांगो दर्शनीयो मनोहरः
O king, it was beautiful in every limb, with golden-colored hair, radiant with jewels, of wondrous form, delightful and captivating to behold.
अभ्यधावत्स वेगेन बाणपाणिर्धनुर्द्धरः । इत्यमन्यत मेधावी कोपि दैत्यः समागतः
With bow in hand and an arrow ready, he rushed swiftly toward it, thinking, 'Surely some cunning demon has come here.'
मृगेण च स तेनापि दूरमाकर्षितो नृपः । गतः सरथवेगेन श्रमेण परिखेदितः
Drawn far away by that deer, the king went at full chariot speed, exhausted by the effort.
वीक्षमाणस्य तस्यापि मृगश्चांतरधीयत । स पश्यति वनं तत्र नंदंनोपममद्भुतम्
As he looked around, the deer vanished from his sight; there, he beheld a wondrous forest, delightful like Nandana.
चारुवृक्षसमाकीर्णं भूतपंचकशोभितम् । गुरुभिश्चंदनैः पुण्यैः कदलीखंडमंडितैः
It was filled with lovely trees, adorned by the five elements, and graced with noble, auspicious sandalwoods and clusters of banana trees.
बकुलाशोकपुंनागैर्नालिकेरैश्च तिंदुकैः । पूगीफलैश्च खर्जूरैः कुमुदैः सप्तपर्णकैः
There were bakula, ashoka, punnaga, coconut, tinduka, areca nut, date palms, white lotuses, and saptaparna trees.
पुष्पितैः कर्णिकारैश्च नानावृक्षैः सदाफलैः । पुष्पितामोदसंयुक्तैः केतकैः पाटलैस्ततः
There were blooming karnikara trees and various ever-fruiting trees, with fragrant blossoms of ketaka and patala everywhere.
वीक्षमाणो महाराज ददर्श सर उत्तमम् । पुण्योदकेन संपूर्णं विस्तीर्णं पंचयोजनम्
Beholding this, the great king saw an excellent lake, filled with holy water, vast and five yojanas wide.
हंसकारंडवाकीर्णं जलपक्षिविनादितम् । कमलैश्चापि मुदितं श्वेतोत्पलविराजितम्
It was filled with swans and cranes, resounding with the cries of water birds, adorned with lotuses and radiant with white water lilies.
रक्तोत्पलैः शोभमानं हाटकोत्पलमंडितम् । नीलोत्पलैः प्रकाशितं कल्हारैरतिशोभितम्
It shone with red lotuses, decorated with golden lotuses, illuminated by blue lotuses, and was further beautified by kalhara flowers.
मत्तैर्मधुकरैश्चपि सर्वत्र परिनादितम् । एवं सर्वगुणोपेतं ददर्श सर उत्तमम्
Everywhere it resounded with the humming of intoxicated bees; thus, he saw that excellent lake endowed with all virtues.
पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं दशयोजनदीर्घकम् । तडागं सर्वतोभद्रं दिव्यभावैरलंकृतम्
Spanning five yojanas in width and ten yojanas in length, the lake was auspicious on all sides and adorned with divine qualities.
रथवेगेन संखिन्नः किंचिच्छ्रमनिपीडितः । निषसाद तटे तस्य चूतच्छायां सुशीतलाम्
Weakened by the speed of his chariot and somewhat exhausted, he sat down on the riverbank beneath the cool shade of a mango tree.
स्नात्वा पीत्वा जलं शीतं पद्मसौगंध्यवासितम् । सर्वश्रमोपशमनममृतोपममेव तत्
After bathing and drinking the cool, lotus-fragrant water, he found all his fatigue soothed, as if by nectar itself.
वृक्षच्छाये ततस्तस्मिन्नुपविष्टेन भूभृता । गीतध्वनिः समाकर्णि गीयमानो यथा तथा
Then, as the king sat beneath the shade of that tree, he heard the sound of singing, just as it was being performed.
यथा स्त्री गायते दिव्या तथायं श्रूयते ध्वनिः । गीतप्रियो महाराज एव चिंतां परां गतः
The sound was heard just as if a celestial woman were singing; the king, who loved music, was absorbed in deep thought.
चिंताकुलस्तु धर्मात्मा यावच्चिंतयते क्षणम् । तावन्नारी वरा काचित्पीनश्रोणी पयोधरा
While the righteous king was troubled by thought and pondering for a moment, at that very time a beautiful woman with full hips and breasts appeared.
नृपतेः पश्यतस्तस्य वने तस्मिन्समागता । सर्वाभरणशोभांगी शीललक्षणसंपदा
As the king watched, she arrived in that forest, adorned with every ornament and endowed with the marks of good character.
तस्मिन्वने समायाता नृपतेः पुरतः स्थिता । तामुवाच महाराजः का हि कस्य भविष्यसि
She came into the forest and stood before the king; the king asked her, 'Who are you, and whose will you be?'
किमर्थं हि समायाता तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद । पृष्टा सती तदा तेन न किंचिदपि पिप्पल
'For what purpose have you come? Tell me your reason for being here.' Questioned thus, she said nothing at all, O Pippala.