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.
शुभाशुभं च भूपालं प्रत्यवोचद्वरानना । प्रहस्यैव गता शीघ्रं वीणादंडकराऽबला
With a radiant face, she replied to the king about good and bad, then, smiling, the woman holding a vina departed swiftly.
विस्मयेनापि राजेंद्रो महता व्यापितस्तदा । मया संभाषिता चेयं मां न ब्रूते स्म सोत्तरम्
The king was filled with great wonder, for though I spoke with her, she did not give me any answer.
पुनश्चिंतां समापेदे ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः । यो वै मृगो मया दृष्टश्चतुःशृंगः सुवर्णकः
King Yayati again fell into thought: 'That four-horned, golden animal I saw—'
तस्मान्नारी समुद्भूता तत्सत्यं प्रतिभाति मे । मायारूपमिदं सत्यं दानवानां भविष्यति
'From that, this woman has arisen; this seems true to me. This is a magical form, surely belonging to the Danavas.'
चिंतयित्वा क्षणं राजा ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः । यावच्चिंतयते राजा तावन्नारी महावने
After pondering for a moment, King Yayati, son of Nahusha, while he was still thinking, the woman in the great forest—
अंतर्धानं गता विप्र प्रहस्य नृपनंदनम् । एतस्मिन्नंतरे गीतं सुस्वरं पुनरेव तत्
—vanished from sight, O Brahmin, smiling at the king's son. At that very moment, the melodious song was again heard.
शुश्रुवे परमं दिव्यं मूर्छनातानसंयुतम् । जगाम सत्वरं राजा यत्र गीतध्वनिर्महान्
He heard a supreme, divine music, filled with modulations and tones; the king quickly went to where the great sound of singing was.
जलांते पुष्करं चैव सहस्रदलमुत्तमम् । तस्योपरि वरा नारी शीलरूपगुणान्विता
At the edge of the water was a lotus with a thousand excellent petals, and upon it sat a noble woman, endowed with virtue, beauty, and qualities.
दिव्यलक्षणसंपन्ना दिव्याभरणभूषिता । दिव्यैर्भावैः प्रभात्येका वीणादंडकराविला
She was adorned with divine marks and celestial ornaments, radiant in her unique splendor, holding the staff of a vina.
गायंती सुस्वरं गीतं तालमानलयान्वितम् । तेन गीतप्रभावेण मोहयंती चराचरान्
She was singing a melodious song, accompanied by rhythm and tempo, enchanting all beings, moving and unmoving, by the power of her music.
देवान्मुनिगणान्सर्वान्दैत्यान्गंधर्वकिन्नरान् । तां दृष्ट्वा स विशालाक्षीं रूपतेजोपशालिनीम्
Seeing her, that wide-eyed woman radiant with beauty and splendor, all the gods, hosts of sages, demons, gandharvas, and kinnaras—
संसारे नास्ति चैवान्या नारीदृशी चराचरे । पुरा नटो जरायुक्तो नृपतेः कायमेव हि
In this world, there is no other woman, moving or unmoving, like her; formerly, an old actor merely animates the king’s body.
संचारितो महाकामस्तदासौ प्रकटोभवत् । घृतं स्पृष्ट्वा यथा वह्नी रश्मिवान्संप्रजायते
Then, great desire was stirred up and became manifest, just as fire arises with rays when it touches ghee.
तां च दृष्ट्वा तथा कामस्तत्कायात्प्रकटोऽभवत् । मन्मथाविष्टचित्तोसौ तां दृष्ट्वा चारुलोचनाम्
Upon seeing her in that way, desire became evident in his body; his mind seized by passion, seeing her lovely eyes.
ईदृग्रूपा न दृष्टा मे युवती विश्वमोहिनी । चिंतयित्वा क्षणं राजा कामसंसक्तमानसः
Never have I seen a maiden of such form, one who bewilders the whole world; the king, his mind absorbed in desire, pondered for a moment.
तस्याः सविरहेणापि लुब्धोभून्नृपतिस्तदा । कामाग्निना दह्यमानः कामज्वरेणपीडितः
Even in her absence, the king became infatuated with her, burning with the fire of desire, afflicted by the fever of passion.
कथं स्यान्मम चैवेयं कथं भावो भविष्यति । यदा मां गूहते बाला पद्मास्या पद्मलोचना
How might this woman become mine, how might this feeling arise—when that young, lotus-faced, lotus-eyed girl embraces me?
यदीयं प्राप्यते तर्हि सफलं जीवितं भवेत् । एवं विचिंत्य धर्मात्मा ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः
If I attain her, then life will be fulfilled; so thinking, the righteous king Yayati, lord of the earth—
तामुवाच वरारोहां का त्वं कस्यापि वा शुभे । पूर्वं दृष्टा तु या नारी सा दृष्टा पुनरेव च
Addressed her, of lovely form: 'Who are you, and whose, O auspicious one? The woman I saw before, I see again now.'
तां पप्रच्छ स धर्मात्मा का चेयं तव पार्श्वगा । सर्वं कथय कल्याणि अहं हि नहुषात्मजः
That righteous one questioned her: 'Who is this woman at your side? Tell me everything, O blessed one, for I am the son of Nahusha.'