आहारार्थं प्रगच्छामि भवतश्चात्मनः पितः । पश्यामि कौतुकं तत्र न दृष्टं न श्रुतं पुरा
For the sake of gathering food for you and myself, father, I went there; I saw something wondrous there, never seen or heard before.
प्रदेशमृषिगणाकीर्णमप्सरोभिः प्रशोभितम् । बहुकौतुकशोभाढ्यं मंगल्यं मंगलैर्युतम्
A region crowded with groups of sages, adorned by apsaras, rich in many marvels and auspiciousness, filled with auspicious things.
बहुपुण्यफलोपेतैर्वनैर्नानाविधैस्ततः । अनेककौतुकभरैर्मनसः परिमोहनम्
There were forests of many kinds, endowed with the fruits of great merit, full of countless wonders, enchanting the mind.
तत्र दृष्टं मया तात अपूर्वं मानसांतिके । बहुहंसैः समाकीर्णो हंस एकः समागतः
There, father, I saw something unprecedented near Lake Manasa: amidst many swans, a single swan had arrived.
एवं कृष्णा महाभाग अन्ये तत्र समागताः । सितेतरैश्चंचुपादैरन्यतः शुक्लविग्रहाः
In this way, O fortunate one, others also gathered there; some had dark beaks and feet, others had white bodies.
तादृशास्ते च नीला वै अन्ये शुभ्रा महामते । चतस्रस्तत्र वै नार्यो रौद्राकारा विभीषणाः
Some were blue, others were white, O wise one; there were four women there, fierce in appearance and terrifying.
दंष्ट्राकरालसंक्रूरा ऊर्ध्वकेश्यो भयानकाः । पश्चात्तास्तु समायातास्तस्मिन्सरसि मानसे
With dreadful fangs and cruel faces, hair standing upright, frightening; afterwards, they arrived at that Manasa lake.
कृष्णा हंसास्तु संस्नाता मानसे तात मत्पुरः । विभ्रांताः परितश्चान्ये न स्नातास्तत्र मानसे
The dark swans bathed in Manasa, father, before me; others wandered around, but did not bathe there.
जहसुस्ताः स्त्रियस्तात हास्यैरट्टाट्टदारुणैः । तस्मात्सराद्विनिष्क्रांतो हंस एको महातनुः
Those women laughed, father, with harsh and terrible laughter; then a single great-bodied swan left the lake.
पश्चात्त्रयो विनिष्क्रांतास्तैश्चाहं समुपेक्षितः । याता आकाशमार्गेण विवदंतः परस्परम्
Afterwards, three more departed, and I was disregarded by them; they went along the path of the sky, arguing with each other.
तास्तु स्त्रियो महाभीमाः समंतात्परिबभ्रमुः । विंध्यस्य शिखरे पुण्ये वृक्षच्छायासुपक्षिणः
Those women, very fearsome, wandered all around; on the sacred peak of Vindhya, under the shade of trees, with birds.
निषण्णास्तत्र ते सर्वे दग्धा दुःखैः सुदारुणैः । तेषां सुवीक्षमाणानां भिल्ल एकः समागतः
All of them sat there, burned by severe and terrible sorrows; as they watched, a single Bhilla arrived.
मृगान्स पीडयित्वा तु बाणपाणिर्धनुर्द्धरः । शिलातलं समाश्रित्य निषसाद सुखेन वै
He tormented animals, holding arrows and a bow; settling on a stone slab, he sat comfortably.
पश्चाद्भिल्ली समायाता अन्नमादाय सोदकम् । स्वं प्रियं वीक्षते राज्ञा मुदितैर्लक्षणैर्युतम्
Afterwards, a Bhilli came, bringing food and water; she looked at her beloved, adorned with joyful marks.
अन्यादृशं समावीक्ष्य स्वकांतं तेजसावृतम् । दिव्यतेजः समाक्रांतं यथा सूर्यं दिविस्थितम्
Seeing her beloved transformed, enveloped in radiance, filled with divine splendor like the sun standing in the sky—
नरमन्यं परिज्ञाय तं परित्यज्य सा ययौ । व्याध उवाच- एह्येहि त्वं प्रिये चात्र कस्मान्मां त्वं न पश्यसि
Recognizing him as a different man, she left him and went away. The hunter spoke: 'Come here, dear one, why do you not look at me?'
क्षुधया पीड्यमानोहं त्वामहं चावलोकये । तस्य वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शीघ्रं व्याधी समागता
'Afflicted by hunger, I am looking at you.' Hearing his words, the huntress quickly approached.
भर्तुः पार्श्वं समासाद्य विस्मिता साभवत्तदा । कोयं तेजः समाचारो देवोयं मां समाह्वयेत्
Coming to her husband's side, she was astonished and thought, 'What is this radiance, this conduct? Is this a god calling me?'
तमुवाच ततो व्याधी भर्तारं दीप्ततेजसम् । अत्र किं ते कृतं वीर भवान्को दिव्यलक्षणः
Then the huntress spoke to her husband, who was blazing with splendor: 'What have you done here, O hero? Who are you, bearing divine marks?'
सूत उवाच- एवमाभाषितो व्याध्या व्याधः प्रियामभाषत । अहं ते वल्लभः कांते भवती च मम प्रिया
The charioteer said: Thus addressed by the huntress, the hunter replied to his beloved: 'I am your dear one, O beautiful one, and you are dear to me.'
कस्मात्त्वं मां न जानासि कथं शंका प्रवर्तते । क्षुधया पीड्यमानेन पयश्चान्नं प्रतीक्ष्यते
'Why do you not recognize me? Why has doubt arisen? Afflicted by hunger, I am waiting for food and drink.'
व्याध्युवाच- बर्बरः कृष्णवर्णश्च रक्ताक्षः कृष्णकंचुकः । ईदृशश्चास्ति मे भर्ता सर्वसत्वभयंकरः
The huntress said: 'My husband is rough, dark-skinned, red-eyed, clad in black garments—such is he, terrifying to all beings.'
भवान्को दिव्यदेहस्तु प्रियेत्युक्त्वा समाह्वयेत् । एष मे संशयो जातो वद सत्यं ममाग्रतः
'But you possess a divine body and call me 'dear.' Because of this, I am uncertain. Tell me the truth before me.'
कुलं नाम स्वकं ग्रामं क्रीडां लिगं सुतं सुताम् । समाचष्ट प्रियाग्रे तु तस्याः प्रत्यय हेतवे
'State your lineage, your village, your play, your mark, your son, your daughter—declare these before your beloved to give her assurance.'
प्रत्युवाच स्वभर्तारं सा व्याधी हृष्टमानसा । कस्मात्ते ईदृशः कायः श्वेतकंचुकधारकः
Then the huntress, her mind gladdened, spoke to her husband: 'Why is your body like this, clothed in a white garment?'
कथं जातः समाचक्ष्व ममाश्चर्यं प्रवर्तते । एवं संपृच्छमानस्तु भार्यया मृगघातकः
'How did this come to be? Tell me, for I am filled with wonder.' Thus questioned by his wife, the slayer of deer—
सूत उवाच- प्रत्युवाच ततः श्रुत्वा तां प्रियां प्रश्रयान्विताम् । नर्मदा उत्तरे कूले संगमश्चास्ति सुव्रते
The charioteer said: Hearing his beloved's humble inquiry, he replied: 'On the northern bank of the Narmada, O virtuous one, there is a confluence.'
आतपेनाकुलो जीवो मम जातोति सुप्रिये । अस्मिन्वै संगमे कांते श्रमश्रांतो हि सत्वरः
'Distressed by the sun, my life was nearly ended, O beloved. At that confluence, weary and exhausted, I arrived quickly.'
गतः स्नात्वा जलं पीत्वा पश्चाच्चाहं समागतः । तदाप्रभृति मे काय ईदृशस्तेजसावृतः
'Having bathed and drunk water, I then returned. From that moment, my body became like this, enveloped in radiance.'
संजातो वस्त्रसंयुक्तः कंचुकः शुभ्रतां गतः । पूर्वोक्तलिंगसंस्थानैः कुलैः स्थानेन वै तथा
'A garment appeared, and my tunic became white, yet my previous marks, lineage, and place remained as before.'