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.'
स्वप्रियं लक्षयित्वा तु ज्ञात्वा पुण्यस्य संभवम् । प्रत्युवाचाथ भर्तारं संगमं मम दर्शय
Recognizing her beloved and understanding the arising of merit, she then said to her husband, 'Show me the confluence.'
तव पश्चात्प्रदास्यामि भोजनं पानसंयुतम् । इत्युक्तः प्रियया व्याधः सत्वरेण जगाम ह
'Afterwards, I will give you food and drink.' Thus addressed by his beloved, the hunter went at once.
संगमो दर्शितस्तेन ततोग्रे पापनाशनः । समुड्डीना महाभाग पक्षिणो लघुविक्रमाः
That meeting was shown by him, and thereafter, it was fiercely destructive of sin; the birds, noble and swift of movement, rose up together.
तया सार्द्धं ययुः सर्वे रेवासंगममुत्तमम् । तेषां तु वीक्षमाणानां पक्षिणां मम पश्यतः
Together with her, they all went to the excellent confluence of the Revā; as those birds watched, and as I looked on,
तया हि स्नापितो भर्ता पुनः स्नाता हि सा स्वयम् । दिव्यदेहधरौ चोभौ दिव्यकांतिसमन्वितौ
By her, the husband was bathed, and she herself bathed again; both bore divine bodies, endowed with radiant brilliance.
संजातौ पक्षिणां श्रेष्ठ दिव्यवस्त्रानुलेपनौ । दिव्यमालांबरधरौ दिव्यगंधानुलेपनौ
They became, O best of birds, adorned with divine garments and ointments; wearing divine garlands and ornaments, anointed with divine fragrances.
वैष्णवं यानमासाद्य मुनिगंधर्वपूजितौ । गतौ तौ वैष्णवं लोकं वैष्णवैः परिपूजितौ
Having attained a Vaiṣṇava vehicle, honored by sages and Gandharvas, those two went to the Vaiṣṇava world, revered by the Vaiṣṇavas.
स्तूयमानौ महात्मानौ दंपती दृष्टवानहम् । व्रजंतौ स्वर्गमार्गेण कूजंते पक्षिणस्तथा
I saw the noble couple being praised, proceeding along the path to heaven, while the birds also sang.
तीर्थराजं परं दृष्ट्वा हर्षव्यक्ताक्षरैस्तदा । चत्वारः कृष्णहंसास्ते संगमे पापनाशने
Having seen the supreme Tīrtharāja, then with words expressing joy, those four black swans at the confluence, the destroyer of sin,
स्नात्वा वै भावशुद्धास्ते प्राप्ता उज्ज्वलतां पुनः । स्नात्वा पीत्वा जलं ते तु पुनर्बहिर्विनिर्गताः
Having bathed, purified in mind, they again attained brightness; after bathing and drinking the water, they emerged once more.