अश्वमेधफलं भुंक्ते स्नानेनैकेन मानवः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यत्त्वया परिपृच्छितम्
By a single bath, a person enjoys the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice; all this has been told to you, as you have asked.
सर्वपापापहं पुण्यं गतिदं चापिशृण्वताम् । एवमुक्त्वा महाप्राज्ञ तृतीयं पुत्रमब्रवीत्
Hearing this, all sins are destroyed, merit is gained, and liberation is attained; thus having spoken, O wise one, he addressed his third son.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थे च्यवनचरित्रे द्विनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-second chapter, the story of Cyavana at the holy ford, in the narrative of Vena, in the section on the earth, in the glorious Padma Purana.
कुंजल उवाच- किं विज्वल त्वया दृष्टमपूर्वं भ्रमता महीम् । आश्चर्येण समायुक्तं तन्मे कथय सुव्रत
Kunjala said: Vijvala, what unprecedented wonder have you seen while wandering the earth? Tell me, O steadfast one, what marvelous thing you have encountered.
इतः प्रयासि कं देशमाहारार्थं तु सोद्यमी । यद्य दृष्टं त्वया चित्रं समाख्याहि सुतोत्तम
To which land are you now journeying with effort in search of food? If you have seen anything remarkable, tell me, dearest son.
विज्वल उवाच- अस्ति मेरुगिरेः पृष्ठे आनंदं नाम काननम् । दिव्यवृक्षैः समाकीर्णंफ लपुष्पमयैः सदा
Vijvala said: On the slope of Mount Meru, there is a forest called Ananda, always filled with celestial trees bearing fruit and flowers.
देववृंदैः समाकीर्णं मुनिसिद्धसमन्वितम् । अप्सरोभिः सुरूपाभिर्गंधर्वैः किन्नरोरगैः
It is crowded with hosts of gods, accompanied by sages and perfected beings, graced by beautiful apsarases, gandharvas, kinnaras, and serpents.
वापीकूपतडागैश्च नदीप्रस्रवणैस्तथा । आनंदकाननं पुण्यं दिव्यभावैः प्रभासते
With ponds, wells, and lakes, and likewise with river springs, the sacred Ananda forest shines with divine qualities.
विमानैः कोटिसंख्याभिर्हंसकुंदेंदुसन्निभैः । गीतकोलाहलैः रम्यैर्मेघध्वनिनिनादितम्
With millions of palaces, white as swans, jasmine, and the moon, resounding with delightful songs and the roar of clouds.
षट्पदानां निनादेन सर्वत्र मधुरायते । चंदनैश्चूतवृक्षैश्च चंपकैः पुष्पितैर्वृतम्
Everywhere is sweet with the humming of bees, adorned with sandalwood, mango trees, and blossoming champaka.
नानावृक्षैः प्रभात्येवमानंदवनमुत्तमम् । नानापक्षिनिनादेन बहुकोलाहलान्वितम्
Thus the supreme Ananda forest shines with various trees, filled with the sounds of many birds and much commotion.
एवमानंदनं दृष्टं मया तत्र सुशोभनम् । विमलं च सरस्तात शोभते सागरोपमम्
Thus I saw that beautiful Ananda forest there, and a pure lake, O father, shining like the ocean.
संपूर्णं पुण्यतोयेन पद्मसौगंधिकैः शुभैः । जलजैस्तु समाकीर्णं हंसकारंडवान्वितम्
Filled with holy water, with auspicious lotuses and fragrant lilies, crowded with aquatic creatures, and graced by swans and cranes.
एवमासीत्सरस्तस्य सुमध्ये काननस्य हि । देवगंधर्वसंबाधैर्मुनिवृंदैरलंकृतम्
So was that lake in the midst of the forest, adorned by hosts of gods, gandharvas, and groups of sages.
किंनरोरगगंधर्वैश्चारणैश्च सुशोभते । तत्राश्चर्यं मया दृष्टं वक्तुं तात न शक्यते
It shines with Kinnaras, Nagas, Gandharvas, and Charanas; what I saw there was wondrous, father, and cannot be spoken.
विमानेनापि दिव्येन कलशैरुपशोभते । छत्रदंडपताकाभीराजमानेन सत्तम
Even with a celestial vimana, it is adorned with pitchers; O noble one, it is resplendent with parasols, staffs, and banners.
सर्वभोगाविलेनापि गीयमानेथ किन्नरैः । गंधर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च शोभमानोथ सुव्रत
Enjoyments of every kind are mingled there, and Kinnaras sing; Gandharvas and Apsaras also add to its beauty, O virtuous one.
स्तूयमानो महासिद्धऋषिभिस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः । रूपेणाप्रतिमो लोके न दृष्टस्तादृशः क्वचित्
Praised by great Siddhas and sages who know the truth, its form is unmatched in the world; nowhere has such a one been seen.
सर्वाभरणशोभांगो दिव्यमालाविशोभितः । महारत्नकृतामाला यस्योरसि विराजते
His body shines with all ornaments, adorned with divine garlands; a garland made of great jewels radiates upon his chest.
तत्समीपे स्थिता चैका नारी दृष्टा वरानना । हेमहारैश्च मुक्तानां वलयैः कंकणैर्युता
Near him stood a woman, beautiful-faced, seen there; she was adorned with golden and pearl bracelets and bangles.
दिव्यवस्त्रैश्च गंधैश्च चंदनैश्चारुलेपनैः । स्तूयमानो गीयमानः पुरुषस्तत्र चागतः
With divine garments, fragrances, sandalwood, and fine ointments, a man arrived there, praised and sung about.
रतिरूपा वरारोहा पीनश्रोणिपयोधरा । सर्वाभरणशोभांगी तादृशी रूपसंपदा
She was charming, with a lovely figure, full hips and breasts; her body shone with all ornaments, possessing such beauty.
द्वावेतौ तौ मया दृष्टौ विमानेनापि चागतौ । रूपलावण्यमाधुर्यौ सर्वशोभासमाविलौ
Those two I saw, arriving even in a vimana; they possessed beauty, grace, sweetness, and were filled with every splendor.
समुत्तीर्णौ विमानात्तावागतौ सरसोन्तिके । स्नातौ तात महात्मानौ स्त्रीपुंसौ कमलेक्षणौ
Those two emerged from the vimana and came near the lake; O father, the great-souled man and woman, lotus-eyed, bathed there.
प्रगृह्य तौ महाशस्त्रौ दंपती तु परस्परम् । तादृशौ च शवौ तत्र पतितौ सरसस्तटे
The couple, each holding great weapons, embraced one another; and there, such corpses lay fallen on the shore of the lake.
प्रभासे ते तदा तौ तु स्त्रीपुंसौ कमलेक्षणौ । रूपेणापि महाभाग तादृशावेव तौ शवौ
At that time in Prabhasa, those two, man and woman, lotus-eyed, even in their beauty, O blessed one, were just such corpses.
देवरूपोपमस्तात यथा पुंसस्तथा शवः । यथारूपं हि तस्यापि तादृशस्तत्र दृश्यते
Father, the corpse of the man appeared just as divine as his living form; and likewise, the woman's form was seen there.
यथारूपं तु भार्यायास्तथा शवो द्वितीयकः । स्त्रीशवस्य तु यन्मांसं शस्त्रेणोत्कृत्य सा ततः
Just as the wife's form, so was the second corpse; then, from the woman's corpse, she cut out flesh with a weapon.
भक्षते तस्य मांसानि रक्ताप्लुतानि तानि तु । पुरुषो भक्षते तद्वच्छवमांसं समातुरः
She ate pieces of flesh from him, soaked in blood; and the man, distressed, likewise ate flesh from the corpse.
क्षुधया पीड्यमानौ तौ भक्षेते पिशितं तयोः । यावत्तृप्तिं समायातौ तावन्मांसं प्रभक्षितम्
Tormented by hunger, the two ate the flesh of their own corpses; as long as satisfaction was not reached, they continued eating.