अशोकसुंदरी तेपे तपः परमदुष्करम् । कदा पश्यति सा देवी पुत्रमिंदुमती शुभा
Aśokasundarī performed extremely difficult austerities; when will that auspicious goddess Indumatī see her son?
नाहुषं नाम धर्मज्ञं हृतं पूर्वं तु दानवैः । तपस्तेपे निरालंबा शिवस्य तनया वरा
Nahuṣa by name, knower of dharma, was formerly taken away by the Dānavas; the daughter of Śiva, noble and unsupported, performed austerities.
अशोकसुंदरी बाला आयुपुत्रस्य कारणात् । अनेनापि कदा सा हि संगता तु भविष्यति
Aśokasundarī, still a girl, because of her son Āyu; when will she be united with him by this means?
एवं सांसारिकं वाक्यं दिवि चारणभाषितम् । शुश्राव स हि धर्मात्मा नहुषो विभ्रमान्वितः
Thus, this worldly speech, spoken by celestial bards, was heard by that righteous Nahuṣa, who was filled with wonder.
स गत्वा वन्यमादाय वशिष्ठस्याश्रमं प्रति । वन्यं निवेद्य धर्मात्मा वशिष्ठाय महात्मने
He went, gathered the forest produce, and returned to Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage; presenting the forest goods, the righteous one offered them to the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
बद्धांजलिपुटोभूत्वा भक्त्या नमितकंधरः । तमुवाच महाप्राज्ञं वशिष्ठं तपतां वरम्
With hands joined in reverence, head bowed in devotion, he addressed the wise Vasiṣṭha, foremost among ascetics.
भगवञ्छ्रूयतां वाक्यमपूर्वं चारणेरितम् । एष वै नहुषो नाम्ना आयुपुत्रो वियोजितः
Revered one, may you hear these unprecedented words spoken by the celestial bard: this is Nahuṣa by name, son of Āyu, separated from his mother.
मात्रा सह सुदुःखैस्तु इंदुमत्या हि दानवैः । शिवस्य तनया बाला तपस्तेपे सुदुश्चरम्
Along with his mother Indumatī, he suffered great sorrow at the hands of the Dānavas; the daughter of Śiva, still a girl, performed extremely difficult austerities.
निमित्तमस्य धीरस्य नहुषस्येति वै गुरो । एवमाभाषितं तैस्तु तत्सर्वं हि मया श्रुतम्
This steadfast Nahuṣa is the reason, O teacher; thus it was spoken by them, and all this I have heard.
कोसावायुः स धर्मात्मा कासा त्विंदुमती शुभा । अशोकसुंदरी कासा नहुषेति क उच्यते
Who is this Āyu, the righteous one? Who is this auspicious Indumatī? Who is Aśokasundarī? And who is called Nahuṣa?
एतन्मे संशयं जातं तद्भवांश्छेत्तुमर्हति । अन्यः कोपि महाप्राज्ञः कुत्रासौ नहुषेति च
This doubt has arisen in me; you should resolve it. Who else, O most wise one, is this Nahusha, and where is he?
तत्सर्वं तात मे ब्रूहि कारणांतरमेव हि । वशिष्ठ उवाच- आयु राजा स धर्मात्मा सप्तद्वीपाधिपो बली
Tell me all this, dear father, and also any other reason. Vashishtha said: That king was Ayu, righteous and powerful, lord of the seven islands.
भार्या इंदुमती तस्य सत्यरूपा यशस्विनी । तस्यामुत्पादितः पुत्रो भवान्वै गुणमंदिरम्
His wife was Indumati, famed for her truthfulness and virtue. From her, you were born, a repository of all good qualities.
आयुना राजराजेन सोमवंशस्य भूषणम् । हरस्य कन्या सुश्रोणी गुणरूपैरलंकृता
By Ayu, the king of kings, you were produced as the ornament of the lunar dynasty. The daughter of Hara, with beautiful hips, adorned with virtues and beauty—
अशोकसुंदरी नाम्ना सुभगा चारुहासिनी । तस्य हेतोस्तपस्तेपे निरालंबा तपोवने
She was named Ashokasundari, fortunate and lovely with a charming smile. For your sake, she performed austerities, unsupported, in the forest of penance.
तस्या भर्ता भवान्सृष्टो धात्रा योगेन निश्चितः । गंगायास्तीरमाश्रित्य ध्यानयोग समाश्रिता
You were created by the Creator as her husband, through the power of yoga, certainly. Residing on the bank of the Ganga, she engaged in meditation and yoga.
हुंडश्च दानवेंद्रो यो दृष्ट्वा चैकाकिनीं सतीम् । तपसा प्रज्वलंतीं च सुभगां कमलेक्षणाम्
There, Hunda, the lord of the Danavas, seeing her alone, steadfast, blazing with ascetic power, and blessed with lotus-like eyes—
रूपौदार्यगुणोपेतां कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः । तां बभाषेऽन्तिकं गत्वा मम भार्या भवेति च
Endowed with beauty, nobility, and virtues, tormented by the arrows of desire, he approached her and said, 'Become my wife.'
एवं सा तद्वचः श्रुत्वा तमुवाच तपस्विनी । मा हुंड साहसं कार्षीर्मा जल्पस्व पुनः पुनः
Hearing his words, the ascetic woman replied to him, 'O Hunda, do not act violently; do not speak thus again and again.'
अप्राप्याहं त्वया वीर परभार्या विशेषतः । दैवेन मे पुरा सृष्ट आयुपुत्रो महाबलः
'I am unattainable by you, hero, especially as I am another's wife. By fate, my powerful son, born of Ayu, has already been ordained for me.'
नहुषो नाम मेधावी भविष्यति न संशयः । देवदत्तो महातेजा अन्यथा त्वं करिष्यसि
'A wise son named Nahusha will certainly be born—there is no doubt. He will be god-given, of great energy; otherwise, you will act differently.'
ततः शाप्रं पदास्यामि येन भस्मी भविष्यसि । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः
'Then I will utter a curse by which you will be reduced to ashes.' Hearing these words, tormented by the arrows of desire—
व्याजेनापि हृता तेन प्रणीता निजमंदिरे । ज्ञात्वा तया महाभाग शप्तोऽसौ दानवाधमः
He deceitfully abducted her and took her to his own abode. Knowing this, O blessed one, she cursed that vile Danava.
नहुषस्यैव हस्तेन तव मृत्युर्भविष्यति । अजाते त्वयि संजाता वदसे त्वं यथैव तत्
'By the hand of Nahusha alone, your death will occur. Even before you were born, this was declared, just as you have now heard.'
स त्वमायुसुतो वीर हृतो हुंडेन पापिना । सूदेन रक्षितो दास्या प्रेषितो मम चाश्रमम्
You, O heroic son of Ayu, were abducted by the sinful Hunda. Protected by a cook and a maidservant, you were sent to my hermitage.
भवंतं वनमध्ये च दृष्ट्वा चारणकिन्नरैः । यत्तु वै श्रावितं वत्स मया ते कथितं पुनः
When you were seen in the middle of the forest by the Charanas and Kinnaras, what was heard, dear child, I have now told you again.
जहि तं पापकर्तारं हुंडाख्यं दानवाधमम् । नेत्राभ्यां हि प्रमुंचंतीमश्रूणि परिमार्जय
Slay that wicked-doer, the vile Danava named Hunda. Wipe away the tears flowing from your eyes.
इतो गत्वा प्रपश्य त्वं गंगातीरं महाबलम् । निपात्य दानवेंद्रं तं कारागृहात्समानय
Go from here and behold the mighty one on the bank of the Ganga. Having struck down the lord of the Danavas, bring him from the prison.
अशोकसुंदरी याहि तस्या भर्ता भवस्व हि । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं प्रश्नस्यास्य हि कारणम्
Ashoka Sundari, go; become his wife. All this has been told to you—the reason for your question.
आभाष्य नहुषं विप्रो विरराम महामतिः
Having spoken to Nahusha, the wise Brahmin became silent.