एवं विपर्ययश्चासीन्मनसो मे वरावने । तन्मे त्वं कारणं ब्रूहि यद्यस्ति ज्ञानमुत्तमम्
Thus, my mind has become unsettled, O best of women; tell me the reason for this, if you possess supreme knowledge.
आयुपुत्रस्य भार्याहं देवैः सृष्टा महात्मभिः । कस्मान्मे धावते चेत उत्सुकं रंतुमेव च
I am the wife of the son of Āyu, created by the great gods; why then does my heart run restlessly, eager only for union?
रंभोवाच- सर्वेष्वेव महाभागे देहरूपेषु भामिनि । वसत्यात्मा स्वयं ब्रह्मज्ञानरूपः सनातनः
Rambhā said— In all bodies and forms, O beautiful one, the self, which is of the nature of eternal knowledge of Brahman, abides.
यद्यपि प्रक्रियाबद्धैरिंद्रियैरुपकारिभिः । मोहपाशमयैर्बद्धस्तथा सिद्धस्तु सर्वदा
Even though bound by the senses, which are engaged in their respective functions, and by the fetters of delusion, still, the perfected self remains always free.
प्रकृतिं नैव जानाति ज्ञानविज्ञानकीं कलाम् । अयं शुद्धश्च धर्मज्ञ आत्मा वेत्ति च सुंदरि
He does not know the nature, nor even a fraction of knowledge or discernment; this self is pure and knows righteousness, O beautiful one.
गच्छंत्यपि मनस्तापमेनं दृष्ट्वा महामतिम् । पापमेवं परित्यज्य सत्यमेवं प्रधावति
Even when going, the mind runs toward this great-minded one, seeing him; thus, abandoning sin, it hastens only to truth.
भर्तायमायुपुत्रस्ते एतत्सत्यं न संशयः । अन्यं दृष्ट्वा विशंकेत पुरुषं पापलक्षणम्
This is your husband, Āyu’s son; this is the truth, without doubt. Seeing another man, one should be wary if he bears the marks of evil.
एवं विधिः कृतो देवैः सत्यपाशेन बंधितः । यदस्या आयुपुत्रोपि भर्तृत्वमुपयास्यति
Such is the ordinance made by the gods, bound by the fetter of truth; that even Āyu’s son will attain the status of husband to her.
एवमाकर्णितं भद्रे आत्मना तं च सुंदरि । तद्भावसत्यसंबंधं परिगृह्य स्थितः स्वयम्
Thus, having heard this, O fortunate one, and you too, O beautiful lady, he himself remained, embracing the bond of true feeling.
अन्यं भावं न जानाति आयुपुत्रं च विंदति । प्रकृतिर्नैव ते देवि पतिं जानाति चागतम्
She does not know any other feeling, and finds only Āyu’s son; O goddess, her nature does not recognize any other husband who has come.
एवं ज्ञात्वा प्रधानात्मा तवाद्यैव प्रधावति । आत्मा सर्वं प्रजानाति आत्मा देवः सनातनः
Thus knowing, the chief self hastens to you today; the self knows all, the self is the eternal god.
अयमेष स वीरेंद्रो नहुषो नाम वीर्यवान् । तस्माद्गच्छति चेतस्ते सत्यं संबंधमिच्छते
This is that heroic lord, named Nahuṣa, full of might; therefore, if your mind goes to him, he desires a true union.
ज्ञात्वा चायोः सुतं भद्रे अन्यं चैव न गच्छति । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं शाश्वतं त्वन्मनोगतम्
Knowing Āyu’s son, O fortunate one, she does not go to another; all this, which was in your mind, has been told to you, eternal one.
हुंडं हत्वा महाघोरं समरे दानवाधमम् । त्वां नयिष्यति स्वस्थानमायोश्च गृहमुत्तमम्
Having slain the terrible Huṇḍa, the vile Dānava, in battle, he will take you to your own place and to Āyu’s excellent house.
हृतो दैत्येन वीरेंद्रो निजपुण्येन शेषितः । बाल्यात्प्रभृति वीरेंद्रो वियुक्तः स्वजनेन वै
The heroic lord was carried off by the demon, yet preserved by his own merit; from childhood, the heroic lord was separated from his kin.
पितृमातृविहीनस्तु गतो वृद्धिं महावने । यास्यत्येव पितुर्गेहं त्वयैव सह सांप्रतम्
Bereft of father and mother, he grew up in the great forest; now, together with you, he will go to his father’s house.
एवमाभाषितं श्रुत्वा रंभायाः शिवनंदिनी । हर्षेण महताविष्टा तामुवाच समुद्रजाम्
Hearing these words spoken by Śivanandinī to Rambhā, she, overwhelmed with great joy, addressed the daughter of the ocean.
अयमेव स सत्यात्मा मम भर्ता सुवीर्यवान् । मनो मे धावतेऽत्यर्थं शोकाकुलितविह्वलम्
This indeed is the true-hearted one, my husband, mighty in valor; my mind runs exceedingly toward him, distressed and agitated by sorrow.
नास्ति चित्तसमो देवो जानाति सुविनिश्चितम् । सत्यमेतन्मया दृष्टं सुचित्रं चारुहासिनि
There is no god equal to the mind; he knows with perfect certainty. This is true, I have seen it, O lovely-smiling one, and it is wondrous.
मनोभवसमानं तु पुरुषं दिव्यलक्षणम् । न धावति महाचेत एनं दृष्ट्वा यथा सखि
A man equal to the god of love, with divine marks, does not draw the great-minded one as this one does, my friend.
तथा न धावते भद्रे पुंसमन्यं न मन्यते । एनं गंतव्यमावाभ्यां सखीभिर्गृहमेव हि
In the same way, O fortunate one, she does not hasten toward any other man, nor does she consider another; with our friends, we must go to his house.
एवमाभाष्य सा रंभा गमनायोपचक्रमे । गमनायोत्सुकां ज्ञात्वा नहुषस्यांतिकं प्रति
Having spoken thus, Rambhā began to set out; knowing her eagerness to go, she proceeded toward Nahuṣa.
तामुवाच ततो रंभा कस्माद्देवि न गम्यते । सूत उवाच- सख्या च रंभया सार्द्धं नहुषं वीरलक्षणम्
Then Rambha spoke to her: 'O goddess, why do you not go?' The charioteer said: Along with her friend Rambha, to Nahusha, who bore the marks of a hero.
तस्यांतिकं सुसंप्राप्य प्रेषयामास तां सखीम् । एनं गच्छ महाभागे नहुषं देवरूपिणम्
Having arrived at her presence, she sent her companion: 'Go to Nahusha, O highly fortunate one, who appears like a god.'
कथयस्व कथामेतां तवार्थे आगता यतः । रंभोवाच-। एवं सखि करिष्यामि सुप्रियं तव सुव्रते
Tell him this story, for you have come for your own sake.' Rambha said: 'So, friend, I will do this, O virtuous one, for your great delight.'
एवमुक्त्वा गता रंभा नहुषं राजनंदनम् । चापबाणधरं वीरं द्वितीयमिव वासवम्
Having spoken thus, Rambha went to Nahusha, the delight of kings, a heroic archer, like a second Indra.
प्रत्युवाच गता रंभा सख्या वचनमुत्तमम् । आयुपुत्र महाभाग रंभाहंसमुपागता
Rambha, having arrived, spoke the excellent words of her friend: 'O son of Ayu, O highly fortunate one, Rambha has come to you.'
शिवस्य कन्यया वीर तयाहं परिप्रेषिता । तवार्थं देवदेवेन देव्या देवेन वै पुरा
O hero, I have been sent by Shiva's daughter, for your sake, by the lord of gods and the goddess, indeed, in ancient times.
भार्यारूपं वरं श्रेष्ठं सृष्टं लोकेषु दुर्लभम् । दुष्प्राप्यं तु नरश्रेष्ठैर्देवै सेंद्रैस्तपोधनैः
A wife, the highest boon, has been created, rare in the worlds, difficult to obtain even for the best of men, gods with Indra, and ascetics rich in austerity.
गंधर्वैः पन्नगैः सिद्धैश्चारणैः पुण्यलक्षणैः । स्वयमेव समायातं तवार्थे शृणु सांप्रतम्
By Gandharvas, Nagas, Siddhas, Charanas marked by virtue, she has come herself for your sake; listen now.