वैडूर्यशुद्धस्फटिकप्रकुट्टिमे स्नात्वा तु घट्टे परिधाय चांबरम् । मौनेन च स्थंडिलपिंडिकामयीं सुवर्णमुक्ताभरणां विनिर्ममुः
Having bathed on a terrace paved with pure beryl and crystal, and having put on their garments at the bank, they silently fashioned an image of Gauri from a mound of clay, adorned with gold and pearl ornaments.
समर्चितां चंदनगंधकुंकुमैरभ्यर्च्य गौरीं वरपंकजादिभिः । नानोपहारैः शुभभक्तिभाविता लास्यप्रयोगैर्ननृतुः कुमारिकाः
They worshipped her with sandalwood, fragrant powders, and saffron, offering the finest lotuses and other gifts; filled with auspicious devotion, the maidens danced, performing the art of dance.
गांधर्वमाश्रित्य परं स्वरं ततो गेयं स्वभावध्वनिभिः समूर्छनम् । एणीदृशस्ताः प्रजगुः कलाक्षरं तारप्रवृद्धं गतिभिश्च सुस्वरम्
Adopting the Gandharva style, with supreme melody, they sang, weaving together their natural voices in harmonious modulation; those doe-eyed maidens sang artful syllables, their sweet voices rising in pitch and movement.
तस्मिन्सुभावे रसवर्षहर्षं कन्यास्वलं निर्भरचित्तवृत्तिषु । अच्छोदतीर्थे प्रवरे तदागतः स्नातुं मुनेर्वेदनिधेः सुतोग्रजः
In that delightful atmosphere, with a shower of joy and excitement, the maidens' minds were filled with rapture; at that very moment, the elder son of the sage, a treasure of Vedic wisdom, arrived at the sacred Acchoda river to bathe.
रूपेण निःसीमतरो वराननः प्रफुल्लपद्मायतलोचनो युवा । विस्तीर्णवक्षाः सुभुजोऽतिसुंदरः श्यामच्छविः कामइवापरो हि सः
His beauty was boundless, his face radiant, his eyes wide as blossoming lotuses, a youthful figure with broad chest, handsome arms, and striking form; his complexion was dark and lustrous—he seemed like another god of love incarnate.
स ब्रह्मचारी सुशिखो हि शोभते दंडेन युक्तो धनुषेव मन्मथः । एणाजिनप्रावरणः समुद्रधृग्हेमाभमौंजीकटिमेखलः परः
That brahmacārin, with well-tied hair, shone brightly, staff in hand, resembling Manmatha with his bow; clad in a black antelope skin, gazing like the ocean, girded with a golden muñja grass belt, he stood apart.
तं दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं बालास्तास्तत्र सरसस्तटे । जहृषुः कौतुकाविष्टा अयं नो भवितातिथिः
Seeing that brāhmaṇa youth on the bank of the lake, the young girls, filled with curiosity, rejoiced, thinking, 'Perhaps he will be our guest.'
संत्यक्तगीतनृत्यास्तास्तस्यालोकनलालसाः । हरिण्यो लुब्धकेनेव विद्धाः कामेन सायकैः
Abandoning their singing and dancing, they gazed at him, eager and intent; like does struck by the hunter's arrows, they were pierced by the shafts of love.
पश्यपश्येति जल्पंत्यो मुग्धाः पंच ससंभ्रमम् । तस्मिन्विप्रवरे यूनि कामदेवभ्रमं ययुः
Chattering excitedly, saying, 'Look, look!' the innocent five, flustered, fell into the bewilderment of love for that distinguished young brāhmaṇa.
पुनःपुनस्तमभ्यर्च्य नयनैः पंकजैरिव । पश्चाद्विचारमारब्धमप्सरोभिः परस्परम्
Again and again, they worshipped him with their lotus-like eyes; afterwards, the apsarases began to discuss among themselves.
यद्ययं कामदेवो हि रतिहीनः कथं भवेत् । अथवाह्यश्विनौ देवौ तावुभौ युगचारिणौ
'If he is the god of love, how can he be without his consort Rati? Or perhaps he is one of the twin Ashvin gods, who always move together.'
गंधर्वः किन्नरो वाथ सिद्धो वा कामरूपधृक् । ऋषिपुत्रोऽथवा कश्चित्कश्चिद्वा मनुजोत्तमः
'Or is he a Gandharva, a Kinnara, or a Siddha who can assume any form? Or perhaps the son of a sage, or some eminent man among men?'
अस्ति वा कश्चिदेवायं धात्रा सृष्टो हि नः कृते । यथाभाग्यवतामर्थे निधानं पूर्वकर्मभिः
'Or is he some god, created by the Creator for our sake, as a treasure for the fortunate, determined by previous deeds?'
तथास्माकं कुमारीणां गौर्यानीतो वरोत्तमः । करुणाजलकल्लोल लब्धाद्री र्कृ!तचित्तया
'Just as Gauri brought the best husband for us maidens, so too have we, with hearts moved by waves of compassion, obtained this excellent youth.'
मया वृतस्त्वया चायं त्वया वृतस्तथानया । एवं पंचसुकन्यासु वदंतीषु नृपोत्तम
'I have chosen him, and so have you; she too has chosen him.' Thus, among the five maidens, O best of kings, they spoke.
श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं तत्र कृतमाध्याह्निकक्रियः । चिंतयामास मेधावी किं कृत्वा सुकृतं भवेत्
Hearing those words, after completing his midday rites, the wise one pondered, 'What should I do to bring about a good result?'
गाधिसंभवपराशरादयः कंडुदेवलमुखाश्च ये द्विजाः । तेऽपि योगि बलिनो विमोहिताः लीलया तदबलाभिरद्भुतम्
Even the powerful sages descended from Gādhi and Parāśara, and those like Kaṇḍu and Devala, though strong in yoga, were playfully bewildered by those wondrous women.
योषितां नयनतीक्ष्णसायकैर्भ्रूलतासुदृढचापनिर्गतैः । धन्विना मकरकेतुना हतः कस्य नो पतति वामनो मृगः
Who among men is not struck down by the god of love, Makaraketana, with the sharp arrows of women's glances, their firm-browed, well-drawn bows?
तावदेव नयधीर्विराजते तावदेव जनताभयं भवेत् । तावदेव धृतचित्तता भृशं तावदेव गणना कुलस्य च
One's wisdom shines only so long, safety among people lasts only so long, steadfastness of mind endures only so long, and the reckoning of family matters only so long—
तावदेव तपसः प्रगल्भता तावदेव शमसेवनं नृणाम् । यावदेव ललनेक्षणा स वैर्माद्यते द्रुतमदैर्न पूरुषः
The strength of asceticism, the practice of self-control among men, all endure only as long as a man's mind is not maddened by the glances of women.
मोहयंति मदयंति रागिणं योषितः स्वललितैर्मनोहरैः । मोदयंति मदयंति मामिमा धर्मरक्षणपरं हि स्वैर्गुणैः
Women enchant and intoxicate the passionate with their charming and delightful gestures; yet these women delight and intoxicate me, who am devoted to the protection of dharma, by their own virtues.
मांसरक्तमलमूत्रनिर्मिते योषितां वपुषि निर्गुणेऽशुचौ । कामिनस्तु परिकल्प्य चारुतामाविशंति सुविमूढचेतसः
Fools, their minds greatly deluded, imagine beauty in the bodies of women, which are in truth made of flesh, blood, filth, and urine, devoid of qualities and impure.
दारुणा हि परिकीर्तितांगना साधुभिर्विमलबुद्धिभिर्बुधैः । यावदेव न समीपगा इमास्तावदेव हि गृहं व्रजाम्यहम्
Women have been described as harsh by the wise, whose minds are pure; as long as these women do not approach, I will return home.
समीपं तस्य यावन्न आगच्छंति वरस्त्रियः । वैष्णवेन प्रभावेण तावदंतर्दधे द्विजः
Until those noble women came near, by the power of Viṣṇu, the brāhmaṇa vanished from sight.
तस्य योगबलाद्भूप गतस्यादर्शनं तदा । दृष्ट्वा तदद्भुतं कर्म वैष्णवब्रह्मचारिणः
Then, O king, by the strength of his yoga, he became invisible; seeing this wondrous act of the Vaiṣṇava celibate, they were amazed.
वित्रस्तनयना बाला कुरंग्य इव कातराः । संक्रांतनयनाः शून्या ददृशुस्ता दिशोदश
The young women, their eyes filled with fear, timid like deer, gazed about in all directions with anxious, empty looks.
कन्या ऊचुः-। इंद्रजालं स्फुटं वेत्ति मायां जानाति वा पुनः । दृष्टोऽप्यदृष्टरूपोभूदित्यूचुस्ताः परस्परम्
The maidens said: 'He surely knows magic, or perhaps he understands illusion; though seen, he became unseen,' thus they spoke among themselves.
व्याप्तं च हृदयं तासां तदैव विरहाग्निना । ज्वलद्दावानलेनेव सुस्निग्धं सर्वकाननम्
At that very moment, their hearts were consumed by the fire of separation, just as a lush forest is burned by a blazing wildfire.
त्यजेंद्रजालिकां विद्यां कांत दर्शय सत्वरम् । आत्मानं न हि ते युक्तं प्राग्ग्रासे मक्षिकोपमम्
'Abandon your magical arts, beloved, show yourself quickly; it is not fitting for you to hide like a fly before its prey.'
हा कष्टं दर्शितः कस्माद्धात्रा त्वं घटितः कुतः । ज्ञातं महानुसंतापहेतुर्नः स्वं विनिर्मितः
'Alas, why have you been shown to us, why have you been brought here by the Creator? Now we know you are the cause of our great suffering, fashioned just for us.'