निरंतरं तया चैव नृणां संस्कृतभाषिणाम् । सुपर्वाणमयी भाषा निमेषेणोपलभ्यते
By her, the language of those who speak Sanskrit is instantly and continuously understood, as if it were a festival day.
प्रातर्गृहांगणोद्भूतै र्यत्रकुंकुमपांसुलैः । सर्वतोरुणितच्छाय शशांकरविमंडलम्
In the morning, with vermilion dust rising from the courtyards of houses, the moon's disk appeared everywhere tinged with a reddish hue.
तत्रासीत्तेजसां राशिः शौर्यवर्मा नरेश्वरः । उद्यदुज्ज्वलबाणौघ खंडितारातिमंडलः
There was a king named Shauryavarma, a mass of brilliance, who shattered the hosts of his enemies with a rising flood of shining arrows.
अभूच्च सिंहलद्वीपे राजा सिंहपराक्रमः । नाम्ना विक्रमवेतालः कलानामपि शेवधिः
On the island of Simhala, there was a king named Simhaparakrama, called Vikramavetala, a treasury even of the arts.
उभौ परस्परं मैत्रीं वर्द्धयांचक्रतुः क्रमात् । तत्तद्देशसमुत्पन्नैरपूर्वैः प्रचुरोत्करैः
Gradually, the two increased their friendship with each other, through many rare and excellent gifts produced in their respective lands.
एकदा प्रहितं प्रेम्णा प्रभूतं शौर्यवर्मणा । राजा विक्रमवेतालो विलोक्य शुनकीद्वयम्
Once, out of affection, Shauryavarma sent a great gift, which King Vikramavetala saw—two hunting dogs.
मत्तमातंगतुरग मणिभूषणचामरम् । प्रेषयामास मित्राय प्रभूतं शौर्यवर्मणे
He sent to his friend Shauryavarma an abundance of intoxicated elephants and horses, adorned with jewels and fans.
एकदा शिबिकारूढश्चारु चामरवीजितः । सुवर्णशृंखलारूढं वाद्यडिंडिमडंबरम्
Once, mounted on a palanquin, fanned with charming whisks, with golden chains and accompanied by the sound of drums and kettledrums—
शुनीयुगलमादाय मृगया कौतुकोत्सुकः । राजा जगाम बाह्यालीं समं राजकुमारकैः
The king, eager for the sport of hunting, took a pair of dogs and went to the outer garden together with the royal princes.
पणबंधविधानेन समुपेतं शशामिषम् । तत्र राजकुमाराणां महान्कोलाहलोऽभवत्
There, with a wager set according to the rules, a hare was released, and a great commotion arose among the royal princes.
ततः समानवयसा केनचिद्राजसूनुना । बहुमूल्यं पणं कृत्वा राजाचिक्रीडकौतुकी
Then, with a prince of equal age, the king, desiring amusement, made a large wager.
ततोवतार्य दोलाया विरुदावलिगर्विताम् । धावतः शशकस्योच्चैः पृष्ठे मुंचन्नृपं शुनीम्
Then, dismounting from the palanquin, proud of the garland of victory, the king released the dog loudly at the running hare's back.
मुमोच राजपुत्रोऽपि प्रेमपात्रं महाभुजः । विरराम शुनीमुच्चैः संकीर्त्य विरुदावलीम्
The royal prince, mighty-armed and dear to all, also released his dog, loudly proclaiming a garland of victory, and ceased.
अलक्ष्यमाणवेगेऽस्मिन्शुनीयुगलकेभृशम् । धावत्युत्थितमेवासीत्पश्यतां सर्वभूभृताम्
While all the kings watched, the pair of dogs, their speed imperceptible, suddenly began to run with great force.
पपात गर्ते महति शशकोऽतिश्रमादसौ । पतितोऽपि शुनी वश्यो नाभवच्छशशावकः
The hare, exhausted, fell into a great pit; but even though it had fallen, the dog did not seize the young hare.
ततः शनैः समुत्थाय धावन्नाक्रम्यरोषतः । जगृहे राजशुन्याऽसौ शशकः फेनमुद्वमन्
Then, rising slowly, the hare ran off, but out of anger, the royal dog seized the foaming hare.
ततः कथंचिदुप्लुत्य गच्छन्विस्खलयञ्छशः । राजपुत्रशुनक्यासौ गृहीतः कंधरातटे
Then, as the hare leapt away, stumbling as it went, it was caught at the nape of the neck by the royal prince's dog.
जितमस्माभिरत्यर्थमिति संजल्पतां नृणाम् । कोलाहले शंकिताया शुन्या निर्गतवान्मुखात्
Amid the commotion of those exclaiming, 'We have certainly won!', the dog, alarmed, let go of the hare from its mouth.
ततो दंष्ट्राव्रणश्रेणी क्षरद्रुधिरधारकः । क्वापि र्ममरभूभागे निलीयस्थितवाञ्छशः
Then, with rows of wounds from fangs, streams of blood flowing, the hare hid somewhere in a part of the earth, remaining concealed.
जिघ्रंत्या राजशुन्याऽसौ भूभागं धनरोषया । दृष्टमात्रः परित्रस्तो हस्तमात्रं ततोऽगमत्
That one, with a royal emptiness, sniffed the ground in anger for wealth; upon being seen, terrified, it moved just a hand’s length away.
यत्र कर्पूरकदली क्रोडव्याघ्रदरीतलः । चोली कपोलफलकान्चुबन्वाति समीरणः
Where camphor, banana, wild boar, and tiger tracks lie, and the breeze blows through the folds of cloth and the cheeks adorned with ornaments.
उद्भिन्न केतकीकोशरजोमुकुलितेक्षणः । विस्रब्धाहरणा यत्रच्छायां तां परितन्वतः
Where the eyes are tinged with the pollen of blossoming ketaki buds, and the shade is freely offered to those who seek it.
नारिकेलफलैर्यत्र स्वयं निपतितैरधः । अपि चूतफलैस्तृप्ताः पक्वैः शाखामृगा अपि
Where coconut fruits fall down by themselves, and even the branch-dwelling animals are satisfied by ripe mangoes.
अपि केसरिणो यत्र खेलंति कलभैः समम् । फणिनः केकिबर्हेषु निर्विशंकं विशंति च
Where lions play together with elephants, and serpents enter peacock nests without any fear.
यत्राश्रमांतरे विप्रो वत्सनामा जितेंद्रियः । शांतश्चतुर्दशाध्यायं जपन्नास्ते निरंतरम्
Within an ashram there, a Brahmin named Vatsa, self-controlled and peaceful, sits continuously reciting the fourteenth chapter.
तत्र तच्छिष्यपादाब्ज प्रक्षालनजलैः कृते । कर्दमे न्यपतद्गत्वा जीवशेषो मुहुः श्वसन्
There, after being washed with water from the feet of that disciple, the hare, barely alive and breathing repeatedly, fell into the mud.
ततः कर्दमसंस्पर्शमात्रनिस्तीर्ण संसृतिः । दिव्यं विमानमारुह्य निर्ययौ शशको दिवम्
Then, merely by contact with the mud, his cycle of rebirth ended; mounting a divine chariot, the hare departed for heaven.
ततः शुन्यपि लिप्तांगीस्तोकैः कर्दमबिंदुभिः । क्षुत्पिपासार्तिरहिता शुनीरूपं विहाय सा
Then, even the dog, her body smeared with drops of mud, free from hunger and thirst, abandoned her canine form.
ततो दिव्यांगनारम्यं गंधर्वैरुपशोभितम् । दिव्यं विमानमारुह्य शुन्यपि त्रिदिवं ययौ
Then, boarding a divine chariot, beautiful with celestial maidens and adorned by Gandharvas, the dog went to heaven.
ततो जहास मेधावी शिष्यो नाम्ना स्वकंधरः । विचार्य विस्मितः पूर्वजन्मवैरस्य कारणम्
Then the wise disciple named Sva-kandhara laughed, reflecting in amazement on the cause of enmity from previous births.