कुमारीं लभते भर्त्ता यच्च यो वाञ्छते फलम् । तदेव लभते सर्वं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
A maiden gains a husband, and whatever fruit one desires, that indeed is obtained in full; there should be no doubt about this.
ब्राह्मणो वेदमाप्नोति क्षत्रियो विजयी भवेत् । वैश्यस्तु लभते धान्यं शूद्रः प्राप्नोति सद्गतिम्
A Brahmin attains the Veda, a Kshatriya becomes victorious, a Vaishya gains wealth, and a Shudra attains a good state.
मूर्खस्तु लभते विद्यां त्रिसंध्यं यः पठेन्नरः । नरकं च न पश्येत वियोनिं च न गच्छति
A fool acquires knowledge, whoever recites this at the three junctions of the day; he does not see hell, nor is he born in a lower womb.
नारद उवाच- एवं ते कथितं राजन्नर्मदातीर्थमुत्तमम् । पुरा गंधर्वकन्यानां शापजं भयमुल्बणम्
Narada said: Thus, O King, I have told you of the supreme holy place of Narmada, and of the terrible fear born from the curse of the Gandharva maidens in ancient times.
नाशितं तन्महाराज रेवाजलकणाग्निना । रेवाजलकणस्पर्शान्मुक्तो भवति मानवः
That was destroyed, O great king, by the fire of the drops of Reva's water; by the touch of Reva's water-drops, a person is freed.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- भगवन्बहुकन्याभिः शापो लंभि कथं कुतः । कस्यापत्यानि तास्तासां नाम किं कीदृशं वयः
Yudhishthira said: O Lord, how and why did the curse fall upon so many maidens? Whose daughters were they, what were their names, what was their age?
कथं रेवाजलस्पर्शाद्विपाकाच्छापसंभवात् । विमुक्ताः कुत्र ताः सस्नुः सर्वं मे कथय प्रभो
How were they freed from the curse by the touch of Reva's water, and where did they bathe? Tell me everything, O Lord.
नर्मदातीर्थमाहात्म्यं चमत्कारकरं भवेत् । श्रवणादपि पापानां मलनाशनमुच्यते
The glory of Narmada's holy place is truly wondrous; even by hearing it, the stains of sins are said to be destroyed.
नर्मदानर्मदाशब्दो येन केनचिदुच्यते । तस्य स्याच्छाश्वती मुक्तिर्यावदाचंद्र तारकम्
Whoever utters the name 'Narmada' or 'Narmada river' in any way, for him there is eternal liberation, as long as the moon and stars endure.
व्याहृतं भवता पूर्वं रेवामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । तथापि चरितं साधो यदेतत्तन्निगद्यताम्
You have previously described to me the supreme glory of Reva; yet, O holy one, tell again the story, as it is.
अथ चोत्तमवार्ताया सेवितव्या मनीषिभिः । अतः पृच्छामि विप्रेंद्र रेवामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । इतिहासं वद विभो कन्यानां चरितोज्ज्वलम्
And moreover, the highest account is to be sought by the wise; therefore I ask you, O best of Brahmins, tell the supreme glory of Reva, the illustrious story of the maidens.
नारद उवाच- श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल धर्मगर्भापरा कथा । यथारणिर्वह्निगर्भा धर्म्मस्तु ब्रह्मसूरिव
Narada said: Listen, O tiger among kings, to this tale filled with righteousness; just as fire is hidden in wood, so too is dharma, as Brahma's seed.
गंधर्वः शुकसंगीतिस्तस्य कन्या प्रमोहिनी । सुशीलस्य सुशीला च सुस्वरा स्वरवेदिनः
The Gandharva named Shuka-sangita had a daughter, Pramohini, and the virtuous Sushila, daughter of Sushila, who was skilled in melody and the knowledge of notes.
सुतारा चंद्रकांतस्य चंद्रिका सुप्रभस्य च । इमानि वरनामानि तासामप्सरसां नृप
Sutara was the daughter of Chandrakanta, Chandrika of Suprabha; these are the excellent names of those Apsaras, O King.
कुमार्यः पंच सर्वास्ता वयसा सुभगाः पुनः । भाषंते च मिथस्तास्तु भगिन्य इव सर्वदा
All five maidens, radiant in their youth, always spoke together as sisters.
चंद्रादिव विनिष्क्रांताश्चंद्रिका इव सोज्ज्वलाः । चंद्राननाः सुकेश्यश्च चंद्रकांताइवोज्ज्वलाः
They shone like moonlight emerging from the moon, their faces luminous as the moon, their hair beautiful, their brilliance like moonbeams.
देवेष्वेता विलासिन्यः कौमुद्यः कैरवेष्विव । लावण्यपिंडसंभूता दिव्यरूपा मनोहराः
Among the gods, these playful maidens were like moonlight among lotuses, formed from the essence of beauty, possessing divine and enchanting forms.
उद्भिन्नकुचपद्मिन्यः केतक्य इव माधवे । उत्पन्नयौवनैः कांता वल्लीव नवपल्लवैः
With blossoming breasts like lotuses, as ketaki flowers in spring, their youthful charm newly arisen, lovely as vines with fresh shoots.
हेमगौराश्च हेमाभा हेमाभरणभूषिताः । हेमचंपकमालिन्यो हेमच्छविसुवाससः
Golden in hue, shining like gold, adorned with golden ornaments, garlanded with golden champaka flowers, clothed in garments of golden brilliance.
स्वरग्रामावलीहासु विविधा मूर्च्छनासु च । तालवाद्यविनोदेषु वेणुवीणाप्रवादने
In the melodies of musical scales, in various modulations, in the enjoyment of rhythm instruments, in playing flute and lute.
मृदंगनादसंभिन्नलास्यमध्यलयेषु च । चित्रादिषु विनोदेषु कलासु च विशारदाः
In the halls where dance accompanied by drum sounds resounded, in amusements of painting and other arts, they were skilled.
एवंभूताश्च ताः कन्या मुमुहुः क्रीडनैर्वरैः । पितृभिर्लालिताः सर्वाश्चेरुश्च धनदालये
Such were those maidens, who delighted in games and amusements, cherished by their fathers, and dwelled in the abode of wealth.
कौतुकादेकदा पंच मिलित्वा मासि माधवे । कन्या मंदारपुष्पाणि विचिन्वंत्यो वनाद्वनम्
Once, out of curiosity, the five maidens gathered together in the month of Mādhava, searching for mandāra flowers from forest to forest.
गौरीं समाराधयितुं स्वरांगनाः कदाचिदच्छोदसरोवरं ययुः । हेमांबुजानि प्रवराणि ताः पुनस्तस्मादुपादाय वरोत्पलैः सह
Desiring to worship Gaurī, those melodious maidens at times went to the clear lake; there, taking the finest golden lotuses and excellent water-lilies, they returned.
वैडूर्यशुद्धस्फटिकप्रकुट्टिमे स्नात्वा तु घट्टे परिधाय चांबरम् । मौनेन च स्थंडिलपिंडिकामयीं सुवर्णमुक्ताभरणां विनिर्ममुः
Bathing on a platform of pure sapphire and crystal, then donning garments, in silence they fashioned a mound of sand adorned with gold and pearl ornaments.
समर्चितां चंदनगंधकुंकुमैरभ्यर्च्य गौरीं वरपंकजादिभिः । नानोपहारैः शुभभक्तिभाविता लास्यप्रयोगैर्ननृतुः कुमारिकाः
Having worshipped Gaurī with sandalwood, fragrant powders, and saffron, and offering her the finest lotuses and other gifts, imbued with auspicious devotion, the maidens danced with gestures of the lāsyā.
गांधर्वमाश्रित्य परं स्वरं ततो गेयं स्वभावध्वनिभिः समूर्छनम् । एणीदृशस्ताः प्रजगुः कलाक्षरं तारप्रवृद्धं गतिभिश्च सुस्वरम्
Relying on the Gandharva style, they sang the supreme melody, modulating their voices with natural tones; those doe-eyed maidens sang artful syllables, their sweet voices rising and flowing with graceful movement.
तस्मिन्सुभावे रसवर्षहर्षं कन्यास्वलं निर्भरचित्तवृत्तिषु । अच्छोदतीर्थे प्रवरे तदागतः स्नातुं मुनेर्वेदनिधेः सुतोग्रजः
In that beautiful moment, as joy and delight poured forth, the maidens' minds were fully absorbed; at the sacred Acchoda lake, the eldest son of the sage, a repository of Vedic knowledge, arrived to bathe.
रूपेण निःसीमतरो वराननः प्रफुल्लपद्मायतलोचनो युवा । विस्तीर्णवक्षाः सुभुजोऽतिसुंदरः श्यामच्छविः कामइवापरो हि सः
His beauty was boundless, his face most splendid, eyes like blooming lotus petals, youthful, broad-chested, well-built, exceedingly handsome, dark-hued—he seemed another Kāma.
स ब्रह्मचारी सुशिखो हि शोभते दंडेन युक्तो धनुषेव मन्मथः । एणाजिनप्रावरणः समुद्रधृग्हेमाभमौंजीकटिमेखलः परः
That brahmacārin, with beautiful locks, shone, carrying a staff like Manmatha with his bow; clad in antelope skin, ocean-colored, wearing a sacred girdle and belt, he was exceptional.