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.
तं दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं बालास्तास्तत्र सरसस्तटे । जहृषुः कौतुकाविष्टा अयं नो भवितातिथिः
Seeing that brāhmaṇa youth on the lake's shore, the girls rejoiced, filled with curiosity, thinking, 'He will be our guest.'
संत्यक्तगीतनृत्यास्तास्तस्यालोकनलालसाः । हरिण्यो लुब्धकेनेव विद्धाः कामेन सायकैः
Abandoning their singing and dancing, eager to gaze upon him, they were struck by desire, like deer pierced by the hunter's arrows.
पश्यपश्येति जल्पंत्यो मुग्धाः पंच ससंभ्रमम् । तस्मिन्विप्रवरे यूनि कामदेवभ्रमं ययुः
The five innocent maidens, chattering 'Look, look!' with excitement, fell into the bewilderment of love for that distinguished brahmin youth.
पुनःपुनस्तमभ्यर्च्य नयनैः पंकजैरिव । पश्चाद्विचारमारब्धमप्सरोभिः परस्परम्
Again and again, they worshipped him with their eyes, like lotuses, and afterwards the apsarases began to discuss among themselves.
यद्ययं कामदेवो हि रतिहीनः कथं भवेत् । अथवाह्यश्विनौ देवौ तावुभौ युगचारिणौ
If this is indeed Kāma, how could he be without passion? Or perhaps he is one of the twin Aśvins, those two who always move together.
गंधर्वः किन्नरो वाथ सिद्धो वा कामरूपधृक् । ऋषिपुत्रोऽथवा कश्चित्कश्चिद्वा मनुजोत्तमः
Or perhaps a Gandharva, or a Kinnara, or a Siddha who can take any form; or maybe the son of a sage, or some excellent man among humans.
अस्ति वा कश्चिदेवायं धात्रा सृष्टो हि नः कृते । यथाभाग्यवतामर्थे निधानं पूर्वकर्मभिः
Or perhaps he is some god, created by the Creator for our sake, a treasure set by previous deeds for those who are fortunate.
तथास्माकं कुमारीणां गौर्यानीतो वरोत्तमः । करुणाजलकल्लोल लब्धाद्री र्कृ!तचित्तया
In this way, for us maidens, Gaurī has brought an excellent husband, won by the waves of compassion and by a mind made favorable.
मया वृतस्त्वया चायं त्वया वृतस्तथानया । एवं पंचसुकन्यासु वदंतीषु नृपोत्तम
I have chosen him, and so have you, and so has she; thus, as the five maidens spoke among themselves, O best of kings—
श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं तत्र कृतमाध्याह्निकक्रियः । चिंतयामास मेधावी किं कृत्वा सुकृतं भवेत्
Hearing those words, after performing his midday rites, the wise one began to ponder: 'What should I do to gain merit?'
गाधिसंभवपराशरादयः कंडुदेवलमुखाश्च ये द्विजाः । तेऽपि योगि बलिनो विमोहिताः लीलया तदबलाभिरद्भुतम्
Even the twice-born, such as Paraśara descended from Gādhi, and Kaṇḍu and Devala and others, though powerful in yoga, were wondrously deluded by those women, as if in play.
योषितां नयनतीक्ष्णसायकैर्भ्रूलतासुदृढचापनिर्गतैः । धन्विना मकरकेतुना हतः कस्य नो पतति वामनो मृगः
Who is not struck down by the archer Makaradhvaja, with his sharp arrows of women's glances, loosed from the strong bows of their arched brows? Even the little deer falls.
तावदेव नयधीर्विराजते तावदेव जनताभयं भवेत् । तावदेव धृतचित्तता भृशं तावदेव गणना कुलस्य च
So long does wisdom shine, so long does a person's reputation remain safe, so long does steadfastness of mind endure, and so long is family honor counted—
तावदेव तपसः प्रगल्भता तावदेव शमसेवनं नृणाम् । यावदेव ललनेक्षणा स वैर्माद्यते द्रुतमदैर्न पूरुषः
So long does ascetic power flourish, so long do men practice self-restraint, 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 ways; but these here delight and intoxicate me with their virtues, for I am devoted to the protection of dharma.
मांसरक्तमलमूत्रनिर्मिते योषितां वपुषि निर्गुणेऽशुचौ । कामिनस्तु परिकल्प्य चारुतामाविशंति सुविमूढचेतसः
Those whose minds are truly deluded imagine beauty in the bodies of women, which are made of flesh, blood, filth, and urine, and are without real 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 and clear; as long as these do not come near, I will return home.
समीपं तस्य यावन्न आगच्छंति वरस्त्रियः । वैष्णवेन प्रभावेण तावदंतर्दधे द्विजः
Before those noble women could approach, the brahmin vanished by the power of Viṣṇu.
तस्य योगबलाद्भूप गतस्यादर्शनं तदा । दृष्ट्वा तदद्भुतं कर्म वैष्णवब्रह्मचारिणः
By the strength of his yoga, O king, he became invisible; seeing that wondrous act of the Viṣṇu-devoted celibate—
वित्रस्तनयना बाला कुरंग्य इव कातराः । संक्रांतनयनाः शून्या ददृशुस्ता दिशोदश
The young women, their eyes filled with fear, timid as deer, looked around in all directions with anxious, wandering gazes.