तन्मूले ह्यर्द्धरात्रे च द्रक्ष्यस्यस्मानशेषतः । श्रुत्वैवं वचनं तासां स्नेहविह्वलचेतसाम्
At its base, at midnight, you will see us completely. Hearing these words from those whose hearts were overcome with affection,
यावत्प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य प्रणमेद्दंडवन्मुनिः । मुहूर्त्तद्वितयं बालां नानानिर्माणशोभनाम्
As the sage circumambulated and offered prostrations, for two moments the girl, adorned with various forms, remained visible.
आहूय भानुं प्रोवाच नारदः सर्वशोभनाम् । एवं प्रभावा बालेयं न साध्या दैवतैरपि
Then Nārada, having called the radiant Sun, spoke: 'Such is the power of this girl; she is unattainable even by the gods.'
किंतु यद्गृहमेतस्याः पदचिह्नविभूषितम् । तत्र नारायणो देवः स्वयं वसति माधवः
But in the house adorned with her footprints, there, Lord Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava Himself, dwells.
लक्ष्मीश्च वसते नित्यं सर्वाभिः सर्वसिद्धिभिः । अद्य एनां वरारोहां सर्वाभरणभूषणाम्
And Lakṣmī always resides there with all perfections and all powers. Today, O noble one, protect this exalted girl, adorned with all ornaments, as you would a supreme goddess, in your house, with great care.
देवीमिव परां गेहे रक्ष यत्नेन सत्तम । इत्युक्त्वा मनसैवैनां महाभागवतोत्तमः
Having said this, the foremost great devotee, remembering her form in his mind, entered the dense forest.
तद्रूपमेव संस्मृत्य प्रविष्टो गहनं वनम् । अशोकलतिकामूलमासाद्य मुनिसत्तमः
Reaching the base of the aśoka creeper, the best of sages waited there at night for the goddess to arrive.
प्रतीक्षमाणो देवीं तां तत्रैवागमनं निशि । स्थितोऽत्र प्रेमविकलश्चिंतयन्कृष्णवल्लभाम्
He remained there, his heart overwhelmed with love, contemplating the beloved of Kṛṣṇa.
अथ मध्यनिशाभागे युवत्यः परमाद्भुताः । पूर्वं दृष्ट्वास्तथान्याश्च विचित्राभरणस्रजः
Then, at midnight, extraordinary young women appeared, some seen before and others new, adorned with wondrous ornaments and garlands.
दृष्ट्वा मनसि संभ्रांतो दंडवत्पतितो भुवि । परिवार्य मुनिं सर्वास्ताः प्रविविशुः शुभाः
Seeing them, his mind was thrown into confusion; he fell to the ground in reverence, and all those auspicious women surrounded the sage and entered.
प्रष्टुकामोऽपि स मुनिः किंचित्स्वाभिमतं प्रियम् । नाशकत्प्रेमलावण्यप्रियभाषाप्रधर्षितः
The sage wished to ask something dear to his heart, but was unable, overwhelmed by their loving beauty and sweet words.
अथागता मुनिश्रेष्ठं कृतांजलिमवस्थितम् । भक्तिभारानतग्रीवं सविस्मयं ससंभ्रमम्
Then, one of them approached the foremost sage, standing with hands joined, her neck bowed with the weight of devotion, filled with wonder and agitation.
सुविनीततमं प्राह तत्रैव करुणान्विता । अशोकमालिनी नाम्ना अशोकवनदेवता
There, with utmost humility and compassion, she spoke; her name was Ashokamalini, the goddess of the Ashoka grove.
अशोकमालिन्युवाच। अशोककलिकायां तु वसाम्यस्यां महामुने । रक्तांबरधरा नित्यं रक्तमालानुलेपना
Ashokamalini said: In this Ashoka grove, O great sage, I dwell; I always wear red garments, red garlands, and red ointments.
रक्तसिंदूरकलिका रक्तोत्पलवतंसिनी । रक्तमाणिक्यकेयूर मुकुटादिविभूषिता
With red sindūra buds, adorned with red lotus crowns, and decorated with bracelets of red rubies and a jeweled diadem.
एकदा प्रियया सार्द्धं विहरंत्यो मधूत्सवे । तत्रैव मिलिता गोपबालिकाश्चित्रवाससः
Once, during the spring festival, while enjoying with my beloved, we met there the cowherd girls, dressed in splendid attire.
अहं चाशोकमालाभिर्गोपवेषधरं हरिम् । रमारूपाश्च ताः सर्वा भक्त्या सम्यगपूजयम्
With Ashoka garlands, I worshipped Hari, who was dressed as a cowherd, and all those women, radiant as Lakshmi, worshipped him with devotion.
ततः प्रभृति चैतासां मध्ये तिष्ठामि सर्वदा । भूषाभिर्विविधाभिश्च तोषयित्वा रमापतिम्
From that time onward, I always remain among them, pleasing the Lord of Lakshmi with various ornaments.
परात्परमहं सर्वं विजानामीह सर्वतः । गोगोपगोपिकादीनां रहस्यं चापि वेद्म्यहम्
I know everything here, the highest and the lowest; I also know the secrets of cows, cowherds, and cowherd women.
तव जिज्ञासितं सर्वं हृदि प्रत्यभिभाषितम् । तां देवीमद्भुताकारामद्भुतानंददायिनीम्
All that you have inquired is spoken within your heart; that goddess, wondrous in form and giver of wondrous joy—
हरेः प्रियां हिरण्याभां हीरकोज्ज्वलमुद्रिकाम् । कथं पश्यामि लोलाक्षीं कथं वा तत्पदांबुजम्
Hari’s beloved, golden in hue, with a radiant diamond ring—how can I see her, with restless eyes, or her lotus feet?
आराध्यतेऽतिभक्त्येति त्वया ब्रह्मन्विमर्शितम् । तत्र ते कथयिष्यामि वृत्तांतं सुमहात्मनाम्
You have pondered, O Brahman, that she is worshipped with supreme devotion; there I will tell you the story of those great souls.
मानसे सरसि स्थित्वा तपस्तीव्रमुपेयुषाम् । जपतां सिद्धमंत्रांश्च ध्यायतां हरिमीश्वरम्
Dwelling in the lake of the mind, practicing intense austerity, reciting perfected mantras, and meditating on Hari, the Lord—
मुनीनां कांक्षतां नित्यं तस्या एव पदांबुजम् । एकसप्ततिसाहस्रं संख्यातानां महौजसाम्
Among the sages who always desire her lotus feet, there were seventy-one thousand, counted, of great energy.
तत्तेऽहं कथयाम्यद्य तद्रहस्यं परं वने
Today I will tell you that supreme secret here in the forest.
ईश्वर उवाच-। तदेकाग्रमना भूत्वा शृणु देवि वरानने । आसीदुग्रतपा नाम मुनिरेको दृढव्रतः
Ishvara said: Now, with your mind focused, listen, O goddess with a radiant face. There was once a sage named Ugratapa, firm in his vows.
साग्निको ह्यग्निभक्षश्च चचारात्यद्भुतं तपः । जजाप परमं जाप्यं मंत्रं पंचदशाक्षरम्
With fire as his food and offering to fire, he performed most wondrous austerity, reciting the supreme mantra, the fifteen-syllabled formula.
काममंत्रेण पुटितं कामं कामवरप्रदात् । कृष्णायेति पदं स्वाहा सहितं सिद्धिदं परम्
Charged with the kāma-mantra, granting all desired boons, the word 'Kṛṣṇāya' together with 'svāhā'—this supreme mantra bestows success.
दध्यौ च श्यामलं कृष्णं रासोन्मत्तं वरोत्सुकम् । पीतपट्टधरं वेणुं करेणाधरमर्पितम्
He meditated on dark-hued Kṛṣṇa, intoxicated with rasa, eager for the best of boons, clad in yellow silk, holding the flute to his lips.
नवयौवनसंपन्नं कर्षंतं पाणिना प्रियाम् । एवं ध्यानपरः कल्पशतांते देहमुत्सृजन्
Endowed with fresh youth, drawing his beloved near with his hand—thus, absorbed in meditation, at the end of a hundred aeons, he relinquished his body.