पुरोधसं च धर्मज्ञं ज्ञानवंतं तपस्विनम् । जातूकर्णं प्रणम्यादौ विनयान्वितकंधरः
With humility and bowed head, first saluted Jatukarṇa—the wise, learned, and ascetic priest.
दिवोदास उवाच-। कथयस्व प्रसादेन किमेतस्याहि पातकम् । दिव्यादेव्यास्तु मे पुत्र्या यदेतच्चेष्टितं कृतम्
Divodāsa said: 'Out of your grace, tell me—what is the fault of this girl? What action has my daughter, the divine lady, committed?'
जातूकर्ण उवाच-। तस्यास्तु चेष्टितं वीर दिव्यादेव्या वदाम्यहम् । पूर्वजन्मकृतं सर्वं तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
Jatukarṇa said: 'O hero, I shall tell you the deeds of the divine lady; listen to me as I recount all that was done in her previous birth.'
आस्ते वाराणसी पुण्या नगरी पापनाशिनी । तस्यामास्ते महाप्राज्ञः सुवीरो नाम नामतः
There is the holy city of Varanasi, destroyer of sin; in that city lived a wise man named Suvīra.
वैश्यजात्यां समुत्पन्नो धनधान्यसमाकुलः । तस्य भार्या महाप्राज्ञ चित्रानाम सुविस्मृता
Born in the merchant caste, he was surrounded by wealth and grain; his wife, renowned for her wisdom, was named Citrā.
कुलाचारं परित्यज्य दुराचारेण वर्तते । न मन्यते हि भर्तारं रौद्रकृत्ये च वर्तते
Abandoning the conduct of her family, she behaved wickedly; she did not respect her husband and engaged in cruel deeds.
पुण्यकार्यविहीना तु पापं चरति दुर्मतिः । भर्तारं भर्त्सते नित्यं स्वैरिणी कलहप्रिया
Devoid of virtuous acts, she committed sin with an evil mind; always scolding her husband, she was unchaste and fond of quarrels.
नित्यं परगृहे वास निरता भ्रमतेऽधिकम् । परच्छिद्रं समापश्येद्दुष्टाभूतेषु सर्वदा
Constantly dwelling in others' houses, she wandered excessively; she always sought out the faults of others, having become corrupt.
साधुनिंदारता पापा बहुहास्यकरी सदा । कुसंगतिरता वाचा दुराचारजनप्रिया
Sinful, she delighted in criticizing the virtuous and was always given to much laughter; she loved bad company and, with her words, pleased those of evil conduct.
धूर्ताधर्मजनद्वेषकरी चानृतभाषिणी । विज्ञायैवं सुवीरोऽस्या उपयेमे ततोऽपराम्
She hated honest people and the righteous, spoke falsely, and, being thus, Suvīra married another woman.
तया नवीनया वीरो भार्यया सहितोऽनिशम् । यथासुखं स बुभुजे विषयान्मनसः प्रियान्
With his new wife, the hero enjoyed, day and night, all the pleasures dear to his heart as he wished.
धर्माचारेण पुण्यात्मा सत्यपुण्यमतिः सदा । सत्ययामितया सत्या सुमत्याराधितो बभौ
With righteous conduct, always possessing a pure and truthful mind, he shone, honored by Satyā, the virtuous and wise.
निरस्ता तेन सा चित्रा विचित्रा वरवर्णिनी । स्वैरिणी गुणसंसर्गधर्मविद्वेषिणी ततः
Rejected by him, that remarkable and beautiful woman, of excellent complexion, became independent, hostile to virtue, and averse to the company of the good.
भ्रमते जारसंयुक्ता मुक्ताचारा गतत्रपा । सा पापरतसंयुक्ता रक्ता दूती विकर्मणि
She wandered, joined with lovers, behaving freely, without shame; she was engaged in sinful acts, attached to a messenger, and intent on wicked deeds.
कुशला कुट्टिनीकर्म कलासु त्वन्ययोषिताम् । गृहभंगमसौ चक्रे वक्रेण मनसा हिता
Skilled in the work of a procuress and the arts of other women, she caused the ruin of households, acting with a crooked mind for her own benefit.
साध्वीं नारीं समाहूय पापवाक्यैश्च नोदयेत् । नर्मलोभकथाकेलि प्रत्ययोत्पत्तिहेतुभिः
Summoning a virtuous woman, she would incite her with sinful words—using playful talk, stories of greed, and amusements as means to create trust.
मनांसि चालयेत्पापा पुरुषाणां च योषिताम् । साधूनां सा स्त्रियो भव्याः परेभ्यः प्रतिपादयेत्
That sinful woman would disturb the minds of men and women, and deliver good and noble women to others.
कारयत्येव कपटं धर्मग्रामविवर्जनम् । एवं वर्षशतं भुक्त्वा पश्चाद्वेश्याविधिस्थिता
She would always practice deceit, abandoning the path of righteousness; thus, after enjoying a hundred years, she remained in the state of a courtesan.
कालेन निधनं प्राप्ता सततं पापनिश्चया । जाता तव गृहे पुत्री दिव्यादेवीति सा सुता
In time, constantly intent on sin, she met her end; she was then born in your house as a daughter, known as Divyādevī, your own child.
सुंदरी रूपसंपन्ना पुरा दृष्टेन नोदिता । नारद उवाच-। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दिवोदासोऽतिविस्मितः । उवाच राजा मधुरं जातूकर्णं मुनिं वचः
Beautiful and endowed with grace, she was not awakened by her previous sight; Narada said: Thus, hearing these words, Divodāsa was greatly astonished, and the king spoke sweetly to the sage Jātūkarṇa.
दिवोदास उवाच-। यदीदृशी सा दुरितप्रचारा सदा दुराचाररता प्रयाता । कथं ममश्रीपतिदैवतस्य महाकुलीनस्य सुतानुरूपा
Divodāsa said: If she was always engaged in sinful conduct and devoted to wicked ways, how is she suitable as the daughter of mine—lord of Śrī, a great noble, and devoted to the gods?
सुदुर्ल्लभं राजकुले विशाले लेभे च सा श्रीमतिजन्मधन्यम् । पुण्येन केनापि मुने पवित्रे चित्रा विचित्रेण च कर्मकर्त्री
How did she obtain such a rare and illustrious birth in the vast royal lineage? By what merit, O sage, did that remarkable and diverse doer of deeds achieve this pure result?
नारद उवाच-। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भूमिपस्य मुनिस्ततः । किञ्चिद्विहस्य तु प्राज्ञो वचः सूनृतमब्रवीत्
Narada said: Hearing the king's words, the wise sage then smiled a little and spoke these truthful words.
जातूकर्ण उवाच-। चित्रा विचित्रसुरतैरथ वंचयंती प्रच्छन्नकामुकविटान्धनधीविहीनान् । वेश्या बभूव विषपानमितश्चरित्वा कालेन नागनगरे महति प्रसिद्धे
Jātūkarṇa said: Chitrā, deceiving impoverished, foolish, and secret lovers with various arts of love, became a courtesan; after living such a life, she became renowned in the great city of Nāganagara.
कोऽपि तत्र समायातः सायं विप्रः समार्दितः । अर्दमानो विशुद्धात्मा नगरे नागसंज्ञके
One evening, a certain Brahmin, afflicted and pure in heart, arrived there in the city called Nāga.
अपश्यन्नपरं स्थानं मूढश्चित्रागृहं ययौ । तया संमोहितोऽत्यर्थं वेश्यया दृष्टियोगतः
Finding no other place and bewildered, he went to Chitrā's house; there, he was greatly enchanted by the courtesan through her glances.
पादसंवाहनस्नानतांबूलासनभोजनैः । विलासैस्तोषितः सोऽपि खेदहीनोऽभवत्तदा
With foot massages, baths, betel, seats, food, and pleasures, she satisfied him, and he became free from fatigue at that time.
ततो विचित्रैः सुरतोपचारैरदृष्टबुद्ध्यैव तया स विप्रः । संसेवितोऽयं रजनीमशेषामवाहयद्भावविशेषलुब्धः
Then, with various arts of love, she served that Brahmin, whose mind was unknowing; captivated by her, he spent the entire night, eager for special affection.
प्रातः प्रयाणाभिमुखः कथंचिदुवाच चित्रामनुरक्तचित्तः । संतोषितः स्वैश्चरितैः स्वकृत्यैर्वचस्तयाचैकधिया तदानीम्
In the morning, preparing to depart, his heart attached to Chitrā, he spoke—satisfied by her actions and his own deeds, and with a single mind, he addressed her.
ब्राह्मण उवाच-। कार्यः प्रत्युपकारस्ते तोषितेन मया प्रिये । स्वदृढं च निजं दुःखं कथयाम्यविशेषतः
The Brahmin said: Since you are pleased with me, I must repay your kindness, dear one; I will tell you my own sorrow, fully and without reserve.