क्रौंची कथमहं ब्रूहि श्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्नतः । काहं कुत्रस्थिता चापि कथमत्रागता सती
O Krauñcī, tell me—who are you? Where do you dwell, and how did you come here? I wish to hear this from you in detail.
कालैः कियद्भिर्मत्पुण्यं क्षीणत्वं प्रतियास्यति । शच्युवाच- पद्मगन्धे पुरा त्वं हि क्रौंची पक्षिसमुद्भवा
How long will it take for my merit to be exhausted?—Śacī said: In the past, you were Krauñcī, born among birds, with the fragrance of lotuses.
अमेध्यमामिषं कीटान्भक्षयंती क्षितौ स्थिता । न्यग्रोधतरुरेकोऽस्ति गङ्गातीरे मनोरमे
Dwelling on earth, you ate impure flesh and insects. There was a single banyan tree on the charming bank of the Gaṅgā.
तत्र नीडं विनिर्माय भवत्या वसतिः कृता । एकदा कृष्णसर्पेण तस्मिन्न्यग्रोधपादपे
There, after building your nest, you made your home. One day, a black serpent entered that banyan tree.
नीडं प्रविश्य दष्टा त्वं सहसा पंचतां गता । क्रव्याणि तव सर्वाणि स सर्पो भक्षयत्क्रुधा
Entering the nest, you were suddenly bitten and died. That serpent, enraged, devoured all your flesh.
स्थितानि तत्रैवास्थीनि निर्मांसानि वरानने । कदाचित्पवनैर्भद्रे महद्भिः स च पातितः
Your bones, stripped of flesh, remained there, O beautiful one. Once, by a great wind, that serpent too was cast down.
भग्नः पपात गङ्गायां समूलोऽपि वरांगने । गङ्गायां पतिते तस्मिन्न्यग्रोधे धरणीरुहे
Broken, it fell into the Gaṅgā, roots and all, O lovely one. When that banyan fell into the Gaṅgā, the tree on the earth—
गङ्गाजलैः प्लावितानि तान्यस्थीनि तवोत्तमे । यावदस्थीनि गङ्गायां तावत्तिष्ठंति तानि च
Your excellent bones were washed by the waters of the Gaṅgā. As long as your bones remain in the Gaṅgā, so long do they stay there.
तावत्त्वं स्वामिसुभगा भविष्यसि सदैव हि । इति ते कथितं सर्वं पद्मगंधे मयाधुना
For that same duration, you will always be dear to your lord. Thus, O Padmagandhā, I have now told you everything.
येन पुण्यप्रभावेण शक्रोऽपि वशगस्तव । धन्या तु जाह्नवी देवी क्रौंची यस्याः प्रसादतः
By the power of whose merit even Śakra is under your control. Blessed indeed is the goddess Jāhnavī, by whose grace, O Krauñcī—
त्वमस्पृश्यासि चाण्डालैरंकेस्वपिषि वज्रिणः । तेनापमानिता साध्वी शक्रेणापि पुलोमजा
You are untouched by outcastes, even among the hosts of Indra. By him, Pulomajā, the virtuous one, was also insulted.
परिम्लानमुखांभोजा सा जगाम यथागता । शक्रांक एव सा तस्थौ पद्मगन्धा वरांगना
Her lotus face faded, and she departed as she had come. Padmagandhā, the lovely one, remained in Indra's abode.
तद्वाक्यं हृदये तस्या जागरूकमिवस्थितम् । अथैकदा सुराधीशः सुप्रीतस्तद्गुणैर्द्विज
Those words stayed in her heart, as if ever awake. Then one day, O twice-born, the lord of the gods, pleased by her virtues—
वरं वरय सुश्रोणि स्वयं तामित्युवाच ह । पद्मगंधोवाच । त्वं सर्वदेवताधीशो नारीकोटिपतिस्थता
Said, 'Choose a boon, O beautiful-hipped one, whatever you wish.' Padmagandhā said: 'You are lord of all the gods, master of countless women—'
तथाप्यसि ममाधीनः स्वामिन्किमपरैर्वरैः । तथापि त्वं वरं दित्सुर्यदा नूनं सुरोत्तम
Yet you are under my power, lord; what need have I of other boons? Still, if you wish to grant a boon, O best of gods—
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा प्रतिज्ञां कुरु मत्पुरः । इंद्र उवाच- जीवितं च धनं चैव राज्यं चैव परिच्छदम्
By deed, thought, and word, make a vow before me.' Indra said: 'Life, wealth, kingdom, and retinue—'
आज्ञापय किमेतद्वै तुभ्यं दास्यामि सुंदरि । सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं संदेहो नात्र विद्यते
'Command me, O beautiful one, and I will give it to you. Truly, truly, again truly—there is no doubt in this.'
यदीच्छसि मृगीनेत्रे तत्ते दास्याम्यहं ध्रुवम् । पद्मगंधोवाच- नूनमेव प्रसन्नोऽसि यदि त्वं त्रिदशेश्वर
'Whatever you desire, O doe-eyed one, I will surely give you.' Padmagandhā said: 'If you, lord of the gods, are truly pleased—'
जन्म मे हस्तियोनौ च भूयो देहीति मे वरम् । इंद्र उवाच- कृतप्रतिज्ञः सुश्रोणि वरं तेऽहं ददामि वै
Let my birth be in the womb of an elephant; grant me this boon once more. Indra said: I have made a promise, O lovely-hipped one, and I surely grant you this boon.
किंतु दुःखानि यातानि बहूनि हृदये मम । त्वामदृष्ट्वा वरारोहे प्रीतिर्न प्राप्यते क्षणम्
Yet many sorrows have passed through my heart; O beautiful one, not seeing you, I find no joy even for a moment.
कथं ते चिरविच्छेदं सोढुं शक्नोमि दुःसहम् । यदा मय्यनुकंपास्ति तव पीनपयोधरे
How can I endure such a long separation from you, which is unbearable? When you, with full breasts, show compassion toward me—
तदा कियद्दिनं तिष्ठ मया सह वराङ्गने । ततो देवाधिराजस्य वदंती बहुसंपदम्
Then, O fair-limbed one, stay with me for a little while; afterward, speak of the great prosperity of the king of the gods.
वर्षाणामयुतं तस्थौ सा देवनिलये सती । पद्मगन्धोवाच- आज्ञां देहि सुराधीश साधितुं सुमनोरथम्
She remained in the abode of the gods for ten thousand years. Padmagandha said: Give me permission, O lord of the gods, to fulfill my cherished desire.
व्रजाम्यहं कर्मभूमिं वंदे पादद्वयं तव । इन्द्र उवाच- त्वत्प्रेमसिंधुमानेन मया चन्द्रनिभानने
I shall go to the realm of action; I bow to your two feet. Indra said: Because of the greatness of your ocean of love for me, O moon-faced one—
स्थित्वा कतिदिनं पश्चाद्गमिष्यसि यथासुखम् । ततस्तुकौतुकागारे तेन सार्द्धमहर्निशम्
After staying for a few days, you may depart as you wish. Then, in the house of amusements, together with him, day and night—
क्रीडंती पद्मगंधा सा तस्थौ वर्षायुतत्रयम् । सुराधीशं ततः सेति तदा प्राह मुदान्विता
Padmagandha played there, and she remained for three ten-thousand-year periods. Then, she joyfully addressed the lord of the gods.
आदेशं कुरु गच्छामि पृथिवीं प्रति संप्रति । इंद्र उवाच- जाड्यं जहीहि सुश्रोणि तिष्ठात्रैव मया सह
Give me instructions; I am now going to the earth. Indra said: Cast off your lethargy, O lovely-hipped one, and stay here with me.
त्वां त्यक्तुं न हि शक्नोमि प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसीम् । पद्मगन्धोवाच- पुण्यक्षये सुराधीश यदा यास्याम्यहं भुवि
I cannot leave you, who are dearer to me than life itself. Padmagandha said: O lord of the gods, when my merit is exhausted, then I shall go to earth.
तदा चिरं ते विच्छेदो भविष्यति मया सह । यद्विच्छेदे मया नाथ पुनर्गंतुं भुवं प्रति
Then, your separation from me will be long; when separated, O lord, I wish to return to earth again.
इच्छाम्यहं पुनर्द्यौश्च पुण्योपार्जनहेतवे । कर्मभूमिमहं गत्वा येनोपायेन वासव
I wish to return to heaven again for the sake of earning merit; having gone to the realm of action, by whatever means, O Vasava—