नानादीपसमोपेतं मणिभिर्नागराडिव । भटानामथ संमर्द एको दीपो पतन्नृपे
It was adorned with various lamps and jewels, like the palace of a serpent king. Then, in the crowd of guards, one lamp fell upon the king.
तदासौ कुपितो राजा दीपमादाय सत्वरम् । देवालयपुरे रम्ये न्यक्षिपत्कोपसंयुतः
At that moment, the king became angry, quickly seized the lamp, and, filled with wrath, threw it in the beautiful temple precinct.
दग्धं देवगृहं तेन एनश्च समपद्यत । अथ तेन पुनस्तत्र दग्धं वेश्मगृहादिकम्
The temple was burned by that, and he incurred sin. Then, again, he burned the houses and dwellings there.
निर्मापयामास नृपो महेशानमथायजत् । अथ मृत्युदिने प्राप्ते राजाराधितशंकरः
The king rebuilt the temple and worshipped Mahesha. When the day of death arrived, the king worshipped Shankara.
भस्मस्नायी भस्मशायी जपन्रुद्रं ममार ह । शिवलोकं गतः सोयं वीरभद्रेण भाषितः
He bathed in ashes, lay upon ashes, recited the Rudra mantra, and died. He went to Shiva's realm, and was addressed by Virabhadra.
भव त्वं गणशार्दूलो ममवै परिचारकः । शाङ्करान्मम निर्देशादानयस्व ममांतिकम्
Become the foremost among my attendants, serve me. Bring those devoted to Shankara to me at my command.
शिरोहीनो भवांश्चापि ज्वालावक्त्रो भविष्यति । सतूवाच महात्मानं वीरभद्रं गणेश्वरम्
You will be headless and have a mouth of flames. He then spoke to the great-souled Virabhadra, lord of the attendants.
चक्षुः श्रोत्रं तथा जिह्वा नासिकास्यं शिरोगणः । एतैर्विना व्यवहृतिः कथं मे संभविष्यति
Eyes, ears, tongue, nose, mouth, and head—without these, how will I be able to act?
अभावे शिरसः किं वा मया पापं कृतं विभो । वीरभद्र उवाच- त्वयैव स्वीकृता पूर्वं देवी परमसुंदरी
If my head is absent, what sin have I committed, O Lord? Virabhadra spoke: You yourself once took the supreme beautiful goddess.
महेशभवनं नित्यं चार्तुवर्णकरंगकैः । स्वस्तिकं सर्वतोभद्रं नंद्यावर्तादिकं शुभम्
You always made the house of Mahesha with colored hands, auspicious swastikas, all-blessed marks, and the auspicious Nandyavarta and others.
पद्ममुत्पलमांदोल पादो व्यजन चामरे । त्रिशूलं शंखचक्रे च गदाधनुरथैव च
Lotus, water-lily, swing, feet, fan, yak-tail, trident, conch, discus, mace, bow, and chariot as well.
त्रिशूलं डमरुंखड्गं वृषं भृंगिरिटिं शिवम् । तथाष्टपत्रं कमलमन्यद्यंत्रादिकं तथा
Trident, drum, sword, bull, bee-banner, Shiva, eight-petaled lotus, and other yantras likewise.
कल्पयंती प्रतिदिनं सेवते वृषभध्वजम् । कदाचिदथ सा वेश्या देवसद्मन्युपस्थिता
She fashioned them daily and served the bull-bannered one. Once, that courtesan arrived at the deity's abode.
राज्ञः कारांकिकः कश्चिद्देववेश्म समाविशत् । अथ तां दृष्टवांस्तत्र स इदं वाक्यमुक्तवान्
A certain prison-marked man entered the temple of the deity. Seeing her there, he spoke these words.
काराङ्किक उवाच- एकांतसंस्थिता वेश्या युवाहं स्थविरश्च न । स्थविरं व्याधितं षंढमशक्तं धनवर्जितम्
The prison-marked man said: The courtesan is alone, I am young, but not old; the old, diseased, impotent, incapable, and poor—
अदीर्घमेहनं दीनं पुरुषं योषिदुत्सृजेत् । अश्मश्रुलं मलच्छन्नं जडं दुर्गंधिदूषितम्
A man who is short in urination, miserable, whom a woman abandons; one with stone hair, covered in filth, dull, and corrupted by foul odor.
स्वल्पमव्यसनं नारी दूरतः परिवर्ज्जयेत् । तस्मान्मे दीयतां वेश्ये मैथुनं जीवयाशु माम्
A woman should avoid even a small misfortune from afar; therefore, grant me union with the courtesan and quickly revive me.
वेश्योवाच- नियतः सर्वजातीनामिहामुत्र सुखप्रदः । पातिव्रत्यं परो धर्म्मः स्त्रीणामिति हि शुश्रुम
The courtesan said: We have heard that chastity is the highest virtue for women, bringing happiness to all castes here and hereafter.
यदधीना यदा वेश्या तदा नान्येन संगता । पतिव्रतेति विख्याता तस्मात्तं परिपालयेत्
When a courtesan is under someone's authority, she does not associate with another; she is renowned as chaste, so she should protect that.
कारांकिक उवाच- यदि चैवं मृतिः शीघ्रं भविष्यति न संशयः । अथ राजांतिकं गत्वा राजानमिदमुक्तवान्
Kārāṃkika said: If this is so, then death will come swiftly, without doubt. Then, having gone to the king's presence, he spoke thus.
वेश्या वेश्यैव नो भार्या नेति वक्तुं च नोचितम् । इत्थं राजानमुक्त्वाथ मंडं चैवारनालजम्
It is improper to say, 'The courtesan is a courtesan, not a wife.' Having spoken thus to the king, he took some ashes from the fire altar.
किंचिदादाय तस्यास्तु मंदिरं गतवानयम् । निद्रावसरमालोक्य प्रसृज्यच करं ततः
Taking a little of it, he went to her chamber; seeing an opportunity while she slept, he placed his hand there.
वस्त्रस्य विवरे तत्र मंडं चिक्षेप दुष्टधीः । एवं कृत्वा ततो गत्वा राजानमिदमुक्तवान्
With evil intent, he inserted the ashes into a fold of her garment; having done so, he went and spoke to the king.
राजन्निर्गत्य गत्वाथ वेश्याग्र्यां तव योषितः । उत्थापयित्वा वेश्यां तां सर्वांगं द्रष्टुमर्हसि
O king, having gone out, I went to your foremost courtesan; awaken her and you should examine her entire body.
उन्मुक्तबंधमथवा वसनं पश्य यत्नतः । वेश्यावेश्माथगतवान्राजा कारांकिकं वचः
Carefully observe her garment, whether the ties are loosened or not; the king, having gone to the courtesan's house, followed Kārāṃkika's words.
इदमाह सनिद्रेयं पश्येमां यामि पश्यसि । स तूवाच नृपं तत्र न मे युक्तमिदं नृप
He said, 'Let us see her while she sleeps; I will go, you may look.' But he replied to the king, 'This is not proper for me, O king.'
तन्मातरं वा पितरं दर्शनाय नियोजय । तद्दृष्टौ सर्वमेवेदं व्यक्तमाशु भविष्यति
Instead, instruct her mother or father to view her; upon their seeing, everything will quickly become clear.
आनीता ह्यथ राज्ञा तु माता वीक्षितुमुद्यता । वचनात्तु नृपस्यैव वस्त्रं शोधयतीव सा
Then, brought by the king, her mother was ready to examine; at the king's command, she began to inspect the garment.
तत्रस्थितं मंडमथ विज्ञायांबा ह्यमर्दयत् । मर्दनाद्वसनं क्लिन्नं किं तदित्याह पार्थिवः
Finding the ashes there, the mother pressed them; from the pressing, the garment became damp, and the king asked, 'What is this?'
न किंचिद्देव नो किंचिदिति वेश्याप्रसूरपि । बहुवाक्येन राजाथ वसनं वीक्ष्य शंकया
Nothing, O lord, nothing at all, said the courtesan's mother; but with many words, the king, suspicious, examined the garment.