खट्वा काष्ठमथालिंग्य स्तनपीडं यथाप्रियम् । अथो विचित्रचित्तत्वे ततः प्रद्युष्टती भवेत्
Embracing the wooden bed, pressing her breasts as she pleases, and with her mind full of various thoughts, she becomes exhausted.
अथवाह्नि पुरे स्थित्वा शाकं व्यवहृतं च यत् । आलंब्य वेश्मनि निशि संध्यायां विशिखासु च
Or, standing in the city during the day, or conducting her business, she leans in the house at night, at dusk, or among the arrows (courtyards).
कृत्वान्यवेषमात्मानं यैः कैरप्युपभुज्यते । अथ वाच्यप्रभावेण शंकिता योग्यमाहरेत्
Disguising herself in another form, she is enjoyed by certain others; or, fearing exposure, she seeks what is appropriate.
अज्ञातं च गृहं गत्वा रमयेदेव निश्चितम् । नारीसमक्षं लब्धे तु द्रविणे ह्येतदिष्यते
Going to an unknown house, she certainly enjoys herself; when a woman obtains wealth, this is what is desired.
तस्मान्मयापि भवतो न विचारप्रयोजनम् । शोण उवाच- एवमेतन्न संदेहो गच्छ त्वं तिष्ठ दूरतः
Therefore, I too have no need to question you further. Śoṇa said: So it is, there is no doubt; go, stay at a distance.
मलमूत्रविसर्गार्थं स्थित्वा गच्छाम्यतः परम् । तस्यां गतायां शोणोपि वस्त्रखंडं त्वकल्पयत्
I am going now to relieve myself; after that, I will go. When she had gone, Śoṇa prepared a piece of cloth.
एकैकस्मिंस्ततः खंडे त्वग्रहीद्द्रविणं बहु । सैकते त्ववरं जानुदघ्नं कृत्वा ततस्ततः
On each piece, he placed much wealth; then, making a shallow pit in the sand, knee-deep,
क्षिप्त्वा धनं पूरयित्वा विष्ठां चक्रे ततोपरि । वस्त्राधारं घटं तं च प्रतिचिक्षेप कुत्रचित्
he threw in the wealth, filled it up, and defecated on top of it; he also threw the cloth-wrapped pot somewhere.
सर्वमज्ञातवत्कृत्वा स्नानाय प्रययौ मुनिः । तस्य भार्या ततः स्नानं कृत्वा संपूज्य पार्वतीम्
Having done everything as if nothing had happened, the sage went to bathe. His wife, after bathing, worshipped Pārvatī.
गच्छेति भर्त्रा सा प्रोक्ता स्ववेश्माभ्यागमत्सती । एतामेकाकिनीं ज्ञात्वा मारीचो नाम राक्षसः
Told by her husband to go, she, the virtuous one, returned to her own house. Seeing her alone, a Rākṣasa named Mārīca,
भर्तृरूपमथास्थाय कलामेतदुवाच ह । मारीच उवाच- सप्तगोदावरीतीरे पवित्रं पापनाशनम्
assuming the form of her husband, spoke these words with skill: Mārīca said: On the bank of the sevenfold Godāvarī is a holy place, destroyer of sins,
द्राक्षाराममिति प्रोक्तं यत्र भीमः स्वयं स्थितः । भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदो नॄणां स्मरणात्पापनाशनः
called Drākṣārāma, where Bhīma himself resides; it grants enjoyment and liberation to people, and by remembering it, sins are destroyed.
तत्र गच्छावहे शीघ्रं त्वं तु निर्गच्छ सुंदरि । कलोवाच- इदानीमभिषेकाय प्रवृत्तो नाभिषिक्तवान्
Let us go there quickly; you, beautiful one, come out. Kalā said: Now you are engaged in the rite of bathing, but you have not yet bathed.
कथमेतादृशं त्वं हि पूर्वानुक्तं वदिष्यसि । प्रकृतेरन्यथाभावमुत्पातं विदुरुत्तमाः
How is it that you say such a thing, contrary to what you said before? The wise know that acting against one's nature is a sign of calamity.
मारीच उवाच- भर्तुरप्रतिकूलत्वं नारीणां धर्म उच्यते । प्रतिकूलानुकूला वा मम शीघ्रं वदस्व तत्
Mārīca said: For women, it is said that not opposing the husband is their duty; whether favorable or unfavorable, tell me quickly what you wish.
तूष्णींभूत्वाथ सा साध्वी भर्तेत्येव विचार्य तम् । निर्ययौ तेन सा बाला वनमध्ये गता सती
Then, remaining silent, that virtuous woman, thinking 'he is my husband,' went out with him; she, still young, entered the forest.
अथ मध्याह्नकालोसौ क्रियतामाह्निकक्रियाः । राक्षसोथ वचः श्रुत्वा नानुष्ठानस्थलं त्विह
Then, at midday, he said, 'Let the daily rites be performed.' Hearing the Rākṣasa's words, she replied, 'This is not the place for ritual observance.'
यत्र तत्रास्ति गंतव्यमितो गच्छावहे ततः । किंचित्प्रदेशं गत्वा तु गुहां वीक्ष्य सरस्तथा
'Wherever it may be, we must go from here; let us go then.' Going a little further, they saw a cave and a lake.
इह स्थानं हि मे स्थातुं कार्यं स्नानमथ प्रिये । इत्युक्त्वा सरसि स्नात्वा फलाहारं प्रकल्प्य च
'Here is a place for me to stay; dear one, I must bathe.' Saying this, he bathed in the lake and arranged for fruit as food.
भोजनावसरे प्राप्ते कला दध्यावुमां शिवम् । अयं धवो मम न वा इति ध्यानपराभवत्
When the time for eating came, Kalā pondered upon Umā and Śiva: 'Is this my husband or not?' She became absorbed in meditation.
अथ ध्यानेन तं चोरं निश्चित्य च पतिव्रता । भीतातिनम्रवदना अश्रुपूर्णमुखी तदा
Then, by meditation, the faithful wife discerned that he was a thief; frightened, with a bowed face and tears filling her eyes,
कष्टमापतितं पापमित्युक्त्वा निपापत च । रुदतीं तामथो दृष्ट्वा राक्षसः पापनिश्चयः
she said, 'A terrible sin has come upon me,' and fell to the ground. Seeing her weeping, the Rākṣasa, intent on evil, then—
धर्षितुं तामथारेभे न चैतद्धर्षणं प्रति । बलात्कारमथो कर्तुं यतमाने तु राक्षसे
He attempted to violate her, and when she resisted, the demon tried to force himself upon her.
आजानुनाभिपर्यंतं शैलस्थानमकल्पयत् । शिला समभवद्वस्त्रं राक्षसो वीक्ष्य तामथ
She created a mountain barrier reaching from her knees to her navel; the stone became her garment, and the demon saw her thus.
इत्येवं तां हनिष्यामि खादयिष्याम्यतः परम् । इत्युक्त्वा भ्रामयित्वासिं शिरश्छेत्तुं प्रचक्रमे
He said, 'I will kill her and then eat her,' and, having spoken thus, he brandished his sword and began to cut off her head.
कलाहं मत्पतिर्ज्ञात्वा शापं दास्यति मा हर । इत्युक्तमात्रे वचसि शिरश्चिच्छेद राक्षसः
She said, 'If you kill me, my husband will know and curse you; do not take my life.' But as soon as she spoke, the demon severed her head.
प्राप्ता यां दुर्मृतिं तस्यामथ शैवाः समागताः । दूता विचित्राभरणाः सर्वायुधधराः शुभाः
As she met her tragic end, Shaiva messengers arrived—splendid, adorned with various ornaments, and bearing all weapons.
एतां विमानमारोप्य शिवालोकमुपागमन् । तामागतां गिरिसुता हर्षेण प्रतिपूज्य च
They placed her in a celestial vehicle and brought her to Shiva's realm; the daughter of the mountain was received with joy and honor.
स्वपादप्रणतां शुद्धामुमा वाक्यमभाषत । पातिव्रत्येन ते तुष्टा अभीष्टं प्रददामि ते
Uma spoke to her, pure and bowed at her feet: 'I am pleased by your fidelity; I grant you whatever you desire.'
कलोवाच- दासीभावं प्रयच्छ त्वं त्वत्पादाब्जं मम प्रियम् । प्रार्थ्यैःकिमन्यैर्बहुभिस्तथास्त्विति शिवाब्रवीत्
Kala said: 'Grant me the status of your servant; your lotus feet are dear to me. What need have I for other wishes?' Shiva replied, 'So be it.'