प्रासादभूम्यां क्रीडंती वाद्यगीतादिवर्त्तनैः । सा सुंदरतरा गौर्या रंभोर्वश्योः शतादपि
She was playing on the palace grounds, surrounded by music and song. She is more beautiful than Gauri, and surpasses even Rambha and Urvashi a hundredfold.
नेदानीं मानुषे लोके न पातालेषु तत्समा । भार्या तेन समा वेश्या नारीणां का कथा हरे
Nowhere in the world of humans, nor in the nether realms, is there anyone equal to her. As a wife to him, or as a courtesan, no woman can compare, O Hari.
यस्तां स्पृशति देहेन सकृतार्थः पुमान्भवेत् । तव श्यालकपत्नी च हर त्वं तां रम प्रियाम् । शंकरस्योपकारं च कुरु चैवात्मनः सुखम्
Whoever touches her even once with his body becomes fulfilled. She is your brother-in-law's wife, O Hara; make her your beloved. Do this for Shankara's benefit, and for your own happiness.
नारद उवाच- श्रुत्वा तार्क्ष्यस्य वचनं तं निर्भर्त्स्य रमाप्रियः । सम्यग्व्यवस्य चोपायं विससर्ज द्रुतं द्विजम्
Narada said: Hearing Garuda's words, the beloved of Lakshmi rebuked him, then, having firmly decided on a plan, quickly dismissed the twice-born one.
श्रियंपतार्य्य संछाद्य मंचके पीतवाससा । निर्गतोऽन्येन रूपेण योगि मायाबलेन च
The Lord of Shri, covering her with a yellow cloth on the couch, departed in another form, using the power of yogic illusion.
वृंदारिकानुरागेण मोहितो मधुसूदनः । दृष्ट्वा हरिं तु गच्छंतं प्रतिछन्नं युधिष्ठिर
Madhusudana was deluded by love for Vrinda. Seeing Hari going forth in disguise, O Yudhishthira—
शेषोप्यन्यतमेनासौ रूपेणागत्य केशवम् । जगाद भक्त्या त्वं तिष्ठ ममानुज्ञातुमर्हसि
Shesha too, taking on another form, approached Keshava and said with devotion, 'You must stay, you should grant me permission.'
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि ब्रूहि कार्यं जनार्दन । सदा तव मुखं दृष्ट्वा भोक्ष्यामीति भवेत्सुखम्
'What shall I do? Where shall I go? Tell me, O Janardana. It would be happiness for me always to see your face and to serve you.'
श्रीभगवानुवाच- जालंधरस्त्रियं रम्यां हरिष्ये हरकारणात् । पार्वत्याश्चोपकाराय संछाद्य स्वात्मनस्तनुम्
The Blessed Lord said: 'For the sake of Hara, I will take away Jalandhara's beautiful wife, concealing my own form for Parvati's benefit.'
एहि यामो वयं बंधो कांतारं दुरतिक्रमम् । वृंदाकर्षणसिद्ध्यर्थमित्युक्त्वा तौ वनं गतौ
'Come, friend, let us go to the impassable forest, to accomplish the attraction of Vrinda.' Having said this, the two went to the forest.
ततो विष्णुश्च शेषश्च जटावल्कलधारिणौ । आश्रमं चक्रतुः पुण्यं सर्वकामफलप्रदम्
Then Vishnu and Shesha, wearing matted hair and bark garments, established a sacred hermitage that grants all desires.
तयोः शिष्याः प्रशिष्याश्च बभूवुः कामरूपिणः । सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाश्च ऋक्षवानरमर्कटाः
Their disciples and followers took on any form at will—lions, tigers, boars, bears, monkeys, and apes.
अथ तस्मिन्वने वृंदां मंत्रेणाकर्षयद्धरिः । तस्या हृदयसंतापं चकार मधुसूदनः
Then, in that forest, Hari drew Vrinda to him by means of a mantra, and Madhusudana caused anguish in her heart.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे राज्ञी तापमुग्रमुपागता । चामरांश्चालयामास दिव्यस्त्रीकरचालितान्
Meanwhile, the queen was overcome by intense suffering, and began to wave divine fans, moved by the hands of celestial women.
प्रियस्यागमनं तन्वीं चिंतयंती मुहुर्मुहुः । चंदनागुरुलिप्तांगी मूर्च्छां याति हि सत्वरम्
Thinking again and again of her beloved's return, her slender body anointed with sandal and aloe, she quickly fell into a swoon.
तुर्ययामे विभावर्याश्चतुर्दश्यां नृपांगना । स्वप्नं ददर्श भयदं वैधव्यभयसूचकम्
In the fourth watch of the night, on the fourteenth day, the royal lady saw a terrifying dream, foretelling the fear of widowhood.
जालंधरशिरः शुष्कं मर्दितं पांडुभस्मना । गृध्रेण कृष्टनयनं छिन्नकर्णाग्रनासिकम्
Jalandhara's dried head, crushed and smeared with pale ash, his eyes plucked by a vulture, his ears and nose tips cut off—
मुक्तकेशी करालास्या कृष्णवर्णारुणांबरा । चखाद काली रक्तास्या हस्ते विधृतखर्परा
A wild-haired, wide-mouthed, dark-skinned woman in blood-red garments, Kali, with a blood-stained mouth and a skull in her hand, devoured him.
ईदृशं ददृशे स्वप्नं तथात्मानं विडंबितम् । दैत्यक्षयगुणोपेतं सा ददर्श नृपांगना
Such a dream she saw—herself mocked, marked by the signs of the demon's destruction; so beheld the king's wife.
ततः प्रबुद्धाऽसुरराजपत्नी गीतेन वाद्येन च मागधानाम् । गेयप्रबंधैः स्तवनैर्व चोभिर्वं शस्तवैः किंपुरुषप्रपाठितैः
Then, awakened, the demon king's wife heard the songs and music of the Magadhas, their chants, praises, and hymns sung by the Kimpurushas.
ततस्तान्सकलान्श्रांतान्धनं दत्वा प्रसादजम् । निवार्य विप्रानाहूय स्वप्नं दृष्टं न्यवेदयत् । तं स्वप्नं ब्राह्मणाः श्रुत्वा तामूचुः शास्त्रपारगाः
After giving wealth born of grace to all those weary ones, she dismissed the Brahmins, summoned them, and reported the dream she had seen; hearing it, the learned Brahmins said—
द्विजा ऊचुः - देवि दुःस्वप्नमत्युग्रमचिंत्यं भयदायकम् । देहि दानं द्विजातिभ्यो ह्यचिंत्य भयनाशकम्
"O Lady, this is a terrible, unimaginable, fearsome bad dream. Give gifts to the twice-born, for such giving dispels unimaginable fear."
धेनुर्वासांसि रत्नानि गजांश्चाभरणानि च । ब्राह्मणाः परिसंतुष्टाः सिषिचुस्तां नृपस्त्रियम्
Cows, garments, jewels, elephants, and ornaments—the Brahmins, fully satisfied, sprinkled her, the king's wife.
अभिषिक्तापि सा वृंदा ज्वरेण परितप्यते । विसृज्य विप्रप्रवरान्प्रासादमगमत्तदा
Even after being anointed, Vrinda was tormented by fever; dismissing the eminent Brahmins, she then went to the palace.
तत्र स्थितापि स्वपुरं ददृशे दीप्तमंगला । ततः स्वकर्मणा राजन्नाकृष्टा हरिणा तु सा
Even while standing there, she saw her own city shining with auspiciousness; yet, O King, by her own deeds, she was not drawn to Hari.
न शशाक गृहे स्थातुं ततो राज्ञी वनं ययौ । रथमश्वतरीयुक्तं स्मरदूतीसखीवहम्
She could not remain in the house, so the queen went to the forest, riding a chariot drawn by mules, accompanied by her confidante, Smaraduti.
समारुह्य क्षणात्तन्वी प्राप्ता सौभाग्यकाननम् । नानावृक्षसमायुक्तं नानापक्षिगणान्वितम्
Mounting quickly, the slender one reached the forest of fortune, filled with many trees and flocks of various birds.
पुष्पप्रस्रवणोपेतं स्वर्गनारीविभूषितम् । मंदानिलप्रवेशोऽस्ति यत्र नान्यस्य कस्यचित्
Adorned with blossoming flowers, graced like a celestial maiden, with a gentle breeze entering—a place where no one else may go.
वनं वृंदारिका दृष्ट्वा सस्मार पतिमात्मनः । कथं जालंधरं वीरं द्रक्ष्यामि प्राप्तमग्रतः
Seeing that forest, Vrinda remembered her husband: 'How will I see the heroic Jalandhara appear before me?'
सा तत्र न सुखं लेभे विवेशान्यतमं वनम् । सखीरथसमायुक्ता विष्णुमायाविमोहिता
There she found no happiness and entered another forest, accompanied by her friends and chariot, bewildered by Vishnu's illusion.