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.
ततो विलोकयामास विपिनं तरुसंकुलम् । उरुपाषाणसंरुद्धं कुरंगाक्षी भयावहम् 6.14.
Then she gazed upon a forest dense with trees, blocked by great rocks, frightening to the doe-eyed one.
सिंहव्याघ्रभयाकीर्णंशृगालव्यालसेवितम् । द्रुमैः स्पृशच्छिखाकाशैर्गुहासु ध्वांतपूरितम्
Filled with the threat of lions and tigers, haunted by jackals and wild beasts, its trees touching the sky, its caves filled with darkness.
वनं विलोक्य सा भीमं चकिता चपलेक्षणा । स्मरदूतीं सखीं वृंदा जगाद रथवाहिनीम् । रथं प्रेषय मे शीघ्रं स्मरदूति गृहं प्रति
Seeing that dreadful forest, fearful and wide-eyed, Vrinda spoke to Smaraduti, her charioteer-friend: 'Send the chariot quickly, Smaraduti, toward home.'
स्मरदूतिरुवाच- नाहं जानामि दिग्भागं न यामि क्व रथं सखि । श्रांता अश्व्यः प्रवर्तंते मार्गश्चात्र न विद्यते
Smaraduti said: 'I do not know the direction, nor where to drive the chariot, friend. The horses are exhausted, and there is no path here.'
प्रेरितो दैवकेनापि स्यंदनो यातु यत्र च । अत्र कोपि च मांसादो भक्षयिष्यति नान्यथा
Even if compelled by fate, the chariot must go wherever it is destined; here, some flesh-eater will consume me, there is no other way.
इत्युक्ता सा द्रुततरा रथं शीघ्रमवाहयत् । स रथो वेगतः प्राप्तो यत्र सिद्धा मुदान्विताः
Having spoken thus, she swiftly drove the chariot; that chariot arrived with great speed where the Siddhas were, filled with joy.
तत्र सिद्धाश्च दृश्यंते काननं च भयावहम् । न यत्र प्रबलो वायुर्न शब्दः पक्षिणामपि
There, the Siddhas are seen, and a terrifying forest; where neither strong wind blows nor is there any sound, not even of birds.
न च तेजः प्रकाशोऽस्ति न जलं प्रदिशो दिशः । तत्र प्राप्तरथस्यापि लक्षणेऽभूद्विपर्ययः
There is neither light nor brightness, nor water, nor directions; even the usual signs of the chariot were reversed there.
अश्वतर्यो न हेषंते न च शब्दश्च नेमिजः । न चलंति पताकास्ता घंटिका न क्वणंति च
The horses did not neigh, nor was there the sound of wheels; the flags did not flutter, nor did the bells ring.
न स्वनंति महाघंटा ध्वजस्तंभे निवेशिताः । विलोक्यैवंविधं प्राह तत्र वृंदा सखीं प्रति
The great bells placed on the flagstaffs did not sound; seeing such a situation, Vrinda spoke to her companion.