लोमश उवाच- चैत्रमास्यसिते पक्षे नाम्ना वै पापमोचनी । एकादशी समाख्याता पिशाचत्वविनाशिनी
Lomasha said: In the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra, the Ekadashi called Papamochani, destroyer of sins and of the state of being a ghost, is renowned.
शृणु तस्याः प्रवक्ष्यामि कामदां सिद्धिदां नृप । कथां विचित्रां शुभदां पापघ्नीं धर्मदायिनीम्
Hear now, O king, the wondrous, auspicious, sin-destroying, and virtue-bestowing story of that Ekadashi, which grants desires and success.
पुरा चैत्ररथोद्देशे अप्सरोगणसेविते । वसंतसमये प्राप्ते षट्पदाकुलिते वने
Long ago, in the region of Chaitraratha, attended by groups of Apsaras, when spring arrived and the forest was filled with bees,
गंधर्वकन्यावादित्रै रमंति सह किंनरैः । पाकशासनमुख्याश्च क्रीडांते त्रिदिवौकसः
Gandharva maidens, skilled in music, enjoyed themselves there with Kinnaras, and the chief of the gods, along with the residents of heaven, played there as well.
नापरं सुखदं किंचिद्विना चैत्ररथाद्वनम् । तस्मिन्वने तु मुनयस्तपंति बहुलं तपः
There is no other place as delightful as the Chaitraratha forest; in that forest, sages performed intense austerities.
मेधावि नामानमृषिं तत्रस्थं ब्रह्मचारिणम् । अप्सरास्तं मुनिवरं मोहनायोपचक्रमे
There, an ascetic named Medhavi, a celibate sage, was present; the Apsaras began to try to enchant that great sage.
मंजुघोषेति विख्याता भावं तस्य वितन्वती । क्रोशमात्रं स्थिता तस्य भयादाश्रमसन्निधौ
One named Manjughosha, spreading her charm, stood at a distance of a krosha from his hermitage, out of fear.
गायंती मधुरं साधु पीडयंती विपंचिकाम् । गायंतीं तामथालोक्य पुष्पचंदनसेविताम्
Singing sweetly and skillfully, playing the Vina, she sang while adorned with flowers and sandalwood, and he saw her thus.
कामोऽपि विजयाकांक्षी शिवभक्तान्मुनीश्वरान् । तस्याः शरीरे संवासमकरोन्मनसः सुतः
Even Kama, desiring victory over the great sages devoted to Shiva, entered her body—the son of the mind.
कृत्वा भ्रुवौ धनुष्कोटिं गुणं कृत्वा कटाक्षकम् । मार्गणौ नयने कृत्वा पक्ष्मयुक्ते यथाक्रमम्
He made her eyebrows into the bow's ends, her sidelong glances into the bowstring, and her eyes, with their lashes, into arrows, just as is proper.
कुचौ कृत्वा पटकुटीं विजयायोपचक्रमे । मंजुघोषाभवत्तस्य कामस्यैव वरूथिनी
She made a small bundle of cloth with her breasts and set out for victory; Mañjughoṣā became the foremost among the troops of Kāma himself.
मेधाविनं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा सापि कामेन पीडिता । यौवनोद्भिन्नदेहोऽसौ मेधाव्यपि विराजते
Seeing the wise sage, she too was afflicted by desire; his body, blossoming with youth, shone even upon Medhāvin.
सितोपवीतसहितो दृष्टः स्मर इवापरः । मेधावी वसते चासौ च्यवनस्याश्रमे शुभे
Wearing a white sacred thread, he appeared like another god of love; Medhāvin dwelled there in the auspicious hermitage of Cyavana.
मंजुघोषा स्थितं तत्र दृष्ट्वा सा मुनिपुंगवम् । मदनस्य वशं प्राप्ता मंदं मंदमगायत
Mañjughoṣā, seeing that eminent sage standing there, fell under the sway of love and began to sing softly, gently.
रणद्वलयसंयुक्तां शिंजन्नूपुरमेखलाम् । गायंतीं तां तथाभूतां विलोक्य मुनिपुंगवः
Adorned with jingling bracelets, ringing anklets, and a tinkling girdle, as she sang in that manner, the eminent sage beheld her.
मदनेन ससैन्येन नीतो मोहवशं बलात् । मंजुघोषा समागम्य मुनिं दृष्ट्वा तथाविधम्
Overpowered by the force of love and his entire army, Mañjughoṣā approached and beheld the sage in that state.
हावभावकटाक्षैस्तं मोहयामास चांगना । अधः संस्थाप्य वीणां सा सस्वजे तं मुनीश्वरम्
With gestures, expressions, and sidelong glances, the woman bewitched him; placing her vīṇā down, she embraced the lordly sage.
वलितेव लता वृक्षं वातवेगेन कंपितम् । सोऽपि रेमे तया सार्द्धं मेधावी मुनिपुंगवः
Like a vine entwining a tree shaken by the wind, so too did the eminent sage Medhāvin delight together with her.
तस्मिन्नेव ततो दृष्ट्वा तस्यास्तं देहमुत्तमम् । शिवतत्वं गतं तस्य कामतत्त्ववशं गतः
At that very moment, seeing her excellent body, he who had attained the state of Śiva fell under the sway of desire.
न निशां न दिनं सोऽपि रमन्जानाति कामुकः । बहुवर्षं गतः कालो मुनेराचारलोपतः
That lover no longer knew night or day in his enjoyment; many years passed as the sage neglected his practices.
मंजुघोषा देवलोकगमनायोपचक्रमे । गच्छंती तं प्रत्युवाच रमंतं मुनिसत्तमम् । आदेशो दीयतां ब्रह्मन्स्वदेशगमनाय मे
Mañjughoṣā prepared to depart for the world of the gods; as she was leaving, she spoke to the delighted best of sages: 'Give me permission, O brāhmaṇa, to return to my own abode.'
मेधाव्युवाच- अद्यैव त्वं समायाता प्रदोषादौ वरानने । यावत्प्रभातसंध्या स्यात्तावत्तिष्ठ ममांतिके । इति श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं भयभीता बभूव सा
Medhāvin said: 'O beautiful-faced one, you arrived today at the beginning of dusk; remain with me until the morning twilight.' Hearing the sage's words, she became fearful and anxious.
पुनर्वै रमयामास तमृषिं नृपसत्तम । मुनेः शापभयाद्भीता बहुलान्परिवत्सरान्
Again, out of fear of the sage's curse, she continued to delight that seer for many years, O best of kings.
वर्षाणां पंचपंचाशन्नवमासदिनत्रयम् । सा रेमे मुनिना तस्य निशार्द्धमिव चाभवत्
For fifty-five years, nine months, and three days, she enjoyed with the sage; to her, it seemed like only half a night.
सा तं पुनरुवाचाथ तस्मिन्काले गते मुनिम् । आदेशो दीयतां ब्रह्मन्गंतव्यं स्वगृहे मया
Then, when that time had passed, she again spoke to the sage: 'Give me permission, O brāhmaṇa, for I must go to my own home.'
मेधाव्युवाच- प्रभातमधुना चास्ते श्रूयतां वचनं मम । संध्या यावच्च कुर्वेऽहं तावत्त्वं वै स्थिरा भव
Medhāvin said: 'Now it is morning; listen to my words. Remain steady until I complete my morning rites.'
इति वाक्यं मुनेः श्रुत्वा जातानंदसमाकुला । स्मितं कृत्वा तु सा किंचित्प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता
Hearing the sage's words, she became filled with both joy and confusion; smiling a little, that lovely-smiling one replied.
अप्सरा उवाच-। कियत्प्रमाणा विप्रेंद्र तव संध्या गतानघ । मयि प्रसादं कृत्वा तु गतकालो विचार्यताम्
The apsaras said: 'O foremost of brāhmaṇas, how long is your morning rite, O sinless one? Please show me favor and consider how much time has passed.'
इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । गतकालस्य विप्रेंद्र प्रमाणमकरोत्तदा
Hearing her words, his eyes widened in astonishment; O best of Brahmins, he then confirmed the matter of the elapsed time.
समाश्च सप्तपंचाशद्गतास्तस्य तया सह । चुक्रोध सततस्तस्यै ज्वालामाली बभूव ह
Fifty-seven years had passed with her; he became constantly angry at her, and a garland of flames appeared.