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.
नेत्राभ्यां विस्फुलिंगान्स मुंचमानोऽतिकोपनः । कालरूपां तु तां दृष्ट्वा तपसः क्षयकारिणीम्
From his eyes, sparks shot forth as he, filled with great rage, saw her in the form of Time, the destroyer of his austerities.
दुःखार्जितं क्षयं नीतं तपोदृष्ट्वातयासह । सकंपोष्ठो मुनिस्तत्रप्रत्युवाचाकुलेंद्रियः
Seeing that his hard-earned austerities had been brought to ruin by her, the sage trembled, his senses disturbed, and replied there.
तां शशापाथमेधावी त्वं पिशाची भवेति च । धिक्त्वां पापे दुराचारे कुलटे पातकप्रिये
That wise one cursed her: 'Become a piśācī (female ghoul)! Fie upon you, wicked one, of evil conduct, wanton, lover of sin!'
तस्य शापेन सा दग्धा विनयावनता स्थिता । उवाच वचनं सुभ्रूः प्रसादं वांछती मुनिम् । प्रसादं कुरु विप्रेंद्र शापस्यानुग्रहं कुरु
Burned by his curse, she stood humbly, and with beautiful brows spoke, seeking the sage's favor: 'Show me mercy, O best of Brahmins, grant me relief from the curse.'
सतां संगो हि भवति वचोभिः सप्तभिः पदैः । त्वया सह मम ब्रह्मन्नीता वै बहुवत्सराः । एतस्मात्कारणात्स्वामिन्प्रसादं कुरु सुव्रत
'Association with the virtuous is made even by seven steps together; with you, O Brahmin, I have spent many years. For this reason, O steadfast one, show me your grace.'
मुनिरुवाच- शृणु मे वचनं भद्रे शापानुग्रहकारकम् । किं करोमि त्वया पापे क्षयं नीतं महत्तपः
The sage said: 'Hear my words, gentle one, which grant relief from the curse. What can I do, O sinner, when you have destroyed my great austerity?'
चैत्रस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु भवेदेकादशी शुभा । पापमोचनिका नाम सर्वपापक्षयंकरी
'On the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Caitra, there is an auspicious Ekadashi called Pāpamocanikā, destroyer of all sins.'
तस्या व्रते कृते शुभ्रे पिशाचत्वं प्रयास्यति । इत्युक्त्वा सोऽपि मेधावी जगाम पितुराश्रमम्
'By performing the vow of that day, O fair one, you will be freed from the state of a piśācī.' Having said this, the wise one went to his father's hermitage.
तमागतं समालोक्य च्यवनः प्रत्युवाचतम् । किमेतद्विहितं पुत्र त्वया पुण्यं क्षयं कृतम्
Seeing him arrive, Cyavana addressed him: 'What is this, my son, that you have done, causing your merit to be lost?'
मेधाव्युवाच- पातकं वै कृतं तात रमिता चाप्सरा मया । प्रायश्चित्तं ब्रूहि तात येन पापक्षयो भवेत्
Medhavi said: 'Father, I have committed a sin; I was intimate with an apsaras. Tell me, father, what penance will destroy my sin?'