खर्जूरवनमासाद्य फलपुष्पोपशोभितं। तत्रोषित्वा पुनर्देवी वने मुनिमनोरमे
Arriving at a palm grove adorned with fruits and flowers, after staying there, the goddess again entered a forest delightful to sages.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमाकीर्णे सिद्धचारणसेविते। नंदा नाम सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता२५० 1.18.
Filled with flowers of all seasons, served by siddhas and celestial beings, Nandā is the name of the best river, famed in the three worlds.
मीननक्रझषोपेता विमलोदकपूरिता। सूत उवाच। अथ देवव्रतःप्राह किमन्या सा सरिद्वरा
Abounding with fish, crocodiles, and aquatic creatures, filled with pure water; Sūta said: Then Devavrata asked, 'What other is that excellent river?'
एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रह्मन्नंदा शब्दा सरस्वती। यथाभूता येन कृता कारणेन सरिद्वरा
This is my curiosity, O Brahman, about Nandā, called Sarasvatī; how did she come to be, and for what reason is she the best of rivers?
एवमुक्ते पुलस्त्यः स भीष्मायैतत्पुरातनं। आख्यातुमुपचक्राम नंदा नाम यतस्स्मृतं
When this was spoken, Pulastya began to recount to Bhīṣma that ancient story, how Nandā came to be so named.
क्षत्रव्रतधरो नित्यमासीद्राजा प्रभंजनः। प्रवृत्तोसौ मृगान्हंतुं वने तस्मिन्महाबलः
There was a king named Prabhaṃjana, always devoted to the warrior's vow; he was mighty and engaged in hunting animals in that forest.
स ददर्श ततस्तस्मिन्मृगीं गुल्मांतरे स्थितां। मार्गणेन सुतीक्ष्णेन तां विव्याध पुरोगतां
Then he saw a doe standing within a thicket, and struck her, who was moving ahead, with a very sharp arrow.
सा विलोक्य दिशः सर्वास्तं दृष्ट्वा शरपाणिनं। आह किं ते कृतं मूढ त्वयैतत्कर्मदुष्करं
She looked in all directions, saw him holding the arrow, and said: 'What have you done, fool? This deed is most difficult.'
स्तनं तावत्प्रयच्छामि सुतस्याधोमुखी स्थिता। मांसलोभेन विद्धाहं तरसा ह्यकुतोभया
I was only offering my breast, lowered, to my child; struck swiftly by you, fearless one, out of greed for flesh.
पिबंतं गुप्तवत्सं च गूढमैथुनमागतं। एवंविधं मृगं राजन्न हन्यात्प्राङ्मया श्रुतं
A king should not kill such a deer—one nursing her hidden fawn, or one engaged in secret mating—so I have heard before.
स्तनं तु तनयस्यास्य प्रयच्छंती त्वया हता। बाणेनाशनिकल्पेन निर्दोषा वनमागता
While I was giving my breast to this child, you killed me with an arrow like a thunderbolt, though I was blameless and had come to the forest.
तस्मात्त्वमपि दुर्बुद्धे क्रव्यादत्वमवाप्स्यसि। वनेस्मिन्कंटकाकीर्णे व्याघ्ररूपं त्वमाप्नुहि
Therefore, you of evil mind, you too shall become a flesh-eater; in this thorny forest, assume the form of a tiger.
शापप्रदानं श्रुत्वैवं स राजापुरतः स्थितः। प्रोवाच प्रांजलिर्भूत्वा तां मृगीं व्यथितेन्द्रियः
Hearing her pronounce the curse, the king stood before her, his senses disturbed, and with joined palms spoke to the doe.
स्तनं तु तनयस्येह प्रयच्छंती न मे मता। अज्ञानेन हता भद्रे प्रसीद सुसमाधिना
'It was not my intention to kill one offering her breast to her child; I acted in ignorance, O gentle one. Be gracious, with firm composure.'
व्याघ्ररूपमहं त्यक्त्वा प्राप्स्यामि मानुषं कदा। एवंविधस्य शापस्य विमोक्षं शंस मे मृगि
'When will I, after abandoning the form of a tiger, regain a human body? Tell me, doe, the release from such a curse.'
एवमुक्ते मृगी तस्य प्रोवाच वचनं शुभम्। राजन्नब्दशतांते तु शापस्यागतया गवा
Thus addressed, the doe spoke auspicious words to him: 'O king, at the end of a hundred years, when the curse has run its course, you will converse with Nandā.'
नंदया सह संवादमासाद्यांतो भविष्यति। मृग्योक्ते वचने राजा व्याघ्र एवाभवत्तदा
'After meeting and conversing with Nandā, the end will come.' When the doe had spoken, the king then became a tiger.
नखदंष्ट्रायुधोपेतो व्याघ्ररूपोति भीषणः। तत्रासौ भक्षयन्नास्ते मृगान्हत्वा चतुष्पदः
Fierce in the form of a tiger, armed with claws and fangs, there he dwelt, killing and devouring four-footed animals.
द्विपदानपि तत्रस्थान्कालेन क्रमयोजितान्। एवं तत्र वने तस्य संवत्सरशतं गतम्
In time, he also devoured the two-footed beings who dwelled there; thus, in that forest, a hundred years passed for him.
आत्मानं निंदमानस्य मृगमांसानि खादतः। कदाहं मानुषं भावं गमिष्यामीदृशं पुनः
While eating the flesh of deer, he reproached himself: 'When will I again attain a human state like this?'
कुत्सितं न करिष्यामि वियोनिकरणं महत्। कुर्वता मांसलोभेन मृगयां परिधावता
'I will not commit such a vile act again, nor inflict great suffering; driven by greed for flesh, I pursued the hunt.'
आपदासहितं प्राप्तं मानुषाणां भयावहम्। दर्शनं दुःखदं मह्यं मृगाणां मानुषैः सह
'I have encountered calamity, bringing fear to humans; the sight of deer together with humans brings me great sorrow.'
पापेन पापतां नीतो ह्यपापेऽपि सतां कुले। उत्पन्नो विकृतिं नीतः पश्य कालस्य पर्ययम्
'By sin I have been led to sinfulness, though born in a blameless family of the virtuous; born as a man, I have been brought to this state—behold the turn of fate.'
तस्मान्मे सुकृतं नास्ति हिंसाप्येका विगर्हिता। तया तु प्राप्यते दुःखं न च मोक्षो भविष्यति
'Therefore, I have no merit; even a single act of violence is condemned. By it, suffering is obtained, and there will be no liberation.'
कथं मे भविता मोक्षः कथं सत्या मृगी भवेत्। गते वर्षशते तस्य वसतस्तद्वने तदा
How will I attain liberation? How will the doe become true? When a hundred years have passed as he dwells in that forest, then—
आयातं गोकुलं काले यवसोदककारणात्। गोवाटवाटीसंस्थानं तत्तत्र समवस्थितम्
At that time, for the sake of barley and water, he came to Gokula, to the place where the cow-pens and enclosures were established, and remained there.
वनोपकण्ठे मंथानरवेणापूरितं च यत्। क्षीबैर्गोपैः समाकीर्णं पादपैरपितद्वनम्
At the edge of the forest, filled with the sound of churning, crowded with intoxicated cowherds, and shaded by trees, was that forest.
निशिवंशरवोपेतं गोपीनां च शुभप्रदम्। एवं तु वसतस्तस्य खर्जूरवनसंसदि
Resounding with the calls of night birds, auspicious for the cowherd women, thus, as he dwelled there in the kharjūra grove—
हृष्टा तुष्टा च पुष्टा च नंदा वै नाम नामतः। गोमंडलस्य सामुख्या हंसवर्णा घटस्रवा
There was one named Nandā, joyful, content, and well-nourished, chief among the herd, swan-colored, with a flowing gait.
दीर्घघोणा विभक्तांगी बंधुरांगी तनुत्वचा। नीलकंठा शुभग्रीवा घंटाली मधुरस्वना
With a long nose, well-proportioned limbs, slender-bodied, blue-throated, with a beautiful neck, adorned with a bell, and sweet-voiced.