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.
सा च यूथस्य सर्वस्य पुरश्चरति निर्भया। घासस्थानं चरेच्छन्नं गत्वैका च यथासुखम्
She moved fearlessly at the front of the whole herd, going as she pleased to the grazing grounds, sometimes wandering alone as she wished.
यथेष्टकामा सुरभी छन्नं चरति वै तृणम्। रोहितो नाम तत्रान्यः पर्वतः सरितस्तटे
As Surabhi, desiring as she wished, grazed secretly on the grass, there was another mountain named Rohita on the riverbank.
अनेककंदरदरी गुहासत्व निषेवितः। तस्य पूर्वोत्तरेभागे घोरे तृणसमाकुले
Frequented by many animals in its caves and hollows, in its northeastern part, terrible and thick with grass—
संकटे विषमे दुर्गे भैरवे लोमहर्षणे। मृगसिंहसमाकीर्णे बहु श्वापद सेविते
In a narrow, uneven, difficult, and frightening place, filled with deer and lions, and frequented by many wild beasts.
वल्लीवृक्षादिगहने शिवाशत निनादिते। दुर्गेस्मिन्वसते रौद्रः कामरूपी भयंकरः
In a dense thicket of creepers and trees, resounding with the cries of hundreds of jackals, in this stronghold dwelled a fierce, terrifying being of changing form.
द्वीपी शोणित दिग्धांसो घोरदंष्ट्रानखायुधः। नंदो नाम स धर्मात्मा स च गोपीहिते रतः
A leopard, with blood-smeared jaws, terrible fangs and claws as weapons; his name was Nanda, righteous and devoted to the welfare of the cowherd women.
अच्छिन्नाग्रैस्तृणैर्दीर्घैर्गोधनं परिरक्षति। तस्य यूथपरिभ्रष्टा सानंदा तृणलिप्सया
He protected the herd with long, unbroken blades of grass; from his herd, Nandā, separated by her desire for grass, wandered away.
चरंती व्याघ्रपुरतः सा धेनुः प्रत्युपस्थिता। अभ्यद्रवच्च तां द्वीपी तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
As she grazed before the tiger, that cow came near; the leopard rushed at her and said, 'Stay, stay!'
त्वमद्य विहितो भक्षः स्वयं प्राप्तासि धेनुके। द्वीपिनश्च वचः श्रुत्वा निष्ठुरं रोमहर्षणं
'Today you are destined as food, O cow, you have come of your own accord!' Hearing the leopard's harsh and chilling words—
शुक्लरूपान्वितं बालं भद्रमिंदुसमप्रभम्। वत्सं स्मरति सा धेनुः स्नेहाक्ता गद्गदाक्षरम्
She remembered her calf, white in form, auspicious, radiant as the moon, and, filled with affection, the cow spoke in a choked voice.