सुता कण्वस्य मामेवं विद्धि त्वं मनुजाधिप
Know me as the daughter of Kaṇva, O king of men.
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा नृपेणोक्तं वरानने
Hearing her words, the king spoke to the beautiful-faced one:
भार्या मे भव सुश्रोणि ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते
'Become my wife, O lovely-hipped one. Tell me, what shall I do for you?'
आहरामि तवाद्याहं भार्या मे भव शोभने विवाहानां च रंभोरु गांधर्वः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते
'Today I shall bring you; become my wife, O beautiful one. Among marriages, O slender-thighed one, the Gandharva rite is considered the best.'
नृपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा कन्या वचनमब्रवीत् 5.2.62.
Hearing the king's words, the maiden replied:
तदर्थं मां स्थितं विद्धि त्वया मेऽपहृतं मनः
'Know that I am here for that purpose; my mind has been taken by you.'
आत्मनो बंधुरात्मैव गतिरात्मैव चात्मनः
'The self is its own kin, its own refuge, and its own goal.'
सत्यं मे प्रतिजानीहि दत्तमात्मानमद्य मे
'Promise me truly: give yourself to me today.'
इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा परिणीता नृपेण हि
Hearing her words in this way, she was indeed married by the king.
कामिता सा नृपेणेव ततो गंतुं समुद्यतः
She, desired by the king, then prepared to depart.
सा कन्या पितरं दृष्ट्वा ह्रिया नोपजगाम तम्
That maiden, seeing her father, did not approach him out of modesty.
उवाच परमं कुद्धस्तां कन्यां काममोहिताम्
He, extremely angry, spoke to that maiden who was deluded by desire.
स्वयं स्वयंवरो मोहात्तस्मात्कृष्णा भविष्यसि
Because you chose your own husband out of delusion, you shall become dark.
अयं ते नृपतिर्भर्त्ता दुष्टरूपो भविष्यति
This king will be your husband, and he will become ugly in form.
इत्युक्ता तत्क्षणाज्जाता सा कन्या रूपवर्जिता 5.2.62.
Thus addressed, that maiden instantly became devoid of beauty.
अथ प्रसादयामास सा कन्या पितरं तदा
Then that maiden began to appease her father.
अज्ञानाच्च कृतं पापं तात त्वं क्षंतुमर्हसि
Father, the wrong was done out of ignorance; you ought to forgive.
न चाहं प्रार्थिता तेन मयासौ प्रार्थितो नृपः
Nor was I sought by him; rather, I sought that king.
इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा स विप्रोऽतिकृपान्वितः
Hearing her words, that brahmin was filled with great compassion.
नैव वागनृतं पुत्रि यावदद्य स्मराम्यहम्
Never, my daughter, have I spoken a false word as far as I remember.
अकार्यं कारितो येन बलादहमनिंदिते
By whom I was compelled to do this improper act, O blameless one.
महाकालवने पुण्ये लिंगं रूपप्रदायकम्
In the sacred Mahakala forest is a linga that bestows beauty.
तत्त्वं गच्छ त्वरा युक्ता सह भर्त्रा नृपेण हि
Go there quickly, together with your husband, the king.
इत्युक्ता सा तदा कन्या सह भर्त्रा गता प्रिये
Thus addressed, that maiden then went with her husband, dear one.
ददर्श परया भक्त्या स च राजा नरोत्तमः दिव्यवस्त्रपरीधाना दिव्यालंकारभूषिता ।। 5.2.62.
And that best of kings saw her, adorned with divine garments and ornaments, with supreme devotion.
स च राजा तथा जातः कंदर्पसदृशाकृतिः
And that king became one whose form was like that of Kama, the god of love.
अतो लोकेषु विख्यातो देवो रूपेश्वरः प्रिये
Therefore, beloved, in the worlds the god known as Rūpeśvara is renowned.
स च राजा स्वकं प्राप्तो राष्ट्रं सस्यादिसंयुतम्
And that king regained his own kingdom, abundant with crops and the like.
राज्यं कृत्वा गतः स्वर्गं भार्यया सह पार्वति
Having ruled the kingdom, he went to heaven together with his wife, O Pārvatī.
विमानेन सुदीप्तेन वंद्यमानो दिवालये
Honored in the celestial abode, he departed in a splendid, radiant chariot.