प्रमादेनापि यैर्गौरि लिंगं रत्नेशमर्चितम्
O Gauri, even by inadvertence, those who have worshipped the liṅga of Ratneśa—
त्रैलोक्ये यानि वस्तूनि रत्नभूतानि तानि तु 4.2.67.
All the objects in the three worlds that are of the nature of jewels—
पूजयिष्यंति ये लिंगं रत्नेशं कामवर्जिताः
Those who will worship the liṅga of Ratneśa without desire—
रुद्राणां कोटिजप्येन यत्फलं परिकीर्तितम्
The fruit that is declared to arise from reciting Rudra a crore of times—
लिंगे चानादिसंसिद्धे यद्वृत्तं तद्ब्रवीमि ते
I shall tell you what occurred regarding the liṅga, which is perfect from beginningless time.
पुरेह नर्तकी काचिदासीन्नाट्यार्थकोविदा
Once, here, there was a certain dancer, skilled in the art of dance.
ननर्त जागरं प्राप्य जगौ गीतं च पेशलम्
She danced through the night, and sang a graceful song.
तेन तौर्यत्रिकेणापि प्रीणयित्वाथ सा नटी
By pleasing with that performance of music and dance, that actress—
कालधर्मवशंयाता तत्र सा वरनर्तकी
That excellent dancer, overcome by the law of time, met her end there.
संगीतस्य सवाद्यस्य तस्य लास्यस्यपुण्यतः
Because of the merit from that music, instrumental performance, and dance—
रम्या रत्नावली नाम रूपलावण्यशालिनी
She became Ratnāvalī by name, charming and endowed with beauty and grace.
पितुरानंदकृन्नित्यं वसुभूतेर्घटोद्भव 4.2.67.
She was ever a source of delight to her father, born in the house of Vasubhūti.
मुने सखीत्रयं तस्याश्चारु चातुर्यभाजनम्
O sage, she had three friends, each a vessel of lovely cleverness.
तिसृभिस्ताभिरेकत्र वाग्देवीपरिशीलिता
With those three, in one place, she was instructed by the goddess of speech.
प्राप्य रत्नावली गौरि सा जन्मांतरवासनाम्
Ratnāvalī, O Gauri, attained the impressions of her previous birth.
रत्नभूतस्य लिंगस्य काश्यां रत्नेश्वरस्य वै
Of the liṅga made of jewels, of Ratneśvara at Kāśī—
इत्थं नियमवत्यासीत्सा गंधर्वसुतोत्तमा
Thus, with discipline, she became the foremost daughter of a Gandharva.
एकदाराध्य रत्नेशं ममैतल्लिंगमुत्तमम्
Once, she worshipped Ratneśa, that supreme liṅga of mine.
सख्यः प्रदक्षिणीकर्तुं लिंगं तिस्रोऽप्युमे गताः
The three friends also went to circumambulate the liṅga.
यस्त्वया रंस्यते रात्रावद्य गंधर्वकन्यके
O faultless daughter of the Gandharvas, the one with whom you will enjoy the night—
इति लिंगांबुधेर्जातां परिपीय वचःसुधाम्
Thus, having drunk the nectar of those words from the ocean of the liṅga—
गताथ व्योममार्गेण सखीभिः स्वपितुर्गृहम् 4.2.67.
Then, by the path of the sky, she went with her friends to her sleeping father's house.
ताभिर्दिष्ट्येति दिष्ट्येति सखीभिः परिनंदिता
By her friends, she was congratulated again and again, saying, 'By fortune! By fortune!'
यद्यायाति स ते रात्रावद्य कौमारहारकः
If he comes, O faultless one, that night-stealer of maidenhood—
गोचरीक्रियतेस्माभिर्यथा स सुकृतैकभूः
We will keep watch, so that he, the sole doer of good deeds, may be found.
यातास्वस्मासु हृष्टासु भवती शयगौरवात्
When we, delighted, have gone, you, out of the heaviness of the bed—
अहोभाग्योदयो नृणामहो पुण्यसमुच्छ्रयः
Oh, what a rise of fortune for people! Oh, what an increase of merit!
सत्यं वदंति नासत्यं दैवप्राधान्यवादिनः
Those who speak of the predominance of fate speak the truth, not falsehood.
भवत्या अपि चास्माकमेक एव हि चोद्यमः
For you and for us, indeed, there is only one endeavor.
लोकानां व्यवहारोयमालिप्रोक्तप्रसंगतः
This is the conduct of the world, arising from the words spoken by the wise.