मनसा ये स्मरिष्यति प्रतीहारेश्वरं शिवम्
Whoever remembers in their mind the lord of the doorkeepers, Śiva,
ईश्वर उवाच यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण तिर्यग्योनिर्न लभ्यते
The Lord said: By merely seeing him, one does not attain a birth among animals.
कौशिकोनाम राजाभूत्कुक्कुटो जायते सदा
There was a king named Kauśika; he is always born as a rooster.
व्याप्ता च पृथिवी तेन सशैलवनकानना
By him, the earth was pervaded, along with its mountains, forests, and groves.
विशालानाम विख्याता भार्या तस्य महीपतेः
His wife, renowned by the name Viśālā, belonged to that king.
तया चकार सहितः स राज्यं राजसत्तमः
Together with her, that foremost of kings ruled the kingdom.
तया सार्द्धं कदाचिच्च सुरतं नास्ति पार्वति
Yet, O Pārvatī, there was never any intimacy with her.
एवं गच्छति काले तु सह राज्ञा स्मरातुरा ददर्श कीटमिथुनमनंगकलहातुरम्
As time passed in this way, tormented by desire, the queen, together with the king, saw a pair of insects agitated by the quarrel of love.
प्रसादयंस्तथा कीटः स्वां प्रियां च मुहुर्मुहुः
That insect, again and again, sought to please his beloved.
भजस्व मां यथाकाममनंगशरपीडितम्
"Embrace me as you wish, for I am afflicted by the arrows of love."
न त्वया सदृशी लोके कामिनी विद्यते क्वचित् 5.2.21.
"Nowhere in the world is there a passionate woman equal to you."
कुतो वा मयि दीने त्वं क्रुद्धेव प्रियवादिनि
"Why, when I am wretched, do you, who speak kindly, seem angry with me?"
सा तमाह प्रकोपाच्च किमालपसि मां वृथा प्रदत्तं कामलुब्धेन अन्यस्य कीटकाधम
She, provoked, said to him: "Why do you speak to me in vain? Given over to another by your lust, you wretched insect!"
नाहमेवं करिष्यामि कीटः प्राह पुनःपुनः
"I will not act so," she said, but the insect pleaded again and again.
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सा प्रसन्नाभवत्तदा
Hearing those words, she then became appeased.
दृष्ट्वा तन्महदाश्चर्यं सा राज्ञी विललाप ह न कामिताहं कांतेन मरिष्यामि न संशयः
Seeing that great wonder, the queen lamented: "I am not desired by my beloved; I will die, there is no doubt."
एवं विलप्य बहुधा विनिःश्वस्य पुनःपुनः
Thus lamenting in many ways, sighing again and again,
दृष्ट्वा तमृषिमासीनं तपोयोनिं दृढव्रतम्
She saw that sage, seated, born of austerity, firm in his vows.
एकोऽयं संशयो ब्रह्मन्हृदये परिवर्त्तते न जाने कारणं किं तु संगमो नोपजायते
"O Brāhmaṇa, this one doubt turns in my heart: I do not know the reason, but union does not arise."
यो गत्वा प्रमदाराज्यं जित्वा सर्वाः पुरा रणे नैव कामयते तासु किमेतदिति सुव्रत
"He who, having conquered the realm of women, defeated all in battle before, now does not desire them—O virtuous one, what is this?"
वाजिनो वारणाश्चैव धनधान्यमनंतकम् 5.2.21.
"Horses, elephants, and endless wealth and grain—"
केन कर्मविपाकेन ममेदं यौवनं दृढम्
"By what result of karma is my youth so firm as this?"
दृश्यते वासरे भागे रात्रौ चैव न दृश्यते
It is seen during the day, but at night it is not seen.
दुष्कृतावर्जनं ब्रह्मन्ममेदं वक्तुमर्हसि
O Brahmin, you ought to speak to me about the avoidance of evil deeds.
शृणु पुत्रि पुरावृत्तं बालभावेन यत्कृतम्
Listen, my daughter, to what happened long ago, done out of childishness.
विदूरथस्य तनयस्तव भर्ता स निश्चितम्
Your husband is certainly the son of Viduratha.
बहवः कुक्कुटास्तेन भक्षिता राजसूनुना
By him, the prince, many chickens were eaten.
एवं भक्षयतस्तस्य बहुशो वत्सरा गताः पृष्टाः किं कारणं नात्र समायांति हि कुक्कुटाः
Thus, as he kept eating, many years passed; when asked why the chickens no longer come here, there was no answer.
अथ केनापि कथितं कुक्कुटानां च भक्षणम् भक्षिताः कुक्कुटाः सर्वे विना कारणतो नृप
Then someone said that the chickens had been eaten; all the chickens were devoured by the king without any reason.
ताम्रचूडोऽथ संक्रुद्धो ददौ शापं दुरात्मने
Then Tāmracūḍa, enraged, pronounced a curse upon the evil-minded one.