रूपयौवनसंपन्ना पद्महीनेव पद्मिनी
Endowed with beauty and youth, like a lotus plant bereft of its pond,
जगाम नेमिषं नाम स्नातुं कमललोचना
The lotus-eyed one went to a place called Nemiṣa to bathe.
तां ददर्श च तन्वङ्गीं शुभाङ्गो मदनातुरः
There, a man, handsome and lovesick, saw her slender form.
असौ नराधिपसुतो मदनेन सदर्थ्यते
That son of the king was truly struck by love.
सख्यस्तामब्रुवन् बाला न प्रगल्भऽसि सुन्दरि
Her friends said to her, 'Child, you are not bold, O beautiful one.'
पिता तवास्ति धर्मिष्ठः सर्वशिल्पविशारदः
Your father is righteous and skilled in all the arts.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजा सुरथः सत्यवात् सुधी
Meanwhile, King Suratha, steadfast in truth and wise,
त्वं मुग्धे मोहयसि मां दृष्ट्यैव मदिरेक्षणे
You, innocent one with intoxicating eyes, bewilder me with just your glance.
तन्मां कुचतले तल्पे अभिशायितुमर्हसि
Therefore, you ought to lie with me upon this couch, at my breast.
ततः सा चारुसर्वाङ्गी राज्ञो राजीवलोचना
Then she, whose every limb was lovely and whose eyes resembled lotuses, to the king—
एवं पुरा तया तैन्व्या परित्रातः स भूपतिः
Thus, in former times, that king was saved by that woman, Tainvi.
अरजस्काब्रवीद् दण्डं तस्या यद् वृत्तमुत्तरम्
Arajaska spoke to Daṇḍa about what had happened to her.
तदा तया तु तन्वङ्ग्या सुरथस्य महीपतेः
Then, by that slender-limbed woman, to Suratha, the lord of the earth—
यस्माद् धर्मं परित्यज्य स्त्रीभावान् मन्दचेतसे
Because, abandoning righteousness, through womanhood and a weak mind—
विवाहरहिता नैव सुखं लप्स्यसि भर्तृतः
Without marriage, you will not obtain happiness from a husband.
अपकृष्टे नपरपतौ सापि मोहमुपागता
When she was rejected by the king, she fell into delusion.
अपकृष्टे नपरपतौ सापि मोहमुपागता
When she was rejected by the king, she fell into delusion.
सा सिच्यमाना सुतरां शिशिरेणाप्यथाम्भसा
Though she was thoroughly sprinkled with cold water—
तां मृतामिति विज्ञाय जग्मुः सख्यस्त्वरान्विताः
Her friends, realizing she was dead, departed quickly.
सा च तास्वपि सर्वासु गतासु वनमुत्तमम्
And she, when all of them had gone, entered the excellent forest.
अपश्यन्ती नापतिं तथा स्निग्धं सखीजनम्
Not seeing the king nor her affectionate friends,
तां वेगात् काञ्चनाक्षी तु महानद्यां नरेश्वर
With great speed, the golden-eyed one entered the great river, O king.
तयापि तस्यास्तद्भाव्यं विदित्वाथ विशां पते
She too, having understood what was to happen to him, O lord of the people,
एवं तस्याः स्वतन्त्राया एषावस्था श्रुता मया
Thus, I have heard of this condition of hers, being independent.
किमर्थमागतासीह निर्मनुष्यमृगे वने
For what purpose have you come here, into this forest devoid of people and full of wild animals?
श्रुत्वार्षिः कोपमगमदशपच्छिल्पिनां वपम्
Hearing this, the sage became angry and cursed the sculptors' form.
योजिता नैव पतिना तस्माच्छाखामृगो ऽस्तु सः
He was not united with her as a husband; therefore, let him become a branch-dwelling deer.
उपास्य पश्विमां सन्ध्यां पूजयामास शङ्करम्
Having worshipped the evening twilight, she honored Śaṅkara.
उवाचागम्यतां सुभ्रूं सुदतीं पतिलालसाम्
He said, 'Let the beautiful-browed, lovely-toothed woman, longing for her husband, approach.'
तत्रोपास्य महेशानं महान्तं हाटकेश्वरम्
There, having worshipped the great lord, Hāṭakeśvara,