तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधश्चैव समन्तादवलोकयत्
He looked all around—sideways, above, and below.
पिङ्गलाभिर्जटाभिस्तु उद्ब्द्धं यत्नतः शुभे
With tawny matted locks, he was carefully bound, O auspicious one.
प्राह केनासि बद्धस्त्वं पापिना वद बालक
She asked, 'By whom have you been bound, child? Tell me, O sinner.'
जटास्वेवं सुदुष्टेन जीवामि तपसो बलात्
I live by the power of austerity, though so wickedly bound in these matted locks.
तत्रास्ति तपसो राशिः पिता मम ऋतध्वजः
There is a heap of austerity here; my father is Ṛtadhvaja.
जातो ऽलिवृन्दसंयुक्तः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः
Born among a host of bees, he is expert in all scriptures.
जाबालीति परिख्याय तच्छृणुष्व शुभानने
He is known as Jābāli; listen to this, O beautiful-faced one.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि सुमारत्वे चरिष्यसि
For ten thousand years you will practice austerity in Sumāra.
पञ्चवर्षशतान् बालो भोक्ष्यसे बन्धनं दृढम्
As a child, you will endure firm bondage for five hundred years.
यौवने पारमान् भोगान् द्विसहस्रसमास्तथा
In youth, you will enjoy supreme pleasures for two thousand years.
लप्स्यसे भूमिशय्याढ्यं कदन्नाशनभोजनम्
You will obtain a bed upon the earth and food made from wild grains.
विचरामि महीपृष्ठं गच्छन् स्नातुं हिरण्वतीम्
I wander upon the earth, going to bathe in the Hiraṇvatī.
इमां देववतीं गृह्यं मूढ न्यस्तां महाश्रमे
Taking this divine one, who was foolishly placed in the great hermitage,
वटाग्रे ऽस्मिन्नुद्ब्बन्ध जटाभिरपि सुन्दरि
Bound at the tip of the banyan tree, even with matted locks, O lovely one.
लतापाशैर्महायन्त्रमधस्ताद् दुष्टबुद्धिना
With creeper ropes and a great device below, by one of wicked mind.
दिशां मुकेषु सर्वेषु कृतं यन्त्रं लतामयम्
A device made of creepers was placed at the mouths of all directions.
यथेच्छया मया दृष्टमेतत् ते गदितं शुभे
O auspicious one, I have told you what I have seen, just as it appeared to me.
समायाता सुचार्वङ्गी केन सार्थेन मां वद
O woman of graceful limbs, tell me for what purpose you have come here.
नन्दयन्तीति मे नाम प्रम्लोचागर्भसंभवा
My name is Nandayantī, born from the womb of Pramlocā.
इयं नरेन्द्रमहिषी भविष्यति न संशयः
She will become the queen of the king—of this there is no doubt.
शिवा चाशिवनिर्घोषा ततो भूयो ऽब्रवीनमुनिः
Śivā and Aśivanirghoṣā—then the sage spoke further.
ततो जगाम स ऋषिरेवमुक्त्वा वचो ऽद्भुतम्
Then, having spoken these wondrous words, the sage departed.
तीर्थं ततो हिरण्वत्यास्तीरात् कपिरथोत्पतत्
From the bank of the Hiraṇvatī river, the monkey-chariot then took flight to the holy place.
तयास्मि देशमानीता इमं मानुषवर्जितम्
By her I was brought to this region, devoid of people.
प्राह सुन्दरि गच्छस्व श्रीकण्ठं यमुनातटे
The beautiful one said to me: 'Go to Śrīkaṇṭha on the bank of the Yamunā.'
तस्मै निवेदयात्मानं तत्र श्रेयो ऽधिलप्स्यसे
Present yourself to him; there you will attain the highest good.
परित्राणार्थमगमद्धिमाद्रेर्यमुनां नदीम्
For the sake of deliverance, she came to the Yamunā river from the mountain.
संप्राप्ता शङ्करस्थानं यत्रागच्छति तापसः
She arrived at the place of Śaṅkara, where the ascetic comes.
प्रतिवन्द्य ततो ऽपश्यक्षरांस्तान्महामुने
After offering her respects, she saw those imperishable ones, the great sages.
तज्जाबाल्युदितं श्लोकमलिखच्चान्यमात्मनः
She wrote down another verse of her own, spoken in her childhood.