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.
सा चावस्थामिमां प्राप्ता कश्चिन्मां त्रातुमीश्वरः
Having reached this state, she thought, 'May some lord save me.'
ददृसे चाश्रमवरं मत्तकोकिलनादितम्
She saw the excellent hermitage, resounding with the cries of intoxicated cuckoos.
इत्येवं चिन्तयन्ती सा संप्रविष्टा महाश्रमम्
Thus reflecting, she entered the great hermitage.
संशुष्कास्यां चलन्नेत्रां परिम्लानामिवाब्जिनीम्
Her mouth parched, her eyes unsteady, she was like a withered lotus.
केयमित्येव संचिन्त्य समुत्थाय स्थिताभवत्
Thinking, 'Who is this?' she rose and stood up.
पप्रच्छतुस्तथान्यो ऽयं कथयामासतुस्तदा
Then the two questioned each other and began to speak.
समासीने कथाभिस्ते नानारूपाभिरादरात्
As they sat, they conversed with various kinds of stories, attentively.
स तत्त्वज्ञो मुनिश्रेष्ठो अक्षराण्यवलोकयन्
That best of sages, knower of truth, observed the letters.
मुहूर्तं ध्यानमास्थाय व्यजानाच्च तपोनिधिः
After entering meditation for a moment, the ascetic understood.
अयोध्यामगमत् क्षिप्रं द्रष्टुमिक्ष्वाकुमीश्वरम्
He quickly went to Ayodhya to see the lord of the Ikshvakus.