यथा नरेन्द्रपुत्राणि कनकाभरणानि हि
Just as the sons of kings are adorned with golden ornaments,
स्वमिसंलब्धसंमाना भृत्या राजसुतानिव
And as servants, honored by their own masters, are like the sons of kings,
भृत्वा वसन्तनृपतेः संग्रामे ऽसृक्प्लुता इव
Clad in the blood of battle, as if in the war of the king of spring,
पुलकाभिर्वृता यद्वत् सज्जनाः सुहृदागमे
Just as the virtuous are surrounded by goosebumps at the arrival of a friend,
वक्तुकामा इवाङ्गुल्या को ऽस्माकं सदृशो नगः
As if wishing to say with their fingers, 'What mountain is equal to us?'
नीलाशोककचा श्यामा विकासिकमलानना
Dark with the tresses of blue ashoka, their faces blossoming like lotuses,
प्रफुल्लकुन्ददशना मञ्जरीकरशोभिता
With teeth like blooming jasmine, adorned with the beauty of flower clusters,
पुंस्कोकिलस्वना दिव्या अङ्कोलवसना शुभा
Divine, with the voices of male cuckoos, beautiful in garments of ankola flowers,
प्राग्वंशरसना ब्रह्मन् मत्तहंसगतिस्तथा
With sashes of the eastern bamboo, O Brahman, and a gait like that of an intoxicated swan,
वसन्तलक्ष्मीः संप्राप्ता ब३ह्मन् बदरिकाश्रमे
O Brahman, the fortune of spring arrived at the Badari hermitage.
समीक्ष्य च दिशः सर्वास्ततो ऽनङ्गमपश्यत
And surveying all the directions, he did not see Kāma (the god of love) there.
यं ददर्श जगन्नाथो देवो नारायणो ऽव्ययः
That one whom the Lord of the universe, the imperishable god Nārāyaṇa, beheld.
स शङ्करेण संदग्धो ह्यनङ्गत्वमुपागतः
He, having been burned by Śaṅkara, attained the state of being bodiless.
दग्धस्तु कारणे कस्मिन्नेतद्व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
But for what reason was he burned? You ought to explain this.
विनाश्य दक्षयज्ञं तं विचचार त्रिलोचनः
Having destroyed Dakṣa’s sacrifice, the three-eyed one wandered about.
अपत्नीकं तदास्त्रेण उन्मादेनाभ्यताडयत्
Then, by that weapon, he struck the one without a wife, maddened.
विचचार तदोन्मत्तः काननानि सरांसि च
Then, in his madness, he wandered through forests and lakes.
न शर्म लेभे देवर्षे बाणविद्ध इव द्विपः
He found no peace, O divine sage, like an elephant pierced by arrows.
निमग्ने शङ्करे आपो दग्धाः कृष्णात्वमागताः
When Śaṅkara was immersed, the waters were burned and turned black.
आस्यन्दत् पुण्यतीर्था सा केशपाशमिवावने
That sacred river flowed, like a lock of hair upon the earth.
पुलुनेषु च रम्येषु वापीषु नलिनीषु च
In the lovely sandbanks, in the ponds and among the lotuses,
विचारन् स्वेच्छया नैव शर्म लेभे महेश्वरः
As he wandered at will, Maheśvara found no peace.
क्षणं ध्यायति तन्वङ्गीं दक्षकन्यां मनोरमाम्
For a moment, he meditated on the slender-limbed, charming daughter of Dakṣa.
स्वप्ने तथेदं गदति तां दृष्ट्वा दक्षकन्यकाम्
Even in his sleep, seeing that daughter of Dakṣa, he spoke thus:
मुग्धे त्वया विरहितो दग्धो ऽस्मि मदनाग्निना
"O innocent one, separated from you, I am burned by the fire of love."
पादप्रणामावनतमभिभाषितु मर्हसि
"You ought to speak to one who bows at your feet in reverence."
आलिङ्ग्यसे च सततं किमर्थं नाभिभाषसे
"Though you are always embraced, why do you not speak?"
विशेषतः पतिं बाले ननुप त्वमतिनिर्घृणा
"Especially to your husband, O girl, are you not exceedingly unkind?"
विना त्वया न जीवेयं तदसत्यं त्वया कृतम्
Without you, I could not live; what you have done is untrue.
नान्यथा नश्यते तापः सत्येनापि शपे प्रिये
Otherwise, this pain will not be destroyed; I swear to you truly, beloved.