Varaha Purana

कदाचिन्नोक्तपूर्वं ते रहस्यं परमं महत् 122.

Never before have I told you this most profound secret.

दम्पतिभ्यां हि मननं रोचतां सर्वथैव हि

Let both husband and wife reflect upon this together, indeed in every way.

करेण स्वयमादाय वधूं पुत्रमुवाच ह

Taking the bride by the hand, the son spoke.

हस्त्यश्वरथ यानानि स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः

Elephants, horses, chariots, vehicles, and women resembling apsarases—

शरणं वित्तयो राज्यं त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्

Wealth, refuge, and kingdom—all are established in you.

त्वयि प्रतिष्ठिताः प्राणाः सन्तानं च तदुत्तरम्

Life and progeny are founded in you as well.

पितुः पादौ गृहीत्वा च प्रोवाच विनयान्वितः

Grasping his father's feet, he spoke with humility.

गन्तुमिच्छामि तत्राहं तूर्णं कोकामुखं महत्

I wish to go swiftly to that great Kokāmukha.

तदा राज्यं बलं कोशो ममैवैतन्न सशंयः ।। तत्रैव गमनान्मह्यं वेदना नाशमेष्यति

Then, the kingdom, army, and treasury are all mine without doubt; by going there, my pain will be destroyed.

पुत्रोक्तमवधार्यैव शकानामधिपो नृपः

Having understood the son's words, the king of the Śakas—

वणिजश्चैव पौराश्च वैश्याश्चापि वराङ्गनाः 122.

Merchants, townspeople, Vaiśyas, and noble women—

अथ दीर्घेण कालेन प्राप्तः कोकामुखं त्विदम् ।। तत्र गत्वा वरारोहा भर्त्तारमिदमब्रवीत्

Then, after a long time, he arrived at this Kokāmukha; having gone there, the noble lady spoke to her husband.

पूर्वपृष्टं मया यत्ते वक्ष्यामीति च मां प्रति

What you previously asked me, I will now tell you.

निशम्येति प्रियाप्रोक्तं राजपुत्रो यशस्विनि

Hearing these words spoken by his beloved, the illustrious prince—

रजनी सम्प्रवृत्तेयं सुखं स्वापो विधीयताम्

Night has now fallen; let us rest comfortably and sleep.

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां स्नातौ क्षौमविभूषितौ

When morning had dawned, after bathing and adorning ourselves with fine linen—

व्याधेन निगृहीतोऽस्मि बडिशेन जलेचरः

I was seized by a hunter, like a fish caught by a hook.

तेन तस्य प्रहारेण जाता शिरसि वेदना 122.

From that blow of his, pain arose in my head.

एतत्ते कथितं भद्रे पूर्वपृष्टं च यत्त्वया

O gentle one, this which you asked before has now been told to you.

ततः साप्यनवद्याङ्गी रक्तपद्मशुभानना

Then she too, flawless in form, her face lovely as a red lotus—

एतदर्थं मया भद्र गुह्यं नोक्तं तथा स्वकम्

For this reason, dear one, I did not reveal my secret before.

क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ता चिल्ली गगनगामिनी

Weary from hunger and thirst, the bird Cilli, who moves through the sky—

अथ कश्चिन्मृगव्याधो हत्वा वनचरान्बहून्

Then a certain hunter of wild beasts, having slain many forest-dwellers—

प्रवृत्तोऽग्निमुपादाय तावदुड्डीय सत्वरम्

He began to kindle a fire, and at that moment, the bird swiftly flew up.

न च सक्तास्मि संहर्त्तुं मांसभारप्रपीडिता

But I was unable to escape, weighed down by the burden of flesh.

भक्षयित्वा ततो मांसं व्याधः संहृष्टमानसः

After eating the meat, the hunter became joyful in mind.

तावद्ददर्श मां तत्र खादन्तीं मांसपिण्डिकाम् 122.

At that moment, he saw me there, eating a lump of flesh.

विद्धा बाणेन मां तत्र भक्षयन्तमिपातयत्

He struck me there with an arrow as I was eating, and I fell down.

पतितास्म्यवशा भद्र कालतन्त्रे दुरासदे

Helpless, I fell, O gentle one, into the inescapable web of fate.