स एव नित्यकालं च पृच्छति स्म तदुत्तरम्
He alone, as eternal time, kept asking that question and its answer.
निश्चयार्थं पुनः सोऽथ गोकर्णस्ताः प्रणम्य च 172.
Then, for the sake of certainty, Gokarna again bowed to them.
यदि गोप्यं ममार्त्तस्य वैरूप्यं कथयिष्यथ
If you reveal the disfigurement of my suffering, though it is meant to be kept secret—
एवमुक्ते तदा तासां मध्ये एकाऽब्रवीदिदम्
When this was said, then among them, one spoke these words:
शृणु वत्स वदिष्येऽहं विरूपकरणं यथा
Listen, child, I will tell you how the disfigurement came about.
आस्ते मधुपुरी रम्या नृणां मुक्तिप्रदायिनी
There is the delightful city of Madhu, which grants liberation to men.
चातुर्मास्यं तीर्थसेवी स गतो भक्तिपूर्वकम्
He went there with devotion, observing the holy rites of the four months.
आरामवाटिकाः शुभ्राः प्राकारवरवेष्टिताः
There were splendid pleasure gardens, encircled by excellent walls.
फलवन्तो द्रुमास्तस्मिन्सर्वर्त्तुसुमनोहराः
Within them stood fruitful trees, charming in every season.
सेवकैर्नाशितः सर्वं आरामः सफलद्रुमः
All the pleasure gardens with their fruitful trees were destroyed by the servants.
बहुधा वार्यमाणैस्तु पापबुद्धिसमाश्रितैः
Though many tried to stop them, those with wicked minds persisted.
पञ्जरस्थो यथा सिंहः कोऽस्मांस्त्राता भवेदिति 172.
Like a lion trapped in a cage, he wondered, 'Who will save us?'
रुरोदोच्चैः स्वरं दीना हा कष्टमिति जल्पती
She cried out in a loud, distressed voice, lamenting, 'Alas, how terrible!'
श्रूयते बहुधाकारो गोकर्णोऽप्यतिदुःखितः
It is heard that Gokarna, too, was deeply afflicted in many ways.
प्राञ्जलिर्दीनया वाचा सान्त्वयामास ताः शनैः
With joined palms and a gentle, sorrowful voice, he gradually consoled them.
भविता यदि तत्राहं राजानं तं निवारयम्
If I am present there, I will restrain that king.
इत्युक्तमात्रे वचने ताः सर्वा लब्धचेतसः कस्त्वं कथय कस्माच्च स्थानाद्यत्त्वमिहागतः
As soon as these words were spoken, all of them regained their composure: 'Who are you? Tell us, and why have you come here from your place?'
गोकर्ण उवाच पूर्वं दृष्टा भवत्यो वै चार्वंग्यश्चारुलोचनाः
Gokarna said: Formerly, I saw you all, beautiful in form and lovely-eyed.
इदानीं मलिना जाता मम शोकविवर्द्धनाः
Now you have become disheveled, increasing my sorrow.
ज्येष्ठा सोवाच तस्याग्रे पुष्पजात्या स्वलंकृताः
In front of him, the eldest spoke, adorned with flowers of her kind.
हृद्यवेषाः सुचार्वंग्यः पुष्पवृद्धिरताः तदा
At that time, they had pleasing forms, beautiful limbs, and were devoted to the growth of flowers.
राजलोकैः पीडिताश्च च्छेदनोन्मूलनेन च 172.
But they were afflicted by royal officials through cutting and uprooting.
पुष्पमालाविहीनाश्च मूलस्कन्धावशेषिताः
Deprived of garlands of flowers, only roots and trunks remained.
यो देवस्तत्र पाषाणो मृत्पिण्डेष्टकयन्त्रितः
The deity there is a stone, enclosed in a lump of clay or brick.
पुण्यं सोदकपूर्णोऽयं तस्यारामस्य सेचकम्
This water-filled vessel is meritorious; it serves as the irrigation for that grove.
ये च वृक्षाः फलोपेतास्ते सौवर्णाश्च सत्तम तस्या नाशाद्यथा नोऽत्र जातेयं च विरूपता
And those trees bearing fruit, and those of gold, O best one—if they are destroyed, such deformity as has arisen here will not occur.
गोकर्ण उवाच करणात्कूपदेवानां तस्य पुण्यफलं वद
Gokarna said: Tell me the meritorious result of making well-deities there.
ज्येष्ठोवाच इष्टेन लभते स्वर्गं पूर्त्ते मोक्षं च विन्दति
Jyeshtha said: By sacrifice one attains heaven; by charitable works, one attains liberation.
वापीकूपतडागानि देवतायतनानि च
Reservoirs, wells, ponds, and shrines of the deities—
भूमिदानेन ये लोका गोदानेन च कीर्त्तिताः
The worlds obtained by giving land and by giving cows are praised.