वनोपवनविन्यासवर्णनावलितासु च । शृङ्गाररसगर्भासु कथास्व् अरमतोन्मनाः
He was captivated by the arrangements and descriptions of forests and gardens, and became absorbed in tales imbued with the sentiment of love.
हारिहासलसच्छ्वासविलोलालकवल्लरीः । कुमारीः पूजयाम् आस सुवर्णकलशस्तनीः
He honored maidens whose locks waved with charming laughter and gentle breaths, whose breasts were like golden pitchers.
एवम् अस्य विदुर् भव्या मन्त्रिणो नवनिश्चयम् । इङ्गिताकारवेदित्वम् एव मन्त्रिपदं परम्
Thus, the wise ministers discerned his new intention; for truly, understanding gestures and expressions is the highest qualification for a minister.
अथ तस्य विवाहाय मन्त्रिवर्गो विचारवान् । सुराष्ट्राधिपतिं कन्यां ययाचे यौवनान्विताम्
Then, after careful deliberation, the council of ministers requested from the lord of Saurashtra a youthful maiden for his marriage.
रूपयौवनसम्पन्नां भार्यात्वे विधिनोत्तमाम् । उपयेमे स ताम् आत्मसदृशीं प्रतिमाम् इव
Endowed with beauty and youth, and most excellent as a wife by all standards, he married her—she was like his own reflection.
चूडालेति भुवि ख्याता नाम्ना नृपतिसुन्दरी । सा तं भर्तारम् आसाद्य रेजे फुल्लेव पद्मिनी
She was renowned on earth by the name Chūḍā, a princess among women; having obtained him as her husband, she shone like a blossoming lotus.
नीलनीरजनेत्रां तां चूडालां स शिखिध्वजः । स्नेहाद् विकासयाम् आस शोभयार्क इवाब्जिनीं
With affection, Śikhidhvaja caused Cūḍālā, whose eyes were dark as collyrium, to blossom in beauty, as the sun makes the lotus bloom.
अवर्धत तयोः प्रीतिर् अन्योऽन्यार्पितचेतसोः । हावभावविलासाद्यैस् सेकैर् नवलतेव सा
Their love grew as both offered their hearts to each other, nourished by gestures, moods, and playful delights, like a young creeper thriving with fresh showers.
स मन्त्र्यर्पितसर्वार्थस् सुसुखी सुस्थितप्रजः । राजहंस इवाब्जिन्या रेमे दयितया तया
Entrusting all matters to his ministers, happy and with his subjects well-settled, he enjoyed himself with his beloved, like a royal swan with a lotus.
अन्तःपुरेषु दोलासु चन्दनागुरुवीथिषु । मन्दारदामदोलासु कदलीकन्दलीषु च
In the inner chambers, on swings, along corridors scented with sandalwood and aloe, on gentle coral and flower-decked swings, and among groves of banana trees—
पुरान्तेषु वनान्तेषु दिगन्तेषु सरस्सु च । जङ्गलेषु दिनान्तेषु जम्बूजम्बीरशालिषु
At the edges of the city, in the depths of the forest, at the horizon, by lakes, in the wilderness at day's end, among groves of jambu, jambīra, and rice—
बभूवाह्लादकं सर्वं तयोर् अन्योऽन्यचेष्टितम् । सद्वर्षणाध्वराचारैर् द्युभूम्योर् इव कान्तयोः
Everything became a source of delight for them, in all their mutual activities, as if the heavens and earth found joy in the auspicious rites of rainfall and sacrifice.
नित्यम् एवावियुक्तत्वात् प्रियत्वाच् चेष्टितस्य च । मिथः कलाकलापस्य कोविदौ तौ बभूवतुः
Always inseparable and dear to each other in their actions, they became skilled in the art of mutual conversation and playful exchange.
स्वरूपम् एकम् एवैतौ दधतुर् मिश्रतां गतौ । अन्योऽन्यं हृदयस्थत्वाद् इव सङ्क्रान्तम् अक्षतम्
They attained such unity that they seemed to possess a single form, mingled together, as if each had entered the other's heart, whole and unbroken.
सर्वशास्त्रादिवैदग्ध्यं चित्राद्य् अपि मुखात् प्रभोः । बाला भाण्डाद् इवागृह्णाद् आसीत् सर्वार्थपण्डिता
She acquired mastery over all scriptures and arts, and even painting, from the mouth of her lord, as a child takes things from a container; thus she became learned in every subject.
नृत्तं वाद्यादि गेयादि चूडालावदनाद् असौ । अशिक्षत बभूवाथ कलानाम् अतिकोविदः
From Cudāla's lips, he learned dance, music, and singing; and soon became highly skilled in all the arts.
आमावास्याव् इवेन्द्वर्काव् अन्योऽन्यं विलसत्कलौ । मिथो हृदयसंस्थौ तौ द्वाव् अप्य् ऐक्यम् इवास्थितौ
Like the moon and sun shining together on the new moon night, those two, abiding in each other's hearts, seemed to dwell in perfect unity.
तौ संस्थिताव् एकरसाव् अनन्यदयिताव् उभौ । पुष्पामोदाव् इवाभिन्नौ भूतलस्थौ शिवाव् इव
They stood together, sharing the same essence, devoted solely to each other; like two indistinguishable fragrances of flowers upon the earth, or like two auspicious beings.
वैदग्ध्यसुन्दरमती सर्वशास्त्रार्थकोविदौ । क्रीडयेव भुवं प्राप्तौ कमलाकमलाधवौ
With beautiful intellect and refined wisdom, skilled in the meanings of all scriptures, the lotus and its lord seemed to have descended to earth merely to play.
स्नेहात् प्रसन्नमधुरौ समविज्ञानवेदिनौ । अनुवृत्तिपराव् आस्तां लोकवृत्तान्ततद्विदौ
Out of affection, they were gentle and sweet, equally knowing, devoted to mutual service, and experts in the ways of the world.
कलाकलापसम्पन्नौ लसद्रसरसायनौ । शीतलस्निग्धमुग्धाङ्गौ शशाङ्कौ द्वाव् इवोदितौ
Endowed with arts and eloquence, radiant with the nectar of delight, their bodies cool, tender, and charming, like two moons newly risen.
रेजे लसन्नृपतिभोगविलासकान्तम् अन्तःपुरेषु मिथुनं तद् अनुत्तमश्रि । ब्रह्माब्जषण्डकुहरेष्व् इव राजहंसयुग्मं विकासिमदमन्मथमन्दचारि
That peerless couple shone with royal splendor in the inner chambers, like a pair of royal swans wandering gracefully in the lotus-filled caves of Brahma, radiant with blossoming love.
एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि मिथुनं निर्भरस्पृहम् । रेमे यौवनलीलाभिर् अनन्ताभिर् दिने दिने
Thus, for many years, the couple, filled with intense longing, delighted each day in endless youthful pleasures.
अथ यातेषु वर्षेषु बहुष्व् आवृत्तिशालिषु । शनैर् गलति तारुण्ये भिन्नकुम्भाद् इवाम्भसि
Then, as many years passed, abundant with repeated cycles, youth gradually faded, like water leaking from a broken pot.
शारदस्येव पर्णस्य मिथुनस्यास्य कालतः । ईषद्विरागो हृदयं सम्यक्प्राग्रसम् अस्पृशत्
Just as a leaf in autumn, so too, with the passage of time, a subtle dispassion touched the hearts of the couple, gently and thoroughly.
विरागवासनाक्रान्तम् एकान्तस्थम् अचिन्तयत् । मिथुनं तज् जगद्यात्राम् इमाम् इत्थम् अशाश्वतीम्
Seized by the inclination toward dispassion, withdrawn in solitude, the couple reflected deeply on this fleeting journey of the world.
किं नामेह मनोहारि संसारकुहरभ्रमे । तरङ्गनिकराकारभङ्गुरव्यवहारिणि
What, indeed, is truly captivating here in this whirlpool of worldly existence, where all dealings are as fragile as clusters of waves?
पातः पक्वफलस्येव मरणं दुर्निवारणम् । हिमाशनिर् इवाम्भोजे जरा निपतनोन्मुखी
Death is as inevitable as the fall of a ripe fruit; old age descends upon the body like frost or hail upon a lotus, ready to strike.
आयुर् गलत्य् अविरतं जलं करतलाद् इव । प्रावृषीव लतातुम्बी तृष्णैका दीर्घतां गता
Life slips away incessantly, like water from the palm of the hand; only desire, like a gourd vine in the rains, grows long.
शैलनद्या रय इव सम्प्रयात्य् एव यौवनम् । इन्द्रजालम् इवासत्यं जीवितं क्षणसंस्थिति
Youth departs just as the current of a mountain stream flows away; life, lasting only a moment, is as unreal as a magician’s illusion.