स्तबकस्तनधारिण्यो रक्तपल्लवपाणयः । मञ्जरीजालहासिन्यो लोलशुभ्राम्बुदांशुकाः
With clusters of blossoms for breasts, crimson shoots for hands, smiling with garlands of buds, and draped in the fluttering white veils of gentle clouds—
स्वपरागाङ्गहारिण्यः कृतकौसुममण्डनाः । सुसेव्यकाञ्चनशिलानितम्बतटशोभनाः
Adorned with natural fragrance, captivating with their pollen-tinted limbs, beautifully arrayed with floral ornaments, their golden rocky hips inviting to serve—
तरङ्गमौक्तिकप्रोतसरिन्मुक्तालतावृताः । लतावयस्यावलिता मुग्धमुग्धमृगात्मजाः
Decked with strings of pearls from the waves, entwined with the garlands of riverine creepers, accompanied by their vine companions, charming as the gentle fawns of the forest—
स्वभावोद्दामसौगन्ध्या वितीर्णफलभोजनाः । षट्पदश्रेणिनयनाः पुष्पापूरनताङ्गिकाः
With their innate, intense fragrance, offering abundant fruits for food, their eyes formed by lines of bees, their bodies bent beneath the weight of blossoms—
आश्वासास्पदतां याताश् शीतलामलगात्रिकाः । रमयन्ति त्वम् इव मां वनवीथ्यो वरानने
Having become a place of comfort, with cool and spotless limbs, the forest paths delight me, O lovely-faced one, just as you do.
यथा विविक्तम् एकान्ते मनो भवति निर्वृतम् । न तथा शशिबिम्बेषु न च ब्रह्मेन्द्रसद्मसु
The mind finds true contentment in solitary seclusion—not in the radiance of the moon, nor in the palaces of Brahma or Indra.
अस्मिन् मत्प्रणये तन्वि न विघ्नं कर्तुम् अर्हसि । भर्तुर् विघटयन्तीच्छां न स्वप्ने ऽपि कुलस्त्रियः
O slender one, in this matter of my affection, you ought not to create any obstacle; noble women do not oppose the wishes of their husbands, not even in dreams.
प्राप्तकालं कृतं कार्यं राजते नाथ नेतरत् । वसन्ते राजते पुष्पं फलं शरदि राजते
An action performed at the proper time shines, O lord, not otherwise; a flower blooms in spring, and fruit ripens in autumn.
जराजरढदेहानां युक्तं वनसमाश्रयः । न यूनां त्वादृशाम् एव तेनैतन् मे न रोचते
For those whose bodies are worn and aged, it is fitting to seek the forest; but not for the young like you—therefore, this does not please me.
यौवनेन महाराज न यावद् वयम् उज्झिताः । पुष्पौघेनेव तरवस् तावच् छोभामहे गृहे
O great king, as long as we are not deprived of youth, we adorn the house like trees adorned with a multitude of blossoms.
पुष्पाभया पुष्पसितं जरसा सह काननम् । समं गृहाद् गमिष्यामो हंसा इव तरोस् सरः
When old age comes, and the forest is covered with blossoms, we shall leave the house together, like swans departing from a tree to a lake.
अप्राप्तकालं नृपतेः प्रजापालनम् उज्झतः । राजयक्ष्मेव चन्द्रस्य महद् एनो न नश्यति
If a king abandons the protection of his people before the proper time, his great sin does not perish, just as the moon's disease does not vanish.
अप्राप्तकारिणं भूपं रोधयन्ति च वै प्रजाः । रोधयन्ति ह्य् अकार्येभ्यः प्रभुभृत्याः परस्परम्
The subjects indeed restrain a king who acts before the proper time; and masters and servants restrain each other from improper deeds.
अलम् उत्पलमालाक्षि विघ्नेनाभिमतस्य मे । विद्धि मां गतम् एवेतो दूरम् एकान्तकाननम्
Enough, O lotus-eyed one, of obstructing my intention; know that I have already gone far away to a solitary forest.
बाला त्वम् अनवद्याङ्गी नागन्तव्यं वनं त्वया । पुंसाम् अपि हि मृद्वङ्गि दुर्विषह्यो वनाश्रयः
You are young, with flawless limbs; you should not go to the forest. Even for men with tender bodies, dwelling in the forest is hard to endure.
न समर्था वनावासे योषितः कठिना अपि । का नाम पुष्पमञ्जर्यस् सोढुम् अर्कातपं क्षमाः
Women are not capable of living in the forest, even if they are strong. What flower cluster could bear the heat of the sun?
भवत्या पालयन्त्येह राज्यं स्थातव्यम् उत्तमे । कुटुम्बभारोद्वहनं पत्यौ याते व्रतं स्त्रियः
You should remain here, protecting the kingdom. When your husband departs, women must take up the burden of the household as their vow.
इत्य् उक्त्वा दयितां राजा ताम् इन्दुवदनां वशी । उत्तस्थौ स्नातुम् अखिलं दिनकार्यं चकार ह
Having spoken thus to his beloved, whose face was like the moon, the king, self-controlled, rose to bathe and performed all his daily duties.
अथोज्झितप्रजाचेष्टो रविर् अस्ताचलं ययौ । शिखिध्वजो वनम् इव समस्तजनदुर्गमम्
Then, abandoning the activities of his subjects, the sun went to the western mountain, just as Shikhidhvaja entered the forest, inaccessible to all people.
संहृत्य विततं रूपं तम् एवानुययौ प्रभा । नाथं भवननिष्क्रान्तं चूडालेवानुरागिणी
Gathering her widespread form, Prabhā followed her lord, who had left the palace, like Chūḍālī, full of love.
आययौ यामिनी श्यामा भुवनं भस्मधूसरम् । धृतव्योमापगं शर्वम् ईर्ष्ययेव यमस्वसा
The dark night arrived, making the world ashen and dusty, holding the celestial river in the sky, like Yama’s sister, out of jealousy.
दिक्षु सन्ध्याभ्रहस्तासु स्थितासु कृतकुण्डलम् । तमोलवालकाङ्कासु ज्योत्स्नाहासोदयाङ्कितम्
In the directions, where the hands of twilight clouds were adorned with earrings, in the locks of darkness, the marks of moonlight’s smile began to rise.
गच्छतोर् अपरं पारं दम्पत्योर् मैरवं वनम् । देवोद्यानमयं रन्तुं दिनश्रीदिननाथयोः
The royal couple, Day and its Lord, went to the other side, to the Maireya forest, a divine garden, to enjoy themselves.
आगच्छतोर् इमं पारं हृद्यं तीक्ष्णकरोज्झितम् । निशानिशानाथयोश् च दम्पत्योर् मैरवं पुनः
As Night and its Lord approached this side, charming yet pierced by the sharp rays, the royal couple again entered the Maireya forest.
तारागणो ऽपि ददृशे विशीर्णो व्योमकुट्टिमे । मुक्तो मङ्गललाजानां दिग्वधूभिर् इवाञ्जलिः
The host of stars appeared scattered across the sky's expanse, as if the celestial brides had released handfuls of auspicious rice.
चन्द्रानना तमश्श्यामा शीता कुमुदहासिनी । यामिनी यौवनं प्राप सरोजमुकुलस्तनी
Night, moon-faced, dark as darkness, cool, smiling like the white water-lily, attained her youth, her breasts like unopened lotus buds.
कृतसन्ध्यासमाचारस् सह चूडालयेष्टया । सुष्वाप शयने भूपो मैनाक इव सागरे
Having performed the evening rites, the king, with his beloved crowned consort, slept on his bed like Mount Mainaka in the ocean.
अथार्धरात्रसमये देशे निश्शब्दतां गते । घननिद्राशिलाकोशनिलीने सकले जने
Then, at midnight, when silence pervaded the land and all people were hidden in the stone-casket of deep sleep,
स तस्यां सम्प्रसुप्तायां शयने कोमलांशुके । भृशं निद्राविमूढायां भ्रमर्याम् इव पङ्कजे
As she lay fast asleep on the bed, wrapped in a soft garment, deeply overcome by sleep, like a bee in a lotus,
तत्याज दयितां सुप्ताम् अङ्काद् राजा शिखिध्वजः । स्वैरं स्वैरं मुखं राहो रविचन्द्रप्रभाम् इव
King Shikhidhvaja quietly left his beloved, who slept on his lap, just as Rahu stealthily leaves the radiant faces of the sun and moon.