एवं शिखिध्वजः पर्णमठिकायां वने स्थितः । इदानीं शृणु चूडाला सा किं कृतवती गृहे
Thus, Śikhidhvaja stayed in the forest in his leaf-hut; now, listen to what Cūḍālā did at home.
तत्रार्धरात्रसमये दूरं याते शिखिध्वजे । हरिणी ग्रामसुप्तेव चूडाला बुबुधे भयात्
When Śikhidhvaja had gone far away, at midnight, Cūḍālā, like a deer awakened from sleep in the village, became aware out of fear.
अपश्यत् पतिनिर्हीनं शयनं शून्यतां गतम् । अभास्करम् अपूर्णेन्दुं शान्तशोभम् इवाम्बरम्
She saw the bed, deprived of her husband, now empty—like the sky, devoid of sunlight and with an incomplete moon, possessing a tranquil beauty.
उत्तस्थौ किञ्चिद् आम्लानवदना खेदशालिनी । कुसिक्तेव महावल्ली निरुत्साहाङ्गपल्लवा
She rose, her face somewhat withered, full of distress, like a great creeper wetted by rain, her tender limbs lacking enthusiasm.
न प्रसन्ना न विमला बभूवाकुलतां गता । दिनश्रीर् इव नीहारधूसरा सा व्यतिष्ठत
She was neither serene nor pure, but had fallen into confusion, remaining as dimmed as the splendor of day obscured by mist.
क्षणं शय्योपविष्टैव चिन्तयाम् आस चिन्तया । कष्टं राज्यं प्रभुस् त्यक्त्वा वनं यातो गृहाद् इति
For a moment, she sat on her bed, absorbed in anxious thought: 'Alas, the lord has abandoned the kingdom and gone from home to the forest.'
तन् मयेहाद्य किं कार्यं तत्समीपं व्रजाम्य् अहम् । भर्तैव गतिर् उद्दिष्टा विधिना प्रकृता स्त्रियः
'So what should I do now? I will go to him. For a woman, the husband alone is prescribed by fate as her refuge.'
इति सञ्चिन्त्य भर्तारम् अनुगन्तुं समुत्थिता । चूडाला वातरन्ध्रेण निर्गत्याम्बरम् आययौ
Thinking thus, Cūḍālā rose to follow her husband, and, passing through an air-duct, ascended into the sky.
बभ्रामाम्बरमार्गेण वातस्कन्धेन योगिनी । कुर्वती सिद्धसार्थस्य मुखेनान्येन्दुविभ्रमम्
The yoginī traveled through the sky, borne by the wind, her face shining with a beauty that rivaled the moon, as she moved among the hosts of accomplished beings.
ददर्शाथ पथा यान्तं रात्रौ खड्गकरं पतिम् । भ्रमन्तम् एकम् एकान्ते वेतालेशम् इवोत्थितम्
Then, by that path, she saw her husband at night, sword in hand, wandering alone in a secluded place, like a spirit newly arisen.
तादृशं पतिम् आलोक्य रुद्धा गगनकोटरे । भविष्यच् चिन्तयाम् आस सर्वं भर्तुर् अखण्डितम्
Seeing her husband in such a state, she paused within the hollow of the sky and began to contemplate all that would befall him, without omission.
यथा तेन यदा यत्र यावत् कार्यं यथोदयम् । यथा च निर्वृतिस् स्फारा गन्तव्या तेन राघव
'Whatever, whenever, wherever, and to whatever extent he must act, and however his complete fulfillment is to be attained, that must be accomplished by him, O Rāghava.'
अवश्यभवितव्यं तद् भर्तुर् दृष्ट्वा पुरस्स्थितम् । तद् एव सम्पादयितुं गमनात् सा न्यवर्तत
Seeing that what must happen to her husband was now before her, she turned back from her journey to bring it about.
आस्तां ममाद्य गमनं कालेनातिचिरेण हि । मयास्य पार्श्वं गन्तव्यं नियतेर् एष निश्चयः
Let my journey be postponed for today; before long, by the force of destiny, I must go to his side.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य चूडाला प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं पुनः । सुष्वाप शयने शम्भोश् शिरसीवैन्दवी कला
Thinking thus, Chudala entered the inner chambers again and slept on her couch, like the moon’s digit on Shiva’s head.
केनचित् कारणेनासौ गतस् सम्प्रति भूपतिः । इति पौरजनं सर्वम् आश्वास्यातिष्ठद् अङ्गना
To reassure all the people, the queen said, 'The king has gone away for some reason.'
राज्यं ररक्ष भर्तुस् तत् क्रमेण समदर्शना । यथा कलमकेदारं पक्वं कलमगोपिका
She governed the kingdom in her husband’s stead, with impartial vision, just as a farmer’s wife tends the ripe field of rice.
तयोस् तदावहत् कालो दम्पत्योस् स्थितयोस् तथा । अदृष्टान्योऽन्यमुखयो राज्यकाननपालयोः
Thus, time passed for the couple, each in their place—she in the palace, he in the forest—unseen by one another, both guarding their respective realms.
जगामाथ दिनं पक्षो मासो ऽथर्तुश् च वत्सरः । शिखिध्वजस्य विपिने चूडालायास् स्वमन्दिरे
Then a day, a fortnight, a month, and a year went by—Shikhidhvaja in the forest, Chudala in her own palace.
बहुनात्र किम् उक्तेन वर्षाण्य् अष्टादशाङ्गना । चूडालोवास सदने वनकच्छे शिखिध्वजः
Why say more? Eighteen years passed: Chudala remained in her palace, Shikhidhvaja in the forest’s edge.
अथ यातेषु बहुषु वर्षेषु जरसा वृते । शिखिध्वजे महाशैलतटकोटरवासिनि
Then, after many years had passed and old age had come, Śikhidhvaja dwelled in a cave on the slope of a great mountain.
भर्तुः कषायपाकं तद् आलक्ष्य फलितं चिरात् । तदा तस्यात्मकार्यस्य भवितव्यतया तया
Observing that her husband's austerities had finally matured and borne fruit after a long time, she recognized that the destined time for his spiritual purpose had arrived.
भर्तुस् समीपगमने मम कालो ऽयम् इत्य् अपि । सञ्चिन्त्य मन्दरोपान्तं गन्तुं बुद्धिं चकार सा
Thinking, 'Now is the time for me to approach my husband,' she resolved to go to the vicinity of Mount Mandara.
चचालान्तःपुराद् रात्रौ ततार च नभःपथम् । जगाम वातस्कन्धेन गच्छन्ती खे ददर्श च
She left the inner chambers at night, traversed the path of the sky, and, carried by the wind, saw those who moved through the air.
कल्पवृक्षांशुकच्छन्ना रत्नस्तबकभूषिताः । नन्दनोद्याननिलया रक्तास् सिद्धाभिसारिकाः
She saw women adorned with garlands of jewels, draped in garments of wish-fulfilling trees, dwelling in the gardens of Nandana, passionately seeking the company of perfected beings.
परामृष्टेन्दुशकलान् प्रालेयकणकर्षिणः । सिद्धोत्तंसात्तसौगन्ध्यान् स्पर्शयाम् आस मारुतान्
She touched breezes fragrant with the perfumes worn by the siddhas, cool with the touch of moon-crested locks, and carrying the chill of snowflakes.
चन्द्रबिम्बामृताम्भोधिमहावीचिपरम्पराम् । अपश्यन् निर्मलां ज्योत्स्नाम् अम्बराम्बरतां गताम्
She beheld the pure moonlight, like a succession of great waves from the ocean of nectar in the moon's orb, spreading as a garment across the sky.
मेघान्तरेण गच्छन्ती मेघलग्नाश् च विद्युतः । अभियुक्ता स्वभर्त्रा सा भूयो भूयो व्यलोकयत्
Passing between clouds and seeing lightning clinging to them, she, intent on her husband, looked again and again.
उवाच चात्मनैवाहो यावज्जीवं शरीरिणाम् । न स्वभावश् शमं याति ममाप्य् उत्कण्ठते मनः
He said: For as long as beings live, their nature does not come to rest; even my mind is restless.
कदा मृगेन्द्रस्कन्धं तं प्रणयप्रवणं पुरः । पश्यामि कान्तम् इत्य् अन्तर् ममाप्य् उत्कण्ठितं मनः
When shall I see before me that beloved, with lion-like shoulders, inclined to affection? My mind too is restless within.