मञ्जरीत्वं लतात्वं वा वरम् एतास् तरुं पतिम् । न मुञ्चन्ति क्षणम् अपि ममाप्य् उत्कण्ठितं मनः
These creepers do not leave their tree-lord even for a moment, whether as blossoms or as vines; my mind too is restless.
यथेयम् अग्रगं कान्तम् एति सिद्धाभिसारिका । तथा कदाहम् एष्यामि ममापीति मनस् स्थितम्
Just as this accomplished lover goes to her beloved at the front, so too, when shall I go? This thought remains in my mind.
इमे मन्दारमरुत एते च शशिनः कराः । वनराजय एताश् च माम् अप्य् उत्कण्ठयन्त्य् अहो
These gentle breezes of the coral tree, these rays of the moon, and these rows of forest trees—all these, indeed, make me restless.
हे चित्ताज्ञवद् एवान्तः किं त्वं ताण्डवितं स्थितम् । सा व्योमनिर्मला साधो क्व ते याता विवेकिता
O mind, why do you remain agitated within, as if disobedient? Where has your clarity gone, O noble one, that was once pure as the sky?
अथ वा चित्त भर्तारं स्वं प्रत्य् उत्कण्ठसे सखे । तिष्ठोत्कण्ठाविवलितं किम् अनुत्कण्ठितेन ते
Or perhaps, O mind, you long for your own lord, my friend; why remain in restless longing, when there is nothing left to long for?
किं किलोत्कण्ठसे वापि भर्ता यातो जरां भवेत् । तपस्वी कृशगात्रश् च भवेन् निर्वासनस् तथा
Why do you long, or for what? The lord may have grown old, become ascetic, emaciated in body, and gone forth without possessions.
मत्तो राज्याच् च भोगेभ्यो मन्ये ऽस्यामूलतां गता । वासना लतिका प्रावृण्नदीतटगता यथा
I think that, for him, the desire-creeper for kingdom and pleasures has been uprooted, just as a creeper on the riverbank is swept away by the monsoon flood.
एकान्तमतिर् एकात्मा नीरसश् शान्तवासनः । मन्ये भवति मे भर्ता शुष्कवृक्षसमस्थितिः
His mind is wholly turned inward, he is self-absorbed, without taste for anything, his desires at peace; I think my husband now stands like a withered tree.
तथापि चित्त कोत्कण्ठा भव वोत्कण्ठयान्वितम् । पतिम् उद्बोध्य योगेन श्लेषयिष्याम्य् अहं गले
Yet, my heart still longs, and I am filled with yearning; I will awaken my husband through yoga and embrace him around the neck.
प्रमृष्टवासनं भर्तुस् समीकृत्य मनो मुनेः । राज्य एव नियोक्ष्यामि निवत्स्यावस् सुखं चिरम्
Once I see that my husband's mind is cleansed of desires, O sage, I will settle him in the kingdom, and we will dwell there happily for a long time.
अहो नु चिरकालेन मनोरथम् इमं शुभम् । अहम् आसादयिष्यामि यद् भर्त्रा समचित्तता
Ah, after such a long time, I will attain this auspicious wish of mine: to be of equal mind with my husband.
समग्रानन्दवृन्दानाम् एतद् एवोपरि स्थितम् । यत् समानमनोवृत्तिसङ्गम् आस्वादने सुखम्
This alone stands above all gatherings of complete bliss: the happiness of union in which the movements of mind are alike.
इति चिन्तावती व्योम्ना चूडालोल्लङ्घ्य पर्वतान् । देशान् अब्दान् दिगन्तांश् च प्राप मन्दरकन्दरम्
Thinking thus, Chudala soared through the sky, crossing mountains, lands, oceans, and horizons, and reached the cave of Mount Mandara.
अदृश्यैव नभस्स्थैव प्रविवेश वनान्तरम् । वात्येव पादपलतास्पन्दचिह्नगमागमा
Invisible and moving through the air, she entered the forest, her coming and going marked only by the trembling of creepers in the wind.
वनैकदेशे कस्मिंश्चित् कृतपर्णोटजे पतिम् । दृष्ट्वा योगेन बुबुधे देहान्तरम् इवास्थितम्
In a certain part of the forest, she saw her husband, who had made a hut of leaves, and through yogic insight, she perceived him as if he had taken on another body.
हारकेयूरकटककुण्डलादिविभूषितः । अभवन् मेरुकान्तिर् यस् तम् एवात्र ददर्श सा
He, who once shone like Mount Meru, adorned with necklaces, armlets, bracelets, earrings, and other ornaments—she saw him there in that very place.
कृशाङ्गं कृष्णवर्णं च जीर्णपर्णम् इव स्थितम् । कज्जलाम्बुभरस्नातं भृङ्गीशम् इव निस्सहम्
Emaciated in body, dark in complexion, sitting as if he were an old, withered leaf, bathed in the dust and soot of the forest, he resembled a powerless bee-lord.
चीराम्बरधरं शान्तम् एकाकिनम् अवस्थितम् । स्थले निषण्णं पुष्पाणि ग्रथयन्तं जरां गतम्
Clad in bark garments, tranquil, dwelling alone, seated on the ground, stringing flowers together, he had come to the state of old age.
तम् आलोक्यानवद्याङ्गी चूडाला पीवरस्तनी । किञ्चिज्जातविषादेदम् उवाचात्मनि चेतसा
Beholding him, Cūḍālā—faultless in form, full-bosomed—felt a slight sorrow and spoke thus within her own mind:
अहो नु विषमं मौर्ख्यं यद् अनात्मज्ञतात्मकम् । एवंविधास् समायान्ति दशा मौर्ख्यप्रसादतः
Alas, how grievous is the folly that arises from ignorance of the Self! Such states as this come about due to the favor of ignorance.
अयं स राजा लक्ष्मीवान् यो ममापि प्रियः पतिः । हृदि मोहघुणक्षुण्णाम् इमाम् अद्यागतो दशाम्
This is that very king, endowed with fortune, who was also my beloved husband—now he has come to this condition, his heart gnawed by the worm of delusion.
तद् अवश्यम् इहैवाद्य नाथं विदितवेद्यताम् । नयाम्य् एनं न सन्देहो भोगमोक्षश्रियं तथा
Therefore, today itself, I must certainly bring my lord here to the knowledge that is to be known—there is no doubt, along with the prosperity of enjoyment and liberation.
इदं रूपं परित्यज्य रूपेणान्येन केनचित् । सकाशम् अस्य गच्छामि बोधं दातुम् अनुत्तमम्
Leaving aside this form, I shall go to him in another form, to impart the highest knowledge.
बालेयं मम कान्तेति मदुक्तं न करोत्य् अयम् । तस्मात् तापसरूपेण बोधयामि पतिं क्षणात्
This child does not heed my words, thinking of me as his beloved; therefore, I will instruct my husband instantly in the form of an ascetic.
भर्ता कषायपाकेन परिपक्वमतिस् स्थितः । चेतस्य् अस्याद्य विमले स्वं तत्त्वं प्रतिबिम्बति
My husband, matured by the fire of inner purification, now stands with a mind fully ripened; today, in his pure mind, his true nature will be reflected.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य चूडाला बभूव द्विजदारकः । ईषद्ध्यानाद् गतान्यत्वं क्षणाद् अम्बुतरङ्गवत्
Thinking thus, Chudala became the form of a young brahmin boy; through slight meditation, she assumed another identity in a moment, like a wave on water.
पपात विपिने तस्मिन् द्विजपुत्रकरूपिणी । भर्तुर् अभ्याजगामाग्रं मन्दस्मितलसन्मुखी
She descended in that forest, taking the form of a brahmin boy, and approached her husband, her face shining with a gentle smile.
ददर्श द्विजपुत्रं तं पुरो यातं शिखिध्वजः । वनान्तराद् उपगतं तपोमूर्तिम् इवास्थितम्
Shikhidhvaja saw that brahmin boy standing before him, who had come from the depths of the forest, appearing as the very embodiment of asceticism.
द्रवत्कनकगौराङ्गं मुक्ताहारविभूषितम् । शुक्लयज्ञोपवीताङ्गं शुक्लाम्बरयुगावृतम्
His body shone with the luster of molten gold, adorned with a necklace of pearls, wearing a white sacred thread and draped in two white garments.
कमण्डलुधरं कान्तं शान्तं दान्तम् अनामयम् । व्याप्तप्रकोष्ठं द्विगुणेनाक्षसूत्रेण चारुणा
He held a water pot, was handsome, serene, self-controlled, free from affliction, his forearms adorned with a beautiful double string of prayer beads.