देवार्चनायावचितम् इदं यत् कुसुमं मया । अङ्ग त्वदङ्गसङ्गेन तत् प्रयातु कृतार्थताम्
This flower, which I have gathered for worship of the gods, should attain its purpose by contact with your limb.
जीवितं याति साफल्यं ममाभ्यागतपूजया । देवाद् अप्य् अधिकं पूज्यस् सताम् अभ्यागतो जनः
My life finds fulfillment through your arrival and worship; a guest who comes to the virtuous is more worthy of honor than even the gods.
तत् कस् त्वं कस्य पुत्रस् त्वं किम् आयातो ऽस्य् अनुग्रहात् । एतं मे संशयं छिन्द्धि विमलेन्दुसमानन
So, who are you? Whose son are you? Why have you come here by favor? Resolve this doubt of mine, O one whose face resembles the spotless moon.
राजर्षे शृणु वक्ष्यामि यथापृष्टम् अखण्डितम् । अवर्णनं हि जिह्मत्वं तत् सताम् अतिनिन्दितम्
O royal sage, listen as I speak to you exactly as you have asked, without omission; for failing to describe oneself is crookedness, and greatly condemned among the virtuous.
अस्त्य् अस्मिञ् जगतः कोशे शुद्धात्मा नारदो मुनिः । पुण्यलक्ष्म्या मुखे कान्ते कर्पूरतिलकोपमः
Within this world’s expanse dwells the pure-souled sage Nārada, whose face, radiant with the fortune of virtue, shines like a mark of camphor.
स कदाचिन् मुनिर् मेरोर् गुहायां ध्यानम् आस्थितः । अधित्यकायां भूतानाम् अदृश्यश् शान्तमानसः
Once, that sage, Nārada, seated in meditation within a cave on Mount Meru, became invisible to beings on the slopes, his mind utterly tranquil.
तत्र हेमतटे गङ्गा वहत्य् उरुतरङ्गिणी । मेरुलक्ष्म्यास् स्फुरद्रूपा भाति हारलतेव या
There, on a golden bank, flows the Gaṅgā with mighty waves, gleaming in the splendor of Meru’s wealth, resplendent like a garland of pearls.
एकदा नारदमुनिर् ध्यानान्ते सरितस् तटे । ध्वनद्वलयम् अश्रौषील् लीलाकलकलारवम्
One day, as Nārada ended his meditation on the riverbank, he heard the ringing sound of laughter and playful voices.
किम् एतद् इत्य् असौ किञ्चिज्जातप्रायकुतूहलः । हेलयालोकयन् नद्याम् अपश्यल् ललनागणम्
Wondering, 'What is this?' and feeling a slight curiosity, he casually glanced at the river and saw a group of women.
रम्भातिलोत्तमाप्रायं निर्यातं जललीलया । क्रीडन्तं त्यक्तवसनं देशे पुरुषवर्जिते
They resembled Rambhā and Tilottamā, emerging to play in the water, disrobed, in a place devoid of men.
काञ्चनाम्भोजमुकुलसुन्दरैस् स्तनमण्डलैः । परिवेल्लितम् अन्योऽन्यं फलैः कान्तद्रुमं यथा
Their breasts, lovely as golden lotus buds, pressed together and mingled, like the fruits of beautiful trees entwined.
द्रुतहेमरसापूरनिर्झराभोगभासुरैः । कुर्वन्तम् ऊरुभिः काममन्दिरस्तम्भविभ्रमम्
With thighs shining like streams filled with flowing golden nectar, they created the illusion of pillars in a palace of desire.
निर्मलीकृतचन्द्रेण व्याप्तव्योम्ना विलासिना । लावण्यरसपूरेण तर्जयन्तम् इवापगाम्
With a purified moon, pervading the radiant sky, overflowing with the essence of beauty, as if challenging the rivers.
प्राकारैर् अमरोद्याने रथचक्रैर् मनोभुवः । उत्पथार्पितगङ्गाम्बुनितम्बतटसेतुभिः
With ramparts in the celestial garden, with chariot wheels of the mind-born god, and bridges of river water laid across unconventional paths.
सर्वत्र दृष्टसर्वाङ्गं विश्वरूपम् इवास्थितम् । प्रतिबिम्बितसर्वार्थम् अन्योऽन्यादर्शतां गतम्
Everywhere, seen in all its limbs, established as the universal form; reflecting all objects, attaining mutual mirror-like existence.
कालकल्पतरोर् वर्षविटपात् पक्षपल्लवात् । विविधर्तुलताजालाद् दिनश्रीकलिकाकुलात्
From the branches and leaves of the wish-fulfilling tree of time, from the various cotton webs, and from the clusters of day’s glory buds.
आलोकपुष्परजसो जाताद् गगनकानने । स्फुरज्जगत्खगव्रातात् सप्ताब्ध्येकालवालकात्
From the pollen of luminous flowers born in the sky-forest, from the flock of birds flashing through the world, and from the single hair of seven oceans.
मासस्तबकवृन्तेषु वृद्धिं यान्तं रसान्वितम् । उद्धृत्योद्धृत्य सम्पूर्णं चालिताम्भोदपल्लवम्
In the stalks of the monthly clusters, growing with sap, repeatedly drawn and filled, the moving buds of water clouds.
आलोलालककेशाक्षितारकादिमधुव्रतम् । अमृतापद्विघाताय कोशसञ्चयकारिभिः
With bees of honey, eager for the nectar of star-eyed, wavy-haired flowers, creating stores for the obstruction of the immortal path.
दुष्प्रापे भूतसङ्घानां विकसत्कनकाम्बुजे । पद्मपल्लवसञ्छन्नं गुप्तं मेरोर् गुहान्तरे
Inaccessible to the hosts of beings, blooming with golden lotuses, concealed by lotus shoots, hidden within the cave of Meru.
शीतले स्वर्धुनीतीरे यत्नोत्सृष्टमलं पुरः । चन्द्रबिम्बफलापूरम् एकत्रैवोपसम्भृतम्
On the cool bank of the celestial river, there was a heap of fruit, as if a pile of moon-disks and fruit had been gathered together in one place, freshly arranged and spotless before him.
स्त्रैणम् आलोक्य तत् कान्तं सहसैव मनो मुनेः । अनाश्रितविवेकांशं बभूवानन्दितं स्फुरत्
Seeing that beautiful woman, the sage's mind was suddenly captivated; it became delighted and radiant, lacking any recourse to discrimination.
आनन्दवलिते चित्ते क्षुब्धे प्राणानिले स्थिते । बभूव तस्य तुष्टस्य मदनस्खलितं तदा
With his mind overflowing with delight, his breath agitated and unsteady, in that moment of satisfaction, he experienced a stumble caused by desire.
फलं रसापूर्णम् इव ग्रीष्मान्त इव तोयदः । प्रत्यग्रः पादपश् छिन्नलतावृन्त इवोत्तमः
Like a fruit filled with fresh juice, like a raincloud at the end of summer, like a young tree with its creeper just cut, he was at his peak.
अवश्यायकणस्यन्दी शशाङ्क इव वा मुनिः । बिसं द्विधा यातम् इव गलत्साररसो ऽभवत्
The sage, like the moon dripping nectar, became as if a lotus stalk split in two, its essence flowing out, unable to restrain the necessary outpouring.
तादृशो ऽपि बहुज्ञो ऽपि जीवन्मुक्तो ऽप्य् असौ मुनिः । निरिच्छो ऽपि निरास्थो ऽपि नकिञ्चिदुपमो ऽप्य् अलम्
Even though he was such a one—learned, liberated while living, without desire, detached, and without any comparison—still, the sage was overcome.
सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं नित्यम् आकाशविशदो ऽपि च । नारदो ऽपि कथं ब्रह्मन् मदनस्खलितो ऽभवत्
How is it, O Brahman, that even Nārada—ever pure within and without, clear as the sky—was stumbled by desire?
सर्वस्या एव राजेन्द्र भूतजातेर् जगत्त्रये । देवादेर् अपि देहो ऽयं द्वयात्मैवं स्वभावतः
O king of kings, in all the three worlds, for every embodied being—even gods—this body is by nature dual in its constitution.
अज्ञम् अस्त्व् अथ वा तज्ज्ञं यावन् मत्तं शरीरकम् । सर्वम् एव जगत्य् अङ्ग सुखदुःखमयं स्मृतम्
Whether one is ignorant or knowledgeable, as long as the body is intoxicated by delusion, O dear one, the entire world is regarded as filled with pleasure and pain.
हृद्यादिना पदार्थेन केनचिद् वर्धते सुखम् । आलोक इव दीपेन महाम्बुधिर् इवेन्दुना
Happiness increases for someone through some pleasing object, just as light grows with a lamp, or the great ocean swells under the moon.