इत्य् अध्यात्मविचित्राभिः कथाभिस् तौ परस्परम् । आसतां वेद्यवेत्तारौ मुहूर्तत्रितयं वने
Thus, with these wondrous spiritual conversations, the two—knower and known—sat together for three moments in the forest.
तत उत्थाय कस्मिंश्चित् स्नातौ सरससारसे । सरोवरे वने चैव विहृतौ नन्दनोपमे
Then, rising up, they bathed in some lake among the forest lotuses, and wandered in the forest, which was like paradise.
तेनाचारेण ताभिश् च कथाभिस् तौ वनेचरौ । नीतवन्तौ दिनान्य् अष्टौ तासु काननवीथिषु
Through such conduct and those conversations, the two wanderers of the forest spent eight days along those woodland paths.
अथ कुम्भ उवाचान्यद् वनं यावो गिराव् इति । तद् ॐ इति नृपो मत्वा ताव् उभौ प्रविचेरतुः
Then Kumbha said, 'Let us go to another forest, to the mountain.' The king, agreeing with 'Om,' and considering thus, both set out to roam.
वनान्य् अनेकरूपाणि जङ्गलानि तटानि च । सरांसि गुल्मजालानि शृङ्गाणि गहनानि च
They traversed forests of many forms, jungles, riverbanks, lakes, thickets of shrubs, and dense mountain peaks.
नदीर् देशांस् तथा ग्रामान् नगराणि पुराणि च । मरून् घोरान् गिरीन् कुञ्जांस् तीर्थान्य् आयतनानि च
They also crossed rivers, regions, villages, ancient cities, dreadful deserts, mountains, groves, sacred fords, and shrines.
समम् एव समस्नेहौ समवेषौ स्थिताव् उभौ । समसत्तौ समोत्साहौ सस्नतुस् तस्थतुस् तथा
Both, equal in affection and appearance, stood together, equal in disposition and enthusiasm; they bathed and remained thus.
आनर्चतुः पितॄन् देवान् बुभुजाते च राघव । समं तल्पे च शिश्याते समबुद्धी बभूवतुः
They honored the ancestors and gods, and ate together, O Raghava; they lay down together on the same bed and became of one mind.
तमालवनषण्डेषु मन्दारगहनेषु च । दम्पती स्निग्धहृदयौ सुहृदौ तौ विरेजतुः
In groves of tamala trees and in thickets of mandara, the two, united in affection and friendship, shone as a couple.
इदं ग्राह्यम् इदं नेति विकल्पकलना मनः । न जहार तयो राम वात्येव विबुधाचलम्
The mind, with its discriminations of 'this is to be accepted, this is not,' did not disturb them, O Rama, just as a storm does not shake a mountain.
विचेरतुस् तौ सुहृदौ क्वचिद् धूलिविधूसरौ । क्वचिच् चन्दनदिग्धाङ्गौ क्वचिद् भस्मानुरञ्जितौ
The two friends wandered here and there, sometimes covered in dust, sometimes their bodies smeared with sandalwood, and sometimes adorned with ashes.
क्वचिद् दिव्याम्बरधरौ चीराम्बरधरौ क्वचित् । क्वचित् पल्लवसञ्छन्नौ क्वचित् कुसुममण्डितौ
At times they wore divine garments, at times bark-cloth; sometimes they were covered with leaves, and sometimes adorned with flowers.
दिनैः कतिपयैर् एव गतचित्ततया तया । सत्त्वोदात्ततया चैव राजा कुम्भवद् आबभौ
Within just a few days, due to his mind having become detached and his nature elevated in purity, the king appeared as serene as a water-pot.
अथ तं सुरगर्भाभं चूडाला सा शिखिध्वजम् । दृष्ट्वा शोभाम् उपगतं चिन्तयाम् आस मानिनी
Then Cūḍālā, proud-minded, seeing Śikhidhvaja radiant like the son of the gods and possessing beauty, began to reflect.
अयं पतिर् अनिन्द्यात्मा तथेमा वनभूमयः । इयं स्थितिर् अनायासा यो न कामी स वञ्चितः
This husband of mine is blameless in soul, and so are these forest lands; this state is effortless—one who is not desirous is truly deceived.
जीवन्मुक्तधियां भोगे यथाप्राप्तम् अतिष्ठताम् । एकग्रहात्मिका तुच्छा मूढतैवोदिता भवेत्
For those whose minds are liberated while living, who accept enjoyments as they come, a narrow, one-pointed attitude is insignificant and arises only from delusion.
निजः पतिर् अनिन्द्यात्मा निराधित्वं नवं वयः । गृहाणि पुष्पजालानि सा हता या न कामिनी
One whose own husband is blameless in soul, youthful and unattached, and who does not accept garlands of flowers, she who is not passionate is truly ruined.
वनपुष्पलतागेहे स्वायत्ते भर्तरि प्रिये । रमते या न निर्दुःखा सा हतैव दुरङ्गना
In the forest dwelling of flowering vines, with a beloved husband under her control, she who does not delight, free from sorrow, is indeed a wretched woman.
वश्यं विवाहितं कान्तं पतिम् आसाद्य निर्जने । स्त्री सती या न रमते तां धिग् अस्तु दुरङ्गनाम्
Shame upon that woman who, having obtained a devoted and wedded husband in solitude, does not delight in him—she is truly called a wicked woman.
समुज्झता यथाप्राप्तम् अपि वेद्यविदा सता । अनिन्द्यं स्वम् उदारार्थं किं तज्ज्ञेन कृतं भवेत्
Even if a wise and learned person acquires something blameless and noble, what merit is there in that, if it is not used for a worthy purpose?
तत् कञ्चिद् रचयाम्य् आशु प्रपञ्चं प्रज्ञया नवम् । येनायं भूपतिर् भर्ता रमते मयि मानदः
Therefore, I shall swiftly create by my wisdom some new illusion, by which this king, my husband, the honor-giver, will take pleasure in me.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य चूडाला कुम्भवेषधरा पतिम् । प्राह काननगुल्मस्था कोकिलं कोकिला यथा
Thinking thus, Chudala, disguised as an ascetic, spoke to her husband from the thicket in the forest, like a female cuckoo to a male cuckoo.
चैत्रमासस्य शुक्ले ऽयं प्रतिपद्दिवसस् सुहृत् । अद्यास्थानं महारम्भं स्वर्गे भवति वै हरेः
Today is the first day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra, a day dear to friends; on this day, a great festival for Hari takes place in heaven.
सन्निधानं मया तत्र कर्तव्यं पितुर् अग्रतः । यथास्थिता हि नियतिर् न सन्त्याज्या कदाचन
I must be present there before my father, for destiny, as it stands, can never be abandoned at any time.
प्रतिपालयितव्यं मे त्वयेहाद्य वनावनौ । क्रीडता ध्यानपुष्पाभ्यां समुद्वेगम् अगच्छता
You must wait for me here today in this forest grove, playing with the flowers of meditation, remaining undisturbed.
आगच्छामि दिनान्ते ऽद्य निर्विकल्पं नभस्तलात् । स्वर्गाद् अतितराम् एव त्वत्सङ्गो मम तुष्टये
I shall return at the end of the day from the sky, free from all doubt; yet, being with you is far more pleasing to me than even heaven.
इत्य् उक्त्वा मञ्जरीं कुम्भो ददौ मित्राय कौसुमीम् । प्रीतये स्वाम् इव प्रीतिं कान्तां नन्दनवृक्षजाम्
Having spoken thus, Kumbha gave the flower cluster to his friend, for his delight, as one gives one's beloved, born from the wish-fulfilling tree, to one's own joy.
आगन्तव्यं त्वया शीघ्रम् एवं वदति भूपतौ । पुप्लुवे च वनाद् व्योम शरन्मुग्धपयोदवत्
You must come quickly, said the king, and then he soared from the forest into the sky, like a cloud enchanted by autumn winds.
पुष्पजालं जहौ व्योम व्रजन् कुसुमदामजम् । विसारि वनवातेन हिमं हैम इवाम्बुदः
As he traveled, the garland of flowers fell away in the sky, scattered by the forest breeze, like snow from a golden cloud.
शिखिध्वजो व्रजन्तं तं ददर्शादर्शनं गतम् । उन्निद्रो ऽब्दं यथा बर्ही सत्प्रीतिर् हि सुदुस्त्यजा
Shikhidhvaja saw him departing, vanished from sight, like a peacock watching a cloud disappear; for true affection is indeed hard to relinquish.