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.
शिखिध्वजदृशाम् अन्ते व्योम्नि कुम्भवपुर् जहौ । सानावर्तेव वारिश्रीर् मुग्धा स्वं रूपम् आययौ
At the end of Shikhidhvaja's gaze, Kumbha's form vanished in the sky, like the beauty of water slipping from a mountain slope, and his own true form appeared.
प्राप मञ्जरिताकारकल्पवृक्षोपमं पुरम् । स्फुरत्पताकम् आत्मीयं स्वर्गरम्यं दिवः पथा
He reached his own city, splendid with banners, delightful as heaven, resembling a wish-fulfilling tree adorned with flower clusters, by the path of the sky.
अन्तःपुरम् अदृश्यैव विवेश ललनाकुलम् । मधुमासमहालक्ष्मीर् लसल्लतम् इव द्रुमम्
He entered the inner palace unseen, crowded with women, like the great goddess of spring entering a blossoming tree.
राजकार्याण्य् अशेषाणि तत्र सम्पाद्य सत्वरम् । शिखिध्वजवनं गन्तुं पुनर् आपुप्लुवे नभः
There, he swiftly accomplished all royal duties, and then soared again into the sky to return to Shikhidhvaja's forest.
उल्लङ्घ्य गगनाध्वानं समं दिनकरांशुभिः । शिखिध्वजवनं शैले ददर्श गगने स्थिता
Surpassing the path of the sky, alongside the rays of the sun, she beheld the peacock-bannered hermitage on the mountain, standing in the sky.
तं दृष्ट्वा कुम्भरूपं तत् पुनर् जग्राह सत्वरम् । शिखिध्वजस्य पुरतः पपात च खपुष्पवत्
Seeing that form of Kumbha, she swiftly regained it, and, like a flower falling from the sky, descended before Śikhidhvaja.
तत्र म्लानद्युति मुखं चकाराखिन्नमानसम् । इन्दुं सनीहारम् इव यामा खिन्नम् इवाम्बुजम्
There, her face became pale and its radiance faded, her mind weary—like the moon with its halo dimmed, or a lotus exhausted at night.
तं दृष्ट्वा तादृगाकारं समुत्तस्थौ शिखिध्वजः । बभूव खिन्नचेताश् च समुवाचेदम् आदृतः
Seeing him in such a state, Śikhidhvaja rose up, his heart troubled, and respectfully spoke these words:
देवपुत्र नमस् ते ऽस्तु विमना इव लक्ष्यसे । कुम्भस् त्वं त्यज संरम्भम् इदम् आसनम् आस्यताम्
Salutations to you, divine youth; you appear as if disheartened. Kumbha, abandon your agitation and please take this seat.
सन्तो विदितवेद्या ये ते हि हर्षविषादजाम् । नाश्रयन्ति स्थितिं स्वस्थाः पद्मा इव जलार्द्रताम्
Those who truly know what is to be known do not remain affected by joy or sorrow; they are at ease, like lotuses untouched by water.