अथार्कस् तस्य कुम्भस्य स्त्रीत्वम् उत्पादयन्न् इव । जगामास्तं जगद्दीपो दीपस् स्नेहक्षयाद् इव
Then the sun, as if producing womanhood in that pitcher, set; the lamp of the world disappeared, like a lamp when its oil is exhausted.
व्यवहारभरैस् सार्धं पद्मास् सङ्कोचम् आययुः । मार्गाश् च पथिकैस् सार्धं पान्थस्त्रीहृदयानि च
With the burdens of daily activity, the lotuses closed; the roads, along with the travelers, and the hearts of the wayfarers' wives, also contracted.
दाशवद् विहगान् सर्वान् कुर्वद् एकत्र पुञ्जितान् । तारकारत्नजालाढ्यं भुवनं श्यामतां ययौ
Like a net gathering all birds together as captives, the world, adorned with clusters of star-jewels, became dark.
खं हसन्न् इव ताराढ्यं विकासं कुमुदाकरः । ययाव् उन्नादचक्राह्वं भ्रमद्भ्रमरपेटकः
As if laughing, the sky, rich with stars, expanded; the moon, called the lord of the night, moved about like a swarm of bees circling a blossoming lotus pond.
सुहृदौ ताव् अथोत्थाय सन्ध्याम् उद्यन्निशाकराम् । वन्दयित्वा तथा कृत्वा जप्यं गुल्मान्तरे स्थितौ
Then those two friends arose, worshipped the evening as the moon was rising, performed their recitation, and stood within the thicket.
ततः कुम्भश् शनैस् तत्र स्त्रैणम् अभ्याहरन् वपुः । शिखिध्वजं पुरस्संस्थं प्रोवाच गलदक्षरम्
Then Kumbha, slowly assuming a feminine form there, spoke to Śikhidhvaja, who stood before him, his words faltering as they fell.
पतामीव स्फुरामीव द्रवामीवाङ्गयष्टिभिः । लज्जयेव च हे राजन् मन्ये स्त्रीत्वं व्रजाम्य् अहम्
O King, I feel as if I am falling, trembling, melting in my limbs, and growing shy; I think I am becoming a woman.
पश्येमे परिवर्धन्ते राजन् मम शिरोरुहाः । प्रस्फुरत्तारकामाला दिनान्ते तिमिरा इव
See, O King, my hair is growing, spreading like a garland of shining stars at the end of day, like darkness increasing.
पश्येमौ मम जायेते प्रोन्मुखाव् उरसि स्तनौ । कोरकाव् इव पद्मिन्या वसन्ते गगनोन्मुखौ
Look, two breasts are rising on my chest, facing upward, like lotus buds in spring turning toward the sky.
आगुल्फम् एव लम्बानि सम्पद्यन्ते ऽम्बराणि मे । देहाद् एव सखे पश्य स्त्रिया इव शनैश् शनैः
See, my garments now hang down only to my ankles; from my very body, friend, I am slowly becoming like a woman.
भूषणान्य् उरुरत्नानि माल्यानि विविधानि च । पश्येमान्य् अङ्ग जायन्ते स्वाङ्गेभ्यो वृक्षपुष्पवत्
See, ornaments and precious gems, garlands of many kinds, arise from my own limbs, just as flowers grow upon trees.
पश्यायं स्वयम् एवोद्यच्चन्द्रांशुभरसुन्दरः । मूर्ध्नि पट्टांशुको जातो नीहारो ऽद्राव् इवाङ्ग मे
Behold, this beautiful cloth, radiant as moonbeams, has appeared on my head by itself, like mist settling upon a mountain.
सर्वाणि कान्तालिङ्गानि जातानि मम मानद । हा धिक् कष्टं विषादो मे किं करोम्य् अङ्गनास्म्य् अहम्
All the marks of beauty have arisen in me, O dignified one; alas, what misery! I am distressed—what can I do, for I am now a woman.
हा धिक् कष्टम् अहो साधो स्थित एवाहम् अङ्गना । संविदानुभवाम्य् अन्तर् नितम्बं जघनान्वितम्
Alas, what hardship! O noble one, I am indeed established as a woman; inwardly I experience awareness of hips and a rounded waist.
विपिने कुम्भ इत्य् उक्त्वा तूष्णीं खिन्नो बभूव ह । राजापि च तम् आलोक्य तथैवासीद् विषण्णधीः
In the forest, saying 'Kumbha,' he became silent and dejected; and the king, seeing him thus, was likewise troubled in mind.
मुहूर्तमात्रेणोवाच शिखिध्वज इदं वचः । कष्टं सो ऽयं महासत्त्वस् सम्पन्नो वरवर्णिनी
After a moment, Shikhidhvaja spoke these words: 'What hardship! This noble soul has become endowed with the form of a beautiful woman.'
साधो विदितवेद्यस् त्वं जानासि नियतेर् गतिम् । अवश्यभाविन्य् अर्थे ऽस्मिन् मा खिन्नहृदयो भव
O noble one, you are wise and know what is to be known; you understand the course of destiny. Do not let your heart be troubled about what must inevitably occur.
आपतन्ति दशास् तात सुधियां देहमात्रके । न चेतस्य् अधियां त्व् एताश् चित्तं यान्ति सदेहकम्
O dear one, such conditions befall only the wise who are identified with the body; but for those whose minds are elevated, these states do not affect the mind along with the body.
एवम् अस्त्व् अनुतिष्ठामि यामिनीस्त्रीत्वम् आत्मनः । न खेदम् अनुगच्छामि नियतिः केन लङ्घ्यते
So be it; I shall observe the state of womanhood through the night. I do not experience distress; by what means can destiny be transgressed?
इति निर्णीय तौ खेदं तं नीत्वा तनुतां मिथः । एकतल्पे निशां तूष्णीं नीतवन्तौ चिरेण ताम्
Having thus resolved, the two endured their fatigue, gradually diminishing it together; in silence, they spent the night for a long time on the same bed.
अथ प्रभाते तत् स्वैरं वपुर् उत्सृज्य यौवतम् । बभूव कुम्भः कुम्भाभकुचप्रोज्झितमूर्तिमान्
Then, at dawn, she freely abandoned her youthful form; she became a pot, bearing the shape of a pot, her breasts and body cast aside.
इति सा राजमहिषी चूडाला वरवर्णिनी । कुम्भत्वम् आस्थिता भर्तुः पश्चात् स्त्रीत्वम् उपागता
Thus, the royal queen Chudala, of splendid complexion, assumed the form of a pot after her husband, and then returned to womanhood.
विजहार वनान्तेषु कुमारी धर्मिणी निशि । कुम्भरूपधरा चाह्नि भर्त्रा मित्रेण संयुता
The virtuous maiden wandered in the forest at night, bearing the form of a pot; by day, she was joined by her husband, her friend.
कैलासमन्दरसुमेरुमहेन्द्रसह्यसानुष्व् अविस्खलितयोगगमागमा सा । सार्धं प्रियेण सुहृदा विभुना यथेच्छं स्रग्दामहारवलिता विजहार नारी
On the peaks of Kailasa, Mandara, Sumeru, Mahendra, and Sahya, she moved with unerring yogic mastery; adorned with garlands and splendid ornaments, the woman wandered as she pleased with her beloved friend and lord.
ततः कतिपयेष्व् एव दिवसेषु गतेषु सा । इदं प्रोवाच भर्तारं कुम्भरूपधरा सती
After a few days had passed, she, bearing the form of a pot, spoke these words to her husband.
राजन् राजीवपत्त्राक्ष ममेदं वचनं शृणु । निशायां प्रत्यहं तावत् स्थित एवाहम् अङ्गना
O king, lotus-eyed, listen to my words: each night I remain as a woman.
तद् इच्छाम्य् अङ्गनाधर्मं निपुणीकर्तुम् ईदृशम् । भर्त्रे कस्मैचिद् आत्मानं विवाहेन ददाम्य् अहम्
Therefore, I wish to master this feminine duty; I shall give myself in marriage to some husband.
तद् भवान् एव मे भर्ता रोचते भुवनत्रये । गृहाण मां विवाहेन भार्यात्वे निशि सर्वदा
Among all three worlds, it is you alone whom I desire as my husband; accept me as your wife in marriage, always, even at night.
अयत्नोपनतं साधो प्रियेण सुहृदा सह । स्त्रीसुखं भोक्तुम् इच्छामि मा मे विघ्नकरो भव
O noble one, I wish to enjoy the happiness of womanhood, which has come to me effortlessly, together with my beloved friend; do not become an obstacle for me.
क्रमप्रवृत्तम् आ सृष्टेस् सुखसाध्यं मनोरमम् । प्रकृतं कुर्वतः कार्यं दोषः क इव जायते
When an action proceeds in due order from creation, is pleasant and easily accomplished, what fault arises in performing such a natural act?