चतुर्दिक्कं चतुर्भिश् च नारिकेलमहाफलैः । पूर्णकुम्भतया गाङ्गवारिपूरैः प्रकल्पितैः
In all four directions, they set up four large coconuts, fashioned as full pots, filled with water from the Ganges.
ज्वलयाम् आसतुस् तस्यां मध्ये चन्दनदारुभिः । ज्वलनं ज्वलितज्वालं दक्षिणस्थप्रदक्षिणम्
In the center, they kindled a fire with sandalwood, blazing brightly, placed to the south and circled in reverence.
पूर्वाभिमुखम् अग्नेस् ताव् अग्रे पल्लवविष्टरे । नियोज्य दम्पती कान्तौ तयोर् विविशतुस् स्वयम्
Facing east, before the fire, the couple was seated at the front on a bed of fresh leaves, and they themselves entered there.
स हुत्वा तिललाजादि पावकाय शिखिध्वजः । उत्थायोत्थाप्य कान्तां च पाणिभ्यां स्वयम् आददे
Having offered sesame, rice, and other grains into the fire, Śikhidhvaja rose, lifted his beloved with his own hands, and took her.
अन्योऽन्यं शोभमानौ ताव् अन्याव् इव नवौ शिवौ । चक्रतुर् दम्पती तस्य पावकस्य प्रदक्षिणम्
The two, radiant like a newlywed pair of auspicious ones, circled the fire together as husband and wife.
स्वदायं ज्ञानसर्वस्वं हृदयं प्रेम चाचलम् । ददतुस् तौ मिथो मान्यौ स्मितकान्तमुखश्रियौ
The honored pair, with smiling, lovely faces, gave each other their own hearts—steadfast in love and all-knowingness.
प्रदक्षिणत्रयं कृत्वा लाजान् सन्त्यज्य वह्नये । मद्भार्याम् अम्बराद् दृष्ट्वा करौ तत्यजतुः क्रमात्
After completing three circumambulations and offering the grains to the fire, they gradually released each other's hands, having seen my wife from the sky.
स्मयमानमुखौ कान्तौ चन्द्राव् इव नवोदितौ । पूर्वोपरचिते पुष्पतल्पे विविशतुर् नवे
With smiling faces, beautiful as two newly risen moons, the charming couple entered the newly prepared bed of flowers.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे चन्द्रश् चतुर्भागं नभस्तलात् । शनैर् आक्रमयाम् आस शोभां द्रष्टुम् इवैतयोः
Meanwhile, the moon, as if wishing to witness their splendor, slowly ascended a quarter of the sky.
तस्मिन् सानौ लताच्छिद्रैर् द्रष्टुं दृष्टीर् इवाभितः । लोलैस् सञ्चारयाम् आस करान् इन्दुर् वराङ्गने
On that mountain, the moon moved its trembling rays like hands through the gaps in the vines, as if to behold the lovely woman from all sides.
तैस् तैस् तत्र कथालापैर् इन्दाव् अभ्युदिते तथा । ताव् आसां चक्रतुः कान्तौ दम्पती तु मुहूर्तकम्
With various conversations and stories, as the moon rose, the two lovers spent a little while together.
अथोत्थाय ज्वलद्रत्नदीपां काञ्चनकन्दराम् । स्वयं पूर्वोपरचितां गुप्तां विविशतुः प्रियौ
Then, rising up, the beloved pair entered a golden cave, lit by blazing jeweled lamps, which they themselves had previously prepared and kept hidden.
नवं ददृशतुस् तत्र तल्पं कुसुमकल्पितम् । परितो व्याप्तम् उत्फुल्लैर् हेमपङ्कजराशिभिः
There they saw a new bed, fashioned from flowers, surrounded on all sides by heaps of golden lotuses in full bloom.
मन्दारादिभिर् अन्यैश् च पुष्पैर् म्लानिविवर्जितैः । उच्चकैः पुंप्रमाणेन निर्मितं कुसुमैस् समैः
It was adorned with mandāra and other flowers, fresh and unwithered, built high to the height of a man, with flowers of equal size.
दीर्घेन्दुबिम्बप्रतिमं तुषारस्थलशीतलम् । क्षीरोदजलधाराभं ज्योत्स्नासम्पिण्डपाण्डुरम्
It resembled a long disc of the full moon, cool as a snowy field, white as a mass of moonlight or the foam of the milk ocean.
प्रतिबिम्बम् अनन्तस्य रत्नभित्ताव् इव स्थितम् । सुगन्धम् उन्नतं कान्तं विशरारुतयोज्झितम्
It seemed like the reflection of infinity set upon a jeweled wall, fragrant, lofty, charming, and free from any impurity.
मिथुनं पुष्पराशौ तत् पपात धवलामले । तस्मिन् समसमाभोगे क्षीरोदे मन्दरो यथा
The couple lay down together on that pure, white heap of flowers, embracing each other as Mount Mandara rests in the milk ocean.
तैस् तैस् ततः प्रणतिपेशलवाग्विलासैस् तत्कालकार्यसुभगैः प्रणयोपचारैः । सत्कान्तयोर् नवनवेन तयोस् सुखेन दीर्घा मुहूर्त इव सा रजनी जगाम
With gentle words, graceful gestures, and timely acts of affection, the night passed for those two lovers, each moment bringing new delight, as if it were a long, unbroken instant.
अथ सूर्यांशुरङ्गेण रञ्जिते भुवनोदरे । शिखिध्वजाङ्गना भूयो मदनी कुम्भतां ययौ
Then, as the interior of the world was colored by the rays of the sun, the woman Śikhidhvajā once more became intoxicated with love.
एवं महेन्द्रदर्यां ताव् उभौ कुम्भशिखिध्वजौ । स्वयं विवाहिताव् इष्टौ सम्पन्नौ नवदम्पती
Thus, on the great mountain, those two—Kumbha and Śikhidhvaja—were united in marriage by their own choice, and became a newlywed couple, fulfilled and content.
विलेसतुर् विचित्रासु प्रत्यहं वनराजिषु । प्रपक्वफलभारासु पुष्पपल्लविनीषु च
They wandered among the wondrous groves every day, amidst trees laden with ripe fruit and blossoming with flowers and tender shoots.
दिवा प्रियतरे मित्रे यामिन्याम् इष्टदम्पती । प्रभादीपाव् इव श्लिष्टौ न वियुक्तौ बभूवतुः
By day they were dear friends, by night beloved spouses; like the radiance and the lamp joined together, they were never separated.
रेमाते वनकुञ्जेषु गुहासु च महीभृताम् । तमालसालषण्डेषु मन्दारगहनेषु च
They delighted in the forest bowers and mountain caves, in groves of tamāla and sāl trees, and in the dense thickets of mandāra trees.
सह्यदर्दुरकैलासमहेन्द्रमलयेषु च । गन्धमादनविन्ध्याद्रिलोकालोकतटेषु च
They wandered on the Sahya, Dardura, Kailāsa, Mahendra, and Malaya mountains, and along the slopes of Gandhamādana, Vindhya, and Lokāloka.
दिनैस् त्रिभिस् त्रिभिर् गत्वा निद्रां गतवति प्रिये । चूडाला राजकार्याणि कृत्वा स्वान्य् आययौ पुनः
After three days, when her beloved had fallen asleep, Cūḍālā completed her royal duties and returned again.
तौ दिवा सुहृदौ रात्रौ दम्पती कुम्भभूमिपौ । नानाकुसुमसंवीतौ तस्थतुर् मुदितौ मिथः
By day they were companions, by night husband and wife—Kumbha and the king—adorned with various flowers, they stood together, joyful in each other's company.
मासम् एकं महेन्द्राद्रिसानौ सरलसङ्कुले । रत्नकुड्ये गुहागेहे पूजितौ सुरकिन्नरैः
For one month, on the slopes of Mount Mahendra, thick with pines, in a cave dwelling with jeweled walls, they were honored by gods and kinnaras.
हस्तलभ्योदितेन्दौ च मन्दारवनमालिते । एवं शुक्तिमतः पृष्ठे पक्षं पक्षं लतागृहे
With the moon rising within reach of their hands, garlanded with mandara flowers, thus, on the back of Mount Suktimat, in a bower of vines, week after week.
मासद्वयम् ऋक्षवतो गिरेर् दक्षिणतस् तटे । पारिजातवने देवपुष्पस्तबकमण्डपे
For two months, on the southern slope of Mount Ṛkṣavat, in a grove of pārijāta trees, beneath a pavilion of divine flowers.
जम्बूषण्डतले मेरोः पादे जम्बूनदीतटे । जाम्बूनदमये मासं जम्बूफलरसावनौ
At the foot of a cluster of jambu trees, at the base of Mount Meru, on the bank of the Jambūnadī river, for a month, enjoying the juice of jambu fruits in a golden bower.