अथ तां दयितां दृष्ट्वा विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । शिखिध्वज उवाचेदम् आश्चर्याकुलया गिरा
Then, seeing his beloved, Śikhidhvaja's eyes widened in astonishment, and he spoke these words, his voice filled with wonder:
का त्वम् उत्पलपत्त्राक्षि कुतः प्राप्तासि सुन्दरि । किमीहासि कियत्कालं किमर्थम् इह तिष्ठसि
Who are you, lotus-eyed one? From where have you come, beautiful lady? What do you seek, how long have you been here, and for what purpose do you remain?
अङ्गेन व्यवहारेण स्मितेनानुनयेन च । मम जाया विलासेन चूडालेवोपलक्ष्यसे
By your form, your manner, your gentle smile, and your charming ways, you appear to me as my wife Cūḍālā.
एवम् एव प्रभो विद्धि चूडालास्मि न संशयः । अकृत्रिमेन देहेन लब्धो ऽस्य् अद्य मया स्वयम्
Just so, O lord, know for certain that I am Cūḍālā; today I have come to you myself, in this uncontrived body.
कुम्भादिदेहनिर्माणस् त्वां बोधयितुम् एष मे । प्रपञ्चश् शतशाखत्वम् इह यातो वनान्तरे
The creation of the body of Kumbha and others was only to awaken you; for this purpose, I have assumed countless forms in this forest.
यदा राज्यं परित्यज्य मोहेन तपसे वनम् । त्वम् अगास् तत्प्रभृत्य् एव त्वद्बोधायाहम् उद्यता
When, deluded, you abandoned the kingdom and came to the forest for austerity, from that moment I have been striving for your awakening.
अनेन कुम्भदेहेन मयैवं त्वं विबोधितः । मायया न तु कुम्भादि किञ्चित् सत्यं महीपते
It was I who awakened you in this form of Kumbha; all this was by my power of illusion—O king, there was nothing real about Kumbha or the rest.
बुद्धो विदितवेद्यस् त्वं ध्यानेनैतद् अखण्डितम् । सर्वं पश्यसि तत्त्वज्ञ ध्यानेनाश्व् अवलोकय
You are awakened, you know what is to be known, and by meditation you perceive this unbroken reality; see everything, O knower of truth, by meditation, just as a horse is seen.
अथ चूडालयेत्य् उक्ते बद्ध्वा परिकरं नृपः । आत्मोदन्तम् अशेषेण ध्यानेनालम् अवैक्षत
Then, when Cudāla spoke, the king fastened his garment and, through meditation, fully observed the entirety of his own story.
आ स्वराज्यपरित्यागाच् चूडालादर्शनावधिम् । सर्वं मुहूर्तध्यानेन स्वात्मोदन्तं ददर्श सः
From the renunciation of sovereignty up to the moment of seeing Cudāla, he perceived his whole self-narrative in a single instant of meditation.
आ राज्यसम्परित्यागाद् वर्तमानक्षणक्रमम् । सर्वम् आलोक्य भूपालो विरराम समाधितः
From the complete abandonment of the kingdom through each present moment, the king, having seen everything, withdrew from samadhi.
समाधिविरतो हर्षविकासिनयनाम्बुजः । विसार्य तरसा बाहू पुलकोज्ज्वलतां गतः
Ceasing from samadhi, his lotus-like eyes blossomed with joy; he quickly extended his arms, which shone with goosebumps.
गलदङ्गं लसत्स्नेहम् उद्यद्बाष्पं स्फुरत्स्पृहम् । आलिलिङ्ग चिरं कान्तां नकुलो नकुलीम् इव
With limbs trembling, affection shining, tears rising, and longing sparkling, he embraced his beloved for a long time, as a mongoose embraces its mate.
तयोर् आलिङ्गने तस्मिंस् तत्र भावो बभूव यः । न स वासुकिजिह्वाभिर् वक्तुं वर्षैर् हि शक्यते
In that embrace between the two, the feeling that arose there cannot be expressed, even by Vasuki’s tongues, in countless years.
चित्रस्थाव् इव पङ्केन कृताव् इव गलत्तनू । शैलाद् इव समुत्कीर्णौ श्लिष्टाव् आस्तां चिरं प्रियौ
Like figures painted in mud, like bodies melting away, like those cast forth from a mountain, the two lovers remained closely joined for a long time.
मुहूर्तेन गलद्घर्मजालौ पुलकपीवरौ । बाहू विश्लथताम् ईषन् निन्यतुस् तौ शनैः प्रियौ
Within a moment, their arms, thick with goosebumps and sweat streaming down, gradually relaxed as the lovers slowly released each other.
अमृतापूर्णहृदयं संशून्यहृदयोपमम् । उन्मुक्तभुजम् आस्तां ताव् अलक्ष्यस्थितलोचनम्
With a heart filled with nectar, resembling an emptied heart, with arms released and gaze fixed in an untraceable state, he remained.
घनानन्दः क्षणं स्थित्वा तूष्णीं प्रणयपेशलम् । कान्ताचिबुकसंलग्नकरः प्रोवाच भूपतिः
Ghanananda, standing silently for a moment, full of gentle affection, with his hand resting on his beloved’s chin, spoke to the king.
अहो नु मधुरस् स्निग्धः कान्तश् च कुलयोषिताम् । पुण्यश् चरितनिष्ष्यन्दस् स्वादवान् अमृताद् अपि
Truly, the conduct of noble women is sweet, tender, and lovely; its virtuous essence flows forth, more delightful even than nectar.
कियत्प्रमाणं तन्वङ्गि त्वया बालेन्दुमुग्धया । अनुभूतश् चिरं क्लेशो भर्तुर् अर्थेन दारुणः
O slender one, innocent as the young moon, how great and enduring was the hardship you experienced for your husband’s sake, harsh in its effect.
एवं दुरुत्तराद् अस्मात् संसारकुहराद् अहम् । उत्तारितो यया बुद्ध्या सा हि केनोपमीयते
By such wisdom, I have been lifted from this difficult and unfathomable pit of worldly existence—by what can that be compared?
अरुन्धती शची गौरी गायत्री श्रीस् सरस्वती । समस्ताः पेलवायन्ते तन्व्यास् सत्त्वगुणश्रिया
Arundhati, Shachi, Gauri, Gayatri, Shri, Sarasvati—all these seem slight beside the noble quality and virtue of this slender one.
धीश्रीकान्तिक्षमामैत्रीकरुणाद्यासु सुन्दरि । कान्तास्व् आकारकान्तासु प्रथमैवासि लक्ष्यसे
O beautiful one, among women who are adorned with wisdom, splendor, patience, friendship, and compassion, you are foremost in form and grace.
परेणाध्यवसायेन त्वयाहम् अवबोधितः । केन प्रत्युपकारेण तुलाम् एष्यन्ति मे गुणाः
By your supreme resolve, I have been awakened; by what reciprocal act could my virtues ever equal yours?
मोहाद् अनादिगहनाद् अनन्तविषमाद् अपि । पतिम् अध्यवसायिन्यस् तारयन्ति कुलस्त्रियः
Even from the deep, beginningless darkness of delusion, and from endless poison, noble women of the family, steadfast in resolve, rescue their husbands.
शास्त्रार्थगुरुमन्त्रादि न तथोत्तारणक्षमम् । यथैतास् स्नेहशालिन्यो भर्तॄणां कुलयोषितः
The meanings of scriptures, teachers, mantras, and the like are not as capable of deliverance as these affectionate women are for their husbands.
सखा भ्राता सुहृद् भृत्यो गुरुर् मन्त्रो धनं सुखम् । शास्त्रम् आयतनं दास्यस् सर्वं भर्तुः कुलस्त्रियः
A wife of noble lineage is for her husband a friend, brother, companion, servant, teacher, mantra, wealth, happiness, scripture, sanctuary, and everything.
सर्वदा सर्वयत्नेन पूजनीयाः कुलाङ्गनाः । लोकद्वयसुखं सम्यक् सर्वं तासु प्रतिष्ठितम्
Women of noble families should always be honored with every effort, for all the happiness of both worlds is truly established in them.
निरिच्छायाः प्रयातायाः पारं संसारवारिधेः । कथम् अस्योपकारस्य करिष्ये ते प्रतिक्रियाम्
How can I repay the help of one who, without desire, has crossed to the far shore of the ocean of worldly existence?
मन्ये कुलाङ्गनालोको लोके सर्वस् त्वयाधुना । नारीसौजन्यचर्चासु व्यपदेश्यो भविष्यति
I think that now, because of you, the reputation of noble women in the world will be spoken of in discussions of feminine virtue.