अवदाततनुः पुण्या जनताह्लाददायिनी । गङ्गेव गां गता देवनदी हंसविलासिनी
With a radiant body, pure and auspicious, bringing joy to the people, she entered the earth like the divine river Ganga, delighting in the company of swans.
तस्य भूतलपुष्पेषोस् सकलाह्लाददायिनः । परिचर्यां चिरं कर्तुम् अन्या रतिर् इवोदिता
For him, another pleasure arose, as if a new beloved, to serve for a long time the flowers upon the earth, which grant all delight.
उद्विग्ने प्रोद्विग्ना मुदिता मुदिते समाकुलाकुलिते । प्रतिबिम्बसमा कान्ता सङ्क्रुद्धे केवलं भीता
When anxious, she was anxious; when joyful, she was joyful; when disturbed, she was disturbed; like a reflection, the beloved was only fearful when he was angry.
भूतलाप्सरसा सार्धम् अनन्यवनितापतिः । अकृत्रिमप्रेमरसं स रेमे कान्तया तया
With the celestial maiden of the earth, he, who had no other consort, enjoyed the taste of unfeigned love with her.
उद्यानवनगुल्मेषु तमालगहनेषु च । पुष्पमण्डपतल्पेषु लतावलयसद्मसु
In gardens, forest thickets, dense groves of tamala trees, flower-canopied beds, and dwellings entwined with vines,
पुष्पान्तःपुरशय्यासु पुष्पसम्भारवीथिषु । वसन्तोद्यानदोलासु क्रीडापुष्करिणीषु च
On flower-strewn palace beds, in avenues adorned with blossoms, on spring garden swings, and in playful lotus ponds,
चन्दनद्रुमषण्डेषु सन्तानकतलेषु च । कदम्बनिम्बगेहेषु पारिभद्रोदरेषु च
In sandalwood groves, beneath the shade of santana trees, in the homes of kadamba and neem, and within the hollows of paribhadra trees,
शैलकन्दरकच्छेषु वातायनपुरेषु च । सरित्तटकटप्रेषु वारणोपरिसद्मसु
In mountain caves and valleys, in rooms with windows, on riverbank terraces, and in mansions atop elephants,
ग्रीष्मे तुषारहर्म्येषु लतामण्डपकेषु च । हेममन्दिरवृक्षेषु मुक्तामाणिक्यभित्तिषु
In the summer, within icy mansions, in bowers entwined with creepers, among golden palaces and trees, and walls adorned with pearls and rubies,
विकसत्कुन्दमन्दारमकरन्दसुगन्धिषु । वसन्तवनजालेषु कूजत्कोकिलमालिषु
Where jasmine and coral trees bloom, their pollen fragrant, in the springtime gardens where cuckoos sing in flocks,
नानारत्नतृणानां च स्थलेषु मृदुदीप्तिषु । निर्झरेषु तरत्तारशीकरासारवर्षिषु
On grounds covered with soft, radiant grasses of many precious gems, and at waterfalls showering streams of sparkling droplets,
शैलानां हेममाणिक्यशिलाफलहकेषु च । देवर्षिमुनिगेहेषु दूरपुण्याश्रमेषु च
On mountains bearing golden and ruby-studded rocks, in the dwellings of divine sages, and in distant, meritorious hermitages,
कुमुद्वतीषु फुल्लासु स्मेरासु नलिनीषु च । वनस्थलीषु फुल्लासु फुल्लासूत्पलिनीषु च
In blooming ponds of white lotuses, in smiling water-lilies, in blossoming forest clearings, and in full-bloom blue-lotus beds,
प्रहेलिकाभिर् आख्यानैस् तथैवाक्षरमुष्टिभिः । अष्टापदैर् बहूद्द्योतैस् तथा गूढचतुर्थकैः
With riddles, stories, and also with handfuls of letter-games, with many kinds of board games and secret dice contests,
नाटकाख्यायिकाभिश् च श्लोकैर् बिन्दुमतीभ्रमैः । देशभाषाविभागैश् च नगरग्रामचेष्टितैः
With dramas and tales, with verses and intricate patterns of dots, with regional dialects, and the customs of cities and villages,
स्रग्दाममाल्यवलनैर् नानाभरणयोजनैः । लीलाविलोलचलनैर् विचित्ररसभाजनैः
With garlands, wreaths, and chains of flowers, with various ornaments, with playful, graceful movements, and with vessels of diverse delights,
आर्द्रक्रमुककर्पूरताम्बूलीदलचर्वणैः । समालम्भनलीलाभिर् दोलारोहणविभ्रमैः
With the chewing of tender betel leaves, areca nut, and camphor, with playful embraces, and the delightful motions of mounting swings,
गृहे कुसुमदोलाभिर् अन्योऽन्यान्दोलनक्रमैः । फुल्लपुष्पलताकुञ्जदेहगोपनखर्वणैः
At home, with swings adorned with flowers, with the mutual rhythm of swinging one another, and in bowers of blossoming creepers, concealing their bodies among the flowering vines,
नौयानयुग्यहस्त्यश्वदान्तोष्ट्रादिगमागमैः । जलकेलिविलासेन परस्परसमुक्षणैः
With journeys by boat, chariot, elephant, horse, and camel, with playful sports in the water, and with mutual sprinkling,
नृत्तगीतकलालास्यताण्डवोद्भटवृत्तिभिः । सङ्गीतकैस् सङ्कथनैर् वीणामुरजवादनैः
With dances, songs, artistic performances, vigorous tandava dances, with music, conversations, and the playing of the lute and drum,
उद्यानेषु सरित्तीरवृक्षेषु वनवीथिषु । अन्तःपुरेषु हर्म्येषु तेषु तेषु तथा तथा
In gardens, on riverbanks, among trees, along forest paths, within inner chambers and mansions, in all these places, in various ways,
सा बाला सुखसंवृद्धा तस्य प्रणयिनी प्रिया । एकदा चिन्तयाम् आस शुभसङ्कल्पशालिनी
That young woman, raised in comfort, his beloved and devoted wife, once began to reflect, her mind inclined toward auspicious thoughts:
प्राणेभ्यो ऽपि प्रियो भर्ता ममैष जगतीपतिः । यौवनोल्लासलक्ष्मीवान् कथं स्याद् अजरामरः
My husband, the lord of the world, is dearer to me than life itself; endowed with the splendor of youthful vigor—how might he become ageless and immortal?
भर्त्रानेन सहोत्तुङ्गस्तनी कुसुमसद्मसु । कथं स्वैरं चिरं कान्ता रमेयाब्दशतान्य् अहम्
With this husband, whose embrace lifts my swelling breasts, how might I, his beloved, freely delight with him in these flower-houses for hundreds of years?
तथा यतेय क्रमतस् तपोजपयमेहितैः । रजनीशरुची राजा यथा स्याद् अजरामरः
In the same way, by gradual effort in asceticism, recitation, and striving, one may become, like the moon among kings, ageless and deathless.
ज्ञानवृद्धांस् तपोवृद्धान् विद्यावृद्धान् अहं द्विजान् । पृच्छामि तावन् मरणं कथं न स्यान् नृणाम् इति
I ask the twice-born who are advanced in wisdom, asceticism, and learning: how is it that death does not occur for people?
अथानाय्याशु सम्पूज्य द्विजान् पप्रच्छ सानता । अमरत्वं कथं विप्रा भवेद् इति पुनः पुनः
Then, having duly honored the twice-born, she respectfully asked them again and again: O Brahmins, how can immortality be attained?
तपोजपयमैर् देवि समस्तास् सिद्धसिद्धयः । सम्प्राप्यन्ते ऽमरत्वं तु न कदाचन लभ्यते
O goddess, by all forms of asceticism and recitation, both the accomplished and the unaccomplished attain various results, but immortality is never obtained.
इत्य् आकर्ण्य द्विजमुखाच् चिन्तयाम् आस सा पुनः । इदं स्वप्रज्ञयैवाशु भीता प्रियवियोगतः
Hearing this from the mouths of the twice-born, she again reflected, quickly and with her own discernment, fearful of separation from her beloved.
मरणं भर्तुर् अग्रे मे यदि दैवाद् भविष्यति । तत् सर्वदुःखनिर्मुक्ता संस्थास्ये सुखम् आत्मनि
If, by fate, my husband should die before me, then, freed from all sorrow, I will peacefully abide in my own self.