अथ वर्षसहस्रेण भर्तादौ चेन् मरिष्यति । तत् करिष्ये तथा येन जीवो गेहान् न यास्यति
But if, after a thousand years, my husband dies first, then I will act in such a way that the soul does not depart from the house.
उद्भ्रमद्भर्तृजीवे ऽस्मिन् निजे शुद्धान्तमण्डपे । भर्त्रावलोकिता नित्यं निवत्स्यामि यथासुखम्
When my husband's soul departs and is present in my own pure inner chamber, I will remain, always seen by my husband, dwelling there as I please.
अद्यैवारभ्यैतदर्थं देवीं ज्ञप्तिं सरस्वतीम् । जपोपवासनियमैर् आतोषं पूजयाम्य् अहम्
Today itself, I begin this endeavor: I worship the goddess Sarasvati, the embodiment of knowledge, with recitation, fasting, and discipline, seeking her satisfaction.
इति निश्चित्य सा नाथम् अनुक्त्वैव वराङ्गना । यथाशास्त्रं चचारोग्रं तपो नियमम् आस्थिता
Having resolved thus, that noble lady, without informing her husband, undertook severe austerity and discipline according to the scriptures.
त्रिरात्रस्य त्रिरात्रस्य पर्यन्ते कृतपारणा । देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञविद्वत्पूजापरायणा
At the end of each three-night period, having completed her fast, she devoted herself to the worship of gods, brahmins, teachers, wise men, and scholars.
स्नानदानतपोध्याननित्योद्युक्तशरीरिका । सर्वास्तिक्यसदाचारकारिणी क्लेशभारिणी
Constantly engaged in bathing, giving, austerity, and study, she acted with a body ever diligent, performing all duties of faith and good conduct, bearing great hardship.
यथाकालं यथोद्योगं यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् । तोषयाम् आस भर्तारम् अपरिज्ञाततत्स्थितिम्
According to the proper time, effort, scripture, and order, she pleased her husband, though unaware of his true state.
त्रिरात्रशतम् एवं सा बाला नियमशालिनी । अनारततपोनिष्ठम् अतिष्ठत् कष्टचेष्टया
For a hundred periods of three nights, that young woman, steadfast in discipline, continuously practiced austerity with strenuous effort.
त्रिरात्राणां शतेनाथ पूजिता प्रतिमाम् इता । तुष्टा भगवती गौरी वागीशीदम् उवाच ताम्
After a hundred sets of three nights, having worshipped the image, the blessed goddess Gauri, mistress of speech, became pleased and spoke to her.
निरन्तरेण तपसा भर्तृभक्त्यतिशायिना । परितुष्टास्मि ते वत्से गृहाण वरम् ईप्सितम्
Through uninterrupted austerity and surpassing devotion to her husband, I am fully satisfied with you, child; receive the boon you desire.
जय जन्मजराज्वालादाहदोषशशिप्रभे । जय हार्दान्धकारौघनिवारणरविप्रभे
Victory to you, whose radiance is like the moon, dispelling the burning afflictions of birth, old age, and death; victory to you, whose brilliance is like the sun, removing the dense darkness of the heart.
अम्ब मां त्रिजगन्मातस् त्रायस्व कृपणाम् इमाम् । इदं वरद्वयं देहि यद् इह प्रार्थये शुभम्
Mother, O mother of the three worlds, protect this wretched one; grant me these two boons that I now auspiciously request.
एकं तावद् विदेहस्य भर्तुर् जीवो ममाम्बिके । अस्माद् एव हि मा यासीन् निजान्तःपुरमण्डपात्
First, O Mother, let the soul of my departed husband not leave his own inner palace from here.
द्वितीयं त्वां महादेवि प्रार्थये ऽहं यदा यदा । दर्शनाय वरार्थेन तदा मे देहि दर्शनम्
Second, O great goddess, I ask you: whenever I desire to see you for the sake of a boon, grant me your vision at that time.
इत्य् आकर्ण्य जगन्माता तथास्त्व् एवम् इति क्षणात् । उक्त्वान्तर्धानम् अगमद् उत्थायोर्मिर् इवार्णवे
Hearing this, the Mother of the world said, 'So be it,' and in a moment vanished, rising like a wave in the ocean.
अथ सा राजमहिषी परितुष्टेष्टदेवता । श्रुतगीतेव हरिणी बभूवानन्दधारिणी
Then the royal queen, her cherished deity satisfied, became filled with joy, like a doe delighted by a song she has heard.
परावृत्त्युग्रकटके दिनारे वर्षदण्डके । क्षणनाभौ स्पन्दमये कालचक्रे वहत्य् अपि
Even as the fierce wheel of time, with its sharp edges—days, years, and moments—turns, it carries all within its ever-pulsing center.
अन्तर्धिम् आजगामास्याः पत्युस् तच् चेतनं तनौ । सन्दृश्यमान एवाशु शुष्कपर्णे रसो यथा
Then, the consciousness of her husband entered her, becoming visible at once, just as sap appears in a dry leaf.
रणखण्डितदेहे ऽस्मिन् मृते ऽन्तःपुरमण्डपे । निर्जला नलिनीवासौ परां म्लानिम् उपाययौ
When the body was shattered in battle and lay dead in the inner chamber, the one who dwelled there, like a waterless lotus, reached utter withering.
विषोष्णश्वसनस्तब्धसकलाधरपल्लवा । प्राप सा मरणावस्थां मलयाधित्यकाम् इव
Her lips, once tender as petals, became stiff from the heat and poison of her breath; she entered the state of death, like the slopes of Malaya scorched dry.
प्राप सा तमसान्धत्वं तस्मिन् मरणम् आगते । दीपज्वालालवे क्षीणे सद्मश्रीर् इव भूषिता
With death's arrival, she was seized by darkness and blindness, like the splendor of a house adorned, fading when the lamp's flame is spent.
कार्श्यम् आप क्षणेनासौ बाला विरसतां गता । यथा स्रोतस्विनी स्रोतःक्षये क्षामविधूसरा
In a moment she grew thin, the young girl lost her luster, like a river running dry, left pale and dust-laden as its stream disappears.
क्षिप्रम् आक्रन्दिनी क्षिप्रं मौनासक्ता वियोगिनी । बभूव चक्रवाकीव मानिनी मरणोन्मुखी
Swiftly she became one who cries out, then quickly fell into silent withdrawal, separated and proud, like a female chakravaka bird facing death.
अथ ताम् अतिमात्रविह्वलां सकृद् आकाशभवा सरस्वती । शफरीं ह्रदशोषविह्वलां प्रथमा वृष्टिर् इवान्वकम्पत
Then, as she was overwhelmed with intense distress, Sarasvati, born of the sky, was moved with compassion for her, just as the first rain pities a fish tormented by the drying of the lake.
शवीभूतम् इमं वत्से भर्तारं पुष्पकम्बलैः । आच्छाद्य स्थापयेह त्वं पुनर् एनम् अवाप्स्यसि
O child, cover this husband, now become a corpse, with flowered blankets and lay him here; you will have him again.
पुष्पाणि म्लानिम् एष्यन्ति नो न चैष विनङ्क्ष्यति । भूयश् च तव भर्तायम् अचिरेण भविष्यति
The flowers will wither, but he will not perish; soon, your husband will be yours once more.
एतदीयश् च जीवो ऽसाव् आकाशविशदस् तव । न निर्गमिष्यति क्षिप्रम् अप्य् अन्तःपुरमण्डपात्
And this soul of his, clear as space, will not quickly depart from the inner hall.
षट्पदश्रेणिनयना समाकर्ण्येति बन्धुभिः । सा समाश्वासितागत्य पयोभिर् इव पद्मिनी
Her relatives, hearing the sound of her footsteps like a line of bees, comforted her as a lotus is revived by water.
पतिं संस्थाप्य तत्रैव पुष्पपूरप्रगोपितम् । किञ्चिद् आश्वासितातिष्ठत् कृपणेव निधानिनी
Leaving her husband there, covered with a heap of flowers, she stood for a moment, somewhat consoled, like a poor woman who has laid down her treasure.
तस्मिन्न् एव दिने सैका तस्मिञ् शुद्धान्तमण्डपे । अर्धरात्रं परिजने सर्वस्मिन् निद्रया हृते
On that very day, in that pure inner hall, when all the attendants had been seized by sleep at midnight,