तत्र ते पेततुर् देव्यौ ग्रामे ऽन्तश्शीतलात्मनि । भोगमोक्षश्रियौ शान्ते पुंसीव विदितात्मनि
There, in that village, the two goddesses descended into bodies cool within, like the twin fortunes of enjoyment and liberation entering a tranquil man who knows his own self.
कालेनैतावता लीला तेनाभ्यासेन साभवत् । शुद्धज्ञानैकदेहत्वात् त्रिकालामलदर्शिनी
In due course, by that practice, Lila became endowed with the ability to perceive the three times without stain, being of the nature of pure knowledge alone.
अथ सस्मार सर्वास् ताः प्राक्तनीस् संसृतेर् गतीः । स्वास् स्वयं स्वरसेनैव प्राग्जन्ममरणादिकाः
Then she recalled, by her own innate impulse, all those previous courses of transmigration—her own past births, deaths, and so on.
देवि देशम् इमं दृष्ट्वा त्वत्प्रसादात् स्मराम्य् अहम् । इह तत् प्राक्तनं सर्वं चेष्टितं वेष्टितान्तरम्
O goddess, seeing this place, by your grace I remember all that happened here before—every action and the various circumstances.
इहाभूवम् अहं जीर्णा सिरालाङ्गी कृशासिता । ब्राह्मणी शुष्कदर्भाग्रभेदरूक्षकरोदरा
Here, I was an old woman, with sinewy limbs, thin and dark, a brahmin wife with hands and belly roughened by the splitting of dry darbha grass.
भर्तुः कुलकरी भार्या दोहमन्थानशोभिनी । माता सकलपुत्राणाम् अतिथीनां प्रियङ्करी
I was the wife of the head of the household, skilled in churning for butter, mother of all the children, and one who delighted guests.
देवद्विजसतां भक्ता सिक्ताङ्गी घृतगोरसैः । गर्गरीचरुकुम्भादिभाण्डोपस्करशोधिनी
Devoted to gods, brahmins, and the virtuous, my limbs were anointed with clarified butter and milk; I cleaned vessels such as gargarī, caru, and kumbha.
नित्यम् अन्नलवाक्तैककाचकम्बुप्रकोष्ठका । जामातृदुहितृभ्रातृपितृमातृप्रपूजिनी
Constantly engaged with food, salt, a single garment, a water pot, and a storage room, I honored sons-in-law, daughters, brothers, fathers, and mothers.
आदेहं सद्मवृत्त्यैव प्रक्षीणदिनयामिनी । वाचं चिरं चिरम् इति वदन्त्य् अनिशम् आकुला
With her body worn down by the routines of the house and the passing of many days and nights, she anxiously repeats the same words again and again, without ceasing.
काहं क इव संसार इति स्वप्ने ऽप्य् असङ्कथा । जाया श्रोत्रियमूढस्य तादृशस्यैव दुर्धियः
Who am I? What is this world?—such questions never arise, not even in dreams, for the wife of such a deluded and ignorant householder.
एकनिष्ठा समिच्छाकगोमयेन्धनसञ्चये । म्लानकम्बलसंवीतसिरालक्षा सगात्रिका
Her sole concern is gathering cow dung and firewood for fuel; she is draped in a faded blanket, her limbs marked by the pressure of carrying heavy loads.
तर्णकीकर्णजाहस्थक्रिमिनिष्कासतत्परा । गृहशाकवनासेकसत्वरा गृहकर्मणां
She is constantly occupied with removing insects from her ears, hair, and hands, and hurries to fetch wild greens for the household, ever busy with domestic tasks.
नीलतीरतरङ्गाक्ततृणतर्पिततर्णका । प्रतिक्षणं गृहद्वारकृतचन्दनवर्णका
She feeds the cattle with grass wet from the waves of the blue river, and at every moment she marks the house door with sandalwood paste.
नीत्यर्थं गृहभृत्यानां सादिनां कृतवाच्यता । मर्यादानियमाद् अब्धिवेलेवानिशम् अच्युता
She is always ready to speak for the sake of the household servants and animals, and, unwavering in her adherence to rules and boundaries, she is like the shore that restrains the ocean.
जीर्णपर्णसवर्णैककर्णदोलाधिरूढया । कष्टतापजराभीतजीवभृत्येव चिह्निता
She is marked by the swing of an old, leaf-colored earring hanging from one ear, and, like a servant worn by hardship and age, she bears the signs of a life filled with toil and fear.
इत्य् उक्त्वा सञ्चरन्ती सा शिखरिग्रामकोटरे । सञ्चरन्त्यास् सरस्वत्या दर्शयाम् आस सा स्वयम्
Having spoken thus, she wandered in the hollow of the mountain village; as she moved about, Sarasvati herself appeared before her.
इयं मे पाटलाषण्डमण्डिता पुष्पवाटिका । इयं मे पुष्पितोद्यानमण्डपाकारवाटिका
This flower garden, adorned with clusters of crimson trees, is mine; this blossoming pavilion, shaped like a garden enclosure, is mine.
इयं पुष्करिणीतीरद्रुमग्रथिततर्णका । इयं सा कर्णिकानाम्नी तर्णिका भुक्तपर्णिका
This bank of the lotus pond, entwined with trees and lush grass, is mine; this is the tarṇikā called Karṇikā, whose leaves have been eaten.
इयं सा मेदसा क्षीणा वराकी जलहारिका । अद्याष्टमं दिनं बाष्पपूर्णाक्षी परिरोदिति
This poor one, weakened by fat and deprived of water, is mine; today is the eighth day she weeps with tear-filled eyes.
इह देवि मया प्रोक्तम् इहोषितम् इह स्थितम् । इह सुप्तम् इहातीतम् इदं दत्तम् इहाहृतम्
Here, O goddess, I have spoken, lived, stayed; here I have slept, passed time, given, and received.
एष मे ज्येष्ठशर्माख्यः पुत्रो रोदिति मन्दिरे । एषा मे जङ्गले धेनुर् दोघ्द्री चरति शाद्वलम्
This eldest son of mine, named Sharma, weeps in the house; this cow of mine, grazing in the meadow, is milking in the wilderness.
गृहे ऽवसन्नं दाहाय रूक्षं क्षारविधूसरम् । स्वं देहम् इह पञ्चाख्यं पश्येमं प्रघनं मम
In the house, settled for burning, dry and covered with alkaline dust, see this body of mine, called 'fivefold,' dense and heavy.
तुम्बीलताभिर् उग्राभिस् तृष्णाभिर् इव वेष्टितम् । महानसस्थानम् इदं मम देहम् इवापरम्
This kitchen, wrapped with fierce gourd vines, like thirsts, is mine; this place in the kitchen is like another body of mine.
एते रोदनताम्राक्षा बन्धवो भुवि बन्धनम् । अङ्गदार्पितरुद्राक्षा आहरन्त्य् अनलेन्धनम्
These relatives, their eyes reddened from weeping, are bonds in this world; those who wear rudraksha bracelets bring fuel for the fire.
अनारतं शिलाकच्छगुच्छाच्छोटनकारिभिः । तरङ्गैस् तुङ्गिताकारस्पृष्टतीरलतादलैः
Ceaselessly struck by clusters of stones and shells, with waves of lofty form touching the leaves of creepers on the shore,
शीकराकीर्णपर्यन्तशाद्वलस्थलवेल्लितैः । शिलाफलहकास्फालफेनिलोत्फालशीकरैः
Its edges are scattered with spray, swaying grassy patches, and foam rising from the collision of stones, fruits, and shells.
तुषारीकृतमध्याह्नदिवाकरकरोत्करैः । फुल्लपुष्पोत्करासारप्रदानोत्कतटद्रुमैः
The midday sun’s rays, like frost, make it glisten, while the banks are lined with trees eager to offer clusters of blossoming flowers.
विद्रुमैर् इव सङ्क्रान्तफुल्लकिंशुककान्तिभिः । व्याप्तया पुष्पराशीनां समुल्लासनकारिभिः
With the radiance of blooming kiṃśuka trees shining like coral, and filled with heaps of flowers that seem to burst forth in delight,
उह्यमानफलापूरसुव्यग्रग्रामबालया । महाकलकलावर्तसक्तया ग्राम्यकुल्यया
Children from the village, busy with gathering abundant fruit, are carried along by the village stream, absorbed in its great, noisy eddies.
वेष्टितस् तरलास्फालजलधौततलोपमः । घनपत्त्रतरुच्छत्त्रच्छायासततशीतलः
Surrounded by swiftly swirling, water-washed banks, ever cool beneath the dense shade of broad-leaved trees,