आकर्ण्य तद् अहल्या सा बभूवेन्द्रानुरागिणी । अहल्यां मां न कस्मात् स शक्रो ऽभ्येतीति सोत्सुका
Hearing this, Ahalya became enamored with Indra and, filled with longing, wondered why that Indra did not approach her.
मृणालहारकदलीपल्लवास्तरणेषु सा । अतप्यत भृशं बाला लतालूना वनेष्व् इव
She suffered greatly, lying on beds of lotus stalks, lotus fiber, and banana leaves, like a young girl scorched in the forest after her creepers have been cut.
खेदम् आप समग्रासु तासु भूपविभूतिषु । मत्सी निदाघतप्तासु परिलोला स्थलेष्व् इव
She grew weary amidst all those royal luxuries, like a fish tossed about on dry land, tormented by the summer heat.
अयम् इन्द्रो ऽयम् इन्द्रश् चेत्य् एवं जातप्रलापया । लज्जापि हि तया त्यक्ता वैवश्यम् उपयातया
With her mind disturbed, she kept repeating, 'This is Indra, this is Indra,' and in her agitation, she even abandoned her sense of shame.
इत्य् आर्ताया घनस्नेहम् अथ तस्या वयस्यया । उक्तम् आलि तवाविघ्नम् इन्द्रम् अप्य् आनयाम्य् अहम्
Seeing her so afflicted and deeply attached, her friend said, 'Dear one, without delay, I will bring Indra to you.'
इन्द्रं तवानयामीति श्रुत्वा विकसितेक्षणा । पपात पादयोस् सख्या नलिन्या नलिनी यथा
Hearing, 'I will bring Indra to you,' her eyes blossomed, and she fell at her friend's feet like a lotus at the feet of a lotus.
ततः प्रयाते दिवसे समायाते निशागमे । सा वयस्या तम् इन्द्राख्यं ययौ विप्रकुमारकम्
When the day had passed and night had come, that friend went to the prince named Indra.
बोधयित्वा यथायुक्तं सा तम् इन्द्रकुमारकम् । अहल्यानिकटं रात्राव् आनयाम् आस सत्वरम्
After properly awakening him, she quickly brought that prince Indra to Ahalya's side during the night.
सा ततस् तेन शिड्गेन महेन्द्रेण रतिं ययौ । कस्मिंश्चित् सदने गुप्ते बहुमाल्यविलेपना
Then, adorned with many garlands and perfumes, she enjoyed union with that passionate Mahendra in a certain hidden chamber.
हाराङ्गदमनोज्ञेन तेन सा तरुणी तदा । रतेनावर्जिता वल्ली रसेन मधुना यथा
At that time, she, the young woman, was captivated by him, who was adorned with a charming necklace and armlets, just as a vine is drawn to the taste of honey.
ततस् तदनुरक्ता सा पश्यन्ती तन्मयं जगत् । न सानन्तगुणाकीर्णं भर्तारं बह्व् अमन्यत
Then, being attached to him, she saw the world as filled with him alone; she did not regard her husband, though he was endowed with countless virtues.
केनचित् त्व् अथ कालेन तस्या इन्द्रानुरागिता । सा ज्ञाता राजसिंहेन तन्मुखव्योमचन्द्रिका
But after some time, her infatuation with Indra was discovered by the lion among kings, her husband, through the moon-like radiance of her face.
इन्द्रं ध्यायति सा यावत् तावत् तस्या विराजते । मुखं पूर्णेन चन्द्रेण प्रबुद्धम् इव कैरवम्
As long as she meditated on Indra, her face shone with the fullness of the moon, like a lotus blooming at night.
एवम् अन्योऽन्यम् आसक्तभावम् आलोक्य भूपतिः । चकार बहुभिर् दण्डैस् स द्वयोर् अथ शासनम्
Observing their mutual attachment, the king imposed many punishments as discipline upon the two.
ताव् उभाव् अपि सन्त्यक्तौ हि सन्तौ सलिलाशये । तुष्टौ जहसतुस् तत्र न खेदं समुपागतौ
Yet both of them, though abandoned, remained together in the water-reservoir, content and smiling there, without any distress.
अपृच्छत् तौ ततो राजा खिन्नौ स्थः किं न दुर्मती । ताव् ऊचतुर् महीपालं जलाशयसमुद्धृतौ
Then the king asked them, 'Are you not troubled, though you are cast off?' The two replied to the king, having been taken out of the reservoir,
संसृत्यावाम् इहान्योऽन्यं मुखकान्तिम् अनिन्दिताम् । मुह्यावो न महीपाल स्वाङ्गैर् अपि विकर्तितैः
'Having come together here, beholding each other's flawless facial beauty, we are entranced, O king, not even disturbed by our own bodies being cut to pieces.'
वह्नाव् अपि परिक्षिप्ताव् अखिन्नाव् एवम् एव तौ । ऊचतुर् मुदितात्मानाव् अन्योऽन्यं स्मृतिहर्षितौ
Even when surrounded by fire, those two remained unshaken; with joyful hearts, delighted by the memory, they spoke to each other.
ग्रथितौ गजपादेषु नखिन्नाव् एव संस्थितौ । एवम् एवोचतुर् भूपम् अन्योऽन्यं स्मृतिहर्षितौ
Bound at the feet of elephants, pierced by nails, they stood firm; in the same way, O king, they spoke to each other, delighted by remembrance.
कषाहताव् अखिन्नौ ताव् एवम् एव किलोचतुः । पङ्कमग्नाव् अखिन्नौ ताव् एवम् एव किलोचतुः
Struck by whips, yet unbroken, thus indeed they spoke; sunk in mud, yet unshaken, thus indeed they spoke.
अन्यस्माच् छासनाजालात् कल्पिताच् च पुनः पुनः । उद्धृताव् ऊचतुः पृष्टौ तम् एवार्थं पुनः पुनः
Again and again, when released from various imagined nets of punishment, they were questioned and replied repeatedly with the same meaning.
उवाचेन्द्रो महीपाल जगन् मे दयितामयम् । न शासनानि दुःखानि बाधन्ते किञ्चिद् एव मे
Indra said: O king, for me, this world is filled with affection; the punishments do not trouble me at all.
अस्याश् चैव जगद् राजन् सर्वं मन्मयम् एव हि । तेन नौ शासनादुःखं किञ्चिद् एव न बाधते
And for her too, O king, this entire world is indeed made of mind; therefore, the pain of punishment does not trouble us at all.
मनो नाम वयं राजन् मनो हि पुरुषस् स्मृतः । प्रपञ्चमात्रम् एवायं देहो दृश्यत एव हि
We are called 'mind', O king, for mind is said to be the person; this body that is seen is only a projection.
समकालप्रयुक्तेन सहसा दण्डराशिना । धीरं मनो भेधयितुं न मनाग् अपि शक्यते
Even with a sudden multitude of punishments applied at the same time, it is not possible in the least to disturb the steady mind.
का नाम ता महाराज कीदृश्यः कस्य शक्तयः । याभिर् मनांसि भिद्यन्ते दृढनिश्चयवन्त्य् अपि
What is that, O great king, and of what kind, and whose power is it, by which even minds firmly resolved are broken?
पततूदेतु वा देहो यातु वा विशरारुताम् । भावितार्थाभिपतितं मनस् तिष्ठति पूर्ववत्
Whether this body falls or rises, or becomes scattered, the mind fixed on its intended object remains as before.
इष्टे ऽर्थे चिरम् आविष्टं भङ्क्तुं धीरं स्थितं मनः । भावा भावाश् शरीरस्था मम शक्ता न केचन
The mind, long absorbed in the desired object and steadfast, is not broken by any influences residing in the body.
भावितं तीव्रवेगेन मनसा यन् महीपते । तद् एव पश्यत्य् अचलं न शरीरविचेष्टितम्
O king, whatever the mind intensely contemplates, it perceives as unmoving, regardless of the body's actions.
न काश्चन क्रिया राजन् वरशापादिका अपि । तीव्रसंवेगसम्पन्नं शक्ताश् चालयितुं मनः
No action, O king, even those involving boons or curses, can shake a mind endowed with intense force.