विनिद्रस्य विधैर्यस्य स्फुरतस् सह पल्लवैः । मम दुःखातिदैर्घ्येण सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी
Sleepless, restless, trembling along with the leaves, that night dragged on for me in the extreme length of my suffering.
ततस् तिमिरलेखासु सह तारेन्दुकैरवैः । मयीवापद्यमानासु म्लानताम् अलसाननैः
Then, as streaks of darkness faded away together with the stars and the moon, and as my own face grew pale and weary,
शाम्यन्तीषु च वेतालक्ष्वेडास्व् अजनजङ्गले । सह शीतार्तिमद्दन्तपङ्क्तिटाङ्कारसीत्कृतैः
And as the howls of jackals in the wild subsided, along with the chattering of teeth from the cold among those with rows of suffering mouths,
माम् अबन्तरनिर्मग्नं हसन्तीम् इव दृष्टवान् । अहं पूर्वां दिशं प्रातर् मधुपानारुणाम् इव
I saw the eastern direction in the morning, glowing red as if flushed by wine, while she seemed to laugh at me, sunk within myself.
क्षणाद् अज्ञ इव ज्ञानं दरिद्र इव काञ्चनम् । दृष्टवान् अहम् अर्कं खवारणारोहणोन्मुखम्
In a moment, I beheld the sun rising towards the sky’s gateway, as knowledge appears to the ignorant or gold to the poor.
उत्थाय वारवाणं च तत आस्फोटितं मया । हस्तिचर्म हरेणेव सन्ध्यानृत्तानुरागिणा
Then, rising up, I struck my shield, like one enamored with the dance of twilight, striking an elephant hide with a stick.
प्रवृत्तस् ताम् अहं स्फारां विहर्तुं जङ्गलस्थलीम् । कालो जगत्कुटीं कल्पदग्धभूतगणाम् इव
I set out to roam that vast wilderness, as time moves through the world-house, its beings consumed as if by the fire of dissolution.
न किञ्चिद् दृश्यते तत्र भूतं जरढजङ्गले । अभिजातो गुणलवो यथा मूर्खशरीरके
There, in that ancient, desolate jungle, nothing living was seen—just as in the body of a fool, only a trace of virtue is found.
केवलं विगताशङ्कं षण्डभ्रमणचञ्चलाः । चीचीकूचीचीवचना विहरन्ति विहङ्गमाः
Only birds, fearless and restless in their wandering, uttering their cīcī and kūcī sounds, moved about there.
अथाष्टभागम् आपन्ने व्योम्नो दिवसनायके । शुष्कावश्यायलेशासु स्नातास्व् इव लतासु च
Then, when the sun had ascended an eighth part of the sky, I saw the vines as if freshly bathed, with only a trace of withered dew upon them.
भ्रमतात्र मया दृष्टा दारिकौदनधारिणी । गृहीतामृतसत्कुम्भा दानवेनेव माधवी
As I wandered there, I saw a maiden carrying rice, holding a golden pot of nectar, like Mādhavī seized by a demon.
तरत्तारकनेत्रां तां श्यामाम् अधवलाम्बराम् । अहम् अभ्यागतस् तत्र शर्वरीम् इव चन्द्रमाः
There I approached her, dark-skinned, with three stars for eyes, clad in pale garments, as the moon approaches the night.
मह्यम् ओदनम् आश्व् एतद् बाले बलवदापदे । देहि दीनार्तिहरणात् स्फारतां यान्ति सम्पदः
O girl, bring me some food quickly in this dire distress; by removing the suffering of the afflicted, prosperity grows.
क्षुद् अन्तर् दहतीयं मां बाले वृद्धिम् उपेयुषी । कृष्णसर्पी प्रसूतेव कोटरस्था जरद्द्रुमम्
Hunger, growing within me, burns like a black serpent coiled in the hollow of an old tree, O girl.
याच्ञयापि तया मह्यम् इत्थं दत्तं न किञ्चन । यत्नप्रार्थितया लक्ष्म्या यथा दुष्कृतिने धनम्
Even when I begged her, she gave me nothing at all, just as wealth, though earnestly sought, is given by fortune to the wicked.
केवलं चिरकालेन मय्य् अत्यन्तानुगामिनि । षण्डात् षण्डं निपतति च्छायाभूते पुरस्स्थिते
Only after a long time, as I followed her persistently, did a little fall to me, as a shadow falls before one who stands.
तयोक्तो हारकेयूरिंश् चण्डालीं विद्धि माम् इति । राक्षसीम् इव सुक्रूरां पुरुषाश्वगजाननाम्
She said to me, 'Know me as a chandala woman adorned with necklaces and armlets, fierce as a demoness, with the faces of men, horses, and elephants.'
राजन् याचनमात्रेण मत्तो नाप्नोषि भोजनम् । ग्राम्याद् अनभिजातेहात् सौजन्यम् इव सुन्दर
O king, by mere asking you will not obtain food from me, just as true nobility is not found in one born outside the village.
इत्य् उक्तवत्या गच्छन्त्या स्खलन्त्येव पदे पदे । कुञ्जकेषु निमज्जन्त्या लीलावनतयोदितम्
Having spoken thus, she departed, stumbling at every step, sinking into the thickets, her words trailing off playfully.
ददानि भोजनम् इदं भर्ता भवसि चेन् मम । लोको नोपकरोत्य् अर्थं सामान्यस् स्निग्धतां विना
I offer this food if you become my husband; the world does not grant benefit without mutual affection.
वाहयत्य् अत्र मे दान्तान् उड्डारे पुक्कसः पिता । श्मशान इव वेतालः क्षुधितो धूलिधूसरः
Here, my father, a pukkasa, drives the docile ones for slaughter, hungry and dust-covered like a ghoul in the cremation ground.
तस्येदम् अन्नं भवति भर्तृत्वे दीयते स्थिते । प्राणैर् अपि हि सम्पूज्या वल्लभाः पुरुषा यतः
This food is given to him when he is established as husband; beloved men are to be honored even with one's life.
अथोक्ता सा मया भर्ता भवामि तव सुव्रते । केनापदि विचार्यन्ते वर्णधर्मकुलक्रमाः
Then I said to her, 'I will become your husband, O virtuous one; in adversity, distinctions of caste, duty, and family are considered.'
ततस् तयौदनाद् अर्धं मह्यम् एकं समर्पितम् । माधवीवामृताद् अर्धम् इन्द्रायाग्निमते पुरा
Then she offered me half of the rice, just as half of the nectar from Mādhavī was once given to Indra and Agni.
जम्बूफलरसः पीतस् स भुक्तः पुक्कसौदनः । विश्रान्तं च मया तत्र मोहापहृतचेतसा
Having drunk the juice of the jambu fruit, I ate the pukkasa's rice, and there I rested, my mind overcome by delusion.
मां तडाकम् इवापूर्य सा प्रावृट्श्यामला गता । हस्तेन समुपादाय प्राणं बहिर् इव स्थितम्
She, dark as the monsoon, filled me like a lake, and, taking my hand, drew out my life as if it were outside.
दुराकृतिं दुरारम्भम् आससाद भयप्रदम् । पितरं पीवराकारम् अवीचिम् इव शासना
She encountered my father, of dreadful form and undertaking, terrifying, corpulent like Avīci, the hell of punishment.
तया मदनुषङ्गिण्या स्वार्थस् तस्मै निवेदितः । मातङ्गाय भ्रमर्येव निस्स्वनेनालिलग्नया
To him, she who was attached to me offered her own interest, just as a bee, silent and clinging, offers itself to the elephant.
स तस्या बाढम् इत्य् उक्त्वा दिनान्ते समुपस्थिते । मुमोच दान्ताव् आबद्धौ कृतान्तः किङ्कराव् इव
He replied to her, 'Certainly,' and when the day drew to its close, he released us, as if we were two servants of Death bound by his teeth.
नीहाराभ्रकडारासु दिक्षु प्रोद्धूलितास्व् इव । वेतालवद् वनात् तस्माद् दिनान्ते चलिता वयम्
At day's end, we departed from that forest like ghosts, scattered in all directions as mist and clouds are swept away.