एताः प्रसृतमन्दारमञ्जरीपुञ्जपिञ्जराः । दोलालोलाप्सरश्श्रेण्यश् शक्रोपवनवीथयः
These are the avenues in Indra’s gardens, swaying with apsaras groups, colored by clusters of mandāra flower buds.
इमे ते कुन्दमन्दारमकरन्दसुगन्धयः । चन्द्रांशुनिकराकाराः पारिजातसमीरणाः
Here are the breezes, fragrant with the nectar of kunda and coral tree blossoms, resembling the rays of the moon.
पुष्पकेसरनीहारपटवासेरणोत्सुकैः । लताङ्गनागणैर् व्याप्तम् इदं तन् नन्दनं वनम्
This Nandana grove is filled with clusters of flowering creepers, eager with the mist of pollen and filaments.
कान्तगीतरवानन्दप्रनर्तितसुराङ्गनौ । इमौ तौ वल्लकीस्निग्धस्वरौ नारदतुम्बुरू
Here are Nārada and Tumburu, their lutes resonant with sweet notes, delighting the celestial maidens who dance in joy at the sound of beloved songs.
इमे ते पुण्यकर्तारो भूरिभूषणभूषिताः । व्योमन्य् उड्डयमानेषु विमानेषु सुखं स्थिताः
Here are the doers of merit, adorned with many ornaments, happily residing in aerial chariots soaring through the sky.
मदमन्मथमत्ताङ्ग्य इमास् तास् सुरयोषितः । देवेश्वरं निषेवन्ते वनं वनलता इव
These are the celestial women, intoxicated with pride and passion, attending the lord of the gods like forest vines clinging to the trees.
चन्द्रांशुजालकुसुमाश् चिन्तामणिगुलुच्छकाः । कल्पवृक्ष इमे पक्वरत्नस्तबकदन्तुराः
These wish-fulfilling trees bear flowers woven with moonbeams, clusters of wish-fulfilling gems, and branches heavy with ripe jewels.
इह तावद् इमं शक्रम् अहम् आसनसंस्थितम् । द्वितीयम् इव देवेशं पूजयैवाभिवादये
Now, here I shall respectfully greet this Indra, seated on his throne, as one would honor a second lord of the gods.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य शुक्रेण मनसैव शचीपतिः । तेनाभिवादितस् तत्र द्वितीय इव वै भृगुः
Thinking thus in his mind, Śukra greeted the lord of Śacī, and there, like a second Bhṛgu, was respectfully received.
अथ सादरम् उत्थाय शुक्रश् शक्रेण पूजितः । गृहीतहस्तम् आनीय समीप उपवेशितः
Then, rising respectfully, Śukra was honored by Indra, who took him by the hand, brought him near, and seated him close by.
धन्यस् त्वदागमेनाद्य स्वर्गो ऽयं शुक्र शोभते । उष्यतां चिरम् एवेह शक्र इत्थम् उवाच तम्
Indra said to him: 'Blessed is this heaven today, Śukra, made splendid by your arrival; please remain here for a long time.'
अथ तत्रोपविश्यासौ भार्गवश् शोभिताननः । श्रियं जहार शशिनस् सकलस्यामलस्य च
Then Bhārgava, with a radiant face, sat there and surpassed the beauty of the spotless moon and all its brilliance.
सकलसुरगणाभिवन्दितो ऽसौ भृगुतनयश् शतमन्युपार्श्वसंस्थः । चिरतरम् अतुलाम् अवाप तुष्टिं नरमतिम् उज्झितवान् अलं बभूव
Honored by all the hosts of gods, the son of Bhṛgu sat beside Indra, and for a long time attained incomparable satisfaction, having abandoned all human thoughts, and became serene.
मुहूर्तम् अथ विश्रम्य तस्य पार्श्वे शचीपतेः । स्वर्गं विहर्तुम् उत्तस्थौ स्वर्वासिपरिचोदितः
After resting for a moment at the side of the lord of Śacī, prompted by the celestial residents, he rose to wander about heaven.
स्वर्गश्रियं समालोक्य लोललोचनलाञ्छितम् । स्त्रैणं द्रष्टुं जगामासौ नलिनीम् इव सारसः
Beholding the splendor of heaven, adorned with women of restless eyes, he went to see the assembly of women, like a swan approaching a lotus pond.
तत्र तां मृगशावाक्षीं कान्ताम् अध्यागताम् असौ । ददर्श विपिनान्तस्स्थां भृङ्गश् चूतलताम् इव
There he saw her, the doe-eyed beloved, who had arrived and was standing at the edge of the grove, like a bee near a mango shoot.
ताम् आलोक्य लसल्लोलविलासवलिताकृतिम् । आसीद् विलीयमानाङ्गो ज्योत्स्नयेन्दुमणिर् यथा
Seeing her, whose form was adorned with playful, graceful movements, he felt his body melting away, like the moonstone dissolving in moonlight.
विलीयमानसर्वाङ्गस् ताम् अवैक्षत कामिनीम् । चन्द्रकान्त इव ज्योत्स्नां शीतलां खे विलासिनीम्
With all his limbs dissolving, he gazed upon that desiring woman, like a moonstone beholding the cool, playful moonlight in the sky.
तेनावलोकिता सापि तत्परायणतां गता । निशान्ते चक्रवाकेन कान्तेव परिकूजिता
Seen by him in this way, she too became wholly devoted to him, like a female chakravaka bird, cooing for her beloved at the end of night.
रसाद् विकसतोर् नूनम् अन्योऽन्यम् अनुरक्तयोः । प्रातर् अर्कनलिन्योर् या शोभा सैव तयोर् अभूत्
Surely, as both were blossoming with delight and mutual affection, the radiance between them was like that of the morning sun and a lotus pond.
सङ्कल्पितार्थदायित्वाद् देशस्य मदनेन सा । सर्वाङ्गं विवशीकृत्य शुक्रायैव समर्पिता
Because the place, stirred by passion, granted the fulfillment of their imagined desires, she, overcome in every limb, was wholly offered to Shukra.
पेतुस् स्मरशरास् तस्या मृदुष्व् अङ्गेषु भूरिशः । पलाशेष्व् इव पद्मिन्या धारा नवपयोमुचः
Countless arrows of love fell softly upon her tender limbs, like fresh rain streaming upon the leaves of a lotus plant.
सा बभूव स्मराधूता लोलालिवलयालका । मन्दवातविनुन्नाया मञ्जर्यास् सहधर्मिणी
She became agitated by love, her bangles and hair swaying, like a blossom cluster gently shaken by a soft breeze.
नीलनीरजनेत्रां तां हंसवारणगामिनीम् । मदनः क्षोभयाम् आस पूरः कमलिनीम् इव
Madana stirred her, she of blue-black eyes and swan-like gait, just as a flood agitates a lotus pond.
अथ तां तादृशीं दृष्ट्वा शुक्रस् सङ्कल्पितार्थभाक् । तमस् सङ्कल्पयाम् आस संहारम् इव भूतकृत्
Then, seeing her in such a state, Shukra, who had attained his desired object, conceived of darkness, like the creator of beings envisions dissolution.
त्रिविष्टपस्य देशो ऽसौ बभूव तिमिराकुलः । भूलोकस्यान्धतमसो लोकालोकतटो यथा
That region of heaven became filled with darkness, just as the boundary of the world is enveloped in deep gloom.
लज्जान्धकारतीक्ष्णांशौ तस्मिंस् तिमिरमण्डले । प्रतिष्ठाम् आगते तस्य मिथुनस्येव मन्मथे
In that circle of darkness, where shame and intense shadow prevailed, the two stood together like a pair overcome by love.
तेषु सर्वेषु भूतेषु गतेष्व् अभिमतां दिशम् । तस्मात् प्रदेशाद् भूलोकं दिनान्ते विहगेष्व् इव
When all the beings there had departed in their chosen directions, from that place they went to the earthly realm, like birds at the end of day.
सा दीर्घधवलापाङ्गा प्रवृद्धमदना तथा । आजगाम भृगोः पुत्रं मयूरी वारिदं यथा
She, with long, bright glances and passion grown strong, approached the son of Bhrigu, as a peahen approaches a raincloud.
धवलागारमध्यस्थे पर्यङ्के परिकल्पिते । विवेश भार्गवस् तत्र क्षीरोद इव माधवः
In the midst of a white chamber, upon a prepared couch, the descendant of Bhrigu entered there, like Mādhava entering the ocean of milk.