The Courtesan's Visit to Rishyashringa

Verse 1 (3.112.1)

सा तु नाव्याश्रमं चक्रे राजकार्यार्थसिद्धये । संदेशाच्चैव नृपतेः स्वबुद्ध्या चैव भारत ॥

sā tu nāvyāśramaṃ cakre rājakāryārthasiddhaye | saṃdeśāccaiva nṛpateḥ svabuddhyā caiva bhārata

To accomplish the king's purpose she made a hermitage on a boat, O Bharata, following both the king's instructions and her own wit.

Verse 2 (3.112.2)

नानापुष्पफलैर्वृक्षैः कृत्रिमैरुपशोभितैः । नानागुल्मलतोपेतैः स्वादुकामफलप्रदैः ॥

nānāpuṣpaphalairvṛkṣaiḥ kṛtrimairupaśobhitaiḥ | nānāgulmalatopetaiḥ svādukāmaphalapradaiḥ

It was graced with artificial trees bearing many kinds of flowers and fruits, furnished with many shrubs and creepers, and yielding sweet fruits at will.

Verse 3 (3.112.3)

अतीव रमणीयं तदतीव च मनोहरम् । चक्रे नाव्याश्रमं रम्यमद्भुतोपमदर्शनम् ॥

atīva ramaṇīyaṃ tadatīva ca manoharam | cakre nāvyāśramaṃ ramyamadbhutopamadarśanam

She made that boat-hermitage exceedingly pleasant and charming, lovely and wondrous to behold.

Note on the text: Corrected अद्भुतोपमदेर्शनम् → अद्भुतोपमदर्शनम् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray े; the critical edition reads adbhutopamadarśanam).

Verse 4 (3.112.4)

ततो निबध्य सा नावमदूरे काश्यपाश्रमात् । चारयामास पुरुषैर्विहारं तस्य वै मुनेः ॥

tato nibadhya sā nāvamadūre kāśyapāśramāt | cārayāmāsa puruṣairvihāraṃ tasya vai muneḥ

Then she moored the boat not far from Kashyapa's hermitage and had her men spy out where that sage went.

Note on the text: Corrected निवध्य → निबध्य (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the critical edition reads nibadhya).

Verse 5 (3.112.5)

ततो दुहितरं वेश्यां समाधायेतिकार्यताम् । दृष्ट्वाऽन्तरं काश्यपस्य प्राहिणोद्बुद्धिसंमताम् ॥

tato duhitaraṃ veśyāṃ samādhāyetikāryatām | dṛṣṭvā'ntaraṃ kāśyapasya prāhiṇodbuddhisaṃmatām

Then she instructed her daughter, a courtesan, in what she was to do, and, seeing her chance while Kashyapa was away, sent the girl, who was of sound judgement.

Note on the text: Corrected काशय्पस्य → काश्यपस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct is misplaced; the critical edition reads kāśyapasya). Wikisource's वेश्यां (critical edition veśyā) is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 6 (3.112.6)

सा तत्र गत्वा कुशला तपोनित्यस्य संनिधौ । आश्रमं तं समासाद्य ददर्श तमृषेः सुतम् ॥

sā tatra gatvā kuśalā taponityasya saṃnidhau | āśramaṃ taṃ samāsādya dadarśa tamṛṣeḥ sutam

Arriving there, the clever girl came to the hermitage, into the presence of one ever devoted to austerity, and saw the sage's son.

Verse 7 (3.112.7)

कच्चिन्मुने कुशलं तापसानां । कच्चिच्च वो मूलफलं प्रभूतम् । कच्चिद्भवान्रमते चाश्रमेऽस्मिं- । स्त्वां वै द्रष्टुं सांप्रतमागतास्मि ॥

kaccinmune kuśalaṃ tāpasānāṃ | kaccicca vo mūlaphalaṃ prabhūtam | kaccidbhavānramate cāśrame'smiṃ- | stvāṃ vai draṣṭuṃ sāṃpratamāgatāsmi

Is all well with the ascetics, O sage? Do you have roots and fruits in plenty? Do you find joy in this hermitage? I have come now to see you.

Note on the text: Corrected चाश्रेऽस्मिं- → चाश्रमेऽस्मिं- (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves no word and the pada a syllable short; the critical edition reads cāśrame 'smiṃs).

Verse 8 (3.112.8)

कच्चित्तपो वर्धते तापसानां । पिता च ते कच्चिदहीनतेजाः । कच्चित्त्वया प्रीयतेचैव विप्र । कच्चित्स्वाध्यायः क्रियते चर्श्यशृङ्ग ॥

kaccittapo vardhate tāpasānāṃ | pitā ca te kaccidahīnatejāḥ | kaccittvayā prīyatecaiva vipra | kaccitsvādhyāyaḥ kriyate carśyaśṛṅga

Does the austerity of the ascetics flourish? Is your father's vigour undiminished? Is he pleased with you, brahmin? And is the Veda being recited, Rishyashringa?

Note on the text: Corrected चर्श्यशृङ्गः → चर्श्यशृङ्ग (misprint in Wikisource; a stray visarga turns the vocative into a nominative; the critical edition has the vocative ṛśyaśṛṅga).

Verse 9 (3.112.9)

ऋद्ध्या भवाञ्ज्योतिरिव प्रकाशते । मन्ये चाहं त्वामभिवादनीयम् । पाद्यं वै ते संप्रदास्यामि कामा- । द्यथाधर्मं फलमूलानि चैव ॥

ṛddhyā bhavāñjyotiriva prakāśate | manye cāhaṃ tvāmabhivādanīyam | pādyaṃ vai te saṃpradāsyāmi kāmā- | dyathādharmaṃ phalamūlāni caiva

You shine with splendour like a light, and I think you are one to be saluted. I will gladly give you water for your feet, and fruits and roots, as dharma requires.

Verse 10 (3.112.10)

कौश्यां बृस्यामास्स्व यथोपजोषं । कृष्णाजिनेनावृतायां सुखाय । क्व चाश्रमस्तव किं नाम चेदं । व्रतंब्रह्मंश्चरसि हि देववत्त्वम् ॥

kauśyāṃ bṛsyāmāssva yathopajoṣaṃ | kṛṣṇājinenāvṛtāyāṃ sukhāya | kva cāśramastava kiṃ nāma cedaṃ | vrataṃbrahmaṃścarasi hi devavattvam

Sit at your ease on this seat of kusha grass covered with a black antelope skin, and be comfortable. Where is your hermitage, and what is this vow called, brahmin, that you keep like a god?

Verse 11 (3.112.11)

ममाश्रमः काश्यपपुत्र रम्य- । स्त्रियोजनं शैलमिमं परेण । तत्रस्वधर्मोऽनभिवादनं नो । न चोदकं पाद्यमुपस्पृशामः ॥

mamāśramaḥ kāśyapaputra ramya- | striyojanaṃ śailamimaṃ pareṇa | tatrasvadharmo'nabhivādanaṃ no | na codakaṃ pādyamupaspṛśāmaḥ

My lovely hermitage, son of Kashyapa, lies three yojanas beyond this mountain. There it is our own rule not to receive salutation, and we do not touch water for the feet.

Verse 12 (3.112.12)

भवता नाभिवाद्योऽहमभिवाद्यो भवान्मया । व्रतमेतादृशं ब्रह्मन्परिष्वज्यो भवान्मया ॥

bhavatā nābhivādyo'hamabhivādyo bhavānmayā | vratametādṛśaṃ brahmanpariṣvajyo bhavānmayā

I am not one to be saluted by you; you are one to be saluted by me. Such is my vow, brahmin: you are to be embraced by me.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.111.11d*0548.

Verse 13 (3.112.13)

फलानि पक्वानि ददानि तेऽहं । भल्लातकान्यामलकानि चैव । परूषकानीङ्गुदधन्वनानि । प्रियालानां काङ्क्षितं वै कुरुष्व ॥

phalāni pakvāni dadāni te'haṃ | bhallātakānyāmalakāni caiva | parūṣakānīṅgudadhanvanāni | priyālānāṃ kāṅkṣitaṃ vai kuruṣva

Let me give you ripe fruits: bhallatakas and amalakas, parushakas, ingudas and dhanvanas; and take what you like of the priyalas.

Note on the text: Corrected करूषकानी → परूषकानी (misprint in Wikisource; क for प; parūṣaka is the fruit, and the critical edition reads parūṣakānīṅguda-). Wikisource's काङ्क्षितं वै (critical edition kāmakāraṃ) is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 14 (3.112.14)

सा तानि सर्वाणि विसर्जयित्वा । भक्ष्याण्यनर्हाणि ददौ ततोऽस्मै । तान्यृश्यशृङ्गाय महारसानि । भृशं सुरूपाणि च मोदकानि ॥

sā tāni sarvāṇi visarjayitvā | bhakṣyāṇyanarhāṇi dadau tato'smai | tānyṛśyaśṛṅgāya mahārasāni | bhṛśaṃ surūpāṇi ca modakāni

She set all those aside and gave him instead priceless things to eat: sweetmeats for Rishyashringa, full of flavour and very lovely to look at.

Verse 15 (3.112.15)

ददौ च माल्यानि सुगन्धवन्ति । चित्राणि वासांसि च भानुमन्ति । पेयानि चाग्र्याणि ततो मुमोद । चिक्रीड चैव प्रजहास चैव ॥

dadau ca mālyāni sugandhavanti | citrāṇi vāsāṃsi ca bhānumanti | peyāni cāgryāṇi tato mumoda | cikrīḍa caiva prajahāsa caiva

She gave him fragrant garlands, bright and shining garments and the choicest drinks; then he rejoiced, and played, and laughed.

Verse 16 (3.112.16)

सा कन्दुकेनारमतास्य मूले । विभज्यमाना फलिता लतेव । गात्रैश्च गात्राणि निषेवमाणा । समाश्लिषच्चासकृदृश्यशृङ्गम् ॥

sā kandukenāramatāsya mūle | vibhajyamānā phalitā lateva | gātraiśca gātrāṇi niṣevamāṇā | samāśliṣaccāsakṛdṛśyaśṛṅgam

She played with a ball close by him, bending like a creeper laden with fruit; and pressing her limbs against his, she embraced Rishyashringa again and again.

Verse 17 (3.112.17)

सर्जानशोकांस्तिलकांश्च वृक्षा- । न्सुपुष्पितानवनाम्यावभज्य । विलज्जमानेव मदाभिभूता । प्रलोभयामास सुतं महर्षेः ॥

sarjānaśokāṃstilakāṃśca vṛkṣā- | nsupuṣpitānavanāmyāvabhajya | vilajjamāneva madābhibhūtā | pralobhayāmāsa sutaṃ maharṣeḥ

Bending down and breaking off the flowering boughs of sarja, ashoka and tilaka trees, as if bashful yet overcome with intoxication, she enticed the great sage's son.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रोभयामास → प्रलोभयामास (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves no word; the critical edition reads pralobhayām āsa).

Verse 18 (3.112.18)

अथर्श्यशृङ्गं विकृतंसमीक्ष्य । पुनः पुनः पीड्य च कायमस्य । अवेक्ष्यमाणा शनकैर्जगाम । कृत्वाऽग्निहोत्रस्य तदाऽपदेशम् ॥

atharśyaśṛṅgaṃ vikṛtaṃsamīkṣya | punaḥ punaḥ pīḍya ca kāyamasya | avekṣyamāṇā śanakairjagāma | kṛtvā'gnihotrasya tadā'padeśam

Then, seeing Rishyashringa stirred, she pressed his body to hers again and again, and, as he gazed after her, went slowly away, making the fire-offering her excuse.

Note on the text: Corrected पीञ्य → पीड्य (misprint in Wikisource; ञ for ड; the critical edition and the Wikisource commentary read pīḍya).

Verse 19 (3.112.19)

तस्यां गतायां मदनेन मत्तो । विचेतनश्चाभवदृश्यशृङ्गः । तामेव भावेन गतेन शून्ये । विनिःश्वसन्नार्तरूपो बभूव ॥

tasyāṃ gatāyāṃ madanena matto | vicetanaścābhavadṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ | tāmeva bhāvena gatena śūnye | viniḥśvasannārtarūpo babhūva

When she was gone, Rishyashringa, maddened by love, lost his senses; his heart went after her, and in that empty place he sighed and grew sick with longing.

Verse 20 (3.112.20)

ततो मुहूर्ताद्धरिपिङ्गलाक्षः । प्रवेष्टितो रोमभिरानखाग्रात् । स्वाध्यायवान्वृत्तसमाधियुक्तो । विभाण्डकः काश्यपः प्रादुरासीत् ॥

tato muhūrtāddharipiṅgalākṣaḥ | praveṣṭito romabhirānakhāgrāt | svādhyāyavānvṛttasamādhiyukto | vibhāṇḍakaḥ kāśyapaḥ prādurāsīt

Then, after a short while, Vibhandaka Kashyapa appeared: tawny-eyed, covered with hair down to the tips of his nails, devoted to Vedic study, pure in conduct and given to meditation.

Verse 21 (3.112.21)

सोऽपश्यदासीनमुपेत्य पुत्रं । ध्यायन्तमेकं विपरीतचित्तम् । विनिःश्वसन्तं मुहुरूर्ध्वदृष्टिं । विभाण्डकः पुत्रमुवाच दीनम् ॥

so'paśyadāsīnamupetya putraṃ | dhyāyantamekaṃ viparītacittam | viniḥśvasantaṃ muhurūrdhvadṛṣṭiṃ | vibhāṇḍakaḥ putramuvāca dīnam

Approaching, he saw his son sitting alone, brooding, his mind turned upside down, sighing again and again with eyes turned upward; and Vibhandaka spoke to his wretched son:

Note on the text: Corrected विभाण्‍कः → विभाण्डकः (misprint in Wikisource; the ड is lost behind a stray joiner character; the critical edition reads vibhāṇḍakaḥ).

Verse 22 (3.112.22)

न कल्पिताः समिधः किंनु तात । कच्चिद्धुतं चाग्निहोत्रं त्वयाऽद्य । न संसृष्टं क्रियते द्वारभागे । सुवृक्षाणां खण्डने कः प्रवृत्तः ॥

na kalpitāḥ samidhaḥ kiṃnu tāta | kacciddhutaṃ cāgnihotraṃ tvayā'dya | na saṃsṛṣṭaṃ kriyate dvārabhāge | suvṛkṣāṇāṃ khaṇḍane kaḥ pravṛttaḥ

Why, my son, have the kindling sticks not been made ready? Have you offered the fire-offering today? The doorway has not been swept. Who has set about breaking these fine trees?

Note on the text: Corrected चाग्निहोऽत्रं → चाग्निहोत्रं (misprint in Wikisource; a stray avagraha inside the word) and सुवृक्षाणा → सुवृक्षाणां (misprint in Wikisource; the anusvara of the genitive plural is dropped). Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the last two lines. The first two lines are the critical edition's 3.111.21ab (it reads na kalpyante samidhaḥ); the last two are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Vibhandaka's direct speech (announced in verse 21) fills this verse and the next two with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 23 (3.112.23)

सुनिर्णिक्तं स्रुक्स्रुवं होमधेनुः । कच्चित्सवत्साद्यकृता त्वया च । कोप्यागतः शुश्रूषणायेह पुत्र । कुतश्चित्रं माल्यमिदं प्रवृद्धम् ॥

sunirṇiktaṃ sruksruvaṃ homadhenuḥ | kaccitsavatsādyakṛtā tvayā ca | kopyāgataḥ śuśrūṣaṇāyeha putra | kutaścitraṃ mālyamidaṃ pravṛddham

Are the ladle and the spoon well cleaned? Has the cow for the offering been put with her calf today by you? Has someone come here to wait upon you, son? Where does this bright, full garland come from?

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the last two lines. The first two lines are the critical edition's 3.111.21cd; the last two are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Vibhandaka's direct speech, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 24 (3.112.24)

न वै यथापूर्वमिवासि पुत्र । चिन्तापरश्चासि विचेतनश्च । दीनोतिमात्रं किमिवाद्य खिन्नः । पृच्छामि त्वां क इहाद्यागतोऽभूत् ॥

na vai yathāpūrvamivāsi putra | cintāparaścāsi vicetanaśca | dīnotimātraṃ kimivādya khinnaḥ | pṛcchāmi tvāṃ ka ihādyāgato'bhūt

You are not as you were before, son: you are lost in thought and out of your senses. Why are you so utterly downcast and dejected today? I ask you: who has come here today?

Note on the text: Vibhandaka's direct speech, with no printed heading; given to him.