Kali the Gandharva Deceives Varuthini

Verse 1 (markandeya.62.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवन्तु वदतस्तस्य द्विजपुत्रस्य पावकः । गार्हपत्यः शरीरे तु सन्निधानमथाकरोत् ॥ 62.1 ॥

evantu vadatastasya dvijaputrasya pāvakaḥ / gārhapatyaḥ śarīre tu sannidhānamathākarot

Markandeya said: Even as that brahmin's son spoke thus, the fire Gārhapatya took up its presence within his very body.

Verse 2 (markandeya.62.2)

तेन चाधिष्ठितः सोऽथ प्रभामण्डलमध्यगः । व्यदीपयत तं देशं मूर्तिमानिव हव्यवाट् ॥ 62.2 ॥

tena cādhiṣṭhitaḥ so 'tha prabhāmaṇḍalamadhyagaḥ / vyadīpayata taṁ deśaṁ mūrtimāniva havyavāṭ

Possessed by that fire, standing within a circle of radiance, he illumined that whole region as though he were the fire-god in embodied form.

Verse 3 (markandeya.62.3)

तस्यास्तु सुतरां तत्र तादृग्रूपे द्विजन्मनि । अनुरागोऽभवद्विप्रं पश्यन्त्या देवयोषितः ॥ 62.3 ॥

tasyāstu sutarāṁ tatra tādṛgrūpe dvijanmani / anurāgo 'bhavadvipraṁ paśyantyā devayoṣitaḥ

Beholding the brahmin in that resplendent form, the divine woman's passion for him grew all the more intense.

Verse 4 (markandeya.62.4)

ततः सोऽधिष्ठितस्तेन हव्यवाहेन तत्क्षणात् । यथापूर्वं तथा गन्तुं प्रवृत्तो द्विजनन्दनः ॥ 62.4 ॥

tataḥ so 'dhiṣṭhitastena havyavāhena tatkṣaṇāt / yathāpūrvaṁ tathā gantuṁ pravṛtto dvijanandanaḥ

Then, possessed at that very instant by that fire-bearer, the brahmin's son set out to go, just as before.

Verse 5 (markandeya.62.5)

जगाम च त्वरायुक्तस्तया देव्या निरीक्षितः । आदृष्टिपातात्तन्वङ्ग्या निश्वासोत्कम्पिकन्धरम् ॥ 62.5 ॥

jagāma ca tvarāyuktastayā devyā nirīkṣitaḥ / ādṛṣṭipātāttanvaṅgyā niśvāsotkampikandharam

He departed swiftly, watched by that goddess, whose slender body trembled at the throat with sighs from the very moment her eyes fell upon him.

Verse 6 (markandeya.62.6)

ततः क्षणेनैव तदा निजगेहमवाप्य सः । यथाप्रोक्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठश्चकार सकलाः क्रियाः ॥ 62.6 ॥

tataḥ kṣaṇenaiva tadā nijagehamavāpya saḥ / yathāproktaṁ dvijaśreṣṭhaścakāra sakalāḥ kriyāḥ

Then, in but a moment, having reached his own home, that best of brahmins performed all his rites just as prescribed.

Verse 7 (markandeya.62.7)

अथ सा चारुसर्वाङ्गी तत्रासक्तात्ममानसा । निश्वासपरमा निन्ये दिनशेषं तथा निशाम् ॥ 62.7 ॥

atha sā cārusarvāṅgī tatrāsaktātmamānasā / niśvāsaparamā ninye dinaśeṣaṁ tathā niśām

But she, lovely in every limb, her mind now bound to him, passed the rest of the day and the night given over wholly to sighing.

Verse 8 (markandeya.62.8)

निश्वसन्त्यनवद्याङ्गी हाहेति रुदती मुहुः । मन्दभाग्येति चात्मानं निनिन्द मदिरेक्षणा ॥ 62.8 ॥

niśvasantyanavadyāṅgī hāheti rudatī muhuḥ / mandabhāgyeti cātmānaṁ nininda madirekṣaṇā

That flawless-limbed, intoxicating-eyed one sighed again and again, wept crying 'Alas, alas!', and reproached herself as ill-fated.

Verse 9 (markandeya.62.9)

न विहारे न चाहारे रमणीये न वा वने । न कन्दरेषु रम्येषु सा बबन्ध तदा रतिम् ॥ 62.9 ॥

na vihāre na cāhāre ramaṇīye na vā vane / na kandareṣu ramyeṣu sā babandha tadā ratim

She found delight neither in sport, nor in food, nor in the lovely forest, nor in the charming mountain caves.

Verse 10 (markandeya.62.10)

चकार रममाणे च चक्रवाकयुगे स्पृहाम् । मुक्ता तेन वरारोहा निनिन्द निजयौवनम् ॥ 62.10 ॥

cakāra ramamāṇe ca cakravākayuge spṛhām / muktā tena varārohā nininda nijayauvanam

Seeing a pair of cakravāka birds sporting together, she felt longing; and, forsaken by him, that lovely woman reproached her own youth.

Verse 11 (markandeya.62.11)

क्वागताहमिमं शैलं दुष्टदैवबलात्कृता । क्व च प्राप्तः स मे दृष्टेर्गोचरं तादृशो नरः ॥ 62.11 ॥

kvāgatāhamimaṁ śailaṁ duṣṭadaivabalātkṛtā / kva ca prāptaḥ sa me dṛṣṭergocaraṁ tādṛśo naraḥ

'Whence did I come to this mountain, driven here by cruel fate? And whence did that man of such a form come within the range of my sight?'

Verse 12 (markandeya.62.12)

यद्यद्य स महाभागो न मे सङ्गमुपैष्यति । तत्कामाग्निरवश्यं मां क्षपयिष्यति दुः सहः ॥ 62.12 ॥

yadyadya sa mahābhāgo na me saṅgamupaiṣyati / tatkāmāgniravaśyaṁ māṁ kṣapayiṣyati duḥ sahaḥ

'If that noble one does not this day come to union with me, then surely that unbearable fire of desire will consume me utterly.'

Verse 13 (markandeya.62.13)

रमणीयमभूद्यत्तत्पुंस्कोकिलनिनादितम् । तेन हीनन्तदेवैतद्दहतीवाद्य मामलम् ॥ 62.13 ॥

ramaṇīyamabhūdyattatpuṁskokilanināditam / tena hīnantadevaitaddahatīvādya māmalam

'That which was once so delightful — the calling of the male koel — now, deprived of him, that very sound today seems only to burn me exceedingly.'

Verse 14 (markandeya.62.14)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्थं सा मदनाविष्टा जगाम मुनिसत्तम । ववृधे च तदा रागस्तस्यास्तस्मिन् प्रतिक्षणम् ॥ 62.14 ॥

itthaṁ sā madanāviṣṭā jagāma munisattama / vavṛdhe ca tadā rāgastasyāstasmin pratikṣaṇam

Markandeya said: Thus, seized by passion, O best of sages, her time passed, and her love for him grew with every moment.

Verse 15 (markandeya.62.15)

कलिर्नाम्ना तु गन्धर्वः सानुरागो निराकृतः । तया पूर्वमभूत्सोऽथ तदवस्थां ददर्श ताम् ॥ 62.15 ॥

kalirnāmnā tu gandharvaḥ sānurāgo nirākṛtaḥ / tayā pūrvamabhūtso 'tha tadavasthāṁ dadarśa tām

Now there was a Gandharva named Kali, who had once loved her and been rejected by her; he now saw her in this condition.

Verse 16 (markandeya.62.16)

स चिन्तयामास तदा किं न्वेषा गजगामिनी । निश्वासपवनम्लाना गिरावत्र वरूथिनी ॥ 62.16 ॥

sa cintayāmāsa tadā kiṁ nveṣā gajagāminī / niśvāsapavanamlānā girāvatra varūthinī

He thought: 'What is this? Why is Varūthinī, whose gait is like an elephant's, here on this mountain, wasted away by the wind of her own sighs?'

Verse 17 (markandeya.62.17)

मुनिशापक्षता किंनु केनचित् किं विमानिता । वाष्पवारिपरिक्लिन्नमियन्धत्ते यतो मुखम् ॥ 62.17 ॥

muniśāpakṣatā kiṁnu kenacit kiṁ vimānitā / vāṣpavāripariklinnamiyandhatte yato mukham

'Has some sage's curse struck her, or has someone slighted her, that her face is thus so wet with the water of tears?'

Verse 18 (markandeya.62.18)

ततः स दध्यौ सुचिरं तमर्थं कौतुकात् कलिः । ज्ञातवांश्च प्रभावेण समाधेः स यथातथम् ॥ 62.18 ॥

tataḥ sa dadhyau suciraṁ tamarthaṁ kautukāt kaliḥ / jñātavāṁśca prabhāveṇa samādheḥ sa yathātatham

Then Kali, out of curiosity, meditated long upon the matter, and by the power of his concentration came to know it exactly as it was.

Verse 19 (markandeya.62.19)

पुनः स चिन्तयामास तद्विज्ञाय मुनेः कलिः । ममोपपादितं साधु भाग्यैरेतत्पुराकृतैः ॥ 62.19 ॥

punaḥ sa cintayāmāsa tadvijñāya muneḥ kaliḥ / mamopapāditaṁ sādhu bhāgyairetatpurākṛtaiḥ

Having learned the sage's secret, Kali reflected further: 'This good fortune has been brought about for me by merits earned in a former life.'

Verse 20 (markandeya.62.20)

मयैषा सानुरागेण बहुशः प्रार्थिता सती । निराकृतवती सेयमद्य प्राप्या भविष्यति ॥ 62.20 ॥

mayaiṣā sānurāgeṇa bahuśaḥ prārthitā satī / nirākṛtavatī seyamadya prāpyā bhaviṣyati

'This virtuous woman, whom I sought again and again with love and who rejected me, shall today become mine to attain.'

Verse 21 (markandeya.62.21)

मानुषे सानुरागेयं तत्र तद्रूपधारिणि । रंस्यते मय्यसन्दिग्धं किं कालेन करोमि तत् ॥ 62.21 ॥

mānuṣe sānurāgeyaṁ tatra tadrūpadhāriṇi / raṁsyate mayyasandigdhaṁ kiṁ kālena karomi tat

'She is in love with that human; wearing his very form, she will surely take her pleasure with me without doubt — why should I wait upon time? Let me do it now.'

Verse 22 (markandeya.62.22)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच आत्मप्रभावेण ततस्तस्य रूपं द्विजन्मनः । कृत्वा चचार यत्रास्ते निषण्णा सा वरूथिनी ॥ 62.22 ॥

ātmaprabhāveṇa tatastasya rūpaṁ dvijanmanaḥ / kṛtvā cacāra yatrāste niṣaṇṇā sā varūthinī

Markandeya said: Then, by his own power, having assumed the very form of that brahmin, he went to the place where Varūthinī sat.

Verse 23 (markandeya.62.23)

सा तं दृष्ट्वा वरारोहा किञ्चिदुत्फुल्ललोचना । समेत्य प्राह तन्वङ्गी प्रसीदेति पुनः पुनः ॥ 62.23 ॥

sā taṁ dṛṣṭvā varārohā kiñcidutphullalocanā / sametya prāha tanvaṅgī prasīdeti punaḥ punaḥ

Seeing him, that lovely, slender woman, her eyes opening wide with joy, went up to him and said again and again, 'Be gracious to me!'

Verse 24 (markandeya.62.24)

त्वया त्यक्ता न सन्देहः परित्यक्ष्यामि जीवितम् । तत्राधर्मः कष्टतरः क्रियालोपो भविष्यति ॥ 62.24 ॥

tvayā tyaktā na sandehaḥ parityakṣyāmi jīvitam / tatrādharmaḥ kaṣṭataraḥ kriyālopo bhaviṣyati

'Forsaken by you, without doubt I shall give up my life; and in that, a still harder sin will befall you — the failure of your sacred duties.'

Verse 25 (markandeya.62.25)

मया समेत्य रम्येऽस्मिन् महाकन्दरकन्दरे । मत्परित्राणजं धर्ममवश्यं प्रतिपत्स्यसे ॥ 62.25 ॥

mayā sametya ramye 'smin mahākandarakandare / matparitrāṇajaṁ dharmamavaśyaṁ pratipatsyase

'Uniting with me here in this delightful great mountain cave, you shall certainly gain the merit of having saved my life.'

Verse 26 (markandeya.62.26)

आयुषः सावशेषं मे नृनमस्ति महामते । निवृत्तस्तेन नूनं त्वं हृदयाह्लादकारकः ॥ 62.26 ॥

āyuṣaḥ sāvaśeṣaṁ me nṛnamasti mahāmate / nivṛttastena nūnaṁ tvaṁ hṛdayāhlādakārakaḥ

'Surely, O wise one, some span of my life still remains; having turned back to me, you have indeed become the one who gladdens my heart.'

Verse 27 (markandeya.62.27)

कलिरुवाच किं करोमि क्रियाहानिर्भवत्यत्र सतो मम । त्वमप्येवंविधं वाक्यं ब्रवीषि तनुमध्यमे ॥ 62.27 ॥

kiṁ karomi kriyāhānirbhavatyatra sato mama / tvamapyevaṁvidhaṁ vākyaṁ bravīṣi tanumadhyame

Kali said: 'What am I to do? Here I stand to lose my own rites; yet you, slender-waisted one, speak to me in this way.'

Verse 28 (markandeya.62.28)

तदहं सङ्कटं प्राप्तो यद्ब्रवीमि करोषि तत् । यदि स्यात् सङ्गमो मेऽद्य भवत्या सह नान्यथा ॥ 62.28 ॥

tadahaṁ saṅkaṭaṁ prāpto yadbravīmi karoṣi tat / yadi syāt saṅgamo me 'dya bhavatyā saha nānyathā

'So I find myself in a dilemma: whatever I say, you agree to do it — if only union with you might come about today, and not otherwise.'

Verse 29 (markandeya.62.29)

वरूथिनी उवाच प्रसीद यद्ब्रवीषि त्वं तत्करोमि न ते मृषा । ब्रवीम्येतदनाशङ्कं यत्ते कार्यं मयाधुना ॥ 62.29 ॥

prasīda yadbravīṣi tvaṁ tatkaromi na te mṛṣā / bravīmyetadanāśaṅkaṁ yatte kāryaṁ mayādhunā

Varūthinī said: 'Be gracious — whatever you say, I shall do; I do not speak falsely to you. I say this without hesitation: whatever you now wish of me, that I shall do.'

Verse 30 (markandeya.62.30)

कलिरुवाच नाद्य संभोगसमये द्रष्टव्योऽहं त्वया वने । निमीलिताक्ष्याः संसर्गस्तव सुभ्रु मया सह ॥ 62.30 ॥

nādya saṁbhogasamaye draṣṭavyo 'haṁ tvayā vane / nimīlitākṣyāḥ saṁsargastava subhru mayā saha

Kali said: 'At the time of our union in this forest, I must not be seen by you; your union with me, O fair-browed one, must be with your eyes closed.'

Verse 31 (markandeya.62.31)

वरूथिन्युवाच एवं भवतु भद्रन्ते यथेच्छसि तथास्तु तत् । मया सर्वप्रकारं हि वशे स्थेयं तवाधुना ॥ 62.31 ॥

evaṁ bhavatu bhadrante yathecchasi tathāstu tat / mayā sarvaprakāraṁ hi vaśe stheyaṁ tavādhunā

Varūthinī said: 'So be it, may it be well with you; let it be just as you wish. For now I shall remain wholly under your control, in every way.'