The Swan, the Cakravaki, and the Faithful Stag

Verse 1 (markandeya.65.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः स ताभिः सहितः पत्नीभिरमरद्युतिः । रराम तस्मिन् शैलेन्द्रे रम्यकानननिर्झरे ॥ 65.1 ॥

tataḥ sa tābhiḥ sahitaḥ patnībhiramaradyutiḥ / rarāma tasmin śailendre ramyakānananirjhare

Markandeya said: Then he, radiant as an immortal, together with those wives, sported upon that lord of mountains, delightful with its groves and waterfalls.

Verse 2 (markandeya.65.2)

सर्वोपभोगरत्नानि मधूनि मधुराणि च । निधयः समुपाजह्रुः पद्मिन्या वशवर्तिनः ॥ 65.2 ॥

sarvopabhogaratnāni madhūni madhurāṇi ca / nidhayaḥ samupājahruḥ padminyā vaśavartinaḥ

The treasure-spirits, brought under his sway through the Padminī knowledge, gathered for him every jewel of enjoyment, and sweet honeyed drinks.

Verse 3 (markandeya.65.3)

स्त्रजो वस्त्राण्यलङ्कारान् गन्धाढ्यमनुलेपनम् । आसनान्यतिशुभ्राणि काञ्चनानि यथेच्छया ॥ 65.3 ॥

strajo vastrāṇyalaṅkārān gandhāḍhyamanulepanam / āsanānyatiśubhrāṇi kāñcanāni yathecchayā

Garlands, garments, ornaments, richly scented unguents, and seats of gleaming purity and gold — all according to his wish.

Verse 4 (markandeya.65.4)

सौवर्णानि महाभाग ! करकान् भाजनानि च । तथा शय्याश्च विविधा दिव्यैरास्तरणैर्युताः ॥ 65.4 ॥

sauvarṇāni mahābhāga ! karakān bhājanāni ca / tathā śayyāśca vividhā divyairāstaraṇairyutāḥ

Golden pitchers and vessels, O illustrious one, and beds of many kinds, spread with celestial coverings.

Verse 5 (markandeya.65.5)

एवं स ताभिः सहितो दिव्यगन्धाधिवासिते । रराम स्वरुचिर्भाभिर्भासिते वरपर्वते ॥ 65.5 ॥

evaṁ sa tābhiḥ sahito divyagandhādhivāsite / rarāma svarucirbhābhirbhāsite varaparvate

Thus he, together with them, sported upon that excellent mountain, pervaded with celestial fragrance and made radiant by his own natural splendour.

Verse 6 (markandeya.65.6)

ताश्चापि सह तेनेति लेभिरे मुदमुत्तमाम् । रममाणा यथा स्वर्गे तथा तत्र शिलोच्चये ॥ 65.6 ॥

tāścāpi saha teneti lebhire mudamuttamām / ramamāṇā yathā svarge tathā tatra śiloccaye

They too, being with him thus, obtained the highest joy, sporting there upon that mass of rock just as they would in heaven.

Verse 7 (markandeya.65.7)

कलहंसी जगादैकां चक्रवाकीं जले सतीम् । तस्य तासाञ्च ललिते सम्बन्धे च स्पृहावती ॥ 65.7 ॥

kalahaṁsī jagādaikāṁ cakravākīṁ jale satīm / tasya tāsāñca lalite sambandhe ca spṛhāvatī

A female swan, longing for such a graceful union as theirs, once spoke to a female cakravāka bird sitting in the water:

Verse 8 (markandeya.65.8)

धन्योऽयमतिपुण्योऽयं योऽय यौवनगोचरः । दयिताभिः सहैताभिर्भुङ्क्ते भोगानभीप्सितान् ॥ 65.8 ॥

dhanyo 'yamatipuṇyo 'yaṁ yo 'ya yauvanagocaraḥ / dayitābhiḥ sahaitābhirbhuṅkte bhogānabhīpsitān

'Blessed indeed, most meritorious indeed, is he who, in the season of his youth, enjoys with these beloved wives the pleasures he desires.'

Verse 9 (markandeya.65.9)

सन्ति यौवनिनः श्लाघ्यास्तत्पत्न्यो नातिशोभनाः । जगत्यामल्पकाः पत्न्यः पतयश्चातिशोभनाः ॥ 65.9 ॥

santi yauvaninaḥ ślāghyāstatpatnyo nātiśobhanāḥ / jagatyāmalpakāḥ patnyaḥ patayaścātiśobhanāḥ

'There are men in their youth worthy of praise whose wives are not very beautiful; rare in this world are wives whose husbands, too, are exceedingly handsome.'

Verse 10 (markandeya.65.10)

अभीष्टा कस्यचित् कान्ता कान्तः कस्याश्चिदीप्सितः । परस्परानुरागाढ्यं दाम्पत्यमतिदुर्लभम् ॥ 65.10 ॥

abhīṣṭā kasyacit kāntā kāntaḥ kasyāścidīpsitaḥ / parasparānurāgāḍhyaṁ dāmpatyamatidurlabham

'One man's wife may be dear to him; another woman's husband may be desired by her — but a marriage rich in mutual love is exceedingly rare.'

Verse 11 (markandeya.65.11)

धन्योऽयं दयिताभीष्टो ह्येताश्चास्यातिवल्लभाः । परस्परानुरागो हि धन्यानामेव जायते ॥ 65.11 ॥

dhanyo 'yaṁ dayitābhīṣṭo hyetāścāsyātivallabhāḥ / parasparānurāgo hi dhanyānāmeva jāyate

'Blessed is he, desired by his beloveds, and they too are most dear to him; for mutual love is born only among the truly blessed.'

Verse 12 (markandeya.65.12)

एतन्निशम्यवचनं कलहंसीसमीरितम् । उवाच चक्रवाकी तां नातिविस्मितमानसा ॥ 65.12 ॥

etanniśamyavacanaṁ kalahaṁsīsamīritam / uvāca cakravākī tāṁ nātivismitamānasā

Having heard these words spoken by the swan, the cakravākī, her mind not greatly moved with wonder, said to her:

Verse 13 (markandeya.65.13)

नायं धन्यो यतो लज्जा नान्यस्त्रीसन्निकर्षतः । अन्यां स्त्रियमयं भुङ्क्ते न सर्वास्वस्य मानसम् ॥ 65.13 ॥

nāyaṁ dhanyo yato lajjā nānyastrīsannikarṣataḥ / anyāṁ striyamayaṁ bhuṅkte na sarvāsvasya mānasam

'He is not blessed, for he feels no shame in closeness with other women besides his own; he enjoys another woman, and his mind is not fixed on all of them alike.'

Verse 14 (markandeya.65.14)

चित्तानुराग एकस्मिन्नधिष्ठाने यतः सखि । ततो हि प्रीतिमानेष भार्यासु भविता कथम् ॥ 65.14 ॥

cittānurāga ekasminnadhiṣṭhāne yataḥ sakhi / tato hi prītimāneṣa bhāryāsu bhavitā katham

'Since the heart's true love, my friend, can rest in only one abode, how then can this man be one who truly cherishes all his wives?'

Verse 15 (markandeya.65.15)

एता न दयिताः पत्युर्नैतासां दयितः पतिः । विनोदमात्रमेवैता यथा परिजनोऽपरः ॥ 65.15 ॥

etā na dayitāḥ patyurnaitāsāṁ dayitaḥ patiḥ / vinodamātramevaitā yathā parijano 'paraḥ

'These women are not truly beloved of their husband, nor is he truly beloved of them; they are for him a mere pastime, like any other attendant.'

Verse 16 (markandeya.65.16)

एतासाञ्च यदिष्टोऽयं तत् किं प्राणान्न मुञ्चति । आलिङ्गत्यपरां कान्तां ध्यातो वै कान्तयान्यया ॥ 65.16 ॥

etāsāñca yadiṣṭo 'yaṁ tat kiṁ prāṇānna muñcati / āliṅgatyaparāṁ kāntāṁ dhyāto vai kāntayānyayā

'And if he is truly dear to these women, why then does he not give up his life for their sake — when, even while embracing one beloved, he is thinking of another?'

Verse 17 (markandeya.65.17)

विद्याप्रदानमूल्येन विक्रीतो ह्येष भृत्यवत् । प्रवर्तते न हि प्रेम समं बह्वीषु तिष्ठति ॥ 65.17 ॥

vidyāpradānamūlyena vikrīto hyeṣa bhṛtyavat / pravartate na hi prema samaṁ bahvīṣu tiṣṭhati

'He has been bought, as it were, like a servant, at the price of the knowledge given to him; true love does not proceed thus — it cannot stand equally divided among many.'

Verse 18 (markandeya.65.18)

कलहंसि ! पतिर्धन्यो मम धन्याहमेव च । यस्यैकस्याञ्चिरं चित्तं यस्याश्चैकत्र संस्थितम् ॥ 65.18 ॥

kalahaṁsi ! patirdhanyo mama dhanyāhameva ca / yasyaikasyāñciraṁ cittaṁ yasyāścaikatra saṁsthitam

'O swan, blessed is that husband, and blessed indeed am I, whose heart remains fixed for long upon one alone, and whose alone remains fixed upon one heart.'

Verse 19 (markandeya.65.19)

सर्वसत्त्वरुतज्ञोऽसौ स्वरोचिरपराजितः । निशम्य लज्जितो दध्यौ सत्यमेव हि नानृतम् ॥ 65.19 ॥

sarvasattvarutajño 'sau svarociraparājitaḥ / niśamya lajjito dadhyau satyameva hi nānṛtam

Svarochi the unconquered, who understood the cries of all creatures, heard this and, ashamed, reflected that it was indeed the truth, and no falsehood.

Verse 20 (markandeya.65.20)

ततो वर्षशते याते रममाणो महागिरौ । रममाणः समं ताभिर्ददर्श पुरतो मृगम् ॥ 65.20 ॥

tato varṣaśate yāte ramamāṇo mahāgirau / ramamāṇaḥ samaṁ tābhirdadarśa purato mṛgam

Then, a hundred years having passed in such sport upon the great mountain, as he sported with them he saw before him a deer.

Verse 21 (markandeya.65.21)

सुस्निग्धपीनावयवं मृगयूथविहारिणम् । वासिताभिः सुरूपाभिर्मृगीभिः परिवारितम् ॥ 65.21 ॥

susnigdhapīnāvayavaṁ mṛgayūthavihāriṇam / vāsitābhiḥ surūpābhirmṛgībhiḥ parivāritam

sleek and full-limbed, roaming amid a herd of deer, surrounded by beautiful does in heat.

Verse 22 (markandeya.65.22)

आकृष्टघ्राणपुटका जिघ्रन्तीस्तास्ततो मृगीः । उवाच स मृगो रामा लज्जात्यागेन गम्यताम् ॥ 65.22 ॥

ākṛṣṭaghrāṇapuṭakā jighrantīstāstato mṛgīḥ / uvāca sa mṛgo rāmā lajjātyāgena gamyatām

As those does, their nostrils drawn wide, sniffed at him from every side, the stag said to them: 'Go, women, abandoning your shame —'

Verse 23 (markandeya.65.23)

नाहं स्वरोचिस्तच्छीलो न चैवाहं सुलोचनाः । निर्लज्जा बहवः सन्ति तादृशास्तत्र गच्छतः ॥ 65.23 ॥

nāhaṁ svarocistacchīlo na caivāhaṁ sulocanāḥ / nirlajjā bahavaḥ santi tādṛśāstatra gacchataḥ

'— I am not Svarochi, of his disposition; nor am I one such as you, fair-eyed ones. There are many shameless ones of that sort — go to them.'

Verse 24 (markandeya.65.24)

एका त्वनेकानुगता यथा हासास्पदं जने । अनेकाभिस्तथैवैको बोगदृष्ट्या निरीक्षितः ॥ 65.24 ॥

ekā tvanekānugatā yathā hāsāspadaṁ jane / anekābhistathaivaiko bogadṛṣṭyā nirīkṣitaḥ

'Just as a single woman followed by many men becomes an object of ridicule among people, so too a single man regarded with desire by many women.'

Verse 25 (markandeya.65.25)

तस्य धर्मक्रियाहानिरहन्यहनि जायते । सक्तोऽन्यभार्यया चान्यकामासक्तः सदैव सः ॥ 65.25 ॥

tasya dharmakriyāhānirahanyahani jāyate / sakto 'nyabhāryayā cānyakāmāsaktaḥ sadaiva saḥ

'For him, loss of righteous duty arises day after day; attached to another's wife, he remains forever bound to desire for yet another.'

Verse 26 (markandeya.65.26)

यस्तादृशोऽन्यस्तच्छीलः परलोकपराङ्मुखः । तं कामयत भद्रं वो नाहं तुल्यः स्वरोचिषा ॥ 65.26 ॥

yastādṛśo 'nyastacchīlaḥ paralokaparāṅmukhaḥ / taṁ kāmayata bhadraṁ vo nāhaṁ tulyaḥ svarociṣā

'Whoever else is of that same disposition, turned away from the world to come — desire him, and may it be well with you; I am not the equal of Svarochi.'