Indra and Kama's Second Test

Verse 1 (padma.2.54.1)

विष्णुरुवाच- एवमुक्ता गता दूती तया सुकलया तदा । समासेन सुसंप्रोक्तमवधार्य पुरंदरः

viṣṇuruvāca- evamuktā gatā dūtī tayā sukalayā tadā samāsena susaṁproktamavadhārya puraṁdaraḥ

Vishnu said: Thus addressed, the messenger, dismissed by Sukala then, went away; and Purandara, having grasped in brief all that had been well said —

Verse 2 (padma.2.54.2)

तदर्थं भाषितं तस्याः सत्यधर्मसमन्वितम् । आलोच्य साहसं धैर्यं ज्ञानमेव पुरंदरः

tadarthaṁ bhāṣitaṁ tasyāḥ satyadharmasamanvitam ālocya sāhasaṁ dhairyaṁ jñānameva puraṁdaraḥ

—pondering the meaning of her words, filled with truth and dharma, Purandara reflected upon her courage, her steadfastness, and her very wisdom.

Verse 3 (padma.2.54.3)

ईदृशं हि वदेत्का हि नारी भूत्वा महीतले । योगरूपं सुसंशिष्टं न्यायोदैः क्षालितं वचः

īdṛśaṁ hi vadetkā hi nārī bhūtvā mahītale yogarūpaṁ susaṁśiṣṭaṁ nyāyodaiḥ kṣālitaṁ vacaḥ

'What woman on this earth could speak such words — words of such well-composed yogic wisdom, washed clean by the waters of true reasoning?'

Verse 4 (padma.2.54.4)

पवित्रेयं महाभागा सत्यरूपा न संशयः । त्रैलोक्यस्य समस्तस्य धुरं धर्तुं भवेत्क्षमा

pavitreyaṁ mahābhāgā satyarūpā na saṁśayaḥ trailokyasya samastasya dhuraṁ dhartuṁ bhavetkṣamā

'This blessed woman is truly pure, of the very form of truth, without doubt; she is capable of bearing the burden of the entire three worlds.'

Verse 5 (padma.2.54.5)

एतदर्थं विचार्यैव जिष्णुः कंदर्पमब्रवीत् । त्वया सह गमिष्यामि द्रष्टुं तां कृकलप्रियाम्

etadarthaṁ vicāryaiva jiṣṇuḥ kaṁdarpamabravīt tvayā saha gamiṣyāmi draṣṭuṁ tāṁ kṛkalapriyām

Considering this, Jishnu said to Kandarpa: 'I shall go together with you, to see for myself that beloved wife of Krikala.'

Verse 6 (padma.2.54.6)

प्रत्युवाच सहस्राक्षं मन्मथो बलदर्पितः । गम्यतां तत्र देवेश यत्रास्ते सा पतिव्रता

pratyuvāca sahasrākṣaṁ manmatho baladarpitaḥ gamyatāṁ tatra deveśa yatrāste sā pativratā

Manmatha, proud of his strength, replied to the thousand-eyed one: 'Let us go there, O lord of gods, to where that chaste wife dwells.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.54.7)

मानं वीर्यं बलं धैर्यं तस्याः सत्यं पतिव्रतम् । गत्वाहं नाशयिष्यामि कियन्मात्रा सुरेश्वर

mānaṁ vīryaṁ balaṁ dhairyaṁ tasyāḥ satyaṁ pativratam gatvāhaṁ nāśayiṣyāmi kiyanmātrā sureśvara

'—her pride, her strength, her power, her steadfastness, her truth, her chastity — going there, I shall destroy it all. How much can she really be, O lord of gods?'

Verse 8 (padma.2.54.8)

समाकर्ण्य सहस्राक्षो वचनं मन्मथस्य च । भो भोनंग शृणुष्व त्वमधिकं भाषितं मुधा

samākarṇya sahasrākṣo vacanaṁ manmathasya ca bho bhonaṁga śṛṇuṣva tvamadhikaṁ bhāṣitaṁ mudhā

Hearing the words of Manmatha, the thousand-eyed one said: 'O bodiless one, listen — you speak too much, and in vain.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.54.9)

सुदृढा सत्यवीर्येण सुस्थिरा धर्मकर्मभिः । सुकलेयमजेया वै तत्र ते पौरुषं नहि

sudṛḍhā satyavīryeṇa susthirā dharmakarmabhiḥ sukaleyamajeyā vai tatra te pauruṣaṁ nahi

'This Sukala is exceedingly firm by the power of her truth, exceedingly steady through her righteous deeds; she is unconquerable indeed — your prowess will find no hold there.'

Verse 10 (padma.2.54.10)

इत्याकर्ण्य ततः क्रुद्धो मन्मथस्त्विन्द्रमब्रवीत् । ऋषीणां देवतानां च बलं मया प्रणाशितम्

ityākarṇya tataḥ kruddho manmathastvindramabravīt ṛṣīṇāṁ devatānāṁ ca balaṁ mayā praṇāśitam

Hearing this, Manmatha, then enraged, said to Indra: 'The strength of sages and even of gods has been destroyed by me.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.54.11)

अस्या बलं कियन्मात्रं भवता मम कथ्यते । पश्यतस्तव देवेश नाशयिष्यामि तां स्त्रियम्

asyā balaṁ kiyanmātraṁ bhavatā mama kathyate paśyatastava deveśa nāśayiṣyāmi tāṁ striyam

'How great, then, is her strength, that you tell me of it? Before your very eyes, O lord of gods, I shall destroy that woman's resolve.'

Verse 12 (padma.2.54.12)

नवनीतं यथा चाग्नेस्तेजो दृष्ट्वा द्रवं व्रजेत् । तथेमां द्रावयिष्यामि स्वेन रूपेण तेजसा

navanītaṁ yathā cāgnestejo dṛṣṭvā dravaṁ vrajet tathemāṁ drāvayiṣyāmi svena rūpeṇa tejasā

'As butter melts on seeing the heat of fire, so shall I melt her, by my own form and splendor.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.54.13)

गच्छ तत्र महत्कार्यमुपस्थं सांप्रतं ध्रुवम् । कस्मात्कुत्ससि मे तेजस्त्रैलोक्यस्य विनाशनम्

gaccha tatra mahatkāryamupasthaṁ sāṁprataṁ dhruvam kasmātkutsasi me tejastrailokyasya vināśanam

'Come, let us go there — this great task now surely stands before us. Why do you scorn my power, which brings ruin upon the three worlds?'

Verse 14 (padma.2.54.14)

विष्णुरुवाच- आकर्ण्य वाक्यं तु मनोभवस्य एतामसाध्यां तव कामजाने । धैर्यं समुद्यम्य च पुण्यदेहां पुण्येन पुण्यां बहुपुण्यचाराम्

viṣṇuruvāca- ākarṇya vākyaṁ tu manobhavasya etāmasādhyāṁ tava kāmajāne dhairyaṁ samudyamya ca puṇyadehāṁ puṇyena puṇyāṁ bahupuṇyacārām

Vishnu said: Hearing the words of Manobhava, Indra thought: 'I know her — this woman unattainable to your power of desire, sacred in body, sacred through merit, of most sacred conduct — having summoned up her steadfastness —'

Verse 15 (padma.2.54.15)

पश्यामि ते पौरुषमुग्रवीर्यमितो हि गत्वा तु धनुष्मता वै । तेनापि सार्धं प्रजगाम भूयो रत्या च दूत्या च पतिव्रतां ताम्

paśyāmi te pauruṣamugravīryamito hi gatvā tu dhanuṣmatā vai tenāpi sārdhaṁ prajagāma bhūyo ratyā ca dūtyā ca pativratāṁ tām

'—yet let me see your prowess, your fierce valor.' So going from there, together with that bowman, he went once more, with Rati and the messenger, to that devoted wife.

Verse 16 (padma.2.54.16)

एकां सुपुण्यां स्वगृहस्थितां तां ध्यानेन पत्युश्चरणे नियुक्ताम् । यथा सुयोगी प्रविधाय चित्तं विकल्पहीनं न च कल्पयेत

ekāṁ supuṇyāṁ svagṛhasthitāṁ tāṁ dhyānena patyuścaraṇe niyuktām yathā suyogī pravidhāya cittaṁ vikalpahīnaṁ na ca kalpayeta

They found her, that most sacred one, alone in her own house, her mind fixed in meditation upon her husband's feet, just as a true yogi, having composed his mind, entertains no wavering thought at all.

Verse 17 (padma.2.54.17)

अत्यद्भुतं रूपमनंततेजोयुतं चकाराथ सतीप्रमोहम् । नीलांचितं भोगयुतं महात्मा झषध्वजश्चैव पुरंदरश्च

atyadbhutaṁ rūpamanaṁtatejoyutaṁ cakārātha satīpramoham nīlāṁcitaṁ bhogayutaṁ mahātmā jhaṣadhvajaścaiva puraṁdaraśca

Then that great soul, the fish-bannered one, together with Purandara, assumed a most wondrous form, endowed with boundless splendor, dark and radiant, filled with sensuous charm, meant to bewilder that chaste woman.

Verse 18 (padma.2.54.18)

दृष्ट्वा सुलीलं पुरुषं महांतं चरंतमेवं परिकामभावम् । जाया हि वैश्यस्य महात्मनस्तु मेने न सा रूपयुतं गुणज्ञम्

dṛṣṭvā sulīlaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāṁtaṁ caraṁtamevaṁ parikāmabhāvam jāyā hi vaiśyasya mahātmanastu mene na sā rūpayutaṁ guṇajñam

Seeing that great, graceful man moving about in this manner, in a mood of desire, the wife of that great-souled merchant did not so much as regard him as one endowed with beauty or virtue.

Verse 19 (padma.2.54.19)

अंभो यथा पद्मदले गतं वै प्रयाति मुक्ताफलकस्य कीर्तिम् । तद्वत्स्वभावः परिसत्ययुक्तो जज्ञे च तस्यास्तु पतिव्रतायाः

aṁbho yathā padmadale gataṁ vai prayāti muktāphalakasya kīrtim tadvatsvabhāvaḥ parisatyayukto jajñe ca tasyāstu pativratāyāḥ

As a drop of water resting upon a lotus leaf takes on the very likeness of a pearl, so was the true nature, imbued wholly with truth, of that devoted wife.

Verse 20 (padma.2.54.20)

अनेन दूती परिप्रेषिता पुरा यामां युवत्या ह गुणज्ञमेनम् । लीलास्वरूपं बहुधात्मभावं ममैष सर्वं परिदर्शयेच्च

anena dūtī paripreṣitā purā yāmāṁ yuvatyā ha guṇajñamenam līlāsvarūpaṁ bahudhātmabhāvaṁ mamaiṣa sarvaṁ paridarśayecca

She thought: 'By this one, a messenger was sent before, to that young woman, me; this one now displays before me every manner of playful form and countless moods of his own.'

Verse 21 (padma.2.54.21)

ममैव कालं प्रबलं विचिंत्यागतो हि मे कांतगुणैश्च सत्खलः । रत्यासमेतस्तु कथं च जीवेत्सत्याश्मभारेण प्रमर्दितश्च

mamaiva kālaṁ prabalaṁ viciṁtyāgato hi me kāṁtaguṇaiśca satkhalaḥ ratyāsametastu kathaṁ ca jīvetsatyāśmabhāreṇa pramarditaśca

'Perhaps, reckoning that my own time of trial has grown strong, this cunning deceiver has come with his charming qualities. But how could one, though accompanied by Rati herself, ever live on, crushed beneath the weight of my truth like a stone?'

Verse 22 (padma.2.54.22)

ममापि भावं परिगृह्य कांतो जीवेत्कियान्वापि सुबुद्धियुक्तः । शून्यो हि कायो मम चास्ति सद्यश्चेष्टाविहीनो मृतकल्प एव

mamāpi bhāvaṁ parigṛhya kāṁto jīvetkiyānvāpi subuddhiyuktaḥ śūnyo hi kāyo mama cāsti sadyaśceṣṭāvihīno mṛtakalpa eva

'Even if he grasps my own true feeling, how long could this so-called wise lover live? My body itself is now void, this instant, devoid of any motion, as good as dead.'

Verse 23 (padma.2.54.23)

कायस्य ग्रामस्य प्रजाः प्रनष्टाः सुविक्रियाख्यं परिगृह्य कर्म । ममाधिकेनापि समं सुकांतं स ऊर्द्ध्वशोभामनयच्च कामः

kāyasya grāmasya prajāḥ pranaṣṭāḥ suvikriyākhyaṁ parigṛhya karma mamādhikenāpi samaṁ sukāṁtaṁ sa ūrddhvaśobhāmanayacca kāmaḥ

'The very inhabitants of the village of my body have perished, taken up as they are with this business called agitation. And that Kama has brought his charming, more-than-equal splendor to bear, raised up on high.'

Verse 24 (padma.2.54.24)

यदामृतो बलवान्हर्षयुक्तः स्वयंदृशा वै परिनृत्यमानः । तथा अनेनापि प्रभाषयेद्भुतं यो मां हि वाञ्छत्यपि भोक्तुकामः

yadāmṛto balavānharṣayuktaḥ svayaṁdṛśā vai parinṛtyamānaḥ tathā anenāpi prabhāṣayedbhutaṁ yo māṁ hi vāñchatyapi bhoktukāmaḥ

'Just as one already dead might still, filled with strange vigor and joy, seem to dance about before one's own eyes — so too does this one speak in wondrous fashion, he who desires and longs to enjoy me.'

Verse 25 (padma.2.54.25)

एवं विचार्यैव तदा महासती सत्याख्यरज्ज्वा दृढबद्धचेतना । गृहं स्वकीयं प्रविवेश सा तदा तत्तस्यभावं नियमेन वेत्तुम्

evaṁ vicāryaiva tadā mahāsatī satyākhyarajjvā dṛḍhabaddhacetanā gṛhaṁ svakīyaṁ praviveśa sā tadā tattasyabhāvaṁ niyamena vettum

Thus reflecting, that great chaste woman, her mind bound fast with the rope called truth, then entered her own house, resolved to observe his intentions with due discipline.