Kama Enters the Illusory Forest

Verse 1 (padma.2.57.1)

विष्णुरुवाच- क्रीडा सतीरूप धरा प्रभूत्वा गेहं गता चारु पतिव्रतायाः । तामागतां सत्यस्वरूपयुक्ता सा सादरं वाक्यमुवाच धन्या

viṣṇuruvāca- krīḍā satīrūpa dharā prabhūtvā gehaṁ gatā cāru pativratāyāḥ tāmāgatāṁ satyasvarūpayuktā sā sādaraṁ vākyamuvāca dhanyā

Vishnu said: Krida, having assumed the very form of a chaste wife, went to the lovely house of that devoted wife; and she, that blessed woman embodying truth itself, spoke respectfully to her upon her arrival.

Verse 2 (padma.2.57.2)

वाक्यैः सुपुण्यैः परिपूजिता सा उवाच क्रीडा सुकलां विहस्य । मायानुगं विश्वविमोहनं सती प्रत्युत्तरं सत्यप्रमेयुक्तम्

vākyaiḥ supuṇyaiḥ paripūjitā sā uvāca krīḍā sukalāṁ vihasya māyānugaṁ viśvavimohanaṁ satī pratyuttaraṁ satyaprameyuktam

Honored with most auspicious words, Krida, smiling, spoke to Sukala — words that followed the pattern of illusion, meant to bewilder the whole world; and that chaste woman replied with an answer grounded in truth itself.

Verse 3 (padma.2.57.3)

ममापि भर्ता प्रबलो गुणज्ञो धीरः सविद्यो महिमाप्रयुक्तः । त्यक्त्वा गतः पापतरांसुपुण्यो मामेव नाथः शृणु पुण्यकीर्तिः

mamāpi bhartā prabalo guṇajño dhīraḥ savidyo mahimāprayuktaḥ tyaktvā gataḥ pāpatarāṁsupuṇyo māmeva nāthaḥ śṛṇu puṇyakīrtiḥ

'My husband too is mighty, discerning, steadfast, learned, endowed with greatness — and yet he, my very lord of most sacred renown, has abandoned me, most wretched, and gone away. Hear this, O virtuous one.'

Verse 4 (padma.2.57.4)

वाक्यैस्तु पुण्यैरबलास्वभावादाकर्ण्य सर्वं सुकला समुक्तम् । संशुद्धभावां च विचिंत्य चाह कस्माद्गतः सुंदरि तेऽद्य नाथः

vākyaistu puṇyairabalāsvabhāvādākarṇya sarvaṁ sukalā samuktam saṁśuddhabhāvāṁ ca viciṁtya cāha kasmādgataḥ suṁdari te'dya nāthaḥ

Hearing all these words, spoken so movingly, in the natural way of women, Sukala, considering her apparent pure sincerity, said: 'Why has your lord gone away today, O beautiful one?'

Verse 5 (padma.2.57.5)

विहाय ते रूपमतीव सत्यमाचक्ष्व सर्वं भवती सुभर्तुः । ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोति सखीस्वरूपा गृहमागता मे

vihāya te rūpamatīva satyamācakṣva sarvaṁ bhavatī subhartuḥ dhyānopayuktā sakalaṁ karoti sakhīsvarūpā gṛhamāgatā me

'Setting aside your beauty, which is truly exceeding, tell me everything, truly, about your good husband. Engaged in meditation upon him, you do everything — you who have come to my house in the form of a friend.'

Verse 6 (padma.2.57.6)

क्रीडा बभाषे शृणु सत्यमेतं चरित्रभावं मम भर्त्तुरस्य । अहं प्रिये यस्य सदैव युक्ता यमिच्छते तं प्रतिसांत्वयामि

krīḍā babhāṣe śṛṇu satyametaṁ caritrabhāvaṁ mama bhartturasya ahaṁ priye yasya sadaiva yuktā yamicchate taṁ pratisāṁtvayāmi

Krida spoke: 'Hear this true account of the character of my husband. I, my dear, am ever devoted to him; whatever he desires, I strive to comfort and fulfill.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.57.7)

कर्तुः सुपुण्यं वचनं सुभर्तुर्ध्यानोपयुक्ता सकलं करोमि । एकांतशीला सगुणानुरूपा शुश्रूषयैकस्तमिहैव देवि

kartuḥ supuṇyaṁ vacanaṁ subharturdhyānopayuktā sakalaṁ karomi ekāṁtaśīlā saguṇānurūpā śuśrūṣayaikastamihaiva devi

'I carry out every sacred word of my good husband, ever engaged in meditation upon him. I am of solitary character, fitting his own virtues, and serve him alone here, O goddess.'

Verse 8 (padma.2.57.8)

मम पूर्व विपाकोऽयं संप्रत्येव प्रवर्तते । यतस्त्यक्त्वा गतो भर्त्ता मामेवं मंदभागिनीम्

mama pūrva vipāko'yaṁ saṁpratyeva pravartate yatastyaktvā gato bharttā māmevaṁ maṁdabhāginīm

'This is the fruit of my own past deeds, now come to fulfillment — for my husband has abandoned me, so unfortunate, and gone away.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.57.9)

सखे न धारये जीवं स्वकीय कायमेव च । पत्याहीनाः कथं नार्यः सुजीवंति च निर्घृणाः

sakhe na dhāraye jīvaṁ svakīya kāyameva ca patyāhīnāḥ kathaṁ nāryaḥ sujīvaṁti ca nirghṛṇāḥ

'My friend, I can no longer hold onto my life, nor even care for my own body. How can women, bereft of their husbands, go on living happily, merciless as such an existence is?'

Verse 10 (padma.2.57.10)

रूपशृंगारसौभाग्यं सुखं संपच्च नान्यथा । नारीणां हि महाभागो भर्ता शास्त्रेषु गीयते

rūpaśṛṁgārasaubhāgyaṁ sukhaṁ saṁpacca nānyathā nārīṇāṁ hi mahābhāgo bhartā śāstreṣu gīyate

'Beauty, adornment, good fortune, happiness and prosperity — none of it exists without him. For women, indeed, the husband is sung of in the scriptures as their supreme treasure.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.57.11)

तया सर्वं समाकर्ण्य यदुक्तं क्रीडया तदा । सत्यभावं विदित्वा सा मेने संभाषितं तदा

tayā sarvaṁ samākarṇya yaduktaṁ krīḍayā tadā satyabhāvaṁ viditvā sā mene saṁbhāṣitaṁ tadā

Hearing all that Krida had said, and taking it for genuine truth, Sukala accepted what had been spoken to her.

Verse 12 (padma.2.57.12)

विश्वस्ता सा महाभागा सुकला पतिदेवता । तामुवाच पुनः सर्वमात्मचेष्टानुगं वचः

viśvastā sā mahābhāgā sukalā patidevatā tāmuvāca punaḥ sarvamātmaceṣṭānugaṁ vacaḥ

That blessed Sukala, who held her husband as her deity, trusted her fully; and she then spoke again all her own account, following her own conduct.

Verse 13 (padma.2.57.13)

समासेन समाख्यातं पूर्ववृत्तांतमात्मनः । यथा भर्ता गतो यात्रां पुण्यसाधनतत्परः

samāsena samākhyātaṁ pūrvavṛttāṁtamātmanaḥ yathā bhartā gato yātrāṁ puṇyasādhanatatparaḥ

In brief she related her own past account — how her husband had gone on a journey, devoted to sacred practice.

Verse 14 (padma.2.57.14)

आत्मदुःखं सुसत्यं च तप एव मनस्विनि । बोधिता क्रीडया सा तु समाश्वास्य पतिव्रता

ātmaduḥkhaṁ susatyaṁ ca tapa eva manasvini bodhitā krīḍayā sā tu samāśvāsya pativratā

She spoke of her own grief, and of her true austerity of mind. That devoted wife, thus instructed and comforted by Krida —

Verse 15 (padma.2.57.15)

सूत उवाच- एकदा तु तया प्रोक्तं क्रीडया सुकलां प्रति । सखे पश्य वनं सौम्यं दिव्यवृक्षैरलंकृतम्

sūta uvāca- ekadā tu tayā proktaṁ krīḍayā sukalāṁ prati sakhe paśya vanaṁ saumyaṁ divyavṛkṣairalaṁkṛtam

Suta said: One day Krida said to Sukala: 'My friend, behold that lovely forest, adorned with divine trees.'

Verse 16 (padma.2.57.16)

तत्र तीर्थं परं पुण्यमस्ति पातकनाशनम् । नानावल्लीवितानैश्च सुपुष्पैः परिशोभितम्

tatra tīrthaṁ paraṁ puṇyamasti pātakanāśanam nānāvallīvitānaiśca supuṣpaiḥ pariśobhitam

'There is a most sacred tirtha there, which destroys all sin, adorned with manifold flowering vine-canopies and fine blossoms.'

Verse 17 (padma.2.57.17)

आवाभ्यामपि गंतव्यं पुण्यहेतोर्वरानने । समाकर्ण्य तया सार्द्धं सुकला मायया तदा

āvābhyāmapi gaṁtavyaṁ puṇyahetorvarānane samākarṇya tayā sārddhaṁ sukalā māyayā tadā

'We two should go there as well, for the sake of merit, O fair one.' Hearing this, Sukala, deceived by that illusion, went along with her —

Verse 18 (padma.2.57.18)

प्रविवेश वनं दिव्यं नंदनोपममेव सा । सर्वर्तुकुसुमोपेतं कोकिलाशतनादितम्

praviveśa vanaṁ divyaṁ naṁdanopamameva sā sarvartukusumopetaṁ kokilāśatanāditam

—entered that divine forest, resembling Nandana itself, adorned with flowers of every season, resounding with the songs of hundreds of cuckoos.

Verse 19 (padma.2.57.19)

गीयमानं सुमधुरैर्नादैर्मधुकरैरपि । कूजद्भिः पक्षिभिः पुण्यैः पुण्यध्वनिसमाकुलम्

gīyamānaṁ sumadhurairnādairmadhukarairapi kūjadbhiḥ pakṣibhiḥ puṇyaiḥ puṇyadhvanisamākulam

Filled with sweet music from the bees as well, echoing with the sacred cries of cooing birds, full of most auspicious sound.

Verse 20 (padma.2.57.20)

चंदनादिकवृक्षैश्च सौरभैश्च विराजितम् । सर्वभोगैः सुसंपूर्णं माधव्या माधवेन वै

caṁdanādikavṛkṣaiśca saurabhaiśca virājitam sarvabhogaiḥ susaṁpūrṇaṁ mādhavyā mādhavena vai

Resplendent with sandal and other fragrant trees, replete with every enjoyment, through the power of Madhavi and Madhava, the spring.

Verse 21 (padma.2.57.21)

रचितं मोहनायैव सुकलायाश्च कारणात् । तया सार्धं प्रविष्टा सा तद्वनं सर्वभावनम्

racitaṁ mohanāyaiva sukalāyāśca kāraṇāt tayā sārdhaṁ praviṣṭā sā tadvanaṁ sarvabhāvanam

It had been created solely to bewilder, for the very sake of Sukala; and together with her, Sukala entered that forest, which represented every kind of allure.

Verse 22 (padma.2.57.22)

ददर्श सौख्यदं पुण्यं मायाभावं न विंदति । वीक्षमाणा वनं दिव्यं तया सह जनेश्वर

dadarśa saukhyadaṁ puṇyaṁ māyābhāvaṁ na viṁdati vīkṣamāṇā vanaṁ divyaṁ tayā saha janeśvara

O lord of men, she beheld it as a source of happiness and merit, not perceiving it to be a mere illusion, gazing upon that divine forest together with her companion.

Verse 23 (padma.2.57.23)

शक्रोपि चाभ्ययात्तत्र देवमूर्तिविराजितः । तया दूत्या समं प्राप्तः कामस्तत्र समागतः

śakropi cābhyayāttatra devamūrtivirājitaḥ tayā dūtyā samaṁ prāptaḥ kāmastatra samāgataḥ

Shakra too arrived there, resplendent in his divine form; and Kama, together with that messenger, came there as well.

Verse 24 (padma.2.57.24)

सर्वभोगपतिर्भूत्वा कामलीलासमाकुलः । काममाह समाभाष्य एषा सा सुकुला गता

sarvabhogapatirbhūtvā kāmalīlāsamākulaḥ kāmamāha samābhāṣya eṣā sā sukulā gatā

Having become the lord of every pleasure, filled with the sport of desire, Indra, addressing Kama, said: 'There she is — that Sukala, arrived.'

Verse 25 (padma.2.57.25)

प्रहरस्व महाभाग क्रीडायाः पुरतः स्थिताम् । मायां कृत्वा समानीता क्रीडया तव संनिधौ

praharasva mahābhāga krīḍāyāḥ purataḥ sthitām māyāṁ kṛtvā samānītā krīḍayā tava saṁnidhau

'Strike now, O honored one, at her who stands before Krida — brought here by illusion, by Krida, into your very presence.'

Verse 26 (padma.2.57.26)

पौरुषं दर्शयाद्यैव यद्यस्ति कुरु निश्चितम् । काम उवाच- आत्मरूपं दर्शयस्व चतुरं लीलयान्वितम्

pauruṣaṁ darśayādyaiva yadyasti kuru niścitam kāma uvāca- ātmarūpaṁ darśayasva caturaṁ līlayānvitam

'Show your prowess this very day, if you have any — act with certainty.' Kama said: 'Show me your own true form, clever and full of sport.'

Verse 27 (padma.2.57.27)

येनाहं प्रहराम्येतां पंचबाणैः सहस्रदृक् । इंद्र उवाच- क्वास्ते ते पौरुषं मूढ येन लोकं विडंबसे

yenāhaṁ praharāmyetāṁ paṁcabāṇaiḥ sahasradṛk iṁdra uvāca- kvāste te pauruṣaṁ mūḍha yena lokaṁ viḍaṁbase

'—so that I, thousand-eyed one, may strike her with my five arrows.' Indra said: 'Where is your prowess, O fool, by which you delude the world?'

Verse 28 (padma.2.57.28)

ममाधारपरोभूत्वा योद्धुमिच्छसि सांप्रतम् । काम उवाच- तेनापि देवदेवेन महादेवेन शूलिना

mamādhāraparobhūtvā yoddhumicchasi sāṁpratam kāma uvāca- tenāpi devadevena mahādevena śūlinā

'Depending wholly on my support, you now wish to fight?' Kama said: 'By that very god of gods, the great god who bears the trident —'

Verse 29 (padma.2.57.29)

पूर्वमेव हृतं रूपं ममकायो न विद्यते । इच्छाम्यहं यदा नारीं हंतुं शृणुष्व सांप्रतम्

pūrvameva hṛtaṁ rūpaṁ mamakāyo na vidyate icchāmyahaṁ yadā nārīṁ haṁtuṁ śṛṇuṣva sāṁpratam

'—my form was taken away long ago; I have no body at all. Hear now, when I wish to strike down a woman —'

Verse 30 (padma.2.57.30)

पुंसां कायं समाश्रित्य आत्मरूपं प्रदर्शये । पुमांसं वा सहस्राक्ष नार्याः कार्यं समाश्रये

puṁsāṁ kāyaṁ samāśritya ātmarūpaṁ pradarśaye pumāṁsaṁ vā sahasrākṣa nāryāḥ kāryaṁ samāśraye

'—then, taking refuge in the body of a man, I display my own form; or else, O thousand-eyed one, for a man's sake, I take refuge in the effect upon a woman.'

Verse 31 (padma.2.57.31)

पूर्वदृष्टा यदा नारी तामेव परिचिंतयेत् । चिंत्यमानस्य पुंसस्तु नार्यारूपं पुनःपुनः

pūrvadṛṣṭā yadā nārī tāmeva pariciṁtayet ciṁtyamānasya puṁsastu nāryārūpaṁ punaḥpunaḥ

'When a man has seen a woman before, and thinks of her again and again — for that man, thinking of her, the woman's form arises again and again —'

Verse 32 (padma.2.57.32)

अदृष्टं तु समाश्रित्य पुंसमुन्मादयाम्यहम् । तथाप्युन्मादयाम्येवं नारीरूपं न संशयः

adṛṣṭaṁ tu samāśritya puṁsamunmādayāmyaham tathāpyunmādayāmyevaṁ nārīrūpaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

'—and, taking refuge in even that which is unseen, I drive that man to madness. In just the same way I drive a woman's form to madness too, without doubt.'

Verse 33 (padma.2.57.33)

संस्मरणात्स्मरो नाम मम जातं सुरेश्वर । तां दृष्ट्वा तादृशोरंग वस्तुरूपं समाश्रये

saṁsmaraṇātsmaro nāma mama jātaṁ sureśvara tāṁ dṛṣṭvā tādṛśoraṁga vasturūpaṁ samāśraye

'From this very power of remembrance, O lord of gods, my name Smara arose. Seeing her, in just such fashion, O bodiless friend, I take refuge in the form of that very thing remembered.'

Verse 34 (padma.2.57.34)

आत्मतेजः प्रकाशेन बाध्यबाधकतां व्रजेत् । नारीरूपं समाश्रित्य धीरं पुरुषं प्रमोहयेत्

ātmatejaḥ prakāśena bādhyabādhakatāṁ vrajet nārīrūpaṁ samāśritya dhīraṁ puruṣaṁ pramohayet

'Through the manifestation of my own splendor, the relation of the afflicted and the afflicter comes about; taking refuge in a woman's form, I bewilder even a steadfast man.'

Verse 35 (padma.2.57.35)

पुरुषं तु समाश्रित्य भावयामि सुयोषितम् । रूपहीनोस्मि हे इंद्र अस्मद्रूपं समाश्रयेत्

puruṣaṁ tu samāśritya bhāvayāmi suyoṣitam rūpahīnosmi he iṁdra asmadrūpaṁ samāśrayet

'And taking refuge in a man's form, I bring about the same effect upon a fine woman. I myself am formless, O Indra; you must take refuge in a form for my sake.'

Verse 36 (padma.2.57.36)

तवरूपं समाश्रित्य तां साधये यथेप्सिताम् । एवमुक्त्वा स देवेंद्रं कायं तस्य महात्मनः

tavarūpaṁ samāśritya tāṁ sādhaye yathepsitām evamuktvā sa deveṁdraṁ kāyaṁ tasya mahātmanaḥ

'Taking refuge in your form, I shall subdue her as I desire.' Having said this, he entered the body of that great-souled lord of gods.

Verse 37 (padma.2.57.37)

सखासौ माधवस्यापि समाश्रित्य सुमायुधः

sakhāsau mādhavasyāpi samāśritya sumāyudhaḥ

That flower-armed one, taking refuge as well in his friend Madhava, the spring —

Verse 38 (padma.2.57.38)

तामेव हंतुं कुसुमायुधोपि साध्वीं सुपुण्यां कृकलस्य भार्याम् । समुत्सुकस्तिष्ठति बाणलक्षं तस्याश्च कायं नयनैर्विलोक्य

tāmeva haṁtuṁ kusumāyudhopi sādhvīṁ supuṇyāṁ kṛkalasya bhāryām samutsukastiṣṭhati bāṇalakṣaṁ tasyāśca kāyaṁ nayanairvilokya

—the flower-weaponed one stood there, eager, with a hundred thousand arrows, to strike down that very virtuous, most sacred wife of Krikala, gazing upon her form with his eyes.