The Dialogue of Vishvamitra and Menaka

Verse 1 (skanda.6.43.1)

मेनकोवाच॥ अन्यास्ता नायिका विप्र यासां धर्मस्त्वयोदितः॥ स्वेच्छाचारविहारिण्यो वयं वेश्या दिवौकसाम्

menakovāca anyāstā nāyikā vipra yāsāṁ dharmastvayoditaḥ svecchācāravihāriṇyo vayaṁ veśyā divaukasām

Menaka said: "O brahmin, those you describe, whose duties you have just spoken of, are other women altogether. We are the courtesans of heaven, who move about freely as we please."

Verse 2 (skanda.6.43.2)

स त्वं वद महाभाग कस्माद्देशात्समागतः॥ मम चित्तहरो वापि तीर्थे धर्मिष्ठसंश्रये

sa tvaṁ vada mahābhāga kasmāddeśātsamāgataḥ mama cittaharo vāpi tīrthe dharmiṣṭhasaṁśraye

"So now tell me, O illustrious one, from what land have you come, you who have stolen my heart here at this tirtha, this refuge of the righteous?"

Verse 3 (skanda.6.43.3)

त्वां दृष्ट्वाहं महाभाग कामदेव समाकृतिम्॥ पुलकांचितसर्वांगी कामबाणप्रपीडिता

tvāṁ dṛṣṭvāhaṁ mahābhāga kāmadeva samākṛtim pulakāṁcitasarvāṁgī kāmabāṇaprapīḍitā

"O illustrious one, seeing you, whose form is like Kamadeva's own, my whole body has thrilled with rapture, and I am pierced through by the arrow of desire."

Verse 4 (skanda.6.43.4)

तस्माद्भजस्व मां रक्तां नो चेद्यास्यामि संक्षयम्॥ कामबाणप्रदग्धा वै पुरोऽपि तव तापस॥ ततः स्त्रीवधपापेन लिप्यसे त्वं न संशयः

tasmādbhajasva māṁ raktāṁ no cedyāsyāmi saṁkṣayam kāmabāṇapradagdhā vai puro'pi tava tāpasa tataḥ strīvadhapāpena lipyase tvaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

"Therefore accept me, who am devoted to you, or else I shall perish. O ascetic, burning with the arrow of desire, I will die right here before you, and then, without doubt, you will be tainted with the sin of killing a woman."

Verse 5 (skanda.6.43.5)

तापस उवाच॥ वयं व्रतधराः सुभ्रु ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः॥ मूर्खाः कामविधौ भद्रे निरताः शिवशासने

tāpasa uvāca vayaṁ vratadharāḥ subhru brahmacaryaparāyaṇāḥ mūrkhāḥ kāmavidhau bhadre niratāḥ śivaśāsane

The ascetic said: "O fair-browed one, we are keepers of vows, devoted to celibacy. O gentle one, those who, while professing devotion to Shiva's discipline, still indulge in the pursuit of desire, are fools."

Verse 6 (skanda.6.43.6)

सर्वेषां व्रतिनां मूलं ब्रह्मचर्यमुदाहृतम्॥ विशेषाच्छिवभक्तानामेवं भूयो विधास्यसि

sarveṣāṁ vratināṁ mūlaṁ brahmacaryamudāhṛtam viśeṣācchivabhaktānāmevaṁ bhūyo vidhāsyasi

"For all who keep vows, celibacy is declared to be the very root -- especially for devotees of Shiva. Henceforth, conduct yourself accordingly."

Verse 7 (skanda.6.43.7)

अपि वर्षशतं साग्रं यत्तपः कुरुते व्रती॥ सकृत्स्त्रीसंगमान्नाशं याति पाशुपतस्य च

api varṣaśataṁ sāgraṁ yattapaḥ kurute vratī sakṛtstrīsaṁgamānnāśaṁ yāti pāśupatasya ca

"Even if a votary performs austerities for more than a hundred years, a single union with a woman destroys the merit of his Pashupata vow."

Verse 8 (skanda.6.43.8)

मां च पाशुपतं लुब्धा कस्मात्त्वं भीरु भाषसे॥ ईदृक्पापतमं कर्म गर्हितं शिवशासने

māṁ ca pāśupataṁ lubdhā kasmāttvaṁ bhīru bhāṣase īdṛkpāpatamaṁ karma garhitaṁ śivaśāsane

"O greedy one, why then do you speak thus to me, a follower of the Pashupata vow, without any fear? Such a deed, so utterly sinful, is condemned in the discipline of Shiva."

Verse 9 (skanda.6.43.9)

यः स्त्रीं भजति पापात्मा वृथा पाशुपतव्रती॥ सोऽतीतान्दश चाधाय पुरुषान्नरके पचेत्

yaḥ strīṁ bhajati pāpātmā vṛthā pāśupatavratī so'tītāndaśa cādhāya puruṣānnarake pacet

"That sinful soul who, though a Pashupata votary, consorts with a woman in vain, drags down ten generations of his forefathers with him and is cooked in hell."

Verse 10 (skanda.6.43.10)

आस्तां तावत्समा संगं संस्पर्शं च वरानने॥ संभाषमपि पापाय स्त्रीभिः पाशुपतस्य च

āstāṁ tāvatsamā saṁgaṁ saṁsparśaṁ ca varānane saṁbhāṣamapi pāpāya strībhiḥ pāśupatasya ca

"O beautiful one, leave aside union and even touch -- for a Pashupata votary, mere conversation with women itself brings sin."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.43.11)

तस्माद् द्रुततरं गच्छ स्थानादस्माद्वरांगने॥ यत्रावाप्स्यसि चाभीष्टं तत्र त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि

tasmād drutataraṁ gaccha sthānādasmādvarāṁgane yatrāvāpsyasi cābhīṣṭaṁ tatra tvaṁ gantumarhasi

"Therefore, O fair one, leave this place at once; you should go wherever you may find what you desire."