Paumacariya 34
English (machine translation) 34
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34.1
As they were staying in that very garden, overcome with thirst, / Saumitri, desiring water, hurried to an excellent lake.
34.2
Just then, a prince named Kalyāṇamāla came from the city / to that excellent lake and was sporting with his people.
34.3
He saw Lakṣmaṇa of charming form standing on the bank of the lake; / his body struck by the arrows of love, he sent a man to him.
34.4
Approaching and bowing, he said: "Lord, come without hesitation! / The prince here desires the pleasure of the festival of seeing you."
34.5
Reflecting that there was indeed no harm, Saumitri went; / taken by the tip of his tender hand, he was conducted by him to his mansion.
34.6
Seated on the same seat, he asked Lakṣmaṇa: "Where are you from, / having come here, O illustrious one? What is your name? Tell me!"
34.7
He replied: "Separated [from me], my brother remains in the excellent garden. / As long as I do not bring him that water, I must go; then I will tell you."
34.8
Then the ruler of men said: "Right here charming food of many varieties / has been prepared; let him be brought right here!"
34.9
A door-keeper was sent in haste, and seeing lord Padma comfortably seated / in the forest together with Sītā, he made an obeisance.
34.10
Then the door-keeper said: "O lord, your brother is staying in the excellent mansion; / I have been sent by the rulers of the city to your presence.
34.11
Master, do the favor: please enter the excellent palace of the king!" / At his word, lord Padma set out together with Sītā.
34.12
And as he arrived, [Kalyāṇamāla], an abode of beauty, rose up with all his people; / Rāma, attended by Sītā, sat down on the offered seat.
34.13
When all had been well accommodated, having taken baths, meals, and the like, / Padma along with Lakṣmaṇa was ushered by him into an inner chamber.
34.14
Bowing at their feet, the one who had sent the messenger spoke: / "O lords, hear from me the ultimate truth, the essential reality!"
34.15
Then, discarding shame, she removed the bodice from her body, / appearing like a captivating celestial maiden fallen from heaven.
34.16
That excellent maiden was seen, filled with youth, loveliness, and radiance, / like Lakṣmī without the lotus, or the splendor of the mansion made visible.
34.17
Lord Padma said to her: "Gentle lady, slender-limbed girl, / why do you sport in such a guise in your own kingdom?"
34.18
Her head lowered with shame, she said: "Hear, O lord, the story: / The king of this city was named Bālakhilya.
34.19
His wife was named Pṛthvī; she became heavily pregnant at one time. / In a battle with the Mleccha king, that ruler of men was captured then.
34.20
Hearing that Bālakhilya was captured, the overlord Siṃhodara declared: / 'Whoever is born from this womb and becomes a son shall rule the kingdom.'
34.21
Thereupon I was born, but the minister named Subuddhi / reported to Siṃhodara: 'Master, a son has been born!'
34.22
In childhood, the name Kalyāṇamālinī was given to me; / only the minister and my mother know the true reality."
34.23
Having dressed in male attire, she was installed by elders as the ruler of the realm; / but I, an evildoer, am a woman—this is declared to you.
34.24
Therefore, show me favour: release my father who is held by the Mlecchas, / and bring joy to this body scorched by the fire of deep sorrow.
34.25
King Siṁhodara, too, does not effect his release, O Lord! / for I send my own tribute of wealth from this realm to the Mlecchas.
34.26
As she shed tears from her eyes, she was consoled by Rāma together with Sītā, / and Lakṣmaṇa addressed her: "Hear my words, O slender-limbed lady!
34.27
Rule the kingdom, O fair one, free from fear in this very disguise; / within a few days I shall indeed liberate your father."
34.28
When this was spoken, the young maiden experienced joy as if her father were already freed; / with the hairs of her body bristling in thrill, she suddenly became radiant.
34.29
Having dwelt for three days in that charming and delightful garden, / both [brothers] along with Sītā departed while the people were sleeping happily.
34.30
Then, at pure daybreak, not seeing them there, that fawn-eyed maiden / wept piteously with a heart overcome by sorrow.
34.31
Departing thus from the garden and entering her own city, that maiden / ruled the kingdom in that city, still in the guise of a man.
34.32
Then, in due course, they reached the very broad Narmadā of pure waters, / resonant with the soft, sweet singing of cakravākas, geese, and cranes,
34.33
whose eddies churned with leaping, agitated makaras, turtles, and fish, / and which resounded with the spray blown forth by water-elephants amidst rolling waves.
34.34
Along with Sītā, both [brothers] crossed the Narmadā with ease / and entered the Vindhya forest, crowded with dense excellent trees and wild beasts.
34.35
Proceeding along the path, though warned by herdsmen and travellers, / advancing with the stately gait of a noble bull, they traversed a certain region.
34.36
Then the daughter of Janaka said: "Situated in the left direction upon a bitter tree, / this crow cries out; O Lord, it portends a quarrel!
34.37
And another bird, crying out upon a milky tree, announces victory. / It is stated in the great science of omens that a fight will occur within a muhūrta."
34.38
Resting for a short while, they again set out heading along the forest road; / and right before them they saw an army of Mlecchas, dark as ink.
34.39
Assailed by the Mlecchas, both [brothers], releasing hundreds of excellent arrows, / began to fight in such a manner that all the barbarians broke and fled.
34.40
Then, with minds agitated by fear, they went and reported to their master; / and he too, with a mighty army, appeared before them.
34.41
The Mlecchas of the Kāgonanda [tribe] are heroes renowned throughout the earth, / who in battle never turn back before all the kings of the world.
34.42
Seeing the Mleccha army surging forth like a bank of clouds in the rainy season, / Lakṣmaṇa thereupon, filled with wrath, bent his bow.
34.43
Lakṣmaṇa twanged his bow with sudden fury, / by which sound that Mleccha army was instantly terrified and made to tremble.
34.44
Seeing his own army bewildered, dropping their bows and swords in fear, / the Mleccha chieftain descended from his noble chariot and bowed down.
34.45
He spoke: "In Kauśāmbī there was a brāhmaṇa named Vaiśvānara; / his wife was devoted to her husband, and from her womb I was born.
34.46
Named Rudrabhūti, I was a doer of evil deeds from my childhood; / caught for theft, I was impaled on a stake to be pierced.
34.47
Being there, I was released by a merchant moved to compassion; / wandering from that place, I came here and became the ruler of the Kāgonandas.
34.48
During all this time here, although there were many powerful kings, / they were incapable of enduring before my gaze at the head of battle.
34.49
Such a one am I, ruthless, yet struck with fear merely by the sight of you; / here I have fallen at your feet: tell me quickly, what shall I do?"
34.50
Then the compassionate Padma said to him: "If you will follow my word, / release from captivity that king, Vālikhilya."
34.51
"Indeed, as you command, O Lord!"—having spoken thus, / he freed Vālikhilya from captivity and showed him the utmost honour.
34.52
Brought into Padma's presence, he bowed again and again, praising him: / "Through your grace I have been liberated from captivity!"
34.53
And he was addressed by Rāghava: "Obtain quickly union with your loved ones; / you will come to know all of this when you have gone to your own city."
34.54
And Vālikhilya departed, having made peace with Rudrabhūti; / and Padma, having subdued the Mleccha ruler, went along his path.
34.55
King Vālikhilya also, having arrived together with Rudrabhūti, / entered Kūbavai amidst cries of victory proclaimed by the bards.
34.56
Suffering from long separation, Kalyāṇamālinī bowed to her father; / and he thereupon kissed his daughter upon the head.
34.57
Queen Pṛthvī too was exceedingly delighted, with her limbs thrilling; / and all the servants and citizens were addressed with affection.
34.58
Then the son of the great chariot-warrior honoured the Mleccha ruler / along with Rudrabhūti with arms, ornaments, gems, gold, and the like.
34.59
Honoured and having taken leave, the Mleccha chieftain departed / and reached his own city; and Vālikhilya too rejoiced in happiness.
34.60
Having heard of that deed of the steadfast hero, many kings headed by Siṁhodara, / praising his pure fame, became ever apprehensive of Padma.
34.61
Thus ends the thirty-fourth chapter, entitled "The Episode of Vālikhilya," in the Paümacariya.
Linked texts (1)
- Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit