Adhyaya 93

Verse 1

कुंजल उवाच । किं विज्वल त्वया दृष्टमपूर्वं भ्रमता महीम् । आश्चर्येण समायुक्तं तन्मे कथय सुव्रत

Kuṃjala said: “O Vijvala, as you roamed over the earth, what unprecedented, wonder-filled sight did you behold? Tell it to me, O you of excellent vows.”

Verse 2

इतः प्रयासि कं देशमाहारार्थं तु सोद्यमी । यद्य दृष्टं त्वया चित्रं समाख्याहि सुतोत्तम

“From here, to what land do you set out, diligently seeking food? And if you have seen anything wondrous, tell me, O best of sons.”

Verse 3

विज्वल उवाच । अस्ति मेरुगिरेः पृष्ठे आनंदं नाम काननम् । दिव्यवृक्षैः समाकीर्णंफ लपुष्पमयैः सदा

Vijvala said: “On the back slope of Mount Meru there is a forest named Ānanda, ever filled with divine trees, always laden with fruits and blossoms.”

Verse 4

देववृंदैः समाकीर्णं मुनिसिद्धसमन्वितम् । अप्सरोभिः सुरूपाभिर्गंधर्वैः किन्नरोरगैः

It was thronged with hosts of devas, accompanied by sages and perfected beings, and filled with beautiful apsarās, gandharvas, kinnaras, and nāgas.

Verse 5

वापीकूपतडागैश्च नदीप्रस्रवणैस्तथा । आनंदकाननं पुण्यं दिव्यभावैः प्रभासते

With wells, tanks, and ponds, and likewise with rivers and flowing springs, the sacred grove called Ānandakānana shines forth, radiant with a divine presence.

Verse 6

विमानैः कोटिसंख्याभिर्हंसकुंदेंदुसन्निभैः । गीतकोलाहलैः रम्यैर्मेघध्वनिनिनादितम्

It resounded with the rumbling of clouds—adorned with countless crores of celestial chariots, gleaming like swans, jasmine blossoms, and the moon, and made delightful by the festive clamor of song.

Verse 7

षट्पदानां निनादेन सर्वत्र मधुरायते । चंदनैश्चूतवृक्षैश्च चंपकैः पुष्पितैर्वृतम्

Everywhere it becomes sweet with the humming of bees, and it is surrounded by sandalwood trees, mango trees, and flowering campaka trees.

Verse 8

नानावृक्षैः प्रभात्येवमानंदवनमुत्तमम् । नानापक्षिनिनादेन बहुकोलाहलान्वितम्

Thus the excellent Ānanda-grove shone with many kinds of trees, and it was filled with great bustle, resounding with the calls of diverse birds.

Verse 9

एवमानंदनं दृष्टं मया तत्र सुशोभनम् । विमलं च सरस्तात शोभते सागरोपमम्

Thus I saw there a delightful and very beautiful sight: a spotless lake, dear one, shining like the ocean.

Verse 10

संपूर्णं पुण्यतोयेन पद्मसौगंधिकैः शुभैः । जलजैस्तु समाकीर्णं हंसकारंडवान्वितम्

It was wholly filled with holy waters, adorned with auspicious, fragrant lotuses and saugandhikas; crowded with water-born blooms, and graced by swans and kāraṇḍava ducks.

Verse 11

एवमासीत्सरस्तस्य सुमध्ये काननस्य हि । देवगंधर्वसंबाधैर्मुनिवृंदैरलंकृतम्

Thus there was a lake there, in the very midst of that forest—thronged with Devas and Gandharvas, and adorned by hosts of Munis.

Verse 12

किंनरोरगगंधर्वैश्चारणैश्च सुशोभते । तत्राश्चर्यं मया दृष्टं वक्तुं तात न शक्यते

It shone resplendent with Kiṃnaras, Nāgas, Gandharvas, and Cāraṇas. There I beheld a marvel—O dear one, it cannot be expressed in words.

Verse 13

विमानेनापि दिव्येन कलशैरुपशोभते । छत्रदंडपताकाभीराजमानेन सत्तम

O best of the virtuous, it was further adorned with a divine vimāna, beautified by kalaśa finials, and resplendent with parasols, staffs, and banners.

Verse 14

सर्वभोगाविलेनापि गीयमानेथ किन्नरैः । गंधर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च शोभमानोथ सुव्रत

O you of excellent vows, he shone resplendently—though surrounded by every enjoyment—while being sung by Kiṃnaras, and adorned by Gandharvas and Apsarases.

Verse 15

स्तूयमानो महासिद्धऋषिभिस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः । रूपेणाप्रतिमो लोके न दृष्टस्तादृशः क्वचित्

Praised by the great perfected sages, knowers of truth, he was incomparable in form in the world; nowhere had such a one ever been seen.

Verse 16

सर्वाभरणशोभांगो दिव्यमालाविशोभितः । महारत्नकृतामाला यस्योरसि विराजते

His limbs shone with every kind of ornament, and he was further adorned with a divine garland. Upon his chest there gleamed a great garland fashioned from precious jewels.

Verse 17

तत्समीपे स्थिता चैका नारी दृष्टा वरानना । हेमहारैश्च मुक्तानां वलयैः कंकणैर्युता

Nearby there stood a single woman of lovely face; she was seen adorned with golden necklaces, pearl ornaments, and with bangles and bracelets.

Verse 18

दिव्यवस्त्रैश्च गंधैश्च चंदनैश्चारुलेपनैः । स्तूयमानो गीयमानः पुरुषस्तत्र चागतः

Adorned with divine garments, fragrances, sandalwood, and lovely unguents, and being praised and sung about, that Person arrived there.

Verse 19

रतिरूपा वरारोहा पीनश्रोणिपयोधरा । सर्वाभरणशोभांगी तादृशी रूपसंपदा

She was love itself in form—an excellent, graceful woman, with full hips and breasts; her limbs shone with every ornament—such was her wealth of beauty.

Verse 20

द्वावेतौ तौ मया दृष्टौ विमानेनापि चागतौ । रूपलावण्यमाधुर्यौ सर्वशोभासमाविलौ

I saw those two; they too had arrived in a celestial vimāna. They were filled with beauty, charm, and sweetness—on every side suffused with all splendors.

Verse 21

समुत्तीर्णौ विमानात्तावागतौ सरसोन्तिके । स्नातौ तात महात्मानौ स्त्रीपुंसौ कमलेक्षणौ

Descending from the celestial vimāna, the two came near the lake. Bathing there, O dear one, those great-souled, lotus-eyed woman and man appeared.

Verse 22

प्रगृह्य तौ महाशस्त्रौ दंपती तु परस्परम् । तादृशौ च शवौ तत्र पतितौ सरसस्तटे

Seizing those mighty weapons, the husband and wife struck one another; and there, just so, the two corpses fell upon the bank of the lake.

Verse 23

प्रभासे ते तदा तौ तु स्त्रीपुंसौ कमलेक्षणौ । रूपेणापि महाभाग तादृशावेव तौ शवौ

Then, at Prabhāsa, those two—woman and man, lotus-eyed—O greatly fortunate one, even in appearance remained just the same, as those two corpses.

Verse 24

देवरूपोपमस्तात यथा पुंसस्तथा शवः । यथारूपं हि तस्यापि तादृशस्तत्र दृश्यते

Dear one, the corpse appears just like the man himself, in form comparable to a divine figure. Indeed, whatever his appearance was, that very likeness is seen there as well.

Verse 25

यथारूपं तु भार्यायास्तथा शवो द्वितीयकः । स्त्रीशवस्य तु यन्मांसं शस्त्रेणोत्कृत्य सा ततः

In appearance, the corpse was exactly like the wife, truly a second body. Then, with a weapon, she carved the flesh from that female form.

Verse 26

भक्षते तस्य मांसानि रक्ताप्लुतानि तानि तु । पुरुषो भक्षते तद्वच्छवमांसं समातुरः

He ate those pieces of flesh drenched in blood; likewise, a man in extreme distress consumes the flesh of a corpse.

Verse 27

क्षुधया पीड्यमानौ तौ भक्षेते पिशितं तयोः । यावत्तृप्तिं समायातौ तावन्मांसं प्रभक्षितम्

Tormented by hunger, the two of them ate that flesh. They consumed the meat until they attained full satisfaction.

Verse 28

सरस्यथ जलं पीत्वा संजातौ सुखितौ पितः । कियत्कालं स्थितौ तत्र विमानेन गतौ पुनः

Then, having drunk the water of the lake, they became happy, O Father. After staying there for some time, they departed again in a celestial chariot.

Verse 29

अन्ये द्वे तु स्त्रियौ तात मया दृष्टे च तत्र वै । रूपसौभाग्यसंपन्ने ते स्त्रियौ चारुलक्षणे

But, dear one, I also saw two other women there. Both were endowed with beauty and good fortune, and marked by charming features.

Verse 30

ताभ्यां प्रभक्षितं मांसं यदा तात महावने । प्रहसेते तदा ते द्वे हास्यैरट्टाट्टकैःपुनः

O dear one, when the flesh is devoured by those two in the great forest, then those two again burst into loud laughter, with raucous guffaws.

Verse 31

भक्षते च स्वमांसानि तावेतौ परिनित्यशः । कृत्वा स्नानादिकं मांसं पश्यतो मम तत्र हि

And those two, constantly, eat their own flesh. Having performed bathing and the like, they eat the meat—while I stand there watching, indeed.

Verse 32

अन्ये स्त्रियौ महाभाग रौद्रा कारसमन्विते । दंष्ट्राकरालवदने तत्रैवाति विभीषणे

O greatly fortunate one, there were also other women there—fierce in nature, bound in fetters—whose faces were terrifying with protruding, dreadful fangs, exceedingly dreadful to behold.

Verse 33

ऊचतुस्तौ तदा ते तु देहिदेहीति वै पुनः । एवं दृष्टं मया तात वसता वनसंनिधौ

Then those two again said at that time, ‘Give, give indeed!’ Thus, dear one, this was seen by me while I was living near the forest.

Verse 34

नित्यमुत्कीर्य भक्ष्येते तौ द्वौ तु मांसमेव च । जायेते च सुसंपूर्णौ कायौ च शवयोः पुनः

Day after day, those two keep tearing and eating only the flesh; and again the two bodies of the corpses arise once more, fully restored.

Verse 35

नित्यमुत्तीर्य तावेवं ते चाप्यन्ये च वै पितः । कुर्वंति सदृशीं चेष्टां पूर्वोक्तां मम पश्यतः

Coming out of the water each day, those two—and others as well, O father—perform the same actions previously described, while I look on.

Verse 36

एतदाश्चर्य संजातं दृष्टं तात मया तदा । भवता पृच्छितं तात दृष्टमाश्चर्यमेव च

O dear one, at that time I witnessed that wonder as it arose. And what you ask me, dear one—yes, what was seen was truly a marvel.

Verse 37

मया ख्यातं तवाग्रे वै सर्वसंदेहकारणम् । कथयस्व प्रसादाच्च प्रीयमाणेन चेतसा

I have explained to you, in your very presence, the cause that gives rise to all doubts. Now, by your grace, please speak further with a pleased and benevolent mind.

Verse 38

विमानेनागतो योसौ स्त्रिया सार्द्धं द्विजोत्तम । दिव्यरूपधरो यस्तु स कस्तु कमलेक्षणः

O best of the twice-born, who is that one who has arrived in a celestial vimāna together with a woman—he who bears a divine form, O lotus-eyed one?

Verse 39

का च नारी महाभाग महामांसं प्रभक्षति । स कश्चाप्यागतस्तात सा चैवाभ्येत्य भक्षति

“What woman, O fortunate one, would devour so great a quantity of flesh? And who is that person who has come, dear one—she too, having approached, eats.”

Verse 40

प्रहसेते तदा ते द्वे स्त्रियौ तात वदस्व नः । ऊचतुस्तौ तथा चान्ये देहिदेहीति वा पुनः

Then those two women laughed and said, “Venerable sir, tell us.” Likewise, the others too spoke again and again, crying, “Give! Give!”

Verse 41

तेद्वेत्वं मे समाचक्ष्व महाभीषणके स्त्रियौ । एतन्मे संशयं तात छेत्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत

Tell me of those two exceedingly terrifying women. This doubt of mine, dear one—you of noble vows—please dispel it.

Verse 42

एवमुक्त्वा महाराज विरराम स चांडजः । एवं पृष्टस्तृतीयेन विज्वलेनात्मजेन सः

Having spoken thus, O great king, the bird fell silent. Then, questioned in this manner by his third son, Vijvala, he continued speaking.

Verse 43

प्रोवाच सर्वं वृत्तांतं च्यवनस्यापि शृण्वतः

He narrated the entire account, even as Cyavana listened.

Verse 93

इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थे च्यवनचरित्रे त्रिनवतितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the ninety-third chapter in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Purāṇa, in the episode concerning Vena, the sacred Guru-tīrtha, and the account of Cyavana.