सुमन्त्रश्चोदितो राज्ञा प्रोवाचेदं वचस्तदा। यथर्घ्यशृङ्गस्त्वानीतो येनोपायेन मन्त्रिभिः॥
Thus asked by the king, Sumantra said these words-I will relate to you how the counsellors brought Rşyaśộnga. Do you listen with your counsellors!
रोमपादमुवाचेदं सहामात्यः पुरोहितः। उपायो निरपायोऽयमस्माभिरभिचिन्तितः॥
The priest together with the counsellors spoke to Romapada, saying, 'The means that we have hit upon can never fail of effect.'
ऋष्यशृङ्गो वनचरस्तपः स्वाध्यायसंयुतः। अनभिज्ञस्तु नारीणां विषयाणां सुखस्य च॥
Rşyaśộnga has been brought up in woods; and is engaged in austerities and the study of the Vedas. He is ignorant of the pleasure that ensues from contact with women,
इन्द्रियार्थैरभिमतैनरचित्तप्रमाथिभिः। पुरमानाययिष्यामः क्षिप्रं चाध्यवसीयताम्॥
By help of things agreeably ministering to the sense, and ravishing the soul, we shall bring him to the city. Do you, therefore, arrange for them!
गणिकास्तत्र गच्छन्तु रूपवत्यः स्वलंकृताः। प्रलोभ्य विविधोपायैरानेयन्तीह सत्कृताः॥
Let courtezans of comely presence, clad in ornaments, repair thither. And if well treated, they will by various means bring him here.'
श्रुत्वा तथेति राजा च प्रत्युवाच पुरोहितम्। पुरोहितो मन्त्रिणश्च तदा चक्रुश्च ते तथा॥
Hearing this, the king said to the priest, 'So be it!' Then the priest and courtiers acted accordingly.
वारमुख्यास्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वनं प्रविविशुर्महत्। आश्रमस्याविदूरेऽस्मिन् यत्नं कुर्वन्ति दर्शने॥ ऋषेः पुत्रस्य धीरस्य नित्यमाश्रमवासिनः। पितुः स नित्यसंतुष्टो नातिचक्राम चाश्रमात्॥
In accordance with the instructions, the courtezans entered that great forest; and remaining at some distance from the hermitage, endeavoured to meet with the sober son of the saint ever dwelling in the woods. And satisfied with serving his sire, he never strayed from the hermitage.
न तेन जन्मप्रभृति दृष्टपूर्वं तपस्विना। स्त्री वा पुमान् वा यच्चान्यत् सत्त्वं नगरराष्ट्रजम्॥
Since his birth he had never before seen men and women, or any other creatures living in cities and towns.
ततः कदाचित् तं देशमाजगाम यदृच्छया। विभाण्डकसुतस्तत्र ताश्चपश्यद् वराङ्गनाः॥
It came to pass that on one occasion, walking about at will, Vibhandaka's son came to that spot and beheld the courtezans.
ताश्चित्रवेषाः प्रमदा गायन्त्यो मधुरस्वरम्। ऋषिपुत्रमुपागम्य सर्वा वचनमब्रुवन्॥
Colourfully attired, and singing sweet songs, the women came to the saint's son and said.
कस्त्वं किं वर्तसे ब्रह्मज्ञातुमिच्छामहे वयम्। एकस्त्वं विजने दूरे वने चरसि शंस नः॥
Who are you? And where are you going, O Brahman? We wish to learn all this. And why is it that you range alone this far-off forest?
अदृष्टरूपास्तास्तेन काम्यरूपा वने स्त्रियः। हार्दात्तस्य मतिर्जाता आख्यातुं पितरं स्वकम्॥
Beholding these beautiful damsels never seen before, he from delight, hastened to inform them of his lineage.
पिता विभाण्डकोऽस्माकं तस्याहं सुत औरसः। ऋष्यशृङ्ग इति ख्यातं नाम कर्म च मे भुवि॥
My father is Vibhăndaka; and I am his son. My name is Rşyasſiga and my occupation is known the world over.
इहाश्रमपदोऽस्माकं समीपे शुभदर्शनाः। करिष्ये वोऽत्र पूजां वै सर्वेषां विधिपूर्वकम्॥
This auspicious hermitage hard by belongs to us; and there I shall receive you all in due form O' lovely ones! .
ऋषिपुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वासां मतिरास वै। तदाश्रमपदं द्रष्टुं जग्मुः सर्वास्ततोऽङ्गनाः॥
Hearing the words of the saint's son, they all consented, and the women went to behold that asylum.
गतानां तु ततः पूजामृषिपुत्रश्चकार ह। इदमर्ध्यमिदं पाद्यमिदं मूलं फलं च नः॥
When they had come there, the saint's son received them hospitably, saying, 'Here is Arghya,' 'Here is water for washing the feet,' 'Here are fruits and roots.'
प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजां सर्वा एव समुत्सुकाः। ऋषेीताश्च शीघ्रं तु गमनाय मतिं दधुः॥
And thereupon they readily received his hospitality. And actuated by the fear of the saint, Vibhāndaka, they bent their minds upon departing soon.
अस्माकमपि मुख्यानि फलानीमानि हे द्विज । गृहाण विप्र भद्रं ते भक्षयस्व च मा चिरम्॥
They said, Do you also, O twice-born one, receive from us these excellent fruits! O Vipra! good betide you, eat them without delay.
ततस्तास्तं समालिङ्गय सर्वा हर्षसमन्विताः। मोदकान् प्रददुस्तस्मै भक्ष्यांश्च विविधाञ्शुमान्॥
Thereupon, embracing him joyfully, they gave him sweetmeats and various kinds of savoury viands.
तानि चास्वाद्य तेजस्वी फलानीति स्म मन्यते। अनास्वादितपूर्वाणि वने नित्यनिवासिनाम्॥
And tasting those things, the glorious one took them for fruits, never tasted before by the dwellers of the forest.
आपृच्छय च तदा विप्रं व्रतचर्यां निवेद्य च। गच्छन्ति स्मापदेशात्ता भीतास्तस्य पितुः स्त्रियः॥
Then, having accosted him the women, feigning the observance of some vow, went away, inspired with the fear of his father.
गतासु तासु सर्वासु काश्यपस्यात्मजो द्विजः। अस्वस्थहृदयश्चासीद् दुःखाच्च परिवर्तते॥
And when they had gone, that twice-born one, Kasyapa's son, became sad, and suffered from grief of heart and became restless due to sadness.
ततोऽपरेधुस्तं देशमाजगाम स वीर्यवान्। विभाण्डकसुतः श्रीमान् मनसाचिन्तयन्मुहुः॥ मनोज्ञा यत्र ता दृष्टा वारमुख्याः स्वलंकृताः।
And the next day his mind momentarily running upon it, the graceful son of Vibhāņdaka, endowed with prowess, came to that spot where he had encountered the comely courtesans, adorned with ornaments.
दृष्ट्वैव च ततो विप्रमायान्तं हृष्टमानसाः॥ उपसृत्य ततः सर्वास्तास्तमूचुरिदं वचः। एह्याश्रमपदं सौम्य अस्माकमिति चाब्रुवन् ॥
As soon as they observed him coming, they came forward, and said, Do you, O Brāhmaṇa, come into our hermitage.
चित्राण्यत्र बहूनि स्युर्मूलानि च फलानि च। तत्राप्येष विशेषेण विधिर्हि भविता ध्रुवम्॥
There are in that asylum diverse kinds of fruits and roots; and there you will surely feed your fill.
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तासां सर्वासां हृदयङ्गमम्। गमनाय मतिं चक्रे तं च निन्युस्तथा स्त्रियः॥
Thereupon hearing those words of theirs capable of influencing the heart, he became bent upon going, and the women brought him away.
तत्र चानीयमाने तु विप्रे तस्मिन् महात्मनि । ववर्ष सहसा देवो जगत् प्रह्लादयंस्तदा॥
When that great-souled Vipra had been brought over, the god, Indra, suddenly poured forth plenteous showers, enlivening the spirits of men.
वर्षेणैवागतं विप्रं तापसं स नराधिपः। प्रत्युद्गम्य मुनिं प्रह्वः शिरसा च महीं गतः॥
When the ascetic had arrived, with showers, the king approached him in bumble guise, bending his head to the ground.
अर्घ्यं च प्रददौ तस्मै न्यायतः सुसमाहितः। वने प्रसादं विप्रेन्द्रान्मा विप्रं मन्युराविशेत् ॥
He offered him Arghya in due form, and with a collected mind; and asked for his favour, so that wrath could not influence the Vipra.
अन्तःपुरं प्रवेश्यास्मै कन्यां दत्त्वा यथाविधि। शान्तां शान्तेन मनसा राजा हर्षमवाप सः॥
And taking him into the inner apartments, and in due form conferring upon him in sober mood his daughter śāntā, the king became happy.
एवं स न्यवसत् तत्र सर्वकामैः सुपूजितः। ऋष्यशृङ्गो महातेजाः शान्तया सह भार्यया॥
Thus the highly powerful Rşyaśřnga together with his wife śāntä, began to live there, respectfully ministered to in regard to every desire.