Even through Manaḥsvāmin was of high birth, and well-educated, he was so bound by his desires that he fell in love with a courtesan named Hamsāvalī. She knew his desperation, and so demanded a fee of five hundred gold coins for him to see her and spend time with her.
Manaḥsvāmin could not afford such a pricey sum, and hence spent his days dejected and depressed.
एकदा च तम् अद्राक्षीत् तादृशं सा वणिक्सुता ।
क्षामाभिरामवपुषं धनवत्य् अत्र हर्म्यतः ॥ १२,२६.३५ ॥
तद्रूपहृतचित्ता च भर्तुश् चौरस्य तस्य सा ।
स्मृत्वानुज्ञां समीपस्थां युक्त्यावोचत् स्वमातरम् ॥ १२,२६.३६ ॥
अम्ब विप्रसुतस्यास्य पश्यैते रूपयौवने ।
कीदृशे बत विश्वस्य नयनामृतवर्षिणी ॥ १२,२६.३७ ॥
एतच् छ्रुत्वैव तस्मिंस् तां बद्धभावाम् अवेत्य च ।
तन् माता सा वणिग्भार्या मनस्य् एवम् अचिन्तयत् ॥ १२,२६.३८ ॥
मद्दुहित्रानया तावद् वरणीयः सुताप्तये ।
कश्चिद् भर्त्राज्ञया तस्माद् एष एवार्थ्यते न किम् ॥ १२,२६.३९ ॥
इत्य् आकलय्य व्यसृजत् तत् संदिश्य मनीषितम् ।
रहस्यधारिणीं चेटीं तम् आनेतुं सुताकृते ॥ १२,२६.४० ॥
सा गत्वा विजने नीत्वा चेटी तस्मै शशंस तत् ।
स च श्रुत्वा द्विजयुवा व्यसनी ताम् अभाषत ॥ १२,२६.४१ ॥
यदि हंसावलीहेतोर् दीनारशतपञ्चकम् ।
सौवर्णं दीयते सह्यं तद् एकाम् एमि यामिनीम् ॥ १२,२६.४२ ॥
One day, when Dhanavatī was standing on the terrace of her house, when she saw Manaḥsvāmin walking on the street below.
She was instantly captivated by his good looks and impressive physique, and remembering the words of the thief, cleverly told her mother…
“Oh mother, see that young Brāhman walking towards the town square…oh how charming he is! It seems as if he exudes nectar for the whole world to drink!”
When Hiraṇyavatī heard this, she understood that her daughter was very attracted to the young man, and thought to herself…
“My daughter is bound by the orders of her late husband, to choose a man and beget a son from him…so why not choose this man? He looks good and my daughter likes him as well.”
And thinking thus, she called a trusted maid of hers, and asked her to fetch the Brāhman for her daughter.
The maid dutifully obeyed, and went over to Manaḥsvāmin and told him what her mistress had told her.
The lustful Manaḥsvāmin said to her…
“If they will give me the five hundred gold coins that I need in order to be with Hamsāvalī, then I will make myself available for one night.”
इति तेनोक्तया चेट्या तया गत्वा तथैव सा ।
उक्ता वणिक्स्त्री तस्मै तत् तद्धस्ते प्राहिणोद् धनम् ॥ १२,२६.४३ ॥
तद् गृहीत्वा मनःस्वामी तत्पुत्र्या वासकं ययौ ।
तस्याः स तन्निसृष्टाया धनवत्यः सचेटिकः ॥ १२,२६.४४ ॥
तत्र तां विततोत्कण्ठां कान्तां भूषितभूतलाम् ।
स चकोर इव ज्योत्स्नां ददर्श च जहर्ष च ॥ १२,२६.४५ ॥
तया समं च नीत्वा तां रात्रिं संभोगलीलया ।
निर्गत्य स ततो गुप्तं ययौ प्रातर् यथागतम् ॥ १२,२६.४६ ॥
The maid went back and communicated what he had said to Hiraṇyavatī. She immediately took out the money, gave it to the maid, and asked her to take it to Manaḥsvāmin.
When Manaḥsvāmin received the money, he went with the maid to the chambers of Dhanavatī, where she was waiting for him eagerly.
As Manaḥsvāmin saw Dhanavatī, his heart skipped a beat, much like the chakora bird gets delighted on seeing the moon.
And so he spent the night with her, and they enjoyed each other till the morning, when, as per the deal, he left her house in secret.
to be continued…