“Truthfully, his beauty can satisfy the thirst of the whole wide world…”
As she thought this way, she rose up, and tried to start walking away, but her legs seemed to lose all power of movement…
अथोपेत्य स राजा ताम् एवं नागरिको ऽब्रवीत् ।
आस्तां प्रथमदृष्टस्य दर्शनैकफलार्थिनः ॥ १२,२७.२७ ॥
जनस्य दूरायातस्य सुन्दरि स्वागतादिकम् ।
को ऽयं न्व् आश्रमिणां धर्मो यद् एतस्मात् पलाय्यते ॥ १२,२७.२८ ॥
इत्य् उक्ते भूभुजा तस्याः सखी तद्वद् विचक्षणा ।
तत्रोपवेश्य नृपतेश् चकारातिथ्यसत्क्रियाम् ॥ १२,२७.२९ ॥
अथ सप्रणयं राजा तां स पप्रच्छ सोत्सुकः ।
भद्रे कः पुण्यवान् वंशस् त्वत्सख्यालंकृतो ऽनया ॥ १२,२७.३० ॥
कानि श्रोत्रामृतस्यन्दीन्य् अस्या नामाक्षराणि च ।
किं चैवम् अनया पुष्पसुकुमारम् इदं वपुः ॥ १२,२७.३१ ॥
तापसोचितया वृत्त्या विजने ऽस्मिन् कदर्थ्यते ।
इति राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा तत्सखी प्रत्युवाच सा ॥ १२,२७.३२ ॥
एषा महर्षेः कण्वस्य दुहिता वर्धिताश्रमे ।
मेनकासंभवा कन्या नाम्ना चेन्दीवरप्रभा ॥ १२,२७.३३ ॥
इहास्मिन् सरसि स्नातुम् आगतानुज्ञया पितुः ।
इतो ऽत्र नातिदूरे ऽस्ति तस्यैतत् पितुर् आश्रमः ॥ १२,२७.३४ ॥
The king approached her and said…
“Oh beautiful one! I did not ask you to welcome and entertain a person like me, who has travelled from far to arrive here, and having seen you, who does not desire anything else but to keep seeing you…”
“But how does your running away justify your obligations as part of an āshrama? I heard that guests are always welcome there…
When the king said this, the lady’s attendant, apologised to him, and welcomed the king in the proper manner.
The king thanked her and then said to her affectionately…
“My dear, which family of merit does this beautiful friend of yours belong to? What are the syllables of her name, those syllables that will sound like nectar to my ears?”
“And why is her body, that is as delicate as a flower, subject to such a rigorous life in an āshrama?”
The lady’s attendant answered…
“She is the maiden daughter of the great Rishi Kaṇva, borne to him by Menakā. She has been brought up in the āshrama, and her name is Indīvaraprabhā.”
“She has come here to take bath, since this lake is close to her father’s āshrama.”
इत्य् उक्तः स तया हृष्टो राजारुह्य तुरङ्गमम् ।
याचितुं तां सुतां तस्य कण्वर्षेर् आश्रमं ययौ ॥ १२,२७.३५ ॥
विवेश च विनीतस् तं बहिः स्थापितवाहनः ।
जटावल्कलिभिः पूर्णं पादपैर् इव तापसैः ॥ १२,२७.३६ ॥
तन्मध्ये च तम् अद्राक्षीद् ऋषिभिः परिवारितम् ।
तेजसाह्लादनं कण्वमुनिं चन्द्रम् इव ग्रहैः ॥ १२,२७.३७ ॥
उपेत्य पादयोस् तं च ववन्दे सो ऽपि तं मुनिः ।
कल्पितातिथ्यविश्रान्तं ज्ञानी क्षिप्राद् अभाषत ॥ १२,२७.३८ ॥
Candrāvaloka was delighted when he heard this, and he immediately mounted his horse and set out to the āshrama of Rishi Kaṇva, with the intent of asking his daughter’s hand in marriage.
When he reached there, he left the horse tied to a tree outside, and entered the āshrama after bowing to the gate at the entrance.
The āshrama was full of rishis and sādhakās, who went about their daily tasks. In the middle, under a tree, sat Rishi Kaṇva surrounded by many shishyās,
Candrāvaloka walked up to him, and when he reached, prostrated at the great rishi’s feet.
Rishi Kaṇva welcomed him, offered him a seat, and some water to refresh himself. He then said…
to be continued…