The deceitful master then took out a magic pill, and placed it in his mouth. The very next moment, he was transformed into an aged man! He took out another pill, and giving it to Manaḥsvāmin, asked him to place it in his mouth. And in an instant, Manaḥsvāmin was transformed into a beautiful maiden.
They then set out to the palace, and sought audience with the king. And when they came in front of the king, Mūladeva, who now looked like an aged man, said…
राजन्न् एको ऽस्ति मे पुत्रः कन्या दूराच् च तत्कृते ।
मयैषा याचितानीता स च क्वापि गतो ऽधुना ॥ १२,२२.२८ ॥
तम् अन्वेष्टुम् अहं यामि तद् एषा रक्ष्यतां त्वया ।
आनयामि सुतं यावत् त्वं हि विश्वस्य रक्षिता ॥ १२,२२.२९ ॥
तच् छ्रुत्वा शापभीत्या च प्रतिपद्य स भूपतिः ।
सुताम् आनाययामास यशःकेतुः शशिप्रभाम् ॥ १२,२२.३० ॥
जगाद चैतां पुत्रीमां कन्यां रक्षेः स्वमन्दिरे ।
स्वपार्श्व एव चाहारं शय्यां चास्याः प्रकल्पयेः ॥ १२,२२.३१ ॥
इति पित्रोक्तया निन्ये कन्यारूपस् तथेति सः ।
अन्तःपुरं मनःस्वामी राजपुत्र्या तया निजम् ॥ १२,२२.३२ ॥
यथारुचि ततो याते मुलदेवे द्विजाकृतौ ।
कन्यारूपः स तत्रासीन् मनःस्वामी प्रियान्तिके ॥ १२,२२.३३ ॥
दिनैश् च तां सखीप्रीतिविस्रम्भं सम्यगागताम् ।
एकदा विरहक्षामां शयनीयलुठत्तनुम् ॥ १२,२२.३४ ॥
रात्रौ रहो राजसुताम् आसन्नशयनस्थितः ।
कन्यारूपप्रतिच्छन्नो मनःस्वामी स पृष्टवान् ॥ १२,२२.३५ ॥
“O great king! I have only one son, who is of marriageable age, and so I searched far and wide for a girl to marry him. When I finally found her”, he said pointing to Manaḥsvāmin (who had been transformed into a maiden), “it seems that my son set out to the Himalayas, with his friends…”
“And so I am going to look for him, but in the meantime, I beseech you to keep this girl in the palace and protect her, like you protect all of us, since I cannot leave her alone, nor can I trust anybody to take good care of her.”
King Yaśaḥketu heard him patiently, and fearing that the old man would curse him if he didn’t comply, quickly summoned his daughter Śaśiprabhā and said…
“My dear, take this young girl with you and keep her as your friend and confidant. Make her comfortable and treat her just as you would treat your closest friends.”
The princess agreed, and took Manaḥsvāmin to her personal chambers. Mūladeva thanked the king, and left, and Manaḥsvamin remained in female form, next to the object of his desire.
It didn’t take many days for the princess to become fond of her newly-found friend, and so one night, when she was tossing and turning on the bed, unable to sleep, thinking of her love, Manaḥsvamin, who was on a bed next to hers, spoke softly and said…
सखि किं पाण्डुरच्छाया क्षीयमाणा दिने दिने ।
कान्तपक्षवियुक्तेव दुःखितासि शशिप्रभे ॥ १२,२२.३६ ॥
ब्रूहि मे को ह्य् अविश्वासः स्निग्धमुग्धे सखीजने ।
इदानीं नैव भोक्ष्ये ऽहं न वदिष्यसि चेन् मम ॥ १२,२२.३७ ॥
तच् छ्रुत्वा सा विनिःश्वस्य शनै राजसुताब्रवीत् ।
किं मे त्वय्य् अप्य् अविश्वासः शृणु तत् सखि वच्मि ते ॥ १२,२२.३८ ॥
एकदाहं मधूद्यानयात्रां द्रष्टुं गताभवम् ।
तत्रापश्यं च सुभगं कंचिद् ब्राह्मणपुत्रकम् ॥ १२,२२.३९ ॥
हिममुक्तेन्दुसश्रीकं दर्शनोद्दीपितस्मरम् ।
मधुमासम् इवालोकक्रीडालंकृतकाननम् ॥ १२,२२.४० ॥
चकोरायितुम् एते च प्रवृत्ते यावद् उन्मुखे ।
तन्मुखेन्दुद्युतिसुधापायिनी मे विलोचने ॥ १२,२२.४१ ॥
तावत् स्रवन्मदजलस् तत्राकस्मान् निरर्गलः ।
अकालकालमेघाभो गर्जन्न् आगान् महागजः ॥ १२,२२.४२ ॥
तत्संभ्रमात् परिजने नष्टे ऽहं भयविह्वला ।
उत्क्षिप्य विप्रपुत्रेण नीता तेनैव दूरतः ॥ १२,२२.४३ ॥
श्रीखण्डेनानुलिप्तेव सिक्तेव सुधया तथा ।
अहं तदङ्गस्पर्शेन न जाने कां दशाम् अगाम् ॥ १२,२२.४४ ॥
क्षनाच् च परिवारेण मिलितेनावशा ततः ।
इहानीतास्मि निक्षिप्ता स्वर्गाद् इव भुवस् तले ॥ १२,२२.४५ ॥
तदाप्रभृति संकल्पैस् तैस् तैः कल्पितसंगमम् ।
पश्यामि तं प्रबुद्धापि पार्श्वस्थं प्राणदं पतिम् ॥ १२,२२.४६ ॥
सुप्ता स्वप्ने च कुर्वाणं चाटून्य् आलोकयामि तम् ।
त्याजयन्तं हठाल् लज्जां चुम्बनालिङ्गनाधिभिः ॥ १२,२२.४७ ॥
न च प्राप्नोम्य् अभव्या तन्नामाद्यज्ञानमोहिता ।
तद् एवं मां दहत्य् एष प्राणेशविरहानलः ॥ १२,२२.४८ ॥
“My dear Śaśiprabhā, why do you look so pale and forlorn? You grow thinner by the day, and you look sorrowful, as if pining for someone special…”
“Why do you not trust me and tell me what disturbs you? If you don’t confide in me now, I will not eat a morsel of food, until you do.”
The princess sighed, and told him what was on her mind…
“My dear, of all the people, why would I not trust you? Ok listen. A few days back I was in a garden with my maids and attendants, when I saw a handsome young Brāhman…one who seemed like the month of spring, one who looked like the moon in all it’s glory…as I was admiring him from a distance, a huge elephant came there, running amok, resembling a black rain-cloud appearing out of season.”
“My attendants all fled, but I was transfixed, unable to think of what to do. That is when this young Brāhman caught me in my arms and carried me to a safe distance….”
“His very touch electrified me, and even though it was as cool as sandal, it felt intoxicating beyond description. I cannot tell you what I felt, and how I felt…all I can say is that I was lost in his arms…”
“And then my attendants retuned, and brought me back here. but even though this palace is so huge and magnificent, I felt like I had been brought down from the heavens and back to earth.”
“From that day, I have not been myself. I seem to see him everywhere, and in everything I do. I embrace him when on this bed, and I feel his kisses and his touch. My my wicked fate…I cannot have him, because I don’t even know his name, least of all where he lives and anything else about him.”
And so I am consumed by this fire of separation…one that I don’t know whether it will be ever extinguished!”
When he heard this, Manaḥsvāmin replied…
to be continued…