कथासरित्सागरः — चतुर्थस्तरङ्गः

चतुर्थस्तरङ्गः ।

इत्याख्याय कथां मध्ये विन्ध्यान्तः काणभूतये ।
पुनर्वररुचिस्तस्मै प्रकृतार्थमवर्णयत् ॥

Summary AI Having related this story in the midst of the Vindhya forest to Kāṇabhūti, Vararuci again described the original matter to him.

१.४.२

एवं व्याडीन्द्रदत्ताभ्यां सह तत्र वसन्क्रमात् ।
प्राप्तो ऽहं सर्वविद्यानां पारमुत्क्रान्तशैशवः ॥

Summary AI Residing there with Vyāḍi and Indradatta, I gradually passed my childhood and attained mastery over all branches of learning.

१.४.३

इन्द्रोत्सवं कदाचिच्च प्रेक्षितुं निर्गता वयम् ।
कन्यामेकामपश्याम कामस्यास्त्रमसायकम् ॥

Summary AI Once, having gone out to witness the festival of Indra, we saw a maiden who appeared like the arrowless weapon of Kāmadeva.

१.४.४

इन्द्रदत्तो मया पृष्टस्ततः केयं भवेदिति ।
उपवर्षसुता सेयमुपकोशेति सो ऽब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI When I asked Indradatta who she might be, he replied that she was Upakośā, the daughter of Upavarṣa.

१.४.५

सा सखीभिश्च मां ज्ञात्वा प्रीतिपेशलया दृशा ।
कर्षन्ती मन्मनः कृच्छ्रादगच्छद्भवनं निजम् ॥

Summary AI Having learned who I was from her friends, she drew my heart with an affectionate glance and went to her own home with great difficulty.

१.४.६

पूर्णचन्द्रमुखी नीलनीरजोत्तमलोचना ।
मृणालनालललितभुजा पीनस्तनोज्ज्वला ॥

Summary AI She possessed a face like the full moon, eyes like the finest blue lotuses, arms as delicate as lotus stalks, and was radiant with full breasts.

१.४.७

कम्बुकण्ठी प्रवालाभरदनच्छदशोभिनी ।
स्मरभूपतिसौन्दर्यमन्दिरेवेन्दिरापरा ॥

Summary AI With a neck like a conch and lips shining like coral, she was like another Indirā residing in the temple of the beauty of King Smara.

१.४.८

ततः कामशरापातनिर्भिन्ने हृदये न मे ।
निशि तस्यामभून्निद्रा तद्विम्बोष्ठपिपासया ॥

Summary AI Then, in my heart pierced by the stroke of Kāma's arrows, sleep did not come that night due to my longing for her bimba-like lips.

१.४.९

कथंचिल्लब्धनिद्रो ऽहमपश्यं रजनीक्षये ।
शुक्लाम्बरधरां दिव्यां स्त्रियं सा मामभाषत ॥

Summary AI Having somehow fallen asleep at the end of the night, I saw a divine woman wearing white garments, and she spoke to me.

१.४.१०

पूर्वभार्योपकोशा ते गुणज्ञा नापरं पतिम् ।
कंचिदिच्छत्यतश्चिन्ता पुत्र कार्यत्र न त्वया ॥

Summary AI "Your former wife Upakośā, who knows your virtues, desires no other husband. Therefore, my son, you should not worry about this matter."

१.४.११

अहं सदा शरीरान्तर्वासिनी ते सरस्वती ।
त्वद्दुःखं नोत्सहे द्रष्टुमित्युक्त्वान्तर्हिताभवत् ॥

Summary AI "I am Sarasvatī, always residing within your body; I cannot bear to see your grief." Having said this, she vanished.

१.४.१२

ततः प्रबुद्धो जातास्थो गत्वातिष्ठमहं शनैः ।
दयितामन्दिरासन्नबालचूततरोरधः ॥

Summary AI Then, waking up with renewed hope, I went and stood quietly under a young mango tree near the house of my beloved.

१.४.१३

अथागत्य समाख्यातं तत्सख्या मन्निबन्धनम् ।
उद्गाढमुपकोशाया नवानङ्गविजृम्भितम् ॥

Summary AI Then her friend came and described the intense and fresh manifestation of love that Upakośā felt on my account.

१.४.१४

ततो ऽहं द्विगुणीभूततापस्तामेवमब्रवम् ।
अदत्तां गुरुबिः स्वेच्छमुपकोशां कथं भजे ॥

Summary AI Then, my distress doubling, I said to her: "How can I, of my own will, unite with Upakośā when she has not been given to me by her elders?"

१.४.१५

वरं हि मृत्युर्नाकीर्तिस्तत्सखीहृदयं तव ।
गुरुभिर्यदि बुध्येत तत्कदाचिच्छिवं भवेत् ॥

Summary AI "Death is preferable to infamy. O friend, if your friend's heart's desire is made known to the elders, then perhaps something good may happen."

१.४.१६

तदेतत्कुरु भद्रे त्वं तां सखीं मां च जीवय ।
तच्छ्रुत्वा सा गता सख्या मातुः सर्वं न्यवेदयत् ॥

Summary AI "O auspicious one, do this and save both your friend and me." Hearing this, she went and reported everything to her friend's mother.

१.४.१७

तया तत्कथितं भर्तुरुपवर्षस्य तत्क्षणम् ।
तेन भ्रातुश्च वर्षस्य तेन तच्चाभिनन्दितम् ॥

Summary AI She immediately told her husband Upavarṣa, who told his brother Varṣa, and the proposal was approved by him.

१.४.१८

विवाहे निश्चिते गत्वा व्याडिरानयति स्म ताम् ।
वर्षाचार्यनिदेशेन कौशाम्ब्या जननीं मम ॥

Summary AI When the marriage was fixed, Vyāḍi, by the command of the teacher Varṣa, went to Kauśāmbī and brought my mother.

१.४.१९

अथोपकोशा विधिवत्पित्रा मे प्रतिपादिता ।
ततो मात्रा गृहिण्या च समं तत्रावसं सुखम् ॥

Summary AI Then Upakośā was formally given to me by her father; after that, I lived there happily along with my mother and my wife.

१.४.२०

अथ कालेन वर्षस्य शिष्यवर्गो महानभूत् ।
तत्रैकः पाणिनिर्नाम जडबुद्धितरो ऽभवत् ॥

Summary AI In the course of time, Varṣa acquired a large group of disciples, among whom there was one named Pāṇini who was quite dull-witted.

१.४.२१

स शुश्रूषापरिक्लिष्टः प्रेषितो वर्षभार्यया ।
अगच्छत्तपसे खिन्नो विद्याकामो हिमालयम् ॥

Summary AI Troubled by household service and sent away by the wife of Varṣa, the distressed student, desiring knowledge, went to the Himālaya to perform penance.

१.४.२२

तत्र तीव्रेण तपसा तोषितादिन्दुशेखरात् ।
सर्वविद्यामुखं तेन प्राप्तं व्याकरणं नवम् ॥

Summary AI There, from the moon-crested god Śiva, pleased by his intense penance, he obtained a new system of grammar, which is the gateway to all branches of knowledge.

१.४.२३

ततश्चागत्य मामेव वादायाह्वयते स्म सः ।
प्रवृत्ते चावयोर्वादे प्रयाताः सप्त वासराः ॥

Summary AI Then, returning, he challenged me to a debate. As our debate proceeded, seven days passed.

१.४.२४

अष्टमे ऽह्नि मया तस्मिञ्जिते तत्समनन्तरम् ।
नभः स्थेन महाघोरो हुंकारः शंभुना कृतः ॥

Summary AI On the eighth day, immediately after I had defeated him, the god Śambhu, stationed in the sky, uttered a terrifying roar.

१.४.२५

तेन प्रणष्टमैन्द्रं तदस्मद्व्याकरणं भुवि ।
जिताः पाणिनिना सर्वे मूर्खीभूता वयं पुनः ॥

Summary AI By that roar, our Aindra system of grammar perished from the earth. We all became fools once more, defeated by Pāṇini.

१.४.२६

अथ संजातनिर्वेदः स्वगृहस्थितये धनम् ।
हस्ते हिरण्यगुप्तस्य विधाय वणिजो निजम् ॥

Summary AI Then, filled with despondency, I deposited my own wealth into the hands of a merchant named Hiraṇyagupta for the maintenance of my household.

१.४.२७

उक्त्वा तच्चोपकोशायै गतवानस्मि शंकरम् ।
तपोभिराराधयितुं निराहारो हिमालयम् ॥

Summary AI Having informed Upakośā of this, I went to the Himālaya, abstaining from food, to worship Śaṅkara through austerities.

१.४.२८

उपकोशा हि मे श्रेयः काङ्क्षन्ती निजमन्दिरे ।
अतिष्ठत्प्रत्यहं स्नान्ती गङ्गायां नियतव्रता ॥

Summary AI Desiring my well-being, Upakośā remained in her own house, observing strict vows and bathing daily in the Gaṅgā.

१.४.२९

एकदा सा मधौ प्राप्ते क्षामा पाण्डुर्मनोरमा ।
प्रतिपच्चन्द्रलेखेव जनलोचनहारिणी ॥

Summary AI Once, when springtime arrived, she, slender and pale, yet charming, captivated the eyes of people like the crescent moon of the first lunar day.

१.४.३०

स्नातुं त्रिपथगां यान्ती दृष्टा राजपुरोधसा ।
दण्डाधिपतिना चैव कुमारसचिवेन च ॥

Summary AI As she was going to bathe in the triple-streamed Gaṅgā, she was seen by the royal priest, the chief magistrate, and the prince’s minister.

१.४.३१

तत्क्षणात्ते गताः सर्वे स्मरसायकलक्ष्यताम् ।
सापि तस्मिन्दिने स्नान्ती कथमप्यकरोच्चिरम् ॥

Summary AI At that very moment, they all became targets for the arrows of Smara. She, too, for some reason, spent a long time bathing that day.

१.४.३२

आगच्छन्तीं च सायं तां कुमारसचिवो हठात् ।
अग्रहीदथ साप्येनमवोचत्प्रतिभावती ॥

Summary AI As she was returning in the evening, the prince's minister forcibly seized her. Then, being resourceful, she spoke to him.

१.४.३३

अभिप्रेतमिदं भद्र यथा तव यथा मम ।
किं त्वहं सत्कुलोत्पन्ना प्रवासस्थितभर्तृका ॥

Summary AI "O noble one, this is as much my desire as it is yours. However, I am born of a noble family, and my husband is away on a journey."

१.४.३४

कथमेवं प्रवर्तेय पश्येत्कोऽपि कदाचन ।
ततश्च ध्रुवमश्रेयस्त्वया सह भवेन्मम ॥

Summary AI "How can I act thus? Someone might see us at any time, and then, surely, associating with you would lead to my ruin."

१.४.३५

तस्मान्मधूत्सवाक्षिप्तपौरलोके गृहं मम ।
आगन्तवं ध्रुवं रात्रेः प्रथमे प्रहरे त्वया ॥

Summary AI "Therefore, when the citizens are preoccupied with the spring festival, you must certainly come to my house during the first watch of the night."

१.४.३६

इत्युक्त्वा कृतसंधा सा तेन क्षिप्त विधेर्वशात् ।
यावत्किंचिद्गता तावन्निरुद्धा सा पुरोधसा ॥

Summary AI Having said this and made an agreement, she was released by him. By the power of fate, as soon as she had gone a little way, she was stopped by the priest.

१.४.३७

तस्यापि तत्रैव दिने तद्वदेव तया निशि ।
संकेतकं द्वितीयस्मिन्प्रहरे पर्यकल्प्यत ॥

Summary AI For him also, on that very day, she arranged a tryst in the same manner for the second watch of the night.

१.४.३८

मुक्तां कथंचित्तेनापि प्रयातां किंचिदन्तरम् ।
दण्डाधिपो रुणद्धि स्म तृतीयस्तां सुविह्वलाम् ॥

Summary AI Released with difficulty by him too, as she walked a short distance, she, greatly distressed, was blocked by a third man, the chief magistrate.

१.४.३९

अथ तस्यापि दिवसे तस्मिन्नेव तथैव सा ।
संकेतकं त्रियामायां तृतीये प्रहरे व्यधात् ॥

Summary AI Then, for him as well, on that same day, she arranged a meeting in the same way for the third watch of the night.

१.४.४०

दैवात्तेनापि निर्मुक्ता सकम्पा गृहमागता ।
कर्तव्यां सा स्वचेटीनां संविदं स्वैरमब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI Providentially released by him as well, she returned home trembling and quietly told her maids the plan of action they were to carry out.

१.४.४१

वरं पत्यौ प्रवासस्थे मरणं कुलयोषितः ।
न तु रूपारमल्लोकलोचनापातपात्रता ॥

Summary AI For a woman of noble birth, death is preferable when her husband is away on a journey, rather than becoming the object of the gazes of common people who delight in beauty.

१.४.४२

इति संचिन्तयन्ती च स्मरन्ती मां निनाय सा ।
शोचन्ती स्वं वपुः साध्वी निराहारैव तां निशाम् ॥

Summary AI Thinking thus and remembering me, that virtuous woman spent the night without food, lamenting her own physical form.

१.४.४३

प्रातर्ब्राह्मणपूजार्थं व्यसर्जि वणिजस्तया ।
चेटी हिरण्यगुप्तस्य किंचिन्मार्गयितुं धनम् ॥

Summary AI In the morning, she sent a maidservant to the merchant Hiraṇyagupta to ask for some money in order to perform the worship of Brāhmaṇas.

१.४.४४

आगत्या सो ऽपि तामेवमेकान्ते वणिराब्रवीत् ।
भजस्व मां ततो भर्तृस्थापितं ते ददामि तत् ॥

Summary AI That merchant also came and spoke to her in private, saying, "Yield yourself to me, and then I will give you that wealth deposited by your husband."

१.४.४५

तच्छ्रुत्वा साक्षिरहितां मत्वा भर्तृधनस्थितिम् ।
वणिजं पापमालोक्य खेदामर्षकदर्थिता ॥

Summary AI Hearing that, and realizing that the deposit of her husband's wealth had no witnesses, she looked at the sinful merchant, tormented by grief and indignation.

१.४.४६

तस्यामेवात्र संकेतं रात्रौ तस्यापि पश्चिमे ।
शेषे पतिव्रता यामे साकरोदथ सो ऽगमत् ॥

Summary AI Thereupon, the chaste woman made an appointment with him for the last watch of that very night; and then he departed.

१.४.४७

ततः साकारयद्भूरि चेटीभिः कुण्डकस्थितम् ।
कस्तूरिकादिसंयुक्तं कज्जलं तैलमिश्रितम् ॥

Summary AI Then, she had her maidservants prepare a large quantity of lamp-black mixed with oil and infused with musk and other scents, kept in a bowl.

१.४.४८

तल्लिप्ताश्चेलखण्डाश्च चत्वारो विहितास्तया ।
मञ्जूषा कारिता चाभुत्स्थूला सबहिरर्गला ॥

Summary AI She prepared four pieces of cloth smeared with that mixture, and a large chest with an external bolt was also made ready.

१.४.४९

अथ तस्मिन्महावेषो वसन्तोत्सववासरे ।
आययौ प्रथमे यामे कुमारसचिवो निशि ॥

Summary AI Now, on that day of the spring festival, during the first watch of the night, the prince's minister arrived in grand attire.