कथासरित्सागरः — दशमस्तरङ्गः

दशमस्तरङ्गः ।

ततो ऽन्येद्युः पुनर्नक्तं विनोदार्थं स गोमुखः ।
नरवाहनदत्ताय कथामेतामवर्णयत् ॥

Summary AI Then, on another day at night, for the sake of amusement, Gomukha related this story to Naravāhanadatta.

धारेश्वराभिधे शैवे सिद्धक्षेत्रे पुरावसत् ।
उपास्यमानो बहुभिः शिष्यैः कोऽपि महामुनिः ॥

Summary AI In ancient times, in a holy place of Śiva called Dhāreśvara, there lived a certain great sage who was worshipped by many disciples.

१०.१०.३

सो ऽब्रवीज्जातु शिष्यान्स्वान्युष्मासु यदि केनचित् ।
अपूर्वमीक्षितं किंचिच्छ्रुतं वा तन्निवेद्यताम् ॥

Summary AI Once, he said to his disciples, 'If any of you have seen or heard anything extraordinary, let it be related here.'

१०.१०.४

इत्युक्ते तेन मुनिना शिष्य एको जगाद तम् ।
मया श्रुतमपूर्वं यत्तदाख्यामि निशम्यताम् ॥

Summary AI When the sage said this, one disciple replied, 'I will tell you something extraordinary that I have heard; please listen.'

१०.१०.५

विजयाख्यं महाक्षेत्रं कश्मीरेष्वस्ति शांभवम् ।
तत्र प्रव्राजकः कश्चिदासीद्विद्याभिमानवान् ॥

Summary AI There is a great Śaiva holy place in Kaśmīra named Vijaya; there lived a wandering mendicant who was very proud of his learning.

१०.१०.६

जयी सर्वत्र भूयासमित्याशंसन्प्रणम्य सः ।
शंभुं प्रतस्थे वादाय प्रव्राट्पाटलिपुत्रकम् ॥

Summary AI Praying that he might be victorious everywhere, the wanderer bowed to Śambhu and set out for Pāṭaliputra to engage in debate.

१०.१०.७

गच्छंश्च मार्गे ऽतिक्रामन्वनानि सरितो गिरीन् ।
प्राप्याटवीं परिश्रान्तो विशश्राम तरोस्तले ॥

Summary AI As he traveled, crossing forests, rivers, and mountains, he reached a dense wilderness and, becoming exhausted, rested beneath a tree.

१०.१०.८

क्षणाच्च वापीशिशिरे तत्र दूराध्वधूसरम् ।
ददर्श धार्मिकं दण्डकुण्डिकाहस्तमागतम् ॥

Summary AI In a moment, he saw a religious man approaching a cool pond, covered in the dust of a long journey and carrying a staff and water-pot.

१०.१०.९

कुतस्त्वं कुत्र यासीति निषण्णो ऽत्र च तेन सः ।
प्रव्राजकेन पृष्टस्तमित्यभाषित धार्मिकः ॥

Summary AI The wandering mendicant, seated there, asked him, 'From where do you come and where are you going?' The religious man replied as follows.

१०.१०.१०

आगतो ऽहं सखे विद्याक्षेत्रात्पाटलिपुत्रकात् ।
कश्मीरान्यामि तत्रत्याञ्जेतुं वादेन पण्डितान् ॥

Summary AI 'Friend, I have come from the city of learning, Pāṭaliputra, and I am going to Kaśmīra to defeat the local scholars in debate.'

१०.१०.११

श्रुत्वैतद्धार्मिकवचः स परिव्राडचिन्तयत् ।
इहैको न जितो ऽयं चेन्मया पाटलिपुत्रकः ॥

Summary AI Hearing the words of the religious man, the wanderer thought, 'If I cannot defeat this single man from Pāṭaliputra right here...'

१०.१०.१२

तत्तत्र गत्वा जेष्यामि कथमन्यान्बहूनहम् ।
इत्यालोच्य स तं प्रव्राडाक्षिप्याह स्म धार्मिकम् ॥

Summary AI '...then how shall I go there and defeat many others?' Deliberating thus, the wanderer challenged the religious man and spoke.

१०.१०.१३

विपरीतमिदं किं ते वद धार्मिक चेष्टितम् ।
क्व धार्मिको मुमुक्षुस्त्वं क्व वादी व्यसनातुरः ॥

Summary AI 'O religious man, why is your conduct so contradictory? How can you be a seeker of liberation yet also be afflicted by the addiction of debate?'

१०.१०.१४

वादाभिमानबन्धेन संसारान्मोक्षमिच्छसि ।
शमयस्यग्निनोष्माणं शीतं हंसि हिमेन च ॥

Summary AI 'Do you hope for liberation from the cycle of birth and death through the bond of pride in debate? You are trying to quench heat with fire and dispel cold with ice.'

१०.१०.१५

उत्तितीर्षसि पाषाणनावा मूढ महोदधिम् ।
वातेन ज्वलितं वह्निं निवारयितुमीहसे ॥

Summary AI 'O fool, you desire to cross the great ocean in a boat of stone! You seek to extinguish a blazing fire with the wind.'

१०.१०.१६

ब्राह्मं शीलं क्षमा नाम क्षात्रमापन्नरक्षणम् ।
मुमुक्षुशीलं च शमः कलहो रक्षसां स्मृतम् ॥

Summary AI 'The nature of a Brahmin is forgiveness; that of a Kṣatriya is protecting the distressed. Peace is the virtue of seekers of liberation, while conflict is for demons.'

१०.१०.१७

तस्माच्छान्तेन दान्तेन भवितव्यं मुमुक्षुणा ।
निरस्तद्वन्द्वदुःखेन संसारक्लेशभीरुणा ॥

Summary AI 'Therefore, a seeker of liberation, fearing the miseries of worldly existence and having discarded the duality of pleasure and pain, must be tranquil and self-controlled.'

१०.१०.१८

अतः शमकुठारेण च्छिन्धीमं भवपादपम् ।
हेतुवादाभिमानाम्बुसेकं तस्य तु मा स्म दाः ॥

Summary AI 'Thus, cut down this tree of worldly existence with the axe of tranquility; do not nourish it with the water of pride in logical disputation.'

१०.१०.१९

इत्युक्तो धार्मिकस्तेन परितुष्टः प्रणम्य तम् ।
गुरुर्भवान्ममेत्युक्त्वा जगाम स यथागतम् ॥

Summary AI Addressed thus, the religious man was delighted. Bowing to him and saying, 'You are my teacher,' he returned from where he had come.

१०.१०.२०

प्रव्राड्ढसन्स्थितो ऽत्रैव तरुमूले तदन्तरात् ।
यक्षस्यालापमशृणोत्क्रीडतो भार्यया सह ॥

Summary AI The wanderer remained laughing there at the foot of the tree; in the meantime, he heard the conversation of a Yakṣa playing with his wife.

१०.१०.२१

कर्णं ददाति यावच्च स प्रव्राट्तावदत्र सः ।
यक्षः पुष्पस्रजा भार्यां नर्मणा तामताडयत् ॥

Summary AI While the wandering ascetic listened attentively, the yakṣa playfully struck his wife with a flower garland.

१०.१०.२२

तावच्च मृतकल्पं सा कृत्वात्मानं शठा मृषा ।
तस्थौ तत्परिवारश्च मुक्ताक्रन्दो झगित्यभूत् ॥

Summary AI Then that deceitful woman feigned death and remained motionless, while her attendants immediately broke into loud wailing.

१०.१०.२३

चिराच्चागतजीवेव सा दृशावुदमीलयत् ।
किं त्वया दृष्टमिति तां यक्षो ऽप्राक्षीत्ततः पतिः ॥

Summary AI After a long time, as if life had returned to her, she opened her eyes; then her husband, the yakṣa, asked her, "What did you see?"

१०.१०.२४

अथ मिथ्यैव सावोचत्त्वयाहं मालया यदा ।
अभ्याहता तदापश्यं कृष्णं पुरुषमागतम् ॥

Summary AI Then she falsely replied, "When I was struck by you with the garland, I saw a dark man approaching."

१०.१०.२५

पाशहस्तं ज्वलन्नेत्रं प्रांशुमूर्ध्वशिरोरुहम् ।
भयानकं निजच्छायामलिनीकृतदिक्तटम् ॥

Summary AI He held a noose in his hand, had blazing eyes, a tall stature, and upward-standing hair; he was terrifying, darkening the quarters with his shadow.

१०.१०.२६

तेन नीताहमभवं दुष्टेन यममन्दिरम् ।
त्यजितास्मि च तत्रत्यैस्तं निवार्याधिकारिभिः ॥

Summary AI "I was taken by that wicked being to the abode of Yama, but I was released by the officials there after they turned him away."

१०.१०.२७

एवम्तयोक्ते यक्षिण्या हसन्यक्षो जगाद ताम् ।
अहो विनेन्द्रजालेन स्त्रीणां चेष्टा न विद्यते ॥

Summary AI When the yakṣiṇī spoke thus, the yakṣa laughed and said to her, "Alas! The behavior of women is never without sorcery."

१०.१०.२८

को मृत्युः कुसुमाघातादावृत्तिः का यमालयात् ।
मूढे पाटलिपुत्रस्त्रीवृत्तान्तो ऽनुकृतस्त्वया ॥

Summary AI "What death can come from the blow of a flower? What return can there be from the abode of Yama? O foolish woman, you have imitated the story of the women of Pāṭaliputra."

१०.१०.२९

तस्मिन्हि नगरे राज यो ऽस्ति सिंहाक्षनामकः ।
तद्भार्या मन्त्रिसेनानीपुरोहितभिषग्वधूः ॥

Summary AI "O King, in that city lived one named Siṃhākṣa; his wife, along with the wives of the minister, the commander, the priest, and the physician,"

१०.१०.३०

सहादाय त्रयोदश्यां शुक्लपक्षे कदाचन ।
सनाथीकृततद्देशामागाद्द्रष्टुं सरस्वतीम् ॥

Summary AI "Taking them with her on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight, she went to visit the river Sarasvatī, which graced that region."

१०.१०.३१

तत्र तन्मार्गमिलितैः सर्वाः कुब्जान्धपङ्गुभिः ।
व्याधितैरित्ययाच्यन्त भूपालप्रमुखाङ्गनाः ॥

Summary AI There, the hunchbacks, the blind, the lame, and the diseased who met them on the path begged all those noble ladies, led by the queen.

१०.१०.३२

रोगातुराणां दीनानामौषधं नः प्रयच्छत ।
येन मुच्यामहे रोगात्कुरुतार्तानुकम्पनम् ॥

Summary AI "Grant us, the sick and miserable, medicine so that we may be freed from disease; show compassion to the suffering."

१०.१०.३३

समुद्रलहरीलोलो विद्युत्स्फुरितभङ्गुरः ।
जीवलोको ह्ययं यात्राद्युत्सवक्षणसुन्दरः ॥

Summary AI "This world of living beings is as unstable as a sea wave, as fleeting as a flash of lightning, and beautiful only for the moment of a festival or a procession."

१०.१०.३४

तदसारे ऽत्र संसारे सारं दीनेषु या दया ।
कृपणेषु च यद्दानं गुणवान्क्व न जीवति ॥

Summary AI "Therefore, in this worthless cycle of existence, the only essence is compassion for the wretched and charity for the poor. Where does a virtuous man not live forever?"

१०.१०.३५

आढ्यस्य किं च दानेन सुहितस्याशनेन किम् ।
किं च न्दनेन शीतालोः किं धनेन हिमागमे ॥

Summary AI "What is the use of a gift to a wealthy man, or food to one who is satiated? What is the use of sandalwood to one shivering with cold, or wealth when winter arrives?"

१०.१०.३६

तदेतानुद्धरत नः कृपणानामयापदः ।
इत्युक्ता व्याधितैस्तैस्ता नृपभार्यादयो ऽब्रुवन् ॥

Summary AI "Therefore, deliver us wretched ones from these calamities of disease." When addressed thus by the sick, the queen and the others replied:

१०.१०.३७

सुष्ठूपपन्नं जल्पन्ति कृपणा व्याधिता इमे ।
सर्वस्वेनाप्यतो ऽस्माभिः कार्यमेषां चिकित्सितम् ॥

Summary AI "These miserable, diseased people speak very reasonably; therefore, we must treat them, even if it costs all our wealth."

१०.१०.३८

एवमन्योन्यमालप्य देवीमभ्यर्च्य योषितः ।
व्याधितांस्तान्स्वभवनान्यानिन्युस्ताः पृथक्पृथक् ॥

Summary AI After talking among themselves and worshiping the Goddess, those women took the sick people separately to their respective homes.

१०.१०.३९

स्वभर्तॄन्प्रेर्य तेषां च महासत्त्वान्महौषधैः ।
चिकित्सां कारयामासुर्नोत्तस्थुश्च तदन्तिकात् ॥

Summary AI Urging their husbands, they had those noble-souled men treated with potent medicines and did not stir from their side.

१०.१०.४०

सहवासाच्च तैरेव सङ्गमुद्भूतमन्मथैः ।
तथा ययुस्ताः संसारं तन्मयं ददृशुर्यथा ॥

Summary AI Due to living together, they formed attachments with those men whose passion was aroused, seeing the whole world through that lens of infatuation.

१०.१०.४१

क्व रोगिणो ऽमी कृपणा भर्तारः क्व नृपादयः ।
इति न व्यमृशत्तासां मन्मथान्धीकृतं मनः ॥

Summary AI Their minds, blinded by passion, did not consider the vast difference between those wretched, diseased husbands and the kings or noblemen they resembled.

१०.१०.४२

ततश्च ता असंभाव्यरोगिसंभोगसंभवैः ।
नखदन्तक्षतैर्युक्ताः पतयो ददृशुर्निजाः ॥

Summary AI Then their husbands saw them marked with scratches from nails and teeth, resulting from their inconceivable trysts with those diseased men.

१०.१०.४३

ते च भूपालतन्मन्त्रिसेनापतिमुखादयः ।
तदाचख्युः ससंदेहाः परस्परमतन्द्रिताः ॥

Summary AI Those husbands—the king, his ministers, the army commanders, and others—became suspicious and, remaining vigilant, conferred with one another about the matter.

१०.१०.४४

ततो राजाब्रवीदन्यान्यूयं संप्रति तिष्ठत ।
अहमद्य निजां भार्यां तावत्पृच्छामि युक्तितः ॥

Summary AI Then the king said to the others, "Remain still for now; I will first question my own wife today through clever means."

१०.१०.४५

इत्युक्त्वा तान्विसृज्यैव गत्वा वासगृहं च सः ।
प्रदर्शितस्नेहभयो भार्यां पप्रच्छ तां नृपः ॥

Summary AI Saying this, the king dismissed them, went to his bedchamber, and, feigning a mixture of affection and fear, questioned his wife.

१०.१०.४६

दष्टः केनाधरो ऽयं ते क्षतौ केन नखैः स्तनौ ।
सत्यमाख्यासि चेदस्ति श्रेयस्ते नान्यथा पुनः ॥

Summary AI "By whom was this lower lip of yours bitten? By whom were your breasts wounded with nails? If you tell the truth, it will be for your benefit; otherwise, it will not."

१०.१०.४७

इत्युक्त्वा तेन राज्ञा सा राज्ञी कृतकमब्रवीत् ।
अवाच्यमप्यथन्याहं वच्म्याश्चर्यमिदं शृणु ॥

Summary AI Addressed thus by the king, the queen spoke falsely, "I shall now speak even that which is unspeakable; hear this wondrous thing."

१०.१०.४८

चित्रभित्तेरितो रात्रौ पुमांश्चक्रगदाधरः ।
निर्गत्यैवोपभुङ्क्ते मां प्रातश्चात्रैव लीयते ॥

Summary AI "At night, a man bearing a discus and a mace emerges from this painted wall, enjoys me, and then disappears back into it in the morning."

१०.१०.४९

यदङ्गं चन्द्रसूर्याभ्यामपिदृष्टं न जातु मे ।
तत्रेदृगेत्य क्रियते तेनावस्था स्थिते त्वयि ॥

Summary AI "That limb of mine which was never even seen by the moon or sun has been reduced to such a state by him appearing while you were present."