कथासरित्सागरः — एकविंशस्तरङ्गः

एकविंशस्तरङ्गः ।

स त्रिविक्रमसेनो ऽथ गत्वा तं शिंशपातरोः ।
भूयो ऽप्यासाद्य वेतालं स्कन्धे जग्राह भूपतिः ॥

Summary AI Then, King Trivikramasena went to the śiṃśapā tree, caught the Vetāla again, and placed him on his shoulder.

प्रस्थितं च तमुर्वीशं स वेतालो ऽभ्यधात्पुनः ।
राजञ्श्रान्तो ऽसि तच्चित्रां कथामाख्यामि ते शृणु ॥

Summary AI As the king set out, the Vetāla spoke to him again: "O King, you are tired; therefore, I shall tell you a wonderful story. Listen."

१२.२१.३

अस्त्ययोध्येति नगरी राजधानी बभूव या ।
रक्षःकुलकृतान्तस्य रामरूपस्य शार्ङ्गिणः ॥

Summary AI There is a city named Ayodhyā, which was the capital of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow, who took the form of Rāma to destroy the race of rākṣasas.

१२.२१.४

तस्यां राजाभवद्वीरकेतुर्नाम ररक्ष यः ।
क्षोणीमिमां महाबाहुः प्राकारो नगरीमिव ॥

Summary AI In that city lived a king named Vīraketu, who, with his mighty arms, protected this earth as a rampart protects a city.

१२.२१.५

तस्मिन्महीपतावस्यां पुर्यामेको महावणिक् ।
रत्नदत्ताभिधानो ऽभूद्वणिङ्नीवहनायकः ॥

Summary AI During the reign of that king, there lived in that city a great merchant named Ratnadatta, who was the leader of the merchant guild.

१२.२१.६

नन्दयन्त्यभिधानायां पत्न्यां तस्योदपद्यत ।
सुता रत्नवती नाम देवताराधनार्जिता ॥

Summary AI To him and his wife Nandayantī was born a daughter named Ratnavatī, obtained through the worship of the gods.

१२.२१.७

सा च तस्य पितुर्वेश्मन्यवर्धत मनस्विनी ।
रूपलावण्यविनयैः सहैव सहजैर्गुणैः ॥

Summary AI That high-minded girl grew up in her father's house, her natural virtues blossoming alongside her beauty, grace, and humility.

१२.२१.८

यौवनस्थां च तां तस्माद्रत्नदत्तान्न केवलम् ।
महान्तो वणिजो यावद्राजानो ऽपि ययाचिरे ॥

Summary AI When she reached youth, not only great merchants but even kings sought her hand in marriage from Ratnadatta.

१२.२१.९

सा तु पुंद्वेषिणी नैच्छद्भर्तारमपि वासवम् ।
प्राणत्यागोद्यता सेहे न विवाहकथामपि ॥

Summary AI However, she disliked men and did not desire even Vāsava as a husband; ready to give up her life, she could not endure even the mention of marriage.

१२.२१.१०

तेन तस्याः पिता तूष्णीं तस्थौ वात्सल्यदुःस्थितः ।
स च प्रवादो ऽयोद्यायां तस्यां सर्वत्र पप्रथे ॥

Summary AI Consequently, her father, distressed by his affection for her, remained silent, and this report spread everywhere in Ayodhyā.

१२.२१.११

अत्रान्तरे सदा चौरैर्मुष्यमाणाः किलाखिलाः ।
संभूयात्र नृपं पौरा वीरकेतुं व्यजिज्ञपन् ॥

Summary AI Meanwhile, all the citizens, who were being constantly robbed by thieves, gathered together and petitioned King Vīraketu.

१२.२१.१२

नित्यं मुष्यामहे चौरै रात्रौ रात्राविह प्रभो ।
लक्ष्यन्ते ते च नास्माभिस्तद्देवो वेत्तु यत्परम् ॥

Summary AI "O Lord, we are robbed by thieves every single night here, and they are not detected by us; therefore, let your Majesty decide what is best."

१२.२१.१३

इति पौरैः स विज्ञप्तो राजा तामभितः पुरीम् ।
तस्करान्वेषणे छन्नानादिशद्रत्रिरक्षकान् ॥

Summary AI Thus petitioned by the citizens, the king ordered night-watchmen to search for the thieves throughout the city in disguise.

१२.२१.१४

ते ऽपि प्रापुर्न यच्चौरान्पुरी सामुष्यतैव च ।
तदैकदा स्वयं राजा निशि स्वैरं विनिर्ययौ ॥

Summary AI Since they did not find the thieves and the city continued to be robbed, the king himself went out secretly at night one day.

१२.२१.१५

एकाकी चात्तशस्त्रो ऽत्र भ्रमन्सो ऽपश्यदेकतः ।
एकं प्राकारपृष्टेन यान्तं कमपि पूरुषम् ॥

Summary AI While wandering alone with his weapon drawn, he saw a certain man walking along the top of the city wall.

१२.२१.१६

निःशब्दपदविन्यासविचित्रगतिकौशलम् ।
सशङ्कलोलनयनं पश्यन्तं पृष्टतो मुहुः ॥

Summary AI The man moved with extraordinary skill, placing his feet silently, and frequently looked behind him with anxious and rolling eyes.

१२.२१.१७

अयं स नूनं चौरो मे मुष्णात्येकचरः पुरीम् ।
इति मत्वैव निकटं स तस्योपययौ नृपः ॥

Summary AI Thinking, "Surely this is the thief who robs my city, operating alone," the king approached him.

१२.२१.१८

ततः स चौरो दृष्ट्वा तं नृपं को ऽसीत्यभाषत ।
चौरो ऽहमिति राजा तं चौरं प्रत्यब्रवीत्स तम् ॥

Summary AI Then the thief, seeing him, asked, "Who are you?" The king replied to the thief, "I am a thief."

१२.२१.१९

सो ऽथ चौरो ऽभ्यधाद्दृष्ट्वा तर्हि तुल्यो ऽसि मे सुहृत् ।
तदेहि मद्गृहं तावन्मित्राचारं करोमि ते ॥

Summary AI Then the thief said: "In that case, you are a friend equal to me. Come to my house for a while, and I shall treat you as a friend."

१२.२१.२०

तच्छ्रुत्वा स तथेत्युक्त्वा तेनैव सह भूपतिः ।
ययौ वनान्तर्धरणीखातान्तर्वर्ति तद्गृहम् ॥

Summary AI Hearing that, the king said, "So be it," and went with him to that house located within a hole in the earth inside the forest.

१२.२१.२१

अशेषभोगभोगाढ्यं भास्वद्दीपप्रकाशितम् ।
नवीनमिव पातालं बलिराजानधिष्ठितम् ॥

Summary AI That place was like a new Pātāla, rich with all kinds of luxuries and illuminated by bright lamps, yet it was not presided over by King Bali.

१२.२१.२२

तत्र प्रविष्टे तस्मिंश्च कृतासनपरिग्रहे ।
राज्ञि सो ऽभ्यन्तरगृहं प्रविवेशाथ तस्करः ॥

Summary AI Once the King had entered and taken a seat there, the thief went into an inner chamber.

१२.२१.२३

तत्क्षणं च तमेत्यैका दासी तत्रावदन्नृपम् ।
महाभाग प्रविष्टस्त्वमिह मृत्युमुखे कथम् ॥

Summary AI At that moment, a female servant approached the King and asked, "O noble one, how have you entered here into the very jaws of death?"

१२.२१.२४

एकचौरो ह्यसौ पापं निर्गत्यातः करिष्यति ।
ध्रुवं विस्वासघातीति तदितस्त्वरितं व्रज ॥

Summary AI "This lone thief will surely commit a sin upon emerging; he is certainly a treacherous person. Therefore, depart from here quickly!"

१२.२१.२५

इत्युक्तः स तया राजा निर्गत्यैव ततो द्रुतम् ।
गत्वा स्वराजधानीं च निशि सैन्यान्यसज्जयत् ॥

Summary AI Thus warned by her, the King immediately departed, returned to his capital, and mobilized his army during the night.

१२.२१.२६

संनद्धसैन्यश्चागत्य दस्योस्तस्य रुरोध तत् ।
भूगृहद्वारविवरं रसत्तूर्याकुलैर्बलैः ॥

Summary AI Returning with his army prepared, he blockaded the entrance of the thief's underground dwelling with forces accompanied by the sounding of trumpets.

१२.२१.२७

ततो रुद्धे गृहे वृत्तं प्रतिभेदमवेत्य सः ।
मरणे निश्चितश्चौरः शूरो युद्धाय निर्ययौ ॥

Summary AI When his house was besieged, the brave thief, realizing he had been betrayed and certain of his death, went out to engage in battle.

१२.२१.२८

निर्गतश्च रणे चक्रे पराक्रमममानुषम् ।
करांश्चकर्त करिणां जङ्घाश्चिच्छेद वाजिनाम् ॥

Summary AI Having come out, he displayed superhuman prowess in the fight, lopping off the trunks of elephants and the legs of horses.

१२.२१.२९

जहार च शिरांस्येको भटानां खड्गचर्मभृत् ।
ततस्तं क्षपितानीकमभ्यधावत्स्वयं नृपः ॥

Summary AI Wielding a sword and shield, he alone struck off the heads of the soldiers. Then the King himself charged at him, who had decimated his troops.

१२.२१.३०

स तस्य खड्गविद्याज्ञो राजा करणयुक्तितः ।
हस्ताज्जहार निस्त्रिंशमथ तां क्षुरिकामपि ॥

Summary AI The King, an expert in swordsmanship, used skillful maneuvers to snatch the sword and even the dagger from the thief's hand.

१२.२१.३१

अशस्त्रं मुक्तशस्त्रो ऽथ बाहुयुद्धेन तं नृपः ।
चौरं निहत्य धरणौ सजीवग्राहमग्रहीत् ॥

Summary AI Then the King, having cast aside his weapon, threw the disarmed thief to the ground in hand-to-hand combat and captured him alive.

१२.२१.३२

निनाय तं च संयम्य सधनं नगरीं निजाम् ।
प्रातश्चाज्ञापयत्तस्य शूलारोपणनिग्रहम् ॥

Summary AI He bound the thief and brought him along with the recovered wealth to his city. In the morning, he ordered his execution by impalement on a stake.

१२.२१.३३

नीयमानं च तं वध्यभूमिं चौरं सडिण्डिमम् ।
ददर्श सा रत्नवती वणिक्कन्यात्र हर्म्यतः ॥

Summary AI While the thief was being led to the execution ground to the beat of drums, Ratnavatī, a merchant's daughter, saw him from her palace.

१२.२१.३४

व्रणितं धूलिलिप्ताङ्गमप्येतं मारमोहिता ।
दृष्ट्वैव गत्वा पितरं रत्नदत्तमुवाच सा ॥

Summary AI Even though he was wounded and covered in dust, she was smitten by love at the sight of him. She went to her father, Ratnadatta, and spoke.

१२.२१.३५

वधाय नीयते यो ऽयमेष भर्ता वृतो मया ।
तन्नृपाद्रक्ष तातैनं न चेदेनमनु म्रिये ॥

Summary AI "This man being led to his death has been chosen by me as my husband. Therefore, father, save him from the King; otherwise, I shall die after him."

१२.२१.३६

तच्छ्रुत्वा तां पितावादीत्किमिदं पुत्रि भाषसे ।
या त्वं नेच्छसि भूपालामपि भर्तॄनभीप्सतः ॥

Summary AI Hearing this, her father said, "Daughter, what are you saying? You, who did not desire even kings who sought you as a husband!"

१२.२१.३७

सा पापं तस्करमिमं वाञ्छस्यापद्गतं कथम् ।
इत्यादि पित्रा प्रोक्तापि निश्चयान्न चचाल सा ॥

Summary AI "How can you desire this sinful thief who is in such calamity?" Despite her father's pleas, she did not waver from her resolution.

१२.२१.३८

ततः स तत्पिता गत्वा तस्य चौरस्य सत्वरम् ।
सर्वस्वेनापि राजानं वधान्मोक्षमयाचत ॥

Summary AI Then her father went quickly to the King and begged for the thief's release from death, offering his entire fortune in exchange.

१२.२१.३९

राजा तु तं न तत्याज हेमकोटिशतैरपि ।
स्वशरीरपणानीतं चौरं सर्वापहारिणम् ॥

Summary AI But the King would not release that thief, a plunderer of all, who had been captured at the risk of the King's own life, even for hundreds of millions of gold pieces.

१२.२१.४०

ततः पितर्युपायाते विमुखे सा वणिक्सुता ।
अनुमर्तुं कृतस्नाना वार्यमाणापि बन्धुभिः ॥

Summary AI When her father returned unsuccessful, the merchant's daughter bathed and prepared to follow the thief in death, despite the protests of her relatives.

१२.२१.४१

आरुह्य शिबिकां तस्य दस्योर्वध्यभुवं ययौ ।
अन्वीयमाना रुदता पित्रा मात्रा जनेन च ॥

Summary AI Accompanied by her weeping father, mother, and the people, she mounted a palanquin and went to the execution ground of that thief.

१२.२१.४२

तावच्च वधकैः सो ऽत्र चौरः शूले ऽधिरोपितः ।
तां ददर्श गलत्प्राणस्तथा सज्ञातिमागताम् ॥

Summary AI Meanwhile, the executioners had already impaled the thief on a stake. His life ebbing away, he saw her arrive there along with her kinsmen.

१२.२१.४३

जनाच्छ्रुत्वा च वृत्तान्तमश्रु मुक्त्वा क्षणं ततः ।
हसन्स चौरः किमपि प्राणाञ्शूलगतो जहौ ॥

Summary AI Having heard the news from the people, the thief shed tears for a moment and then, laughing for some reason, he gave up his life while still on the stake.

१२.२१.४४

ततो ऽवतारितं शूलात्सा तच्चौरकलेवरम् ।
आदाय चारुरोहात्र चितां साध्वी वणिक्सुता ॥

Summary AI Then, the virtuous daughter of the merchant took the body of the thief, which had been taken down from the stake, and ascended the funeral pyre.

१२.२१.४५

तत्क्षणं च श्मशाने ऽत्र भैरवः कृतसंनिधिः ।
अदृश्यो भगवानेवं तामुवाचान्तरिक्षतः ॥

Summary AI At that very moment, the invisible Lord Bhairava, who had manifested in the cremation ground, spoke thus to her from the sky.

१२.२१.४६

अस्मिन्स्वयंवरपतावेवं भक्त्या तवानया ।
तुष्टो ऽस्मि तद्वरं मत्तः प्रार्थयस्व पतिव्रते ॥

Summary AI "O devoted wife, I am pleased with this devotion of yours toward your chosen husband. Therefore, ask a boon from me."

१२.२१.४७

तच्छ्रुत्वैव वरं देवादेवं वव्रे प्रणम्य सा ।
नाथ पुत्रशतं भूयादपुत्रस्यापि मत्पितुः ॥

Summary AI Hearing that, she prostrated and chose a boon from the god, saying, "O Lord, may my father, who currently has no son, be blessed with a hundred sons."

१२.२१.४८

येनानन्यसुतो नैषः प्राणाञ्जह्यान्मया विना ।
इति प्रोक्तवतीमेनां साध्वीं देवो ऽब्रवीत्पुनः ॥

Summary AI "So that he, having no other child, may not give up his life without me." To that virtuous woman who spoke thus, the god spoke again.

१२.२१.४९

पितुः पुत्रशतं ते ऽस्तु वरमन्यं वृणीष्व च ।
त्वादृशी दृढसत्त्वा हि नैतावन्मात्रमर्हति ॥

Summary AI "Let your father have a hundred sons; now choose another boon. Indeed, a woman of such firm character as you deserves more than just this."

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