कथासरित्सागरः — तृतीयस्तरङ्गः

तृतीयस्तरङ्गः ।

एवं मृगाङ्कदत्तो ऽत्र कर्मसेननृपात्मजाम् ।
तां शशाङ्कवतीं प्राप्तुकामो वेतालवर्णिताम् ॥

Summary AI Thus, Mṛgāṅkadatta desired to obtain Śaśāṅkavatī, the daughter of King Karmasena, as she had been described by the Vetāla.

१२.३.२

गन्तुमुज्जयिनीं गुप्तं स्वनगर्या निविर्गमम् ।
महाव्रतिकवेषेण सो ऽमन्त्रयत मन्त्रिभिः ॥

Summary AI He consulted with his ministers about departing from his own city in the guise of a Mahāvratika ascetic to travel secretly to Ujjayinī.

१२.३.३

आदिदेश च खट्वाङ्गकपालादिसमाहृतौ ।
स राजपुत्रः सचिवं स्वैरं भीमपराक्रमम् ॥

Summary AI The prince commanded his trusted minister Bhīmaparākrama to secretly collect the khaṭvāṅga staff, human skulls, and other ritual items.

१२.३.४

तेन तच्चाहृतं स्वस्मिन्गृहे चारादबुध्यत ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तस्य पितुर्मन्त्री मुख्यो ऽत्र भूपतेः ॥

Summary AI Meanwhile, the chief minister of King Amaradatta, Mṛgāṅkadatta’s father, learned from a spy about the items collected by the prince's minister in his house.

१२.३.५

तत्कालं चात्र सो ऽकस्मात्संचरन्हर्म्यपृष्ठतः ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तस्ताम्बूलनिष्ठीवनरसं जहौ ॥

Summary AI At that very moment, while walking on the palace roof, Mṛgāṅkadatta happened to spit out the juice of betel leaf.

१२.३.६

स च तस्यापतन्मूर्ध्नि दैवात्तत्पितृमन्त्रिणः ।
अदृष्टस्य किलाधस्तात्तेन मार्गेण गच्छतः ॥

Summary AI By chance, that spit fell upon the head of his father’s minister, who was walking unseen on the path below.

१२.३.७

बुद्ध्वा मृगाङ्कदत्तेन मुक्तं निष्ठीवनं स तत् ।
मन्त्री परिभवक्रोधं कृतस्नानो हृदि न्यधात् ॥

Summary AI Realizing that the spit was discharged by Mṛgāṅkadatta, the minister took a bath and harbored a deep anger in his heart over the perceived insult.

१२.३.८

अथात्रामरदत्तस्य राज्ञो दैवाद्विषूचिका ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तजनकस्यान्येद्युरुदपद्यत ॥

Summary AI Then, on another day, King Amaradatta, the father of Mṛgāṅkadatta, was suddenly struck by cholera (viṣūcikā).

१२.३.९

ततः सो ऽवसरं लब्ध्वा मन्त्री तं विजने नृपम् ।
सहसोद्भूतरोगार्तमवदद्याचिताभयः ॥

Summary AI Finding an opportunity, the minister requested protection and spoke privately to the King, who was suffering from the sudden illness.

१२.३.१०

अभिचारः प्रभो भीमपराक्रमगृहे तव ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तेनारब्धः कर्तुं तेनासि पीडितः ॥

Summary AI "O Lord, a malevolent rite (abhicāra) against you has been initiated by Mṛgāṅkadatta in the house of Bhīmaparākrama; that is why you are suffering."

१२.३.११

मया चारमुखाज्ज्ञातं प्रत्यक्षं तच्च दृश्यते ।
तन्निराकुरु देशात्तं देहाद्व्याधिमिवात्मजम् ॥

Summary AI "I learned this through a spy, and it can be seen clearly. Therefore, expel your son from the country, just as one removes a disease from the body."

१२.३.१२

तच्छ्रुत्वा स समुद्भ्रान्तः प्राहिणोत्तदवेक्षणे ।
निजं सेनापतिं भीमपराक्रमगृहं नृपः ॥

Summary AI Upon hearing this, the bewildered King sent his general to the house of Bhīmaparākrama to investigate the matter.

१२.३.१३

स च केशकलापादि लब्ध्वा सेनापतिस्ततः ।
आनीय तत्क्षणं तस्मै राज्ञे साक्षाददर्शयत् ॥

Summary AI The general found hair, skulls, and other ritual items there, brought them back instantly, and showed them directly to the King.

१२.३.१४

राज्यलुब्धः स पुत्रो मे द्रोही निर्वास्यतामितः ।
नगर्याः सहितो ऽमात्यैस्त्वयाद्यैवाविलम्बितम् ॥

Summary AI The King ordered, "My son, greedy for the kingdom and a traitor, must be exiled immediately today from this city along with his ministers."

१२.३.१५

इत्यादिशत्स तं क्रुद्धो राजा सेनापतिं ततः ।
आश्वस्तो वेत्ति कुसृतिं प्रभुः को हि स्वमन्त्रिणाम् ॥

Summary AI The enraged King thus commanded the general. Indeed, what trusting master perceives the wicked schemes of his own ministers?

१२.३.१६

सो ऽथ सेनापतिर्गत्वा राजादेशं निवेद्य तम् ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तं सामात्यं नगर्या निरकालयत् ॥

Summary AI Then, the general went and announced the royal decree, expelling Mṛgāṅkadatta along with his ministers from the city.

१२.३.१७

सो ऽप्यपेक्षितसंपत्तिर्हृष्टो ऽर्चितविनायकः ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तो मनसा प्रणम्य पितरौ ततः ॥

Summary AI Mṛgāṅkadatta, seeing his desired goal of departure accomplished, was glad; he worshipped Vināyaka and mentally bowed to his parents.

१२.३.१८

अयोध्यातो विनिर्गत्य दूरं तान्सहयायिनः ।
प्रचण्डशक्तिप्रमुखानुवाच दश मन्त्रिणः ॥

Summary AI Leaving Ayodhyā and traveling some distance, he spoke to his ten accompanying ministers, headed by Pracaṇḍaśakti.

१२.३.१९

शक्तिरक्षितनामास्ति किराताधिपतिर्महान् ।
सब्रह्मचारी विद्यासु स च बालसुहृन्मम ॥

Summary AI "There is a great King of the Kirātas named Śaktirakṣita; he was my fellow student in the arts and is my childhood friend."

१२.३.२०

युद्धबन्दीकृतेन प्राक्स हि पित्रात्ममुक्तये ।
नियमाय प्रतिनिधिस्तातस्येह समर्प्यत ॥

Summary AI "In the past, when he was captured in war by my father, he was offered here as a hostage and representative to my father to secure his own release."

१२.३.२१

मृते पितरि चोद्भूतगोत्रजः स्वबलेन सः ।
मद्विज्ञप्तेन तातेन पित्र्ये राज्ये ऽधिरोपितः ॥

Summary AI When his father died, he was established in his ancestral kingdom by my father, at my request, after he had suppressed his rebellious kinsmen with his own strength.

१२.३.२२

तत्तस्य निकटं तावद्गच्छामः सुहृदस्ततः ।
क्रमेणोज्जयिनीं यामस्तां शशाङ्कवतीं प्रति ॥

Summary AI Therefore, let us first go to the presence of that friend, and from there, we shall gradually proceed toward Ujjayinī to find Śaśāṅkavatī.

१२.३.२३

इत्युक्तवांस्तथेत्युक्तवद्भिस्तैः सचिवैः सह ।
प्रययौ स ततः प्राप सायं चैकां महाटवीम् ॥

Summary AI Having spoken thus, he set out with his ministers, who agreed by saying "So be it," and in the evening, they reached a vast forest.

१२.३.२४

तस्यां निर्वृक्षतोयायां कृच्छ्रादेकमवाप सः ।
तीरोपान्तप्ररूढैकशुष्कपादपकं सरः ॥

Summary AI In that waterless and treeless forest, he reached with great difficulty a certain lake, on the edge of whose shore grew a single solitary withered tree.

१२.३.२५

तस्मिन्सांध्यमनुष्ठाय विधिं पीत्वा जलानि सः ।
श्रान्तः सुष्वाप सामात्यस्तस्य शुष्कतरोरधः ॥

Summary AI After performing the evening rites and drinking water there, the exhausted prince slept with his ministers under that withered tree.

१२.३.२६

रात्रौ च चन्द्रशुभ्रायां प्रबुद्धः स ददर्श तम् ।
शुष्कवृक्षं दलैः पुष्पैः फलैश्चापूरितं क्रमात् ॥

Summary AI In the moonlit night, upon waking up, he saw that withered tree gradually become filled with leaves, flowers, and fruits.

१२.३.२७

पक्वानि च फलान्यस्य पतन्त्यालोक्य तत्क्षणम् ।
प्रबोध्य दर्शयामास सचिवेभ्यस्तदद्भुतम् ॥

Summary AI Seeing its ripe fruits falling, he immediately woke his ministers and showed them that miracle.

१२.३.२८

ततस्तैर्विस्मयाविष्टैः क्षुधितैः सह तानि सः ।
फलानि तस्य सुस्वादुरसानि बुभुजे तरोः ॥

Summary AI Then, along with his hungry and wonder-struck ministers, he ate those delicious and juicy fruits of that tree.

१२.३.२९

भुक्तवत्सु च तेष्वत्र पश्यत्स्वेवाखिलेषु सः ।
शुष्कवृक्षः क्षणाद्विप्रकुमारः समपद्यत ॥

Summary AI After they had eaten, while all of them were looking on, that withered tree instantly transformed into a young Brāhmaṇa.

१२.३.३०

पृष्ठो मृगाङ्कदत्तेन विस्मितेनाथ सो ऽब्रवीत् ।
दमधिर्नाम को ऽप्यासीदयोध्यायां द्विजोत्तमः ॥

Summary AI Questioned by the astonished Mṛgāṅkadatta, he spoke: "In Ayodhyā, there lived a certain noble Brāhmaṇa named Damadhi."

१२.३.३१

तस्याहं श्रुतधिर्नाम पुत्रः स च मया सह ।
दुर्भिक्षे मृतजानिः सन्भ्रमन्प्रापदिमां भुवम् ॥

Summary AI "I am his son, named Śrutadhi. Having lost his wife during a famine, he reached this land while wandering with me."

१२.३.३२

इह केनापि दत्तानि प्राप्य पञ्च फलानि सः ।
क्षुत्क्षामस्त्रीणि मे प्रादाद्द्वे चास्थापयदात्मने ॥

Summary AI "Having received five fruits given by someone here, he, though wasted by hunger, gave three to me and kept two for himself."

१२.३.३३

ततः स्नातुं सरस्तोयं गते तस्मिन्फलान्यहम् ।
तानीह भुक्त्वा निःशेषाण्यकार्षं व्याजसुप्तकम् ॥

Summary AI "Then, while he went to the lake's water to bathe, I ate all those fruits and feigned sleep."

१२.३.३४

सो ऽथ स्नात्वागतो बुद्ध्वा छद्मतः काष्ठवत्स्थितम् ।
मां शप्तवान्भवेहैव शुष्कवृक्षः सरस्तटे ॥

Summary AI "When he returned from his bath and realized I was lying there in deceit like a piece of wood, he cursed me: 'Become a withered tree right here on the bank of this lake!'"

१२.३.३५

रात्रौ च ते पुष्पफलं चन्द्रवत्यां भविष्यति ।
तर्पयित्वातिथीञ्जातु फलैः शापाद्विमोक्षसे ॥

Summary AI "'On moonlit nights, you shall bear flowers and fruit. Once you have gratified guests with those fruits, you shall be released from the curse.'"

१२.३.३६

इति पित्राभिशप्तो ऽहं सद्यः शुष्कद्रुमो ऽभवम् ।
युष्मद्भुक्तफलश्चाद्य चिरान्मुक्तो ऽस्मि शापतः ॥

Summary AI "Thus cursed by my father, I instantly became a withered tree. Now, having had my fruits eaten by you, I am finally released from the curse after a long time."

१२.३.३७

इत्युक्तनिजवृत्तान्तं पृच्छन्तं श्रुतधिं ततः ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तो ऽपि स तं स्ववृत्तान्तमबोधयत् ॥

Summary AI After Śrutadhi had told his own story and questioned him, Mṛgāṅkadatta also informed him of his own adventures.

१२.३.३८

ततः सो ऽबान्धवो नीतावधीति श्रुतधिर्द्विजः ।
मृगाङ्कदत्ताद्वृतवान्वरं तदनुयायिताम् ॥

Summary AI Then that Brāhmaṇa named Śrutadhi, who was without kinsmen and well-versed in policy, requested the boon of being allowed to follow Mṛgāṅkadatta.

१२.३.३९

ततो नीत्वा निशां प्रातस्तेन श्रुतधिना सह ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तः स ततः प्रतस्थे सचिवान्वितः ॥

Summary AI After spending the night, Mṛgāṅkadatta, accompanied by his ministers, set out from there in the morning along with Śrutadhi.

१२.३.४०

गच्छंश्च स प्राप्य वनं करिमण्डितसंज्ञकम् ।
ददर्श पुरुषान्पञ्च भूरिकेशान्दुराकृतीन् ॥

Summary AI While traveling, he reached a forest named Karimaṇḍita and saw five men with abundant hair and hideous forms.

१२.३.४१

उपेत्य प्रश्रयात्ते च तमूचुर्जातविस्मयम् ।
काशिपुर्यां वयं जाता विप्रा धेनूपजीविनः ॥

Summary AI Approaching with humility, they spoke to the astonished prince: "We are Brāhmaṇas born in the city of Kāśī, who make our living by tending cows."

१२.३.४२

ते ऽवग्रहप्लुष्टतृणात्ततो देशादिदं वनम् ।
आगताः स्मो बहुतृणं दुर्भिक्षे सह धेनुभिः ॥

Summary AI During a famine, we came from that land where the grass was scorched by drought to this forest, rich in grass, along with our cows.

१२.३.४३

इह च प्राप्तमस्माभिर्वापीवारि रसायनम् ।
तीररूढद्रुमभ्रश्यत्त्रिफलानित्यभावितम् ॥

Summary AI Here we found the water of a pond which acts as an elixir, being constantly infused with the fruits of the Triphalā trees falling from the banks.

१२.३.४४

पिबतां तत्सदास्माकमेषां क्षीरभुजां सताम् ।
पञ्च वर्षशतान्यस्मिह्न्व्यतीतान्यजने वने ॥

Summary AI Constantly drinking that water and living on milk, five hundred years have passed for us in this uninhabited forest.

१२.३.४५

तेनेदृशा वयं देव यूयं चातिथयो ऽधुना ।
अस्माभिर्दैवतः प्राप्तास्तदेतास्माकमाश्रमम् ॥

Summary AI O Lord, because of that water we are as you see us. Now, by divine providence, you have arrived as our guests. Therefore, please come to our hermitage.

१२.३.४६

इति तैरर्थितो गत्वा सानुगः स तदाश्रमम् ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तः क्षीरादिभोजी तदनयद्दिनम् ॥

Summary AI Requested thus by them, Mṛgāṅkadatta, accompanied by his followers, went to their hermitage and spent that day consuming milk and other offerings.

१२.३.४७

प्रस्थितश्च ततः प्रातरन्यान्यपि विलोकयन् ।
कौतुकानि स संप्राप किरातविषयं क्रमात् ॥

Summary AI Setting out from there the next morning and observing other wonders, he gradually reached the territory of the Kirātas.

१२.३.४८

प्राहिणोच्छ्रुतधिं चात्र स्वागमावेदनास्य सः ।
तं किरातपतिं मित्त्रं शक्तिरक्षितकं प्रति ॥

Summary AI There, he dispatched Śrutadhi to inform his friend, the Kirāta king named Śaktirakṣitaka, of his arrival.

१२.३.४९

सो ऽपि बुद्ध्वा किरातेशो निर्गत्याग्रे तमानतः ।
मृगाङ्कदत्तं सामात्यं पुरं प्रावेशयन्निजम् ॥

Summary AI Upon learning this, the Kirāta king came out, bowed before him, and led Mṛgāṅkadatta along with his ministers into his city.