कथासरित्सागरः — चतुर्थस्तरङ्गः

चतुर्थस्तरङ्गः ।

ततो ऽस्य विक्रमादित्यस्यैकदात्र कथान्तरे ।
राज्ञी कलिङ्गसेनाख्या सपत्नीरेवमब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI Then once, in the middle of a conversation, the queen named Kaliṅgasenā spoke thus to the co-wives of King Vikramāditya.

१८.४.२

राज्ञा मलयवत्यर्थे यत्कृतं न तदद्भुतम् ।
सदा विषमशीलो हि देवो ऽयं प्रथितो भुवि ॥

Summary AI What the King did for the sake of Malayavatī is not surprising; for this Lord is famously known on earth as Viṣamaśīla.

१८.४.३

अहं न परिणीता किमवस्कन्द्यामुना बलात् ।
मद्रूपां पुत्रिकां दृष्ट्वा गतेनानङ्गनिघ्नताम् ॥

Summary AI Was I not also married by him forcibly, having attacked after he fell under the power of Anaṅga upon seeing my daughter who resembled me?

१८.४.४

एतन्निमित्तमाख्याता कथा कार्पटिकेन या ।
देवसेनेन मे तां वः कथयामि निशम्यताम् ॥

Summary AI I shall relate to you the story told to me by the kārpaṭika Devasena regarding this matter; let it be heard.

१८.४.५

परिणीतास्म्यविधिना कथं राज्ञेति दुःखिताम् ।
मामेत्याश्वासयन्नेवं स हि कार्पटिको ऽब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI Coming to me while I was grieving, thinking, "How was I married by the King against the prescribed rules?", that kārpaṭika spoke thus to comfort me.

१८.४.६

मा स्म मन्युं कृथा देवि श्रद्धया परया ह्यसि ।
परिणीतातिसंरम्भादत्रामूलात्कथां शृणु ॥

Summary AI "O Queen, do not be sorrowful; for you were married with great devotion and passion. Listen to the story from the beginning regarding this."

१८.४.७

अहं कार्पटिको भूत्वा सेवां कुर्वन्भवत्प्रभोः ।
अटव्यां दूरतो ऽद्राक्षं महान्तं क्रोडमेकदा ॥

Summary AI Acting as an attendant and serving your lord, I once saw a great boar from afar in the forest.

१८.४.८

दंष्ट्राविशङ्कटमुखं तमालश्यामलच्छविम् ।
कृष्णपक्षं शशिकलाः खादन्तमिव रूपिणम् ॥

Summary AI It had a mouth made formidable by tusks and a complexion as dark as the tamāla tree, appearing like the personified dark fortnight devouring the digits of the moon.

१८.४.९

एत्य चावेदितो देवि मया राज्ञे तथैव सः ।
राजापि तद्रसाकृष्टो निरगान्मृगयाकृते ॥

Summary AI O Queen, I went and informed the King about it in that very manner; and the King, drawn by the excitement of the hunt, set out for the chase.

१८.४.१०

मृगाटवीं च संप्राप्य कुर्वन्व्याघ्रमृगक्षयम् ।
आवेदितं मया दूराद्वराहं पश्यति स्म तम् ॥

Summary AI Reaching the hunting forest and slaying tigers and deer, he saw from a distance that boar which I had described.

१८.४.११

दृष्ट्वाद्भुतं च तं मत्वा कंचित्कारणसूकरम् ।
रत्नाकराख्यमारोहदश्वमुच्चैःश्रवःसुतम् ॥

Summary AI Seeing it and considering it some extraordinary divine boar, he mounted his horse named Ratnākara, who was a son of Uccaiḥśravas.

१८.४.१२

मध्याह्ने हि सदा भानुर्मुहूर्तं व्योम्नि तिष्ठति ।
तत्कालं चारुणेनाश्वा मुच्यन्ते स्नानपानयोः ॥

Summary AI At midday, the sun always pauses in the sky for a moment, and at that time, Aruṇa unyokes the horses for their bath and drink.

१८.४.१३

एकदोच्चैःश्रवा मुक्तस्तदा रविरथाद्वने ।
दृष्टामुपेत्य राज्ञो ऽश्वां तं तुरंगमजीजनत् ॥

Summary AI Once, when Uccaiḥśravas was unyoked from the sun's chariot, he approached the King's mare seen in the forest and sired that horse.

१८.४.१४

तस्मिन्नारुह्य वाताश्वे जवादन्वपतच्च तम् ।
वराहं विद्रुतं राजा भूमिं दूराद्दवीयसीम् ॥

Summary AI Mounting that wind-swift horse, the King pursued the fleeing boar with speed across a very distant land.

१८.४.१५

तत्र दृष्टिपथात्सो ऽस्य नष्टो ऽभूत्क्वापि सूकरः ।
उच्चैःश्रवःसुतादश्वात्तस्मादपि जवाधिकः ॥

Summary AI There, that boar vanished from his sight somewhere, being even faster than that horse who was the son of Uccaiḥśravas.

१८.४.१६

ततो राजा तमप्राप्य दूरोज्झितपरिच्छदः ।
एकमन्वागतं दृष्ट्वा मामेवं परिपृष्टवान् ॥

Summary AI Then the King, failing to catch him and having left his retinue far behind, seeing me follow alone, questioned me thus.

१८.४.१७

अपि जानासि कियतीं वयं भूमिमुपागताः ।
तच्छ्रुत्वा देवि राजानं प्रत्यवोचमहं तदा ॥

Summary AI "Do you know how much ground we have covered?" Hearing that, O Queen, I then replied to the King.

१८.४.१८

योजनानां शतानि त्रीण्यागताः स्मः प्रभो इति ।
ततो राजाब्रवीत्तर्हि त्वं पद्भ्यां कथमागतः ॥

Summary AI "O Lord, we have come three hundred yojanas." Then the King said, "In that case, how have you come on foot?"

१८.४.१९

एवं सविस्मयेनाहं राज्ञा पृष्टस्तमब्रवम् ।
देवास्ति पादलेपो मे वृत्तान्तं चात्र तं शृणु ॥

Summary AI Thus questioned by the astonished King, I said to him, "O King, I possess a magical foot-ointment; hear the story regarding it."

१८.४.२०

पूर्वं भार्यावियोगेन तीर्थयात्राविनिर्गतः ।
पथि देवकुलं सायं सोद्यानं प्राप्तवानहम् ॥

Summary AI Formerly, having set out on a pilgrimage due to separation from my wife, I arrived at a temple with a garden in the evening.

१८.४.२१

तत्र चाहं निशां नेतुं प्रविष्टो ऽपश्यमन्तरे ।
स्त्रियमेकामतिष्ठं च तत्रातिथ्यादृतस्तया ॥

Summary AI Entering there to spend the night, I saw a woman inside. Honored by her hospitality, I stayed there.

१८.४.२२

रात्रौ च सा नभस्येकमोष्ठं कृत्वापरं भुवि ।
व्यात्तास्या प्राह मामीदृग्दृष्टं क्वापि मुखं त्वया ॥

Summary AI At night, she placed one lip in the sky and the other on the earth; opening her mouth wide, she asked me, "Have you ever seen such a face anywhere?"

१८.४.२३

ततो ऽसिधेनुमाकृष्य सभ्रूभङ्गमबिभ्यता ।
त्वया चेदृक्पुमान्दृष्टः क्वापीत्युक्ता मयापि सा ॥

Summary AI Then, undaunted, I drew my dagger and, with a frown, replied to her, "And have you ever seen such a man anywhere?"

१८.४.२४

अथ सौम्यवपुर्भूत्वा साब्रवीन्मामवैकृता ।
यक्षी चण्ड्यभिधानाहं तुष्टा धैर्येण चास्मि ते ॥

Summary AI Then, assuming a gentle form and discarding her hideousness, she said to me, "I am a yakṣī named Caṇḍī, and I am pleased with your courage."

१८.४.२५

तदिदानीं मम ब्रूहि किं प्रियं करवाणि ते ।
एवमुक्तवतीं तां च यक्षिणीमहमभ्यधाम् ॥

Summary AI "So tell me now, what favor can I do for you?" I replied to the yakṣiṇī who had spoken thus.

१८.४.२६

परितुष्टासि चेत्सत्यं तत्कुरुष्व तथा मम ।
अक्लेशेन यथा तीर्थान्यटेयं निखिलान्यपि ॥

Summary AI "If you are truly pleased, then grant that I may visit all the sacred pilgrimage sites (tīrthas) without any hardship."

१८.४.२७

एवं मयोक्ता यक्षी सा पादलेपमदान्मम ।
तेन तीर्थान्यहं भ्रान्तस्त्वं चेहाद्यानुधावितः ॥

Summary AI When I said this, the yakṣī gave me an ointment for my feet. By its power, I wandered through the tīrthas and have now followed you here today.

१८.४.२८

तेनैव प्रत्यहं चाहमिहागत्याटवीभुवि ।
भुक्त्वा फलान्युज्जयिनीमेत्य सेवां करोमि ते ॥

Summary AI By that very means, I come to this forest region every day, eat fruits, and then return to Ujjayinī to serve you.

१८.४.२९

इति देवि मया राजा विज्ञप्तो ऽन्तरमन्यत ।
प्रसन्नदृष्टिकथितं योग्यं मामनुयायिनम् ॥

Summary AI O Queen, when I informed the King thus, he looked at me with a favorable eye and considered me a worthy follower.

१८.४.३०

भूयो मयैवं विज्ञप्तो राजा देवानयाम्यहम् ।
सुस्वादूनि फलानीह भुज्यन्ते प्रभुणा यदि ॥

Summary AI Again, I requested the King, "I shall bring them if my lord would like to eat these delicious fruits here."

१८.४.३१

नाहं भोक्ष्ये न मे किंचिदुपयुक्तं भवान्पुनः ।
भुङ्क्तां किंचित्परिश्रान्त इति राजादिशच्च माम् ॥

Summary AI The King replied, "I will not eat; I have no need for anything. However, you are exhausted, so you should eat something."

१८.४.३२

ततः कर्कटिकां तत्र संप्राप्याहमभक्षयम् ।
तया चाजगरो ऽभूवमहं भक्षितमात्रया ॥

Summary AI Then, finding a cucumber there, I ate it. As soon as I had swallowed it, I turned into a giant serpent.

१८.४.३३

दृष्ट्वा चाजगरीभूतमकस्माद्देवि मां तदा ।
देवो विषमशीलो ऽभूत्सविषादः सविस्मयः ॥

Summary AI O Queen, seeing me suddenly transformed into a python, King Viṣamaśīla was filled with both sorrow and amazement.

१८.४.३४

एकाकी चात्र वेतालं भूतकेतुं समस्मरत् ।
प्राङ्नेत्ररोगाद्दृष्ट्यैव मोचयित्वा वशीकृतम् ॥

Summary AI Being alone there, he remembered the vetāla named Bhūtaketu, whom he had previously subdued by curing him of an eye disease with a mere look.

१८.४.३५

स वेतालः स्मृतायातः प्रह्वो राजानमब्रवीत् ।
किं स्मृतो ऽस्मि महाराज निदेशो दीयतामिति ॥

Summary AI Summoned by the King's thought, the vetāla appeared, bowed, and said, "O Great King, why have I been remembered? Please give me your command."

१८.४.३६

अथ राजाब्रवीदेतं भद्र कार्पटिकं मम ।
सहसाजगरीभूतं प्रापय प्रकृतिं निजाम् ॥

Summary AI Then the King said to him, "Noble one, restore my attendant, who has suddenly become a python, to his original form."

१८.४.३७

वेतालो ऽप्यवदद्देव नास्ति शक्तिर्ममेदृशी ।
शक्तयो नियता वारि वैद्युताग्निं नु हन्ति किम् ॥

Summary AI The vetāla replied, "O Lord, I do not possess such power. Powers are limited; can water ever extinguish the fire of lightning?"

१८.४.३८

ततो राजाब्रवीत्तर्हि यामः पल्लीमिमां सखे ।
अतो बुध्येत भिल्लेभ्यः को ऽप्युपायः कदाचन ॥

Summary AI The King then said, "Friend, let us then go to this village; perhaps some remedy might be learned from the Bhillas there."

१८.४.३९

इत्यालोच्य सवेतालो राजा पल्लीं जगाम ताम् ।
तत्र साभरणं दृष्ट्वा तं चौराः पर्यवारयन् ॥

Summary AI Having deliberated thus, the King went to that village along with the vetāla. Seeing him adorned with ornaments, thieves surrounded him there.

१८.४.४०

किरतां शरवर्षाणि तेषां पञ्चशतानि च ।
भूतकेतुः स वेतालो राजादेशादभक्षयत् ॥

Summary AI There were five hundred of them raining down showers of arrows, but the vetāla Bhūtaketu devoured them all at the King's command.

१८.४.४१

शेषाः पलाय्य गत्वा तत्स्वसेनापतये ऽब्रुवन् ।
एकाकिकेसरी नाम स चागात्सबलः क्रुधा ॥

Summary AI The remaining ones fled and reported the matter to their commander. That commander, named Ekākikesarī, arrived with his force, filled with anger.

१८.४.४२

भृत्यस्यैकस्य च मुखाद्बुद्ध्वा प्रत्यभिजानतः ।
सेनापतिः स राजानमेत्य जग्राह पादयोः ॥

Summary AI Recognizing the King from the words of one of his servants, the commander approached him and clasped his feet.

१८.४.४३

ततो निवेदितात्मानं प्रह्वं प्रत्यभिनन्द्य तम् ।
पृष्ट्वा च कुशलं राजा सेनापतिमभाषत ॥

Summary AI After greeting the commander, who had identified himself and bowed humbly, the King inquired about his welfare and then spoke to him.

१८.४.४४

मम कार्पटिको भुक्त्वा फलं कर्कटिकां वने ।
गतो ऽजगरतां तस्य युक्तिं तन्मुक्तये कुरु ॥

Summary AI The King said, "My attendant has turned into a python after eating a karkaṭikā fruit in the forest. Devise a means for his release from that state."

१८.४.४५

एतद्राजवचः श्रुत्वा सेनापतिरुवाच सः ।
देवानुगो ऽयं मत्पुत्रायास्मै तं दर्शयत्विति ॥

Summary AI Upon hearing the King's words, the commander said, "Let this follower of the King show the python to my son here."

१८.४.४६

ततः स तेन तत्पुत्रो वेतालेन सहैत्य माम् ।
ओषधीरसनस्येन पूर्ववन्मानुषं व्यधात् ॥

Summary AI Then that son, coming with the Vetāla, transformed me back into a human as before by using a medicinal preparation.

१८.४.४७

उपागच्छाम च ततो हृष्टा राजान्तिकं वयम् ।
राजा च तमुदन्तं मां पादानतमबोधयत् ॥

Summary AI We then joyfully approached the King. The King informed me, who was prostrate at his feet, of all that had occurred.

१८.४.४८

एकाकिकेसरी सो ऽथ भिल्लसेनापतिर्निजम् ।
गृहमभ्यर्थ्य राजानमनैषीदस्मदन्वितम् ॥

Summary AI Then the Bhilla commander Ekākikesarī invited the King and led him, along with us, to his own home.

१८.४.४९

अपश्याम च तत्तस्य सदनं शबरीवृतम् ।
दन्तिदन्तचितोत्तुङ्गभित्ति व्याघ्रच्छदच्छवि ॥

Summary AI We saw his residence, surrounded by Śabara women, with high walls covered in elephant tusks and possessing the hue of tiger skins.

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