कथासरित्सागरः — द्वितीयस्तरङ्गः

द्वितीयस्तरङ्गः ।

गत्वाथ दूरमध्वानं राजा वसतिमग्रहीत् ।
दिने तस्मिन्स कस्मिंश्चिदरण्यसरसस्तटे ॥

Summary AI After traveling a long distance, the king took up residence for the day on the bank of a certain forest lake.

२.२.२

शयनीयगतः श्रान्तस्तत्र सेवारसागतम् ।
सायं संगतकं नाम जगाद कथकं नृपः ॥

Summary AI Resting on his bed and weary, the king spoke in the evening to a storyteller named Saṃgataka, who had arrived out of devotion to serve him.

२.२.३

कथामाख्याहि मे कांचिद्धृदयस्य विनोदिनीम् ।
मृगावतीमुखाम्भोजदर्शनोत्सवकाङ्क्षिणः ॥

Summary AI "Tell me some story to entertain my heart," said the king, who was longing for the festive sight of the lotus-like face of Queen Mṛgāvatī.

२.२.४

अथ संगतको ऽवादीद्देव किं तप्यसे वृथा ।
आसन्न एव देव्यास्ते क्षीणशापः समागमः ॥

Summary AI Then Saṃgataka replied, "O King, why do you grieve in vain? Your reunion with the Queen is near, as the curse has almost expired."

२.२.५

संयोगा विप्रयोगाश्च भवन्ति बहवो नृणाम् ।
तथ चात्र कथामेकां कथयामि शृणु प्रभो ॥

Summary AI "Many unions and separations occur for men. O Lord, I shall tell you a story regarding this; please listen."

२.२.६

मालवे यज्ञसोमाख्यो द्विजः कश्चिदभूत्पुरा ।
तस्य च द्वौ सुतौ साधोर्जायेते स्म जनप्रियौ ॥

Summary AI Long ago in Mālava, there lived a certain Brāhmaṇa named Yajñasoma. Two popular sons were born to that virtuous man.

२.२.७

एकस्तयोरभून्नाम्ना कालनेमिरिति श्रुतः ।
द्वितीयश्चापि विगतभय इत्याख्ययाभवत् ॥

Summary AI One of them was known by the name Kālanemi, and the second was known by the name Vigatabhaya.

२.२.८

पितरि स्वर्गते तौ च भ्रातरौ तीर्णशैशवौ ।
विद्याप्राप्त्यै प्रययतुः पुरं पाटलिपुत्रकम् ॥

Summary AI After their father passed away, those two brothers, having finished their childhood, went to the city of Pāṭaliputra to acquire knowledge.

२.२.९

तत्रैवोपात्तविद्याभ्यामुपाध्यायो निजे सुते ।
देवशर्मा ददौ ताभ्यां मूर्ते विद्ये इवापरे ॥

Summary AI There, the teacher Devaśarman gave his two daughters, who were like personified forms of knowledge, to the two brothers who had completed their education.

२.२.१०

अथान्यान्वीक्ष्य तानाढ्यान्गृहस्थानीर्ष्यया श्रियम् ।
होमैः स साधयामास कालनेमिः कृतव्रतः ॥

Summary AI Then, observing other wealthy householders, Kālanemi took a vow and sought to attain wealth through sacrificial offerings out of envy.

२.२.११

सा च तुष्टा सती साक्षादेवं श्रीस्तमभाषत ।
भूरि प्राप्स्यसि वित्तं च पुत्रं च पृथिवीपतिम् ॥

Summary AI Pleased, the goddess Śrī appeared in person and spoke to him: "You shall obtain great wealth and a son who will become a lord of the earth."

२.२.१२

किं त्वन्ते चौरसदृशो वधस्तव भविष्यति ।
हुतमग्नौ त्वया यस्मदमर्षकलुषात्मना ॥

Summary AI "However, in the end, you will suffer a death like that of a thief, because you made offerings in the fire with a mind defiled by anger."

२.२.१३

इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे लक्ष्मीः कालनेमिरपि क्रमात् ।
महाधनो ऽभूत्किं चास्य दिनैः पुत्रो ऽप्यजायत ॥

Summary AI Having said this, Lakṣmī vanished. Gradually, Kālanemi became very wealthy, and in due time, a son was born to him.

२.२.१४

श्रीवरादेष संप्राप्त इति नाम्ना तमात्मजम् ।
श्रीदत्तमकरोत्सो ऽपि पिता पूर्णमनोरथः ॥

Summary AI Because he was obtained through the boon of Śrī, the father, whose desires were fulfilled, named his son Śrīdatta.

२.२.१५

क्रमात्स वृद्धिं संप्राप्तः श्रीदत्तो ब्राह्मणो ऽपि सन् ।
अस्त्रेंषु बाहुयुद्धेषु बभूवाप्रतिमो भुवि ॥

Summary AI As he grew up, although he was a Brāhmaṇa, Śrīdatta became matchless on earth in weapons and hand-to-hand combat.

२.२.१६

कालनेमेरथ भ्राता तीर्थार्थी सर्पभक्षिताम् ।
भार्यामुद्दिश्य विगतभयो देशान्तरं ययौ ॥

Summary AI Then Kālanemi's brother, Vigatabhaya, seeking holy places on account of his wife having been bitten by a snake, went to another country.

२.२.१७

श्रीदत्तो ऽपि गुणज्ञेन राज्ञा वल्लभशक्तिना ।
तत्र विक्रमशक्तेः स स्वपुत्रस्य कृतः सखा ॥

Summary AI Śrīdatta, too, was made a companion to Prince Vikramaśakti by the appreciative King Vallabhaśakti.

२.२.१८

राजपुत्रेण तेनास्य सहवासो ऽभिमानिना ।
बाल्ये दुर्योधनेनेव भीमस्यासीत्तरस्विना ॥

Summary AI His association with that proud prince was like that of the powerful Bhīma with Duryodhana in their childhood.

२.२.१९

द्वावेतस्याथ मित्त्रत्वं विप्रस्यावन्तिदेशजौ ।
क्षत्रियौ बाहुशाली च वज्रमुष्टिश्च जग्मतुः ॥

Summary AI Then two Kṣatriyas from the land of Avanti, named Bāhuśālin and Vajramuṣṭi, became friends with this Brāhmaṇa.

२.२.२०

बाहुयुद्धजिताश्चान्ये दाक्षिणात्या गुणप्रियाः ।
स्वयंवरसुहृत्त्वेन मन्त्रिपुत्रास्तमाश्रयन् ॥

Summary AI Other Southerners, lovers of merit who had been defeated in wrestling, along with sons of ministers, sought his friendship by choice.

२.२.२१

महाबलव्याघ्रभटावुपेन्द्रबल इत्यपि ।
तथा निष्ठुरको नाम सौहार्दं तस्य चक्रिरे ॥

Summary AI Warriors named Mahābala, Vyāghrabhaṭa, Upendrabala, and Niṣṭhuraka formed a deep friendship with him.

२.२.२२

कदाचिदथ वर्षासु विहर्तुं जाह्नवीतटे ।
श्रीदत्तः सह तैर्मित्रै राजपुत्रसखो ययौ ॥

Summary AI Once during the rainy season, Śrīdatta went to the banks of the river Jāhnavī to wander with those friends and his companion, the prince.

२.२.२३

स्वभृत्यास्तत्र तं चक्रुर्निजं राजसुतं नृपम् ।
श्रीदत्तो ऽपि स तत्कालं राजा मित्त्रैरकल्प्यत ॥

Summary AI There, the attendants made their own prince the king, and Śrīdatta was likewise treated as a king by his friends at that moment.

२.२.२४

तावता जातरोषेण राजपुत्रेण तेन सः ।
विप्रवीरो रणायाशु समाहूतो मदस्पृशा ॥

Summary AI Filled with pride and sudden anger, the prince immediately challenged the heroic Brahmin Śrīdatta to a duel.

२.२.२५

स तेन बाहुयुद्धेन श्रीदत्तेनाथ निर्जितः ।
चकार हृदि वध्यं तु वर्द्धमानं कलङ्कितम् ॥

Summary AI Having been defeated by Śrīdatta in wrestling, the prince harbored a growing, stained desire in his heart to kill him.

२.२.२६

ज्ञात्वा च तमभिप्रायं राजपुत्रस्य शङ्कितः ।
श्रीदत्तः सह तैर्मित्त्रैस्तत्समीपादपासरत् ॥

Summary AI Realizing the prince's intent and becoming suspicious, Śrīdatta departed from his presence along with his friends.

२.२.२७

उपसर्पन्स चापश्यद्गङ्गामध्यगतां स्त्रियम् ।
ह्रियमाणां जलौघेन सागरस्थामिव श्रियम् ॥

Summary AI While approaching the river, he saw a woman in the middle of the Gaṅgā being carried away by the current, looking like the goddess Śrī residing in the ocean.

२.२.२८

ततश्चावततारैतामुद्धर्तुं जलमध्यतः ।
षड्बाहुशालिप्रमुखान्स्थापयित्वा तटे सखीन् ॥

Summary AI Leaving his friends, led by Ṣaḍbāhuśālin, on the bank, he plunged into the water to rescue her from the midst of the current.

२.२.२९

तां च केशेष्वपि प्राप्तां निमग्नां दूरमम्भसि ।
अनुसर्तुं स्त्रियं सो ऽपि वीरस्तत्रैव मग्नवान् ॥

Summary AI As the woman sank deep into the water just as he reached for her hair, the hero also dived in to follow her.

२.२.३०

निमज्ज्य च ददर्शात्र स श्रीदत्तः क्षडादिति ।
शैवं देवकुलं दिव्यं न पुनर्वारि न स्त्रियम् ॥

Summary AI Having dived, Śrīdatta suddenly saw a divine temple of Śiva, but saw neither water nor the woman anymore.

२.२.३१

तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं श्रान्तो नत्वा वृषध्वजम् ।
उद्याने सुन्दरे तत्र तां निनाय विभावरीम् ॥

Summary AI Seeing that great marvel, the exhausted hero bowed to Vṛṣadhvaja and spent the night there in a beautiful garden.

२.२.३२

प्राप्तश्च देवमीशानं सा पूजयितुमागता ।
ददृशे तेन मूर्तेव रूपश्रीः स्त्रीगुणान्विता ॥

Summary AI Then she arrived to worship Lord Īśāna, and he saw her, appearing like the goddess of beauty incarnate, endowed with all feminine virtues.

२.२.३३

ईश्वरं पूजयित्वा च सा ततो निजमन्दिरम् ।
ययाविन्दुमुखी सो ऽपि श्रीदत्तो ऽनुजगाम ताम् ॥

Summary AI After worshipping the Lord, the moon-faced woman went to her palace, and Śrīdatta followed her.

२.२.३४

ददर्श मन्दिरं तच्च तस्याः सुरपुरोपमम् ।
प्रविवेश च संभ्रान्ता सावमानेव मानिनी ॥

Summary AI He saw her palace, which resembled the city of the gods; she, being proud, entered it quickly as if feeling slighted.

२.२.३५

साप्यसंभाषमाणैव तमन्तर्वासवेश्मनि ।
तन्वी न्यपीदत्पर्यङ्के स्त्रीसहस्रोपसेविता ॥

Summary AI Without speaking to him, the slender woman, attended by a thousand maidens, sat on a couch within her inner chamber.

२.२.३६

श्रीदत्तो ऽपि स तत्रैव निषसाद तदन्तिके ।
अथाकस्मात्प्रववृत्ते तया साध्व्या प्ररोदितुम् ॥

Summary AI Śrīdatta also sat down right there near her; then, suddenly, that virtuous lady began to weep.

२.२.३७

निपेतुः स्तनयोस्तस्याः संतप्ता बाष्पबिन्दवः ।
श्रीदत्तस्य च तत्कालं कारुण्यं हृदये गतम् ॥

Summary AI Hot teardrops fell upon her breasts, and at that moment, compassion entered Śrīdatta's heart.

२.२.३८

ततः स चैनां पप्रच्छ का त्वं दुःखं च किं तव ।
वद सुन्दरि शक्तो ऽहं तन्निवारयितुं यतः ॥

Summary AI Then he asked her, "Who are you, and what is your sorrow? Tell me, beautiful one, for I am capable of removing it."

२.२.३९

ततः कथंचित्सावादीद्वयं दैत्यपतेर्बले ।
पौत्र्यो दशशतं तासां ज्येष्ठा विद्युत्प्रभेत्यहम् ॥

Summary AI Then she somehow replied, "We are the thousand granddaughters of Bali, the Lord of the Daityas; I am the eldest, named Vidyutprabhā."

२.२.४०

स नः पितामहो नीतो विष्णुना दीर्घबन्धनम् ।
पिता च बाहुयुद्धेन हतस्तेनैव शौरिणा ॥

Summary AI Our grandfather was consigned to long imprisonment by Viṣṇu, and our father was killed in a wrestling match by that same Śauri.

२.२.४१

तं हत्वा तेन च निजात्पुरान्निर्वासिता वयम् ।
प्रवेशरोधकृत्तत्र सिंहश्च स्थापितो ऽन्तरे ॥

Summary AI After killing him, he banished us from our own city and stationed a lion there to block the entrance.

२.२.४२

आवृतं तत्पदं तेन दुःखेन हृदयं च नः ।
स च यक्षः कुबेरस्य शापासिंहत्वमागतः ॥

Summary AI That entrance was blocked by him, and our hearts were filled with sorrow. That lion was actually a yakṣa transformed by Kubera’s curse.

२.२.४३

मर्त्यैश्चाभिभवस्तस्य शापान्तः कथितः पुरा ।
पुरप्रवेशोपायार्थे विज्ञप्तो विष्णुरादिशत् ॥

Summary AI It was foretold that his defeat by a mortal would end the curse. When petitioned for a way to enter the city, Viṣṇu gave this command.

२.२.४४

अतः स शत्रुरस्माकं केसरी जीयतां त्वया ।
तदर्थमेव चानीतो मया वीर भवानिह ॥

Summary AI Therefore, you must conquer that lion, our enemy. O hero, it is for this very purpose that I have brought you here.

२.२.४५

मृगाङ्ककाख्यं खड्गं च जितात्तस्मादवाप्स्यसि ।
पृथिवीं यत्प्रभावेण जित्वा राजा भविष्यसि ॥

Summary AI From the defeated lion, you will obtain the sword named Mṛgāṅkaka, by whose power you shall conquer the earth and become king.

२.२.४६

तच्छ्रुत्वा स तथेत्यत्र श्रीदत्तो ऽतीततद्दिनः ।
अन्येद्युर्दैत्यकन्यास्ताः कृत्वाग्रे तत्पुरं ययौ ॥

Summary AI Hearing this, Śrīdatta agreed. After that day passed, he set out for the city the next morning, with the daitya princesses leading the way.

२.२.४७

जिगाय बाहुयुद्धेन तत्र तं सिंहमुद्धतम् ।
सो ऽपि शापविमुक्तः सन्बभूव पुरुषाकृतिः ॥

Summary AI There, he defeated the fierce lion in hand-to-hand combat. Released from the curse, the creature regained its human form.

२.२.४८

दत्त्वा चास्मै स खड्गं स्वं तुष्टः शापान्तकारिणे ।
सहासुराङ्गनादुःखभारेणादर्शनं ययौ ॥

Summary AI The yakṣa, pleased with the one who ended his curse, gave Śrīdatta his sword and vanished along with the heavy sorrow of the asura women.

२.२.४९

सो ऽथ सानुजया साकं श्रीदत्तो दैत्यकन्यया ।
बहिर्गतमिवानन्तं तद्विवेश पुरोत्तमम् ॥

Summary AI Then Śrīdatta, accompanied by the daitya princess and her sister, entered that magnificent city, which seemed like the infinite sky manifest.

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