कथासरित्सागरः — प्रथमस्तरङ्गः

प्रथमस्तरङ्गः ।

निशुम्भभरनम्रूर्वीखर्विताः पर्वता अपि ।
यं नमन्तीव नृत्यन्तं नमामस्तं विनायकम् ॥

Summary AI We bow to Lord Vināyaka, who, while dancing, makes even the mountains appear humbled as they bow, due to the earth bending under the heavy weight of his rhythmic steps.

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एवं वत्सेश्वरसुतः कौशाम्ब्यां भवने पितुः ।
वसन्विद्यधराधीशैरादावेव कृतानतिः ॥

Summary AI Thus, while residing in his father's palace in Kauśāmbī, the son of the Lord of Vatsa, Naravāhanadatta, received obeisance from the sovereign lords of the Vidyādharas right from the beginning.

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नरवाहनदत्तः स कदाचिन्मृगयागतः ।
विवेश गोमुखसखो मुक्तसैन्यो महद्धनम् ॥

Summary AI Once, while out hunting, Naravāhanadatta, accompanied by his friend Gomukha, entered a great forest after leaving his army behind.

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स तत्र दक्षिणेनाक्ष्णा स्फुरतोक्तशुभागमः ।
दिव्यवीणारवोन्मिश्रमशृणोदीतनिःस्वनम् ॥

Summary AI There, with his right eye throbbing as an omen of a fortunate arrival, he heard the sound of singing mingled with the celestial notes of a vīṇā.

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गत्वा तदनुसारेण नातिदूरं ददर्श सः ।
स्वयंभ्यायतनं शैवं संयताश्वो विवेश च ॥

Summary AI Following the sound a short distance, he beheld a temple of Śiva dedicated to the self-manifested Lord Svayambhū, and tethering his horse, he entered.

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तत्रोपवीणयन्तीं च देवेशं देवकन्यकाम् ।
अपश्यद्वरकन्याभिर्बह्वीभिः परिवारिताम् ॥

Summary AI There he saw a celestial maiden playing the vīṇā before the Lord of Gods, Śiva, surrounded by many excellent attendants.

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सा दृष्टा तस्य हृदयं प्रसरत्कान्तिनिर्झरा ।
इन्दुमूर्तिरिवाम्भोधेः क्षोभयामास तत्क्षणम् ॥

Summary AI Upon seeing her, who was like a stream of flowing radiance, his heart was instantly agitated, just as the ocean is stirred by the form of the moon.

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सापि तं सरसस्निग्धमुग्धेनालोक्य चक्षुषा ।
तदेकगतचित्ताभूद्विस्मृतस्वरसारणा ॥

Summary AI She too, beholding him with a loving, tender, and charming gaze, forgot the arrangement of musical notes as her mind became entirely fixed on him alone.

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नरवाहनदत्तस्य चित्तज्ञो गोमुखस्ततः ।
केयं कस्य सुता चेति यावत्पृच्छति तत्सखीः ॥

Summary AI Then, Gomukha, who knew Naravāhanadatta's mind, began to ask her friends who she was and whose daughter she might be.

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तावच्च सदृशी तस्याः पूर्वं हेमारुणप्रभा ।
पश्चादवततारैका प्रौढा विद्याधरी दिवः ॥

Summary AI Just then, a mature Vidyādhara woman, initially appearing with the golden-red glow of dawn, descended from the sky.

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सा चावतीर्य कन्यायास्तस्याः पार्श्व उपाविशत् ।
कन्याप्युत्थाय सा तस्याः पादयोरपतत्तदा ॥

Summary AI Having descended, she sat beside the maiden, and the maiden immediately rose and fell at her feet in respect.

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सर्वविद्याधराधीशं निर्विघ्नं पतिमाप्नुहि ।
इति प्रौढापि सा तस्याः कन्याया आशिषं ददौ ॥

Summary AI The mature woman gave the maiden a blessing, saying, "May you obtain the sovereign lord of all Vidyādharas as your husband without any obstacles."

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नरवाहनदत्तो ऽथ तामुपेत्य प्रणम्य च ।
दत्ताशिषं पर्यपृच्छत्सौम्यां विद्याधरीं शनैः ॥

Summary AI Then Naravāhanadatta approached, bowed to her, and gently questioned the gentle Vidyādhara lady who had just given the blessing.

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केयं कन्या भवत्यम्ब तव का कथ्यतामिति ।
ततो विद्याधरी सा तमुवाच शृणु वच्म्यदः ॥

Summary AI He asked, "Mother, who is this maiden, and what is her relation to you? Please tell me." Then the Vidyādhara lady replied, "Listen, I shall tell you."

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अस्ति गौरीगुरोः शैले श्रीसुन्दरपुरं पुरम् ।
आस्ते ऽलंकारशीलाख्यस्तत्र विद्याधरेश्वरः ॥

Summary AI On the mountain of Gaurī's father, the Himālaya, there is a city named Śrīsundarapura, where a lord of the Vidyādharas named Alaṅkāraśīla resides.

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तस्योदारगुणस्यास्ति महिषी काञ्चनप्रभा ।
तस्यां तस्य च कालेन राज्ञः सूनुरजायत ॥

Summary AI That virtuous king had a queen named Kāñcanaprabhā, and in time, a son was born to them.

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एष धर्मपरो भावीत्यादिष्टमुमया यदा ।
स्वप्ने तदा धर्मशीलं नाम्ना तमकरोत्पिता ॥

Summary AI When Umā prophesied in a dream that the boy would be devoted to righteousness, his father named him Dharmaśīla.

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क्रमेण यौवनप्राप्तं धर्मशीलं स तं सुतम् ।
राजा संयोज्य विद्याभिर्यौवराज्ये ऽभिषिक्तवान् ॥

Summary AI When Dharmaśīla reached youth, the king, having educated him in various sciences, anointed him as the crown prince, or Yuvarāja.

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ततः स यौवराज्यस्थो धर्मैकपरमो वशी ।
अरञ्जयद्धर्मशीलः पितुरभ्यधिकं प्रजाः ॥

Summary AI Then, as crown prince, the self-controlled Dharmaśīla, solely devoted to righteousness, pleased the subjects even more than his father did.

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ततो ऽलंकारशीलस्य राज्ञः सा काञ्चनप्रभा ।
अन्तर्वत्नी सती राज्ञी तस्य सूते स्म कन्यकाम् ॥

Summary AI Subsequently, Queen Kāñcanaprabhā, the wife of King Alaṅkāraśīla, became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter for him.

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नरवाहनदत्तस्य भार्यैषा चक्रवर्तिनः ।
कन्या भवित्रीति तदा दिव्या वागुदघोषयत् ॥

Summary AI Then a divine voice proclaimed that this girl would become the wife of the universal monarch Naravāhanadatta.

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ततो ऽत्र तेनालंकारवतीति कृतनामिका ।
पित्रा क्रमेणावर्धिष्ट बाला शक्तिकलेव सा ॥

Summary AI Thereupon, her father named her Alaṃkāravatī, and the young girl grew up gradually like a digit of the moon.

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कालेन यौवनस्था च प्राप्तविद्या निजात्पितुः ।
तत्तदायतनं शंभोर्भक्त्या भ्रमितुमुद्यता ॥

Summary AI In time, having attained youth and acquired knowledge from her father, she prepared to visit various temples of Śambhu out of devotion.

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तावच्च धर्मशीलो ऽस्य भ्राता शान्तो युवापि सन् ।
रहो ऽलंकारशीलं तं पितरं स्वं व्यजिज्ञपत् ॥

Summary AI Meanwhile, her brother Dharmaśīla, though young, was tranquil; he spoke privately to his father, Alaṃkāraśīla.

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न मां भोगा इमे तात प्रीणन्ति क्षणभङ्गुराः ।
किं तदस्ति हि संसारे पर्यन्तविरसं न यत् ॥

Summary AI "Father, these transient pleasures do not satisfy me. For what is there in this world that does not end in bitterness?"

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तथा चैतत्त्वया किं न श्रुतं व्यासमुनेर्वचः ।
सर्वे क्षयान्ता निचयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः ॥

Summary AI "Moreover, have you not heard these words of the sage Vyāsa: 'All accumulations end in depletion, and all heights end in a fall'?"

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संयोगा विप्रयोगान्ता मरणान्तं हि जीवितम् ।
तदेषु का रतिस्तात नश्वरेषु मनस्विनाम् ॥

Summary AI "Unions end in separation, and life indeed ends in death. Therefore, O Father, what delight can wise-minded people find in these perishable things?"

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परत्र च सहायान्ति न भोगा नार्थसंचयाः ।
एकस्तु बान्धवो धर्मो न जहाति पदात्पदम् ॥

Summary AI "In the next world, neither pleasures nor accumulations of wealth follow. Dharma is the only friend who never leaves one's side, step by step."

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तस्माद्वनाय गत्वाहं साधयाम्युत्तमं तपः ।
आसादयेयं तद्येन शाश्वतं परमं पदम् ॥

Summary AI "Therefore, I shall go to the forest and perform supreme penance, so that I may attain that eternal and highest state."

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इत्युक्तवन्तं तं पुत्रं धर्मशीलं समाकुलः ।
राजालंकारशीलो ऽथ वक्ति स्मोदश्रुलोचनः ॥

Summary AI Then King Alaṃkāraśīla, deeply troubled and with eyes full of tears, spoke to his son Dharmaśīla who had expressed these thoughts.

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बालस्यैव तवाकाण्डे को ऽयं पुत्र मतिभ्रमः ।
उपयुक्ते हि तारुण्ये प्रशमः सद्भिरिष्यते ॥

Summary AI "O Son, why this untimely delusion of mind while you are still a boy? Indeed, tranquility is desired by the wise only after youth has been enjoyed."

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कृतदारस्य धर्मेण राज्यं पालयतस्तव ।
भोगान्भोक्तुमयं कालो न वैराग्यस्य सांप्रतम् ॥

Summary AI "For you, who should take a wife and rule the kingdom righteously, this is the time to enjoy pleasures, not the time for renunciation."

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एतत्पितुर्वचः श्रुत्वा धर्मशीलो ऽभ्यधात्पुनः ।
न शमाशमयोरत्र नियमो ऽस्ति वयःकृतः ॥

Summary AI Hearing these words of his father, Dharmaśīla replied again, "In this matter of tranquility or its absence, there is no rule based on age."

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ईश्वरानुगृहीतो हि कश्चिद्बालो ऽपि शाम्यति ।
वृद्धो ऽपि न शमं याति कश्चित्कापुरुषः पुनः ॥

Summary AI "Even a child, if blessed by the Lord, attains peace; whereas a base man, even when old, never reaches tranquility."

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न च राज्ये रतिर्मे ऽस्ति न वा दारपरिग्रहे ।
ममैतजीवितफलं यच्छिवाराधनं तपः ॥

Summary AI "I have no delight in the kingdom nor in taking a wife. The fruit of my life is this: penance consisting of the worship of Śiva."

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इति ब्रुवाणं यत्नेनाप्यनिवार्यमवेक्ष्य तम् ।
पितालंकारशीलो ऽसौ विमुच्याश्रूण्यभाषत ॥

Summary AI Seeing that his son, who spoke thus, could not be turned back even with effort, his father Alaṃkāraśīla shed tears and spoke.

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यदि यूनो ऽपि ते पुत्र वैराग्यमिदमीदृशम् ।
नास्ति वृद्धस्य मे तत्किमहमप्याश्रये वनम् ॥

Summary AI "O Son, if such renunciation belongs to you even in youth, why should it not belong to me who am old? I too shall take refuge in the forest."

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इत्युक्त्वा मर्त्यलोकं च गत्वा भारायुतं ददौ ।
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो दरिद्रेभ्यो रत्नानां काञ्चनस्य च ॥

Summary AI Saying this, he went to the mortal assembly and distributed ten thousand loads of gems and gold to Brāhmaṇas and the poor.

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एत्य च स्वपुरं भार्यामवोचत्काञ्चनप्रभाम् ।
त्वया मदाज्ञयेहैव स्थातव्यं नगरे निजे ॥

Summary AI Returning to his city, he said to his wife Kāñcanaprabhā, "By my command, you must remain right here in our own city."

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रक्षालंकारवत्येषा कन्या पूर्णे च वत्सरे ।
अस्ति वैवाहलग्नो ऽस्यास्तिथावद्यतने शुभः ॥

Summary AI "Protect Alaṃkāravatī; she is a young girl, and when a year has passed, there will be an auspicious time for her marriage, just as there is one today."

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नरवाहनदत्ताय दास्याम्येतामहं तदा ।
स चक्रवर्ती जामाता पास्यतीदं पुरं च नः ॥

Summary AI "I will then give her to Naravāhanadatta," said the King. "That universal emperor, as my son-in-law, will also protect this city of ours."

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इत्युक्त्वा दत्तशपथां भार्यां राजा निवर्त्य सः ।
ससुतां विलपन्तीं तां सपुत्रः शिश्रिये वनम् ॥

Summary AI Having spoken thus and making his wife swear an oath, the King turned back. Accompanied by his son, he retired to the forest, leaving behind his wife and daughter who were lamenting.

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सा तु स्वपुरमध्यास्त तद्भार्या काञ्चनप्रभा ।
दुहित्रा सह साध्वी स्त्री भर्त्राज्ञां का हि लङ्घयेत् ॥

Summary AI His wife, Kāñcanaprabhā, resided in her own city with her daughter. Indeed, what virtuous woman would ever transgress the command of her husband?

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तत्सुताथ तया मात्रा सह स्नेहानुयातया ।
अलंकारवती भ्रान्ता बहून्यायतनानि च ॥

Summary AI Then, his daughter Alaṃkāravatī, accompanied by her mother who followed her out of affection, wandered to many holy temples.

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एकदा तां च वक्ति स्म विद्या प्रज्ञप्तिसंज्ञिका ।
कश्मीरेषु स्वयंभूनि गत्वा क्षेत्राणि पूजय ॥

Summary AI Once, the science named Prajñapti spoke to her: "Go and worship at the self-manifested sacred sites in Kaśmīra."

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नरवाहनदत्तं हि निर्विघ्नं तं पतिं ततः ।
सर्वविद्याधरेन्द्रैकचक्रवर्तिनमाप्स्यसि ॥

Summary AI "By doing so, you will surely obtain without obstacle that Naravāhanadatta, the sole emperor of all the lords of the Vidyādharas, as your husband."

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इत्युक्ता विद्यया गत्वा कश्मीरान्सा समातृका ।
अलंकारवती शंभुं पुण्यक्षेत्रेष्वपूजयत् ॥

Summary AI Thus instructed by the science, Alaṃkāravatī, along with her mother, went to Kaśmīra and worshipped Śambhu in the holy places.

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नन्दिक्षेत्रे महादेवगिरावमरपर्वते ।
सुरेश्वर्याद्रिषु तथा विजये कपटेश्वरे ॥

Summary AI She worshipped at Nandikṣetra, on Mahādevagiri, Amaraparvata, the hills of Sureśvarī, and also at Vijaya and Kapaṭeśvara.

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एवमादिषु संपूज्य क्षेत्रेषु गिरिजापतिम् ।
विद्याधरेन्द्रकन्या सा तन्माता चागते गृहान् ॥

Summary AI Having worshipped the Lord of Girijā in these and other sacred places, that daughter of the Vidyādhara king and her mother returned home.