Passage 1
ततः सनृत्यश्रमजातभूयः स्वेदाम्बुलग्नाङ्गदुकूल ईशः। निषेव्य शीतं सुरभि समीरं लीलावगाहाय सरो जगाम॥१॥
Then the Lord, wearied by the dancing and with his fine garment clinging to his limbs from perspiration, enjoyed the cool, fragrant breeze and went to the lake to immerse himself in play.
Passage 2
तत्पृष्ठतः पङ्कजलोचनानां तडित्त्विषां स्वेदकणास्रुतीनाम्। जगाम पङ्क्तिः खलु कामिनीनां सञ्चारिणीनामिव वल्लरीणाम्॥२॥
Behind him went a line of lovers, lotus-eyed and radiant as lightning, drops of perspiration streaming from them. They looked like flowering vines set in motion.
Passage 3
तासामनुव्रजन्तीनां किङ्किणीनूपुरध्वनिः। उद्बुद्धराजहंसौघश्चक्रे कोलाहलं निशि॥३॥
As they followed, the sound of their little bells and anklets awakened hosts of royal swans and raised a clamor in the night.
Passage 4
स्वच्छाय कुञ्जवनवृक्षलतातलेषु तासां तनुद्युतिभरेण महोद्धतेन। आच्छाद्य ताः समजनि प्रकटं निगूढ- शृङ्गारकेलिसरसीगमनाध्वमध्ये॥४॥
Along the path to the lake of secret amorous play, beneath the trees and vines of the bower grove, the tremendous flood of their bodily radiance covered the clear shadows and made the women plainly visible.
Passage 5
धम्मिलकूटकुचकुम्भनितम्बबिम्ब- भूयोभरोद्वहनजश्रमखिन्नगात्राः। एणीदृशो रसिकराजनिपीतसाराः कष्टेन केलिसरसीषु प्रजग्मुरेताः॥५॥
Their limbs exhausted from bearing the repeated weight of high hair-knots, pitcher-like breasts, and rounded hips, those doe-eyed women—whose very essence the king of connoisseurs had drunk—reached the lake of play only with difficulty.
Passage 6
हेमत्विषां पुलिनभूमिषु संस्थितानां तासां मुखेन्दुनिवहेन पयोगतेन। सा रामकेलिसरसी सहसैव रेजे सम्पूर्णकोटिविधुमण्डलमण्डितेव॥६॥
When those golden-radiant women stood upon the sandy banks and the host of their moon-like faces entered the water, Rāma’s lake of play suddenly shone as though adorned by ten million full lunar discs.
Passage 7
दिव्यावतंसमणिदीधितिवासिताभिः श्रीरामचन्द्रचरणाब्जनखप्रभाभिः। तद्दिव्यकेलिसरसीसरसीरुहाणि तत्कालमेव सविलासविकासमापुः॥७॥
Perfumed by the rays of the jewels in his divine crest and by the brilliance of Śrī Rāmacandra’s lotus-foot nails, the lotuses in that divine lake of play at once opened with graceful delight.
Passage 8
तासां मुखेन्दुशतशारदचन्द्रिकाभिः प्रोद्भासितानि किल कैरविणां कुलानि। मञ्जीरमञ्जुलनिनादभरेण भूयो निद्रायिता बुबुधिरेऽखिलराजहंसाः॥८॥
Clusters of night-lotuses were illumined by the autumn moonlight of their hundreds of moon-like faces, while all the royal swans, lulled to sleep, awoke once more at the abundant lovely sound of anklets.
Passage 9
उत्तार्य भूषणभरं वसनानि चामूः स्नानक्रियासमुचितां तनुमुद्वहन्त्यः। कान्त्यैव संशुशुभिरे व्रजवामनेत्रा हैम्यो लता इव विधूतदला वसन्ते॥९॥
Removing their heavy ornaments and garments, the lovely-eyed women of Vraja displayed bodies suited to bathing. Through their radiance alone they shone like golden vines whose leaves had been shaken away in spring.
Passage 10
निश्रेणिकापथझणझ्झणितातिमञ्जु- मञ्जीरशिञ्जितविमोहितराजहंसाः। तास्तत्र केलिसरसीमवगाहनाय श्रीराघवेन्द्ररसिकेन सहावतेरुः॥१०॥
The royal swans were enchanted by the exceedingly sweet jhaṇa-jhaṇa of anklets along the stairway. Together with the connoisseur Śrī Rāghavendra, the women descended there to enter the lake of play.
Passage 11
गम्भीरनाभिषु डुमड्डुमितानुनाद- लीलाविधायितजलोर्मिषु लोलमानाः। सद्योभवाः श्रिय इवाम्बुनिधौ लसन्त्य उक्षाम्बभूवुरभितो रघुवंशरत्नम्॥११॥
Moving playfully among waves that echoed ḍumaḍ-ḍumaḍ within their deep navels, they shone like newly arisen goddesses of fortune in the ocean and became eager sprinklers of the jewel of Raghu’s line on every side.
Passage 12
रामोऽपि ताः करसरोरुहपत्रबद्ध- वाराम्भरैः सरसिजानुनिपातधारैः। अभ्युक्ष्यति स्म रतिकेलिनितान्ततान्ति- श्रान्तान्मनःकमलवृन्दपरागगर्भैः॥१२॥
Rāma in turn drenched them with masses of water held upon the petals of his lotus hands, with streams falling in succession from lotuses and laden with the pollen of their mind-lotuses, exhausted by the utter weariness of love’s play.
Passage 13
गोपाङ्गनाकुचतटीपरिलिप्तभूरि- काश्मीरचन्दनकुरङ्गमदप्रवाहैः। व्यामिश्रितं सपदि सारवमम्बु तत् त्रिवेणीप्रवाहपदवीमवहत् तदानीम्॥१३॥
Streams of abundant saffron, sandalwood, and musk washed from the slopes of the cowherd women’s breasts and mingled at once. That essence-filled water then assumed the course of a threefold sacred confluence.
Passage 14
वक्रत्विषा सरसिजानि दृशा द्विरेफान् गत्या मरालकुलमूर्मिकुलं त्रिवल्या। शैवालिकाः स्फुरदनुत्तमरोमपङ्क्त्या प्रापुः पराभवमनःस्खलनं सुसाम्यम्॥१४॥
Their radiance put the lotuses to shame, their eyes the bees, their gait the flocks of swans, their three waist-folds the waves, and their flashing, incomparable rows of fine hair the water-moss. These counterparts met defeat, while the mind stumbled before such perfect resemblance.
Passage 15
आलोडितं रघुवरेण सरो विलोल- वीचीविचालितसरोजपरागपूर्णम्। रेजे तमालकलिकानुकृते निजाङ्गे पीताम्बरद्युतिमवाप तदञ्जसैव॥१५॥
Stirred by the best of Raghus, the lake filled with lotus pollen shaken loose by restless waves. Upon his body, which resembled a tamāla bud, it immediately assumed the radiance of a yellow garment and shone.
Passage 16
नीचैरतुल्यमधरीयमथोत्तरीय- मुच्चैः कुचेषु च सकञ्चुकभावमञ्चत्। आन्दोलितं प्रियकरैर्व्रजकामिनीनां केलीसरोजलमनेकरुचा विरेजे॥१६॥
The water of the play-lake, stirred by their beloved’s hands, shone upon the women of Vraja in many colors: incomparable as a lower garment below, rising high upon their breasts as an upper garment, and taking the form of a bodice.
Passage 17
गोपी नितान्तमवगाह्य सरोजलेऽस्मिन् रामाङ्कसङ्गमवशादमृतादपीड्ये। सम्भोगसङ्गमसमुद्भवमङ्गसङ्गं व्याप्य स्थितं श्रमभरं मुमुचुः सलीलम्॥१७॥
Immersing themselves fully in the water of that lake, which through contact with Rāma’s lap was more satisfying than nectar, the gopīs playfully cast off the weight of fatigue that had filled their limbs after sexual union.
Passage 18
मन्दानिलप्रचलतीरमहीरुहेभ्यः सम्पातिनी विविधसौरभिपुष्पवृष्टिः। स्नान्तीषु गोपतरुणीषु चिरं बभासे संसूच्यमानपुरुषायितविक्रमेव॥१८॥
A shower of many fragrant flowers fell from the trees along the bank, stirred by the gentle breeze. Lingering over the bathing cowherd maidens, it appeared to proclaim their prowess in the woman-above posture.
Passage 19
सर्वाः समं प्रियतमं करयन्त्रिकाभि- राबध्य वारिपटलं परिषेचयन्त्यः। अम्भोधरं स्वकिरणैरभितः किरन्त्य- स्तारा इव द्युतिभृतो गगने विरेजुः॥१९॥
All together, the radiant women aimed sheets of water from their hand syringes and drenched their beloved. They shone like stars in the sky pouring their rays upon a cloud from every side.
Passage 20
कान्तोऽपि तासु बहुधा करयन्त्रबन्ध- धारायितानि सलिलानि नितान्तमुक्षन्। प्रावृट्पयोद इव काञ्चनवल्लरीषु धाराजलानि कलयन् नितरां रराज॥२०॥
Their beloved too shone splendidly, repeatedly releasing streams of water from his hand syringe upon them, like a rainy-season cloud sending showers over golden vines.
Passage 21
काश्चित्परस्परमुदीर्णरसाः सयूथं चक्रुः करोत्करबलैर्जलकेलियुद्धम्। याश्चैव बिभ्रति पराभवमत्र तासां पक्षे स्वयं भवति राघवसार्वभौमः॥२१॥
Some, their delight swelling against one another, formed teams and fought a water battle with the strength of volleys from their hands. Whenever a group began to suffer defeat, the sovereign Rāghava himself joined its side.
Passage 22
बिम्बाधरामृतनिपापरिरम्भचुम्ब- मुख्यैः करैर्विरचिताम्बुनियुद्धखेलः। निर्जित्य ताः सरसि सङ्कुचतीर्मृगाक्षी- र्जग्राह धावनकरी रसिकेन्द्र उच्चैः॥२२॥
The king of connoisseurs made the water battle a game whose principal acts were drinking the nectar of bimba-red lips, embracing, and kissing. Having defeated the doe-eyed women in the lake, he eagerly caught them as they drew back and fled.
Passage 23
ता एकसार्थमिलिता वनिता विजित्य शैवालिकानलिननालगुणैर्निबध्य। रामं त्रिलोकजनकं नयनाभिरामं चुम्बन्ति लान्ति बहुशः परिरम्भयन्ति॥२३॥
The women then united in a single band, overcame Rāma, and bound the eye-delighting father of the three worlds with cords of water-moss and lotus stalks. Again and again they kissed him, drew him close, and embraced him.
Passage 24
इत्थं परस्परमनेकविधां जलान्तः केलीं विधाय वनिताः सह वल्लभेन। पद्मैरनेकविधवर्णविराजिपत्रै- र्भूषाविधानमतुलं रचयाम्बभूवुः॥२४॥
After performing many kinds of mutual play in the water with their beloved, the women began to fashion incomparable ornaments from lotuses whose petals shone in many colors.
Passage 25
श्रुत्योर्विभूषणमकुर्वत कर्णिकाभिः पद्मच्छदैर्विरचयन् कुचकञ्चुकानि। केयूरहारवलयादिमृणालिकाभिः स्वच्छन्दमेव विदधुर्वनिताः प्रवीणाः॥२५॥
The skillful women freely made ear ornaments from lotus pericarps and bodices for their breasts from lotus petals; from lotus fibers they fashioned armlets, necklaces, bracelets, and more.
Passage 26
प्रत्यङ्गमेवमभिभूष्य सरोजहस्ता उत्तेरुरम्बुजदृशः सरसीजलेभ्यः। कान्तं निषेवितुमिताः पुरुषोत्तमं तं नेत्रोत्सवाः प्रियसुखामितरूपसाराः॥२६॥
Having thus adorned every limb, lotus-handed and lotus-eyed, they emerged from the lake’s waters to attend their beloved Puruṣottama. They were feasts for the eyes, the delight of their beloved, and embodiments of immeasurable beauty.
Passage 27
तासां पुरः कमलहारधरः समन्तात् किञ्जल्ककल्पितमनोहरमालिकाढ्यः। रामो मृणाललतिकारसनाभिरामो रेजे मतङ्गज इवानुसृतो गजीभिः॥२७॥
Before them went Rāma, wearing a lotus necklace, richly adorned with a lovely garland fashioned from filaments, and made beautiful by a girdle of tender lotus fibers. Followed by the women, he shone like a great elephant attended by she-elephants. --- Thus ends the thirty-seventh chapter, “Description of the Water Sports,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa in the Śrīmad Ādi Rāmāyaṇa. Textual notes The chapter begins on source leaf 300, occupies leaves 300–304, and ends with passage 27 and its complete colophon on physical PDF page 305. All twenty-seven passage numbers are sequential in the edition. The scan controls पृष्ठतः against the auxiliary transcription’s पृष्टतः in passage 2, सरसीगमनाध्वमध्ये against सरसोगमनाध्वमध्ये in passage 4, निबध्य against the mechanically broken निबद्।ह्ध्य in passage 23, and मालिकाढ्यः against मालिकाद्यः in passage 27. The difficult printed readings उक्षाम्बभूवुः in passage 11, सारवमम्बु in passage 13, and वक्रत्विषा in passage 14 are retained rather than replaced by conjecture; their English follows the parallel imagery and immediate syntax. Compounds and sandhi are otherwise normalized only where word division introduces no textual choice.