Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— जानकी व्रजभक्तानां प्रेमवृत्तं निरन्तरम्। पश्यन्ती सस्पृहमना मुमुदे स्वेशसंगता॥१॥
Brahmā said: United with her Lord, Jānakī watched with longing the unbroken current of love among Vraja's devotees and rejoiced.
Passage 2
ताश्चित्रकूटगिरिकन्दररत्नशालाः प्रेयःप्रसक्तमुदितव्रजदारजुष्टाः। पश्यन्त्यथ प्रतिदिनं प्रणयप्रकर्षवृत्तान्तशीलनपरा मुमुदे भृशं सा॥२॥
Day after day she delighted in watching Citrakūṭa's jeweled cave halls, filled with joyful Vraja women attached to their beloved, and contemplated the unfolding of their intense love.
Passage 3
अणिमादिमहासिद्धिनिषेवितपदद्वया। सर्वात्मना व्यचष्टेषा व्रजलीलां मनोरमाम्॥३॥
Her two feet served by the great powers beginning with aṇimā, she devoted her whole being to beholding Vraja's enchanting līlā. Meetings, Jealousy, and Reconciliation
Passage 4
क्वचित्कुञ्जोद्देशे नवनवलतासान्द्रावृतिमति प्रगाढध्वान्तौघस्पृशि रहसि काञ्चिद्व्रजवधूम्। व्यचष्ट स्वच्छन्दं नवनिधुवनानन्दनिरतां तनोर्मध्ये काञ्चीमधुरमणितैर्लक्षिततमाम्॥४॥
In one secluded bower, thickly enclosed by ever-fresh vines and touched by a mass of deep darkness, she saw a Vraja woman freely absorbed in the joy of fresh love-play, revealed by the sweet tinkling of the girdle at her waist.
Passage 5
क्वचित्केलीकुञ्जे किमपि सहजां मानसरुषं विनीताभिर्वाग्भिः प्रसभमनुनेतुं प्रिय इतः। पदाम्भोजे यावत्पतति स भृशं तावदमुना कणत्केयूराभ्यां मृदुलनिजदोर्भ्यां हृदि धृतः॥५॥
In another play-bower, the beloved tried with humble words to appease Sahajā's mysterious anger. Just as he fell deeply at her lotus feet, she embraced him to her heart with soft arms whose bracelets rang.
Passage 6
क्वचित्प्रेयोवक्षःस्थलमितरयोषाकुचतटी- विलिप्तैः काश्मीरैश्छुरितमवलोक्य तरसा। रुषा न्यक्कुर्वीत प्रणयिनमियं यावदबला परिष्वज्याद्राक्षीद्रसमुरसि तावत्स चतुरः॥६॥
Elsewhere a young woman saw her beloved's chest stained with saffron from another woman's breasts and angrily began to rebuke him. The clever lover embraced her before she could finish, and she found rasa upon his chest.
Passage 7
क्वचित्क्रीडावासे प्रणयकलहाक्रान्तहृदया मनुनेतुं दूतीं रहसि कथयत्यात्मरमणः। जवाद्गत्वा वाच्यं त्वमसि रमणि प्राणदयिता त्वय्यत्ते मत्प्राणा गुणवति बहिर्गन्तुमुदिताः॥७॥
In a play chamber, a lover whose heart was troubled by a quarrel secretly instructed a messenger to appease his beloved: “Go quickly and tell her, ‘Beautiful, virtuous one, you are dearer than life; without you my very life is ready to depart.’”
Passage 8
निरागस्के मय्याकलयसि किमागः शशिमुखि प्रमाणं मे प्रेमा भवतु विगतान्यस्पृह इह। अदोषे दोषः कः प्रणयवति दोषो यदि भवे- त्त्रिवेणी ते दृष्टिस्तमपि सपदि क्षालयतु च॥८॥
“Moon-faced one, why imagine an offense in me when I am innocent? Let my love, free of desire for another, be the proof. How can there be fault in the faultless? If love has produced any fault, let the sacred confluence of your glance wash it away at once.”
Passage 9
इतीवोच्चैः पत्या रचितचतुरसंदेशवचनं समादाय क्रीडाभवनमथ दूती समगमत्। समाधाय प्रेयोवचनरचनातोऽप्यधिकया गिरा निर्मानां तां त्वरितमनयत्कान्तसविधे॥९॥
Taking these artful words composed by the lover, the messenger entered the private chamber. With speech even more skillful than his message, she dispelled the woman's pride and quickly led her to her beloved.
Passage 10
क्वचित्पायं पायं मधुरतरमन्योऽन्यमधर- द्वयोःस्थं पीयूषं परिणतिसुतृप्त्येकजनकम्। मुहुर्मीलन्नेत्रं मुहुरुदितसीत्कारचटुलं सकम्पं सस्तम्भं सपुलकमुभौ संविदधतः॥१०॥
Elsewhere the pair repeatedly drank the exceedingly sweet nectar held upon each other's lips, the sole source of complete satisfaction. Their eyes repeatedly closed, soft cries arose, and trembling, stillness, and horripilation appeared in them both.
Passage 11
क्वचित्क्रीडाकुञ्जे प्रणयकलहेनान्तरितया सरोषन्यक्कारावमतरमणायोगसहया। अथो भूयः सम्प्रेषितचतुरदूत्यामुगदृशा सचिन्तं सद्वारेक्षणमवहितं स्थीयत इह॥११॥
In another bower, a doe-eyed woman separated by a lovers' quarrel could not bear the loss of union after angrily rejecting him. Having again sent a clever messenger, she waited anxiously and attentively watched the doorway.
Passage 12
क्वचित्संकेतान्तः प्रियमनुपयातं दिशि दिशि प्रपश्यन्ती दूतीमसकृदुपलम्भैर्विधुनती। क्षिपन्ती ताम्बूलाभरणवसनालेपकुसुम- स्रजस्तप्ता तान्ता हृदि कथमिवास्ते शशिमुखी॥१२॥
At another rendezvous, a moon-faced woman searched every direction for the beloved who had not come, repeatedly reproached her messenger, and threw aside betel, ornaments, garments, cosmetics, flowers, and garlands. Exhausted and burning within, how could she remain composed?
Passage 13
स्तुवन्तावन्योऽन्यं चरणनतिकारौ गुणगणान् वदन्तावन्योऽन्यं रचितपरिरम्भौ सपुलकम्। पिबन्तावन्योऽन्यं दशनपटपीयूषपटलीं प्रमत्तावन्योऽन्यं समरसतयोभौ विहरतः॥१३॥
Elsewhere two lovers praised each other's qualities, bowed at each other's feet, embraced with horripilation, and drank the stream of nectar from each other's lips. Intoxicated with one another, they sported in a single shared rasa. Adornment and Anticipation
Passage 14
क्वचित्स्वप्रेयस्याः कुसुमवसनालंकृतिभरं स्वयं विन्यस्याद्रः प्रणयपरिपाकेन रमणः। स्वदाक्षिण्यव्यक्तिप्रवणहृदयो भूषणपरः स्वयं चासौ साक्षी परमसुषमां पश्यति रहः॥१४॥
In one place the tender lover, moved by ripened affection, personally arranged his beloved's flowers, garments, and ornaments. Intent upon displaying his graciousness, he became both her adornment and the witness who secretly beheld her supreme beauty.
Passage 15
क्वचित्प्रेयानद्यैव स मम सुखं वासक इति स्फुटाशाः सज्जन्ते वपुषि बहुशो मण्डनभरम्। सुगन्धोदकैः स्नात्वा दहदगुरुणा धूपितकचा- स्तनोः कान्त्या सद्यस्तडित इव राजन्ति वनिताः॥१५॥
Elsewhere women, clearly hoping that the beloved would come that very day to their prepared chamber, adorned their bodies lavishly. Bathed in fragrant water and their hair perfumed with burning aguru, they flashed at once like lightning through their bodily radiance.
Passage 16
सखीकर्णोपान्ते पुलकवतिलग्ना प्रियतम- प्रवृत्तिं कस्याश्चित्कथयति परं हर्षजननीम्। स्मितज्योत्स्नाजालैर्विदरितरहःसद्मतिमिरा स्फुरद्भूयो हारावलि किमपि सा वीक्षत उरः॥१६॥
A thrilled companion leaned close to a friend's ear and told joyful news of the beloved. The moonlight of the listener's smile split the darkness of the secret room, while the rows of necklaces upon her breast shone more brightly.
Passage 17
सखीभ्यः स्वोत्कर्षं प्रकटयितुमाभूषिततनु- र्मुहुर्द्वारे दृष्टिपरिलिखितचित्रेक्षणमिषात्। समौ लज्जाकामौ निजहृदि वहन्ती सुनिपुणा कुरङ्गाक्षी काचित्प्रकटयति नो वासकरसम्॥१७॥
One clever doe-eyed woman, her body adorned to display her superiority before her friends, repeatedly cast artful glances toward the door. Holding equal measures of modesty and desire in her heart, she tried not to reveal the rasa of awaiting her lover.
Passage 18
विधीयन्ते पर्वोत्सवकपटतः स्नानवसन- स्रगालेपालक्तच्छुरणमणिभूषाञ्जनमुखाः। सखीभिः षट्शृङ्गारा नवनिधुवनार्हाः सरभसं नवोढायाः कस्याश्चन हृदयमोहाय निभृतम्॥१८॥
Under the pretext of a festival, friends secretly and eagerly prepared a newly married woman for fresh love-play—with bathing, garments, garlands, cosmetics, red lac, jeweled ornaments, collyrium, and every adornment—to captivate her heart.
Passage 19
विरच्यन्ते तल्पाः क्वचन कलिकाभिः सुमनसां गुणैराबद्धाभिः कृतसमुचितन्यासविधिभिः। क्वचित्स्रक्ताम्बूलक्रमुककणिकासम्भृतिविधौ प्रियं स्मारं स्मारं शिथिलयति पाणी शशिमुखी॥१९॥
In one place beds were prepared from flower buds bound upon threads and arranged with care. Elsewhere, while gathering garlands, betel, areca nut, and fragrant grains, a moon-faced woman repeatedly remembered her beloved until her hands grew weak.
Passage 20
क्वचित्प्रातःकार्यं किमपि विनिवेद्यातिचतुरा मुहुः श्वश्रूं प्रस्वापयति पठितान् पिञ्जरशुकान्। पिधत्ते शीतोक्त्या शिशमयिषितं दीपकमपि प्रयुङ्क्ते न स्नेहैरसुरमणि उक्ता जिगमिषे॥२०॥
In one scene an exceedingly clever woman announced some supposed morning duty, repeatedly lulled her mother-in-law to sleep, quieted the talking parrots in their cages, and covered the lamp she wished to extinguish—carefully making ready to depart for her jewel-like lover.
Passage 21
क्वचित्केलीसद्मन्युदितमणिदीपद्युतिगल- त्तमिस्रे सोत्कण्ठा मनसि मिलितुं प्राणदयितम्। विलम्बं संवीक्ष्य प्रकटयति तर्कान् बहुतरान् विषीदत्युत्तान्ता स्वपिति च न जागर्ति च न सा॥२१॥
In a play chamber whose darkness was dispelled by rising jeweled lamps, a woman longed inwardly to meet the beloved of her life. Seeing his delay, she imagined many explanations, sank into grief and exhaustion, and could neither sleep nor remain awake.
Passage 22
क्वचित्कान्तं शृङ्गारयति विपरीतोत्सुकमना पुरा तेन प्रद्योतितपुरुषवेशातिशयिनी। स्फुरत्काञ्चीनासाभरणमणिताटङ्ककबरी- तुलाकोटीशाटीवलयतिलकालक्तकरसैः॥२२॥
Elsewhere a woman eager for reversed roles adorned her beloved, surpassing the masculine costume in which he had once dressed her, with shining girdle, nose ornament, jewels, earrings, coiffure, pendants, sari, bracelets, forehead mark, and red lac.
Passage 23
क्वचित्कुञ्जावासाद्रमणमभिसर्तुं कृतमना- स्त्वरातः सज्जन्ती वपुषि पटभूषादिरचनाम्। तुलाकोटीं कण्ठेऽर्पयति मणिहारं चरणयो- स्तथा बाह्वोः काञ्चीं श्रवणयुगले चाङ्गदयुगम्॥२३॥
In her haste to leave the bower and meet her lover, another woman misplaced every ornament: she put an anklet at her neck, a jeweled necklace on her feet, a girdle upon her arms, and two armlets upon her ears. Visions Born of Separation
Passage 24
समक्षं कान्तस्य क्वचन परमप्रेमपटली- महिम्ना हेमाङ्गी विरहपरितापेन युयुजे। विवर्णास्या पाण्डुद्युतिपरिमिलद्गण्डयुगला गलद्बाष्पोद्रेकोपहतनयना मौनमभजत्॥२४॥
Though her beloved stood before her, a golden-limbed woman became consumed by the pain of separation through the mysterious power of supreme love. Her face lost color, her cheeks grew pale, tears overwhelmed her eyes, and she fell silent.
Passage 25
क्वचित्कुञ्जागारे रहसि निवसन्ती व्रजवधू- स्त्रपावशयानाप्तप्रियपरिचयाकोविदसुहृत्। मुहुर्धावं धावं पुलकिततनुः प्राङ्गणगतं नभःश्यामं रामप्रियतमधियालिङ्गति मुहुः॥२५॥
A Vraja woman living secretly in a bower, governed by bashfulness, unfamiliar with her beloved, and attended by an equally inexperienced friend, repeatedly ran into the courtyard with body thrilled and embraced the dark sky, thinking it her dearest Rāma.
Passage 26
कदाचित्तापिच्छं विकचकलिकाकीर्णविटपं प्रियः साक्षादेष प्रसभमिति मत्वा सविधगा। रहःसंदेशोक्तीः कथयति पुनर्मौनकलितं तमालक्ष्य स्तब्धेत्यवददियमत्यर्थकुपिता॥२६॥
Once she approached a tamāla tree covered in opening buds, thinking, “Here is my beloved himself,” and told it her secret messages. When it remained silent, she grew extremely angry and said, “Look how stubborn he has become!”
Passage 27
क्वचिद्दृष्ट्वा काचित्सरसि नवमिन्दीवरवनं नवोल्लासश्रीमद्रमण इति सम्भ्रान्तहृदया। परीरब्धुं गाढं विनिहितमतिस्तोयमविश- द्धृता पश्चात्सख्या कथमपि मृगाक्षी निववृते॥२७॥
Seeing a fresh bed of blue lotuses in a lake, a doe-eyed woman took it for her newly radiant beloved and entered the water determined to embrace him tightly. Only when her companion pulled her back did she somehow return.
Passage 28
क्वचिद्दृष्ट्वा क्षुब्धा गिरिवरदरीगाढतिमिरं मुहुः स्मारं स्मारं रघुपतिममुह्यत्सुनयना। उपालेभे भूयः प्रणयिवर दृश्योऽसि बहुधा परं लभ्यो नासीत्त्यलमकृपतेऽन्वेषणशतः॥२८॥
Elsewhere a lovely-eyed woman, distressed in the deep darkness of a great mountain cave, repeatedly remembered Rāma and became bewildered. She complained: “Best of lovers, you appear everywhere, yet despite a hundred searches you remain unattainable—how merciless you are!” Citrakūṭa Becomes Pramodavana
Passage 29
इति जानकी विविधभावचित्रितं प्रणयं व्रजप्रणयिनीगणस्य तम्। स्वदृशा व्यचष्ट बहुकौतुकान्विता कमलेश्वरीप्रभृतिसत्सखीयुता॥२९॥
Thus Jānakī, filled with wonder and accompanied by Kamaleśvarī and her other noble companions, beheld with her own eyes the love of Vraja's beloved women, colored by many different emotions.
Passage 30
प्रतिकन्दरं प्रतिलतावनद्रुमं प्रतिकुञ्जमण्डपमखण्डकेलिना। रघुनन्दनेन रमणेन रागिणा रमिता रमा इव विजह्रुरङ्गनाः॥३०॥
In every cave, beside every vine, grove, and tree, and in every bower pavilion, the women sported like many Ramās, delighted without interruption by passionate Raghunandana, their lover.
Passage 31
रुचिरे प्रमोदवनकेलिमण्डपे विदधे यथा विलसितं निजेच्छया। सहजेश्वरीप्रणयिनीसहायवान् रमणस्तथैवमिह चित्रकूटके॥३१॥
Just as the lover, accompanied by Sahajeśvarī and her loving companions, freely displays his play in Pramodavana's beautiful līlā pavilion, so he did here upon Citrakūṭa. Source Note The Sanskrit follows source leaves 375–379 (printed pages 348–352). All thirty-one independent passages are continuously numbered in the source; the OCR's apparent repeated marker 22 is corrected by the clearly printed marker 23 on source leaf 378.