Passage 1
श्रीशुक उवाच— अथास्याः शोभना नाम धात्री विस्मितमानसा। श्रीराजिन्यै समाचख्यौ वृत्तं वटतले यथा॥१॥
Śrī Śuka said: Then her nurse named Śobhanā, her mind filled with wonder, told Śrī Rājinī exactly what had occurred beneath the banyan.
Passage 2
शोभनोवाच— अहो प्रेमातिपुष्ट्यास्ते बाल्य एव मुमोह या। रामे सर्वगुणारामे दृगानन्दे कलानिधौ॥२॥
Śobhanā said: Ah, your daughter's love is exceedingly mature! Even in childhood she has swooned for Rāma, the abode of every virtue, the delight of the eyes, and the treasury of all arts.
Passage 3
अतः परं किं नु सखि कुर्याद्वयसि संस्थिता। विनैव वयउद्भावमेतावान् प्रेमवारिधिः॥३॥
Friend, what will she do later when she reaches maturity? Even before the awakening of age, her ocean of love is already so vast.
Passage 4
रामेन्दुमस्याः पश्यन्त्याश्चक्षुः साश्रुकलोदयम्। वपुः सकम्परोमाञ्चं प्रलीनेन्द्रियकं मनः॥४॥
As she looked upon the moonlike Rāma, her eyes welled with tears, her body trembled and thrilled with horripilation, and her mind withdrew all the senses.
Passage 5
कथंचिदपि हायाता स्वाङ्कमारोप्य ते सुताम्। तत्स्थानादानिनायाहं यत्र दृष्टवती तु ताम्॥५॥
I somehow returned after lifting your daughter into my arms and brought her away from the place where I had seen her.
Passage 6
इयं हि पतितैव स्यात्प्रेमाघूर्णा महीतले। हस्ते वटतरोः शाखामवलम्ब्य सुसंस्थिता॥६॥
Reeling with love, she would certainly have fallen to the ground had she not firmly caught a branch of the banyan in her hand.
Passage 7
अस्मिन् वयसि नेदृग्वै प्रेम दृष्टोऽथवा श्रुतः। रसिकेयं दर्शनस्य रसिकाख्या भविष्यति॥७॥
At such an age, love like this has never been seen or heard of. She is a connoisseur of vision and will become renowned as Rasikā.
Passage 8
एकं जाने गोपपत्नि मा चिन्ते विस्मिता भव। अनयोः पूर्वभाविकः सम्बन्धः खलु दृश्यते॥८॥
Cowherd lady, I know one thing: do not worry or remain astonished. A bond from a former existence is plainly visible between these two,
Passage 9
अनुरूपवपोवेशरूपालङ्कारयुक्तयोः। इति धात्रीवचः श्रुत्वा सोत्कण्ठा राजिनी स्वयम्॥९॥
whose bodies, dress, beauty, and ornaments perfectly correspond. Hearing these words from the nurse, Rājinī herself became eager.
Passage 10
द्रष्टुकामा तयोः प्रेम राममानय तद्गृहात्। तामेव शोभनां नाम प्रेषयामास तं व्रजम्॥१०॥
Wishing to see the love between them, she told Śobhanā to bring Rāma from his home and sent that same nurse to the other cowherd settlement. Māṅgalyā and Rāma Visit Pālīgrāma
Passage 11
सुखितस्य गृहं यत्र राजते सकलर्द्धिमत्। संध्यायाः पूजनं सायं करोति सहजा स्वयम्॥११॥
She went to Sukhita's home, which shone with every prosperity. Sahajā herself was to perform the evening worship at sunset.
Passage 12
तत्रोत्सवे समागच्छ मातः सुखितगेहिनि। सुतं चानय रामेन्द्रं त्वं निजाङ्कविभूषणम्॥१२॥
Mother, lady of Sukhita's house, come to that celebration and bring your son Rāmendra, the ornament of your lap.
Passage 13
इति धात्र्योदिता देवी माङ्गल्यातियशस्विनी। विहस्यामन्त्रणं मेने कृत्वा शृङ्गारमादरात्॥१३॥
Thus addressed by the nurse, the greatly renowned goddess Māṅgalyā smiled and accepted the invitation, adorning herself with care.
Passage 14
पालीग्रामं प्रचलितवती वस्त्रभूषादियुक्ता श्रीमाङ्गल्या परममुदिता रामचन्द्रस्य माता। तत्सार्थोऽसौ नव इव घनो नीलपङ्केरुहाङ्गो रामः साक्षान्मदनविजयी जग्मिवान् सप्रमोदः॥१४॥
Śrī Māṅgalyā, Rāmacandra's mother, set out joyfully for Pālīgrāma, arrayed in garments and ornaments. Rāma went happily with her company, his body like a fresh cloud or blue lotus, himself the manifest conqueror of Love.
Passage 15
अग्रे पुरस्कृत्य शुभाः पुरन्ध्रीर्माङ्गल्यका सम्प्रविवेश पालीम्। सा द्वारपर्यन्तमुपेत्य सम्यक् सम्मानिता नन्दनगोपपत्न्या॥१५॥
Placing the auspicious matrons before her, Māṅgalyā entered Pālīgrāma. Nandana's cowherd wife came as far as the gate and welcomed her with full honor.
Passage 16
अथाभिसायं कुसुमावचायं कर्तुं समस्तालिजनैः समेता। वनं जगाम प्रमुदाभिधानं विभूषिताङ्गी सहजा सखीभिः॥१६॥
Toward evening, adorned Sahajā went with all her companions into the forest called Pramuda to gather flowers.
Passage 17
तत्रालिवर्गैः सहजा प्रसूनान्यवाप्तशोभावविचाय बाला। अनेकजातिद्रुमवल्लिजैस्तै रामण्डिता चाक्षमहासखीभिः॥१७॥
There young Sahajā gathered splendid flowers with her circle of companions, and her skillful chief friends adorned her with blossoms from many kinds of trees and vines. Rāma Appears as the Cowherd Girl Kṛṣṇā
Passage 18
तत्रान्तरे च रामोऽपि कृत्वा रूपान्तरग्रहम्। सखीवेशेन तत्पार्श्वमगमत् कौतुकान्वितः॥१८॥
Meanwhile Rāma assumed another form and, filled with playful curiosity, approached her side in the dress of a companion.
Passage 19
पूर्वं तु तासां चपलोज्ज्वलानां निभाल्य कुञ्जान्तरितः सुकेलीः। अथाभ्यगच्छन्मुदितो विलासी कुतूहलाक्तः सहजां वनान्ते॥१९॥
First the playful Lord hid within a bower and watched the lovely games of those bright and lively girls. Then, joyful and filled with curiosity, he approached Sahajā deep in the forest.
Passage 20
तां वीक्ष्य कृष्णां सहजां मनोज्ञां सलीलसर्वावयवाढ्यरूपाम्। विचित्रकेलीभिरदृष्टपूर्वां पप्रच्छ मन्दस्मितरञ्जितोष्ठी॥२०॥
Sahajā saw that dark, captivating girl, whose graceful form was lovely in every limb and whose wondrous play she had never seen before. Her lips colored by a gentle smile, Sahajā asked her:
Passage 21
कासि त्वमम्भोजदलायताक्षि साक्षाद्रतिस्पर्धिस एव दीनाः। तवैव रूपेण विचित्रिता मे सखीसमात्यन्तविचक्षणापि॥२१॥
Who are you, lotus-petal-eyed girl, a manifest rival to Rati? Even my exceedingly clever companions have been left astonished by your beauty.
Passage 22
सोवाच मन्दस्मितशोभितास्या गोपालकन्याहमिह प्रसिद्धा। व्रजे खलु श्रीसुखितेन्द्रगेहे वसामि सर्वर्द्धिसमूहयुक्ते॥२२॥
She, her face beautified by a gentle smile, replied: I am known here as a cowherd girl. In this Vraja I live in Śrī Sukhitendra's home, which possesses every prosperity.
Passage 23
इच्छाम्यहं दीर्घदृशा त्वयैकं सख्यं सखीवृन्दसमन्वितापि। तत्त्वामुपेतास्मि सखीं वयस्यां गृहाण मां सादरमिन्दुवक्त्रे॥२३॥
Long-eyed girl, though you are surrounded by a circle of companions, I desire an exclusive friendship with you. Therefore I have approached you; moon-faced one, respectfully accept me as your intimate friend.
Passage 24
इतीरिता सापि तया सुसख्या प्रत्यग्रहीत्तां समरूपवेशाम्। तस्यास्ततोऽंसे स्वभुजं निधाय वनान्तरे सातिचचार तत्र॥२४॥
Thus addressed, Sahajā accepted her as a true friend, equal to herself in beauty and dress. Placing her arm upon the girl's shoulder, she wandered with her through the forest.
Passage 25
कृष्णा सखी त्वं मम हृदयरूपा त्वां वीक्ष्य यातास्मि यथाभिलाषम्। तथैव धात्रा विहितं च सख्यं सदैव नौ चात्र प्रमुद्वनेऽस्मिन्॥२५॥
Kṛṣṇā, you are my companion and the very form of my heart; seeing you, I have attained my desire. May the Creator ordain that our friendship endure forever here in this Pramudavana.
Passage 26
एकं तु विज्ञाप्यमतीव मे त्वयि ग्रामं न यामः सुखितस्य सम्प्रति। त्वामन्नवस्त्राञ्जनलेपनक्रियाविभूषणैः स्वे गृह एव सेवये॥२६॥
I have one earnest request for you: let us not go now to Sukhita's village. Let me serve you in my own home with food, clothing, collyrium, fragrant ointments, and ornaments.
Passage 27
कृष्णोवाच— समागमो नौ वन एव संगतो न चान्यथा नागरिनन्दनालये। केयं कुतो वेति विमर्शिता पुनः स्थास्याम्यहं तत्र कथं नु सुन्दरि॥२७॥
Kṛṣṇā said: Our meeting is fitting only in the forest, not elsewhere in Nandana's settlement. They would deliberate, “Who is she, and where has she come from?” Beautiful one, how could I remain there?
Passage 28
सहजोवाच— एवं चेद्वन एवात्र दर्शनं दास्यसि प्रिये। यथा न नौ विप्रयोगो भवेत्क्वापि कलावति॥२८॥
Sahajā said: If that is so, beloved, then grant me your sight here in the forest so that we two may never be separated anywhere, accomplished girl. The Promise, Ring, and Disappearance
Passage 29
श्रीशुक उवाच— इत्थं विरच्य सत्यानि तया श्रीसहजाह्वया। वनान्निववृते कृत्वा पुष्पावचयनक्रियाम्॥२९॥
Śrī Śuka said: After making these solemn promises with the girl called Śrī Sahajā and completing the gathering of flowers, she turned back from the forest.
Passage 30
कृष्णा सखी ददौ तस्यै निजरत्नाङ्गुलीयकम्। यस्य धारणमात्रेण वियोगो नैव बाधते॥३०॥
Her friend Kṛṣṇā gave Sahajā her own jeweled ring. Merely by wearing it, the pain of separation would not afflict her.
Passage 31
सापि कृष्णा नाम सखी पालीग्रामस्य पार्श्वतः। ययौ सहजया सार्धमग्रेऽन्तर्धिमगात्ततः॥३१॥
That companion named Kṛṣṇā walked with Sahajā as far as the edge of Pālīgrāma; beyond that point she vanished.
Passage 32
तद्वीक्ष्य सर्वधात्रीणामभूच्चेतसि विस्मयः। गवेषयन्त्योऽपि च तां समन्तान्नैव लेभिरे॥३२॥
Seeing this, all the nurses were filled with wonder. Though they searched for her in every direction, they could not find her.