Chapter Three — Sarayu as a Newly Wedded Bride

Sands of ruby, beryl, diamond, and countless other luminous jewels made the supreme river glitter in white, dark, red, and many other colours. (8, completed)

Vīcī-dukūlā śata-patra-vaktrā nīlekṣaṇā cāru-kumudvatī-smitā,
Arāla-śaivāla-viśāla-keśī bhavyāmbarā navyavadhūr ivābhavat. (9)

The river became like a beautifully adorned new bride: her waves were a silken sari, white lotuses her face, blue lotuses her lovely eyes, and blooming water lilies her smile; curling water-plants formed her long hair, while her banks were splendid garments.

Praphullitaṃ cāru caturvidhaṃ mahat saroruhaṃ ṣaṭpada-rāji-veṣṭitam,
Kumudvatīndīvara-mañju-maṇḍitaṃ kallola-kāhlāda-jalaṃ vyabhāsat. (10)

Her blissful, surging waters shone with four great kinds of fully opened lotus—white, red, blue, and yellow—encircled by rows of bees and beautifully adorned with water lilies and blue lotuses.

Yatrākarāḥ Kaustubha-padmarāga-syamantavaṃśacchada-suprabhāṇām,
Nānā-maṇīnām atidīptikānāṃ vitarkitārka-pratimāś ca śarkarāḥ. (11)

There lay mines of Kaustubha-like gems, rubies, Syamantakas, vaṃśacchada stones, and many other intensely radiant jewels. The gravel itself shone with a brilliance comparable to the sun.

Cakrāṅga-dātyūha-sarāri-haṃsāḥ sadāra-kādamba-jala-kukkuṭādayaḥ,
Krīḍanti vrīḍāṃ parihṛtya sarve vasanti yatrākala-pakṣiṇaḥ. (12, continues)

Chakravakas, waterfowl, sarari birds, swans, kadambas with their mates, water-cocks, and many other birds abandoned all shyness and played upon the river.