ततः कालेन महता मेनका परमाप्सराः। पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ स्नातुं समुपचक्रमे॥ तां ददर्श महातेजा मेनकां कुशिकात्मजः। रूपेणाप्रतिमां तत्र विद्युतं जलदे यथा ॥ कन्दर्पदर्पवशगो मुनिस्तामिदमब्रवीत्। अप्सरः स्वागतं तेऽस्तु वस चेह ममाश्रमे॥
tataḥ kālena mahatā menakā paramāpsarāḥ| puṣkareṣu naraśreṣṭha snātuṃ samupacakrame|| tāṃ dadarśa mahātejā menakāṃ kuśikātmajaḥ| rūpeṇāpratimāṃ tatra vidyutaṃ jalade yathā || kandarpadarpavaśago munistāmidamabravīt| apsaraḥ svāgataṃ te'stu vasa ceha mamāśrame||
English Meaning
And, O foremost of men, it came to pass that after a long lapse of time that prime of Apsaras, Menaka, was at that time perforining her ablutions in Puskara, and she was observed by Kusika's son like to lighting among clouds. And coming under the control of Kandarpa, (Cupid) the anchorite spoke to her, saying, 'O Apsari, has your journey been a pleasant one? Do you abide in my asylum.'
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)