त्वया हि पृथिवी राजन्रक्ष्यमाणा महात्मना। भविष्यति निरुद्विग्ना नारण्यं गन्तुमर्हसि
For, O great-souled King, with you protecting the earth, there will be no anxiety; you ought not to go to the forest.
पालन हि महान्धर्मः प्रजानामिह दृश्यते। न तथा दृश्यतेऽरण्ये माभूत्ते बुद्धिरीदृशी
Indeed, the great duty of protecting the people is seen here; not so in the forest—let not such an idea arise in you.
ईदृशो न हि राजेन्द्र धर्मः क्वचन दृश्यते। प्रजानां पालने यत्नः पुरा राजर्षिभिः कृतः
Such a duty, O king of kings, is never seen elsewhere; in former times, royal sages exerted themselves in the protection of their people.
रक्षितव्याः प्रजा राज्ञा तास्त्वं रक्षितुमर्हसि। निरुद्विग्नस्तपस्तप्तुं न हि शक्नोमि पार्थिव
The people must be protected by the king; you ought to protect them. O ruler, I cannot undertake asceticism without freedom from fear.
ममाश्रमसमीपे वै समेषु मरुधन्वसु। समुद्रवालुकापूर्ण उज्जालक इति स्मृतः। बहुयोजनविस्तीर्णो बहुयोजनमायतः
Near my hermitage, on the level plains of Marudhanva, there is a place called Ujjālaka, filled with ocean sand, vast in length and breadth for many yojanas.
तत्र रौद्रो दानवेन्द्रो महावीर्यपराक्रमः। मधुकैटभयोः पुत्रो धुन्धुर्नाम सुदारुणः। अन्तर्भूमिगतो राजन्वसत्यमितविक्रमः
There dwells a fierce lord of the Dānavas, of great strength and valor, named Dhundhu, the dreadful son of Madhu and Kaitabha, who lives underground, O King, possessing immeasurable might.
तं निहत्य महाराज वनं त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि
Having slain him, O great king, you should proceed to the forest.
शेते लोकविनाशाय तप आस्थाय दारुणम्। त्रिदशानां विनाशाय लोकानां चापि पार्थिव
He lies in severe asceticism, intent on the destruction of the worlds, O king, for the ruin of the gods and all beings.
अवध्यो दैवतानां हि दैत्यानामथ रक्षसाम्। नागानामथ यक्षाणां गन्धर्वाणां च सर्वशः। अवाप्यस वरं राजन्सर्वलोकपितामहात्
He is invulnerable to the gods, the demons, the Rākṣasas, the serpents, the Yakṣas, and all the Gandharvas, O king, having obtained this boon from the Grandsire of all worlds.
तं विनाशय भद्रं ते मा ते बुद्धिरतोऽन्यथा। प्राप्स्यसे महतीं कीर्तिं शाश्वतीमव्ययां ध्रुवाम्
Destroy him—may good be yours!—let your mind not turn otherwise; you will attain great and everlasting, undecaying fame.
क्रूरस्य तस्य स्वपतो वालुकान्तर्हितस्य च। संवत्सरस्य पर्यन्ते निःश्वासः संप्रवर्तते
At the end of the year, the breath of that cruel one, as he sleeps hidden among the sands, is released.
यदा तदा भूश्चलति सशैलवनकानना। तस्य निःश्वासवातेन रज उद्धूयते महत्
Then the earth, with its mountains, forests, and groves, trembles; by the wind of his breath, a great dust is stirred up.
आदित्यरथमाश्रित्य सप्ताहं भूमिकम्पनम्। सविस्फुलिङ्गं सज्वालं धूममिश्रं सुदारुणम्
For seven days, relying on the chariot of the sun, there is a shaking of the earth, with sparks, blazing flames, and dreadful smoke.
तेन राजन्न शक्नोमि तस्मिन्स्तातुं स्वआंश्रमे
Because of this, O king, I am unable to remain in my own hermitage.
तं विनाशय राजेन्द्र लोकानां हितकाम्यया। लकाः स्वस्था भविष्यन्ति तस्मिन्विनिहतेऽसुरे
Destroy him, O king of kings, out of desire for the welfare of the worlds; when that Asura is slain, the people will be at peace.
धुन्धुनामानमत्युग्रं दानवं धोरविग्रहम्। समरे धोरतुमुले विनाशय महेषुणा
Destroy in battle, with mighty weapons, the exceedingly fierce Dānava named Dhundhu, of terrible form, in the tumult of war.
त्वं हि तस्य विनाशाय पर्याप्त इति मे मतिः। तेजसा तव तेजश्च विष्णुराप्यायविष्यति
For you are sufficient for his destruction, so I believe; by your energy, even Viṣṇu's energy will be increased.
विष्णुना च वरो दत्तः पूर्वं मम महीपते
And a boon was formerly granted to me by Viṣṇu, O king.
यस्तं महासुरं रौद्रं वधिष्यति महीपतिः। तेजस्तद्वैष्णवमिति प्रवेक्ष्यति दुरासदम्
Whoever, O king, shall slay that terrible great Asura, that invincible one, shall enter that Vaiṣṇava energy.
तत्तेजस्त्वंसमाधाय राजेन्द्र भुवि दुःसहम्। तं निषूदय संदिष्टो दैत्यं रौद्रपराक्रमम्
Having taken up that energy, O king of kings, which is unbearable on earth, strike down, as commanded, that Daitya of dreadful might.
न हि धुन्धुर्महातेजास्तेजसाऽल्पेन शक्यते। निर्दग्धुं पृथिवीपाल स हि वर्षशतैरपि
For Dhundhu, of great energy, cannot be consumed by little energy, O protector of the earth, not even in a hundred years.
धुन्धुर्नाम महाराज तयोः पुत्रो महाद्युतिः। स तपोऽतप्यत महन्महावीर्यपराक्रमः
Dhundhu by name, O great king, was the son of those two, possessed of great brilliance; he performed severe austerities, being of immense strength and valor.
अतिष्ठदेकपादेन कृशो धमनिसंततः। तस्मै ब्रह्मा ददौ प्रीतो वरं वव्रे स च प्रभुम्
He stood on one foot, emaciated, with veins showing; to him, Brahmā, being pleased, granted a boon, and he chose the lord.
देवदानवयक्षाणां सर्पगन्धर्वरक्षसाम्। अवध्योऽहं भवेयं वै वर एष वृतो मया
Let me be invulnerable to the gods, Dānavas, Yakṣas, serpents, Gandharvas, and Rākṣasas—this is the boon I have chosen.
एवं भवतु गच्छेति तमुवाच पितामहः। स एवमुक्तस्तत्पादौ मूर्ध्ना स्पृष्ट्वा जगाम ह
So be it, go forth—thus spoke the Grandsire to him. Thus addressed, he touched his feet with his head and departed.
सतु धुन्धुर्वरं लब्ध्वा महवीर्यपराक्रमः। अनुस्मरन्पितृवधं द्रुतं विष्णुमुपागमत्
Having obtained the boon from Dhundhu, that mighty and valiant one, remembering his father's death, swiftly approached Vishnu.
सतु देवान्सगन्धर्वाञ्जित्वा धुन्धुरमर्षणः। बबाध सर्वानसकृद्विष्णुं देवांश्च वै भृशम्
That Dhundhu, filled with wrath, after defeating the gods and Gandharvas, repeatedly harassed Vishnu and the gods greatly.
समुद्रवालुकापूर्णे उज्जानक इति स्मृते। आगम्य च स दुष्टात्मा तं देशं भरतर्षभ। बाधतेस्म परं शक्त्या तमुदङ्काश्रमं विभो
In the place known as Ujjānaka, filled with ocean sand, O best of Bharatas, that wicked-souled one came to that region and began to torment with supreme power the hermitage of Udanka.
अन्तर्भूमिगतस्तत्र वालुकान्तर्हितस्तथा। मधुकैटभयोः पुत्रो धुन्धुर्भीमपराक्रमः
There, hidden beneath the earth and concealed within the sand, was Dhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha, of terrible might.
शेते लोकविनाशाय तपोबलमुपाश्रितः। उदङ्कस्याश्रमाभ्याशे निःश्वसन्पावकार्चिषः
He lay there, relying on the power of his austerities, breathing flames, near Udanka's hermitage, intent on the destruction of the worlds.