त्वं हि संहारबुद्ध्याऽथ प्रादुर्भूता रुषो मम। तस्मात्संहर सर्वास्त्वं प्रजाः सजडपण्डिताः
'You have arisen from my wrath with the intent to destroy; therefore, take away all creatures, both dull and wise.'
अविशेषेण चैव त्वं प्रजाः संहर भामिनि। मम त्वं हि नियोगेन ततः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यासि
'Without distinction, destroy all beings, O beautiful one; by my command you will thus attain the highest good.'
एवमुक्ता तु सा तेन मृत्युः कमललोचना। प्रारुदद्भृशसंविग्ना प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः
Thus addressed by him, Death, lotus-eyed, wept greatly, deeply distressed, and tears fell from her eyes.
पाणिभ्यां प्रतिजग्राह तान्यश्रूणि पितामहः। सर्वभूतहितार्थाय तां चाप्यनुनयत्तदा
With his hands, the grandsire gathered those tears, for the welfare of all beings, and then consoled her at that time.
सप्तगङ्गासु सा पुण्या कन्या वेतसकेषु च। तपोविशेषैर्बहुभिः कर्षयद्देहमात्मनः
In the seven Gangas, and in the Vetasaka groves, that pure maiden wore down her body with many intense austerities.
ततो गत्वा तु सा गङ्गां महामेरुं च केवलम्। तस्थौ चाश्मेव निश्चेष्टा प्राणायामपरायणा
Then she went to the Ganga and to the great Meru alone, and stood unmoving as a stone, devoted to breath-control.
पुनर्हिमवतो मूर्ध्नि यत्र देवाः पुराऽयजन्। तत्राङ्गुष्ठेन सा तस्थौ निखर्वंल परमा शुभा
Again, on the summit of Himavat, where the gods once performed sacrifice, she stood on her thumb, exceedingly radiant and most auspicious.
पुष्करेष्वथ गोकर्णे नैमिषे मलये तथा। अकर्शयत्स्वकं देहं नियमैर्मानसप्रियैः
In Pushkara, Gokarna, Naimisha, and also in Malaya, she wore down her body by disciplines dear to her mind.
अनन्यदेवता नित्यं दृढभक्ता पितामहे। तस्थौ पितामहं चैव तोषयामास धर्मतः
With unwavering devotion, always steadfast, she worshipped the grandsire, and by righteousness she pleased him.
ततस्तामब्रवीत्प्रीतो लोकानां प्रभवोऽव्ययः। सौम्येन मनसा राजन्प्रीतः प्रीतमनास्तदा
Then, pleased, the imperishable lord of the worlds spoke to her with a gentle mind, O king, delighted and well-disposed.
मृत्यो किमिदमत्यन्तं तपांसि चरसीति ह। ततोऽब्रवीत्पुनर्मृत्युर्भगवन्तं पितामहम्
O Death, why do you undertake such severe austerities? Thus questioned, Death again spoke to the revered Grandfather.
नाऽहं हन्यां प्रजा देव स्वस्थाश्चाक्रोशतीस्तथा। एतदिच्छामि सर्वेश त्वत्तो वरमहं प्रभो
O Lord, I do not wish to destroy living beings; let them remain unharmed and free from distress. This is the boon I desire from you, O Master of all.
अधर्मभयभीताऽस्मि ततोऽहं तप आस्थिता। भीतायास्तु महाभाग प्रयच्छाभयमव्यय
I am fearful of unrighteousness; therefore, I have embraced austerity. O illustrious one, grant me imperishable fearlessness, for I am afraid.
आर्ता चानागसी नारी याचामि भव मे गतिः। तामब्रवीत्ततो देवो भूतभव्यभविष्यवित्
Distressed and innocent, I, a woman, seek refuge in you; grant me a path. Then the Lord, knower of past, present, and future, spoke to her.
अधर्मो नास्ति ते मृत्यो संहरन्त्या इमाः प्रजाः। मया चोक्तं मृषा भद्रे भविता न कथञ्चन
O Death, there is no unrighteousness in you for taking away these beings. What I said before, O gentle one, was false; it shall never come to pass.
तस्मात्संहर कल्याणि प्रजाः सर्वाश्चतुर्विधाः। धर्मः सनातनश्च त्वां सर्वथा पावयिष्यति
Therefore, O auspicious one, take away all four kinds of creatures. The eternal Dharma will purify you in every way.
लोकपालो यमश्चैव सहाया व्याधयश्च ते। अहं च विबुधाश्चैव पुनर्दास्याम ते वरम्
Yama, the guardian of the world, and diseases will be your helpers. I and the gods will again grant you a boon.
यथा त्वमेनसा मुक्ता विरजाः ख्यातिमेष्यसि
Thus, freed from sin, you will attain renowned purity.
पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वाक्यं प्रसाद्य शिरसा तदा। यद्येवमेतत्कर्तव्यं धर्मतो नास्त्यतो भयम्
Then, bowing her head in reverence, she again spoke: If this must be done, and there is no unrighteousness in it, then I have no fear.
तवाज्ञा मूर्ध्नि मे न्यस्ता यत्ते वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु। लोभः क्रोधोऽभ्यसूयेर्ष्या द्रोहो मोहश्च देहिनां
Your command is placed upon my head; listen to what I say: Greed, anger, envy, jealousy, hostility, and delusion afflict embodied beings.
तथा भविष्यते मृत्यो साधु संहर भोः प्रजाः। अधर्मस्ते न भविता नापध्यास्याम्यहं शुभे
So it shall be, O Death; go forth and take away the creatures. No unrighteousness will arise for you, nor will I reproach you, O auspicious one.
यान्यश्रुबिन्दूनि करे ममासं-- स्ते व्याधयः प्राणिनामात्मजाताः। ते मारयिष्यन्ति नरान्गतासू-- न्नाधर्मस्ते भविता मा स्म भैषीः
The drops of tears that fell from my hand became diseases born from myself for living beings. They will slay men when their life departs; no unrighteousness will arise for you, do not be afraid.
नाधर्मस्ते भविता प्राणिनां वै त्वं वै धर्मस्त्वं हि धर्मस्य चेशा। धर्म्या भूत्वा धर्मनित्या धरित्री तस्मात्प्राणान्सर्वथेमान्नियच्छ
No unrighteousness will arise for living beings; you are Dharma, and indeed the ruler of Dharma. Having become righteous and always devoted to Dharma, O Earth, therefore restrain all these lives.
मिथ्यावृत्तं मारयिष्यत्यधर्मः
Unrighteousness will slay those who act falsely.
तेनात्मानं पावयस्वात्मना त्वं पापेऽऽत्मानं मज्जयिष्यन्त्यसत्यात्। तस्मात्कामं रोषमप्यागतं त्वं सन्त्यज्यान्तः संहरस्वेति जीवान्
Therefore, purify yourself by your own self; the wicked will plunge themselves into evil through falsehood. So, even if desire or anger arises, abandon them within and take away the lives.
सा वै भीमा मृत्युसंज्ञोपदेशा-- च्छापाद्भीता बाढमित्यब्रवीत्तम्। सा च प्राणं प्राणिनामन्तकाले कामक्रोधौ त्यज्य हरत्यसक्ता
Thus, the dreadful instruction called Death, fearing the curse, replied, 'So be it.' She takes the life of living beings at the end, abandoning desire and anger, unattached.
मृत्युस्त्वेषां व्याधयस्तत्प्रसूता व्याधी रोगो रुज्यते येन जन्तुः। सर्वेषां च प्राणिनां प्रायणान्ते तस्माच्छोकं माकृथा निष्फलं त्वम्
Death, diseases born from her, are those ailments by which creatures suffer. At the end of all beings' lives, therefore, do not grieve fruitlessly.
सर्वे देवाः प्राणिभिः प्रायणान्ते गत्वा वृत्ताः सन्निवृत्तास्तथैव। एवं सर्वे प्राणिनस्तत्र गत्वा वृत्ता देवा मर्त्यवद्राजसिंह
All the gods, at the end of beings' lives, depart and cease, just as all creatures do. Thus, O lion among kings, the gods also perish there like mortals.
वायुर्भीमो भीमनादो महौजा भेत्ता देहान्प्राणिनां सर्वगोऽसौ। नो वा वृत्तिं कदाचि-- त्प्राप्नोत्युग्रोऽनन्ततेजोविशिष्टः
Bhima is like the wind—mighty, terrible in his roar, of great energy, the destroyer of bodies, pervading all beings. He never fails in his purpose; fierce, possessed of boundless brilliance, he is exceptional.
सर्वे देवा मर्त्यसंज्ञाविशिष्टा-- स्तस्मात्पुत्रं माशुचो राजसिंह। स्वर्गं प्राप्तो मोदते ते तनूजो नित्यं रम्यान्वीरलोकानवाप्य
All the gods, though called mortals, are distinguished—therefore, O lion among kings, do not grieve for your son. He has attained heaven and rejoices, having reached the delightful realms of heroes forever.