नार्युवाच - राजन् मां बाधतेत्यर्थं विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । तपः करोति यद्घोरं मदर्थं कौशिको वने
The woman said: 'O king, Viśvāmitra, the great sage, is troubling me; he performs fierce austerities in the forest for my sake.'
तेनाहं दुःखिता राजन् विषये तव सुव्रत । विद्धि मां कमनां कान्तां पीडितां मुनिना भृशम्
'Because of him, O righteous king, I am distressed in your realm. Know me, O handsome one, as a beloved who is greatly afflicted by the sage.'
राजोवाच - स्वस्था भव विशालाक्षि न ते दुःखं भविष्यति । तमहं वारयिष्यामि मुनिं तापपरायणम्
The king said: 'Be at ease, O wide-eyed one, you shall not suffer. I will restrain that sage, devoted to austerity.'
इत्याश्वास्य स्त्रियं राजा तरसा मुनिसन्निधौ । नत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा तमुवाच महीपतिः
Thus comforting the woman, the king quickly approached the sage, bowed his head, and spoke to him.
स्वामिन्किं क्रियतेऽत्यर्थं तपसा देहपीडनम् । किमर्थं ते समारम्भो ब्रूहि सत्यं महामते
'O master, why do you torment your body with austerity? For what purpose is this effort? Tell me truly, O wise one.'
वाञ्छितं तव गाधेय करोमि सफलं किल । उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ तरसा तपसालमतः परम्
'O descendant of Gādhi, whatever you desire, I shall fulfill it. Arise, arise quickly; enough of this severe austerity.'
विषये मम सर्वज्ञ न कर्तव्यं सुदारुणम् । लोकपीडाकरं घोरं तपः केनापि कर्हिचित्
In my domain, O all-knowing one, no one should ever perform such harsh austerity—never anything dreadful that brings suffering to the people.
इत्थं निषिध्य तं राजा विश्वामित्रं गृहं ययौ । मनसा क्रोधमाधाय गतोऽसौ कौशिको मुनिः
Thus forbidding him, the king returned home, while the sage Kauśika departed, harboring anger in his mind.
स गत्वा चिन्तयामास नृपकृत्यमसाम्प्रतम् । वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं तपसः प्रतिषेधनम्
Having gone, he began to ponder the king’s improper actions and the conversation with Vasiṣṭha regarding the prohibition of austerities.
कोपाविष्टेन मनसा प्रतीकारमथाकरोत् । विचिन्त्य बहुधा चित्ते दानवं घोरविग्रहम्
Filled with wrath in his mind, he devised retaliation, considering in many ways a fierce demon-form.
प्रेषयामास तद्देशं विधाय सूकराकृतिम् । सोऽतिकायो महाकालः कुर्वन्नादं सुदारुणम्
He sent to that place a being in the form of a boar; that mighty, colossal Mahākāla made a terrifying roar.
राज्ञश्चोपवने प्राप्तस्त्रासयन् रक्षकांस्तदा । मालतीनां च खण्डानि कदम्बानां तथैव च
Arriving in the king’s garden, he frightened the guards, and broke branches of mālatī and kadamba trees.
यूथिकानां च वृन्दानि कम्पयंश्च मुहुर्मुहुः । दन्तेन विलिखन्भूमिं समुन्मूलयते द्रुमान्
He shook clusters of yūthikā flowers again and again, scratched the ground with his tusks, and uprooted trees.
चम्पकान्केतकीखण्डान्मल्लिकानां च पादपान् । करवीरानुशीरांश्च निचखान शुभान्मृदून्
He dug up campaka and ketakī branches, mallikā trees, and also soft, auspicious karavīra and śīra plants.
मुचुकुन्दानशोकांश्च बकुलांस्तिलकांस्तथा । उन्मूल्य कदनं तत्र चकार सूकरो वने
He uprooted mucukunda, aśoka, bakula, and tilaka trees, and there the boar wrought destruction in the forest.
वाटिकारक्षकाः सर्वे दुद्रुवुः शस्त्रपाणयः । हाहेति चुक्रुशुस्तत्र मालाकारा भृशातुराः
All the garden guards fled, weapons in hand; the garland-makers cried out 'Alas!' in great distress.
बाणैः सन्ताड्यमानोऽपि यदा त्रस्तो न वै मृगः । रक्षकान्पीडयामास कोलः कालसमद्युतिः
Though struck by arrows, the beast was not afraid; that boar, radiant as death, tormented the guards.
ते तदातिभयाक्रान्ता राजानं शरणं ययुः । तमूचुस्त्राहि त्राहीति वेपमाना भयाकुलाः
Overcome by extreme fear, they sought refuge with the king, saying, 'Protect us! Protect us!' trembling and overwhelmed by terror.
तानागतान्समालोक्य भयार्तान्भूपतिस्तदा । पप्रच्छ किं भयं कस्मान्मां ब्रुवन्तु समागताः
Seeing them arrive, distressed by fear, the king then asked, 'What is the danger? Why have you come to me? Speak, all of you.'
नाहं बिभेमि देवेभ्यो राक्षसेभ्यश्च रक्षकाः । कस्माद्भयं समुत्पन्नं तद्ब्रुवन्तु ममाग्रतः
I do not fear gods or demons, O guards; from where has this fear arisen? Let them tell me directly.
हन्मि चैकेन बाणेन तं शत्रुं दुर्भगं किल । यो मेऽरातिः समुत्पन्नो लोके पापमतिः खलः
I will slay that wretched enemy with a single arrow—whoever has arisen as my adversary in the world, that wicked one of evil mind.
देवो वा दानवो वापि तं निहन्मि शरैः शितैः । क्व तिष्ठति कियद्रूपः कियद्बलसमन्वितः
Whether god or demon, I will kill him with sharp arrows; where does he stand, what is his form, and with what strength is he endowed?
मालाकारा ऊचुः - न देवो न च दैत्योऽस्ति न यक्षो न च किन्नरः । कश्चित्कोलो महाकायो राजंस्तिष्ठति कानने
The garland-makers said: 'He is neither god nor demon, neither yakṣa nor kinnara; some boar of immense size, O king, stands in the forest.'
पुष्पवृक्षानतिमृदून्दन्तेनोन्मूलयत्यसौ । विदीर्णं तद्वनं सर्वं सूकरेणातिरंहसा
He uproots the exceedingly soft flowering trees with his tusks; the entire forest has been torn apart by the boar’s violence.
विशिखैस्ताडितोऽस्माभिर्दृषद्भिर्लकुटैस्तथा । न बिभेति महाराज हनुमस्मानुपाद्रवत्
O great king, though struck by our arrows, stones, and clubs, Hanuman does not fear us and continues to approach.
व्यास उवाच - इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां राजा कोपसमाकुलः । अश्वामारुह्य तरसा जगामोपवनं प्रति
Vyasa said: Hearing their words, the king, filled with anger, quickly mounted his horse and went towards the grove.
सैन्येन महता युक्तो गजाश्वरथसंयुतः । पदातिवृन्दसहितः प्रययौ वनमुत्तमम्
Accompanied by a great army with elephants, horses, and chariots, and surrounded by groups of infantry, he proceeded to the excellent forest.
तत्रापश्यन्महाकोलं घुर्घुरन्तं भयानकम् । वनं भग्नं च संवीक्ष्य राजा क्रोधयुतोऽभवत्
There he saw a great boar, terrifying and roaring, and, seeing the forest destroyed, the king became filled with wrath.
चापे बाणं समारोप्य विकृष्य च शरासनम् । तं हन्तुं सूकरं पापं तरसा समुपाक्रमत्
Placing an arrow on his bow and drawing the bowstring, he swiftly advanced to kill that wicked boar.
समालोक्य च राजानं चापहस्तं रुषाकुलम् । सम्मुखोऽभ्यद्रवत्तूर्णं कुर्वञ्छब्दं सुदारुणम्
Seeing the king, bow in hand and agitated with anger, the boar rushed forward directly, making a most dreadful sound.