सुखासने सुखासीनं विश्रान्तं चन्द्रशेखरम् । श्वेतचामरवातेन सेवितं विष्णुपार्षदैः
Seated comfortably on a pleasant seat, at ease, Chandrashekhara was served by Vishnu’s attendants with white yak-tail fans.
पीयूषतुल्यमधुरं वचनं सुमनोहरम् । विष्णुरुवाच आगतोऽसि कथं चात्र वद कोपस्य कारणम्
His speech, as sweet as nectar, most charming, Vishnu spoke: 'How have you come here? Tell me the reason for your anger.'
महादेव उवाच वृषध्वजं च मद्भक्तं मम प्राणाधिकं प्रियम् । सूर्यः शशाप इति मे प्रकोपस्य तु कारणम्
Mahadeva said: 'Vṛṣadhvaja, my devotee, dearer to me than life itself, was cursed by Surya—this is the cause of my anger.'
पुत्रवत्सलशोकेन सूर्यं हन्तुं समुद्यतः । स ब्रह्माणं प्रपन्नश्च सूर्यश्च स विधिस्त्वयि
Afflicted by grief for his beloved like a son, he rose up to destroy Surya; he sought refuge with Brahma, and Surya with you, O Creator.
त्वयि ये शरणापन्ना ध्यानेन वचसापि वा । निरापदो विशङ्कास्ते जरा मृत्युश्च तैर्जितः
Those who take refuge in you, whether through meditation or even by word, are free from danger and fear; old age and death are conquered by them.
प्रत्यक्षं शरणापन्नास्तत्फलं किं वदामि भोः । हरिस्मृतिश्चाभयदा सर्वमङ्गलदा सदा
What need is there to speak of the visible fruits for those who have taken refuge? The remembrance of Hari always bestows fearlessness and all auspiciousness.
किं मे भक्तस्य भविता तन्मे ब्रूहि जगत्प्रभो । श्रीहतस्यास्य मूढस्य सूर्यशापेन हेतुना
What will become of my devotee? Tell me this, Lord of the world—he who has been deprived of prosperity, bewildered, due to Surya’s curse.
विष्णुरुवाच कालोऽतियातो दैवेन युगानामेकविंशतिः । वैकुण्ठं घटिकार्धेन शीघ्रं गच्छ त्वमालयम्
Vishnu said: 'A great period of time has passed by divine ordinance—twenty-one yugas; quickly return to Vaikuntha, to your abode, within half a moment.'
वृषध्वजो मृतः कालाद्दुर्निवार्यात्सुदारुणात् । रथध्वजश्च तत्पुत्रो मृतः सोऽपि श्रिया हतः
Vṛṣadhvaja has died, by the force of time, irresistible and terrible; his son Rathadhvaja also has died, deprived of prosperity.
तत्पुत्रौ च महाभागौ धर्मध्वजकुशध्वजौ । हृतश्रियौ सूर्यशापात्स्मृतौ परमवैष्णवौ
His two illustrious sons, Dharmadhvaja and Kuśadhvaja, deprived of fortune by Surya’s curse, are remembered as supreme devotees of Vishnu.
राज्यभ्रष्टौ श्रिया भ्रष्टौ कमलातपसा रतौ । तयोश्च भार्ययोर्लक्ष्मीः कलया च भविष्यति
Deprived of kingdom, deprived of prosperity, devoted to the austerities of Lakshmi and Kamala; and to their wives, Lakshmi will manifest in part.
सम्पद्युक्तौ तदा तौ च नृपश्रेष्ठौ भविष्यतः । मृतस्ते सेवकः शम्भो गच्छ यूयं च गच्छत
Then, endowed with prosperity, those two best of kings will arise; your servant has died, O Shambhu, go, you all may depart.
इत्युक्त्वा च सलक्ष्मीकः सभातोऽभ्यन्तरंगतः । देवा जग्मुः सम्प्रहृष्टाः स्वाश्रमं परया मुदा । शिवश्च तपसे शीघ्रं परिपूर्णतमो ययौ
Having spoken thus, he, together with Lakshmi and his assembly, entered within; the gods, overjoyed, returned to their own hermitages with supreme delight, and Shiva swiftly departed for his austerities, his mind utterly fulfilled.
महालक्षम्या वेदवतीरूपेण राजगृहे जन्मवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच लक्ष्मीं तौ च समाराध्य चोग्रेण तपसा मुने । वरमिष्टं च प्रत्येकं सम्प्रापतुरभीप्सितम्
Sri Narayana said: O sage, having worshipped Lakshmi with intense austerity, both of them obtained their desired boons, each receiving what they had wished for.
महालक्ष्मीवरेणैव तौ पृथ्वीशौ बभूवतुः । पुण्यवन्तौ पुत्रवन्तौ धर्मध्वजकुशध्वजौ
By the boon of Mahalakshmi, those two lords of the earth became kings, blessed with virtue and sons—Dharmadhvaja and Kushadhvaja.
कुशध्वजस्य पत्नी च देवी मालावती सती । सा सुषाव च कालेन कमलांशां सुतां सतीम्
The wife of Kushadhvaja, the virtuous queen Malavati, in due course gave birth to a daughter, a portion of Kamala, who was chaste and noble.
सा च भूयिष्ठकालेन ज्ञानयुक्ता बभूव ह । कृत्वा वेदध्वनिं स्पष्टमुत्तस्थौ सूतिकागृहात्
In time, she became endowed with knowledge; having uttered the clear sound of the Veda, she arose from the birthing chamber.
वेदध्वनिं सा चकार जातमात्रेण कन्यका । तस्मात्तां च वेदवतीं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
That girl, at the very moment of birth, produced the sound of the Veda; therefore, the wise call her Vedavati.
जातमात्रेण सुस्नाता जगाम तपसे वनम् । सर्वैर्निषिद्धा यत्नेन नारायणपरायणा
Bathed immediately after her birth, she went to the forest for austerity, devoted solely to Narayana, though all tried earnestly to dissuade her.
एकमन्वन्तरं चैव पुष्करे च तपस्विनी । अत्युग्रां च तपस्यां च लीलया हि चकार सा
For an entire Manvantara, that ascetic performed severe penance at Pushkara, undertaking the most intense austerities with ease.
तथापि पुष्टा न क्लिष्टा नवयौवनसंयुता । सुश्राव सा च सहसा सुवाचमशरीरिणीम्
Yet, she remained nourished, untroubled, and endowed with fresh youth; suddenly, she heard a bodiless, auspicious voice.
जन्मान्तरे च ते भर्ता भविष्यति हरिः स्वयम् । ब्रह्मादिभिर्दुराराध्यं पतिं लप्स्यसि सुन्दरि
"In another birth, your husband will be Hari himself; O beautiful one, you will obtain as your husband him who is difficult to propitiate even for Brahma and the other gods."
इति श्रुत्वा च सा हृष्टा चकार ह पुनस्तपः । अतीव निर्जनस्थाने पर्वते गन्धमादने
Hearing this, she rejoiced and again undertook austerity in a most desolate place, on Mount Gandhamadana.
तत्रैव सुचिरं तप्त्वा विश्वस्य समुवास सा । ददर्श पुरतस्तत्र रावणं दुर्निवारणम्
There, after performing penance for a long time, she dwelled in the world; and there, before her, appeared Ravana, difficult to withstand.
दृष्ट्वा सातिथिभक्त्या च पाद्यं तस्मै ददौ किल । सुस्वादुभूतं च फलं जलं चापि सुशीतलम्
Seeing him, she offered him, as a guest, water for washing his feet, delicious fruit, and very cool water.
तच्च भुक्त्वा स पापिष्ठश्चोवास तत्समीपतः । चकार प्रश्नमिति तां का त्वं कल्याणि वर्तसे
Having eaten that, the most sinful one stayed near her and questioned her thus: 'Who are you, O auspicious one, and why are you here?'
तां दृष्ट्वा स वरारोहां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् । शरत्पद्मोत्सवास्यां च सस्मितां सुदतीं सतीम्
Seeing her, of excellent form, with full hips and breasts, her face radiant as an autumn lotus, smiling, with beautiful teeth, and chaste—
मूर्च्छामवाप कृपणः कामबाणप्रपीडितः । स करेण समाकृष्य शृङ्गारं कर्तुमुद्यतः
Afflicted by the arrows of desire, the wretched Ravana fell into a swoon; seizing her by the hand, he sought to act lustfully.
सती चुकोप दृष्ट्वा तं स्तम्भितं च चकार ह । स जडो हस्तपादैश्च किञ्चिद्वक्तुं न च क्षमः
The chaste one, seeing him thus, became angry and rendered him paralyzed; he became insensible, unable to move his hands or feet, nor could he speak.
तुष्टाव मनसा देवीं प्रययौ पद्मलोचनाम् । सा तुष्टा तस्य स्तवनं सुकृतं च चकार ह
He praised the goddess mentally and departed to the lotus-eyed one; she, pleased, accepted his praise as a meritorious act.