अद्यैव तं नृपकलङ्कधरञ्च हत्वा बालं तथैव किल तं न विवाहयोग्यम् । गृह्णीम तां शशिकलां नृपतेश्च लक्ष्मीं लज्जामवाप्य निजसद्म कथं व्रजेम
Today itself, let us kill that king who bears the stain of royalty, and that boy who is not fit for marriage; let us seize Shashikala, the fortune of the king, and, having lost our honor, how can we return to our own homes?
शृण्वन्तु तूर्यनिनदान्किल वाद्यमाना- ञ्छङ्खस्वनानभिभवन्ति मृदङ्गशब्दाः । गीतध्वनिं च विविधं निगमस्वनञ्च मन्यामहे नृपतिनाऽत्र कृतो विवाहः
Listen to the sounds of the musical instruments being played, the conch blasts are overpowered by the drums; there are various songs and the chanting of Vedic hymns—we think the marriage has been performed here by the king.
अस्मान्प्रतार्य वचनैर्विधिवच्चकार वैवाहिकेन विधिना करपीडनं वै । कर्तव्यमद्य किमहो प्रविचिन्तयन्तु भूपाः परस्परमतिं च समर्थयन्तु
He deceived us with words and performed the hand-holding ceremony according to proper marriage rites; now, let the kings consider what must be done and agree among themselves on a course of action.
एवं वदत्सु नृपतिष्वथ कन्याकायाः कृत्वा विवाहविधिमप्रतिमप्रभावः । भूपान्निमन्त्रयितुमाशु जगाम राजा काशीपतिः स्वसुहृदैः प्रथितप्रभावैः
While the kings were speaking thus, the king of Kashi, of incomparable power, performed the marriage rites for his daughter and quickly went to invite the kings, accompanied by his renowned friends.
आगच्छन्तं च तं दृष्ट्वा नृपाः काशीपतिं तदा । नोचुः किञ्चिदपि क्रोधान्मौनमाधाय संस्थिताः
Seeing the king of Kashi approaching, the kings stood in silence, restraining their anger, and did not say anything.
स गत्वा प्रणिपत्याह कृताञ्जलिरभाषत । आगन्तव्यं नृपैः सर्वैर्भोजनार्थं गृहे मम
He went to them, bowed with joined palms, and said: 'All the kings must come to my house for a meal.'
कन्ययाऽसौ वृतो भूपः किं करोमि हिताहितम् । भवद्भिस्तु शुभः कार्यो महान्तो हि दयालवः
This king has been chosen by the maiden; what can I do, whether it is good or bad? You are all great and compassionate men—let the proper thing be done by you.
तन्निशम्य वचस्तस्य नृपाः क्रोधपरिप्लुताः । प्रत्यूचुर्भुक्तमस्माभिः स्वगृहं नृपते व्रज
Hearing his words, the kings, filled with anger, replied: 'We have eaten; O king, return to your own house.'
कुरु कार्याण्यशेषाणि यथेष्टं सुकृतं कृतम् । नृपाः सर्वे प्रयान्त्वद्य स्वानि स्वानि गृहाणि वै
Do all the remaining tasks as you wish; what was to be done has been done. Today, all the kings will return to their own homes.
सुबाहुरपि तच्छ्रुत्वा जगाम शङ्कितो गृहम् । किं करिष्यन्ति संविग्नाः क्रोधयुक्ता नृपोत्तमाः
Hearing this, Subahu too, anxious and uncertain, went home, wondering what the angry and agitated great kings would do.
गते तस्मिन्महीपालाश्चक्रुश्च समयं पुनः । रुद्ध्वा मार्गं ग्रहीष्यामः कन्यां हत्वा सुदर्शनम्
After he left, the kings again made an agreement: 'Let us block the road, seize the maiden, and kill Sudarshana.'
केचनोचुः किमस्माकं हन्त तेन नृपेण वै । दृष्ट्वा तु कौतुकं सर्वं गमिष्यामो यथागतम्
Some said, 'What concern do we have with that king? Having seen all the spectacle, we will depart as we came.'
इत्युक्त्वा ते नृपाः सर्वे मार्गमाक्रम्य संस्थिताः । चकारोत्तरकार्याणि सुबाहुः स्वगृहं गतः
Having said this, all the kings stood blocking the road; Subahu went home to carry out his remaining duties.
सुबाहुकृतदेवीस्तुतिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच तस्मै गौरवभोज्यानि विधाय विधिवत्तदा । वासराणि च षड्राजा भोजयामास भक्तितः
Description of Subahu's praise of the Goddess. Vyasa said: He arranged for them food worthy of honor, prepared properly, and for six days the king served them with devotion.
एवं विवाहकार्याणि कृत्वा सर्वाणि पार्थिवः । पारिबर्हं प्रदत्वाऽथ मन्त्रयन्सचिवैः सह
Thus, having completed all the marriage rites, the king gave the dowry and then consulted with his ministers.
दूतैस्तु कथितं श्रुत्वा मार्गसंरोधनं कृतम् । बभूव विमना राजा सुबाहुरमितद्युतिः
Hearing from the messengers that the road had been blocked, King Subahu, of immeasurable splendor, became dejected.
सुदर्शनस्तदोवाच श्वशुरं संशितव्रतः । अस्मान्विसर्जयाशु त्वं गमिष्यामो ह्यशङ्किताः
Sudarshana, steadfast in his vow, spoke to his father-in-law: 'Release us quickly; we shall depart without fear.'
भारद्वाजाश्रमं पुण्य़ं गत्वा तत्र समाहिताः । निवासाय विचारो वै कर्तव्यः सर्वथा नृप
After reaching the sacred hermitage of Bharadvaja, we must carefully consider our residence there, O king.
नृपेभ्यश्च न कर्तव्यं भयं किञ्चित्त्वयाऽनघ । जगन्माता भवानी मे साहाय्यं वै करिष्यति
O blameless one, you need not fear any king; Bhavani, the Mother of the world, will assist me.
व्यास उवाच तस्येति मतमाज्ञाय जामातुर्नुपसत्तमः । विससर्ज धनं दत्वा प्रतस्थे सोऽपि सत्वरः
Vyasa said: Understanding his son-in-law's resolve, the noble king released him, gave him wealth, and departed swiftly.
बलेन महताऽऽविष्टो ययावनु नृपोत्तमः । सुदर्शनो वृतस्तत्र चचाल पथि निर्भयः
The illustrious king, surrounded by a great force, set out; Sudarshana, accompanied there, proceeded fearlessly along the path.
रथैः परिवृतः शूरः सदारो रथसंस्थितः । गच्छन्ददर्श सैन्यानि नृपाणां रघुनन्दनः
The heroic Sudarshana, surrounded by chariots, with his wife seated in the chariot, saw the armies of the kings as he traveled.
सुबाहुरपि तान्वीक्ष्य चिन्ताविष्टो बभूव ह । विधिवत्स शिवां चित्ते जगाम शरणं मुदा
Subahu, upon seeing them, became filled with anxiety; following the prescribed way, he joyfully sought refuge in Shiva.
जजापैकाक्षरं मन्त्रं कामराजमनुत्तमम् । निर्भयो वीतशोकश्च पत्न्या सह नवोढया
He recited the supreme one-syllable mantra of Kamadeva, fearless and free from sorrow, together with his newly-wedded wife.
ततः सर्वे महीपालाः कृत्वा कोलाहलं तदा । उत्थिताः सैन्यसंयुक्ता हन्तुकामास्तु कन्यकाम्
Then all the kings, raising a tumult, rose with their armies, intent on killing the maiden.
काशिराजस्तु तान्दृष्ट्वा हन्तुकामो बभूव ह । निवारितस्तदाऽत्यर्थं राघवेण जिगीषता
The king of Kashi, seeing them, became eager to kill; but he was strongly restrained by Raghava, who sought victory.
तत्रापि नेदुः शंखाश्च भेर्यश्चानकदुन्दुभिः । सुबाहोश्च नृपाणाञ्च परस्परजिघांसताम्
There, conches, drums, and anaka-dundubhi sounded, as Subahu and the kings sought to destroy one another.
शत्रुजित्तु सुसंवृत्तः स्थितस्तत्र जिघांसया । युधाजित्तत्सहायार्थं सन्नद्धः प्रबभूव ह
Shatrujit, well-prepared, stood there with murderous intent; Yudhajit, for his aid, became fully armed.
केचिच्च प्रेक्षकास्तस्य सहानीकैः स्थितास्तदा । युधाजिदग्रतो गत्वा सुदर्शनमुपस्थितः
Some spectators, together with their troops, stood at that time; Yudhajit advanced ahead and approached Sudarshana.
शत्रुजित्तेन सहितो हन्तुं भ्रातरमानुजः । परस्परं ते बाणौघैस्ततक्षुः क्रोधमूर्छिताः
The younger brother, together with Shatrujit, sought to kill his sibling; in mutual rage, they struck each other with showers of arrows.