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.
सम्मर्दः सुमहांस्तत्र सम्प्रवृत्तः सुमार्गणैः । काशीपतिस्तदा तूर्णं सैन्येन बहुना वृतः
A fierce clash began there with many sharp arrows; the king of Kashi, quickly surrounded by a large army,
साहाय्यार्थं जगामाशु जामातरमनिन्दितम् । एवं प्रवृत्ते सङ्ग्रामे दारुणे लोमहर्षणे
Went swiftly to aid his blameless son-in-law; thus the dreadful, hair-raising battle unfolded.
प्रादुर्बभूव सहसा देवी सिंहोपरि स्थिता । नानायुधधरा रम्या वराभूषणभूषिता
Suddenly the Goddess appeared, standing upon a lion, beautiful, bearing various weapons, adorned with splendid ornaments.
दिव्याम्बरपरीधाना मन्दारस्रक्सुसंयुता । तां दृष्ट्वा तेऽथ भूपाला विस्मयं परमं गताः
Clad in divine garments, adorned with a garland of mandara flowers; seeing her, the kings were struck with utmost wonder.
केयं सिंहसमारूढा कुतो वेति समुत्थिता । सुदर्शनस्तु तां वीक्ष्य सुबाहुमिति चाब्रवीत्
Who is this, mounted upon a lion, and from where has she arisen? Sudarshana, seeing her, said to Subahu:
पश्य राजन्महादेवीमागतां दिव्यदर्शनाम् । अनुग्रहाय मे नूनं प्रादुर्भूता दयान्विता
Behold, O King, the great Goddess has come, appearing in divine form. Surely, she has manifested out of compassion to grant me her favor.
निर्भयोऽहं महाराज जातोऽस्मि निर्भयादपि । सुदर्शनः सुबाहुश्च तामालोक्य वराननाम्
O great King, I have become fearless, even beyond the fearless. Sudarshana and Subahu, beholding her radiant face,
प्रणामं चक्रतुस्तस्या मुदितौ दर्शनेन च । ननाद च तदा सिंहो गजास्त्रस्ताश्चकम्पिरे
Both offered their salutations to her, delighted by her vision. At that moment, the lion roared, and the elephants, terrified, trembled.
ववुर्वाता महाघोरा दिशश्चासन्सुदारुणाः । सुदर्शनस्तदा प्राह निजं सेनापतिं प्रति
Fierce winds began to blow, and the directions became exceedingly dreadful. Then Sudarshana spoke to his own general:
मार्गे व्रज त्वं तरसा भूपाला यत्र संस्थिताः । किं करिष्यन्ति राजानः कुपिता दुष्टचेतसः
Go swiftly along the path where the kings are assembled. What can those angry, evil-minded kings do?