तेऽपि स्वार्थपरा नूनं यथैव वयमप्युत । नान्तरं दैत्यसुरयोर्भेदोऽयं मोहसम्भवः
They too are surely intent on their own interests, just as we are; there is no real difference between demon and god—this division arises from delusion.
धनदारादिभोगेषु वयं सक्ता दिवानिशम् । तथैव देवा देवेशि को भेदोऽसुरदेवयोः
We are attached day and night to enjoyments such as wealth and wives; so too are the gods, O Goddess of the gods—what difference is there between gods and demons?
तेऽपि कश्यपदायादा वयं तत्सम्भवाः किल । कुतो विरोधसम्भूतिर्जाता मातस्तवाधुना
They too are descendants of Kaśyapa, and we are also born from him; how, O Mother, has this enmity arisen among your children now?
न तथा विहितं मातस्त्वयि सर्वसमुद्भवे । साम्यतैव त्वया स्थाप्या देवेष्वस्मासु चैव हि
Such division is not ordained by you, O Mother, source of all; you should establish equality between the gods and us.
गुणव्यतिकरात्सर्वे समुत्पन्नाः सुरासुराः । गुणान्विता भवेयुस्ते कथं देहभृतोऽमराः
All gods and demons are born from the intermingling of qualities; as embodied beings, how could they, even the immortals, be without qualities?
कामः क्रोधश्च लोभश्च सर्वदेहेषु संस्थिताः । वर्तन्ते सर्वदा तस्मात् कोऽविरोधी भवेञ्चनः
Desire, anger, and greed reside in all bodies; they always operate, so who could ever be free from conflict?
त्वया मिथो विरोधोऽयं कल्पितः किल कौतुकात् । मन्यामहे विभेदेन नूनं युद्धदिदृक्षया
This mutual conflict has indeed been arranged by you out of sport; we believe that, through division, you surely wish to witness battle.
अन्यथा खलु भ्रातॄणां विरोधः कीदृशोऽनघे । त्वं चेन्नेच्छसि चामुण्डे वीक्षितुं कलहं किल
Otherwise, what kind of conflict could there be among brothers, O faultless one? If you, O Cāmuṇḍā, did not wish to see strife, it would not occur.
जानामि धर्मं धर्मज्ञे वेद्मि चाहं शतक्रतुम् । तथापि कलहोऽस्माकं भोगार्थं देवि सर्वदा
I know righteousness, O knower of righteousness, and I know Indra as well; yet, O Goddess, still there is always quarrel among us for the sake of enjoyment.
एकः कोऽपि न शास्तास्ति संसारे त्वां विनाम्बिके । स्पृहावतस्तु कः कर्तुं क्षमते वचनं बुधः
In this world, there is truly no ruler apart from you, O Ambikā; who, being full of desire, is able to obey another's command?
देवासुरैरयं सिन्धुर्मथितः समये क्वचित् । विष्णुना विहितो भेदः सुधारत्नच्छलेन वै
Once, gods and demons churned this ocean together; Viṣṇu created division by means of the nectar and jewels as a pretext.
त्वयासौ कल्पितः शौरिः पालकत्वे जगद्गुरुः । तेन लक्ष्मीः स्वयं लोभाद् गृहीतामरसुन्दरी
By you, that Viṣṇu was appointed as protector, O teacher of the world; by him, out of greed, Lakṣmī herself, the beautiful goddess, was taken.
ऐरावतस्तथेन्द्रेण पारिजातोऽथ कामधुक् । उच्चैःश्रवाः सुरैः सर्वं गृहीतं वैष्णवेच्छया
Airāvata was taken by Indra, the Pārijāta tree and the wish-fulfilling cow as well; Uccaiḥśravā and all else were taken by the gods, according to Viṣṇu's wish.
अनयं तादृशं कृत्वा जाता देवास्तु साधवः । (अन्यायिनः सुरा नूनं पश्य त्वं धर्मलक्षणम् ।)
Having acted in this way, the gods became virtuous; (but truly, O Goddess, see how the gods acted unjustly—this is the mark of righteousness.)
नूनं दैत्याः पराभूवन्पश्य त्वं धर्मलक्षणम् । क्व धर्मः कीदृशो धर्मः क्व कार्यं क्व च साधुता
Surely the demons have been defeated—see for yourself the mark of righteousness: where is dharma, what kind of dharma is this, where is duty, and where is virtue?
कथयामि च कस्याग्रे सिद्धं मैमांसिकं मतम् । तार्किका युक्तिवादज्ञा विधिज्ञा वेदवादकाः
And before whom shall I present this established doctrine of the Mimamsakas? The logicians, those skilled in argument, the ritualists, and the Veda-expositors—
उक्ताः सकर्तृकं विश्वं विवदन्ते जडात्मकाः । कर्ता भवति चेदस्मिन्संसारे वितते किल
—these have declared that the universe is with an agent, yet they, being of inert nature, dispute among themselves. If there is an agent in this vast world—
विरोधः कीदृशस्तत्र चैककर्मणि वै मिथः । वेदे नैकमतिः कस्माच्छास्त्रेष्वपि तथा पुनः
—what kind of contradiction is there, then, in a single act mutually? Why, even in the Veda, is there not one opinion, and likewise in the treatises as well?
नैकवाक्यं वचस्तेषामपि वेदविदां पुनः । यतः स्वार्थपरं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
Even among the knowers of the Veda, their statements are not of one voice; for all the world, moving and unmoving, is intent on its own interests.
निःस्पृहः कोऽपि संसारे न भवेन्न भविष्यति । शशिनाथ गुरोर्भार्या हृता ज्ञात्वा बलादपि
No one in this world is or ever will be without desire; even the wife of the moon-guru was taken by force, knowing this—
गौतमस्य तथेन्द्रेण जानता धर्मनिश्चयम् । गुरुणानुजभार्या च भुक्ता गर्भवती बलात्
—so too Gautama's wife by Indra, who knew well the determination of dharma; and the wife of the guru's younger brother was forcibly enjoyed and became pregnant—
शप्तो गर्भगतो बालः कृतश्चान्धस्तथा पुनः । विष्णुना च शिरश्छिन्नं राहोश्चक्रेण वै बलात्
—the child in the womb was cursed and became blind as well; and Vishnu, by force, cut off Rahu's head with his discus—
अपराधं विना कामं तदा सत्त्ववताम्बिके । पौत्रो धर्मवतां शूरः सत्यव्रतपरायणः
—without any fault, O Ambika, even the virtuous have acted thus; the grandson of the righteous, a hero devoted to truth—
यज्वा दानपतिः शान्तः सर्वज्ञः सर्वपूजकः । कृत्वाथ वामनं रूपं हरिणा छलवेदिना
—a sacrificer, lord of gifts, peaceful, all-knowing, worshipper of all—assuming the form of Vamana, Hari, by deceit—
वञ्चितोऽसौ बलिः सर्वं हृतं राज्यं पुरा किल । तथापि देवान्धर्मस्थान्प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
—cheated Bali, and took away all his kingdom in ancient times; yet, the wise still call the gods the upholders of dharma.
वदन्ति चाटुवादांश्च धर्मवादाज्जयं गताः । एवं ज्ञात्वा जगन्मातर्यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु
And those who have gained victory by clever words are also called speakers of dharma; thus, O Mother of the world, knowing this, act as you wish.
शरणा दानवाः सर्वे जहि वा रक्ष वा पुनः । श्रीदेव्युवाच सर्वे गच्छत पातालं तत्र वासं यथेप्सितम्
All the demons have taken refuge—slay them or protect them as you will. (Śrī Devī said:) All of you go to Pātāla and dwell there as you desire.
कुरुध्वं दानवाः सर्वे निर्भया गतमन्यवः । कालः प्रतीक्ष्यो युष्माभिः कारणं स शुभेऽशुभे
All you demons, live there without fear or anger; you must wait for the appointed time, for that is the cause of good or evil.
सुनिर्वेदपराणां हि सुखं सर्वत्र सर्वदा । त्रैलोक्यस्य च राज्येऽपि न सुखं लोभचेतसाम्
For those who are wholly detached, happiness is everywhere and always; but not even in the sovereignty of the three worlds is there happiness for the greedy.
कृतेऽपि न सुखं पूर्णं सस्पृहाणां फलैरपि । तस्मात्त्यक्त्वा महीमेतां प्रयान्त्वद्य महीतलम्
Even when obtained, there is no complete happiness for those with desires, even with the fruits; therefore, leaving this earth, go now to the lower world.