दुर्गो महानतितरां नगरी सुगुप्ता तत्रापि मेऽस्ति सदनं किल मध्यभागे । अन्तःपुरे च पिहितं ननु सूतिगेहं बालो हृतः खलु तथापि ममैव दोषात्
Durga is a great and extremely well-protected city, and even there I have a residence in the very center. The birthing chamber was hidden within the inner quarters, yet still the child was taken—indeed, this is due to my own fault.
नाहं गतः परपुरं न च यादवाश्च रक्षावतीव नगरी किल वीरवर्यैः । माया तवैव जननि प्रकटप्रभावा मे बालकः परिहृतः कुहकेन केन
I did not go to another city, nor did the Yadavas; the city was guarded by the greatest heroes. O Mother, it is surely your own manifest power, your māyā, by which my child was taken away by some illusionist.
नो वेद्म्यहं जननि ते चरितं सुगुप्तं को वेद मन्दमतिरल्पविदेव देही । क्वासौ गतो मम भटैर्न च वीक्षितो वा हर्ताम्बिके जवनिका तव कल्पितेयम्
I do not know, Mother, your deeply hidden ways; who can know them, being of dull mind and limited understanding? Where has he gone? My guards did not see him, nor was he found. O Ambikā, the veil you have created is indeed impenetrable.
चित्रं न तेऽत्र पुरतो मम मातृगर्भो नीतस्त्वयार्धसमये किल माययासौ । यं रोहिणी हलधरं सुषुवे प्रसिद्धं दूरे स्थिता पतिपरा मिथुनं विनापि
It is not surprising, for before my eyes you took my unborn child from the womb at half-term by your māyā. Rohiṇī, renowned as the wife of the plough-bearer, gave birth to him far away, even though separated from her husband.
सृष्टिं करोषि जगतामनुपालनं च नाशं तथैव पुनरप्यनिशं गुणैस्त्वम् । को वेद तेऽम्ब चरितं दुरितान्तकारि प्रायेण सर्वमखिलं विहितं त्वयैतत्
You create the worlds, you sustain them, and likewise you destroy them again and again by your qualities. Who knows your deeds, Mother, destroyer of evil? Indeed, all of this is accomplished by you.
उत्पाद्य पुत्रजननप्रभवं प्रमोदं दत्त्वा पुनर्विरहजं किल दुःखभारम् । त्वं क्रीडसे सुललितैः खलु तैर्विहारै- र्नो चेत्कथं मम सुताप्तिरतिर्वृथा स्यात्
After granting the joy that comes from the birth of a son, you again bestow the heavy burden of sorrow from separation. You play with such charming pastimes—otherwise, how could my deep affection for my son be in vain?
मातास्य रोदिति भृशं कुररीव बाला दुःखं तनोति मम सन्निधिगा सदैव । कष्टं न वेत्सि ललितेऽप्रमितप्रभावे मातस्त्वमेव शरणं भवपीडितानाम्
His mother weeps bitterly like a young kurarī bird, and her sorrow always increases in my presence. O graceful one of immeasurable power, do you not know this pain? Mother, you alone are the refuge for those afflicted by worldly suffering.
सीमा सुखस्य सुतजन्म तदीयनाशो दुःखस्य देवि भवने विबुधा वदन्ति । तत्किं करोमि जननि प्रथमे प्रनष्टे पुत्रे ममाद्य हृदयं स्फुटतीव मातः
The birth of a son is the limit of happiness, and his loss is the height of sorrow in a household, O Goddess, as the wise declare. So what shall I do, Mother, now that my firstborn is lost? Today, my heart feels as if it will break, Mother.
यज्ञं करोमि तव तुष्टिकरं व्रतं वा दैवं च पूजनमथाखिलदुःखहा त्वम् । मातः सुतोऽत्र यदि जीवति दर्शयाशु त्वं वै क्षमा सकलशोकविनाशनाय
Shall I perform a sacrifice or a vow that pleases you, or worship the gods? Yet you alone, Mother, are the remover of all sorrow. If my son still lives, show him to me quickly; you are indeed able to destroy all grief.
व्यास उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । प्रत्यक्षदर्शना भूत्वा तमुवाच जगद्गुरुम्
Vyāsa said: Thus praised by Krishna, whose actions are flawless, the Goddess appeared before him in visible form and spoke to the teacher of the world.
श्रीदेव्युवाच शोकं मा कुरु देवेश शापोऽयं ते पुरातनः । तस्य योगेन पुत्रस्ते शम्बरेण हृतो बलात्
The Goddess said: Do not grieve, Lord of the gods; this is an ancient curse upon you. By its power, your son has been forcibly taken by Śambara.
अतस्ते षोडशे वर्षे हत्वा तं शम्बरं बलात् । आगमिष्यति पुत्रस्ते मत्प्रसादान्न संशयः
Therefore, in his sixteenth year, your son will return after forcefully killing Śambara, by my grace—there is no doubt.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे देवी चण्डिका चण्डविक्रमा । भगवानपि पुत्रस्य शोकं त्यक्त्वाभवत्सुखी
Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, the fierce and mighty Caṇḍikā vanished, and the Blessed Lord, abandoning his grief for his son, became content.
पराशक्तेः सर्वज्ञत्वकथनम् राजोवाच सन्देहो मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ जायते वचनात्तव । वैष्णवांशे भगवति दुःखोत्पत्तिं विलोक्य च
The king said: O best of sages, a doubt arises in me from your words, and also from seeing the birth of sorrow in the line of Viṣṇu.
नारायणांशसम्भूतो वासुदेवः प्रतापवान् । कथं स सूतिकागाराद्धृतो बालो हरेरपि
Vāsudeva, born from a portion of Nārāyaṇa and full of power—how was that child taken from the birthing chamber, even though he is Hari himself?
सुगुप्तनगरे रम्ये गुप्तेऽथ सूतिकागृहे । प्रविश्य तेन दैत्येन गृहीतोऽसौ कथं शिशुः
In a beautiful, well-guarded city, and in a hidden birthing chamber, how did that demon enter and seize the child?
न ज्ञातो वासुदेवेन चित्रमेतन्ममाद्भुतम् । जायते महदाश्चर्यं चित्ते सत्यवतीसुत
Vāsudeva did not know this marvel of mine, O son of Satyavatī; a great wonder arises in the mind.
ब्रूहि तत्कारणं ब्रह्मन्न ज्ञातं केशवेन यत् । हरणं तत्रसंस्थेन शिशोर्वा सूतिकागृहात्
Tell me, O Brahman, the reason for that which Keśava did not know: the taking away of the child from the maternity chamber by the one who was present there.
व्यास उवाच माया बलवती राजन्नराणां बुद्धिमोहिनी । शाम्भवी विश्रुता लोके को वा मोहं न गच्छति
Vyāsa said: Maya is powerful, O King, bewildering the minds of men; known in the world as Śāmbhavī. Who does not fall into delusion?
मानुषं जन्म सम्प्राप्य गुणाः सर्वेऽपि मानुषाः । भवन्ति देहजा कामं न देवा नासुरास्तदा
Having attained human birth, all qualities belonging to humans arise from the body, as is natural; at that time, neither gods nor demons possess them.
क्षुत्तृण्निद्रा भयं तन्द्रा व्यामोहः शोकसंशयः । हर्षश्चैवाभिमानश्च जरामरणमेव च
Hunger, thirst, sleep, fear, lethargy, confusion, sorrow, doubt, joy, pride, old age, and death—
अज्ञानं ग्लानिरप्रीतिरीर्ष्यासूया मदः श्रमः । एते देहभवा भावाः प्रभवन्ति नराधिप
Ignorance, fatigue, displeasure, envy, malice, intoxication, and exhaustion—these states arising from the body manifest, O King.
यथा हेममृगं रामो न बुबोध पुरोगतम् । जानक्या हरणञ्चैव जटायुमरणं तथा
Just as Rāma did not perceive the golden deer ahead, nor the abduction of Jānaki, nor the death of Jaṭāyu—
अभिषेकदिने रामो वनवासं न वेद च । तथा न ज्ञातवान् रामः स्वशोकान्मरणं पितुः
On the day of his consecration, Rāma did not know of his exile to the forest; likewise, Rāma did not realize, due to his own grief, the death of his father.
अज्ञवद्विचचारासौ पश्यमानो वने वने । जानकीं न विवेदाथ रावणेन हृतां बलात्
He wandered about like one ignorant, searching in forest after forest, yet did not recognize Jānaki, who had been forcibly taken by Rāvaṇa.
सहायान् वानरान्कृत्वा हत्वा शक्रसुतं बलात् । सागरे सेतुबन्धञ्च कृत्वोत्तीर्य सरित्पतिम्
Having made the monkeys his allies, and forcefully slain Indra's son, he built a bridge across the ocean and crossed the lord of rivers.
प्रेषयामास सर्वासु दिक्षु तान्कपिकुञ्जरान् । संग्रामं कृतवान्घोरं दुःखं प्राप रणाजिरे
He sent those monkey warriors in all directions, fought a fierce battle, and suffered hardship on the field of war.
बन्धनं नागपाशेन प्राप रामो महाबलः । गरुडान्मोक्षणं पश्चादन्वभूद्रघुनन्दनः
Rāma, mighty in strength, was bound by the serpent noose; afterwards, he was released by Garuḍa, O descendant of Raghu.
अहनद्रावणं संख्ये कुम्भकर्णं महाबलम् । मेघनादं निकुम्भञ्च कुपितो रघुनन्दनः
Raghunandana, enraged, slew Rāvaṇa in battle, as well as the mighty Kumbhakarṇa, Meghanāda, and Nikumbha.
अदूष्यत्वञ्च जानक्या न विवेद जनार्दनः । दिव्यञ्च कारयामास ज्वलितेऽग्नौ प्रवेशनम्
Janārdana did not recognize Sītā's innocence; he arranged for her to enter the blazing fire in a divine manner.