एकं स्थानं परित्यज्य मरणस्य महीपते । प्रब्रूहि तं वरं साधो यस्ते मनसि वर्तते
O king, except for one condition of death, tell me that boon which you desire in your heart.
महिष उवाच न देवान्मानुषाद्दैत्यान्मरणं मे पितामह । पुरुषान्न च मे मृत्युर्योषा मां का हनिष्यति
Mahiṣa said: O Grandfather, let my death not come from gods, humans, or demons; nor from men—how could a woman possibly kill me?
तस्मान्मे मरणं नूनं कामिन्याः कुरु पद्मज । अबला हन्त मां हन्तुं कथं शक्ता भविष्यति
Therefore, O Padmaja, let my death indeed be at the hands of a woman; how could a weak woman ever be able to slay me?
ब्रह्मोवाच यदा कदापि दैत्येन्द्र नार्यास्ते मरणं धुवम् । न नरेभ्यो महाभाग मृतिस्ते महिषासुर
Brahmā said: O lord of the Daityas, at some time your death will certainly come from a woman; O mighty Mahiṣāsura, your end will not be at the hands of men.
व्यास उवाच एवं दत्त्वा वरं तस्मै ययौ ब्रह्मा निजालयम् । सोऽपि दैत्यवरः प्राप निजं स्थानं मुदान्वितः
Vyāsa said: Having granted him this boon, Brahmā returned to his own abode, and that foremost of Daityas joyfully went to his own place.
राजोवाच महिषः कस्य पुत्रोऽसौ कथं जातो महाबली । कथं च माहिषं रूपं प्राप्तं तेन महात्मना
The king said: Whose son was Mahiṣa, how was that mighty one born, and how did he obtain the form of a buffalo?
व्यास उवाच दनोः पुत्रौ महाराज विख्यातौ क्षितिमण्डले । रम्भश्चैव करम्भश्च द्वावास्तां दानवोत्तमौ
Vyāsa said: O great king, two sons of Danu, famous in the world, were Rambha and Karambha, both foremost among Dānavas.
तावपुत्रौ महाराज पुत्रार्थं तेपतुस्तपः । बहून्वर्षगणान्कामं पुण्ये पञ्चनदे जले
Those two, desiring a son, performed severe austerities for many years as they wished, in the holy waters of the Five Rivers.
करम्भस्तु जले मग्नश्चकार परमं तपः । वृक्षं रसालवटं प्राप्य रम्भोऽग्निमसेवत
Karambha, immersed in the water, engaged in intense penance; Rambha, having reached a rasa fig tree, worshipped fire.
पञ्चाग्निसाधनासक्तः स रम्भस्तु यदाभवत् । ज्ञात्वा शचीपतिर्दुःखमुद्ययौ दानवौ प्रति
When Rambha became absorbed in the practice of the five fires, the lord of Śacī, knowing their suffering, went to the two Dānavas.
गत्वा पञ्चनदे तत्र ग्राहरूपं चकार ह । वासवस्तु करम्भं तं तदा जग्राह पादयोः
Having gone to the Five Rivers, Indra took the form of a crocodile there, and seized Karambha by the feet.
निजघान च तं दुष्टं करम्भं वृत्रसूदनः । भ्रातरं निहतं श्रुत्वा रम्भः कोपं परं गतः
Vṛtrasūdana killed that wicked Karambha; hearing that his brother was slain, Rambha became exceedingly enraged.
स्वशीर्षं पावके होतुमैच्छच्छित्त्वा करेण ह । केशपाशे गहीत्वाशु वामेन क्रोधसंयुतः
Intending to offer his own head into the fire, he swiftly grasped his hair with his left hand, filled with anger.
दक्षिणेन करेणोग्रं गृहीत्वा खड्गमुत्तमम् । छिनत्ति शीर्षं तत्तावद्वह्निना प्रतिबोधितः
With his right hand, he took up a fierce, excellent sword and was about to cut off his head, when he was stopped by the fire.
उक्तश्च दैत्य मूर्खोऽसि स्वशीर्षं छेत्तुमिच्छसि । आत्महत्यातिदुःसाध्या कथं त्वं कर्तुमुद्यतः
The fire said: 'O Daitya, you are foolish, wishing to cut off your own head. Self-destruction is extremely difficult—how are you prepared to do this?'
वरं वरय भद्रं ते यस्ते मनसि वर्तते । मा म्रियस्व मृतेनाद्य किं ते कार्यं भविष्यति
'Choose a boon, good fortune to you, whatever is in your mind. Do not die by death today—what purpose would that serve you?'
व्यास उवाच तच्छुत्वा वचनं रम्भः पावकस्य सुभाषितम् । ततोऽब्रवीद्वचो रम्भस्त्यक्त्वा केशकलापकम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing these well-spoken words of the fire, Rambha let go of his hair and spoke these words.
यदि तुष्टोऽसि देवेश देहि मे वाञ्छितं वरम् । त्रैलोक्यविजयी पुत्रः स्यान्नः परबलार्दनः
'If you are pleased, O lord of the gods, grant me the boon I desire: may a son be born to us who will conquer the three worlds and destroy our enemies.'
अजेयः सर्वथा स स्याद्देवदानवमानवैः । कामरूपी महावीर्यः सर्वलोकाभिवन्दितः
He shall be utterly invincible by gods, demons, and humans; able to assume any form at will, of great might, and honored by all the worlds.
पावकस्तं तथेत्याह भविष्यति तवेप्सितम् । पुत्रस्तव महाभाग मरणाद्विरमाधुना
Agni replied, 'So be it; what you desire shall come to pass. O most fortunate one, your son will be as you wish—now refrain from death.'
यस्यां चित्तं तु रम्भ त्वं प्रमदायां करिष्यसि । तस्यां पुत्रो महाभाग भविष्यति बलाधिकः
O Rambha, in whichever woman your mind becomes attached, in her, O highly fortunate one, your son will be born, surpassing all in strength.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तो वह्निना रम्भो वचनं चित्तरञ्जनम् । श्रुत्वा प्रणम्य प्रययौ वह्निं तं दानवोत्तमः
Vyasa said: Thus addressed by Agni, Rambha, delighted at heart by these words, bowed and departed from the Fire, that foremost of the Danavas.
यक्षैः परिवृतं स्थानं रमणीयं श्रियान्वितम् । दृष्ट्वा चक्रे तदा भावं महिष्यां दानवोत्तमः
Seeing a beautiful, splendid place surrounded by Yakshas, the foremost Danava then set his mind upon a she-buffalo there.
मत्तायां रूपपूर्णायां विहायान्याञ्च योषितम् । सा समागाच्च तरसा कामयन्ती मुदान्विता
As she, intoxicated and full of beauty, abandoned other females, she eagerly united with him, filled with joy and desire.
रम्भोऽपि गमनं चक्रे भवितव्यप्रणोदितः । सा तु गर्भवती जाता महिषी तस्य वीर्यतः
Rambha, impelled by destiny, approached her; by his vigor, she became pregnant.
तां गृहीत्वाथ पातालं प्रविवेश मनोहरम् । महिषेभ्यश्च तां रक्षन्प्रियामनुमतां किल
Then, taking her, he entered the enchanting netherworld, protecting his beloved from the buffaloes, with her consent.
कदाचिन्महिषश्चान्यः कामार्तस्तामुपाद्रवत् । स्वयमागत्य तं हन्तुं दानवः समुपाद्रवत्
Once, another buffalo, overcome by desire, attacked her; the Danava himself came to slay him.
स्वरक्षार्थं समागत्य महिषं समताडयत् । सोऽपि तं निजघानाशु शृङ्गाभ्यां काममोहितः
Coming to protect himself, he struck the buffalo, but that lust-crazed beast swiftly killed him with its sharp horns.
ताडितस्तेन तीक्ष्णाभ्यां शृङ्गाभ्यां हृदये भृशम् । भूमौ पपात तरसा ममार च विमूर्च्छितः
Pierced deeply in the heart by those sharp horns, he fell forcefully to the ground and died, losing consciousness.
मृते भर्तरि सा दीना भयार्ता विद्रुता भृशम् । सा वेगात्तं वटं प्राप्य यक्षाणां शरणं गता
With her husband dead, she, distraught and terrified, fled in haste and, reaching a banyan tree, sought refuge with the Yakshas.