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.
पृष्ठतस्तु गतस्तत्र महिषः कामपीडितः । कामयानस्तु तां कामी बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः
But the buffalo, maddened by desire, followed her there, intent on possessing her, his strength and passion inflamed.
रुदती सा भृशं दीना दृष्टा यक्षैर्भयातुरा । धावमानं च तं वीक्ष्य यक्षास्त्रातुं समाययुः
She, weeping and utterly distressed, was seen by the Yakshas, terrified; seeing him charging, the Yakshas came to protect her.
युद्धं समभवद् घोरं यक्षाणां च हयारिणा । शरेण ताडितस्तूर्णं पपात धरणीतले
A fierce battle arose between the Yakshas and the buffalo; swiftly struck by an arrow, he fell to the earth.
मृतं रम्भं समानीय यक्षास्ते परमं प्रियम् । चितायां रोपयामासुस्तस्य देहस्य शुद्धये
Bringing the dead Rambha, the Yakshas, who held him most dear, placed his body on the funeral pyre for purification.
महिषी सा पतिं दृष्ट्वा चितायां रोपितं तदा । प्रवेष्टुं सा मतिं चक्रे पतिना सह पावकम्
Seeing her husband laid upon the pyre, the she-buffalo resolved to enter the fire with her beloved.
वार्यमाणापि यक्षैः सा प्रविवेश हुताशनम् । ज्वालामालाकुलं साध्वी पतिमादाय वल्लभम्
Though restrained by the Yakshas, that faithful wife entered the blazing fire, encircled by flames, embracing her dear husband.
महिषस्तु चितामध्यात्समुत्तस्थौ महाबलः । रम्भोऽप्यन्यद्वपुः कृत्वा निःसृतः पुत्रवत्सलः
The mighty Mahiṣa rose up from the midst of the funeral pyre, and Rambha, devoted to his son, emerged in another form.
रक्तबीजोऽप्यसौ जातो महिषोऽपि महाबलः । अभिषिक्तस्तु राज्येऽसौ हयारिरसुरोत्तमैः
That same Raktabīja was born, and so too the powerful Mahiṣa; he was anointed as king by the foremost of the horse-faced asuras.
एवं स महिषो जातो रक्तबीजश्च वीर्यवान् । अवध्यस्तु सुरैर्दैत्यैर्मानवैश्च नृपोत्तम
Thus, Mahiṣa was born, and Raktabīja, full of vigor; O best of kings, he was invulnerable to gods, demons, and men.
इत्येतत्कथितं राजन् जन्म तस्य महात्मनः । वरप्रदानञ्च तथा प्रोक्तं सर्वं सविस्तरम्
O King, thus has the birth of that great soul been told, as well as the granting of his boon, all described in detail.