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.
भगवतीमाहात्म्ये दैत्यसैन्योद्योगः व्यास उवाच एवं स महिषो नाम दानवो वरदर्पितः । प्राप्य राज्यं जगत्सर्वं वशे चक्रे महाबलः
Vyāsa said: Thus, Mahiṣa, the asura endowed with boons, having obtained the kingdom, brought the whole world under his control with his great might.
पृथिवीं पालयामास सागरान्तां भुजार्जिताम् । एकच्छत्रां निरातङ्कां वैरिवर्गविवर्जिताम्
He ruled the earth, bounded by the oceans, won by his own arms, unified under one umbrella, free from danger and devoid of enemies.
सेनानीश्चिक्षुरस्तस्य महावीर्यो मदोत्कटः । धनाध्यक्षस्तथा ताम्रः सेनायुतसमावृतः
His army commander was Cikṣura, of great valor and excessive pride; likewise, Tāmra was the treasurer, surrounded by countless troops.
असिलोमा तथोदर्को बिडालाख्यश्च बाष्कलः । त्रिनेत्रोऽथ तथा कालबन्धको बलदर्पितः
Asilomā, Udarka, and Bāṣkala called Biḍāla, as well as Trinetra and Kālabandhaka, proud in their strength, were also present.
एते सैन्ययुताः सर्वे दानवा मेदिनीं तदा । आवृत्य संस्थिताः काममृद्धां सागरमेखलाम्
All these daityas, each with their own divisions of troops, then occupied the earth, rich and encircled by the ocean, as they pleased.
करदाश्च कृताः सर्वे भूमिपालाः पुरातनाः । निहता ये बलोदग्राः क्षात्रधर्मव्यवस्थिताः
All the ancient rulers of the earth were made tributaries; those who were powerful and steadfast in the kṣatriya code were slain.
ब्राह्मणा वशगा जाता यज्ञभागसमर्पकाः । महिषस्य महाराज निखिले क्षितिमण्डले
The brāhmaṇas became subservient, offering the shares of sacrifice, throughout the entire realm of Mahiṣa, O great king.
एकातपत्रं तद्राज्यं कृत्वा स महिषासुरः । स्वर्गं जेतुं मनश्चक्रे वरदानेन गर्वितः
Having made his kingdom unified under one umbrella, Mahiṣāsura, proud of his boon, set his mind on conquering heaven.
प्रणिधिं प्रेषयामास हयारिस्तु शचीपतिम् । स सन्देशहरं शीघ्रमाहूयोवाच दैत्यराट्
Then Hayāri sent a spy to the lord of Śacī; the king of the daityas summoned the messenger swiftly and spoke.
गच्छ वीर महाबाहो दूतत्वं कुरु मेऽनघ । ब्रूहि शक्रं दिवं गत्वा निःशङ्कः सुरसन्निधौ
Go, O mighty-armed hero, act as my envoy without fail; go to heaven and, without fear, speak to Śakra in the assembly of the gods.