यद् बलेनातिपूर्णस्त्वं जातोऽसि बलदर्पितः । कुशलस्त्वं तदाघाते न युद्धे महिषाधम
It is by that strength that you have become excessively arrogant; you are skilled only in causing harm, not in battle, O lowest of buffaloes.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तोऽसौ सुरेन्द्रेण स दूतस्त्वरितो गतः । जगाम महिषं मत्तं प्रणम्य प्रत्युवाच ह
Vyāsa said: Thus addressed by the lord of the gods, that messenger quickly departed, approached the intoxicated Mahiṣa, bowed, and spoke to him.
दूत उवाच राजन्देवाधिपः कामं न त्वां विगणयत्यसौ । मन्यते स्वबलं पूर्णं देवसैन्यसमावृतः
The messenger said: O King, the lord of the gods does not consider you at all; surrounded by the army of the gods, he thinks his own strength complete.
यदुक्तं तेन मूर्खेण कथमन्यद् ब्रवीम्यहम् । प्रियं सत्यं च वक्तव्यं भृत्येन पुरतः प्रभोः
What that fool has said, how can I speak otherwise? A servant must speak what is pleasing and true before his master.
प्रियं सत्यं च वक्तव्यं प्रभोरग्रे शुभेच्छुना । इति नीतिर्महाराज जागर्ति शुभकारिणी
One who desires the good must speak what is pleasing and true before the master; such is the righteous policy, O great king, which brings about good.
केवलं चेत्प्रियं ब्रूयान्न ते कार्यं भविष्यति । परुषं च न वक्तव्यं कदाचिच्छुभमिच्छता ॥ २६ यथा रिपुमुखाद्वाचः प्रसरन्ति विषोपमाः । तथा भृत्यमुखान्नाथ निःसरन्ति कथं गिरः
If one speaks only what is pleasing, your purpose will not be accomplished; nor should one ever speak harshly, if one desires good. Just as words like poison come from the mouths of enemies, so, O lord, how should words come from the mouths of servants?
यादृशानीह वाक्यानि तेनोक्तानि महीपते । तादृशानि न मे जिह्वा वक्तुमर्हति कर्हिचित्
O king, the kind of words that were spoken by him, such words my tongue should never utter.
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य हेतुगर्भं तृणाशनः । भृशं कोपपरीतात्मा बभूव महिषासुरः
Vyāsa said: Hearing those words, full of reason, the grass-eater Mahiṣāsura became extremely enraged.
समाहूयाब्रवीद्दैत्यान्क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः । लाङ्गूलं पृष्ठदेशे च कृत्वा मूत्रं परित्यजन्
Summoning the demons, his eyes red with anger, he spoke, urinating with his tail raised at his back.
भो भो दैत्याः सुरेन्द्रोऽसौ युद्धकामोऽस्ति सर्वथा । बलोद्योगं कुरुध्वं वै जेतव्योऽसौ सुराधमः
"Ho, ho, demons! That Indra desires battle by all means; prepare for war, for that vile lord of the gods must be conquered."
मदग्रे को भवेच्छूरः कोटिशश्चेत्तथाविधाः । न बिभेम्येकतः कामं हनिष्याम्यद्य सर्वथा
"Who among you could be a hero before me, even if there were crores of such? I do not fear, even if alone; today, by all means, I will kill him."
शरः शान्तेष्वसौ नूनं तपस्विषु बलाधिकः । बलकर्ता हि कुहको लम्पटः परदारहृत्
"He is certainly stronger than the peaceful ascetics only in their absence; he is a deceiver, a rogue, and a stealer of others' wives."
अप्सरोबलसम्मत्तस्तपोविघ्नकरः खलः । छिद्रप्रहरणः पापो नित्यं विश्वासघातकः
He is a wicked one, infatuated with the beauty of celestial nymphs, an obstacle to ascetic practice, sinful, one who strikes at vulnerabilities, and ever a betrayer of trust.
नमुचिर्निहतो येन कृत्वा सन्धिं दुरात्मना । शपथान्विविधानादौ कृत्वा भीतेन छद्मना
By whom Namuci was slain, after deceitfully making a pact with many oaths at the beginning, out of fear and with trickery—
विष्णुस्तु कपटाचार्यः कुहकः शपथाकरः । नानारूपधरः कामं बलकृद्दम्भपण्डितः
Vishnu is a teacher of deceit, a conjurer, maker of oaths, assuming many forms at will, strong, and an expert in hypocrisy.
कृत्वा कोलाकृतिं येन हिरण्याक्षो निपातितः । हिरण्यकशिपुर्येन नृसिंहेन च घातितः
By whom, taking the form of a boar, Hiranyaksha was struck down, and by whom Hiranyakashipu was killed as Narasimha—
नाहं तद्वशगो नूनं भवेयं दनुनन्दनाः । विश्वासं नैव गच्छामि देवानां कुत्र कर्हिचित्
O children of Danu, I would certainly never come under his power; I never place trust in the gods, not at any time or place.
किं करिष्यति मे विष्णुरिन्द्रो वा बलवत्तरः । रुद्रो वापि न मे शक्तः प्रतिकर्तुं रणाङ्गणे
What could Vishnu, or even Indra, do to me, no matter how powerful? Not even Rudra is able to oppose me on the battlefield.
त्रिविष्टपं ग्रहीष्यामि जित्वेन्द्रं वरुणं यमम् । धनदं पावकं चैव चन्द्रसूर्यौ विजित्य च
I will seize the realm of heaven, conquering Indra, Varuna, Yama, Kubera, Agni, and also the Moon and Sun.
यज्ञभागभुजः सर्वे भविष्यामोऽद्य सोमपाः । जित्वा देवसमूहञ्च विहरिष्यामि दानवैः
Today, we will become the recipients of the sacrificial share, drinkers of Soma; having conquered the hosts of gods, I will revel with the Danavas.
न मे भयं सुरेभ्यश्च वरदानेन दानवाः । मरणं न नरेभ्यश्च नारी किं मे करिष्यति
O Danavas, by the boon granted to me, I have no fear of the gods, nor of death from men; what could a woman possibly do to me?
पातालपर्वतेभ्यश्च समाहूय वरान्वरान् । दानवान्मम सैन्येशान्कुर्वन्तु त्वरिताश्चराः
Summon the best of boons from the netherworld and the mountains, and let the swift-moving Danavas become commanders in my army.
एकोऽहं सर्वदेवेशान्विजेतुं दानवाः क्षमः । शोभार्थं वः समाहूय नयामि सुरसङ्गमे
Alone, I am capable of conquering all the lords of the gods, O Danavas; I call you together for the sake of glory, and lead you to the battle with the gods.
शृङ्गाभ्यां च खुराभ्यां च हनिष्येऽहं सुरान्किल । न मे भयं सुरेभ्यश्च वरदानप्रभावतः
With my horns and hooves I will surely slay the gods; I have no fear of the gods, due to the power of the boon granted to me.
अवध्योऽहं सुरगणैरसुरैर्मानवैस्तथा । तस्मात्सज्जा भवन्त्वद्य देवलोकजयाय वै
I am invulnerable to the hosts of gods, asuras, and men; therefore, be ready today for the conquest of the heavenly realms.
जित्वा सुरालयं दैत्या विहरिष्यामि नन्दने । मन्दारकुसुमापीडा देवयोषित्समन्विताः
Having conquered the abode of the gods, O Daityas, I will delight in Nandana, adorned with garlands of mandara flowers, accompanied by divine maidens.
कामधेनुपयोत्सिक्ताः सुधापानप्रमोदिताः । देवगन्धर्वगीतादिनृत्यलास्यसमन्विताः
Bathed in the milk of the wish-fulfilling cow, gladdened by drinking nectar, accompanied by the songs and dances of gods and gandharvas.
उर्वशी मेनका रम्भा घृताची च तिलोत्तमा । प्रमद्वरा महासेना मिश्रकेशी मदोत्कटा
Urvaśī, Menakā, Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, Tilottamā, Pramadvarā, Mahāsenā, Miśrakeśī, and Madotkaṭā—
विप्रचित्तिप्रभृतयो नृत्यगीतविशारदाः । रञ्जयिष्यन्ति वः सर्वान्नानासवनिषेवणैः
And those like Vipracitti, skilled in dance and song, will delight you all with the enjoyment of various wines.
सर्वे सज्जा भवन्त्वद्य रोचतां गमनं दिवि । संग्रामार्थं सुरैः सार्धं कृत्वा मङ्गलमुत्तमम्
Let all be ready today; may the journey to heaven be pleasing to you. Having performed the most auspicious rites, let us go to battle with the gods.