हयग्रीव उवाच नमो देव्यै महामाये सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारिणि । भक्तानुग्रहचतुरे कामदे मोक्षदे शिवे
Hayagrīva said: 'Salutations to the Goddess, the great enchantress, who creates, sustains, and dissolves the universe; skillful in blessing devotees, granter of desires and liberation, auspicious one.'
धराम्बुतेजःपवनखपञ्चानां च कारणम् । त्वं गन्धरसरूपाणां कारणं स्पर्शशब्दयोः
You are the cause of earth, water, fire, air, and ether; you are the cause of the forms of the Gandharvas, and of touch and sound.
घ्राणं च रसना चक्षुस्त्वक्श्रोत्रमिन्द्रियाणि च । कर्मेन्द्रियाणि चान्यानि त्वत्तः सर्वं महेश्वरि
The nose, tongue, eyes, skin, ears—the senses—and the organs of action, O great goddess, all arise from you.
देव्युवाच किं तेऽभीष्टं वरं ब्रूहि वाञ्छितं यद्ददामि तत् । परितुष्टास्मि भक्त्या ते तपसा चाद्भुतेन च
The Goddess said: 'Tell me what boon you desire; whatever you wish, I will grant it. I am pleased with your devotion and your wondrous austerity.'
हयग्रीव उवाच यथा मे मरणं मातर्न भवेत्तत्तथा कुरु । भवेयममरो योगी तथाजेयः सुरासुरैः
Hayagrīva said: 'Mother, let death not come to me; let it be so. May I be immortal, a yogi, and unconquerable by gods and demons.'
देव्युवाच जातस्य हि ध्रुवं मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । मर्यादा चेदृशी लोके भवेच्च कथमन्यथा
The Goddess said: 'For one who is born, death is certain; for one who has died, birth is certain. Such is the order in the world—how can it be otherwise?'
एवं त्वं निश्चयं कृत्वा मरणे राक्षसोत्तम । वरं वरय चेष्टं ते विचार्य मनसा किल
Therefore, O best of demons, having resolved thus about death, choose another boon you desire, after considering in your mind.
हयग्रीव उवाच हयग्रीवाच्च मे मृत्युर्नान्यस्माज्जगदम्बिके । इति मे वाञ्छितं कामं पूरयस्व मनोगतम्
Hayagrīva said: 'O Mother of the world, let my death come only from one named Hayagrīva, and from no other. Fulfill this wish that is in my heart.'
देव्युवाच गृहं गच्छ महाभाग कुरु राज्यं यथासुखम् । हयग्रीवादृते मृत्युर्न ते नूनं भविष्यति
The Goddess spoke: Go home, O greatly fortunate one, and rule your kingdom as you please. Except for Hayagriva, surely death will not come to you.
इति दत्त्वा वरं तस्मा अन्तर्धानं गता तथा । मुदं परमिकां प्राप्य सोऽपि स्वभवनं गतः
Having granted him this boon, she vanished from sight. Filled with supreme joy, he too returned to his own house.
स पीडयति दुष्टात्मा मुनीन् वेदांश्च सर्वशः । न कोऽपि विद्यते तस्य हन्ताद्य भुवनत्रये
That wicked soul torments the sages and the Vedas in every way; today, in the three worlds, there is no one who can slay him.
तस्माच्छीर्षं हयस्यास्य समुद्धृत्य मनोहरम् । देहेऽत्र विशिरोविष्णोस्त्वष्टा संयोजयिष्यति
Therefore, the head of this horse, beautiful to behold, will be taken and joined to the body of Vishnu by Tvashta.
हयग्रीवोऽथ भगवान्हनिष्यति तमासुरम् । पापिष्ठं दानवं क्रूरं देवानां हितकाम्यया
Then the blessed Hayagriva will slay that demon, the most sinful and cruel Danava, desiring the welfare of the gods.
सूत उवाच एवं सुरांस्तदाभाष्य शर्वाणी विरराम ह । देवास्तदातिसन्तुष्टास्तमूचुर्देवशिल्पिनम्
Suta said: Having thus addressed the gods, Sharvani became silent. The gods, exceedingly pleased, then spoke to the divine artisan.
देवा ऊचुः कुरु कार्यं सुराणां वै विष्णोः शीर्षाभियोजनम् । दानवप्रवरं दैत्यं हयग्रीवो हनिष्यति
The gods said: Perform the task for the gods—join the horse's head to Vishnu. Hayagriva will slay the foremost Daitya, the Danava.
सूत उवाच इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां त्वष्टा चातित्वरान्वितः । वाजिशीर्षं चकर्ताशु खड्गेन सुरसन्निधौ
Suta said: Hearing their words, Tvashta, filled with great haste, swiftly cut off the horse's head with a sword in the presence of the gods.
विष्णोः शरीरे तेनाशु योजितं वाजिमस्तकम् । हयग्रीवो हरिर्जातो महामायाप्रसादतः
That horse's head was quickly joined to Vishnu's body; by the grace of the great Maya, Hari became Hayagriva.
कियता तेन कालेन दानवो मददर्पितः । निहतस्तरसा संख्ये देवानां रिपुरोजसा
Within a short time, that Danava, intoxicated with pride, was slain with force in battle by the power of the gods' enemy.
य इदं शुभमाख्यानं शृण्वन्ति भुवि मानवाः । सर्वदुःखविनिर्मुक्तास्ते भवन्ति न संशयः
Those people on earth who listen to this auspicious narrative become freed from all suffering—there is no doubt.
महामायाचरित्रञ्च पवित्रं पापनाशनम् । पठतां शृण्वतां चैव सर्वसम्पत्तिकारकम्
The story of the great Maya is pure and destroys sin; for those who recite or listen to it, it brings all prosperity.
मधुकैटभयोर्युद्धोद्योगवर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः सौम्य यच्च त्वया प्रोक्तं शौरेर्युद्धं महार्णवे । मधुकैटभयोः सार्धं पञ्चवर्षसहस्रकम्
Description of the battle and preparations of Madhu and Kaitabha. The sages said: Gentle one, what you have told about the battle of Shauri in the great ocean, together with Madhu and Kaitabha, lasted five thousand years.
कस्मात्तौ दानवौ जातौ तस्मिन्नेकार्णवे जले । महावीर्यो दुराधर्षौ देवैरपि सुदुर्जयौ
Why were those two Danavas born in that single ocean of water, possessing great strength, difficult to overcome, and even very hard for the gods to defeat?
कथं तावसुरौ जातौ कथं च हरिणा हतौ । तदाचक्ष्व महाप्राज्ञ चरितं परमाद्भुतम्
How were those two Asuras born, and how were they slain by Hari? Tell us, O greatly wise one, this most wondrous tale.
श्रोतुकामा वयं सर्वे त्वं वक्ता च बहुश्रुतः । दैवाच्चात्रैव संजातः संयोगश्च तथावयोः
We all wish to hear; you are the speaker and well-versed. By fate, this union has occurred, as has our meeting with you.
मूर्खेण सह संयोगो विषादपि सुदुर्जरः । विज्ञेन सह संयोगः सुधारससमः स्मृतः
Union with a fool is harder than poison; union with the wise is remembered as being like the essence of nectar.
जीवन्ति पशवः सर्वे खादन्ति मेहयन्ति च । जानन्ति विषयाकारं व्यवायसुखमद्भुतम्
All animals live, eat, and defecate; they know the forms of sense objects and the wondrous pleasure of intercourse.
न तेषां सदसज्ज्ञानं विवेको न च मोक्षदः । पशुभिस्ते समा ज्ञेया येषां न श्रवणादरः
Those who have no discernment of real and unreal, no discrimination, and no liberation—know them to be like animals, those who have no reverence for hearing.
मृगाद्याः पशवः केचिज्जानन्ति श्रावणं सुखम् । अश्रोत्राः फणिनश्चैव मुमुहुर्नादपानतः
Some animals, such as deer and others, know the pleasure of hearing; but serpents, lacking ears, are deprived of the joy of sound.
पञ्चानामिन्द्रियाणां वै शुभे श्रवणदर्शने । श्रवणाद्वस्तुविज्ञानं दर्शनाच्चित्तरञ्जनम्
Of the five senses, hearing and sight are considered auspicious; through hearing comes knowledge of things, and through sight, delight of the mind.
श्रवणं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं सात्त्विकं राजसं तथा । तामसं च महाभाग सुज्ञोक्तं निश्चयान्वितम्
Hearing is said to be of three kinds: sāttvika, rājasika, and tāmasika, O noble one, as explained by the wise with certainty.