पृच्छति त्वां महाभागे मन्मुखेन मम प्रभुः । स जेता सर्वदेवानामवध्यस्तु नरैः किल
My lord, through my mouth, questions you, O greatly fortunate one. He will conquer all the gods and is indeed invincible by men.
ब्रह्मणो वरदानेन गर्वितश्चारुलोचने । दैत्येश्वरोऽसौ बलवान्कामरूपधरः सदा
By the boon granted by Brahma, he has become proud, O beautiful-eyed one. That lord of the demons is powerful and always assumes any form he desires.
श्रुत्वा त्वां समुपायातां चारुवेषां मनोहराम् । द्रष्टुमिच्छति राजा मे महिषो नाम पार्थिवः
Hearing that you have arrived, charming in appearance and captivating, my king named Mahisha wishes to see you.
मानुषं रूपमादाय त्वत्समीपं समेष्यति । यथा रुच्येत चार्वङ्गि तथा मन्यामहे वयम्
Taking on a human form, he will come near you. O lovely-limbed one, we will act as you find pleasing.
तर्ह्येहि मृगशावाक्षि समीपं तस्य धीमतः । नो चेदिहानयाम्येनं राजानं भक्तितत्परम्
Therefore, come, O doe-eyed one, near that wise king. Otherwise, I will bring him here, for he is devoted to worship.
तथा करोमि देवेशि यथा ते मनसेप्सितम् । वशगोऽसौ तवात्यर्थं रूपसंश्रवणात्तव
I will do exactly as you desire, O queen of the gods. He is utterly under your control, drawn by hearing of your beauty.
करभोरु वदाशु त्वं संविधेयं मया तथा
O one with hands like lotus stalks, speak quickly; I will arrange everything accordingly.
मन्त्रीद्वारा महिषासुरेण देव्या सह विवाहप्रस्तावः व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य प्रमदोत्तमा । तमुवाच महाराज मेघगम्भीरया गिरा
Through his minister, Mahishasura proposed marriage to the goddess. Vyasa said: Hearing his words, the foremost among women laughed and spoke to him, O king, with a voice deep as thunderclouds.
देव्युवाच मन्त्रिवर्य सुराणां वै जननीं विद्धि मां किल । महालक्ष्मीमिति ख्यातां सर्वदैत्यनिषूदिनीम्
The goddess said: O best of ministers, know me as the mother of the gods, renowned as Mahalakshmi, the destroyer of all demons.
प्रार्थिताहं सुरैः सर्वैर्महिषस्य वधाय च । पीडितैर्दानवेन्द्रेण यज्ञभागबहिष्कृतैः
I have been requested by all the gods to kill Mahisha, who has oppressed them and excluded them from their share of sacrifices.
तस्मादिहागतास्म्यद्य तद्वधार्थं कृतोद्यमा । एकाकिनी न सैन्येन संयुता मन्त्रिसत्तम
Therefore, I have come here today, determined to slay him. I am alone, not accompanied by an army, O best of ministers.
यत्त्वयाहं सामपूर्वं कृत्वा स्वागतमादरात् । उक्ता मधुरया वाचा तेन तुष्टास्मि तेऽनघ
Because you welcomed me kindly, with gentle words and respect, I am pleased with you, O blameless one.
नोचेद्धन्मि दृशा त्वां वै कालाग्निसमया किल । कस्य प्रीतिकरं न स्यान्माधुर्यवचनं खलु
If I had not seen you at this time of destruction, whose heart would not be gladdened by sweet words?
गच्छ तं महिषं पापं वद मद्वचनादिदम् । गच्छ पातालमधुना जीवितेच्छा यदस्ति ते
Go to that sinful Mahisha and speak these words of mine: Go now to the netherworld, if you desire to live.
नोचेत्कृतागसं दुष्टं हनिष्यामि रणाङ्गणे । मद्बाणक्षुण्णदेहस्त्वं गन्तासि यमसादनम्
Otherwise, having committed wrong, O wicked one, I will slay you on the battlefield. Your body will be shattered by my arrows, and you will go to the abode of Yama.
दयालुत्वं ममेदं त्वं विदित्वा गच्छ सत्वरम् । हते त्वयि सुरा मूढ स्वर्गं प्राप्स्यन्ति सत्वरम्
Knowing this compassion of mine, depart quickly. If you are slain, O fool, the gods will swiftly attain heaven.
तस्माद् गच्छस्व त्यक्त्वैको मेदिनीञ्च ससागराम् । पातालं तरसा मन्द यावद् बाणा न मेऽपतन्
Therefore, depart, abandoning the earth and its oceans. Go quickly to the netherworld before my arrows fall.
युद्धेच्छा चेन्मनसि ते तर्ह्येहि त्वरितोऽसुर । वीरैर्महाबलैः सर्वैर्नयामि यमसादनम्
If you desire battle in your mind, then come swiftly, O demon. With all the mighty heroes, I will send you to the abode of Yama.
युगे युगे महामूढ हतास्त्वत्सदृशाः किल । असंख्यातास्तथा त्वां वै हनिष्यामि रणाङ्गणे
In every age, countless fools like you have been slain; in the same way, I will destroy you on the battlefield.
साफल्यं कुरु शस्त्राणां धारणे तु श्रमोऽन्यथा । तद्युध्यस्व मया सार्धं समरे स्मरपीडितः
Let the effort you spent bearing weapons bear fruit; otherwise, it is wasted. Therefore, fight with me in battle, tormented by desire.
मा गर्वं कुरु दुष्टात्मन् यन्मेऽस्ति ब्रह्मणो वरः । स्त्रीवध्यत्वे त्वया मूढ पीडिताः सुरसत्तमाः
Do not be proud, wicked one, because you have Brahmā’s boon; because of your oppression, the best of the gods have suffered, for you cannot be killed by a woman.
कर्तव्यं वचनं धातुस्तेनाहं त्वामुपागता । स्त्रीरूपमतुलं कृत्वा सत्यं हन्तुं कृतागसम्
The Creator’s word must be fulfilled; that is why I have come to you, taking on an incomparable female form, to truly slay the wrongdoer.
यथेच्छं गच्छ वा मूढ पातालं पन्नगावृतम् । हित्वा भूसुरसद्माद्य जीवितेच्छा यदस्ति ते
Go wherever you wish, fool—descend to the netherworld filled with serpents, if you desire life, leaving the assembly of the gods today.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तः स ततो देव्या मन्त्रिश्रेष्ठो बलान्वितः । प्रत्युवाच निशम्यासौ वचनं हेतुगर्भितम्
Vyāsa said: Thus addressed by the Goddess, the chief minister, strong in might, listened to her words, full of reasoning, and replied.
देवि स्त्रीसदृशं वाक्यं ब्रूषे त्वं मदगर्विता । क्वासौ क्व त्वं कथं युद्धमसम्भाव्यमिदं किल
O Goddess, you speak words befitting a woman, proud of your beauty. Where is he, and where are you? How could such a battle even be possible?
एकाकिनी पुनर्बाला प्रारब्धयौवना मृदुः । महिषोऽसौ महाकायो दुर्विभाव्यं हि सङ्गतम्
You are alone, still a girl, just entering youth, gentle; Mahisha is of great size—such a meeting is truly unimaginable.
सैन्यं बहुविधं तस्य हस्त्यश्वरथसंकुलम् । पदातिगणसंविद्धं नानायुधविराजितम्
His army is vast, teeming with elephants, horses, and chariots, arranged with ranks of foot soldiers, resplendent with many weapons.
कः श्रमः करिराजस्य मालतीपुष्पमर्दने । मारणे तव वामोरु महिषस्य तथा रणे
What effort does it take for the king of elephants to crush a jasmine flower? So too, what effort would it take for Mahisha to kill you in battle, O slender-thighed one?
यदि त्वां परुषं वाक्यं ब्रवीमि स्वल्पमप्यहम् । शृङ्गारे तद्विरुद्धं हि रसभङ्गाद्बिभेम्यहम्
If I speak even a little harshly to you, I fear it would spoil the mood, for such words are contrary to love.
राजास्माकं सुररिपुर्वर्तते त्वयि भक्तिमान् । साममेव मया वाच्यं दानयुक्तं तथा वचः
Our king, the enemy of the gods, is devoted to you; therefore, I must speak gently, with words suited to persuasion.