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.
नोचेद्धन्म्यहमद्यैव बाणेन त्वां मृषावदाम् । मिथ्याभिमानचतुरां रूपयौवनगर्विताम्
Otherwise, I would slay you today with an arrow, you who speak falsely, clever in vain pride, boasting of your beauty and youth.
स्वामी मे मोहितः श्रुत्वा रूपं ते भुवनातिगम् । तत्प्रियार्थं प्रियं कामं वक्तव्यं त्वयि यन्मया
My master is enchanted, having seen your beauty, which surpasses the worlds; for his sake, I must say whatever is pleasing to you.
राज्यं तव धनं सर्वं दासस्ते महिषः किल । कुरु भावं विशालाक्षि त्यक्त्वा रोषं मृतिप्रदम्
The kingdom, all its wealth—Mahisha himself will be your servant; give up your deadly anger, O wide-eyed one, and accept him.
पतामि पादयोस्तेऽहं भक्तिभावेन भामिनि । पट्टराज्ञी महाराज्ञो भव शीघ्रं शुचिस्मिते
I fall at your feet in devotion, O radiant one; become the chief queen of the great king at once, O fair-smiling lady.
त्रैलोक्यविभवं सर्वं प्राप्स्यसि त्वमनाविलम् । सुखं संसारजं सर्वं महिषस्य परिग्रहात्
You will obtain all the wealth of the three worlds without trouble, and every happiness of worldly life, by accepting Mahisha.
देव्युवाच शृणु साचिव वक्ष्यामि वाक्यानां सारमुत्तमम् । शास्त्रदृष्टेन मार्गेण चातुर्यमनुचिन्त्य च
The Goddess said: Listen, O minister, I will tell you the supreme essence of words, considering both the path shown by scripture and cleverness.
महिषस्य प्रधानस्त्वं मया ज्ञातं धिया किल । पशुबुद्धिस्वभावोऽसि वचनात्तव साम्प्रतम्
By my discernment, I have understood that the buffalo's primacy is due to you; indeed, your nature is that of an animal mind, as your words now reveal.
मन्त्रिणस्त्वादृशा यस्य स कथं बुद्धिमान्भवेत् । उभयोः सदृशो योगः कृतोऽयं विधिना किल
How can one whose counselor is like you be considered intelligent? Indeed, fate has matched you both in similarity.
यदुक्तं स्त्रीस्वभावासि तद्विचारस्य मूढ किम् । पुमान्नाहं तत्स्वभावाभवंस्त्रीवेषधारिणी
You said I possess a woman's nature—what foolishness is that to consider? I am not a man, nor do I have that nature; I merely wear the guise of a woman.
याचितं मरणं पूर्वं स्त्रिया त्वत्प्रभुणा यथा । तस्मान्मन्येऽतिमूर्खोऽसौ न वीररसवित्तमः
Previously, your lord requested death from a woman; therefore, I consider him extremely foolish, not one who knows the valorous spirit.
कामिन्या मरणं क्लीबरतिदं शूरदुःखदम् । प्रार्थितं प्रभुणा तेन महिषेणात्मबुद्धिना
To desire death at the hands of a woman is an act fit for the weak, bringing sorrow to the brave; this was sought by the buffalo, thinking himself wise.
तस्मात्स्त्रीरूपमाधाय कार्यं कर्तुमुपागता । कथं बिभेमि त्वद्वाक्यैर्धर्मशास्त्रविरोधकैः
Therefore, assuming a woman's form, I have come to accomplish my task; why should I fear your words, which oppose the scriptures of righteousness?
विपरीतं यदा दैवं तृणं वज्रसमं भवेत् । विधिश्चेत्सुमुखः कामं कुलिशं तूलवत्तदा
When fate turns contrary, even a blade of grass becomes like a thunderbolt; but if destiny is favorable, then even a thunderbolt is as light as cotton.
किं सैन्यैरायुधैः किं वा प्रपञ्चैर्दुर्गसेवनैः । मरणं साम्प्रतं यस्य तस्य सैन्यैस्तु किं फलम्
What use are armies and weapons, or the defense of fortresses? For one whose death is now ordained, what benefit is there in armies?
यदायं देहसम्बन्धो जीवस्य कालयोगतः । तदैव लिखितं सर्वं सुखं दुःखं तथा मृतिः
When, by the conjunction of time, the soul is joined to the body, then all happiness, sorrow, and death are already written.
यस्य येन प्रकारेण मरणं दैवनिर्मितम् । तस्य तेनैव जायेत नान्यथेति विनिश्चयः
For anyone, the manner of death is determined by fate; it will occur in that very way, and not otherwise—this is certain.
ब्रह्मादीनां यथा काले नाशोत्पत्ती विनिर्मिते । तथैव भवतः कामं किमन्येषां विचार्यते
Just as the creation and destruction of Brahma and others are fixed in time, so too is yours; why consider the fate of others?
ये मृत्युधर्मिणस्तेषां वरदानेन दर्पिताः । मरिष्यामो न मन्यन्ते ते मूढा मन्दचेतसः
Those who are mortal, yet made arrogant by boons, foolishly think, 'We will not die'; their minds are dull.
तस्माद् गच्छ नृपं ब्रूहि वचनं मम सत्वरम् । यदाज्ञापयते भूपस्तत्कर्तव्यं त्वया किल
Therefore, go quickly and tell the king my words: whatever the king commands, you must do.
मघवा स्वर्गमाप्नोतु देवाः सन्तु हविर्भुजः । यूयं प्रयात पातालं यदि जीवितुमिच्छथ
Let Indra attain heaven, let the gods partake of offerings; but you, if you wish to live, depart to the underworld.