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.
अन्यथा चेन्मतिर्मन्द महिषस्य दुरात्मनः । तद्युध्यस्व मया सार्धं मरणाय कृतादरः
Otherwise, if the wicked buffalo's mind is set differently, then fight with me, prepared for death.
मन्यसे सङ्गरे भग्ना देवा विष्णुपुरोगमाः । दैवं हि कारणं तत्र वरदानं प्रजापतेः
You think the gods, led by Vishnu, were defeated in battle; but the cause there was fate—the boon given by the Lord of Creatures.
व्यास उवाच इति देव्या वचः श्रुत्वा चिन्तयामास दानवः । किं कर्तव्यं मया युद्धं गन्तव्यं वा नृपं प्रति
Vyasa said: Hearing these words of the Goddess, the demon pondered: What should I do—fight, or go to the king?
विवाहार्थमिहाज्ञप्तो राज्ञा कामातुरेण वै । तत्कथं विरसं कृत्वा गच्छेयं नृपसन्निधौ
I was commanded to come here for marriage by the king, who is overcome by desire; so how can I, having made it tasteless, go before the king?
इयं बुद्धिः समीचीना यद् व्रजामि कलिं विना । यथागतं तथा शीघ्रं राज्ञे संवेदयाम्यहम्
This decision is proper, that I go without delay; as soon as I arrive, I will promptly inform the king.
स प्रमाणं पुनः कार्ये राजा मतिमतां वरः । करिष्यति विचार्यैव सचिवैर्निपुणैः सह
He, the foremost among the wise, will again consider the matter, and, after deliberation with skilled ministers, will act accordingly.
सहसा न मया युद्धं कर्तव्यमनया सह । जये पराजये वापि भूपतेरप्रियं भवेत्
I must not hastily engage in battle with her; whether victory or defeat, it would displease the king.
यदि मां सुन्दरी हन्यादहं वा हन्मि तां पुनः । येन केनाप्युपायेन स कुप्येत्पार्थिवः किल
If the beautiful woman kills me, or I kill her by some means, the king would surely become angry.
तस्मात्तत्रैव गत्वाहं बोधयिष्यामि तं नृपम् । यथाद्याभिहितं देव्या यथारुचि करोतु सः
Therefore, I will go there and inform the king; as the goddess has instructed, let him act as he wishes.
व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्य मेधावी जगाम नृपसन्निधौ । प्रणम्य तमुवाचेदं कृताञ्जलिरमात्यकः
Vyasa said: Having thus considered, the wise one went to the king's presence, bowed, and spoke these words with joined palms.