त्वरन्वीर महाबाहो सैन्येन महता वृतः । तत्र गत्वा त्वया ज्ञेया विचार्य च पुनः पुनः
Hasten, O mighty-armed hero, accompanied by a great army; having gone there, you must carefully consider again and again.
किमर्थमागता चेयं ज्ञातव्यं तद्धि कारणम् । कामाद्वा वैरभावाच्च माया कस्येयमित्युत
You must ascertain why she has come, and what is the reason; whether it is out of desire, enmity, or whose magic this is.
आदौ तन्निश्चयं कृत्वा ज्ञातव्यं तच्चिकीर्षितम् । पश्चाद्युद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं यथायोग्यं यथाबलम्
First, determine that intention and learn what she seeks to do; afterwards, wage battle as appropriate and according to your strength.
कातरत्वं न कर्तव्यं निर्दयत्वं तथा न च । यादृशं हि मनस्तस्याः कर्तव्यं तादृशं त्वया
There should be no fearfulness, nor any cruelty; you must act toward her according to her disposition.
व्यास उवाच इति तद्भाषितं श्रुत्वा ताम्रः कालवशं गतः । निर्गतः सैन्यसंयुक्तः प्रणम्य महिषं नृपम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, Tāmra, subject to fate, departed with his army, having bowed to King Mahiṣa.
गच्छन्मार्गे दुरात्मासौ शकुनान्वीक्ष्य दारुणान् । विस्मयञ्च भयं प्राप यममार्गप्रदर्शकान्
On the way, that wicked one saw terrible birds, and experienced wonder and fear, for they showed the path to death.
सगत्वा तां समालोक्य देवीं सिंहोपरिस्थिताम् । स्तूयमानां सुरैः सर्वैः सर्वायुधविभूषिताम्
Approaching her, he beheld the Goddess seated upon a lion, praised by all the gods, adorned with every weapon.
तामुवाच विनीतः सन् वाक्यं मधुरया गिरा । सामभावं समाश्रित्य विनयावनतः स्थितः
With humility, he addressed her with gentle words, standing respectfully, adopting a conciliatory tone.
देवि दैत्येश्वरः शृङ्गी त्वद्रूपगुणमोहितः । स्पृहां करोति महिषस्त्वत्पाणिग्रहणाय च
O Goddess, the lord of the Daityas, Śṛṅgī, is enchanted by your form and virtues; Mahisha desires to take your hand in marriage.
भावं कुरु विशालाक्षि तस्मिन्नमरदुर्जये । पतिं तं प्राप्य मृद्वङ्गि नन्दने विहराद्भुते
O wide-eyed one, show favor to him, unconquerable even by the gods; having him as your husband, enjoy wondrous pleasures in Nandana.
सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरं देहं प्राप्य सर्वसुखास्पदम् । सुखं सर्वात्मना ग्राह्यं दुःखं हेयमिति स्थितिः
Having obtained a body beautiful in every limb, the source of all delight, one should wholly embrace happiness and reject suffering—such is the way.
करभोरु किमर्थं ते गृहीतान्यायुधान्यलम् । पुष्पकन्दुकयोग्यास्ते कराः कमलकोमलाः
O slender-thighed one, why do you hold these weapons? Your lotus-soft hands are fit for playing with flowers and balls, not for arms.
भ्रूचापे विद्यमानेऽपि धनुषा किं प्रयोजनम् । कटाक्षा विशिखाः सन्ति किं बाणैर्निष्प्रयोजनैः
When you possess the bow of your eyebrows, what need is there for an actual bow? Your sidelong glances are arrows—what use are real arrows, which serve no purpose?
संसारे दुःखदं युद्धं न कर्तव्यं विजानता । लोभासक्ताः प्रकुर्वन्ति संग्रामञ्च परस्परम्
One who knows should not engage in battle, which brings suffering in this world; only those attached to greed wage war with one another.
पुष्पैरपि न योद्धव्यं किं पुनर्निशितैः शरैः । भेदनं निजगात्राणां कस्य तज्जायते मुदे
One should not fight even with flowers, let alone with sharp arrows; who finds joy in wounding their own body?
तस्मात्त्वमपि तन्वङ्गि प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि । भर्तारं भज मे नाथं देवदानवपूजितम्
Therefore, O slender-limbed one, you too should show favor; accept as your husband my lord, who is worshipped by gods and demons alike.
स तेऽत्र वाञ्छितं सर्वं करिष्यति मनोरथम् । त्वं पट्टमहिषी राज्ञः सर्वथा नात्र संशयः
He will fulfill here all your desires and wishes; you will become the chief queen of the king—of this there is no doubt.
वचनं कुरु मे देवि प्राप्स्यसे सुखमुत्तमम् । संग्रामे जयसन्देहः कष्टं प्राप्य न संशयः
O Goddess, do as I say and you will attain the highest happiness; after enduring the hardship of battle, there is no doubt of victory.
जानासि राजनीतिं त्वं यथावद्वरवर्णिनि । भुंक्ष्व राज्यसुखं पूर्णं वर्षाणामयुतायुतम्
You know the science of kingship well, O best of women; enjoy the full pleasures of royalty for tens of thousands of years.
पुत्रस्ते भविता कान्तः सोऽपि राजा भविष्यति । यौवने क्रीडयित्वान्ते वार्धक्ये सुखमाप्स्यसि
Your son will be beloved and will also become king; after enjoying youth, in old age you will attain happiness.
देवीपराजयकरणाय दुर्धरप्रबोधवचनम् व्यास उवाच तन्निशम्य वचस्तस्य ताम्रस्य जगदम्बिका । मेघगम्भीरया वाचा हसन्ती तमुवाच ह
To bring about the defeat of the Goddess, Tāmra spoke words difficult to counter or comprehend. Vyāsa said: Hearing his words, the Mother of the World, with a voice deep as a cloud, laughed and replied to him.
देव्युवाच गच्छ ताम्र पतिं ब्रूहि मुमूर्षुं मन्दचेतसम् । महिषं चातिकामार्तं मूढं ज्ञानविवर्जितम्
The Goddess said: Go, Tāmra, and tell your master, who is about to die and whose mind is dull, and also to Mahisha, who is overwhelmed by desire and devoid of wisdom.
यथा ते महिषी माता प्रौढा यवसभक्षिणी । नाहं तथा शृङ्गवती लम्बपुच्छा महोदरी
Just as your mother, the queen, is aged and eats barley, I am not like her—horned, with a drooping tail and a large belly.
न कामयेऽहं देवेशं नैव विष्णुं न शङ्करम् । धनदं वरुणं नैव ब्रह्माणं न च पावकम्
I do not desire the lord of the gods, nor Viṣṇu, nor Śaṅkara; not the god of wealth, nor Varuṇa, nor Brahmā, nor even Agni.
एतान्देवगणान्हित्वा पशुं केन गुणेन वै । वृणोम्यहं वृथा लोके गर्हणा मे भवेदिति
Abandoning these hosts of gods, by what virtue would I choose a beast? In the world, I would be reproached in vain for this.
नाहं पतिंवरा नारी वर्तते मे पतिः प्रभुः । सर्वकर्ता सर्वसाक्षी ह्यकर्ता निःस्पृहः स्थिरः
I am not a woman devoted to a husband; I have no lord as my master. He is the doer of all, the witness of all, truly non-doer, desireless, and steadfast.
निर्गुणो निर्ममोऽनन्तो निरालम्बो निराश्रयः । सर्वज्ञः सर्वगः साक्षी पूर्णः पूर्णाशयः शिवः
He is without qualities, without possessiveness, infinite, unsupported, without dependence, all-knowing, all-pervading, the witness, complete, of perfect intent, and auspicious.
सर्वावासक्षमः शान्तः सर्वदृक्सर्वभावनः । तं त्यक्त्वा महिषं मन्दं कथं सेवितुमुत्सहे
He is capable of dwelling in all, peaceful, seeing all, the creator of all beings. Abandoning him, how could I, for the sake of a dull buffalo, bring myself to serve?
प्रबुध्य युध्यतां कामं करोमि यमवाहनम् । अथवा मनुजानां वै करिष्ये जलवाहकम्
If you wish to fight, then awaken and do so; I will make you the mount of Yama. Or else, for humans, I will make you a beast that carries water.
जीवितेच्छास्ति चेत्पाप गच्छ पातालमाशु वै । समस्तैर्दानवैर्युक्तस्त्वन्यथा हन्मि सङ्गरे
If you desire life, O sinner, go quickly to the netherworld, joined by all the other demons; otherwise, I will slay you in battle.