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.
कामं सदृशयोर्योगः संसारे सुखदो भवेत् । अन्यथा दुःखदो भूयादज्ञानाद्यदि कल्पितः
Union of equals in the world brings happiness as desired; otherwise, if imagined through ignorance, it brings sorrow.
मूर्खस्त्वमसि यद् ब्रूषे पतिं मे भज भामिनि । क्वाहं क्व महिषः शृङ्गी सम्बन्धः कीदृशो द्वयोः
You are a fool to say, 'O beautiful one, take my husband.' Where am I, and where is the horned buffalo? What kind of connection could there be between the two of us?
गच्छ युध्यस्व वा कामं हनिष्येऽहं सबान्धवम् । यज्ञभागं देवलोकं नोचेत्त्यक्त्वा सुखी भव
Go and fight as you wish, or else I will slay you along with your kin. If you do not return the gods' share and their world, then, abandoning all, be happy elsewhere.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा देवी जगर्ज भृशमद्भुतम् । कल्पान्तसदृशं नादं चक्रे दैत्यभयावहम्
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, the Goddess then roared wondrously and fiercely, making a sound like the end of the world, causing terror among the demons.
चकम्पे वसुधा चेलुस्तेन शब्देन भूधराः । गर्भाश्च दैत्यपत्नीनां सस्रंसुर्गर्जितस्वनात्
The earth trembled, mountains shook from that sound, and the fetuses in the wombs of the demonesses fell from the force of the roar.
ताम्रः श्रुत्वा च तं शब्दं भयत्रस्तमनास्तदा । पलायनं ततः कृत्वा जगाम महिषान्तिकम्
Hearing that sound, Tamra, his mind seized by fear, fled and went to Mahisha.
नगरे तस्य ये दैत्यास्तेऽपि चिन्तामवाप्नुवन् । बधिरीकृतकर्णाश्च पलायनपरा नृप
The demons in his city also fell into anxiety, their ears deafened, and, O king, they became intent on fleeing.
तदा क्रोधेन सिंहोऽपि ननाद भृशमुत्सटः । तेन नादेन दैतेया भयं जग्मुरपि स्फुटम्
Then, in anger, the lion too roared fiercely; from that roar, the Daityas clearly became afraid.
ताम्रं समागतं दृष्ट्वा हयारिरपि मोहितः । चिन्तयामास सचिवैः किं कर्तव्यमतः परम्
Seeing Tamra arrive, even the horse-faced enemy was bewildered, and he began to consult with his ministers about what should be done next.
दुर्गग्रहो वा कर्तव्यो युद्धं निर्गत्य वा पुनः । पलायने कृते श्रेयो भवेद्वा दानवोत्तमाः
Should we seize a fortress, or go out to battle again? Or, if we flee, would that be better, O best of the Danavas?
बुद्धिमन्तो दुराधर्षाः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदाः । मन्त्रः खलु प्रकर्तव्यः सुगुप्तः कार्यसिद्धये
Wise and unassailable, skilled in all the scriptures—such ministers must devise a well-guarded plan for the accomplishment of the task.
मन्त्रमूलं स्मृतं राज्यं यदि स स्यात्सुरक्षितः । मन्त्रिभिश्च सदाचारैर्विधेयः सर्वथा बुधैः
If the kingdom, whose root is counsel, is thus protected, then it must always be governed by ministers of good conduct and wisdom.
मन्त्रभेदे विनाशः स्याद्राज्यस्य भूपतेस्तथा । तस्माद्भेदभयाद् गुप्तः कर्तव्यो भूतिमिच्छता
If there is division among the ministers, the king's realm will be destroyed; therefore, out of fear of discord, one who desires prosperity should act with secrecy.
तदत्र मन्त्रिभिर्वाच्यं वचनं हेतुमद्धितम् । कालदेशानुसारेण विचिन्त्य नीतिनिर्णयम्
Here, the ministers should speak words that are reasonable and beneficial, carefully considering the circumstances of time and place, and determining the proper course of policy.
या योषात्र समायाता प्रबला देवनिर्मिता । एकाकिनी निरालम्बा कारणं तद्विचिन्त्यताम्
This woman who has come here is powerful and created by the gods; she is alone and without support—let the reason for this be considered.
युद्धं प्रार्थयते बाला किमाश्चर्यमतः परम् । श्रेयोऽत्र विपरीतं वा को वेत्ति भुवनत्रये
A young woman seeks battle—what could be more astonishing than this? Who knows, in the three worlds, whether the outcome here will be good or otherwise?
न बहूनां जयोऽप्यस्ति नैकस्य च पराजयः । दैवाधीनौ सदा ज्ञेयौ युद्धे जयपराजयौ
Victory does not always belong to the many, nor is defeat always the fate of the one; in battle, victory and defeat are always to be understood as dependent on destiny.
उपायवादिनः प्राहुर्दैवं किं केन वीक्षितम् । अदृष्टमिति यन्नाम प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
Those who speak of strategy say, 'What is fate, and by whom has it been seen?' The wise call it the unseen, the unknown.
तत्सत्त्वेऽपि प्रमाणं किं कातराशावलम्बनम् । न समर्थजनानां हि दैवं कुत्रापि लक्ष्यते
Even if fate exists, what proof is there for relying on fearful hope? For fate is never observed among those who are capable.
उद्यमो दैवमेतौ हि शूरकातरयोर्मतम् । विचिन्त्याद्य धिया सर्वं कर्तव्यं कार्यमादरात्
Effort and destiny—these two are considered the views of the brave and the fearful; today, everything should be thoughtfully considered and the necessary action undertaken with care.