तत्किमर्थं दुःखहेतुं संग्रामं कर्तुमिच्छसि । संसारेऽत्र सुखं ग्राह्यं दुःखं हेयमिति स्थितिः
So why do you wish to wage war, which brings only suffering? In this world, happiness should be sought and suffering avoided—such is the way.
तत्सुखं द्विविधं प्रोक्तं नित्यानित्यप्रभेदतः । आत्मज्ञानं सुखं नित्यमनित्यं भोगजं स्मृतम्
That happiness is said to be of two kinds, distinguished as eternal and non-eternal; self-knowledge is eternal happiness, while pleasure from enjoyment is called non-eternal.
नाशात्मकं तु तत्त्याज्यं वेदशास्त्रार्थचिन्तकैः । सौगतानां मतं चेत्त्वं स्वीकरोषि वरानने
That which is perishable should be renounced, as taught by the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures. If you accept the doctrine of the Buddhists, O beautiful one—
तथापि यौवनं प्राप्य भुंक्ष्व भोगाननुत्तमान् । परलोकस्य सन्देहो यदि तेऽस्ति कृशोदरि
Still, having attained youth, enjoy supreme pleasures. If you have doubts about the afterlife, O slender-waisted one—
स्वर्गभोगपरा नित्यं भव भामिनि भूतले । अनित्यं यौवनं देहे ज्ञात्वेति सुकृतं चरेत्
O beautiful one, always be devoted to the enjoyments of heaven while on earth; knowing that youth in the body is impermanent, act righteously.
परोपतापनं कार्यं वर्जनीयं सदा बुधैः । अविरोधेन कर्तव्यं धर्मार्थकामसेवनम्
The wise should always avoid actions that cause harm to others; one should pursue righteousness, wealth, and desire in ways that do not cause conflict.
तस्मात्त्वमपि कल्याणि मतिं धर्मे सदा कुरु । अपराधं विना दैत्यान्कस्मान्मारयसेऽम्बिके
Therefore, O auspicious one, you too should always set your mind on righteousness; O Mother, why do you slay the Daityas without any offense?
दयाधर्मोऽस्य देहोऽस्ति सत्ये प्राणाः प्रकीर्तिताः । तस्माद्दया तथा सत्यं रक्षणीयं सदा बुधैः
Compassion is the virtue of this body, and life-breaths are said to be rooted in truth; therefore, compassion and truth should always be protected by the wise.
कारणं वद सुश्रोणि दानवानां वधे तव । देव्युवाच त्वया पृष्टं महाबाहो किमर्थमिह चागता
Tell me, O lovely-hipped one, the reason for your slaying of the Dānavas. The Goddess said: O mighty-armed one, you have asked why I have come here.
तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि हनने च प्रयोजनम् । विचरामि सदा दैत्य सर्वलोकेषु सर्वदा
Therefore I shall explain to you the purpose of the slaying; O Daitya, I always move about in all worlds.
न्यायान्यायौ च भूतानां पश्यन्ती साक्षिरूपिणी । न मे कदापि भोगेच्छा न लोभो न च वैरिता
I witness both justice and injustice among beings; I never have desire for enjoyment, nor greed, nor enmity.
धर्मार्थं विचराम्यत्र संसारे साधुरक्षणम् । व्रतमेतत्तु नियतं पालयामि निजं सदा
For the sake of righteousness I move here in this world, to protect the virtuous; this is my constant and established vow, which I always uphold.
साधूनां रक्षणं कार्यं हन्तव्या येऽप्यसाधवः । वेदसंरक्षणं कार्यमवतारैरनेकशः
The protection of the virtuous must be done, and those who are wicked must be slain; the preservation of the Vedas must be accomplished through many incarnations.
युगे युगे तानेवाहमवतारान्बिभर्मि च । महिषस्तु दुराचारो देवान्वै हन्तुमुद्यतः
Age after age, I take on those very incarnations; and Mahiṣa, being of evil conduct, has set out to destroy the gods.
ज्ञात्वाहं तद्वधार्थं भोः प्राप्तास्मि राक्षसाधुना । तं हनिष्ये दुराचारं सुरशत्रुं महाबलम्
Knowing this, I have come here for his destruction, O righteous Rākṣasa; I shall slay that evil-doer, the mighty enemy of the gods.
गच्छ वा तिष्ठ कामं त्वं सत्यमेतदुदाहृतम् । ब्रूहि वा तं दुरात्मानं राजानं महिषीसुतम्
Go as you wish, or stay; this is truly spoken. Or tell that wicked king, the son of Mahiṣa.
किमन्यान् प्रेषयस्यत्र स्वयं युद्धं कुरुष्व ह । सन्धिञ्चेत्कर्तुमिच्छास्ति राज्ञस्तव मया सह
Why do you send others here? Fight yourself! If your king desires peace with me, let him make an alliance.
सर्वे गच्छन्तु पातालं वैरं त्यक्त्वा यथासुखम् । देवद्रव्यं तु यत्किञ्चिद्धृतं जित्वा रणे सुरान् । तद्दत्त्वा यान्तु पातालं प्रह्लादो यत्र तिष्ठति
Let all go to Pātāla, abandoning enmity, as they please; whatever divine wealth was seized in battle from the gods, let them return it and go to Pātāla, where Prahlāda resides.
व्यास उवाच तच्छुत्वा वचनं देव्या असिलोमा पुरःस्थितः । बिडालाख्यं महावीरं पप्रच्छ प्रीतिपूर्वकम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing those words of the Goddess, Asilomā, standing before her, affectionately questioned the great hero named Biḍāla.
असिलोमोवाच श्रुतं तेऽद्य बिडालाख्य भवान्या कथितं च यत् । एवं गते किं कर्तव्यो विग्रहः सन्धिरेव वा
Asilomā said: O Biḍāla, you have heard today what Bhavānī has said; in this situation, what should be done—war or peace?
बिडालाख्य उवाच न सन्धिकामोऽस्ति नृपोऽभिमानी युद्धे च मृत्युं नियतं हि जानन् । दृष्ट्वा हतान् प्रेरयते तथास्मा- न्दैव हि कोऽतिक्रमितुं समर्थः
Biḍāla said: The king is not inclined toward peace, he is proud; knowing that death in battle is certain, he still sends us forth after seeing others slain. Indeed, who is able to overcome fate?
(दुःसाध्य एवास्त्विह सेवकानां धर्मः सदा मानविवर्जितानाम् । आज्ञापराणां वशवर्तिकानां पाञ्चालिकानामिव सूत्रभेदात् ॥) गत्वा कथं तस्य पुरस्त्वया च मयापि वक्तव्यमिदं कठोरम् । गच्छन्तु पातालमितश्च सर्वे दत्त्वाथ रत्नानि धनं सुराणाम्
(The duty of servants is always difficult here, especially for those lacking human feeling, who are bound to obey commands, just as puppets move when their strings are pulled.) Going, how can you or I speak these harsh words before him? Let all go to Pātāla from here, giving back the jewels and wealth of the gods.
(प्रियं हि वक्तव्यमसत्यमेव न च प्रियं स्याद्धितकृत्तु भाषितम् । सत्यं प्रियं नो भवतीह कामं मौनं ततो बुद्धिमतां प्रतिष्ठितम्
Indeed, what is pleasing is spoken even if untrue, and what is beneficial is not spoken if unpleasant; truth is not always pleasing here, therefore the wise are established in silence.
न नूनं तत्र गन्तव्यं हितं वा वक्तुमादरात् । प्रष्टुं वापि गते राजा कोपयुक्तो भविष्यति
Surely, one should not go there to speak what is beneficial with respect, nor even to ask; if one goes, the king will become angry.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य कर्तव्यं युद्धं प्राणस्य संशये । स्वामिकार्यं परं मत्वा मरणं तृणवत्तथा
Thinking thus, one must engage in battle even at the risk of life, considering the master's command as supreme and regarding death as insignificant as grass.
व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्य तौ वीरौ संस्थितौ युद्धतत्परौ । धनुर्बाणधरौ तत्र सन्नद्धौ रथसङ्गतौ
Vyāsa said: Thus resolved, those two heroes stood ready for battle, armed with bows and arrows, fully equipped, mounted on their chariots.
प्रथमं तु बिडालाख्यः सप्तबाणान्मुमोच ह । असिलोमा स्थितो दूरे प्रेक्षकः परमास्त्रवित्
First, the one named Biḍāla released seven arrows; Asilomā, standing at a distance, watched, being an expert in supreme weapons.
चिच्छेद तांस्तथाप्राप्तानम्बिका स्वशरैः शरान् । बिडालाख्यं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्जघान च शिलाशितैः
Ambikā cut down those arrows as they approached with her own shafts, and struck Biḍāla with three sharp, stone-tipped arrows.
प्राप्य बाणव्यथां दैत्यः पपात समराङ्गणे । मूर्च्छितोऽथ ममाराशु दानवो दैवयोगतः
Wounded by the arrows, the demon fell upon the battlefield; losing consciousness, the Dānava quickly died by the will of fate.
बिडालाख्यं हतं दृष्ट्वा रणे शक्तिशरोत्करैः । असिलोमा धनुष्पाणिः संस्थितो युद्धतत्परः
Seeing Biḍāla slain in battle by a shower of spear-like arrows, Asilomā, bow in hand, stood ready for combat.