कृतं तेन प्रहारं तु वञ्चयित्वा विशांपते । खड्गेन शितधारेण शिरश्चिच्छेद कण्ठतः
Evading that blow, O lord of men, he struck with a sharp sword and severed the head from the neck.
छिन्ने शिरसि दैत्येन्द्रः पपात तरसा क्षितौ । हाहाकारो महानासीत्सैन्ये तस्य दुरात्मनः
When the head was cut off, the lord of the Daityas fell swiftly to the ground; a great cry of distress arose in the army of that wicked one.
जय देवीति देवास्ता तुष्टुवुर्जगदम्बिकाम् । देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्जगुश्च नृप किन्नराः
The gods praised the Mother of the Universe, exclaiming, 'Victory to the Goddess!'; divine drums resounded and the Kinnaras sang, O king.
निहतौ दानवौ वीक्ष्य पतितौ च रणाङ्गणे । निहताः सैनिकाः सर्वे तत्र केसरिणा बलात्
Seeing the two Dānavas slain and fallen on the battlefield, all their soldiers were forcefully killed there by the lion.
भक्षिताश्च तथा केचिन्निःशेषं तद्रणं कृतम् । भग्नाः केचिद् गता मन्दा महिषं प्रति दुःखिताः
Some were also devoured, and thus that battle was completely finished; some, broken and dejected, went sadly towards Mahiṣa.
चुक्रुशू रुरुदुश्चैव त्राहि त्राहीति भाषणैः । असिलोमबिडालाख्यौ निहतौ नृपसत्तम
They cried out and wailed, shouting 'Save us! Save us!' in their speech; O best of kings, Asiloma and Biḍāla too were slain.
अन्ये ये सैनिका राजन् सिंहेन भक्षिताश्च ते । एवं ब्रुवन्तो राजानं तदा चक्रुश्च वैशसम्
And those other soldiers, O king, who were devoured by the lion, spoke thus and caused great lamentation for the king.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तेषां महिषो दुर्मनास्तदा । बभूव चिन्ताकुलितो विमना दुःखसंयुतः
Hearing their words, Mahiṣa then became deeply troubled, filled with anxiety and sorrowful at heart.
महिषद्वारा देवीप्रबोधनम् व्यास उवाच तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा क्रोधयुक्तो नराधिपः । दारुकं प्राह तरसा रथमानय मेऽद्भुतम्
Hearing those words, the king, filled with anger, quickly said to Dāruka, 'Bring me my wondrous chariot!'
सहस्रखरसंयुक्तं पताकाध्वजभूषितम् । आयुधैः संयुतं शुभ्रं सुचक्रं चारुकूबरम्
It was yoked with a thousand mules, adorned with banners and flags, equipped with weapons, shining, with fine wheels and a beautiful pole.
सूतोऽपि रथमानीय तमुवाच त्वरान्वितः । राजन् रथोऽयमानीतो द्वारि तिष्ठति भूषितः
The charioteer, bringing the chariot, spoke swiftly: 'O king, the chariot has been brought and stands at the door, adorned.'
सर्वायुधसमायुक्तो वरास्तरणसंयुतः । आनीतं तं रथं ज्ञात्वा दानवेन्द्रो महाबलः
It was equipped with all weapons and excellent armor; knowing that the chariot had been brought, the mighty lord of the Dānavas—
मानुषं देहमास्थाय संग्रामे गन्तुमुद्यतः । विचार्य मनसा चेति देवी मां प्रेक्ष्य दुर्मुखम्
Assuming a human form, he prepared to go to battle, thinking in his mind, 'Seeing me, the Goddess will be disheartened.'
शृङ्गिणं महिषं नूनं विमना सा भविष्यति । नारीणां च प्रियं रूपं तथा चातुर्यमित्यपि
'Surely, seeing me as a horned buffalo, she will be dispirited; and women delight in pleasing forms and cleverness.'
तस्माद्रूपं च चातुर्यं कृत्वा यास्यामि तां प्रति । यथा मां वीक्ष्य सा बाला प्रेमयुक्ता भविष्यति
'Therefore, adopting a pleasing form and cleverness, I will go to her, so that, seeing me, that young woman will become enamored.'
ममापि च तदैव स्यात्सुखं नान्यस्वरूपतः । इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा दानवेन्द्रो महाबलः
'And for me too, happiness will arise only in that form, not in any other.' Thus, reflecting in his mind, the mighty lord of the Dānavas—
त्यक्त्वा तन्माहिषं रूपं बभूव पुरुषः शुभः । सर्वायुधधरः श्रीमांश्चारुभूषणभूषितः
Abandoning that buffalo form, became a handsome man, bearing all weapons, splendid, adorned with beautiful ornaments.
दिव्याम्बरधरः कान्तः पुष्पबाण इवापरः । रथोपविष्टः केयूरस्रग्वी बाणधनुर्धरः
Wearing divine garments, charming, like another god of love with flower-arrows, seated on the chariot, adorned with armlets and garlands, bearing bow and arrows.
सेनापरिवृतो देवीं जगाम मदगर्वितः । मनोज्ञं रूपमास्थाय मानिनीनां मनोहरम्
Surrounded by his army, intoxicated with pride, he approached the Goddess, having assumed a form enchanting to the proud and captivating to the minds of the haughty.
तमागतं समालोक्य दैत्यानामधिपं तदा । बहुभिः संवृतं वीरैर्देवी शङ्खमवादयत्
Seeing him arrive—the lord of the Daityas, accompanied by many heroic warriors—the Goddess sounded her conch.
स शङ्खनिनदं श्रुत्वा जनविस्मयकारकम् । समीपमेत्य देव्यास्तु तामुवाच हसन्निव
Hearing that conch-blast, which caused wonder among the people, he came near the Goddess and spoke to her, as if smiling.
देवि संसारचक्रेऽस्मिन्वर्तमानो जनः किल । नरो वाथ तथा नारी सुखं वाञ्छति सर्वथा
O Goddess, it is said that in this cycle of worldly existence, every person—man or woman—always desires happiness.
सुखं संयोगजं नॄणां नासंयोगे भवेदिह । संयोगो बहुधा भिन्नस्तान्ब्रवीमि शृणुष्व ह
Happiness for people arises from union, not from separation; unions are of many kinds, and I will tell you about them—listen.
भेदान्सुप्रीतिहेतूत्थान्स्वभावोत्थाननेकशः । तत्र प्रीतिभवानादौ कथयामि यथामति
There are many distinctions, arising from causes of affection and from various natures; among these, I will first describe, as I understand it, the union that brings joy.
मातापित्रोस्तु पुत्रेण संयोगस्तूत्तमः स्मृतः । भ्रातुर्भ्रात्रा तथा योगः कारणान्मध्यमो मतः
The union of a son with his mother and father is considered the highest; the union of brother with brother is regarded as intermediate, for certain reasons.
उत्तमस्य सुखस्यैव दातृत्वादुत्तमः स्मृतः । तस्मादल्पसुखस्यैव प्रदातृत्वाच्च मध्यमः
Because the highest happiness is given by the first, it is called the highest; and because the second gives lesser happiness, it is called intermediate.
नाविकानां तु संयोगः स्मृतः स्वाभाविको बुधैः । विविधावृतचित्तानां प्रसङ्गपरिवर्तिनाम्
The union of strangers is considered by the wise to be natural, among those whose minds are distracted by various attachments and who are subject to changing associations.
अत्यल्पसुखदातृत्वात्कनिष्ठोऽयं स्मृतो बुधैः । अत्युत्तमस्तु संयोगः संसारे सुखदः सदा
Because it gives very little happiness, this is called the lowest by the wise; but the most excellent union always brings happiness in the world.
नारीपुरुषयोः कान्ते समानवयसो सदा । संयोगो यः समाख्यातः स एवात्युत्तमः स्मृतः
The union of a woman and a man, both youthful and of equal age, is declared to be the highest of all unions.
अत्युत्तमसुखस्यैव दातृत्वात्स तथाविधः । चातुर्यरूपवेषाद्यैः कुलशीलगुणैस्तथा
Because it gives the highest happiness, such a union is of that kind, adorned with beauty, form, attire, family, character, and virtues.