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.
परस्परसमुत्कर्षः कथ्यते हि परस्परम् । तं चेत्करोषि संयोगं वीरेण च मया सह
Mutual excellence is indeed spoken of as mutual; if you make such a union with me, a hero, then—
अत्युत्तमसुखस्यैव प्राप्तिः स्यात्ते न संशयः । नानाविधानि रूपाणि करोमि स्वेच्छया प्रिये
You will attain the highest happiness—of this there is no doubt; I can assume various forms at will, O beloved.
इन्द्रादयः सुराः सर्वे संग्रामे विजिता मया । रत्नानि यानि दिव्यानि भवनेऽस्मिन्ममाधुना
All the gods, beginning with Indra, have been defeated by me in battle; the divine jewels that are now in my palace—
भुंक्ष्व त्वं तानि सर्वाणि यथेष्टं देहि वा यथा । पट्टराज्ञी भवाद्य त्वं दासोऽस्मि तव सुन्दरि
Enjoy all of them as you wish, or give them away as you please; today, become my chief queen—I am your servant, O beautiful one.
वैरं त्यजेऽहं देवैस्तु तव वाक्यान्न संशयः । यथा त्वं सुखमाप्नोषि तथाहं करवाणि वै
I will abandon enmity with the gods at your word—of this there is no doubt; I will act so that you may obtain happiness.
आज्ञापय विशालाक्षि तथाहं प्रकरोम्यथ । चित्तं मे तव रूपेण मोहितं चारुभाषिणि
Command me, O wide-eyed one, and I will do so; my mind is enchanted by your form, O sweet-spoken one.
आतुरोऽस्मि वरारोहे प्राप्तस्ते शरणं किल । प्रपन्नं पाहि रम्भोरु कामबाणैः प्रपीडितम्
O slender-waisted one, I am afflicted and have come to you for refuge; protect me, O lady with thighs like plantain stems, for I am tormented by the arrows of desire.
धर्माणामुत्तमो धर्मः शरणागतरक्षणम् । त्वदीयोऽस्म्यसितापाङ्गि सेवकोऽहं कृशोदरि
The highest of all duties is to protect one who seeks shelter; I am yours, O dark-eyed one, your servant, O slender-bellied lady.
मरणान्तं वचः सत्यं नान्यथा प्रकरोम्यहम् । पादौ नतोऽस्मि तन्वङ्गि त्यक्त्वा नानायुधानि ते
I speak the truth, and will not act otherwise, even until death; I bow at your feet, O slender-limbed one, having set aside all my weapons.
दयां कुरु विशालाक्षि तप्तोऽस्मि काममार्गणैः । जन्मप्रभृति चार्वङ्गि दैन्यं नाचरितं मया
Show mercy, O wide-eyed one, for I am scorched by the arrows of desire; from birth, O lovely-limbed one, I have never acted humbly.
ब्रह्मादीनीश्वरान्प्राप्य त्वयि तद्विदधाम्यहम् । चरितं मम जानन्ति रणे ब्रह्मादयः सुराः
Having conquered the lords beginning with Brahma, I now submit to you; Brahma and the other gods know my deeds in battle.
सोऽप्यहं तव दासोऽस्मि मन्मुखं पश्य भामिनि । व्यास उवाच इति ब्रुवाणं तं दैत्यं देवी भगवती हि सा
Even so, I am your servant; look upon my face, O beautiful one. Vyasa said: Thus, as that demon spoke, the Blessed Goddess—
प्रहस्य सस्मितं वाक्यमुवाच वरवर्णिनी । देव्युवाच नाहं पुरुषमिच्छामि परमं पुरुषं विना
—smiling, the splendidly complexioned Goddess spoke these words: The Goddess said: I do not desire any man except the Supreme Person.
तस्य चेच्छास्म्यहं दैत्य सृजामि सकलं जगत् । स मां पश्यति विश्वात्मा तस्याहं प्रकृतिः शिवा
O demon, if I desire him, I create the entire universe; he, the Soul of all, beholds me, and I am his auspicious Nature.
तत्सान्निध्यवशादेव चैतन्यं मयि शाश्वतम् । जडाहं तस्य संयोगात्प्रभवामि सचेतना
Only by his presence do I possess eternal consciousness; I am inert, but by union with him I become conscious.
अयस्कान्तस्य सान्निध्यादयसश्चेतना यथा । न ग्राम्यसुखवाञ्छा मे कदाचिदपि जायते
Just as iron becomes active in the presence of a magnet, so too; I never have any desire for worldly pleasures.
मूर्खस्त्वमसि मन्दात्मन् यत्स्त्रीसङ्गं चिकीर्षसि । नरस्य बन्धनार्थाय शृङ्खला स्त्री प्रकीर्तिता
You are a fool, dull-minded one, for wishing to seek union with a woman; woman is called a chain for binding man.
लोहबद्धोऽपि मुच्येत स्त्रीबद्धो नैव मुच्यते । किमिच्छसि च मन्दात्मन् मूत्रागारस्य सेवनम्
Even one bound with iron may be freed, but one bound by woman is never released; why, O dull-minded one, do you desire to frequent the place of urine?
शमं कुरु सुखाय त्वं शमात्सुखमवाप्स्यसि । नारीसङ्गे महद्दुःखं जानन्किं त्वं विमुह्यसि
Restrain yourself for your own happiness; from restraint, you will attain happiness. Knowing that association with women brings great suffering, why are you deluded?
त्यज वैरं सुरैः सार्धं यथेष्टं विचरावनौ । पातालं गच्छ वा कामं जीवितेच्छा यदस्ति ते
Abandon enmity with the gods and roam the earth as you wish, or go to the netherworld if you desire life.