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.
अथवा कुरु संग्रामं बलवत्यस्मि साम्प्रतम् । प्रेषिताहं सुरैः सर्वैस्तव नाशाय दानव
Otherwise, wage battle if you wish; I am now powerful, sent by all the gods to destroy you, O demon.
सत्यं ब्रवीमि येनाद्य त्वया वचनसौहृदम् । दर्शितं तेन तुष्टास्मि जीवन्गच्छ यथासुखम्
I speak the truth: because today you have shown friendliness in speech, I am pleased; go on living as you wish.
सतां सप्तपदी मैत्री तेन मुञ्चामि जीवितम् । मरणेच्छास्ति चेद्युद्धं कुरु वीर यथासुखम्
Among the virtuous, friendship is formed by taking seven steps together; therefore, I spare your life. If you desire death, O hero, fight as you wish.
हनिष्यामि महाबाहो त्वामहं नात्र संशयः । व्यास उवाच इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा दानवः काममोहितः
I will kill you, O mighty-armed one—of this there is no doubt.
उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा मधुरं वचनं ततः । बिभेम्यहं वरारोहे त्वां प्रहर्तुं वरानने
He spoke gentle and sweet words, saying: O beautiful one with lovely hips and radiant face, I am afraid to strike you.
कोमलां चारुसर्वाङ्गीं नारीं नरविमोहिनीम् । जित्वा हरिहरादींश्च लोकपालांश्च सर्वशः
You are soft, with charming limbs, a woman who bewilders even men; having conquered Hari, Hara, and all the guardians of the worlds,
किं त्वया सह युद्धं मे युक्तं कमललोचने । रोचते यदि चार्वङ्गि विवाहं कुरु मां भज
O lotus-eyed one, what merit is there for me in fighting with you? If it pleases you, O lovely-limbed one, marry me and accept me.
नोचेद् गच्छ यथेष्टं ते देशं यस्मात्समागता । नाहं त्वां प्रहरिष्यामि यतो मैत्री कृता त्वया
Otherwise, go wherever you wish, to the place from which you have come; I will not strike you, for you have shown me friendship.
हितमुक्तं शुभं वाक्यं तस्माद् गच्छ यथासुखम् । का शोभा मे भवेदन्ते हत्वा त्वां चारुलोचनाम्
Having spoken these kind and auspicious words, go as you please; what glory would there be for me in killing you, O beautiful-eyed one?
स्त्रीहत्या बालहत्या च ब्रह्महत्या दुरत्यया । गृहीत्वा त्वां गृहं नूनं गच्छाम्यद्य वरानने
The slaying of a woman, a child, or a Brahmin is a terrible sin; O radiant-faced one, instead, I will take you to my house today.
तथापि मे फलं न स्याद्बलाद्भोगसुखं कुतः । प्रब्रवीमि सुकेशि त्वां विनयावनतो यतः
Yet, even then, I would gain no true reward, and how could there be pleasure in forced enjoyment? I speak to you, O fair-haired one, with humility.
पुरुषस्य सुखं न स्यादृते कान्तामुखाम्बुजात् । तत्तथैव हि नारीणां न स्याच्च पुरुषं विना
A man finds happiness only through the lotus-face of his beloved; likewise, for women, there is no joy without a man.
संयोगे सुखसम्भूतिर्वियोगे दुःखसम्भवः । कान्तासि रूपसम्पन्ना सर्वाभरणभूषिता
Union brings the birth of happiness, separation brings the rise of sorrow; you are a lovely woman, adorned with all ornaments.
चातुर्यं त्वयि किं नास्ति यतो मां न भजस्यहो । तवोपदिष्टं केनेदं भोगानां परिवर्जनम्
Why is there no cleverness in you, that you do not accept me? Who has taught you this renunciation of pleasures?
वञ्चितासि प्रियालापे वैरिणा केनचित्त्विह । मुञ्चाग्रहमिमं कान्ते कुरु कार्यं सुशोभनम्
By whom have you been deceived here, O lovely one, with sweet words from an enemy? Abandon this stubbornness, O beautiful one, and do what is proper.
सुखं तव ममापि स्याद्विवाहे विहिते किल । विष्णुर्लक्ष्या सहाभाति सावित्र्या च सहात्मभूः
Happiness would be yours and mine as well, if marriage were arranged; Vishnu shines with Lakshmi, and Brahma with Savitri.
रुद्रो भाति च पार्वत्या शच्या शतमखस्तथा । का नारी पतिहीना च सुखं प्राप्नोति शाश्वतम्
Rudra shines with Parvati, and Indra with Shachi; what woman, without a husband, ever attains lasting happiness?
येन त्वमसितापाङ्गि न करोषि पतिं शुभम् । कामः क्वाद्य गतः कान्ते यस्त्वां बाणैः सुकोमलैः
O dark-eyed one, why do you not take a worthy husband? Where has the god of love gone today, whose gentle arrows
मादनैः पञ्चभिः कामं न ताडयति मन्दधीः । मन्येऽहमिव कामोऽपि दयावांस्त्वयि सुन्दरि
With his five flowery arrows, the dull-witted god of love does not strike you; I think, O beautiful one, that even Kāma is compassionate toward you, as I am.
अबलेति च मन्वानो न प्रेरयति मार्गणान् । मनोभवस्य वैरं वा किमप्यस्ति मया सह
Thinking you weak, he does not send his arrows; or perhaps the god of love bears some enmity toward me.