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.
तेन च त्वय्यरालाक्षि न मुञ्चति शिलीमुखान् । अथवा मेऽहितैर्देवैर्वारितोऽसौ झषध्वजः
Therefore, O one with curling lashes, he does not release his arrows at you; or perhaps that fish-bannered god has been restrained by hostile gods.
सुखविध्वंसिभिस्तेन त्वयि न प्रहरत्यपि । त्यक्त्वा मां मृगशावाक्षि पश्चात्तापं करिष्यसि
Thus, he does not strike you with those happiness-destroying arrows; but if you abandon me, O fawn-eyed one, you will later feel regret.
मन्दोदरीव तन्वङ्गि परित्यज्य शुभं नृपम् । अनुकूलं पतिं पश्चात्सा चकार शठं पतिम् । कामार्ता च यदा जाता मोहेन व्याकुलान्तरा
O slender-waisted one, just as Mandodari abandoned her virtuous husband and later took a deceitful husband as her own, so too, when overcome by desire and bewildered within, she acted.
राजपुत्रीमन्दोदरीवृत्तवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच का सा मंदोदरी नारी कोऽसौ त्यक्तो नृपस्तया
Description of the conduct of the princess Mandodari. Vyasa said: Who is this woman Mandodari, and who is the king whom she abandoned?
शठः को वा नृपः पश्चात्तन्मे ब्रूहि कथानकम्
And who is this deceitful king she later accepted? Tell me this story.
महिष उवाच घनपादपसंयुक्तो धनधान्यसमृद्धिमान्
Mahisha said: There was a king, accompanied by mighty elephants, abundant in wealth and grain.
चंद्रसेनाऽभिधस्तत्र राजा धर्मपरायणः
His name was Candrasena, devoted to righteousness.
सत्यवादी मृदुः शूरस्तितिक्षुर्नीतिसागरः
He spoke the truth, was gentle, heroic, patient, and an ocean of good conduct.
तस्य भार्या वरारोहा सुन्दरी सुभगा शुभा
His wife was of excellent form, beautiful, fortunate, and auspicious.
नाम्ना गुणवती कांता सर्वलक्षणसंयुता
Her name was Gunavati, lovely and endowed with all auspicious marks.