तान्निहत्य सुराणां सा जहार भयमुत्तमम् । स्तुता सम्पूजिता देवैर्गिरौ हेमाचले शुभे
Having slain them, she removed the greatest fear of the gods; praised and worshipped by the gods on the auspicious golden mountain.
राजोवाच कावेतावसुरावादौ कथं तौ बलिनां वरौ । केन संस्थापितौ चेह स्त्रीवध्यत्वं कुतो गतौ
The king said: Who were these two demons at first, and how did they become the foremost of the strong? By whom were they established here, and how did they come to be slain by a woman?
तपसा वरदानेन कस्य जातौ महाबलौ । कथञ्च निहतौ सर्वं कथयस्व सविस्तरम्
By whose austerity or boon were they born so powerful? And how were they slain? Tell me everything in detail.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्कथां दिव्यां सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम् । देव्याश्चरितसंयुक्तां सर्वार्थफलदां शुभाम्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O King, to this divine story, which destroys all sins, is filled with the deeds of the Goddess, and bestows all desired results.
पुरा शुम्भनिशुम्भौ द्वावसुरौ भूमिमण्डले । पातालतश्च सम्प्राप्तौ भ्रातरौ शुभदर्शनौ
Long ago, Śumbha and Niśumbha, two demons, came to the earth from the underworld, brothers of auspicious appearance.
तौ प्राप्तयौवनौ चैव चेरतुस्तप उत्तमम् । अन्नोदकं परित्यज्य पुष्करे लोकपावने
When they reached youth, they practiced supreme austerity, giving up food and water at Puṣkara, the purifier of worlds.
वर्षाणामयुतं यावद्योगविद्यापरायणौ । एकत्रैवासनं कृत्वा तेपाते परमं तपः
For ten thousand years, devoted to yoga and sacred knowledge, they sat together on one seat, performing the highest austerity.
तयोस्तुष्टोऽभवद् ब्रह्मा सर्वलोकपितामहः । तत्रागतश्च भगवानारुह्य वरटापतिम्
Pleased with them, Brahmā, the grandsire of all worlds, arrived there, the blessed Lord mounting the king of mountains.
तावुभौ च जगत्स्रष्टा दृष्ट्वा ध्यानपरौ स्थितौ । उत्तिष्ठत महाभागौ तुष्टोऽहं तपसा किल
Seeing both, the creators of the world, absorbed in meditation, he said: 'Rise up, O greatly fortunate ones, I am pleased indeed by your austerity.'
वाञ्छितं वां वरं कामं ददामि ब्रुवतामिह । कामदोऽहं समायातो दृष्ट्वा वां तपसो बलम्
'I will grant you whatever boon you desire; speak it here. I, the fulfiller of wishes, have come, having witnessed the power of your penance.'
व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य प्रबुद्धौ तौ समाहितौ । प्रदक्षिणक्रियां कृत्वा प्रणामं चक्रतुस्तदा
Vyāsa said: Hearing his words, they awoke, composed themselves, circumambulated him, and then offered their salutations.
दण्डवत्प्रणिपातञ्च कृत्वा तौ दुर्बलाकृती । ऊचतुर्मधुरां वाचं दीनौ गद्गदया गिरा
Having prostrated themselves fully, though weak in form, they spoke gentle words, their voices trembling with humility.
देवदेव दयासिन्धो भक्तानामभयप्रद । अमरत्वञ्च नौ ब्रह्मन्देहि तुष्टोऽसि चेद्विभो
'O God of gods, ocean of compassion, giver of fearlessness to devotees, if you are pleased, Lord, grant us immortality in the universe.'
मरणादपरं किञ्चिद्भयं नास्ति धरातले । तस्माद्भयाच्च सन्त्रस्तौ युष्माकं शरणं गतौ
'There is no greater fear on earth than death; thus, terrified by that fear, we have come to your refuge.'
त्राहि त्वं देवदेवेश जगत्कर्तः क्षमानिधे । परिस्फोटय विश्वात्मन् सद्यो मरणजं भयम्
'Protect us, Lord of gods, creator of the world, ocean of forgiveness; dispel at once the fear of death, O soul of the universe.'
ब्रह्मोवाच किमिदं प्रार्थनीयं वो विपरीतं तु सर्वथा । अदेयं सर्वथा सर्वैः सर्वेभ्यो भुवनत्रये
Brahmā said: 'What is this request of yours, so utterly contrary to order? It is absolutely ungrantable to anyone in all the three worlds.'
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । मर्यादा विहिता लोके पूर्वं विश्वकृता किल
'For one who is born, death is certain, and for one who has died, birth is certain; this boundary was established in the world long ago by the Creator.'
मर्तव्यं सर्वथा सर्वैः प्राणिभिर्नात्र संशयः । अन्यं प्रार्थयतं कामं ददामि यच्च वाञ्छितम्
'All living beings must die; there is no doubt of this. Ask for another boon, whatever you desire, I will grant it.'
व्यास उवाच तदाकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य सुविमृश्य च दानवौ । ऊचतुः प्रणिपत्याथ ब्रह्माणं पुरतः स्थितम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing his words and reflecting well, the two Dānavas, bowing, spoke before Brahmā who stood there.
पुरुषैरमराद्यैश्च मानवैर्मृगपक्षिभिः । अवध्यत्वं कृपासिन्धो देहि नौ वाञ्छितं वरम्
'Grant us, O ocean of mercy, the boon we desire: that we may not be slain by men, gods, or beings such as animals and birds.'
नारी बलवती कास्ति या नौ नाशं करिष्यति । न बिभीवः स्त्रियः कामं त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे
'What woman is there, strong enough to destroy us? We do not fear women at all in the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings.'
अवध्यौ भ्रातरौ स्यातां नरेभ्यः पङ्कजोद्भव । भयं न स्त्रीजनेभ्यश्च स्वभावादबला हि सा
'O lotus-born, let we two brothers be invulnerable to men; there is no fear from women, for by nature she is weak.'
व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा तयोर्वाक्यं प्रददौ वाञ्छितं वरम् । ब्रह्मा प्रसन्नमनसा जगामाथ स्वमालयम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing their words, Brahmā, with a pleased mind, granted the boon they desired and then returned to his own abode.
गतेऽथ भवने तस्मिन्दानवौ स्वगृहं गतौ । भृगुं पुरोहितं कृत्वा चक्रतुः पूजनं तदा
When he had gone to his palace, the two Dānavas returned to their own house, appointed Bhṛgu as their priest, and performed worship at that time.
शुभे दिने सुनक्षत्रे जातरूपमयं शुभम् । कृत्वा सिंहासनं दिव्यं राज्यार्थं प्रददौ मुनिः
On an auspicious day under a favorable constellation, the sage fashioned a splendid throne of pure gold and presented it for the purpose of kingship.
शुम्भाय ज्येष्ठभूताय ददौ राज्यासनं शुभम् । सेवनार्थं तदैवाशु सम्प्राप्ता दानवोत्तमाः
He gave the auspicious royal seat to Śumbha, the eldest, and at once the foremost of the Dānavas arrived to serve him.
चण्डमुण्डौ महावीरौ भ्रातरौ बलदर्पितौ । सम्प्राप्तौ सैन्यसंयुक्तौ रथवाजिगजान्वितौ
Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, two mighty and arrogant brothers, came together, accompanied by armies, chariots, horses, and elephants.
धूम्रलोचननामा च तद्रूपश्चण्डविक्रमः । शुम्भञ्च भूपतिं श्रुत्वा तदागाद्बलसंयुतः
Dhūmralocana by name, fierce in form and valor, also came, having heard of Śumbha becoming king, arriving with his forces.
रक्तबीजस्तथा शूरो वरदानबलाधिकः । अक्षौहिणीभ्यां संयुक्तस्तत्रैवागत्य सङ्गतः
Raktabīja, heroic and empowered by boons, joined them as well, arriving there with two divisions of troops.
तस्यैकं कारणं राजन् संग्रामे युध्यतः सदा । देहाद्रुधिरसम्पातस्तस्य शस्त्राहतस्य च
O King, there was a unique reason for him, who always fought in battle: whenever his body was wounded by weapons, blood would flow from him.