इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा देवी सिंहारूढा मदोत्कटा । कालिकां पार्श्वतः कृत्वा जगाम नगरे रिपोः
Having spoken thus, the Goddess, intoxicated with power, mounted her lion, placed Kalika at her side, and went to the city of the enemy.
सा गत्वोपवने तस्थावम्बिका कालिकान्विता । जगावथ कलं तत्र जगन्मोहनमोहनम्
Ambika, accompanied by Kalika, went and stood in a grove, and there she sang a melodious song that enchanted the whole world.
श्रुत्वा तन्मधुरं गानं मोहमीयुः खगा मृगाः । मुदञ्च परमां प्रापुरमरा गगने स्थिताः
Hearing that sweet song, the birds and animals fell into a trance, and the gods in the sky attained supreme joy.
तस्मिन्नवसरे तत्र दानवौ शुम्भसेवकौ । चण्डमुण्डाभिधौ घोरौ रममाणौ यदृच्छया
At that moment, the two fierce attendants of Shumbha, named Chanda and Munda, happened to arrive there, delighting themselves.
आगतौ ददृशाते तु तां तदा दिव्यरूपिणीम् । अम्बिकां गानसंयुक्तां कालिकां पुरतः स्थिताम्
Arriving, they saw the Goddess of divine form—Ambika, engaged in song, with Kalika standing before her.
दृष्ट्वा तां दिव्यरूपाञ्च दानवौ विस्मयान्वितौ । जग्मतुस्तरसा पार्श्वं शुम्भस्य नृपसत्तम
Seeing her in that divine form, the two demons were filled with amazement and quickly went to Shumbha's side, O best of kings.
तौ गत्वा तं समासीनं दैत्यानामधिपं गृहे । ऊचतुर्मधुरां वाणीं प्रणम्य शिरसा नृपम्
They went to the house where the lord of the demons was seated, bowed their heads to the king, and spoke sweet words.
राजन् हिमालयात्कामं कामिनी काममोहिनी । सम्प्राप्ता सिंहमारूढा सर्वलक्षणसंयुता
'O King, from the Himalayas has come a woman of desire, enchanting with her beauty, riding a lion and possessing all auspicious marks.'
नेदृशी देवलोकेऽस्ति न गन्धर्वपुरे तथा । न दृष्टा न श्रुता क्वापि पृथिव्यां प्रमदोत्तमा
'There is no such woman in the world of the gods, nor in the city of the Gandharvas; nowhere on earth has such a supreme woman been seen or heard of.'
गानञ्च तादृशं राजन् करोति जनरञ्जनम् । मृगास्तिष्ठन्ति तत्पार्श्वे मथुरस्वरमोहिताः
'Her singing, O King, delights all people; even the animals stand by her side, enchanted by her sweet voice.'
ज्ञायतां कस्य पुत्रीयं किमर्थमिह चागता । गृह्यतां राजशार्दूल तव योग्यास्ति कामिनी
'Let it be known whose daughter she is and why she has come here; O tiger among kings, take her, for she is a suitable woman for you.'
ज्ञात्वाऽऽनय गृहे भार्यां कुरु कल्याणलोचनाम् । निश्चितं नास्ति संसारे नारी त्वेवंविधा किल
'Find out and bring her here; make her your wife, she of auspicious eyes. Surely, there is no woman like her in all the world.'
देवानां सर्वरत्नानि गृहीतानि त्वया नृप । कस्मान्नेमां वरारोहां प्रगह्णासि नृपोत्तम
O king, you have seized all the jewels of the gods; why, then, do you not take this beautiful woman, O best of kings?
इन्द्रस्यैरावतः श्रीमान्पारिजाततरुस्तथा । गृहीतोऽश्वः सप्तमुखस्त्वया नृप बलात्किल
You have forcibly taken Indra’s splendid Airavata elephant, the Parijata tree, and the seven-headed horse, O king.
विमानं वैधसं दिव्यं मरालध्वजसंयुतम् । त्वयात्तं रत्नभूतं तद्बलेन नृप चाद्भुतम्
You have seized the divine Vaidhasa chariot, adorned with the banner of a swan, which is a wondrous jewel by your might, O king.
कुबेरस्य निधिः पद्मस्त्वया राजन् समाहृतः । छत्रं जलपतेः शुभ्रं गृहीतं तत्त्वया बलात्
You have brought Kubera’s treasure, the lotus, O king, and by force you have taken the shining umbrella of the lord of waters.
पाशश्चापि निशुम्भेन भ्रात्रा तव नृपोत्तम । गृहीतोऽस्ति हठात्कामं वरुणस्य जितस्य च
And, O best of kings, your brother Nishumbha has also seized by force the noose of Varuna, after defeating him.
अम्लानपङ्कजां तुभ्यं मालां जलनिधिर्ददौ । भयात्तव महाराज रत्नानि विविधानि च
Out of fear of you, O great king, the ocean gave you a garland of unfading lotuses and various other jewels.
मृत्योः शक्तिर्यमस्यापि दण्डः परमदारुणः । त्वया जित्वा हृतः कामं किमन्यद्वर्ण्यते नृप
You have conquered and taken the power of Death and even Yama’s dreadful staff at will; what more can be said, O king?
कामधेनुर्गहीताद्य वर्तते सागरोद्भवा । मेनकाद्या वशे राजंस्तव तिष्ठन्ति चाप्सराः
Today you have taken the wish-fulfilling cow, born of the ocean; Menaka and other Apsarasas are under your control, O king.
एवं सर्वाणि रत्नानि त्वयात्तानि बलादपि । कस्मान्न गृह्यते कान्तारत्नमेषा वराङ्गना
Thus, you have seized all the jewels by force; why do you not take this jewel among women, this excellent lady?
सर्वाणि ते गृहस्थानि रत्नानि विशदान्यथ । अनया सम्भविष्यन्ति रत्नभूतानि भूपते
All the jewels you possess in your house, O king, will become true jewels through her.
त्रिषु लोकेषु दैत्येन्द्र नेदृशी वर्तते प्रिया । तस्मात्तामानयाशु त्वं कुरु भार्यां मनोहराम्
In the three worlds, O lord of the Daityas, there is no beloved like her; therefore, quickly bring her and make her your enchanting wife.
व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा तयोर्वाक्यं मधुरं मधुराक्षरम् । प्रसन्नवदनः प्राह सुग्रीवं सनिधौ स्थितम्
Vyasa said: Hearing their sweet and charming words, he, with a pleased face, spoke to Sugriva, who stood nearby.
गच्छ सुग्रीव दूतत्वं कुरु कार्यं विचक्षण । वक्तव्यञ्च तथा तत्र यथाभ्येति कृशोदरी
Go, Sugriva, act as a messenger and carry out this task wisely; speak there in such a way that the slender-waisted one will come.
उपायौ द्वौ प्रयोक्तव्यौ कान्तासु सुविचक्षणैः । सामदाने इति प्राहुः शृङ्गाररसकोविदाः
The wise say that two means should be used with women: conciliation and gifts, according to those skilled in the art of love.
भेदे प्रयुज्यमानेऽपि रसाभासस्तु जायते । निग्रहे रसभङ्गः स्यात्तस्मात्तौ दूषितौ बुधैः
If division is used, only a semblance of love arises; with harshness, love is broken—therefore, the wise reject those two methods.
सामदानमुखैर्वाक्यैः श्लक्ष्णैर्नर्मयुतैस्तथा । का न याति वशे दूत कामिनी कामपीडिता
With words of conciliation and gifts, gentle and full of playful charm, what desiring woman, O messenger, would not come under control?
व्यास उवाच सुग्रीवस्तु वचः श्रुत्वा शुम्भोक्तं सुप्रियं पटु । जगाम तरसा तत्र यत्रास्ते जगदम्बिका
Vyasa said: Hearing Shumbha’s very pleasing and skillful words, Sugriva swiftly went to where the Mother of the Universe was.
सोऽपश्यत्सुमुखीं कान्तां सिंहस्योपरिसंस्थिताम् । प्रणम्य मधुरं वाक्यमुवाच जगदम्बिकाम्
He saw the beautiful-faced lady seated upon a lion, and, bowing, spoke sweet words to the Mother of the Universe.