दूत उवाच वरोरु त्रिदशारातिः शुम्भः सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरः । त्रैलोक्याधिपतिः शूरः सर्वजिद्राजते नृपः
The messenger said: O lovely one, Śumbha, the enemy of the gods, is handsome in every limb, a heroic king who shines as the conqueror of all and lord of the three worlds.
तेनाहं प्रेषितः कामं त्वत्सकाशं महात्मना । त्वद्रूपश्रवणासक्तचित्तेनातिविदूयता
By him, the great-souled one, I have been sent here to you, his mind utterly captivated by hearing of your beauty.
वचनं तस्य तन्वङ्गि शृणु प्रेमपुरःसरम् । प्रणिपत्य यथा प्राह दैत्यानामधिपस्त्वयि
Listen, slender-waisted one, to his words, spoken with love, as the lord of the demons addressed you after bowing in reverence.
देवा मया जिताः सर्वे त्रैलोक्याधिपतिस्त्वहम् । यज्ञभागानहं कान्ते गह्णामीह स्थितः सदा
All the gods have been conquered by me; I am the lord of the three worlds. O lovely one, I alone receive the share of sacrifices, and I remain here always.
हृतसारा कृता नूनं द्यौर्मया रत्नवर्जिता । यानि रत्नानि देवानां तानि चाहृतवानहम्
Indeed, heaven has been stripped of its essence by me and left without jewels. The gems belonging to the gods—I have taken them all.
भोक्ताहं सर्वरत्नानां त्रिषु लोकेषु भामिनि । वशानुगाः सुराः सर्वे मम दैत्याश्च मानवाः
O beautiful one, I am the enjoyer of all jewels in the three worlds. All the gods, demons, and humans are obedient to me.
त्वद्गुणैः कर्णमागत्य प्रविश्य हृदयान्तरम् । त्वदधीनः कृतः कामं किङ्करोऽस्मि करोमि किम्
Your virtues, having entered my ear and penetrated deep within my heart, have made me completely subject to you; I am your servant—what shall I do?
त्वमाज्ञापय रम्भोरु तत्करोमि वशानुगः । दासोऽहं तव चार्वङ्गि रक्ष मां कामबाणतः
Command me, O woman with thighs like a plantain stem; I shall do whatever you wish. I am your servant, O graceful one—protect me from the arrows of desire.
भज मां त्वं मरालाक्षि तवाधीनं स्मराकुलम् । त्रैलोक्यस्वामिनी भूत्वा भुंक्ष्व भोगाननुत्तमान्
Love me, O swan-eyed one; I am yours, overwhelmed by longing. Become the mistress of the three worlds and enjoy supreme pleasures.
तव चाज्ञाकरः कान्ते भवामि मरणावधि । अवध्योऽस्मि वरारोहे सदेवासुरमानुषैः
O lovely one, I shall obey your commands until death. I am invulnerable to gods, demons, and humans, O beautiful-limbed woman.
सदा सौभाग्यसंयुक्ता भविष्यसि वरानने । यत्र ते रमते चित्तं तत्र क्रीडस्व सुन्दरि
You will always be endowed with good fortune, O radiant-faced one. Wherever your heart delights, there you may play, O beautiful woman.
इति तस्य वचश्चित्ते विमृश्य मदमन्थरे । वक्तव्यं यद्भवेत्प्रेम्णा तद् ब्रूहि मधुरं वचः
Having considered his words in my mind, clouded by passion, whatever should be spoken with love, say that sweet speech.
शुम्भाय चञ्चलापाङ्गि तद्ब्रवीम्यहमाशु वै । व्यास उवाच तद्दूतवचनं श्रुत्वा स्मितं कृत्वा सुपेशलम्
I shall quickly speak that to Śumbha, O restless-eyed one. Vyāsa said: Hearing the messenger's words, she smiled gracefully.
तं प्राह मधुरां वाचं देवी देवार्थसाधिका । देव्युवाच जानाम्यहं निशुम्भं च शुम्भं चातिबलं नृपम्
She spoke sweet words to him, the goddess who fulfills the purposes of the gods. The goddess said: I know Niśumbha and Śumbha, the exceedingly powerful king.
जेतारं सर्वदेवानां हन्तारञ्चैव विद्विषाम् । राशिं सर्वगुणानाञ्च भोक्तारं सर्वसम्पदाम्
The conqueror of all the gods, the slayer of enemies, the possessor of all virtues, the enjoyer of all riches.
दातारं चातिशूरं च सुन्दरं मन्मथाकृतिम् । द्वात्रिंशल्लक्षणैर्युक्तमवध्यं सुरमानुषैः
A generous, exceedingly heroic, and handsome one, resembling Kāma, endowed with thirty-two marks, invulnerable to gods and humans.
ज्ञात्वा समागतास्स्म्यत्र द्रष्टुकामा महासुरम् । रत्नं कनकमायाति स्वशोभाधिकवृद्धये
Knowing this, I have come here desiring to see the great demon. The jewel of gold is coming to enhance its own splendor.
तत्राहं स्वपतिं द्रष्टुं दूरादेवागतास्मि वै । दृष्टा मया सुराः सर्वे मानवा भुवि मानदाः
Therefore, I have come from afar to see my own lord. I have seen all the gods and the honored humans on earth.
गन्धर्वा राक्षसाश्चान्ये ये चातिप्रियदर्शनाः । सर्वे शुम्भभयाद्भीता वेपमाना विचेतसः
The Gandharvas, the Rākṣasas, and others who are exceedingly pleasing to behold—all, terrified by fear of Śumbha, trembled and lost their wits.
श्रुत्वा शुम्भगुणानत्र प्राप्तास्म्यद्य दिदृक्षया । गच्छ दूत महाभाग ब्रूहि शुम्भं महाबलम्
Hearing of Śumbha’s virtues, I have come here today out of a desire to see him. Go, O noble messenger, and speak to the mighty Śumbha.
निर्जने श्लक्ष्णया वाचा वचनं वचनान्मम । त्वां ज्ञात्वा बलिनां श्रेष्ठं सुन्दराणां च सुन्दरम्
In private, with gentle words, convey my message: Knowing you to be the foremost among the strong, and the most handsome among the beautiful—
दातारं गुणिनं शूरं सर्वविद्याविशारदम् । जेतारं सर्वदेवानां दक्षं चोग्रं कुलोत्तरम्
A generous giver, virtuous, heroic, expert in all knowledge, conqueror of all the gods, skillful, fierce, and the best of your lineage—
भोक्तारं सर्वरत्नानां स्वाधीनं स्वबलोन्नतम् । पतिकामास्म्यहं सत्यं तव योग्या नराधिप
The enjoyer of all jewels, independent, exalted by your own strength—I truly desire you as my husband, O lord of men, and am worthy of you.
स्वेच्छया नगरे तेऽत्र समायाता महामते । ममास्ति कारणं किञ्चिद्विवाहे राक्षसोत्तम
Of my own will I have come to your city, O wise one; yet, O best of Rākṣasas, there is a certain reason for my marriage.
बालभावाद्व्रतं किञ्चित्कृतं राजन्मया पुरा । क्रीडन्त्या च वयस्याभिः सहैकान्ते यदृच्छया
In my childhood, O king, I once took a vow, while playing with my companions in seclusion, by mere chance.
स्वदेहबलदर्पेण सखीनां पुरतो रहः । मत्समानबलः शूरो रणे मां जेष्यति स्फुटम्
Out of pride in my own strength, before my friends, in private, I declared: ‘A hero equal to me in strength shall openly defeat me in battle—’
तं वरिष्याम्यहं कामं ज्ञात्वा तस्य बलाबलम् । जहसुर्वचनं श्रुत्वा सख्यो विस्मितमानसाः
‘Him alone will I choose as I desire, knowing his strength and weakness.’ Hearing this, my friends laughed, their minds astonished.
किमेतया कृतं क्रूरं व्रतमद्भुतमाशु वै । तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र ज्ञात्वा मे हीदृशं बलम्
‘What a harsh and wondrous vow she has made so quickly!’ Therefore, O king, you too, knowing my strength to be such—
जित्वा मां स्वबलेनात्र वाञ्छितं कुरु चात्मनः । त्वं वा तवानुजो भ्राता समेत्य समराङ्गणे । जित्वा मां समरेणात्र विवाहं कुरु सुन्दर
Conquer me here by your own strength and fulfill your wish; either you or your younger brother, together on the battlefield—having defeated me in combat here, O handsome one, celebrate the marriage.
देवीमाहात्म्ये देवीपार्श्वे धूम्रलोचनदूतप्रेषणम् व्यास उवाच देव्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स दूतः प्राह विस्मितः । किं ब्रूषे रुचिरापाङ्गि स्त्रीस्वभावाद्धि साहसात्
In the narrative of the greatness of the Goddess: The sending of Dhūmralocana as a messenger to the Goddess. Vyāsa said: Hearing those words of the Goddess, the messenger spoke, astonished: ‘What are you saying, O beautiful-eyed one? Such boldness is natural to women.’