तस्मात्त्वां हन्तुकामैषा प्राप्ता योषिद्वरा प्रभो । युद्धं मा कुरु राजेन्द्र विचार्यैवं धियाधुना
Therefore, O Lord, she has come to slay you, taking the form of a woman. O king of kings, do not fight; reflect on this with your mind now.
देवी ह्येषा महामाया प्रकृतिः परमा मता । कल्पान्तकाले राजेन्द्र सर्वसंहारकारिणी
This goddess is the great illusion, regarded as the supreme nature; at the end of the world-cycle, O king, she brings about the destruction of all.
उत्पादयित्री लोकानां देवानामीश्वरी शुभा । त्रिगुणा तामसी देवी सर्वशक्तिसमन्विता
She is the creator of the worlds, the auspicious ruler of the gods; the goddess, endowed with the three qualities and darkness, possesses all powers.
अजय्या चाक्षया नित्या सर्वज्ञा च सदोदिता । वेदमाता च गायत्री सन्ध्या सर्वसुरालया
She is unconquerable, eternal, all-knowing, ever manifest; the mother of the Vedas, Gayatri, Sandhya, and the abode of all gods.
निर्गुणा सगुणा सिद्धा सर्वसिद्धिप्रदाव्यया । आनन्दानन्ददा गौरी देवानामभयप्रदा
She is beyond attributes and with attributes, accomplished, the giver of all accomplishments, imperishable; Gauri, who gives bliss and joy, grants fearlessness to the gods.
एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज वैरभावं त्यजानया । शरणं व्रज राजेन्द्र देवी त्वां पालयिष्यति
Knowing thus, O great king, abandon hostility; take refuge, O lord of kings, the Goddess will protect you.
आज्ञाकरो भवैतस्याः सञ्जीवय निजं कुलम् । हतशेषाश्च ये दैत्यास्ते भवन्तु चिरायुषः
Become obedient to her command and revive your lineage; let those demons who remain after the slaughter live long lives.
व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा शुम्भः सुरबलार्दनः । उवाच वचनं तथ्यं वीरवर्यगुणान्वितम्
Vyasa said: Hearing their words, Shumbha, the destroyer of the gods' forces, spoke truthful words, endowed with the qualities of a great hero.
शुम्भ उवाच मौनं कुर्वन्तु भो मन्दा यूयं भग्ना रणाजिरात् । शीघ्रं गच्छत पातालं जीविताशा बलीयसी
Shumbha said: Be silent, you fools, you who have been broken on the battlefield; quickly go to the underworld, for your hope of life is strong.
दैवाधीनं जगत्सर्वं का चिन्तात्र जये मम । देवास्तथैव ब्रह्माद्या दैवाधीना वयं यथा
The whole world is dependent on fate—why should I worry about victory? The gods, Brahma and the rest, are also subject to fate, just as we are.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रोऽयं यमोऽग्निर्वरुणस्तथा । सूर्यश्चन्द्रस्तथा शक्रः सर्वे दैववशाः किल
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Yama, Agni, Varuna, Surya, Chandra, and Indra—all are certainly under the power of fate.
का चिन्ता तर्हि मे मन्दा यद्भावि तद्भविष्यति । उद्यमस्तादृशो भूयाद्यादृशी भवितव्यता
Why then should I worry, you dull-witted ones? What is destined to happen will happen; let my effort be in accordance with what is to be.
सर्वथैव विचार्यैव न शोचन्ति बुधाः क्वचित् । स्वधर्मं न त्यजन्तीह ज्ञानिनो मरणाद्भयात्
The wise never grieve after due consideration; those who know do not abandon their own duty here out of fear of death.
सुखं दुःखं तथैवायुर्जीवितं मरणं नृणाम् । काले भवति सम्प्राप्ते सर्वथा दैवनिर्मितम्
Happiness and sorrow, lifespan, life and death for men—all occur at the appointed time, entirely fashioned by fate.
ब्रह्मा पतति काले स्वे विष्णुश्च पार्वतीपतिः । नाशं गच्छन्त्यायुषोऽन्ते सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः
Brahma falls at his own time, as does Vishnu, the lord of Parvati; at the end of their lifespan, all the gods, including Indra, perish.
तथाहमपि कालस्य वशगः सर्वथाधुना । नाशं जयं वा गन्तास्मि स्वधर्मपरिपालनात्
So now I too am completely under the power of time; whether I meet destruction or victory, I will uphold my own duty.
आहूतोऽप्यनया कामं युद्धायाबलया किल । कथं पलायनपरो जीवेयं शरदां शतम्
Even though I have been called by her, powerless as I am, for battle, how could I, intent on fleeing, live a hundred years?
करिष्याम्यद्य संग्रामं यद्भावि तद्भवत्विह । जयो वा मरणं वापि स्वीकरोमि यथा तथा
Today I will fight this battle; let what is to be, happen here. Whether victory or death, I accept it as it comes.
दैवं मिथ्येति विद्वांसो वदन्त्युद्यमवादिनः । युक्तियुक्तं वचस्तेषां ये जानन्त्यभिभाषितम्
The learned who advocate effort say that fate is false; their words are reasonable, for they know what is spoken.
उद्यमेन विना कामं न सिध्यन्ति मनोरथाः । कातरा एव जल्पन्ति यद्भाव्यं तद्भविष्यति
Without effort, desires are certainly not fulfilled; only the timid say, 'What is to be, will be.'
अदृष्टं बलवन्मूढाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः । प्रमाणं तस्य सत्त्वे किमदृश्यं दृश्यते कथम्
Fools, not the wise, declare the unseen as powerful; what proof is there of its existence? How can the unseen be seen?
अदृष्टं क्त्वापि दृष्टं स्यादेषा मूर्खविभीषिका । अवलम्बं विनैवैषा दुःखे चित्तस्य धारणा
Even if the unseen becomes seen, this is the terror of the ignorant; without any support, it is only the mind's fixation in sorrow.
चक्रीसमीपे संविष्टा संस्थिता पिष्टकारिणी । उद्यमेन विना पिष्टं न भवत्येव सर्वथा
Seated beside the mill, the grinder remains ready, but without effort, the flour is never produced at all.
उद्यमे च कृते कार्यं सिद्धिं यात्येव सर्वथा । कदाचित्तस्य न्यूनत्वे कार्यं नैव भवेदपि
When effort is made, the task is certainly accomplished; but if there is any deficiency in effort, the work may not be completed.
देशं कालञ्च विज्ञाय स्वबलं शत्रुजं बलम् । कृतं कार्यं भवत्येव बृहस्पतिवचो यथा
By understanding the place, time, one's own strength, and the enemy's strength, the task is accomplished, just as the words of Brihaspati declare.
व्यास उवाच इति निश्चित्य दैत्येन्द्रो रक्तबीजं महासुरम् । प्रेषयामास संग्रामे सैन्येन महताऽऽवृतम्
Vyasa said: Having thus resolved, the king of the demons sent forth the great demon Raktabija into battle, surrounded by a mighty army.
शुम्भ उवाच रक्तबीज महाबाहो गच्छ त्वं समराङ्गणे । कुरु युद्धं महाभाग यथा ते बलमाहितम्
Shumbha said: Raktabija, mighty-armed, go forth to the battlefield; fight, O fortunate one, according to the strength you possess.
रक्तबीज उवाच महाराज न ते कार्या चिन्ता स्वल्पतरापि वा । अहमेनां हनिष्यामि करिष्यामि वशे तव
Raktabija said: O great king, you need not worry in the slightest; I will slay her and bring her under your control.
पश्य मे युद्धचातुर्यं क्वेयं बाला सुरप्रिया । दासीं तेऽहं करिष्यामि जित्वेमां समरे बलात्
Behold my skill in battle! What is this young girl, beloved of the gods? I will make her your servant, conquering her by force in combat.
व्यास उवाच इत्याभाष्य कुरुश्रेष्ठ रक्तबीजो महासुरः । जगाम रथमारुह्य स्वसैन्यपरिवारितः
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, O best of the Kurus, the great demon Raktabija mounted his chariot and departed, surrounded by his own troops.