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.
हस्त्यश्वरथपादातवृन्दैश्च परिवेष्टितः । निर्जगाम रथारूढो देवीं शैलोपरिस्थिताम्
Encircled by groups of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, he rode forth on his chariot toward the goddess, who stood atop the mountain.
तमागतं समालोक्य देवी शङ्खमवादयत् । भयदं सर्वदैत्यानां देवानां मोदवर्धनम्
Seeing him approach, the goddess sounded her conch, which always brings fear to the demons and increases the joy of the gods.
श्रुत्वा शङ्खस्वनं चोग्रं रक्तबीजोऽतिवेगवान् । गत्वा समीपे चामुण्डां बभाषे वचनं मृदु
Hearing the fierce sound of the conch, Raktabija, swift of movement, went near Chamunda and spoke gentle words.
रक्तबीज उवाच बाले किं मां भीषयसि मत्वा त्वं कातरं किल । शङ्खनादेन तन्वङ्गि वेत्सि किं धूम्रलोचनम्
Raktabija said: Young girl, why do you try to frighten me, thinking I am timid? With your conch's sound, slender one, do you know Dhumralochana?
रक्तबीजोऽस्मि नाम्नाहं त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः । युद्धेच्छा चेत्पिकालापे सज्जा भव भयं न मे
I am Raktabija by name, and I have come to you; if you desire battle, prepare yourself for war—I have no fear.
पश्याद्य मे बलं कान्ते दृष्टा ये कातरास्त्वया । नाहं पङ्क्तिगतस्तेषां कुरु युद्धं यथेच्छसि
Today, O lovely one, see my strength! Those whom you have seen as fearful—I am not among them. Fight as you wish.
वृद्धाश्च सेविताः पूर्वं नीतिशास्त्रं श्रुतं त्वया । पतितं चार्थविज्ञानं विद्वद्गोष्ठी कृताथ वा
If you have served elders before, listened to treatises on ethics, acquired knowledge of wealth, or participated in learned assemblies,
साहित्यतन्त्रविज्ञानं चेदस्ति तव सुन्दरि । शृणु मे वचनं पथ्यं तथ्यं प्रमितिबृंहितम्
If you possess knowledge of literature and its methods, O beautiful one, then hear my words, which are wholesome, true, and measured.
रसानाञ्च नवानां वै द्वावेव मुख्यतां गतौ । शृङ्गारकः शान्तिरसो विद्वज्जनसभासु च
Of the nine rasas, only two are considered foremost: the sentiment of love and the sentiment of peace, especially in assemblies of learned people.
तयोः शृङ्गार एवादौ नृपभावे प्रतिष्ठितः । विष्णुर्लक्ष्म्या सहास्ते वै सावित्र्या चतुराननः
Of these two, love is established first in the nature of kings; Vishnu dwells with Lakshmi, and Brahma with Savitri.
शच्येन्द्रः शैलसुतया शङ्करः सह शेरते । वल्ल्या वृक्षो मृगो मृग्या कपोत्या च कपोतकः
Indra lies with Shachi, Shiva with the daughter of the mountain; the creeper with the tree, the deer with the doe, and the pigeon with the female pigeon.
एवं सर्वे प्राणभृतः संयोगरसिका भृशम् । अप्राप्तभोगविभवा ये चान्ये कातरा नराः
In this way, all living beings are greatly fond of union; and those other men, anxious and deprived of enjoyment and prosperity—
भवन्ति यतयस्ते वै मूढा दैवेन वञ्चिताः । असंसाररसज्ञास्ते वञ्चिता वञ्चनापरैः
They become ascetics, but are truly deluded, deceived by fate; ignorant of the taste of worldly life, they are cheated by those skilled in deception.
मधुरालापनिपुणै रताः शान्तिरसे हि ते । क्व ज्ञानं क्व च वैराग्यं वर्तमाने मनोभवे
Those who delight in sweet and skillful speech find their pleasure in tranquility; but where is knowledge, and where is renunciation, when the mind is absorbed in desire?
लोभे क्रोधे च दुर्धर्षे मोहे मतिविनाशके । तस्मात्त्वमपि कल्याणि कुरु कान्तं मनोहरम्
In greed and in uncontrollable anger, in delusion that destroys understanding—therefore, O auspicious one, you too should make your beloved happy.
शुम्भं सुराणां जेतारं निशुम्भं वा महाबलम् । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा रक्तबीजोऽसौ विरराम पुरःस्थितः । श्रुत्वा जहास चामुण्डा कालिका चाम्बिका तथा
Shumbha, the conqueror of the gods, or the mighty Nishumbha—choose one of them. Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, that Raktabija fell silent before them; hearing this, Chamunda, Kali, and Ambika all laughed.
रक्तबीजद्वारा देवीसमीपे शुम्भनिशुम्भसंवादवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच कृत्वा हास्यं ततो देवी तमुवाच विशांपते । मेघगम्भीरया वाचा युक्तियुक्तमिदं वचः
Vyasa said: Then, after laughing, the Goddess spoke to him, O king of men, with a voice deep as a cloud, uttering these words full of reason:
पूर्वमेव मया प्रोक्तं मन्दात्मन् किं विकत्थसे । दूतस्याग्रे यथायोग्यं वचनं हितसंयुतम्
"I have already told you before, O dull-witted one, why do you boast? In the presence of your messenger, I spoke fitting and beneficial words."
सदृशो मम रूपेण बलेन विभवेन च । त्रिलोक्यां यदि कोऽपि स्यात्तं पतिं प्रवृणोम्यहम्
"If there is anyone in the three worlds equal to me in form, strength, and wealth, I will choose him as my husband."
ब्रूहि शुम्भं निशुम्भञ्च प्रतिज्ञा मे पुरा कृता । तस्माद्युध्यस्व जित्वा मां विवाहं विधिवत्कुरु
"Tell Shumbha and Nishumbha this: I have made this vow before. Therefore, fight with me, and having conquered me, marry me according to proper rites."