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."
त्वं वै तदाज्ञया प्राप्तस्तस्य कार्यार्थसिद्धये । संग्रामं कुरु पातालं गच्छ वा पतिना सह
"You have come here by their command to accomplish their purpose; so wage battle, or go to the netherworld with your master."
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं देव्याः स दैत्योऽमर्षपूरितः । मुमोच तरसा बाणान्सिंहस्योपरि दारुणान्
Vyasa said: Hearing the Goddess's words, that demon, filled with rage, swiftly released fierce arrows upon the lion.
अम्बिका ताच्छरान्वीक्ष्य गगने पन्नगोपमान् । चिच्छेद सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैर्लघुहस्ततया क्षणात्
Ambika, seeing those arrows in the sky, resembling serpents, cut them down in an instant with her sharp arrows, her hands moving lightly.
अन्यैर्जघान विशिखै रक्तबीजं महासुरम् । अम्बिकाचापनिर्मुक्तैः कर्णाकृष्टैः शिलाशितैः
With other arrows, she struck Raktabija, the great demon, with stones sharpened and drawn to the ear, released from Ambika's bow.
देवीबाणहतः पापो मूर्च्छामाप रथोपरि । पतिते रक्तबीजे तु हाहाकारो महानभूत्
Struck by the Goddess's arrows, the wicked one fell unconscious upon his chariot; and when Raktabija fell, a great outcry arose.
सैनिकाश्चुक्रुशुः सर्वे हताः स्म इति चाब्रुवन् । ततो बुम्बारवं श्रुत्वा शुम्भः परमदारुणम्
All the soldiers cried out, saying, 'We are slain!' Then, hearing that terrible tumult, Shumbha—
उद्योगं सर्वसैन्यानां दैत्यानामादिदेश ह । शुम्भ उवाच निर्यान्तु दानवाः सर्वे काम्बोजाः स्वबलैर्वृताः
Ordered the mobilization of all the demon armies. Shumbha said: 'Let all the Danavas go forth, the Kambojas with their own forces.'
अन्येऽप्यतिबलाः शूराः कालकेया विशेषतः । व्यास उवाच इत्याज्ञप्तं बलं सर्वं शुम्भेन च चतुर्विधम्
'Let others also, exceedingly strong and heroic, especially the Kalakeyas, go forth.' Vyasa said: Thus, Shumbha ordered all four divisions of his army.
निर्जगाम मदाऽऽविष्टं देवीसमरमण्डले । तमागतं समालोक्य चण्डिका दानवं बलम्
In the midst of the assembly of goddesses, the demon, overcome with arrogance, emerged; seeing him approach, Caṇḍikā gazed at the demon's force.
घण्टानादं चकाराशु भीषणं भयदं मुहुः । ज्यास्वनं शङ्खनादञ्च चकार जगदम्बिका
She swiftly sounded a terrifying, fearsome ringing of her bell again and again; and the Mother of the Universe made the twang of her bowstring and the blast of her conch resound.