तं पुनः सबलं कृत्वा जयायोपदधाति हि । दातारं याचकं कालः करोति समये क्वचित्
Time again makes him powerful and places him in victory; the donor and the beggar are sometimes exchanged by time.
भिक्षुकं धनदातारं करोति समयान्तरे । विष्णुः कालवशे नूनं ब्रह्मा वा पार्वतीपतिः
At another moment, time turns the beggar into a giver of wealth; indeed, Vishnu, Brahma, or Shiva are subject to time.
इन्द्राद्या निर्जराः सर्वे काल एव प्रभुः स्वयम् । तस्मात्कालं प्रतीक्षस्व विपरीतं तवाधुना
All the immortals, including Indra and others, are governed by time alone; therefore, wait for time, which is now unfavorable to you.
सम्मुखो देवतानाञ्च दैत्यानां नाशहेतुकः । एकैव च गतिर्नास्ति कालस्य किल भूपते
Time stands before the gods and demons as the cause of their destruction; truly, O king, there is no other path but that of time.
नानारूपधराप्यस्ति ज्ञातव्यं तस्य चेष्टितम् । कदाचित्सम्भवो नॄणां कदाचित्प्रलयस्तथा
Though time assumes many forms, its actions must be understood; sometimes it brings creation for men, sometimes dissolution.
उत्पत्तिहेतुः कालोऽन्यः क्षयहेतुस्तथापरः । प्रत्यक्षं ते महाराज देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः
One kind of time is the cause of creation, another of destruction; you see directly, O great king, all the gods with Indra.
करदास्ते कृताः पूर्वं कालेन सम्मुखेन च । तेनैव विमुखेनाद्य बलिनोऽबलयासुराः
Previously, the gods were made tribute-payers by time when it was favorable; now, by that same time turned away, the powerful demons have become weak.
निहता नितरां कालः करोति च शुभाशुभम् । नैवात्र कारणं काली नैव देवाः सनातनाः
Time utterly destroys and brings forth good and evil; neither Kali nor the eternal gods are the cause here.
यथा ते रोचते राजंस्तथा कुरु विमृश्य च । कालोऽयं नात्र हेतुस्ते दानवानां तथा पुनः
Do as you wish, O king, after considering; time is not the cause here, nor again for the demons.
त्वदग्रतो गतः शक्रो भग्नः संख्ये निरायुधः । तथा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्रो वरुणो धनदो यमः
Indra has gone before you, defeated in battle and weaponless; likewise Vishnu, likewise Rudra, Varuna, Kubera, and Yama.
तथा त्वमपि राजेन्द्र वीक्ष्य कालवशं जगत् । पातालं गच्छ तरसा जीवन्भद्रमवाप्स्यसि
So you too, O king, seeing the world under the sway of time, go swiftly to the netherworld; you will attain safety while living.
मृते त्वयि महाराज शत्रवस्ते मुदान्विताः । मङ्गलानि प्रगायन्तो विचरिष्यन्ति सर्वतः
When you die, O great king, your enemies, filled with joy, will wander everywhere singing auspicious songs.
अथैकत्रिंशोऽध्यायः व्यास उवाच। इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा शुम्भो दैत्यपतिस्तदा । उवाच सैनिकानाशु कोपाकुलितलोचनः
Chapter Thirty-One. Vyasa said: Hearing these words, Shumbha, the lord of the demons, then spoke to his soldiers, his eyes inflamed with anger.
शुम्भ उवाच। जाल्मा: किं ब्रूत दुर्वाच्यं कृत्वा जीवितुमुत्सहे । निहत्य सचिवान्भ्रातॄन्निर्लज्जो विचरामि किम्
Shumbha said: How can I bear to live after doing such disgraceful deeds? Having killed my ministers and brothers, how can I shamelessly wander?
कालः कर्ता शुभानां वाऽशुभानां बलवत्तरः । का चिंता मम दुर्वारे तस्मिन्नीशेऽप्यरूपके
Time is the agent of good or evil, stronger than all; what worry can I have about that which is unrestrainable and formless?
यद्भवति तद्भवतु यत्करोति करोतु तत् । न मे चिंताऽस्ति कुत्रापि मरणाज्जीवनात्तथा
Let whatever happens, happen; let whatever is done, be done; I have no concern anywhere, whether for death or for life.
स कालोऽप्यन्यथा कर्तुं भावितो नेशते क्वचित् । न वर्षति च पर्जन्यः श्रावणे मासि सर्वदा
Even time, though determined, cannot always act otherwise; the rain-cloud does not always pour in the month of Shravan.
कदाचिन्मार्गशीर्षे वा पौषे माघेऽथ फाल्गुने । अकाले वर्षतीवाशु तस्मान्मुख्यो न चास्त्ययम्
Sometimes it rains in Margashirsha, or in Pausha, Magha, or Phalguna; sometimes it rains out of season, so this is not the chief cause.
कालो निमित्तमात्रं तु दैवं हि बलवत्तरम् । दैवेन निर्मितं सर्वं नान्यथा भवतीत्यदः
Time is merely a pretext; fate is indeed more powerful. All is fashioned by fate; nothing happens otherwise.
दैवमेव परं मन्ये धिक्पोरुषमनर्थकम् । जेता यः सर्वदेवानां निशुम्भोऽप्यनया हतः
I regard fate alone as supreme; shame on human effort, which is fruitless. Even Niśumbha, who conquered all the gods, was slain by her.
रक्तबीजो महाशूरः सोऽपि नाशं गतो यदा । तदाहं कीर्तिमुत्सृज्य जीविताशां करोमि किम्
Raktabīja, a great hero, also met his destruction. When that happened, what use is there for me to desire life, abandoning my fame?
प्राप्ते काले स्वयं ब्रह्मा परार्धद्वयसंमिते । निधनं याति तरसा जगत्कर्ता स्वयं प्रभुः
When the time arrives, even Brahmā himself, the creator of the world, endowed with two parārdhas, swiftly meets his end.
चतुर्युगसहस्रं तु ब्रह्मणो दिवसे किल । पतंति भवनात्पंच नव चेंद्रास्तथा पुनः
Indeed, in a single day of Brahmā, which is a thousand fourfold ages, five and then nine Indras fall from their abodes.
तथैव त्रिगुणे विष्णुर्मरणायोपकल्पते । तथैव द्विगुणे काले शंकरः शांतिमेति च
In the same way, Viṣṇu, at the end of three cycles, is destined for death; likewise, at the end of two cycles, Śaṃkara attains dissolution.
का चिंता मरणे मूढा निश्वले दैवनिर्मिते । मही महीधराणां च नाशः सूर्यशशांकयोः
Why worry about death, O deluded one, when it is ordained by fate? The earth, the mountains, the sun, and the moon—all face destruction.
जातस्य हि ध्रुवं मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । अध्रुवेऽस्मिञ्छरीरे तु रक्षणीयं यशः स्थिरम्
For one who is born, death is certain; for one who has died, birth is certain. In this impermanent body, one should preserve lasting fame.
रथो मे कल्प्यतां शीघ्रं गमिष्यामि रणाजिरे । जयो वा मरणं वापि भवत्वद्यैव दैवतः
Let my chariot be prepared quickly; I will go to the battlefield. Today, by fate, either victory or death will be mine.
इत्युक्त्वा सैनिकाञ्छुंभो रथमास्थाय सत्वरः । प्रययावंबिका यत्र संस्थिता तु हिमाचले
Having spoken thus, Śumbha swiftly mounted his chariot and went to where Ambikā stood on Mount Himālaya.
सैन्यं प्रचलितं तस्य संगे तत्र चतुर्विधम् । हस्त्यश्वरथपादातिसंयुतं सायुधं बहु
His army, fourfold and armed—composed of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers—moved out with him.
तत्र गत्वाऽचले शुम्भः संस्थितां जगदम्बिकाम् । त्रैलोक्यमोहिनी कांतामपश्यत्सिंहवाहिनीम्
There, upon reaching the mountain, Śumbha saw the World-Mother, enchanting the three worlds, beautiful, and riding a lion.