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.
सर्वाभरणभूषाढ्यां सर्वलक्षणसंयुताम् । स्तूयमानां सुरैः खस्थैर्गन्धर्वयक्षकिन्नरैः
Adorned with all ornaments, endowed with every auspicious mark, she was being praised by gods in the sky, as well as by gandharvas, yakṣas, and kinnaras.
पुष्पैश्च पूज्यमानां च मंदारपादपोद्भवैः । कुर्वाणां शंखनिनदं घंटानादं मनोहरम्
She was being worshipped with flowers from the mandāra tree, making the sound of conches and bells, enchanting to hear.
दृष्ट्वा तां मोहमगमच्छुंभः कामविमोहितः । पंचबाणाहतः कामं मनसा समचिंतयत्
Seeing her, Śumbha was overcome with delusion, bewildered by desire, as if struck by the five arrows of Kāma, and he contemplated her in his mind.
अहो रूपमिदं सम्यगहो चातुर्यमद्भुतम् । सुकुमाराऽतितन्वंगी सद्यः प्रकटयौवना । चित्रमेतदसौ बाला कामभावविवर्जिता
Ah, this form is truly perfect; ah, this cleverness is wondrous. Delicate and slender of body, with youth manifest at once—yet, though she is a maiden, she is free from desire.
कामकांतासमा रूपे सर्वलक्षणलक्षिता । अम्बिकेयं किमेतत्तु हंति सर्वान्महाबलान्
In beauty she is equal to the most beloved, marked by every auspicious sign. Is this Ambikā, who slays all the mighty ones?
उपायः कोऽत्र कर्तव्यो येन मे वशगा भवेत् । न मंत्रा वा मरालाक्षीसाधने सन्निधौ मम
What means should I employ here, by which she might come under my control? No spells or charms are effective in her presence for me.
सर्वमंत्रमयी ह्येषा मोहिनी मदगर्विता। सुन्दरीयं कथं मे स्याद्वशगा वरवर्णिनी
She is indeed composed of all mantras, an enchantress, proud of her own beauty; how can this supremely radiant woman ever come under my control?
पातालगमनं मेऽत्र न युक्तं समरांगणात् । सामदानविभेदैश्च नेयं साध्या महाबला
It is not proper for me to descend to the netherworld from the battlefield; nor can she, mighty as she is, be subdued by conciliation, gifts, or sowing dissension.
किं कर्तव्यं क्व गंतव्यं विषमे समुपस्थिते । मरणं नोत्तमं चात्र स्त्रीकृतं तु यशोऽपहृत्
What should be done, where should I go, now that such adversity has come? Death is not best here, for my fame has already been taken away by a woman.
मरणं ऋषिभिः प्रोक्तं संगरे मंगलास्पदम् । यत्तत्समानबलयोर्योधयोर्युध्यतोः किल
The sages have declared that death in battle is auspicious, but only when it occurs between two warriors of equal strength, both fighting valiantly.
प्राप्तेयं दैवरचिता नारी नरशतोत्तमा । नाशायास्मत्कुलस्येह सर्वथाऽतिबलाऽबला
This woman, fashioned by fate, has appeared, surpassing hundreds of men; she is supremely powerful or powerless, but in every way she brings destruction to our lineage.
वृथा किं सामवाक्यानि मया योज्यानि सांप्रतम् । हननायागता ह्येषा किं नु साम्ना प्रसीदति
Why should I now employ words of conciliation in vain? She has come for battle—will she truly be appeased by gentle speech?
न दानैश्चालितुं योग्या नानाशस्त्रविभूषिता । भेदस्तु विफलः कामं सर्वदेववशानुगा
She cannot be swayed by gifts, adorned as she is with many weapons; division is certainly fruitless, for she follows the will of all the gods.
तस्मात्तु मरणं श्रेयो न संग्रामे पलायनम् । जयो वा मरणं वाऽद्य भवत्वेव यथाविधि
Therefore, death is preferable to fleeing the battle; let victory or death come today, as destiny ordains.
व्यास उवाच। इति संचिंत्यमानः स शुम्भः सत्त्वाश्रितोऽभवत् । युद्धाय सुस्थिरो भूत्वा तामुवाच पुरः स्थिताम्
Vyasa said: Thus reflecting, Shumbha, relying on his courage, became resolute for battle and, standing before her, spoke to her.
देवि युध्यस्व कान्तेऽद्य वृथाऽयं ते परिश्रमः । मूर्खाऽसि किल नारीणां नायं धर्मः कदाचन
O goddess, fight now, beautiful one; your effort is in vain. Truly, you are foolish among women—this is never the proper path for women.
नारीणां लोचने बाणा भ्रुवावेव शरासनम् । हावभावास्तु शस्त्राणि पुमाँल्लक्ष्यं विचक्षणः
For women, their eyes are arrows, their eyebrows the bow; their gestures are weapons, and the discerning man is their target.
सन्नाहश्चांगरागोऽत्र रथश्चापि मनोरथः । मन्दप्रजल्पितं भेरीशब्दो नान्यः कदाचन
Their armor is the application of cosmetics, their chariot is the chariot of imagination; soft words are their war-drum, and nothing else.
अन्यास्त्रधारणं स्त्रीणां स्त्रीणां विडंबनमसंशयम् । लज्जैव भूषणं कांते न च धार्ष्ट्यं कदाचन
For women to bear other weapons is surely a mockery; modesty is their ornament, never boldness, O lovely one.
युध्यमाना वरा नारी कर्कशेवाभिदृश्यते । स्तनौ संगोपनीयौ वा धनुषः कर्षणे कथम्
A woman who fights appears harsh, not admirable; and how can she draw a bow while keeping her breasts concealed?