ते वै शक्तिं परां देवीं ब्रह्माख्यां परमात्मिकाम् । ध्यायन्ति मनसा नित्यं नित्यां मत्वा सनातनीम्
They indeed meditate always in their minds on the supreme power, the Goddess, called Brahman, the supreme Self, considering her eternal and everlasting.
तस्माच्छक्तिः सदा सेव्या विद्वद्भिः कृतनिश्चयैः । निश्चयः सर्वशास्त्राणां ज्ञातव्यो मुनिसत्तमाः
Therefore, the power is always to be served by the wise who are firm in resolve; this is to be known as the conclusion of all scriptures, O best of sages.
कृष्णाच्छ्रुतं मया चैतत्तेन ज्ञातं तु नारदात् । पितुः सकाशात्तेनापि ब्रह्मणा विष्णुवाक्यतः
I heard this from Krishna, and thus I learned it from Narada; he too received it from his father, and from Brahma by the word of Vishnu.
न श्रोतव्यं न मन्तव्यमन्येषां वचनं बुधैः । शक्तिरेव सदा सेव्या विद्वद्भिः कृतनिश्चयैः
The wise should neither listen to nor consider the words of others; only the power is always to be served by the wise who are firm in resolve.
प्रत्यक्षमपि द्रष्टव्यमशक्तस्य विचेष्टितम् । अतः सर्वेषु भूतेषु ज्ञातव्या शक्तिरेव हि
Even the actions of the powerless should be observed directly; therefore, in all beings, only the power is truly to be known.
हरिकृतमधुकैटभवधवर्णनम् सूत उवाच यदा विनिर्गता निद्रा देहात्तस्य जगद्गुरोः । नेत्रास्यनासिकाबाहुहृदयेभ्यस्तथोरसः
When sleep departed from the body of that Lord of the universe, it exited from his eyes, mouth, nose, arms, heart, and chest.
निःसृत्य गगने तस्थौ तामसी शक्तिरुत्तमा । उदतिष्ठज्जगन्नाथो जृम्भमाणः पुनः पुनः
Emerging, the supreme tamasic power stood in the sky; the Lord of the world rose, stretching and yawning again and again.
तदापश्यत् स्थितं तत्र भयत्रस्तं प्रजापतिम् । उवाच च महातेजा मेघगम्भीरया गिरा
Then he saw there Prajapati, standing, terrified with fear; and the mighty one spoke to him with a voice deep as thunderclouds.
विष्णुरुवाच किमागतोऽसि भगवंस्तपस्त्यक्त्वात्र पद्मज । कस्माच्चिन्तातुरोऽसि त्वं भयाकुलितमानसः
Vishnu said: 'O revered one, why have you come here, abandoning your austerities, O Lotus-born? Why are you so anxious, your mind overwhelmed by fear?'
ब्रह्मोवाच त्वत्कर्णमलजौ देव दैत्यौ च मधुकैटभौ । हन्तुं मां समुपायातौ घोररूपौ महाबलौ
Brahma said: 'O God, the two demons Madhu and Kaitabha, born from the dirt of your ears, have come to kill me; they are terrifying in form and great in strength.'
भयात्तयोः समायातस्त्वत्समीपं जगत्पते । त्राहि मां वासुदेवाद्य भयत्रस्तं विचेतनम्
Out of fear, both have come to your presence, Lord of the world; save me, O Vāsudeva, for I am terrified and bewildered by fear.
विष्णुरुवाच तिष्ठाद्य निर्भयो जातस्तौ हनिष्याम्यहं किल । युद्धायाजग्मतुर्मूढौ मत्समीपं गतायुषौ
Viṣṇu said: Remain here, now fearless; I will surely slay them. Those two fools have come to me for battle, their lifespans ended.
सूत उवाच एवं वदति देवेशे दानवौ तौ महाबलौ । विचिन्वानावजं चोभौ संप्राप्तौ मदगर्वितौ
Sūta said: As the Lord of gods spoke thus, those two mighty demons, searching for the unborn one, both arrived, intoxicated with pride.
निराधारौ जले तत्र संस्थितौ विगतज्वरौ । तावूचतुर्मदोन्मत्तौ ब्रह्माणं मुनिसत्तमाः
Standing unsupported in the water, free from distress, those two, maddened with arrogance, addressed Brahmā, O best of sages.
पलायित्वा समायातः सन्निधावस्य किं ततः । युद्धं कुरु हनिष्यावः पश्यतोऽस्यैव सन्निधौ
Having fled, you have come into his presence—so what? Fight! We will slay you right before him, in his very presence.
पश्चादेनं हनिष्यावः सर्पभोगोपरिस्थितम् । त्वमद्य कुरु संग्रामं दासोऽस्मीति च वा वद
Afterwards, we will kill him, who sits upon the coils of the serpent. Today, either fight, or declare yourself our servant.
सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं विष्णुस्तावुवाच जनार्दनः । कुरुतं समरं कामं मया दानवपुङ्गवौ
Sūta said: Hearing those words, Viṣṇu, called Janārdana, spoke to those foremost of demons: Fight as you wish with me.
हरिष्यामि मदं चाहं युवयोर्मत्तयोः किल । आगच्छतं महाभागौ श्रद्धा चेद्वां महाबलौ
I will take away your pride, both of you who are intoxicated; come, O mighty ones, if you have faith.
सूत उवाच श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं चोभौ क्रोधव्याकुललोचनौ । निराधारौ जलस्थौ च युद्धोद्युक्तौ बभूवतुः
Sūta said: Hearing those words, both, their eyes agitated with anger, unsupported in the water, became ready for battle.
मधुश्च कुपितस्तत्र हरिणा सह संयुगम् । कर्तुं प्रचलितस्तूर्णं कैटभस्तु तथा स्थितः
There, Madhu, enraged, rushed swiftly to fight with Hari; and Kaiṭabha stood ready as well.
बाहुयुद्धं तयोरासीन्मल्लयोरिव मत्तयोः । श्रान्ते मधौ कैटभस्तु संग्राममकरोत्तदा
A wrestling match took place between the two, intoxicated like wrestlers; when Madhu grew weary, Kaiṭabha then engaged in battle.
पुनर्मधुः कैटभश्च युयुधाते पुनः पुनः । बाहुयुद्धेन रागान्धौ विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना
Madhu and Kaiṭabha fought again and again, blinded by passion, with hand-to-hand combat against the mighty Viṣṇu.
प्रेक्षकस्तु तदा ब्रह्मा देवी चैवान्तरिक्षगा । न मम्लतुस्तदा तौ तु विष्णुस्तु ग्लानिमाप्तवान्
Brahmā, the observer, and the goddess dwelling in the sky, did not grow weary; but those two did not falter, while Viṣṇu became fatigued.
पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि यदा जातानि युद्ध्यता । हरिणा चिन्तितं तत्र कारणं मरणे तयोः
When five thousand years had passed in battle, Hari pondered the cause of their death.
पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि मया युद्धं कृतं किल । न श्रान्तौ दानवौ घोरौ श्रान्तोऽहं चैतदद्भुतम्
For five thousand years, I have fought; yet these fierce demons are not weary, while I am exhausted—this is astonishing.
क्व गतं मे बलं शौर्यं कस्माच्चेमावनामयौ । किमत्र कारणं चिन्त्यं विचार्य मनसा त्विह
Where has my strength and valor gone? Why are these two not weakened? What is the cause here? I must consider this in my mind.
इति चिन्तापरं दृष्ट्वा हरिं हर्षपरावुभौ । ऊचतुस्तौ मदोन्मत्तौ मेघमम्भीरनिःस्वनौ
Seeing Hari absorbed in such thoughts, both, intoxicated with pride, spoke, like thunderclouds with deep sounds.
तव नोचेद्बलं विष्णो यदि श्रान्तोऽसि युद्धतः । ब्रूहि दासोऽस्मि वां नूनं कृत्वा शिरसि चाञ्जलिम्
If your strength is not sufficient, Viṣṇu, and you are weary from battle, then say, 'I am your servant,' and join your hands upon your head.
न चेद्युद्धं कुरुष्वाद्य समर्थोऽसि महामते । हत्वा त्वां निहनिष्यावः पुरुषं च चतुर्मुखम्
If today you are not able, O wise one, to engage in battle, then having slain you, we shall also kill the Four-faced One.
सूत उवाच श्रुत्वा तद्भाषितं विष्णुस्तयोस्तस्मिन्महोदधौ । उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं सामपूर्वं महामनाः
The Sūta said: Hearing those words of theirs in that great ocean, Viṣṇu, high-minded, spoke gentle words, first conciliatory.