प्रणेमुर्विनयोपेतास्तमूचुः प्रांजलिस्थिताः । राजंस्ते शत्रवः सर्वे पापाच्च निहता रणे
With humility, they bowed to him, standing with folded hands, and said: 'O King, all your wicked enemies have been slain in battle.'
राज्यं निष्कंटकं भूप कुरुष्व पुरमास्थितः । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा नत्वा तं मुनिसत्तमम्
'O ruler, now that the kingdom is free from thorns, take up residence in the city and govern.' Hearing these words, the king bowed to that best of sages.
आपृच्छ्य निर्ययौ तत्र मंत्रिभिः परिवारितः । संप्राप्य च निजं राज्यं दारान्स्वजनबांधवान्
Taking leave, he departed from there, surrounded by his ministers; and having reached his own kingdom, he enjoyed his wives, relatives, and friends.
बुभुजे पृथिवीं सर्वां ततः सागरमेखलाम् । वैश्योऽपि ज्ञानमासाद्य मुक्तसंगः समंततः
He enjoyed the entire earth, girdled by the ocean; and the merchant, having attained knowledge, became free from all attachments.
कालातिवाहनं तत्र मुक्तबंधश्चकार ह। तीर्थेषु विचरन्गायन्भगवत्या गुणानथ
He transcended time and bondage, wandering among holy places, singing the virtues of the Blessed Goddess.
एतत्ते कथितं देव्याश्चरितं परमाद्भुतम् । आराधनफलप्राप्तिर्यथावद्भूपवैश्ययोः
Thus I have told you the wondrous deeds of the Goddess, and how the king and the merchant obtained the fruits of their worship.
दैत्यानां हननं प्रोक्तं प्रादुर्भावस्तथा शुभः । एवंप्रभावा सा देवी भक्तानामभयप्रदा
The slaying of the demons has been described, as well as her auspicious manifestation; such is the power of the Goddess, who grants fearlessness to her devotees.
यः शृणोति नरो नित्यमेतदाख्यानमुत्तमम् । संप्राप्नोति नरः सत्यं संसारसुखमद्भुतम्
Whoever hears this excellent narrative daily truly attains wondrous happiness in worldly life.
ज्ञानदं मोक्षदं चैव कीर्तिदं सुखदं तथा । पावनं श्रवणान्नूनमेतदाख्यानमद्भुतम्
This marvelous story, when heard, surely bestows knowledge, liberation, fame, and happiness, and purifies as well.
अखिलार्थप्रदं नॄणां सर्वधर्मसमावृतम् । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां कारणं परमं मतम्
It grants all goals to people, is filled with every virtue, and is held to be the supreme cause of righteousness, prosperity, pleasure, and liberation.
सूत उवाच। जनमेजयेन राज्ञाऽसौ पृष्टः सत्यवतीसुतः । उवाच संहितां दिव्यां व्यासः सर्वार्थतत्त्ववित्
Sūta said: Questioned by King Janamejaya, the son of Satyavatī—Vyāsa, knower of all truths—spoke this divine collection.
चरितं चंडिकायास्तु शुम्भदैत्यवधाश्रितम् । कथयामास भगवान्कृष्णः कारुणिको मुनिः
The compassionate sage Kṛṣṇa, the Blessed One, narrated the deeds of Caṇḍikā, centering on the slaying of the demon Śumbha.
त्रिशिरसस्तपोभङ्गाय देवराजेन्द्रद्वारा नानोपायचिन्तनवर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः सूत सूत महाभाग मिष्टं ते वचनामृतम् । न तृप्ताः स्मो वयं पीत्वा द्वैपायनकृतं शुभम्
The sages said: O Sūta, O most fortunate one, your nectar-like words are delightful; we are not satisfied, even after drinking in the auspicious tale composed by Dvaipāyana.
पुनस्त्वां प्रष्टुमिच्छामः कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । वेदेऽपि कथितां रम्यां प्रसिद्धां पापनाशिनीम्
Again, we wish to ask you for an auspicious Purāṇic tale, charming, renowned, and destroyer of sin, as told in the Vedas.
वृत्रासुर इति ख्यातो वीर्यवांस्त्वष्टुरात्मजः । स कथं निहतः संख्ये वासवेन महात्मना
Vṛtrāsura, famed as the son of Tvaṣṭṛ and full of might—how was he slain in battle by the great-souled Vāsava?
त्वष्टा वै सुरपक्षीयस्तत्पुत्रो बलवत्तरः । शक्रेण घातितः कस्माद्ब्रह्मयोनिर्महाबलः
Tvaṣṭṛ was on the side of the gods, and his son was even mightier; why was that powerful, Brahma-born one killed by Śakra?
देवाः सत्त्वगुणोत्पना मानुषा राजसाः स्मृताः । तिर्यञ्चस्तामसाः प्रोक्ताः पुराणागमवादिभिः
The gods are said to be born of the quality of sattva, humans of rajas, and animals of tamas, according to the teachers of the Purāṇas and Āgamas.
विरोधोऽत्र महान् भाति नूनं शतमखेन ह । छलेन बलवान् वृत्रः शक्रेण विनिपातितः
Here, a great contradiction is evident: indeed, Vṛtra, though powerful, was slain by Indra, the hundred-sacrificed, through deceit.
विष्णुः प्रेरयिता तत्र स तु सत्त्वधरः परः । प्रविष्टः पविमध्ये स छद्मना भगवान् प्रभुः
There, Viṣṇu, the supreme bearer of sattva, acted as the instigator; that Lord entered the midst of the weapon by disguise.
सन्धिं विधाय स ह्येवं मन्त्रितोऽसौ महाबलः । हरिभ्यां सत्यमुत्सृज्य जलफेनेन शातितः
Having made a pact and thus persuaded, that mighty one, abandoning truth together with Hari, was slain by foam from water.
कृतमिन्द्रेण हरिणा किमेतत्सूत साहसम् । महान्तोऽपि च मोहेन वञ्चिताः पापबुद्धयः
What is this daring act done by Indra and Hari, O Sūta? Even the great, through delusion and wicked intent, are deceived.
अन्यायवर्तिनोऽत्यर्थं भवन्ति सुरसत्तमाः । सदाचारेण युक्तेन देवाः शिष्टत्वमागताः
The foremost of the gods often act unjustly; yet, through proper conduct, the gods have attained the status of the virtuous.
एवं विशिष्टधर्मेण शिष्टत्वं कीदृशं पुनः । हत्वा वृत्रं तु विश्वस्तं शक्रेण छद्मना पुनः
Thus, with such distinguished conduct, what kind of virtue is this? For Indra, by deceit, killed Vṛtra who trusted him.
प्राप्तं पापफलं नो वा ब्रह्महत्यासमुद्भवम् । किं च त्वया पुरा प्रोक्तं वृत्रासुरवधः कृतः
Was the fruit of sin, arising from brahminicide, obtained or not? And you previously said that the killing of Vṛtrāsura was done.
श्रीदेव्या इति तच्चापि चित्तं मोहयतीह नः । सूत उवाच शृण्वन्तु मुनयो वृत्तं वृत्रासुरवधाश्रयम्
That too, by the goddess—this thought bewilders us here. Sūta said: Let the sages listen to the account concerning the slaying of Vṛtrāsura.
यथेन्द्रेण च सम्प्राप्तं दुःखं हत्यासमुद्भवम् । एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः
Just as the suffering that befell Indra arose from the act of killing, so too, in ancient times, Vyāsa, son of Satyavatī, was asked.
पारीक्षितेन राज्ञापि स यदाह च तद्ब्रुवे । जनमेजय उवाच कथं वृत्रासुरः पूर्वं हतो मघवता मुने
What he said to King Parīkṣit, that I shall now tell.
सहायं विष्णुमासाद्य छद्मना सात्त्विकेन ह । कथं च देव्या निहतो दैत्योऽसौ केन हेतुना
Janamejaya said: How was Vṛtrāsura formerly slain by Maghavan, O sage, after obtaining Viṣṇu as an ally and by means of sattvic deception? And how was that demon killed by the goddess, and for what reason?
कथमेकवधो द्वाभ्यां कृतः स्यान्मुनिपुङ्गव । तदेतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि परं कौतूहलं हि मे
How could a single killing be accomplished by two, O best of sages? I wish to hear this; my curiosity is indeed great.
महतां चरितं शृण्वन् को विरज्येत मानवः । कथयाम्बावैभवं त्वं वृत्रासुरवधाश्रितम्
Who among men, hearing the deeds of the great, would turn away? Tell, then, the glory of the Mother, as it relates to the slaying of Vṛtrāsura.