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.
हरिरुवाच श्रान्ते भीते त्यक्तशस्त्रे पतिते बालके तथा । प्रहरन्ति न वीरास्ते धर्म एष सनातनः
Hari said: True heroes do not strike those who are weary, afraid, disarmed, fallen, or mere children; this is the eternal law.
पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि कृतं युद्धं मया त्विह । एकोऽहं भ्रातरौ वां च बलिनौ सदृशौ तथा
For five thousand years I have fought here; I am alone, while you two brothers are strong and equal to me.
कृतं विश्रमणं मध्ये युवाभ्यां च पुनः पुनः । तथा विश्रमणं कृत्वा युध्येऽहं नात्र संशयः
You two have repeatedly taken rest in the midst of battle; likewise, after resting, I too will fight—of this there is no doubt.
तिष्ठतं हि युवां तावद्बलवन्तौ मदोत्कटौ । विश्रम्याहं करिष्यामि युद्धं वा न्यायमार्गतः
While you two, powerful and intoxicated with strength, stand ready, let me rest; then I will fight according to the path of justice.
सूत उवाच इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य विश्रब्धौ दानवोत्तमौ । संस्थितौ दूरतस्तत्र संग्रामे कृतनिश्चयौ
The Sūta said: Hearing his words, those two foremost Dānavas, confident, stood at a distance on the battlefield, resolved.
अतिदूरे च तौ दृष्ट्वा वासुदेवश्चतुर्भुजः । दध्यौ च मनसा तत्र कारणं मरणे तयोः
And seeing them standing very far off, Vāsudeva, four-armed, pondered in his mind the cause of their death.
चिन्तनाज्ज्ञानमुत्पन्नं देवीदत्तवरावुभौ । कामं वाञ्छितमरणौ न मम्लतुरतस्त्विमौ
Through contemplation, knowledge arose: both had received boons from the Goddess; they desired death at will, and so they did not weaken.
वृथा मया कृतं युद्धं श्रमोऽयं मे वृथा गतः । करोमि च कथं युद्धमेवं ज्ञात्वा विनिश्चयम्
In vain have I fought; this effort of mine has been wasted. Knowing this certainty, how can I continue the battle?
अकृते च तथा युद्धे कथमेतौ गमिष्यतः । विनाशं दुःखदौ नित्यं दानवौ वरदर्पितौ
If the battle is not fought, how will these two Dānavas, ever proud of their boon, meet destruction, which brings sorrow?
भगवत्या वरो दत्तस्तया सोऽपि च दुर्घटः । मरणं चेच्छया कामं दुःखितोऽपि न वाञ्छति
The boon granted by the Goddess is indeed difficult to accomplish; even if one desires death, unless afflicted with suffering, he does not wish for it.