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.
रोगग्रस्तोऽपि दीनोऽपि न मुमूर्षति कश्चन । कथं चेमौ मदोन्मत्तौ मर्तुकामौ भविष्यतः
Even one afflicted by disease or misery does not wish to die; so how will these two, mad with pride, come to desire death?
नन्वद्य शरणं यामि विद्यां शक्तिं सुकामदाम् । विना तया न सिध्यन्ति कामाः सम्यक्प्रसन्नया
Indeed, today I seek refuge in that knowledge and power which grants all desires; without her, wishes are not fulfilled, unless she is truly pleased.
एवं सञ्चिन्त्यमानस्तु गगने संस्थितां शिवाम् । अपश्यद्भगवान्विष्णुर्योगनिद्रां मनोहराम्
Thus reflecting, the Blessed Viṣṇu saw in the sky the enchanting Goddess of Yogic Sleep, standing there.
कृताज्जलिरमेयात्मा तां च तुष्टाव योगवित् । विनाशार्थं तयोस्तत्र वरदां भुवनेश्वरीम्
With hands joined, the immeasurable one, knower of yoga, praised her—the bestower of boons, the Lady of the worlds—for the destruction of those two.
विष्णुरुवाच नमो देवि महामाये सृष्टिसंहारकारिणि । अनादिनिधने चण्डि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदे शिवे
Viṣṇu said: Salutations to you, O Goddess, Great Enchantress, doer of creation and destruction; O beginningless and endless Caṇḍī, giver of enjoyment and liberation, O auspicious one.
न ते रूपं विजानामि सगुणं निर्गुणं तथा । चरित्राणि कुतो देवि संख्यातीतानि यानि ते
I do not know your form, whether with attributes or without; O Goddess, how can I know your deeds, which are beyond counting?
अनुभूतो मया तेऽद्य प्रभावश्चातिदुर्घटः । यदहं निद्रया लीनः सञ्जातोऽस्मि विचेतनः
Today I have experienced your power, which is exceedingly difficult to comprehend, for though I was overcome by sleep, I have now regained consciousness.
ब्रह्मणा चातियत्नेन बोधितोऽपि पुनः पुनः । न प्रबुद्धः सर्वथाहं सङ्कोचितषडिन्द्रियः
Even though Brahmā earnestly tried again and again to awaken me, I was not at all awakened, my six senses having been withdrawn.
अचेतनत्वं सम्प्राप्तः प्रभावात्तव चाम्बिके । त्वया मुक्तः प्रबुद्धोऽहं युद्धं च बहुधा कृतम्
O Ambikā, by your power I became insensible; released by you, I am now awakened and have fought many battles.
श्रान्तोऽहं न च तौ श्रान्तौ त्वया दत्तवरौ वरौ । ब्रह्माणं हन्तुमायातौ दानवौ मदगर्वितौ
I am weary, yet those two are not fatigued, for you have granted them boons; the two arrogant Dānavas have come to slay Brahmā.
आहूतौ च मया कामं द्वन्द्वयुद्धाय मानदे । कृतं युद्धं महाघोरं मया ताभ्यां महार्णवे
I summoned them willingly for single combat, O Honored One, and I fought a most terrible battle with them in the great ocean.
मरणे वरदानं ते ततो ज्ञातं महाद्भुतम् । ज्ञात्वाहं शरणं प्राप्तस्त्वामद्य शरणप्रदाम्
Then I learned of your wondrous boon of deathlessness to them; realizing this, I have now sought refuge in you, the giver of refuge.
साहाय्यं कुरु मे मातः खिन्नोऽहं युद्धकर्मणा । दृप्तौ तौ वरदानेन तव देवार्तिनाशने
Mother, grant me your assistance, for I am exhausted by battle; those two, emboldened by your boon, torment the gods, O destroyer of affliction.
हन्तुं मामुद्यतौ पापौ किं करोमि क्व यामि च । इत्युक्ता सा तदा देवी स्मितपूर्वमुवाच ह
Those two wicked ones are intent on killing me—what shall I do, where shall I go? Thus addressed, the Goddess then spoke with a gentle smile.
प्रणमन्तं जगन्नाथं वासुदेवं सनातनम् । देवदेव हरे विष्णो कुरु युद्धं पुनः स्वयम्
To the Lord of the Universe, Vāsudeva, the eternal, who was bowing before her, the Goddess said: O god of gods, O Hari, O Viṣṇu, fight again yourself.
वञ्चयित्वा त्विमौ शूरौ हन्तव्यौ च विमोहितौ । मोहयिष्याम्यहं नूनं दानवौ वक्रया दृशा
Deceive these two mighty warriors and slay them when they are deluded; I shall surely bewilder the Dānavas with my crooked glance.
जहि नारायणाशु त्वं मम मायाविमोहितौ । सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं विष्णुस्तस्याः प्रीतिरसान्वितम्
O Nārāyaṇa, swiftly slay them when they are deluded by my māyā. Sūta said: Hearing her words, Viṣṇu was filled with joy.
संग्रामस्थलमासाद्य तस्थौ तत्र महार्णवे । तदायातौ च तौ वीरौ युद्धकामौ महाबलौ
He went to the battlefield and stood there in the great ocean; then those two mighty warriors, eager for battle, arrived.
वीक्ष्य विष्णुं स्थितं तत्र हर्षयुक्तौ बभूवतुः । तिष्ठ तिष्ठ महाकाम कुरु युद्धं चतुर्भुज
Seeing Viṣṇu standing there, they became filled with joy and said: 'Stand, stand, O great one! O four-armed, fight with us!'
दैवाधीनौ विदित्वाद्य नूनं जयपराजयौ । सबलो जयमाप्नोति दैवाज्जयति दुर्बलः
Knowing that victory and defeat depend on fate, today the one with strength wins, and by fate even the weak may conquer.