सर्वथैव न कर्तव्यौ हर्षशोकौ महात्मना । पुरा वै बहवो दैत्या जिता दानववैरिणा
Therefore, a great soul should never indulge in joy or sorrow; in the past, many Daityas were defeated by the enemy of the Dānavas.
अधुना चावयोः सार्धं युध्यमानः पराजितः । सूत उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तौ महाबाहू युद्धाय समुपस्थितौ
Now, fighting together with us, you have been defeated. Sūta said: Having spoken thus, those two mighty-armed ones prepared for battle.
वीक्ष्य विष्णुर्जघानाशु मुष्टिनाद्भुतकर्मणा । तावप्यतिबलोन्मत्तौ जध्नतुर्मुष्टिना हरिम्
Seeing them, Viṣṇu struck swiftly with his fist, performing a wondrous deed; but those two, maddened by great strength, also struck Viṣṇu with their fists.
एवं परस्परं जातं युद्धं परमदारुणम् । युध्यमानौ महावीर्यौ दृष्ट्वा नारायणस्तदा
Thus arose a most dreadful battle between them; seeing those two mighty warriors fighting, Nārāyaṇa then—
अपश्यत्सम्मुखं देव्याः कृत्वा दीनां दृशं हरिः । सूत उवाच तं वीक्ष्य तादृशं विष्णुं करुणारससंयुतम्
Hari, gazing directly at the Goddess with a distressed look, Sūta said: Seeing Viṣṇu in such a state, full of compassion—
जहासातीव ताम्राक्षी वीक्षमाणा तदासुरौ । तौ जघान कटाक्षैश्च कामबाणैरिवापरैः
The Goddess with coppery eyes laughed greatly, glancing at those two demons; she struck them with her sidelong glances, as if with other arrows of desire.
मन्दस्मितयुतैः कामं प्रेमभावयुतैरनु । दृष्ट्वा मुमुहतुः पापौ देव्या वक्रविलोकनम्
With gentle smiles, suffused with affection and love, the Goddess cast her crooked glance upon the wicked ones, and they became bewildered.
विशेषमिति मन्वानौ कामबाणातिपीडितौ । वीक्षमाणौ स्थितौ तत्र तां देवीं विशदप्रभाम्
Thinking this was something special, tormented by the arrows of desire, the two stood there, gazing at the Goddess, radiant and clear.
हरिणापि च तद्दृष्टं देव्यास्तत्र चिकीर्षितम् । मोहितौ तौ परिज्ञाय भगवान्कार्यवित्तमः
Hari also saw what the Goddess intended there; recognizing that the two were enchanted, the Lord, knowing his purpose, understood.
उवाच तौ हसन् श्लक्ष्णं मेघगम्भीरया गिरा । वरं वरयतां वीरौ युवयोर्योऽभिवाच्छितः
He spoke to the two, smiling gently, with a voice deep as thunderclouds: 'O heroes, choose a boon, whatever you desire.'
ददामि परमप्रीतो युद्धेन युवयोः किल । दानवा बहवो दृष्टा युध्यमाना मया पुरा
I grant, with utmost delight, whatever you wish for in battle; many demons have fought with me before.
युवयोः सदृशः कोऽपि न दृष्टो न च वै श्रुतः । तस्मात्तुष्टोऽस्मि कामं वै निस्तुलेन बलेन च
But none have been seen or heard who are equal to you two; therefore, I am pleased with your incomparable strength.
भ्रात्रोश्च वाञ्छितं कामं प्रयच्छामि महाबलौ । सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं विष्णोः साभिमानौ स्मरातुरौ
O mighty ones, I will grant whatever desire you brothers have; Sūta said: Hearing Viṣṇu's words, proud and love-stricken—
वीक्षमाणौ महामायां जगदानन्दकारिणीम् । तमूचतुश्च कामार्तौ विष्णुं कमललोचनौ
Gazing at Mahāmāyā, who brings joy to the world, those two, overwhelmed by desire, spoke to Viṣṇu, lotus-eyed.
हरे न याचकावावां त्वं किं दातुमिहेच्छसि । ददाव तुल्यं देवेश दातारौ नौ न याचकौ
'O Hari, we are not petitioners; why do you wish to give? O Lord of the gods, give equally; we are givers, not beggars.'
प्रार्थय त्वं हृषीकेश मनोऽभिलषितं वरम् । तुष्टौ स्वस्तव युद्धेन वासुदेवाद्भुतेन च
'You, Hṛṣīkeśa, request whatever boon your mind desires; be pleased with the wondrous battle with Vāsudeva.'
तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच जनार्दनः । भवेतामद्य मे तुष्टौ मम वध्यावुभावपि
Hearing their words, Janārdana replied: 'Let it be today that you are pleased with me; both of you shall be slain by me.'
सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं विष्णोर्दानवौ चातिविस्मितौ । वञ्चिताविति मन्वानौ तस्थतुः शोकसंयुतौ
Sūta said: Hearing Viṣṇu's words, the two demons were utterly astonished; thinking themselves deceived, they stood, filled with sorrow.
विचार्य मनसा तौ तु दानवौ विष्णुमूचतुः । प्रेक्ष्य सर्वं जलमयं भूमिं स्थलविवर्जिताम्
Reflecting in their minds, the two demons spoke to Viṣṇu, seeing the whole earth as water, devoid of dry land.
हरे योऽयं वरो दत्तस्त्वया पूर्वं जनार्दन । सत्यवागसि देवेश देहि तं वाञ्छितं वरम्
'O Hari, the boon you granted before, O Janārdana, you are truthful, O Lord of the gods; give us that desired boon.'
निर्जले विपुले देशे हनस्व मधुसूदन । वध्यावावां तु भवतः सत्यवाग्भव माधव
'In a vast waterless place, slay us, O Madhusūdana; let us be slain by you, O Mādhava, be truthful to your word.'
स्मृत्वा चक्रं तदा विष्णुस्तावुवाच हसन्हरिः । हन्म्यद्य वां महाभागौ निर्जले विपुले स्थले
Then Viṣṇu, remembering his discus, spoke, smiling: 'Today, O mighty ones, I shall slay you both in a vast waterless place.'
इत्युक्त्या देवदेवेश ऊरू कृत्वातिविस्तरौ । दर्शयामास तौ तत्र निर्जलं च जलोपरि
Having spoken thus, the Lord of the gods made his thighs exceedingly vast and showed them there, dry above the water.
नास्त्यत्र दानवौ वारि शिरसी मुञ्चतामिह । सत्यवागहमद्यैव भविष्यामि च वां तथा
There is no water here, O demons; place your heads upon my thighs. I am truthful, and today I shall be so for you as well.
तदाकर्ण्य वचस्तथ्यं विचिन्त्य मनसा च तौ । वर्धयामासतुर्देहं योजनानां सहस्रकम्
Hearing these truthful words and reflecting in their minds, the two demons expanded their bodies to a thousand yojanas.
भगवान्द्विगुणं चक्रे जघनं विस्मितौ तदा । शीर्षे सन्दधतां तत्र जघने परमाद्भुते
The Lord then made his thighs twice as large, astonishing them; and they placed their wondrous heads upon those thighs.
रथांगेन तदा छिन्ने विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । जघनोपरि वेगेन प्रकृष्टे शिरसी तयोः
Then, with the axle of a chariot, mighty Vishnu swiftly severed their heads, which were placed upon the thighs.
गतप्राणौ तदा जातौ दानवौ मधुकैटभौ । सागरः सकलो व्याप्तस्तदा वै मेदसा तयोः
At that moment, the demons Madhu and Kaitabha lost their lives; the entire ocean was filled with their fat.
मेदिनीति ततो जातं नाम पृथ्व्याः समन्ततः । अभक्ष्या मृत्तिका तेन कारणेन मुनीश्वराः
From that fat, the name 'medinī' arose for the earth everywhere; thus, the sages declared the soil to be unfit for consumption.
इति वः कथितं सर्वं यत्पृष्टोऽस्मि सुनिश्चितम् । महाविद्या महामाया सेवनीया सदा बुधैः
Thus, I have told you everything you asked, with certainty; the great knowledge and the great illusion should always be revered by the wise.