ब्रूहि मे गमनोपायं पुरे तस्यातिदुर्गमे । कथं त्वमागता तस्मात्सङ्कटादत्र तद्वद
Tell me the way to enter her city, which is extremely difficult to reach; how did you come here from that peril—tell me that.
यशोवत्युवाच बालभावान्मया मन्त्रो भगवत्या विशांपते । प्राप्तोऽस्ति ब्राह्मणात्सिद्धात्सबीजध्यानपूर्वकः
Yashovati said: In my childhood, I received a mantra from a perfected Brahmin, O lord of men, to be practiced with seed-syllable meditation, dedicated to the Blessed Goddess.
तत्रावस्थितया राजन् मया चित्ते विचारितम् । आराधयामि सततं चण्डिकां चण्डविक्रमाम्
While staying there, O king, I resolved in my mind: I will constantly worship Chandika, the one of fierce valor.
सा देवी सेविता कामं बन्धमोक्षं करिष्यति । भक्तानुकम्पिनी शक्तिः समर्था सर्वसाधने
That goddess, when served, will surely grant freedom from bondage; she is the compassionate power who helps devotees and is capable of accomplishing all aims.
या विश्वं सृजते शक्त्या पालयत्येव सा पुनः । कल्पान्ते संहरत्येव निराकारा निराश्रया
She who creates the universe by her power, indeed sustains it, and at the end of the cycle, she withdraws it—formless and without support.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा देवीं विश्वेश्वरीं शिवाम् । ध्यात्वा रक्ताम्बरां सौम्यां सुरक्तनयनां हृदि
Thinking thus in my mind of the goddess, the sovereign of the universe, the auspicious one, I meditated in my heart on her gentle form, clad in red, with deeply red eyes.
संस्मृत्य मनसा रूपं मन्त्रजाप्यपराभवम् । उपासिता मया देवी मासमेकं समाधिना
Remembering her form in my mind, absorbed in reciting the mantra, I worshipped the goddess for one month in deep concentration.
स्वप्ने मम समायाता भक्तिभावेन तोषिता । मामाहामृतया वाचा किं सुप्तासीति चण्डिका
Satisfied by my devotion, the goddess Chandika appeared to me in a dream and spoke to me with nectar-like words: 'Are you asleep?'
उत्तिष्ठ याहि तरसा गङ्गातीरं मनोहरम् । आगमिष्यति तत्रासौ हैहयो नृपपुङ्गवः
Arise, go swiftly to the enchanting bank of the Ganga; there, that foremost king of the Haihayas will come.
एकवीरो महाबाहुः सर्वशत्रुविमर्दनः । दत्तात्रेयेण मन्मन्त्रो महाविद्याभिधः परः
He is a solitary hero, mighty-armed, destroyer of all enemies, empowered with a supreme mantra by Dattatreya, known as the Great Knowledge.
दत्तोऽस्मै सोऽपि सततं मामुपास्तेऽतिभक्तितः । मय्यासक्तमतिर्नित्यं मम पूजापरायणः
That Dattatreya has given it to him, and he constantly worships me with great devotion; his mind ever attached to me, always intent on my worship.
मामेव सर्वभूतेषु ध्यायन्नास्ते च मत्परः । स ते दुःखविनाशं वै करिष्यति महामतिः
Meditating solely on me in all beings, he abides, devoted to me; that great-minded one will indeed remove your suffering.
मासुतो विहरंस्तत्र तव त्राता भविष्यति । हत्वा तं राक्षसं घोरं मोचयिष्यति मानिनीम्
While you dwell there for a month, he will become your protector, slaying that fierce demon and freeing the proud lady.
एकावलीमेकवीरः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः । पश्चात्सैव पतिः कार्यस्त्वया राजसुतः शुभः
The solitary hero, expert in all scriptures, and Ekavali—afterwards, you should make that royal son your husband.
इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे देवी प्रबुद्धाहं तदैव हि । कथितं स्वप्नवृत्तान्तं देव्याश्चाराधनं तथा
Having spoken thus, the Goddess vanished; I awoke at that very moment and recounted the dream's events and the worship of the Goddess.
प्रसन्नवदना जाता श्रुत्वा सा कमलेक्षणा । विशेषेण च सन्तुष्टा मामुवाच शुचिस्मिता
Hearing this, she of lotus-eyes became radiant-faced, and especially pleased, she of pure smile spoke to me.
गच्छ तत्र त्वरायुक्ता कुरु कार्यं मम प्रिये । सत्यवाक्या भगवती सावां मोक्षं विधास्यति
"Go there quickly and accomplish my task, dear one; the truthful Goddess will grant you liberation along with me."
इत्याज्ञप्ता तया चाहं सख्या वै प्रेमयुक्तया । मत्वोपसरणं युक्तं तस्मात्स्थानात्तदा नृप
Thus commanded by her, my loving friend, I considered it proper to depart from that place, O King.
चालिताहं ततः शीघ्रं महादेवीप्रसादतः । मार्गज्ञानं शीघ्रगतिर्मया प्राप्ता नृपात्मज
Then, by the grace of the Great Goddess, I was swiftly moved; I attained knowledge of the path and rapid progress, O prince.
इत्येतत्कथितं सर्वं कारणं मम दुःखजम् । कस्त्वं कस्य सुतश्चेति वद वीर यथा तथा
Thus all the cause of my sorrow has been told; now tell me, hero, who you are and whose son, just as it is.
; एकवीरैकावल्योर्विवाहवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच तस्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा रमापुत्रः प्रतापवान् । प्रफुल्लवदनाम्भोजस्तामुवाच विशाम्पते
Vyasa said: Hearing her words, the valiant son of Lakshmi, his face blooming like a lotus, spoke to her, O lord of men.
राजोवाच रम्भोरु यस्त्वया पृष्टो वृत्तान्तो विशदाक्षरः । हेहयोऽहं चैकवीरनाम्ना सिन्धुसुतासुतः
The king said: O slender-thighed one, as you have asked, I will tell you clearly: I am a Haihaya, named Ekavira, son of the Sindhu's daughter.
मनो मे यत्त्वया नूनं परतन्त्रं कृतं किल । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि विरहेणातिपीडितः
My mind, indeed, has been made dependent by you; what shall I do, where shall I go, tormented as I am by separation?
प्रथमं रूपमाख्यातं सर्वलोकातिगं त्वया । तेन मे विह्वलं जातं कामबाणहतं मनः
First, you described her form as surpassing all the worlds; because of that, my mind, struck by the arrows of love, became agitated.
ततस्तस्या गुणाः प्रोक्तास्तैस्तु चित्तं हृतं पुनः । यत्त्वयोक्तं पुनर्वाक्यं तेन मे विस्मयोऽभवत्
Then, when her virtues were told, my heart was again captivated by those; and by your further words, I was filled with wonder.
एकावल्या वचः प्रोक्तं दानवाग्रे मया वृतः । हैहयस्तं विना नान्यं वृणोमीति विनिश्चयः
Ekavali's words were spoken: 'I have chosen among the foremost of Danavas; except for Haihaya, I will choose no other'—this is my firm resolve.
तेन वाक्येन तन्वङ्गि भृत्योऽहमधुना कृतः । त्वया तस्याः सुकेशान्ते ब्रूहि किं करवाणि वाम्
By those words, O slender-waisted one, you have now made me your servant. Tell me, at the end of Sukeśā, what shall I do for you both?
स्थानं तस्य न जानामि राक्षसस्य दुरात्मनः । गतिर्मे नास्ति गमने पुरे तस्मिन्सुलोचने
I do not know the place of that evil-minded Rākṣasa, O beautiful-eyed one, nor do I have the means to go to his city.
वद मां त्वं विशालाक्षि तत्र प्रापयितुं क्षमा । प्रापयाशु सखी ते सा यत्र तिष्ठति सुन्दरी
Tell me, O wide-eyed one, if you are able to take me there. Quickly bring your friend to the place where that lovely woman resides.
हत्वा तं राक्षसं क्रूरं मोचयिष्यामि साम्प्रतम् । विवशां शोकसन्तप्तां राजपुत्रीं तव प्रियाम्
I will slay that cruel Rākṣasa and at once free your beloved princess, who is helpless and tormented by grief.