दत्तात्रेयाद्दैवयोगात्प्राप्ताज्ज्ञानिवराच्छुभात् । योगेश्वरीमहामन्त्रं त्रिलोकीतिलकाभिधम्
By divine arrangement, he obtained from Dattātreya the great mantra of the Yoginī, called the Ornament of the Three Worlds, which grants supreme knowledge.
तेन सर्वज्ञता जाता सर्वान्तश्चारिता तथा । तया सह जगामाशु पुरं तस्य सुदुर्गमम्
Through that, omniscience arose and all inner faculties were awakened. With her, he quickly went to that most inaccessible city.
रक्षितं राक्षसैघोरैः पातालमिव पन्नगैः । यशोवत्या च सैन्येन महता संयुतो नृपः
That city was guarded by fierce Rākṣasas, like the underworld by serpents. The king was accompanied by Yaśovatī and a great army.
तमायान्तं समालोक्य दूतास्तस्य भयातुराः । क्रोशन्तोऽभिययुः पार्श्वं कालकेतोस्तरस्विनः
Seeing him approaching, the messengers, terrified with fear, cried out and hurried to the side of the swift Kālaketu.
तमूचुः सहसा मत्वा राक्षसं काममोहितम् । एकावलीसमीपस्थं कुर्वन्तं विनयान्बहून्
They spoke suddenly, perceiving him as a demon overcome by desire, standing near Ekāvalī and displaying many gestures of humility.
दूता ऊचुः राजन् यशोवती नारी कामिन्याः सहचारिणी । आयाति सह सैन्येन राजपुत्रेण संयुता
The messengers said: O King, the renowned lady, companion of the passionate one, is approaching, accompanied by the prince and his army.
जयन्तो वा महाराज कार्तिकेयोऽथवा नु किम् । आगच्छति बलोन्मत्तो वाहिनीसहितः किल
Is it Jayanta, O great King, or Kārtikeya, or who else? Someone is coming, intoxicated with power, together with his forces.
संयत्तो भव राजेन्द्र संग्रामः समुपस्थितः । देवपुत्रेण युध्यस्व त्यज वा कमलेक्षणाम्
Prepare yourself, O king of kings; battle is at hand. Fight with the divine prince, or abandon the lotus-eyed maiden.
इतो दूरेऽस्ति सैन्यं तद्योजनत्रयमात्रतः । सज्जो भव महीपाल दुन्दुभिं घोषयाशु वै
There is an army not far from here, only three yojanas away. Be ready, O ruler of the earth, quickly sound the war drum.
व्यास उवाच तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । राक्षसान्प्रेरयामास सायुधान्सबलान्वहून्
Vyāsa said: Hearing their words, the demon, overwhelmed by anger, sent forth many armed and powerful demons.
गच्छध्वं राक्षसाः सर्वे सम्मुखाः शस्त्रपाणयः । तानाज्ञाप्य कालकेतुः पप्रच्छ प्रणयान्वितः
Go forth, all you demons, face the enemy with weapons in hand. After commanding them, Kālaketu asked with affection:
एकावलीं समीपस्थां विवशां भृशदुःखिताम् । कोऽयमायाति तन्वङ्गि पिता ते वापरः पुमान्
Who is this approaching, O slender one, near Ekāvalī, helpless and greatly distressed? Is it your father or another man?
त्वदर्थे सैन्यसंयुक्तो ब्रूहि सत्यं कृशोदरि । पिता ते यदि सम्प्राप्तो नेतुं त्वां विरहातुरः
Speak truthfully, O slender-waisted, for whose sake this army has come. If your father has arrived to take you, suffering from separation—
ज्ञात्वा ते पितरं सम्यक् संग्रामं न करोम्यहम् । आनयित्वा गृहे पूजां रत्नैर्वस्त्रैर्हयैः शुभैः
Knowing well that he is your father, I will not wage battle. I will bring him to my house and honor him with jewels, garments, and fine horses.
करोमि तस्य चातिथ्यं गृहे प्राप्तस्य सर्वथा । अन्यश्चेद्यदि सम्प्राप्तस्तं हन्मि निशितैः शरैः
I will offer him hospitality in every way when he arrives at my house. But if another has come, I will slay him with sharp arrows.
आनीतः किल कालेन मरणाय महात्मना । तस्माद्वद विशालाक्षि कोऽयमायाति मन्दधीः
He has surely been brought by fate for death, O great-souled one. Therefore, speak, O wide-eyed, who is this dull-minded person approaching?
अज्ञात्वा मां दुराधर्षं कालरूपं महाबलम् । एकावल्युवाच न जानेऽहं महाभाग कोऽयमायाति सत्वरः
Without knowing me, difficult to conquer, the embodiment of time, and possessing great strength— Ekāvalī said: I do not know, O illustrious one, who is coming so swiftly.
नमेऽस्ति विदितः कोऽपि स्थितायास्तव बन्धने । नायं पिता मे न भ्राता कोऽप्यन्योऽस्ति महाबलः
No one is known to me while I remain in your captivity. He is not my father, nor my brother; some other powerful person is approaching.
किमर्थमिह चायाति नाहं वेद विनिश्चयम् । दैत्य उवाच एवं वदन्त्यमी दूता वयस्या ते यशोवती
For what purpose is he coming here? I do not know for certain. The demon said: Thus speak these messengers, your friend Yaśovatī.
समानीय च तं वीरमागतेति कृतोद्यमा । क्व गता सा सखी कान्ते विदग्धा कार्यनिश्चये
Having brought that hero, she is ready, saying he has arrived. Where has that clever friend gone, so skilled in determining what must be done?
नान्यः कोऽपि ममारातिर्यो मे प्रतिबलो भवेत् । व्यास उवाच एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दूतास्तत्रान्ये वै समागताः
There is no one else who could be my rival or equal in strength. Vyāsa said: Meanwhile, other messengers arrived there.
ते होचुस्त्वरिता भीताः कालकेतुं गृहे स्थितम् । किं स्वस्थोऽसि महाराज समीपे सैन्यमागतम्
They spoke, hurried and frightened, to Kālaketu who was in his house: Why are you calm, O great king? The army has arrived nearby.
निर्गच्छ नगरात्तूर्णं सैन्येन महताऽऽवृतः । इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा कालकेतुर्महाबलः
Leave the city at once, surrounded by a great army—hearing these words, Kālketu, mighty in strength,
रथमारुह्य त्वरितो निर्ययौ स्वपुराद्बहिः । एकवीरोऽपि सहसा हयारूढः प्रतापवान्
quickly mounted his chariot and departed from his own city; though alone, he rode forth on horseback, full of valor.
आगतस्तत्र कामिन्या विरहेण समाकुलः । युद्धं तयोरभूत्तत्र वृत्रवासवयोरिव
There he arrived, agitated by separation from Kāminī; a battle took place between the two, like that of Vṛtra and Indra.
शस्त्रास्त्रैर्बहुधा मुक्तैरादीपितदिगन्तरम् । वर्तमाने तदा युद्धे कातराणां भयावहे
With many weapons and missiles released, the quarters blazed on all sides; as the battle raged, it struck terror into the fearful.
गदया ताडयामास दैत्यं सिन्धुसुतासुतः । स गतासुः पपातोर्व्यां वज्राहत इवाचलः
The son of Sindhu’s daughter struck the demon with his mace; lifeless, he fell to the ground like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt.
पलायित्वा गताः सर्वे राक्षसा भयपीडिताः । यशोवती ततो गत्वा वेगादेकावलीं तदा
All the terrified rākṣasas fled and escaped; then Yaśovatī quickly went to Ekāvalī.
उवाच मधुरां वाणीं विस्मिता मुदिता भृशम् । एह्यालि नृपपुत्रेण दानवोऽसौ निपातितः
Amazed and greatly delighted, she spoke sweet words: ‘Friend, the prince has slain that demon!’
एकवीरेण धीरेण युद्धं कृत्वा सुदारुणम् । स्कन्धावारेऽप्यसौ राजा तिष्ठत्यद्य श्रमातुरः
After fighting a fierce battle alone and bravely, that king now remains in the camp, exhausted.