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.
दर्शनं काङ्क्षमाणस्ते श्रुतरूपगुणस्तव । पश्य तं कुटिलापाङ्गि मनोभवसमं नृपम्
Longing to see you, having heard of your beauty and virtues, O one with crooked glances, behold that king, equal to Kāmadeva.
कथिता त्वं मया पूर्वं तस्याग्रे जाह्नवीतटे । पूर्णानुरागः सञ्जातस्तेनासौ विरहातुरः
I have already spoken of you to him before, on the bank of the Jāhnavī; filled with deep love, he is now tormented by separation.
वाञ्छति त्वां चारुरूपां द्रष्टुं नृपतिनन्दनः । सा तस्या वचनं श्रुत्वा गमनाय मनो दधे
The prince, desiring to see you, beautiful one, wishes for you; hearing her words, she resolved in her mind to go.
लज्जमाना भृशं भीत्या कौमारं प्राप्तया तया । कथं तस्य मुखं द्रक्ष्ये कुमारी ह्यवशा भृशम्
Overcome by shyness and great fear, having just reached maidenhood, she thought, ‘How shall I look upon his face, helpless as I am, a young girl?’
स मां गृह्णाति कामार्त इति चिन्ताकुला सती । यशोवत्या युता तत्र नरयानस्थिता ययौ
Disturbed by the thought, ‘He will seize me, overcome by desire,’ she, together with Yaśovatī, went and stood at the camp.
स्कन्धावारेऽतिमलिना मलिनाम्बरधारिणी । तामागतां विशालाक्षीं दृष्ट्वा राजसुतोऽब्रवीत्
In the camp, wearing soiled garments and looking very unkempt, the wide-eyed prince, seeing her arrive, spoke:
दर्शनं देहि तन्वङ्गि तृषिते नयने मम । कामातुरं च तं वीक्ष्य तां च लज्जाभरावृताम्
‘Grant me your sight, slender one, for my eyes are parched with longing;’ seeing him overcome by love, and her covered with the weight of modesty,
नीतिज्ञा शिष्टमार्गज्ञा तमुवाच यशोवती । राजपुत्र पिताप्यस्यास्त्वामेनां दातुमिच्छति
Yaśovatī, wise in conduct and the ways of the virtuous, spoke to him: ‘Prince, her father also wishes to give her to you.’
एषापि त्वद्वशा नूनं भविता सङ्गमस्तव । कालं प्रतीक्ष्य राजेन्द्र नयैनां पितुरन्तिकम्
‘She too will surely become yours; your union will happen. Wait for the right time, O king, and lead her to her father.’
स विवाहविधिं कृत्वा दास्यतीति विनिश्चयः । स तस्या वचनं तथ्यं मत्वा सैन्यसमन्वितः
‘He will give her to you, performing the marriage rites—this is certain.’ Considering her words true, he, accompanied by his army,
समेतः कामिनीभ्यां तु ययौ तत्पितुराश्रमम् । राजपुत्रीं तथायातां श्रुत्वा प्रेमसमन्वितः
Joined by his beloved companions, he went to his father's hermitage; hearing that the princess had arrived, he was filled with affection.
प्रययौ सम्मुखस्तूर्णं सचिवैः परिवेष्टितः । बहुभिर्दिवसैर्दृष्टा पुत्री सा मलिनाम्बरा
He quickly went to meet her, surrounded by his ministers; after many days, he saw his daughter, clad in soiled garments.
यशोवत्या तु वृत्तान्तः कथितो विस्तरात्पुनः । एकवीरं मिलित्वासौ गृहमानीय चादरात्
Yaśovatī narrated the events in detail; then, having united with Ekavīra, she brought him home with great respect.
पुण्येऽह्नि कारयामास विवाहं विधिपूर्वकम् । पारिबर्हं ततो दत्त्वा सम्पूज्य विधिवत्तदा
On an auspicious day, he arranged the marriage according to proper rites; after giving the customary gifts, he honored them as prescribed.
पुत्रीं विसर्जयामास यशोवत्या समन्विताम् । एवं विवाहे संवृत्ते रमापुत्रो मुदान्वितः
He sent off his daughter, accompanied by Yaśovatī; thus, when the marriage was completed, the son of Ramā was filled with joy.
गृहं प्राप्य बहून्भोगाम्बुभुजे प्रियया समम् । बभूव तस्यां पुत्रस्तु कृतवीर्याभिधः किल । तत्सुतः कार्तवीर्यस्तु वंशोऽयं कथितो मया
Having reached his home, he enjoyed many pleasures together with his beloved; a son was born to her, named Kṛtavīrya; his son was Kārtavīrya—this lineage I have described.
; अम्बिकायाः नियोगात्पुत्रोत्पादनाय गर्भधारणवर्णनम् राजोवाच भगवंस्त्वन्मुखाम्भोजाच्च्युतं दिव्यकथारसम् । न तृप्तिमधिगच्छामि पिबंस्तु सुधया समम्
The king said: O revered one, I never find satisfaction in drinking the nectar-like essence of divine stories that flow from your lotus mouth.
विचित्रमिदमाख्यानं कथितं भवता मम । हैहयानां समुत्पत्तिर्विस्तराद्विस्मयप्रदा
This marvelous account you have narrated to me, the detailed origin of the Haihayas, is truly astonishing.
परं कौतूहलं मेऽत्र यद्विष्णुः कमलापतिः । देवदेवो जगन्नाथः सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारकः
I have a great curiosity about how Viṣṇu, the lord of Lakṣmī, the god of gods, master of the universe, who creates, sustains, and destroys all things—
सोऽप्यश्वभावमापन्नो भगवान्हरिरच्युतः । परतन्त्रः कथं जातः स्वतन्त्रः पुरुषोत्तमः
—how did that supreme, independent Hari, the unchanging one, come to take the form of a horse and become subject to another?