ततस्तानब्रवीत्काव्यः कंचित्कालमुपास्यथ निरुत्सिक्तास् तपोयुक्ताः कालं कार्यार्थसाधकम्
Then Kāvya said to them, 'Serve for some time, steadfast in austerity and undistracted, until the time for action is fulfilled.'
पितुर्ममाश्रमस्था वै मां प्रतीक्षत दानवाः तत्संदिश्यासुरान्काव्यो महादेवं प्रपद्यत
'O Dānavas, remain in my father's hermitage and wait for me.' Having instructed the Asuras thus, Kāvya approached Mahādeva.
मन्त्रानिच्छाम्यहं देव ये न सन्ति बृहस्पतौ पराभवाय देवानाम् असुराणां जयाय च
'O god, I desire those mantras which Bṛhaspati does not possess, for the defeat of the gods and the victory of the Asuras.'
एवमुक्तो ऽब्रवीद्देवो व्रतं त्वं चर भार्गव पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु कणधूममवाक्शिराः यदि पास्यसि भद्रं ते ततो मन्त्रानवाप्स्यसि
Thus addressed, the god said, 'O Bhārgava, undertake a vow for a full thousand years, standing with smoke as your food and your head downward; if you complete this, you will obtain the mantras. May it be well for you.'
तथेति समनुज्ञाप्य शुक्रस्तु भृगुनन्दनः पादौ संस्पृश्य देवस्य बाढमित्यब्रवीद्वचः व्रतं चराम्यहं देव त्वयादिष्टो ऽद्य वै प्रभो
Śukra, son of Bhṛgu, having received permission, touched the god's feet and said, 'So be it. O lord, I will perform the vow as you have commanded today.'
ततो ऽनुसृष्टो देवेन कुण्डधारो ऽस्य धूमकृत् तदा तस्मिन्गते शुक्रे ह्य् असुराणां हिताय वै मन्त्रार्थं तत्र वसति ब्रह्मचर्यं महेश्वरे
Then, as Śukra departed, the god sent Kuṇḍadhāra, the smoke-bearer, to him. There, for the sake of the Asuras, Śukra dwelt in celibacy at Maheśvara's place, seeking the mantras.
तद्बुद्ध्वा नीतिपूर्वं तु राज्ये न्यस्ते तदासुरैः अस्मिंश्छिद्रे तदामर्षाद् देवास्तान्समुपाद्रवन् दंशिताः सायुधाः सर्वे बृहस्पतिपुरःसराः
Knowing this, and seeing that the Asuras had set aside their rule according to policy, the gods, angered by this opportunity, attacked them, all armed and led by Bṛhaspati.
दृष्ट्वासुरगणा देवान् प्रगृहीतायुधान्पुनः उत्पेतुः सहसा ते वै संत्रस्तास्तान्वचो ऽब्रुवन्
Seeing the gods approaching, weapons in hand, the groups of Asuras suddenly rose up in fear and spoke these words to them:
न्यस्ते शस्त्रे ऽभये दत्त आचार्ये व्रतमास्थिते दत्त्वा भवन्तो ह्य् अभयं सम्प्राप्ता नो जिघांसया
'With our weapons laid down, safety granted, and our teacher engaged in a vow, you have given us assurance of safety, yet you come now with the intent to kill us.'
अनाचार्या वयं देवास् त्यक्तशस्त्रास्त्ववस्थिताः चीरकृष्णाजिनधरा निष्क्रिया निष्परिग्रहाः
'We are without a teacher, O gods, and stand here having abandoned our weapons, wearing bark and black antelope skins, inactive and possessing nothing.'
रणे विजेतुं देवांश्च न शक्ष्यामः कथंचन अयुद्धेन प्रपत्स्यामः शरणं काव्यमातरम्
We will not be able to defeat the gods in battle by any means; without fighting, let us seek refuge with Kāvyamātā.
यापयामः कृच्छ्रमिदं यावदभ्येति नो गुरुः निवृत्ते च तथा शुक्रे योत्स्यामो दंशितायुधाः
Let us endure this hardship until our teacher returns; and when Śukra has come back, we will fight, weapons in hand.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो ऽन्योन्यं शरणं काव्यमातरम् प्रापद्यन्त ततो भीतास् तेभ्यो ऽदादभयं तु सा
Having spoken thus, they all together sought refuge with Kāvyamātā; and she, seeing their fear, granted them safety.
न भेतव्यं न भेतव्यं भयं त्यजत दानवाः मत्संनिधौ वर्ततां वो न भीर् भवितुमर्हति
Do not fear, do not fear—abandon your terror, O Dānavas; while you remain in my presence, you have no reason to be afraid.
तया चाभ्युपपन्नांस्तान् दृष्ट्वा देवास्ततो ऽसुरान् अभिजग्मुः प्रसह्यैतान् अविचार्य बलाबलम्
But seeing that she had accepted them, the gods then attacked the Asuras by force, without considering strength or weakness.
ततस्तान्बाध्यमानांस्तु देवैर्दृष्ट्वासुरांस्तदा देवी क्रुद्धाब्रवीद्देवान् अनिन्द्रान्वः करोम्यहम्
Then, seeing the Asuras being oppressed by the gods, the goddess, angered, spoke to the gods: 'I will make you all without Indra.'
संभृत्य सर्वसम्भारान् इन्द्रं साभ्यचरत्तदा तस्तम्भ देवी बलवद् योगयुक्ता तपोधना
Gathering all her powers, she then approached Indra; the goddess, endowed with great asceticism and yoga, paralyzed him.
ततस्तं स्तम्भितं दृष्ट्वा इन्द्रं देवाश्च मूकवत् प्राद्रवन्त ततो भीता इन्द्रं दृष्ट्वा वशीकृतम्
Then, seeing Indra paralyzed, the gods, struck dumb, fled in fear, seeing Indra subdued.
गतेषु सुरसंघेषु शक्रं विष्णुरभाषत मां त्वं प्रविश भद्रं ते नयिष्ये त्वां सुरोत्तम
When the host of gods had fled, Viṣṇu spoke to Śakra: 'Enter me, and blessings to you; I will lead you, best of gods.'
एवमुक्तस्ततो विष्णुं प्रविवेश पुरंदरः विष्णुना रक्षितं दृष्ट्वा देवी क्रुद्धा वचो ऽब्रवीत्
Thus addressed, Purandara entered Viṣṇu; seeing Indra protected by Viṣṇu, the goddess, enraged, spoke these words.
एषा त्वां विष्णुना सार्धं दहामि मघवन्बलात् मिषतां सर्वभूतानां दृश्यतां मे तपोबलम्
'Now, together with Viṣṇu, I will burn you by force, O Maghavan, before the eyes of all beings—let my ascetic power be seen.'
तया ऽभिभूतौ तौ देवाव् इन्द्राविष्णू बभूवतुः कथं मुच्येव सहितौ विष्णुरिन्द्रम् अभाषत
Overpowered by her, those two gods, Indra and Viṣṇu, were bound; then Viṣṇu said to Indra, 'How shall we be freed together?'
इन्द्रो ऽब्रवीज्जहि ह्येनां यावन्नौ न दहेत्प्रभो विशेषणाभिभूतो ऽस्मि त्वत्तो ऽहं जहि मा चिरम्
Indra said, 'Strike her down before she burns us, Lord; I am overwhelmed by her special power—strike her quickly, do not delay.'
ततः समीक्ष्य विष्णुस्तां स्त्रीवधे कृच्छ्रम् आस्थितः अभिध्याय ततश्चक्रम् आपदुद्धरणे तु तत्
Then Viṣṇu, seeing the difficulty in slaying a woman, pondered, and took up his discus to remove the calamity.
ततस्तु त्वरया युक्तः शीघ्रकारी भयान्वितः ज्ञात्वा विष्णुस्ततस्तस्या क्रूरं देव्याश्चिकीर्षितम् क्रुद्धः स्वमस्त्रमादाय शिरश्चिच्छेद वै भिया
Then, urged by haste and filled with fear, Viṣṇu, knowing the cruel intent of the goddess, angrily took up his weapon and, out of fear, cut off her head.
तं दृष्ट्वा स्त्रीवधं घोरं चुक्रोध भृगुरीश्वरः ततो ऽभिशप्तो भृगुणा विष्णुर् भार्यावधे तदा
Seeing that terrible act of killing a woman, Bhṛgu, lord among sages, became angry; then Viṣṇu was cursed by Bhṛgu for the slaying of a wife.
यस्मात्ते जानतो धर्मप्रवध्या स्त्री निषूदिता तस्मात्त्वं सप्तकृत्वेह मानुषेषूपपत्स्जसे
Because, knowing righteousness, you killed a woman who should not be slain, therefore you shall be born seven times among men here.
ततस्तेनाभिशापेन नष्टे धर्मे पुनःपुनः लोकस्य च हितार्थाय जायते मानुयेष्विह
Thus, by that curse, when righteousness is lost again and again, for the sake of the world's welfare, he is born among men here.
अनुव्याहृत्य विष्णुं स तदादाय शिरस्त्वरन् समानीय ततः कायम् असौ गृह्येदमब्रवीत्
Having recited a formula to Viṣṇu, he quickly took the head, brought it to the body, and spoke these words.
एषा त्वं विष्पुना देवि हता संजीवयाम्यहम् ततस्तां योज्य शिरसा अभिजीवेति सो ऽब्रवीत्
O goddess, you were slain by Viṣṇu; I will revive you. Then, joining her head, he said, 'Let her live.'