एवमेतौ सुसंभाष्य परस्परहितैषिणौ । युद्धाय निश्चितौ भूत्वा समालोकयतो रिपून्
Thus, having spoken well to each other, both seeking each other's welfare, they resolved upon battle and gazed at their enemies.
कोशलाधिपतिं वीरं तमिक्ष्वाकुं महामतिम्
The heroic lord of Kosala, that Ikshvaku of great wisdom.
यथैव मेघः परिगर्जते दिवि प्रावृट्सुकालेषु तडित्प्रकाशैः । तथैव संगर्जति कांतया समं समाह्वयेद्राजवरं खुराग्रैः
Just as a cloud roars in the sky during the rainy season with flashes of lightning, so he roared together with his beloved, challenging the noble king with the tips of his hooves.
तं गर्जमानं ददृशे महात्मा वाराहमेकं पुरुषार्थयुक्तम् । ससार अश्वस्य जवेनयुक्तः ससम्मुखं तस्य नृवीरधीरः
The great-souled one saw him roaring, a single boar endowed with purpose; the courageous king, mounted on a swift horse, rushed to face him.
चतुश्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः सुकलोवाच- स्वसैन्यं दुर्धरं दृष्ट्वा निर्जितं दुर्धरेण तम् । चुकोप भूपतिः क्रूरं दुःसहं शूकरं प्रति
Chapter forty-four. Sukala spoke: Seeing his own army, difficult to subdue, defeated by Durdhara, the king grew angry at the fierce, intolerable boar.
धनुरादाय वेगेन बाणं कालानलोपमम् । तस्याभिमुखमेवासौ हयेनाभिससार सः
Taking up his bow with speed, and an arrow like the fire of death, he rushed toward him on his horse.
स यदा नृपतिं हयपृष्ठगतं वरपौरुषयुक्तममित्रहणम् । परिपश्यति शूकरयूथपतिः प्रगतोभिमुखं रणभूमितले
When the lord of boars sees the king, mounted on his horse, endowed with excellent strength and the destroyer of enemies, advancing towards him on the battlefield,
निशितेन शरेण हतो हि यदा नृपतेर्हयपादतले प्रगतः । तमिहैव विलंघ्य च वेगमनाः प्रखरेण जवेन च कोलवरः
Then, struck by a sharp arrow, as he falls beneath the king’s horse, the mighty boar, intent on speed, leaps up with great swiftness and force.
व्यथितस्तुरगः सकिरिःकिटिना न हि याति क्षितौ स हि विद्धगतिः । तुरगः पतितो भुवि तुंडहतो लघुस्यंदनमेव गतो नृपतिः
The horse, wounded by the boar’s tusk, is distressed and cannot move on the ground, its movement impaired; struck down, the horse falls to the earth, and the king quickly mounts a light chariot.
स हि गर्जति शूकरजातिरवैरथसंस्थितकोशल येन जवैः । गदया निहतः किल भूपतिना रणमध्यगतः स हि यूथपतिः
Then the boar, chief of his herd, standing in the midst of battle, roars fiercely; but he is struck down by the king with a mace, right in the center of the fight.
परित्यज्य तनुं च स्वकां हि तदा गत एव हरेर्गृहमेव वरम्
At that moment, abandoning his body, he went straight to the blessed abode of Hari.
कृत्वा हि युद्धं समरे हितेन राज्ञा समं शूकरराजराजः । पपात भूमौ च हतो यदा तु ववर्षिरे देववराः सुपुष्पैः
Having fought valiantly in battle with the king, when the king of boars was slain and fell to the ground, the best of the gods showered him with splendid flowers.
तस्योर्ध्वगः पुष्पचयः सुजातः संतानकानामिव सौरभश्च । सकुंकुमैश्चंदनवृष्टिमेव कुर्वंति देवाः परितुष्यमाणाः
A beautiful heap of flowers rose above him, fragrant like the celestial wish-fulfilling trees, as the delighted gods poured down a rain of saffron and sandalwood.
विमृश्यमानः स हि तेन राज्ञा चतुर्भुजः सोपि बभूव राजन् । दिव्यांबरोभूषणदिव्यरूपः स्वतेजसा भाति दिवाकरो यथा
Touched by the king, he became four-armed, O King, shining with divine garments and ornaments, radiant in his own splendor like the sun.
दिव्येन यानेन दिवं गतो यदा सुपूज्यमानः सुरराजदेवैः । गंधर्वराजः स बभूव भूयः पूर्वं स्वकं कायमिहैव हित्वा
Ascending to heaven in a celestial chariot, honored by the gods and the king of the gods, he became again the king of the Gandharvas, having left his former body here.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे। चतुश्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter in the virtuous tale of Sukalā, in the story of Vena, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
पंचचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः सुकलोवाच- अथ ते लुब्धकाः सर्वे शूकरीं प्रति जग्मिरे । शूराश्च दारुणाः प्राप्ताः पाशहस्ताश्च भीषणाः
Chapter Forty-Five. Sukalā said: Then all those hunters went after the boar’s mate; fierce and terrible warriors arrived, holding nooses in their hands.
चतुरश्च ततो डिंभान्कृत्वा स्थित्वा च शूकरी । कुटुंबेन समं कांतं हतं दृष्ट्वा महाहवे
Then, having placed her four young ones and standing with her family, the boar’s mate saw her beloved, slain in the great battle.
भर्तुर्मे चिंतितं प्राप्तमृषिदेवैश्च पूजितः । गतः स्वर्गं महात्मासौ वीर्येणानेन कर्मणा
She thought, ‘My husband, honored by sages and gods, has attained heaven through his valor and deeds.’
अनेनापि पथा यास्ये स्वर्गं भर्त्ता स तिष्ठति । तया सुनिश्चितं कृत्वा पुत्रान्प्रतिविचिंतितम्
‘By this same path I too shall go to heaven, where my husband now dwells.’ Having resolved thus, she considered her sons.
यदा जीवंति मे बालाश्चत्वारो वंशधारकाः । भवत्यस्य सुवीरस्य कोलस्यापि महात्मनः
‘As long as my four young sons, the continuers of the line, live, the glory of this noble and heroic boar will remain.’
केनोपायेन पुत्रान्वै रक्षायुक्तान्करोम्यहम् । इति चिंतापरा भूत्वा दृष्ट्वा पर्वतसंकटम्
‘By what means can I ensure the safety of my sons?’ Thus absorbed in thought, she looked for a difficult mountain path.
तत्र मार्गं सुविस्तीर्णं निष्कासाय प्रयास्यते । तया सुनिश्चितं कृत्वा पुत्रान्प्रति विचिंतितम्
There she found a broad way for escape; having resolved firmly, she considered her sons.
तानुवाच महाराज पुत्रान्प्रति सुमोहितान् । यावत्तिष्ठाम्यहं पुत्रास्तावद्गच्छत शीघ्रगाः
She spoke to her sons, who were deeply bewildered: ‘As long as I remain, my sons, you must go swiftly from here.’
तेषां मध्ये सुतो ज्येष्ठः कथं यास्यामि मातरम् । संत्यज्य जीवलोभाच्च धिङ्मे मातः सुजीवितम्
How can I, the eldest son among them, go to my mother, abandoning her out of desire for life? Shame on me, mother, for living well thus.
पितृवैरं करिष्यामि साधयिष्ये रणे रिपून् । गृहीत्वा त्वं कनीयसोभ्रातॄन्स्त्रीन्दुर्गकंदरम्
I will avenge my father and defeat the enemies in battle; you, taking the younger brothers, the women, and the fortress, go to the mountain cave.
पितरं मातरं त्यक्त्वा यो याति हि स पापधीः । नरकं च प्रयात्येव कृमिकोटिसमाकुलम्
He who abandons his father and mother and departs is of sinful mind, and surely goes to hell, filled with countless worms.
तमुवाच सुदुःखार्ता त्वां त्यक्त्वाहं कथं सुत । संयास्यामि महापापा त्रयो गच्छंतु मे सुताः
Greatly distressed, she said to him: 'How can I, a great sinner, go on, having abandoned you, my son? Let my three sons go.'
कनीयसस्त्रयस्त्वेव गता गिरिवनांतरम् । तौ जग्मतू रणभुवं तेषामेव सुपश्यताम्
The three younger ones went to the depths of the forest and mountains; those two went to the battlefield, as all watched.
तेजसा सुबलेनापि गर्जंतौ च पुनःपुनः । अथ ते लुब्धकाः शूराः संप्राप्ता वातरंहसः
Radiant and strong, they roared again and again; then those fierce hunters, swift as the wind, arrived.