रूपयौवनसंपन्ना दिव्यमालाविभूषिता । दिव्यदेहा च संभूता तेजोज्वालासमावृता
She was endowed with beauty and youth, adorned with divine garlands and ornaments, and a celestial body appeared, enveloped in a radiance of splendor.
सर्वभूषणशोभाढ्या नानारत्नैश्च शोभिता । संजाता दिव्यरूपा सा दिव्यगंधानुलेपना
Rich in the brilliance of all ornaments and shining with various jewels, she emerged with a divine form, anointed with heavenly fragrances.
दिव्यं विमानमारूढा अंतरिक्षं गता सती । तामुवाच ततो राज्ञीं प्रणतानतकंधरा
Mounted upon a celestial chariot, she ascended into the sky; then, bowing with her head lowered, she addressed the queen.
स्वस्त्यस्तु ते महाभागे प्रसादात्तव सुंदरि । व्रजामि पातकान्मुक्ता स्वर्गं पुण्यतमं शुभम्
"Blessings to you, O greatly fortunate and beautiful one! By your grace, I am freed from sin and now go to the most auspicious and holy heaven."
प्रणम्यैवं गता स्वर्गं सुदेवा शृणु सत्तम । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं सुकलाया निवेदितम्
Having bowed, Sudevā thus went to heaven. Listen, O noble one, all this has been told to you as related by Sukalā.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने सुकलाचरित्रे सुदेवास्वर्गारोहणंनाम द्विपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-second chapter, named 'The Ascension of Sudevā to Heaven,' in the story of Sukalā, within the Vena narrative, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
सुकलोवाच- एवं धर्मं श्रुतं पूर्वं पुराणेषु तदा मया । पतिहीना कथं भोगं करिष्ये पापनिश्चया
Sukalā said: 'Thus I once heard about this dharma in the Purāṇas; but how can I, bereft of my husband and certain of my sin, enjoy any pleasure?'
कांतेन तु विना तेन जीवं काये न धारये । विष्णुरुवाच- एवमुक्त्वा परं धर्मं पतिव्रतमनुत्तमम्
'Without my beloved husband, I cannot sustain life in this body.' Viṣṇu said: 'Having spoken thus, she upheld the supreme dharma of unwavering fidelity to her husband.'
तास्तु सख्यो वरा नार्यो हर्षेण महतान्विताः । श्रुत्वा धर्मं परं पुण्यं नारीणां गतिदायकम्
Then those noble ladies, her companions, filled with great joy, having heard of this supreme and meritorious dharma that grants women their ultimate goal,
स्तुवंति तां महाभागां सुकलां धर्मवत्सलाम् । ब्राह्मणाश्च सुराः सर्वे पुण्यस्त्रियो नरोत्तम
praised that greatly fortunate Sukalā, who was devoted to righteousness; and all the Brahmins, gods, and virtuous women, O best of men,
तस्या ध्यानं प्रकुर्वंति पतिकामप्रभावतः । अत्यर्थं दृढतामिंद्र सुःविचिंत्य सुरेश्वरः
meditated upon her, inspired by her steadfastness in longing for her husband; and Indra, lord of the gods, deeply considered her extraordinary firmness.
सुकलायाः परं भावं सुविचार्यामरेश्वरः । चालये धैर्यमस्याश्च पतिस्नेहं न संशयः
The lord of the immortals, having carefully reflected on Sukalā's supreme devotion, resolved to test her courage and her love for her husband—there was no doubt.
सस्मार मन्मथं देवं त्वरमाणः सुराधिपः । पुष्पचापं स संगृह्य मीनकेतुः समागतः
Then the king of the gods, eager, remembered the god of love; and Mīnaketu, bearing his flower-bow, arrived.
प्रियया च तया युक्तो रत्या दृष्टमहाबलः । बद्धांजलिपुटो भूत्वा सहस्राक्षमुवाच सः
Joined by his beloved Rati, the mighty one appeared; with hands folded in reverence, he addressed the thousand-eyed one.
कस्मादहं त्वया नाथ अधुना संस्मृतो विभो । आदेशो दीयतां मेद्य सर्वभावेन मानद
"O lord, for what reason have you now remembered me? Command me, O giver of honor, and I shall act with all my being."
इंद्र उवाच- सुकलेयं महाभागा पतिव्रतपरायणा । शृणुष्व कामदेव त्वं कुरु साहाय्यमुत्तमम्
Indra said: 'This Sukalā is greatly fortunate and devoted to her husband. Listen, O Kāmadeva, and render your best assistance.'
निष्कर्षय महाभागां सुकलां पुण्यमंगलाम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य शक्रस्य तमथाब्रवीत्
'Draw forth the supremely auspicious and virtuous Sukalā.' Hearing these words of Śakra, he replied:
एवमस्तु सहस्राक्ष करिष्यामि न संशयः । साहाय्यं देवदेवेश तव कौतुककारणात्
"So be it, O thousand-eyed one; I shall do this without doubt. For your pleasure, O lord of the gods, I will offer my assistance."
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः कंदर्पो मुनिदुर्जयः । देवाञ्जेतुं समर्थोऽहं समुनीनृषिसत्तमान्
Having spoken thus, the mighty Kamadeva, unconquerable by sages, said: I am able to conquer even the gods, as well as the greatest of sages and seers.
किं पुनः कामिनीं देव यस्या अंगे न वै बलम् । कामिनीनामहं देव अंगेषु निवसाम्यहम्
What then of a woman, O god, whose body truly lacks strength? O god, I dwell in the bodies of women, in all their limbs.
भाले कुचेषु नेत्रेषु कचाग्रेषु च सर्वदा । नाभौ कट्यां पृष्ठदेशे जघने योनिमंडले
On the forehead, on the breasts, in the eyes, at the tips of the hair always; at the navel, the waist, the back, the hips, and the region of the womb—
अधरे दंतभागेषु कक्षायां हि न संशयः । अंगेष्वेवं प्रत्यंगेषु सर्वत्र निवसाम्यहम्
On the lips, at the base of the teeth, in the armpits—indeed, there is no doubt; in all the limbs and sub-limbs, everywhere, I reside.
नारी मम गृहं देव सदा तत्र वसाम्यहम् । तत्रस्थः पुरुषान्सर्वान्मारयामि न संशयः
A woman is my dwelling, O god; I always abide there. While present there, I destroy all men—there is no doubt.
स्वभावेनाबलादेव संतप्ता मम मार्गणैः । पितरं मातरं दृष्ट्वा अन्यं स्वजनबांधवम्
By their own nature, by weakness, scorched by my arrows, when they see father, mother, or any other relative—
सुरूपं सगुणं देव मम बाणा हता सती । चलते नात्र संदेहो विपाकं नैव चिंतयेत्
If he is handsome and virtuous, O god, struck by my arrows, she wavers—there is no doubt; she does not consider the consequences at all.
योनिः स्पंदेत नारीणां स्तनाग्रौ च सुरेश्वर । नास्ति धैर्यं सुरेशान सुकलां नाशयाम्यहम्
The womb of women throbs, and their nipples, O lord of gods; there is no steadiness, O lord of gods—I destroy even the virtuous.
इंद्र उवाच- पुरुषोहं भविष्यामि रूपवान्गुणवान्धनी । कौतुकार्थमिमां नारीं चालयामि मनोभव
Indra said: I shall become a man, handsome, virtuous, and wealthy; for the sake of curiosity, O Kamadeva, I will agitate this woman.
नैव कामान्न संत्रासान्न वा लोभान्न कारणात् । न वै मोहान्न वै क्रोधात्सत्यं सत्यं रतिप्रिय
Not out of desire, nor out of fear, nor out of greed, nor for any reason; not from delusion, nor from anger—truly, truly, O lover of delight.
कथं मे दृश्यते तस्या महत्सत्यं पतिव्रतम् । निष्कर्षिष्य इतो गत्वा भवन्मोहोत्र कारणम्
How can I see her great and true chastity? I will draw it out, having gone there, for your delusion is the cause here.
एवं कामं च संदिश्य जगाम सुरराट्स्वयम् । आत्मविकृतिसंभूतो रूपवान्गुणवान्स्वयम्
Having thus instructed Kama, the king of the gods himself departed, assuming a form born of his own transformation, handsome and virtuous.