सुबलेनापि तस्यैव नाडिका जालपंजरे । कामकंडूर्भवेद्दूति सर्वेषां प्राणिनां किल
Even with great strength, within that very network of channels, the itch of desire arises as a messenger for all living beings, indeed.
पुंसश्च स्फुरते लिंगं नार्या योनिश्च दूतिके । स्त्रीपुंसौ संप्रमत्तौ तु व्रजतः संगमं ततः
In a man, the organ stirs, and in a woman, the yoni acts as the messenger; then, both man and woman, overcome with passion, proceed to union.
कायेन कायसंघृष्टिर्मैथुनेन हि जायते । क्षणमात्रं सुखं काये पुनः कंडूश्च तादृशी
Through the contact of bodies, union is produced; for a moment, there is pleasure in the body, and again, such an itch arises.
सर्वत्र दृश्यते दूति भाव एवंविधः किल । व्रज त्वमात्मनः स्थानं नैवास्त्यत्र अपूर्वता
Everywhere, this kind of messenger-like nature is seen; go to your own place, for there is nothing unprecedented here.
अपूर्वं नास्ति मे किंचित्करोम्येव न संशयः
There is nothing unprecedented for me; I simply act, without any doubt.
विष्णुरुवाच- एवमुक्ता गता दूती तया सुकलया तदा । समासेन सुसंप्रोक्तमवधार्य पुरंदरः
Viṣṇu said— Thus addressed, the messenger departed, and by her skillful words, Purandara understood well the concise and well-expressed message.
तदर्थं भाषितं तस्याः सत्यधर्मसमन्वितम् । आलोच्य साहसं धैर्यं ज्ञानमेव पुरंदरः
He considered her words, which were filled with truth and righteousness; Purandara reflected on her courage, steadfastness, and wisdom.
ईदृशं हि वदेत्का हि नारी भूत्वा महीतले । योगरूपं सुसंशिष्टं न्यायोदैः क्षालितं वचः
Which woman on earth could speak in such a way? Her words, well-instructed in the form of yoga, were cleansed by the waters of justice.
पवित्रेयं महाभागा सत्यरूपा न संशयः । त्रैलोक्यस्य समस्तस्य धुरं धर्तुं भवेत्क्षमा
She is pure, greatly fortunate, and of truthful nature, without doubt; she is capable of bearing the burden of all the three worlds.
एतदर्थं विचार्यैव जिष्णुः कंदर्पमब्रवीत् । त्वया सह गमिष्यामि द्रष्टुं तां कृकलप्रियाम्
Having considered this matter, Jishnu spoke to Kandarpa: 'I will go with you to see that beloved of the cuckoo.'
प्रत्युवाच सहस्राक्षं मन्मथो बलदर्पितः । गम्यतां तत्र देवेश यत्रास्ते सा पतिव्रता
Then Manmatha, filled with pride in his strength, replied to the thousand-eyed one: 'Let us go there, O lord of gods, where that devoted wife resides.'
मानं वीर्यं बलं धैर्यं तस्याः सत्यं पतिव्रतम् । गत्वाहं नाशयिष्यामि कियन्मात्रा सुरेश्वर
'Her honor, strength, power, courage, and truthfulness in chastity—I will destroy them, O lord of gods, in but a little while, having gone there.'
समाकर्ण्य सहस्राक्षो वचनं मन्मथस्य च । भो भोनंग शृणुष्व त्वमधिकं भाषितं मुधा
Hearing the words of Manmatha, the thousand-eyed one said: 'O serpent, listen further to what has been spoken in vain.'
सुदृढा सत्यवीर्येण सुस्थिरा धर्मकर्मभिः । सुकलेयमजेया वै तत्र ते पौरुषं नहि
'She is firmly established in truthful strength, steadfast in righteous deeds; this Sukalā cannot be conquered—there is no manliness for you there.'
इत्याकर्ण्य ततः क्रुद्धो मन्मथस्त्विन्द्रमब्रवीत् । ऋषीणां देवतानां च बलं मया प्रणाशितम्
Hearing this, Manmatha, then angered, spoke to Indra: 'The strength of sages and gods has been destroyed by me.'
अस्या बलं कियन्मात्रं भवता मम कथ्यते । पश्यतस्तव देवेश नाशयिष्यामि तां स्त्रियम्
'How much strength does she have, that you speak of to me? In your presence, O lord of gods, I will destroy that woman.'
नवनीतं यथा चाग्नेस्तेजो दृष्ट्वा द्रवं व्रजेत् । तथेमां द्रावयिष्यामि स्वेन रूपेण तेजसा
Just as butter, when touched by fire, melts upon seeing its heat, in the same way I will melt her with my own blazing energy.
गच्छ तत्र महत्कार्यमुपस्थं सांप्रतं ध्रुवम् । कस्मात्कुत्ससि मे तेजस्त्रैलोक्यस्य विनाशनम्
Go there now, for a great task awaits you at this very moment; why do you scorn my power, which can destroy the three worlds?
विष्णुरुवाच- आकर्ण्य वाक्यं तु मनोभवस्य एतामसाध्यां तव कामजाने । धैर्यं समुद्यम्य च पुण्यदेहां पुण्येन पुण्यां बहुपुण्यचाराम्
Viṣṇu said: Hearing the words of the god of desire, I understood your difficult wish, born of longing. Gathering my courage, I beheld the virtuous woman, whose body was made pure by merit, whose actions were righteous, and who was devoted to good deeds.
पश्यामि ते पौरुषमुग्रवीर्यमितो हि गत्वा तु धनुष्मता वै । तेनापि सार्धं प्रजगाम भूयो रत्या च दूत्या च पतिव्रतां ताम्
I saw your strength and fierce vigor; then, accompanied by the archer, I went forth again, along with Rati as messenger, to approach that devoted wife.
एकां सुपुण्यां स्वगृहस्थितां तां ध्यानेन पत्युश्चरणे नियुक्ताम् । यथा सुयोगी प्रविधाय चित्तं विकल्पहीनं न च कल्पयेत
There I saw a supremely virtuous woman, dwelling in her own home, absorbed in meditation at her husband's feet, her mind steady and undistracted, just as a true yogi fixes his mind, free from all wavering and imagination.
अत्यद्भुतं रूपमनंततेजोयुतं चकाराथ सतीप्रमोहम् । नीलांचितं भोगयुतं महात्मा झषध्वजश्चैव पुरंदरश्च
Then, with wondrous form, endowed with boundless radiance, he cast a spell of bewilderment upon Sati. The great-souled one, marked with blue and full of enjoyment, as well as the bannered with the fish and Purandara, were also present.
दृष्ट्वा सुलीलं पुरुषं महांतं चरंतमेवं परिकामभावम् । जाया हि वैश्यस्य महात्मनस्तु मेने न सा रूपयुतं गुणज्ञम्
Seeing that graceful and mighty man moving about in such a way, filled with desire, the wife of the great-souled Vaiśya did not regard him, though he was endowed with beauty and knowledge of virtues.
अंभो यथा पद्मदले गतं वै प्रयाति मुक्ताफलकस्य कीर्तिम् । तद्वत्स्वभावः परिसत्ययुक्तो जज्ञे च तस्यास्तु पतिव्रतायाः
Just as water placed on a lotus leaf swiftly departs, gaining the fame of a pearl, so too her own nature, joined with perfect truth, was born in that devoted wife.
अनेन दूती परिप्रेषिता पुरा यामां युवत्या ह गुणज्ञमेनम् । लीलास्वरूपं बहुधात्मभावं ममैष सर्वं परिदर्शयेच्च
Previously, a messenger had been sent to her, that young woman, to show her this man who knows virtue, whose form is playful, whose nature is manifold—indeed, all this was revealed to her.
ममैव कालं प्रबलं विचिंत्यागतो हि मे कांतगुणैश्च सत्खलः । रत्यासमेतस्तु कथं च जीवेत्सत्याश्मभारेण प्रमर्दितश्च
Considering only my own powerful time, I came, being both virtuous and wicked through the qualities of my beloved; but how could one united with Rati survive, crushed by the weight of truth?
ममापि भावं परिगृह्य कांतो जीवेत्कियान्वापि सुबुद्धियुक्तः । शून्यो हि कायो मम चास्ति सद्यश्चेष्टाविहीनो मृतकल्प एव
Even if my beloved, endowed with great wisdom, were to accept my feelings, how long could he live? For my body is now empty, immediately devoid of action, as if lifeless.
कायस्य ग्रामस्य प्रजाः प्रनष्टाः सुविक्रियाख्यं परिगृह्य कर्म । ममाधिकेनापि समं सुकांतं स ऊर्द्ध्वशोभामनयच्च कामः
The inhabitants of the village of my body have perished, having taken on the action called 'complete transformation.' Even with my superiority, that beloved one, equal to me, has attained the highest splendor through desire.
यदामृतो बलवान्हर्षयुक्तः स्वयंदृशा वै परिनृत्यमानः । तथा अनेनापि प्रभाषयेद्भुतं यो मां हि वाञ्छत्यपि भोक्तुकामः
When nectar, powerful and full of joy, dances about in its own form, so too, by this, one may speak of a marvel—whoever desires me, even wishing to enjoy me.
एवं विचार्यैव तदा महासती सत्याख्यरज्ज्वा दृढबद्धचेतना । गृहं स्वकीयं प्रविवेश सा तदा तत्तस्यभावं नियमेन वेत्तुम्
Thus reflecting, the great and virtuous wife, her mind firmly bound with the cord of truth, entered her own house at that time, determined to know his true nature.