दैत्यानामप्यहं श्रेष्ठो मत्समो नास्ति राक्षसः । देवेषु मर्त्यलोकेषु तपसा यशसा कुले
Among the Daityas, I am the foremost; there is no Rākṣasa equal to me, whether among the gods, in the world of mortals, in austerity, in fame, or in lineage.
अन्येषु नागलोकेषु धनभोगैर्वरानने । दर्शनात्ते विशालाक्षि हतः कन्दर्पमार्गणैः
In other realms, among the Nāgas, in wealth and enjoyments, O beautiful one, by your very sight, O wide-eyed lady, I have been struck down by the arrows of Kāma.
शरणं ते ह्यहं प्राप्तः प्रसादसुमुखी भव । भव स्ववल्लभा भार्या मम प्राणसमा प्रिया
I have come to you for refuge; be gracious and smiling upon me. Become your own beloved, my wife, dear to me as life itself.
अशोकसुन्दर्युवाच- श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि सर्वसंबंधकारणम्। भवितव्या सुजातस्य लोके स्त्री पुरुषस्य हि
Aśokasundarī said: Listen as I explain the entire reason for our connection. In this world, a woman is destined for a man of good birth.
भवितव्यस्तथा भर्ता स्त्रिया यः सदृशो गुणैः । संसारे लोकमार्गोयं शृणु हुण्ड यथाविधि
Likewise, a husband is destined for a woman who matches him in virtues. This is the path of the world, O Huṇḍa; listen as is proper.
अस्त्येव कारणं चात्र यथा तेन भवाम्यहम् । सुभार्या दैत्यराजेन्द्र शृणुष्व यतमानसः
There is indeed a reason for this, by which I will become a good wife, O king of the Daityas; listen attentively.
वृक्षराजादहं जाता यदा काले महामते । शम्भोर्भावं सुसङ्गृह्य पार्वत्या कल्पिता ह्यहम्
I was born from the king of trees at the proper time, O wise one, having fully received the essence of Śiva, and was conceived by Pārvatī.
देवस्यानुमते देव्या सृष्टो भर्ता ममैव हि । सोमवंशे महाप्राज्ञः स धर्मात्मा भविष्यति
With the consent of the goddess and the god, my husband will be created; he will be a great sage, righteous, and born in the lunar dynasty.
जिष्णुर्जिष्णुसमो वीर्ये तेजसा पावकोपमः। सर्वज्ञः सत्यसन्धश्च त्यागे वैश्रवणोपमः
He will be victorious, equal to the victorious in valor, blazing like fire in brilliance, all-knowing, truthful, and in generosity like Vaiśravaṇa.
यज्वा दानपतिः सोपि रूपेण मन्मथोपमः । नहुषोनाम धर्मात्मा गुणशील महानिधिः
He will be a performer of sacrifices, a lord of gifts, and in beauty like Kāmadeva. Named Nahuṣa, righteous, virtuous, and a great treasure of qualities.
देव्या देवेन मे दत्तःख्यातोभर्ताभविष्यति । तस्मात्सर्वगुणोपेतं पुत्रमाप्स्यामि सुन्दरम्
Given to me by the goddess and the god, he will become my renowned husband. Therefore, I will obtain a son endowed with all virtues and handsome.
इन्द्रोपेन्द्र समं लोके ययातिं जनवल्लभम्। लप्स्याम्यहं रणे धीरं तस्माच्छम्भोः प्रसादतः
I will obtain Yayāti, beloved among people and equal to Indra and Upendra in the world, brave in battle, by the grace of Śiva.
अहं पतिव्रता वीर परभार्या विशेषतः। अतस्त्वं सर्वथा हुण्ड त्यज भ्रान्तिमितोव्रज
I am devoted to my husband, O hero, especially not another's wife. Therefore, O Huṇḍa, abandon your delusion completely and go.
प्रहस्यैव वचो ब्रूते अशोकसुन्दरीं प्रति। 'हुण्ड उवाच- नैव युक्तं त्वया प्रोक्तं देव्या देवेन चैव हि
Smiling, he spoke these words to Aśokasundarī: 'Huṇḍa said: What you have said is not proper, nor what was said by the goddess and the god.'
नहुषोनाम धर्मात्मा सोमवंशे भविष्यति। भवती वयसा श्रेष्ठा कनिष्ठो न स युज्यते
A righteous one named Nahuṣa will be born in the lunar dynasty; you are superior in age, and he is younger, so you are not suited.
कनिष्ठा स्त्री प्रशस्ता तु पुरुषो न प्रशस्यते । कदा स पुरुषो भद्रे तव भर्ता भविष्यति
A younger woman is praised, but a younger man is not praised. When, O blessed one, will that man become your husband?
तारुण्यं यौवनं चापि नाशमेवं प्रयास्यति। यौवनस्य बलेनापि रूपवत्यः सदा स्त्रियः
Youth and young age will surely pass away; even with the strength of youth, beautiful women are always dear to men.
पुरुषाणां वल्लभत्वं प्रयान्ति वरवर्णिनि । तारुण्यं हि महामूलं युवतीनां वरानने
O fair-complexioned one, women attain the favor of men by their youth; for youth is the great foundation for young women, O lovely-faced one.
तस्या धारेण भुंजंति भोगान्कामान्मनोनुगान् । कदा सोभ्येष्यते भद्रे आयोः पुत्रः शृणुष्व मे
By the flow of that, they enjoy pleasures and desires that follow the mind. When will your son be suitable, O blessed one? Listen to me.
यौवनं वर्ततेऽद्यैव वृथा चैव भविष्यति। गर्भत्वं च शिशुत्वं च कौमारं च निशामय
Youth is present right now, but it will become useless. Consider also pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
कदासौ यौवनोपेतस्तव योग्यो भविष्यति । यौवनस्य प्रभावेन पिबस्व मधुमाधवीम्
When will he, endowed with youth, become suitable for you? By the power of youth, drink the honey-sweetness.
मया सह विशालाक्षि रमस्व त्वं सुखेन वै। हुण्डस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा शिवस्य तनया पुनः
Enjoy with me, O wide-eyed one, in happiness. Hearing the words of Huṇḍa, the daughter of Śiva again—
उवाच दानवेन्द्रं तं साध्वसेन समन्विता। अष्टाविञ्शतिके प्राप्ते द्वापराख्ये युगे तदा
—spoke to that lord of the Dānavas, filled with fear: 'When the twenty-eighth Dvāpara Yuga arrives—'
शेषावतारो धर्मात्मा वसुदेवसुतो बलः। रेवतस्य सुतां दिव्यां भार्यां स च करिष्यति
—'Bala, the virtuous son of Vasudeva, an incarnation of Śeṣa, will take as his wife the divine daughter of Revata.'
सापि जाता महाभाग कृताख्ये हि युगोत्तमे । युगत्रयप्रमाणेन सा हि ज्येष्ठा बलादपि
She too was born, greatly fortunate, in the excellent age called Kṛta. By the measure of three ages, she is older even than Bala.
बलस्य सा प्रिया जाता रेवती प्राणसम्मिता। भविष्यद्वापरे प्राप्त इह सा तु भविष्यति
Revati, dear to Bala as his very life, was born as his beloved. When the future Dvāpara arrives, she will be here.
मायावती पुरा जाता गन्धर्वतनया वरा । अपहृत्य नियम्यैव शम्बरो दानवोत्तमः
Māyāvatī, the excellent daughter of a Gandharva, was born before. Śambara, the foremost Dānava, abducted and restrained her.
तस्या भर्ता समाख्यातो माधवस्य सुतो बली। प्रद्युम्नो नाम वीरेशो यादवेश्वरनन्दनः
Her husband is said to be the mighty son of Mādhava—Pradyumna by name, lord of heroes, delight of the Yādava lord.
तस्मिन्युगे भविष्येत भाव्यं दृष्टं पुरातनैः। व्यासादिभिर्महाभागैर्ज्ञानवद्भिर्महात्मभिः
In that age, it will happen as seen by the ancients—by Vyāsa and other greatly fortunate, wise, and noble ones.
एवं हि दृश्यते दैत्य वाक्यं देव्या तदोदितम्। मां प्रति हि जगद्धात्र्या पुत्र्या हिमवतस्तदा
Thus, O Daitya, is seen the speech spoken by the goddess at that time—to me, by the daughter of Himavat, mother of the world.