उवाच वाक्यं स्निग्धेव अशोकसुन्दरीं प्रति । कासि कस्यासि सुभगे तिष्ठसि त्वं तपोवने
She spoke gentle words to Aśokasundarī, 'Who are you, O fortunate one? Whose daughter are you, standing here in this forest hermitage?'
किमर्थं क्रियते बाले कामशोषणकं तपः। तन्ममाचक्ष्व सुभगे किन्निमित्तं सुदुष्करम्
'For what reason, O girl, do you perform this severe penance that dries up desire? Tell me, O blessed one, what is the cause of this most difficult undertaking?'
तन्निशम्य शुभं वाक्यं दानवेनापि भाषितम् । मायारूपेण छन्नेन साभिलाषेण सत्वरम्
Hearing those auspicious words spoken by the demon, she, concealed in illusion and full of longing, quickly replied.
आत्मसृष्टि सुवृत्तान्तं प्रवृत्तं तु यथा पुरा । तपसः कारणं सर्वं समाचष्ट सुदुःखिता
She sorrowfully recounted her own story from the beginning, explaining everything and the reason for her penance.
उपप्लवं तु तस्यापि दानवस्य दुरात्मनः। मायारूपं न जानाति सौहृदात्कथितं तया
But she, out of friendship, did not recognize the illusory form of that wicked demon, and spoke openly with him.
"हुण्ड उवाच- पतिव्रतासि हे देवि साधुव्रतपरायणा। साधुशीलसमाचारा साधुचारा महासती
Huṇḍa said: 'O goddess, you are devoted to your husband, steadfast in virtuous vows, possessing noble conduct and character, truly a great and chaste woman.'
अहं पतिव्रता भद्रे पतिव्रतपरायणा। तपश्चरामि सुभगे भर्तुरर्थे महासती
'I too, O blessed one, am devoted to my husband, intent on the vow of fidelity; I perform penance for my husband's sake, being a great and chaste woman.'
मम भर्ता हतस्तेन हुंडेनापि दुरात्मना। तस्य नाशाय वै घोरं तपस्यामि महत्तपः
'My husband was slain by that wicked Huṇḍa; for his destruction, I undertake this fierce and great penance.'
एहि मे स्वाश्रमे पुण्ये गंगातीरे वसाम्यहम्। अन्यैर्मनोहरैर्वाक्यैरुक्ता प्रत्ययकारकैः
'Come to my own hermitage, O pure one, I dwell on the bank of the Gaṅgā; with other charming and trustworthy words she was persuaded.'
हुंडेन सखिभावेन मोहिता शिवनंदिनी। समाकृष्टा सुवेगेन महामोहेन मोहिता
By Huṇḍa, acting as a friend, Śivanandinī was deceived and drawn away swiftly, overcome by great delusion.
आनीतात्मगृहं दिव्यमनौपम्यं सुशोभनम्। मेरोस्तु शिखरे पुत्र वैडूर्याख्यं पुरोत्तमम्
She was brought to his own home, a divine and incomparable splendid place, on the summit of Mount Meru, the foremost city called Vaiḍūrya.
अस्ति सर्वगुणोपेतं कांचनाख्यं महाशिवम्। तुंगप्रासादसंबाधैः कलशैर्दंडचामरैः
There stands the most auspicious city called Kāñcana, endowed with all virtues, crowded with lofty palaces, adorned with spires, staffs, and yak-tail fans.
नानवृक्षसमोपेतैर्वनैर्नीलैर्घनोपमैः। वापीकूपतडागैश्च नदीभिस्तु जलाशयैः
Surrounded by various kinds of trees, with forests dark as clouds, and with pools, wells, tanks, rivers, and reservoirs of water.
शोभमानं महारत्नैः प्राकारैर्हेमसंयतैः। सर्वकामसमृद्धार्थं सम्पूर्णं दानवस्य हि
Shining with great jewels, with ramparts bound with gold, it is filled with every pleasure and prosperity, truly the domain of the demon.
ददृशे सा पुरं रम्यमशोकसुन्दरी तदा। कस्य देवस्य संस्थानं कथयस्व सखे मम
Then that beautiful woman, Ashokasundarī, saw the delightful city and said: 'Friend, tell me, to which god does this city belong?'
सोवाच दानवेन्द्रस्य दृष्टपूर्वस्य वै त्वया। तस्य स्थानं महाभागे सोऽहं दानवपुङ्गवः
He replied: 'O highly fortunate one, this is the abode of the lord of the Dānavas whom you have seen before. I am that foremost of Dānavas.'
मया त्वं तु समानीता मायया वरवर्णिनि । तामाभाष्य गृहं नीता शातकौम्भं सुशोभनम्
It is by my illusion, O woman of lovely complexion, that you have been brought here by me. After speaking thus, I led her to a splendid golden mansion.
नानावेश्मैः समाजुष्टं कैलासशिखरोपमम्। निवेश्य सुंदरीं तत्र दोलायां कामपीडितः
Adorned with many mansions and resembling the peak of Kailāsa, he seated the beautiful woman there on a swing, tormented by desire.
पुनः स्वरूपी दैत्येन्द्रः कामबाणप्रपीडितः। करसम्पुटमाबध्य उवाच वचनं तदा
Again, the lord of the Daityas, afflicted by the arrows of love, assumed his true form, joined his hands in reverence, and spoke these words.
यं यं त्वं वाञ्छसे भद्रे तं तं दद्मि न संशयः। भज मां त्वं विशालाक्षिभजन्तं कामपीडितम्
'O wide-eyed one, whatever you desire, I will give you without doubt. Accept me, who am tormented by love, as your devotee.'
'श्रीदेव्युवाच- नैव चालयितुं शक्तो भवान्मां दानवेश्वरः। मनसापि न वै धार्यं मम मोहं समागतम्
Śrī Devī said: 'O lord of the Dānavas, you are not able to move me, not even in thought can delusion come upon me.'
भवादृशैर्महापापैर्देवैर्वा दानवाधमैः। दुष्प्राप्याहं न संदेहो मा वदस्व पुनः पुनः
By great sinners like you, or by gods or the lowest of Dānavas, I am difficult to attain—there is no doubt. Do not speak thus again and again.
स्कन्दानुजा सा तपसाभियुक्ता जाज्वल्यमाना महता रुषा च। संहर्तुकामा परि दानवं तं कालस्य जिह्वेव यथा स्फुरन्ती
She, the younger sister of Skanda, endowed with great austerity and blazing with intense anger, wishing to destroy that Dānava, moved like the tongue of Time itself.
पुनरुवाच सा देवी तमेवं दानवाधमम् । उग्रं कर्म कृतं पाप चात्मनाशनहेतवे
Then the goddess spoke again to that vile Dānava: 'A terrible and sinful deed has been done by you, leading to your own destruction.'
आत्मवञ्शस्य नाशाय स्वजनस्यास्य वै त्वया। दीप्ता स्वगृहमानीता सुशिखा कृष्णवर्त्मनः
For the destruction of your own lineage and your kin, you have brought here a blazing flame with a black wick into your own house.
यथाऽशुभः कूटपक्षी सर्वशोकैः समुद्गतः। गृहं तु विशते यस्य तस्य नाशं प्रयच्छति
Just as an inauspicious, deceitful bird, arising with all sorrows, enters a house and brings about its ruin—
स्वजनस्य च सर्वस्य सधनस्य कुलस्य च। स द्विजो नाशमिच्छेत विशत्येव यदा गृहम्
So too, when such a bird enters a house, the twice-born desires the destruction of all his people, wealth, and family.
तथा तेहं गृहं प्राप्ता तव नाशं समीहती । पुत्राणां धनधान्यस्य तव वंशस्य साम्प्रतम्
In the same way, I have entered your house, seeking the destruction of your sons, your wealth and grain, and your lineage at this very moment.
जीवं कुलं धनं धान्यं पुत्रपौत्रादिकं तव। सर्वं ते नाशयित्वाहं यास्यामि च न संशयः
Your life, your family, your wealth, your grain, your sons and grandsons—all these I will destroy, and then I will depart without doubt.
यथा त्वयाहमानीता चरन्ती परमं तपः । पतिकामा प्रवाञ्च्छन्ती नहुषं चायुनन्दनम्
Just as you brought me here while I was practicing supreme austerity, desiring a husband and deceiving Nahusha, son of Ayu—