स्वप्नस्य कारणं राजन्नेतत्ते कथितं मया । इंद्रोपेंद्र समः पुत्रो दिव्यवीर्यो भविष्यति
'O King, I have told you the cause of the dream: your son will be equal to Indra and Upendra, possessing divine strength.'
पुत्रस्ते सर्वधर्मात्मा सोमवंशस्य वर्द्धनः । धनुर्वेदे च वेदे च सगुणोसौ भविष्यति
'Your son will be righteous in every way, an increaser of the lunar dynasty, and he will be virtuous in the science of archery and the Vedas.'
एवमुक्त्वा स राजानं शौनको गतवान्गृहम् । हर्षेण महताविष्टो राजाभूत्प्रियया सह
Having spoken thus to the king, Śaunaka went home; the king, filled with great joy, rejoiced together with his beloved.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे चतुरधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and fourth chapter in the story of Cyavana, in the section on the greatness of the Guru Tīrtha, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the tale of Vena.
कुञ्जल उवाच- गता सा नन्दनवनं सखीभिः सह क्रीडितुम्। तत्राकर्ण्य महद्वाक्यमप्रियं तु तदा पितुः
Kuñjala said: She went to Nandana forest with her companions to play; there she heard her father's great and unpleasant words.
चारणानां सुसिद्धानां भाषतां हर्षणेन तु। आयोर्गेहे महावीर्यो विष्णुतुल्यपराक्रमः
From the speech of the accomplished celestial bards, she heard with delight: 'In your house, a son of great valor, equal in prowess to Viṣṇu—'
भविष्यति सुतश्रेष्ठो हुण्डस्यांतं करिष्यति । एवंविधं महद्वाक्यमप्रियं दुःखदायकम्
'—will be born, the best of sons, who will bring an end to the Huṇḍa; such was the great and grievous message.'
समाकर्ण्य समायाता पितुरग्रे निवेदितम् । समासेन तया तस्य पुरतो दुःखदायकम्
Hearing this sorrowful message, she returned and reported it before her father, briefly relating the painful words in his presence.
पितुरग्रे जगादाथ पिता श्रुत्वा स विस्मितः । शापमशोकसुंदर्याः सस्मार च पुराकृतम्
Then, in her father's presence, she spoke; and her father, hearing it, was astonished and remembered the curse formerly pronounced by Aśokasundarī.
एतस्यार्थे तपस्तेपे सेयं चाशोकसुंदरी । गर्भस्य नाशनायैव इंदुमत्याः स दानवः
For this reason, Aśokasundarī performed austerities—to destroy the embryo of Indumatī, that demon undertook his effort.
विचक्रे उद्यमं दुष्टः कालाकृष्टो दुरात्मवान् । छिद्रान्वेषी ततो भूत्वा इंदुमत्यास्तु नित्यशः
That wicked demon, compelled by fate, always sought faults in Indumatī, ever searching for an opportunity.
यदा पश्यति तां राज्ञीं रूपौदार्यगुणान्विताम् । दिव्यतेजः समायुक्तां रक्षितां विष्णुतेजसा
Whenever he saw that queen, endowed with beauty, nobility, and virtues, radiant with divine splendor and protected by Viṣṇu's energy—
दिव्येन तेजसा युक्तां सूर्यबिंबोपमां तु ताम् । तस्याः पार्श्वे महाभाग रक्षणार्थं स्थितः सदा
Endowed with divine radiance, resembling the orb of the sun, O highly fortunate one, he always stood at her side for her protection.
दूरात्स दानवो दुष्टस्तस्याश्च बहुदर्शयन् । नानाविद्यां महोग्रां च भीषिकां सुविभीषिकाम्
From a distance, that wicked Dānava repeatedly displayed to her many fierce and terrifying magical illusions.
गर्भस्य तेजसा युक्ता रक्षिता विष्णुतेजसा । भयं न जायते तस्या मनस्येव कदापुनः
Endowed with the radiance of the embryo, protected by Viṣṇu’s energy, no fear ever arose in her mind.
विफलो दानवो जात उद्यमश्च निरर्थकः । मनीप्सितं नैव जातं हुंडस्यापि दुरात्मनः
The Dānava’s effort became fruitless and his undertaking was in vain; the evil-minded Huṃḍa did not achieve what he desired.
एवं वर्षशतं पूर्णं पश्यमानस्य तस्य च । प्रसूता सा हि पुत्रं च स्वर्भानोस्तनया तदा
Thus, after a full hundred years had passed while he watched, she then gave birth to a son, the offspring of Svarbhānu.
रात्रावेव सुतश्रेष्ठ तस्याः पुत्रो व्यजायत । तेजसातीव भात्येष यथा सूर्यो नभस्तले
O best of sons, at night her son was born, shining with such brilliance as the sun in the sky.
सूत उवाच- अथ दासी महादुष्टा काचित्सूतिगृहागता । अशौचाचारसंयुक्ता महामंगलवादिनी
The Sūta said: Then a certain extremely wicked maidservant, who had come to the birthing chamber, engaged in impure conduct but uttering auspicious words.
तस्याः सर्वं समाज्ञाय स हुंडो दानवाधमः । दास्या अंगं प्रविश्यैव प्रविष्टश्चायुमन्दिरे
Knowing everything about her, that vile Dānava Huṃḍa entered the maidservant’s body and thus entered the inner chambers.
महाजने प्रसुप्ते च निद्रयातीवमोहिते । तं पुत्रं देवगर्भाभमपहृत्य बहिर्गतः
While the household was deeply asleep, overwhelmed by slumber, he took away that son, who resembled a divine embryo, and went outside.
कांचनाख्यपुरे प्राप्तः स्वकीये दानवाधमः । समाहूय प्रियां भार्यां विपुलां वाक्यमब्रवीत्
That vile Dānava reached his own city called Kāñcana, summoned his beloved wife Vipulā, and spoke these words.
वधस्वैनं महापापं बालरूपं रिपुं मम । पश्चात्सूदस्य वै हस्ते भोजनार्थं प्रदीयताम्
Kill this great sinner, my enemy in the form of a child; afterwards, give him to the cook for food.
नानाभेदैर्विभेदैश्च पाचयस्व हि निर्घृणम् । सूदहस्तान्महाभागे पश्चाद्भोक्ष्ये न संशयः
Cook him mercilessly with various methods and preparations; O highly fortunate one, afterwards I will eat him from the cook’s hands, without doubt.
वाक्यमाकर्ण्य तद्भर्तुर्विपुला विस्मिताभवत् । कस्मान्निर्घृणतां याति भर्त्ता मम सुनिष्ठुरः
Hearing her husband’s words, Vipulā was astonished: Why does my husband become so utterly cruel and merciless?
सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं देवगर्भोपमं सुतम् । कस्य कस्मात्प्रभक्ष्येत क्षमाहीनः सुनिर्घृणः
A son endowed with all auspicious marks, resembling a divine embryo—who, being so devoid of compassion, would eat such a one, and for what reason?
इत्येवं चिंतयामास कारुण्येन समन्विता । पुनः पप्रच्छ भर्तारं कस्माद्भक्ष्यसि बालकम्
Thus, filled with compassion, she pondered and again questioned her husband: Why do you wish to eat this child?
कस्माद्भवसि संक्रुद्धो अतीव निरपत्रपः । सर्वं मे कारणं ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन दनुजेश्वर
Why are you so enraged and utterly shameless? Tell me the whole reason truthfully, O lord of the Dānavas.
आत्मदोषं च वृत्तांतं समासेन निवेदितम् । शापमशोकसुंदर्या हुंडेनापि दुरात्मना
He briefly related his own fault and the story, as well as the curse by Aśokasundarī, even Huṃḍa, the evil-minded one.
तया ज्ञातं तु तत्सर्वं कारणं दानवस्य वै । वध्योऽयं बालकः सत्यं नो वा भर्त्ता मरिष्यति
By her, all that reason of the Dānava was understood: either this child must be killed, or, if not, my husband will die.