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.
इत्येवं प्रविचार्यैव विपुला क्रोधमूर्च्छिता । मेकलां तु समाहूय सैरंध्रीं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Thus, having considered in this way, the ample one, overcome with anger, summoned Mekala and spoke these words to the maidservant.
जह्येनं बालकं दुष्टं मेकलेऽद्य महानसे । सूदहस्ते प्रदेहि त्वं हुण्डभोजनहेतवे
Today, Mekala, abandon this wicked boy in the kitchen; hand him over to the cook for the purpose of being food for the Huṇḍa.
मेकला बालकं गृह्य सूदमाहूय चाब्रवीत् । राजादेशं कुरुष्वाद्य पचस्वैनं हि बालकम्
Mekala, taking the boy, summoned the cook and said: 'Carry out the king's command today—cook this boy.'
एवमाकर्णितं तेन सूदेनापि महात्मना । आदाय बालकं हस्ताच्छस्त्रमुद्यम्य चोद्यतः
Hearing this, the great-souled cook took the boy in his hand, raised a knife, and prepared to act.
एष वै देवदेवस्य दत्तात्रेयस्य तेजसा । रक्षितस्त्वायुपुत्रश्च स जहास पुनः पुनः
By the power of Dattatreya, the god of gods, this son of Ayu was protected, and he laughed again and again.
हसंतं तं समालोक्य स सूदः कृपयान्वितः । सैरंध्री च कृपायुक्ता सूदं तं प्रत्यभाषत
Seeing him laughing, the cook was filled with compassion, and the maidservant, also moved by pity, spoke to the cook.
नैष वध्यस्त्वया सूद शिशुरेव महामते । दिव्यलक्षणसंपन्नः कस्य जातः सुसत्कुले
O wise cook, you must not kill this child; he is endowed with divine marks—of what noble family was he born?
सूद उवाच- सत्यमुक्तं त्वया भद्रे वाक्यं वै कृपयान्वितम् । राजलक्षणसंपन्नो रूपवान्कस्य बालकः
The cook said: 'O good lady, what you have said out of compassion is true; this boy, possessing royal marks and beauty, to whom does he belong?'
कस्माद्भोक्ष्यति दुष्टात्मा हुंडोऽयं दानवाधमः । येन वै रक्षितो वंशः पूर्वमेव सुकर्मणा
Why should this wicked Huṇḍa, the lowest of Dānavas, eat him, by whom the lineage was formerly protected through good deeds?
आपत्स्वपि स जीवेत दुर्गेषु नान्यथा भवेत् । सिंधुवेगेन नीतस्तु वह्निमध्ये गतोऽथवा
Even in calamities he would live, not otherwise in difficulties; whether carried away by the force of a river or entering into fire.