एवं ज्ञात्वा प्रधानात्मा तवाद्यैव प्रधावति । आत्मा सर्वं प्रजानाति आत्मा देवः सनातनः
Thus knowing, the chief self hastens to you today; the self knows all, the self is the eternal god.
अयमेष स वीरेंद्रो नहुषो नाम वीर्यवान् । तस्माद्गच्छति चेतस्ते सत्यं संबंधमिच्छते
This is that heroic lord, named Nahuṣa, full of might; therefore, if your mind goes to him, he desires a true union.
ज्ञात्वा चायोः सुतं भद्रे अन्यं चैव न गच्छति । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं शाश्वतं त्वन्मनोगतम्
Knowing Āyu’s son, O fortunate one, she does not go to another; all this, which was in your mind, has been told to you, eternal one.
हुंडं हत्वा महाघोरं समरे दानवाधमम् । त्वां नयिष्यति स्वस्थानमायोश्च गृहमुत्तमम्
Having slain the terrible Huṇḍa, the vile Dānava, in battle, he will take you to your own place and to Āyu’s excellent house.
हृतो दैत्येन वीरेंद्रो निजपुण्येन शेषितः । बाल्यात्प्रभृति वीरेंद्रो वियुक्तः स्वजनेन वै
The heroic lord was carried off by the demon, yet preserved by his own merit; from childhood, the heroic lord was separated from his kin.
पितृमातृविहीनस्तु गतो वृद्धिं महावने । यास्यत्येव पितुर्गेहं त्वयैव सह सांप्रतम्
Bereft of father and mother, he grew up in the great forest; now, together with you, he will go to his father’s house.
एवमाभाषितं श्रुत्वा रंभायाः शिवनंदिनी । हर्षेण महताविष्टा तामुवाच समुद्रजाम्
Hearing these words spoken by Śivanandinī to Rambhā, she, overwhelmed with great joy, addressed the daughter of the ocean.
अयमेव स सत्यात्मा मम भर्ता सुवीर्यवान् । मनो मे धावतेऽत्यर्थं शोकाकुलितविह्वलम्
This indeed is the true-hearted one, my husband, mighty in valor; my mind runs exceedingly toward him, distressed and agitated by sorrow.
नास्ति चित्तसमो देवो जानाति सुविनिश्चितम् । सत्यमेतन्मया दृष्टं सुचित्रं चारुहासिनि
There is no god equal to the mind; he knows with perfect certainty. This is true, I have seen it, O lovely-smiling one, and it is wondrous.
मनोभवसमानं तु पुरुषं दिव्यलक्षणम् । न धावति महाचेत एनं दृष्ट्वा यथा सखि
A man equal to the god of love, with divine marks, does not draw the great-minded one as this one does, my friend.
तथा न धावते भद्रे पुंसमन्यं न मन्यते । एनं गंतव्यमावाभ्यां सखीभिर्गृहमेव हि
In the same way, O fortunate one, she does not hasten toward any other man, nor does she consider another; with our friends, we must go to his house.
एवमाभाष्य सा रंभा गमनायोपचक्रमे । गमनायोत्सुकां ज्ञात्वा नहुषस्यांतिकं प्रति
Having spoken thus, Rambhā began to set out; knowing her eagerness to go, she proceeded toward Nahuṣa.
तामुवाच ततो रंभा कस्माद्देवि न गम्यते । सूत उवाच- सख्या च रंभया सार्द्धं नहुषं वीरलक्षणम्
Then Rambha spoke to her: 'O goddess, why do you not go?' The charioteer said: Along with her friend Rambha, to Nahusha, who bore the marks of a hero.
तस्यांतिकं सुसंप्राप्य प्रेषयामास तां सखीम् । एनं गच्छ महाभागे नहुषं देवरूपिणम्
Having arrived at her presence, she sent her companion: 'Go to Nahusha, O highly fortunate one, who appears like a god.'
कथयस्व कथामेतां तवार्थे आगता यतः । रंभोवाच-। एवं सखि करिष्यामि सुप्रियं तव सुव्रते
Tell him this story, for you have come for your own sake.' Rambha said: 'So, friend, I will do this, O virtuous one, for your great delight.'
एवमुक्त्वा गता रंभा नहुषं राजनंदनम् । चापबाणधरं वीरं द्वितीयमिव वासवम्
Having spoken thus, Rambha went to Nahusha, the delight of kings, a heroic archer, like a second Indra.
प्रत्युवाच गता रंभा सख्या वचनमुत्तमम् । आयुपुत्र महाभाग रंभाहंसमुपागता
Rambha, having arrived, spoke the excellent words of her friend: 'O son of Ayu, O highly fortunate one, Rambha has come to you.'
शिवस्य कन्यया वीर तयाहं परिप्रेषिता । तवार्थं देवदेवेन देव्या देवेन वै पुरा
O hero, I have been sent by Shiva's daughter, for your sake, by the lord of gods and the goddess, indeed, in ancient times.
भार्यारूपं वरं श्रेष्ठं सृष्टं लोकेषु दुर्लभम् । दुष्प्राप्यं तु नरश्रेष्ठैर्देवै सेंद्रैस्तपोधनैः
A wife, the highest boon, has been created, rare in the worlds, difficult to obtain even for the best of men, gods with Indra, and ascetics rich in austerity.
गंधर्वैः पन्नगैः सिद्धैश्चारणैः पुण्यलक्षणैः । स्वयमेव समायातं तवार्थे शृणु सांप्रतम्
By Gandharvas, Nagas, Siddhas, Charanas marked by virtue, she has come herself for your sake; listen now.
स्त्रीरत्नं तन्महाप्राज्ञ संपूर्णं पुण्यनिर्मितम् । अशोकसुंदरी नाम तवार्थं तपसि स्थिता
This jewel among women, O wise one, is entirely created by merit; Ashoka-Sundari by name, she stands in austerity for your sake.
अत्यर्थं तु तपस्तप्तं भवंतमिच्छते सदा । एवं ज्ञात्वा महाभाग भजमानां भजस्व हि
She has performed intense austerity and always desires you; knowing this, O highly fortunate one, accept her who seeks you.
त्वामृते सा वरारोहा पुरुषं नैव याचते । नहुषेण तयोक्तं तु श्रुत्वावधारितं वचः
Except for you, O beautiful one, she does not seek any man; Nahusha, having heard this from her, firmly considered her words.
प्रत्युत्तरं ददौ चाथ रंभे मे श्रूयतां वचः । तत्तु सर्वं विजानामि यत्त्वयोक्तं ममाग्रतः
Then he gave a reply: 'Let my words be heard, Rambha; I know everything you have spoken before me.'
ममाग्रे कथितं पूर्वं वशिष्ठेन महात्मना । सर्वमेव विजानामि अस्यास्तु तप उत्तमम्
It was previously told to me by the great-souled Vashishtha; I know everything, and her austerity is supreme.
श्रूयतां कारणं भद्रे यथासौख्यं भविष्यति । अहत्वा दानवं हुंडं न गच्छामि वरांगनाम्
Hear the reason, O gentle one, why happiness will come: Without slaying the demon Hunda, I will not go to the excellent woman.
सर्वमेतत्सुवृत्तांतमहं जाने तथैव हि । ममार्थे तव संभूतिस्तपश्च चरितं त्वया
I know all this, as it has been rightly conducted; your birth for my sake and the austerity you have performed.
मम भार्या न संदेहो भवती विधिना कृता । ममार्थे निश्चयं कृत्वा तप आचरितं त्वया
There is no doubt that you are my wife, created by destiny; for my sake, you have firmly undertaken austerity.
हृता तस्मात्सुपापेन भवती नियमान्विता । सूतिगृहादहं तेन दानवेनाधमेन वै
Therefore, you were abducted by Supapena, endowed with discipline; from the house of birth, by that wicked demon.
बालभावस्थितो देवि पितृमातृविना कृतः । तस्मात्तं तु हनिष्यामि हुंडं वै दानवाधमम्
O goddess, when I was in childhood, deprived of father and mother; therefore, I will slay Hunda, the vile demon.