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.
पश्चात्त्वामुपनेष्येऽहं वशिष्ठस्याश्रमं प्रति । एवं कथय भद्रं ते रंभे मत्प्रियकारिणीम्
Afterwards, I will bring you to the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha. Thus, speak these words, O auspicious Rambhā, who acts for my pleasure.
एवं विसर्जिता तेन सत्वरं सा गता पुनः । अशोकसुंदरीं देवीं कथयामास तस्य च
Thus dismissed by him, she quickly departed again and told all this to the goddess Aśokasundarī.
समासेन तथा सर्वं रंभा सा द्विजसत्तम । अशोकसुंदरी सा तु अवधार्य सुभाषितम्
O best of twice-born, Rambhā then related everything concisely, and Aśokasundarī, having understood her well-spoken words,
नहुषस्य सुवीरस्य हर्षेण च समन्विता । तस्थौ तत्र तया सार्द्धं सुसख्या रंभया तदा
Filled with joy for the valiant Nahuṣa, she remained there together with her dear friend Rambhā at that time.
भर्तुश्च कीदृशं वीर्यमिति पश्यामि वै सदा
I always wish to see what kind of valor my husband possesses.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे नहुषाख्याने त्रयोदशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred thirteenth chapter in the narrative of Nahuṣa, within the story of Cyavana, in the greatness of Gurutīrtha, in the Vena episode, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
कुंजल उवाच- अथ ते दानवाः सर्वे हुंडस्य परिचारकाः । नहुषस्यापि संवादं रंभया तु यथाश्रुतम्
Kuñjala said: Then all those Dānavas, attendants of Huṃḍa, reported the conversation between Nahuṣa and Rambhā just as they had heard it.
आचचक्षुश्च दैत्येंद्रं हुंडं सर्वं सुभाषितम् । तमाकर्ण्य स चुक्रोध दूतं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्
They described everything, well-spoken, to the lord of the Daityas, Huṃḍa. Hearing this, he became angry and spoke to his messenger.
गच्छ वीर ममादेशाज्जानीहि पुरुषं हि तम् । संभाषते तया सार्द्धं पुरुषः शिवकन्यया
Go, hero, by my command, and find out who that man is who converses with that daughter of Śiva.
स्वामिनिर्देशमाकर्ण्य जगाम लघुदानवः । विविक्ते नहुषं वीरमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Hearing his master's command, the swift Dānava went and, finding Nahuṣa alone, spoke these words to the hero.
रथेन साश्वसूतेन दिव्येन परितिष्ठति । धनुषा दिव्यबाणैस्तु सभायां हि भयंकरः
He stands in the assembly, fearsome, with a divine chariot, charioteer, and horses, armed with a bow and divine arrows.
कस्य केन तु कार्येण प्रेषितः केन वैभवान् । अनया रंभया तेऽद्य अन्यया शिवकन्यया
By whom, for what purpose, and by whose power have you been sent? Today you are with this Rambhā, and with this daughter of Śiva.
किमुक्तं तत्स्फुटं सर्वं कथयस्व ममाग्रतः । हुंडस्य देवमर्दस्य न बिभेति भवान्कथम्
Tell me clearly everything that was said, right here before me. How is it that you do not fear Huṃḍa, the slayer of gods?
एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व यदि जीवितुमिच्छसि । सत्वरं गच्छ मा तिष्ठ दुःसहो दानवाधिपः
Tell me all this, if you wish to live. Go quickly, do not stay; the lord of the Dānavas is intolerant.
नहुष उवाच- योऽसावायुर्बली राजा सप्तद्वीपाधिपः प्रभुः । तस्य मां तनयं विद्धि सर्वदैत्यविनाशनम्
Nahuṣa said: That mighty king, lord of the seven continents, is my father—know me as his son, the destroyer of all Daityas.
नहुषं नाम विख्यातं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम् । हुंडेनापहृतं बाल्ये स्वामिना तव दानव
I am known as Nahuṣa, worshipper of gods and Brāhmaṇas, who was abducted in childhood by Huṃḍa, your master, O Dānava.
सेयं कन्या शिवस्यापि दैत्येनापहृता पुरा । घोरं तपश्चरत्येषा हुंडस्यापि वधाय च
This maiden, daughter of Śiva, was also once abducted by the Daitya. She now performs severe austerities for the destruction of Huṃḍa.
योहमादौ हृतो बालस्त्वया यः सूतिकागृहात् । दास्या अपि करे दत्तः सूदस्यापि दुरात्मना
I, who was first taken as a child by you from the birthing house, was given into the hand of a maidservant, and then to a wicked cook.
वधार्थं श्रूयतां पाप सोहमद्य समागतः । अस्यापि हुंडदैत्यस्य दुष्टस्य पापकर्मणः
Hear now, I have come today for the purpose of slaying this wicked Huṃḍa demon, evil in deed.
अन्यांश्च दानवान्घोरान्नयिष्ये यमसादनम् । मामेवं विद्धि पापिष्ठ एवं कथय दानवम्
I shall lead other fierce demons also to the abode of Yama; know me thus, O most sinful one, and speak so to the demon.