देवाः प्रहर्षमाजग्मुर्गंधर्वाः सिद्धचारणाः । हते तस्मिन्महापापे नहुषेण महात्मना
The gods, the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and Charanas rejoiced when that great sinner was slain by the noble Nahusha.
तस्मिन्हते दैत्यवरे महाहवे देवाश्च सर्वे प्रमुदं प्रलेभिरे । तां देवरूपां तपसा प्रवर्द्धितां स आयुपुत्रः प्रतिलभ्य हर्षितः
When that foremost demon was slain in the great battle, all the gods were filled with joy; and Nahusha, having regained that divine form, grown through austerity, rejoiced with his son.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे नहुषाख्याने पंचदशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred fifteenth chapter in the story of Nahusha, within the account of Cyavana, the glory of the holy Gurutirtha, in the Vena narrative, in the Bhumi section of the glorious Padma Purana.
कुंजल उवाच- अशोकसुंदरी पुण्या रंभया सह हर्षिता । नहुषं प्राप्य विक्रांतं तमुवाच तपस्विनी
Kunjala said: The virtuous Ashokasundari, delighted together with Rambha, approached the valiant Nahusha and spoke to him, she who was devoted to austerity.
अहं ते धर्मतः पत्नी देवैर्दिष्टा तपस्विनी । उद्वाहयस्व मां वीर यदि धर्ममिहेच्छसि
"I am your lawful wife, appointed by the gods, a woman of austerity; marry me, O hero, if you desire righteousness here."
सदैव चिंत्यमाना च त्वामहं तपसि स्थिता । भवान्धर्मप्रसादेन मया प्राप्तो नृपोत्तम
"Ever have I thought of you, steadfast in penance; by the grace of righteousness, O best of kings, you have come to me."
नहुष उवाच- मदर्थे नियता भद्रे यदि त्वं तपसि स्थिता । गुरोर्वाक्यान्मुहूर्तेन तव भर्ता भवाम्यहम्
Nahusha said: "If you, O blessed one, have been steadfast in penance for my sake, then by the word of the guru, I shall become your husband in a moment."
अनया रंभया सार्द्धमावां गच्छाव भामिनि । समारोप्य रथे तां तु तां रंभां तु मनोरमाम्
"Let us go together, O lovely one, with this Rambha; placing her, the enchanting Rambha, upon the chariot."
तेनैव रथवर्येण वशिष्ठस्याश्रमं प्रति । जगाम लघुवेगेन ताभ्यां सह महायशाः
With that very excellent chariot, the illustrious one, together with those two, swiftly went toward the hermitage of Vashishtha.
तमाश्रमगतं विप्रं समालोक्य प्रणम्य च । तया सार्द्धं महातेजा हर्षेण महतान्वितः
Seeing the sage who had reached the hermitage, and bowing to him, the mighty Nahusha, filled with great joy, stood there with her.
यथा युद्धं रणे जातं निहतो दानवाधमः । निवेदयामास सर्वं वशिष्ठाय महात्मने
Just as the battle arose on the field and the vile Dānava was slain, all this was reported to the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
वशिष्ठोऽपि समाकर्ण्य नहुषस्य विचेष्टितम् । हर्षेण महताविष्ट आशीर्भिरभिनंद्य तम्
And Vasiṣṭha, having heard of Nahusha’s deeds, was filled with great joy and blessed him with his benedictions.
तिथौ लग्ने शुभे प्राप्ते तयोस्तु मुनिपुंगवः । विवाहं कारयामास अग्निब्राह्मणसन्निधौ
When an auspicious lunar day and moment arrived, the foremost of sages arranged their wedding in the presence of fire and Brāhmaṇas.
आशीर्भिरभिनंद्यैव मिथुनं प्रेषितं पुनः । मातरं पितरं पश्य द्रुतं गत्वा महामते
Having blessed the couple, he sent them forth again, saying, 'Go swiftly, wise ones, and see your mother and father.'
त्वां च दृष्ट्वा हि ते माता पितासौ तव सुव्रत । हर्षेण वृद्धिमाप्नोतु पर्वणीव तु सागरः
Upon seeing you, your mother and your father, O steadfast one, will be filled with joy and swell like the ocean at the full moon.
एवं संप्रेषितो वीरो मुनिना ब्रह्मसूनुना । तेनैव रथवर्येण जगाम लघुविक्रमः
Thus sent forth by the sage, son of Brahmā, the heroic one, swift of stride, departed in that very excellent chariot.
नमस्कृत्य द्विजेंद्रं तं गतो मातलिना तदा । स्वपुरं पितरं द्रष्टुं तथैव च स्वमातरम्
Having bowed to that chief of Brāhmaṇas, he then went with Mātali to his own city, to see his father and likewise his mother.
सूत उवाच- अप्सरा मेनिका नाम प्रेषिता दैवतैस्ततः । आयोर्भार्या सुदुःखेन पतिता शोकसागरे
The charioteer said: Then Menikā, an Apsaras by name, sent by the gods, approached Ayu’s wife, who was sunk in an ocean of sorrow.
तामुवाच महाभागां देवीमिंदुमतीं प्रति । मुंच शोकं महाभागे तनयं पश्य सस्नुषम्
She spoke to the blessed queen Indumatī: 'Abandon your grief, O fortunate one; behold your son and his wife.'
निहत्य दानवं पापं तव पुत्रापहारकम् । समायांतं सभायां च वीरश्रियासमन्वितम्
'Having slain the sinful Dānava who abducted your son, he is returning to the assembly, adorned with the glory of a hero.'
सुवृत्तं संगरे तस्य नहुषेण यथा कृतम् । तस्यै निवेदयामास इंदुमत्यै च मेनिका
Menikā reported to Indumatī in detail how Nahusha had acted virtuously in battle.
मेनिकाया वचः श्रुत्वा हर्षेण महतान्विता । सखि सत्यं ब्रवीषि त्वमित्युवाच सगद्गदम्
Hearing Menikā’s words, she was filled with great joy and, her voice choked with emotion, said, 'Friend, you speak the truth.'
सामृतं सुप्रियं प्रोक्तं मनःप्रोत्साहकारकम् । जीवादिकं मया देयं त्वयि सर्वस्वमेव हि
'What you have said is sweet as nectar, most dear, and uplifting to my heart. My life and all I possess are yours.'
एवमाभाष्य तां देवी राजानमिदमब्रवीत् । तव पुत्रो महाबाहुः समायातो हि सांप्रतम्
Having spoken thus to her, the queen said this to the king: 'Your mighty-armed son has now returned.'
आख्याति च महाराज एषा मे वै वराप्सराः । भर्तारमेवमाभाष्य विरराम सुहर्षिता
'And know, O great king, that this is my chosen Apsaras.' Having spoken thus to her husband, she fell silent, overjoyed.
समाकर्ण्य नृपेंद्रस्तु तामुवाच प्रियां प्रति । पुरा प्रोक्तं महाभागे मुनिना नारदेन हि
Hearing this, the lord of kings said to his beloved, 'Long ago, O blessed one, this was foretold by the sage Nārada.'
पुत्रं प्रति न कर्तव्यं दुःखं राजंस्त्वया कदा । तं निहत्य सुवीर्येण दानवं चैष्यते सुतः
'You should never grieve for your son, O king; having slain the Dānava with great valor, your son will return.'
संजातं सत्यमेवं वै मुनिना भाषितं पुरा । अन्यथा वचनं तस्य कथं देवि भविष्यति
'What the sage spoke long ago has come to pass exactly; how, O queen, could his words ever be otherwise?'
दत्तात्रेयो मुनिश्रेष्ठः साक्षाद्देवो भविष्यति । शुश्रूषितस्त्वया देवि मया च तपसा पुरा
Dattatreya, the foremost sage, will be manifest as a god himself; O goddess, he was served by you and by me in former times through austerity.
पुत्ररत्नं तेन दत्तं वैष्णवांशप्रधारकम् । सदा हनिष्यति परं दानवं पापचेतनम्
That jewel of a son, given by him, will uphold the Vaiṣṇava lineage; he will always destroy the wicked-minded demon.