गंगामध्ये निमज्जंति भवंति कमलानि च । पुष्पाणि दिव्यरूपाणि सौगंधानि महांति च
In the middle of the Ganga, they sink, and lotuses appear—flowers of divine form, fragrant and great in size.
तस्यास्तात सुनेत्राभ्यां किमर्थं प्रपतंति च । गंगोदके महाभाग निर्मला अश्रुबिंदवः
For what reason, O most fortunate one, do those pure drops of tears fall from her beautiful eyes into the water of the Ganga?
अस्थिचर्मावशेषस्तु जटाचीरधरः पुनः । तानि सौगंधयुक्तानि पद्मानि विचिनोति सः
A man, reduced to skin and bones, wearing matted hair and bark garments, gathers those fragrant lotuses.
हेमवर्णानि दिव्यानि नीत्वा शिवं समर्चयेत् । सा का नारी समाचक्ष्व स वा को हि महामते
Taking those golden-hued, divine lotuses, he worships Shiva; who is that woman, tell me, and who is that man, O wise one?
अर्चयित्वा शिवं सोथ कस्मात्पश्चात्प्रदेवति । एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व यद्यहं वल्लभस्तव
After worshipping Shiva, why does she cry afterwards? Tell me all this, if I am dear to you.
कुंजल उवाच- शृणु वत्स प्रवक्ष्यामि वृत्तांतं देवनिर्मितम् । चरित्रं सर्वपापघ्नं विष्णोश्चैव महात्मनः
Kunjala said: Listen, my child, I will tell you a tale created by the gods—a story that destroys all sins, and also of the great-souled Vishnu.
योसौ हुंडो महावीर्यो नहुषेण हतो रणे । तस्य पुत्रस्तु विख्यातो विहुंडस्तप आस्थितः
That mighty Hunda, who was slain in battle by Nahusha, his son, renowned as Vihunda, undertook austerities.
निहतं पितरं श्रुत्वा सामात्यं सपरिच्छदम् । आयुपुत्रेण वीरेण नहुषेण बलीयसा
Hearing that his father was killed, along with his ministers and retinue, by the heroic and powerful Nahusha, son of Ayu,
तपस्तपति सक्रोधाद्देवान्हंतुं समुद्यतः । पौरुषं तस्य दुष्टस्य तपसा वर्द्धितस्य च
He, filled with wrath, performed austerities, intent on destroying the gods; the strength of that wicked one increased through his penance.
जानंति देवताः सर्वा दुःसहं समरांगणे । हुंडात्मजो विहुंडस्तु त्रैलोक्यं हंतुमुद्यतः
All the deities know that he is unbearable in battle; Vihunda, son of Hunda, was intent on destroying the three worlds.
पितुर्वैरं करिष्यामि हनिष्ये मानवान्सुरान् । एवं समुद्यतः पापी देवब्राह्मणकंटकः
I will avenge my father; I will slay men and gods—thus resolved, that wicked one, a thorn to gods and Brahmins,
उपद्रवं समारेभे प्रजाः पीडयते च सः । तस्यैव तेजसा दग्धा देवाश्चेंद्रपुरोगमाः
He brought calamity and oppressed the people; by his very energy, the gods, with Indra at their head, were burned.
शरणं देवदेवस्य जग्मुर्विष्णोर्महात्मनः । देवदेवं जगन्नाथं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्
They sought refuge in the Lord of gods, in Vishnu, the great-souled; the Lord of gods, the Lord of the world, bearer of the conch, discus, and mace.
ऊचुश्च पाहि नो नित्यं विहुंडस्य महाभयात् । श्रीविष्णुरुवाच- वर्द्धंतु देवताः सर्वाः सुसुखेन महेश्वराः
And they said: 'Protect us always from the great danger of Vihuṇḍa.' Shri Vishnu spoke: 'May all the gods flourish, O great lords, in supreme happiness.'
विहुंडं नाशयिष्यामि पापिष्ठं देवकंटकम् । एवमाभाष्य तान्देवान्मायां कृत्वा जनार्दनः
I will destroy Vihuṇḍa, the most wicked, the thorn among the gods. Having spoken thus to the gods, Janardana created a magical illusion.
स्वयमेवस्थितस्तत्र नंदने सुमहायशाः । मायामयं चकाराथ स्त्रीरूपं च गुणान्वितम्
He himself stood there in Nandana, of great fame, and then fashioned a magical form, a woman endowed with virtues.
विष्णुमाया महाभागा सर्वविश्वप्रमोहिनी । चकार रूपमतुलं विष्णोर्मायाप्रमोहिनी
Vishnu's Maya, greatly fortunate and capable of deluding the entire universe, created an incomparable form, the Maya of Vishnu, the bewilderer.
विहुंडस्य वधार्थाय रूपलावण्यशालिनी । कुंजल उवाच- स देवानां वधार्थाय दिव्यमार्गं जगाम ह
For the purpose of slaying Vihuṇḍa, she took on a form radiant with beauty and charm. Kuñjala said: 'For the destruction of the gods, she went upon the divine path.'
नंदनांते ततो मायामपश्यद्दितिजेश्वरः । तया विमोहितो दैत्यः कामबाणकृतांतरः
At the edge of Nandana, the lord of the Daityas saw Maya; by her, the demon was bewildered, pierced by arrows of desire.
आत्मनाशं न जानाति कालरूपां वरस्त्रियम् । तां दृष्ट्वा नवहेमाभां रूपद्रविणशालिनीम्
He did not perceive his own destruction, seeing the woman who embodied the form of Time; beholding her, shining like new gold, possessing beauty and wealth.
लुब्धो विहुंडः पापात्मा तामुवाच वरांगनाम् । कासि कस्य वरारोहे ममचित्तप्रमाथिनि
Vihuṇḍa, greedy and wicked in soul, spoke to that excellent woman: 'Who are you, whose are you, O beautiful one, who has disturbed my mind?'
संगमं देहि मे भद्रे रक्षरक्ष वरानने । संगमात्तव देवेशि यद्यदिच्छसि सांप्रतम्
'Grant me union, O auspicious one, protect me, protect me, O lovely-faced. From union with you, O goddess, whatever you desire at this moment—'
तत्तद्दद्मि महाभागे दुर्लभं देवदानवैः । मायोवाच- मामेव भोक्तुमिच्छा चेद्दायं मे देहि दानव
'That, O greatly fortunate, I will give, even what is difficult for gods and demons to obtain.' Maya spoke: 'If you wish to enjoy me, give me my due, O demon.'
सप्तकोटिमितैश्चैव पुष्पैः पूजय शंकरम् । कामोदसंभवैर्दिव्यैः सौगंधैर्देवदुर्लभैः
'Worship Shankara with seventy million flowers, divine, fragrant, rare even for gods, born of the waters of desire.'
तेषां पुष्पकृतां मालां मम कंठे तु दानव । आरोपय महाभाग एतद्दायं प्रदेहि मे
'Of those flowers, make a garland and place it on my neck, O greatly fortunate demon; grant me this due.'
तदाहं सुप्रिया भार्या भविष्यामि न संशयः । विहुंड उवाच- एवं देवि करिष्यामि वरं दद्मि प्रयाचितम्
'Then I will become your beloved wife, without doubt.' Vihuṇḍa said: 'So be it, O goddess, I will do thus; I grant the boon you have requested.'
वनानि यानि पुण्यानि दिव्यानि दितिजेश्वरः । बभ्राममन्मथाविष्टो न च पश्यति तं द्रुमम्
The lord of the Daityas wandered through the sacred and divine forests, overcome by love, yet he did not see that tree.
कामोदकाख्यं पप्रच्छ यत्रतत्र गतः स्वयम् । कामोदाख्यद्रुमो नास्ति वदंत्येवं महाजनाः
Wherever he went, he asked about the tree called Kāmodaka; the great people said, 'There is no tree called Kāmodaka.'
पृच्छमानः स दुष्टात्मा कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः । पप्रच्छ भार्गवं गत्वा भक्त्या नमित कंधरः
That wicked-souled one, tormented by arrows of desire, kept asking, and going to Bhārgava, bowed his neck in devotion and questioned him.
कामोदकं द्रुमं ब्रूहि कांतं पुष्पसमन्वितम् । शुक्र उवाच- कामोदः पादपो नास्ति योषिदेवास्ति दानव
'Tell me of the Kāmodaka tree, lovely and adorned with flowers.' Shukra said: 'There is no tree called Kāmodaka; it exists only among the gods' women, O demon.'