रोदित्येषा यदा सा च केन दुःखेन दुःखिता । नेत्राश्रुभ्यो हि तस्यास्तु प्रभवंति पतंति च
But when she weeps, afflicted by some sorrow, from her tears they arise and fall,
तानि चैव महाभाग हृद्यानि सुमहांति च । सौरभेण विना तैस्तु यः पूजयति शंकरम्
Those, O fortunate one, are dear and great; but if one worships Shankara with them, lacking fragrance,
तस्य दुःखं च संतापो जायते नात्र संशयः । पुष्पैस्तु तादृशैर्देवान्सकृदर्चति पापधीः
Suffering and distress arise for him, without doubt; if a wicked-minded person worships the gods even once with such flowers,
तस्य दुःखं प्रकुर्वंति देवास्तत्र न संशयः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं कामोदाख्यानमुत्तमम्
The gods bring him suffering, without doubt; thus, I have told you all the supreme story of Kamoda.
अथ कृष्णो विचिंत्यैव दृष्ट्वा विक्रमसाहसम् । विहुंडस्यापि पापस्य उद्यमं साहसं तदा
Then Krishna, seeing the boldness and daring of the wicked Vikrama, considered what to do,
नारदं प्रेषयामास मोहयैनं दुरासदम् । नारदस्त्वथ संश्रुत्य वाक्यं विष्णोर्महात्मनः
He sent Narada to delude that difficult-to-approach sinner; and Narada, having heard the words of the great-souled Vishnu,
गच्छमानं दुरात्मानं कामोदां प्रति दानवम् । गत्वा तमाह दैत्येंद्रं नारदः प्रहसन्निव
As the wicked-hearted demon was going toward Kāmodā, Nārada approached him and spoke to the lord of the Daityas, as if laughing.
क्व यासि त्वं च दैत्येंद्र सत्वरं च समातुरः । सांप्रतं केन कार्येण कस्यार्थं केन नोदितः
Where are you going, O king of the Daityas, so hurriedly and anxiously? For what purpose, for whose sake, and at whose urging are you proceeding now?
ब्रह्मात्मजं नमस्कृत्य प्रत्युवाच कृतांजलि । कामोदपुष्पार्थमहं प्रस्थितो द्विजसत्तम
After bowing to the son of Brahmā, with hands joined in reverence, he replied: 'O best of twice-born, I am setting out to obtain the flowers of Kāmoda.'
तमुवाच स धर्मात्मा पुष्पैः किं ते प्रयोजनम् । विप्रवर्यं पुनः प्राह कार्यकारणमात्मनः
That righteous one asked him, 'What need do you have for those flowers?' Again, he questioned the excellent Brahmin about the purpose of his actions.
नंदनस्य वनोद्देशे काचिन्नारी वरानना । तस्या दर्शनमात्रेण गतोऽहं कामवश्यताम्
In a certain part of the Nandana forest, there is a woman of beautiful face. Merely by seeing her, I have become subject to desire.
तया प्रोक्तोऽस्मि विप्रेंद्र पुष्पैः कामोदसंभवैः । पूजयस्व महादेवं पुष्पैस्तु सप्तकोटिभिः
She has told me, O chief of Brahmins, 'Worship Mahādeva with flowers from Kāmoda—seven crore in number.'
ततस्ते सुप्रिया भार्या भविष्यामि न संशयः । तदर्थे प्रस्थितोऽस्म्यद्य कामोदाख्यं पुरं प्रति
Then, I will become her beloved husband without doubt. For that purpose, I am now setting out toward the city called Kāmodā.
तामहं कामयिष्यामि सिंधुजां शुणु सांप्रतम् । मनोल्लासैर्महाहासैर्हासयिष्याम्यहं पुनः
I desire her, the daughter of the ocean; listen now. With delightful thoughts and great laughter, I will make her laugh again.
प्रीता सती महाभागा हसिष्यति पुनः पुनः । तद्धास्यं गद्गदं विप्र मम कार्यप्रवर्द्धनम्
Satisfied and blessed, she will laugh again and again. That laughter, broken and trembling, O Brahmin, will advance my purpose.
तस्माद्धास्यात्पतिष्यंति दिव्यानि कुसुमानि च । तैस्तु देवमुमाकांतं पूजयिष्यामि सांप्रतम्
From that laughter, divine flowers will fall. With those, I will presently worship the god beloved of Umā.
तेन पूजाप्रदानेन तुष्टो दास्यति मे फलम् । ईश्वरः सर्वभूतेशः शंकरो लोकभावनः
By offering that worship, the lord Śaṅkara, creator of the worlds and master of all beings, will be pleased and grant me the fruit.
नारद उवाच- तत्र दैत्य न गंतव्यं कामोदाख्ये पुरोत्तमे । विष्णुरस्ति सुमेधावी सर्वदैत्यक्षयावहः
Nārada said: 'O Daitya, you must not go to the excellent city called Kāmodā. Viṣṇu, wise and always destructive to Daityas, is there.'
येनोपायेन पुष्पाणि कामोदाख्यानि दानव । तव हस्ते प्रयास्यंति तमुपायं वदाम्यहम्
By what means the flowers of Kāmodā will come into your hands, O Dānava, I will tell you that method.
गंगातोयेषु दिव्यानि पतिष्यंति न संशयः । वाहितानि जलैर्दिव्यैरागमिष्यंति सांप्रतम्
Divine flowers will fall into the waters of the Gaṅgā, without doubt. Borne by the celestial waters, they will soon arrive.
तानि त्वं तु प्रतिगृहाण सुहृद्यानि महांति च । गृहीत्वा तानि पुष्पाणि साधयस्व मनीप्सितम्
You must receive those flowers, which are friendly and great. Having taken them, accomplish your desired purpose.
नारदो दानवश्रेष्ठं मोहयित्वा ततः पुनः । ततश्च स तु धर्मात्मा चिंतयामास वै पुनः
After deluding the foremost of Dānavas, Nārada again departed. Then that righteous one began to ponder once more.
कथमश्रूणि सा मुंचेत्केनोपायेन दुःखिता । चिंतयानस्य तस्यैवं क्षणं वै नारदस्य च
How might she shed tears, by what means, being distressed? He and Nārada both pondered this for a moment.
ततो बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना कामोदाख्यं पुरं गतः
Then, an idea arose; he went to the city called Kāmodā.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे कामोदाख्याने एकोनविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the Section on the Earth, in the story of Vena, in the greatness of the Guru Tīrtha, in the account of Cyavana, this is the one hundred nineteenth chapter, entitled 'The Story of Kāmodā'.
कुंजल उवाच- कामोदाख्यं पुरं दिव्यं सर्वदेवसमाकुलम् । सर्वकामसमृद्ध्यर्थमपश्यन्नारदस्ततः
Kunjala said: Nārada then beheld the divine city called Kāmodā, filled with all the gods, abundant in every desired object.
कामोदाया गृहं प्राप्य प्रविवेश द्विजोत्तमः । कामोदां तु ततो दृष्ट्वा सर्वकामसमाकुलाम्
Having reached the house of Kāmodā, the best of twice-born entered; and seeing Kāmodā, filled with all enjoyments,
तया संपूजितो विप्रः सुवाक्यैः स्वागतादिभिः । दिव्यासने समारूढस्तां पप्रच्छ द्विजोत्तमः
That brāhmaṇa was honored by her with sweet words of welcome and the like; seated upon a divine seat, the best of twice-born questioned her.
सुखेन स्थीयते भद्रे विष्णुतेजः समुद्भवे । अनामयं च पप्रच्छ आशीर्भिरभिनंद्य ताम्
He asked, 'Are you well, O blessed one, in whom the radiance of Viṣṇu has arisen?' And, offering blessings, he inquired about her health.
कामोदोवाच-। प्रसादाद्भवतां विष्णोः सुखेन वर्तयाम्यहम् । कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ त्वं प्रश्नोत्तरकारणम्
Kāmodā said: By the grace of you and Viṣṇu, I am living happily. Tell me, O most wise one, the reason for your questions and answers.