ईश्वर उवाच-। गच्छ नारद तत्रैव यत्र तत्त्रिपुरं पुरम् । बाणस्य दानवेन्द्रस्य शीघ्रं गच्छाथ तत्कुरु
Īśvara said: Go, Nārada, right there where that city of Tripura is; quickly go and do that for Bāṇa, the king of demons.
भर्तारो देवताभाश्च स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः । तासां वै तेजसा विप्र भ्रमते त्रिपुरं दिवि
The husbands are like gods, and the women are like apsarases; O sage, by their radiance, Tripura moves in the sky.
तत्र गत्वा तु विप्रेंद्र मंत्रमन्यं प्रचोदय । देवस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनिस्त्वरितविक्रमः
Go there, O best of sages, and inspire another mantra; hearing the god's words, the sage acted swiftly.
स्त्रीणां हृदयनाशाय प्रविष्टस्तं पुरं प्रति । शोभते तत्पुरं दिव्यं नानारत्नोपशोभितम्
Entering that city for the destruction of the women's hearts, he beheld that divine city, adorned with various jewels.
शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं ततो द्विगुणमायतम् । ततः पश्यति तत्रैव बाणं तु बलदर्पितम्
It was a hundred yojanas wide and twice as long; there, he saw Bāṇa, proud of his strength.
मालाकुंडलकेयूरैर्मुकुटेन विराजितम् । हाररत्नैश्च संछन्नं चंद्रकांतिविभूषितम्
Adorned with garlands, earrings, armlets, and a crown, covered with necklaces of gems, and embellished with the radiance of the moon.
ललनास्तस्य रत्नाढ्याः नराः कनकमंडिताः । उत्थितो नारदं दृष्ट्वा दानवेंद्रो महाबलः
His women were rich in jewels, and his men were adorned with gold; seeing Nārada, the mighty king of demons arose.
बाण उवाच-। स देवर्षिः स्वयं प्राप्तो मद्गृहं प्रति संप्रति । अर्घं पाद्यं यथान्यायं क्रियतां द्विजसत्तम
Bāṇa said: The divine sage himself has now arrived at my house; let the proper offerings and foot-washing be performed, O best of twice-born.
चिरात्समागतो विप्र स्थीयतामिदमासनम् । एवं संभावयित्वा तु नारदं समुपस्थितम्
You have come after a long time, O sage; let this seat be prepared. Thus, having honored Nārada, he welcomed him.
तस्य भार्या महादेवी अनौपम्या तु नामतः
His wife, the great goddess, was named Anaupamyā.
अनौपम्योवाच-। भगवन्मानुषे लोके देवास्तुष्यंति केन वै । व्रतेन नियमेनापि दानेन तपसाथवा
Anaupamya said: O venerable one, by what means are the gods pleased in the world of humans—by a vow, by discipline, by giving, or by austerity?
नारद उवाच-। तिलधेनुं च यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे । ससागरा नवद्वीपा दत्ता भवति मेदिनी
Nārada said: Whoever gives a sesame-cow to a brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas, it is as if he has given the earth with its nine continents and oceans.
सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशैर्विमानैः सर्वकामिकैः । मोदते चाक्षयं कालं सुचिरं कृतशासनः
He enjoys for a long, unending time in palaces shining like ten million suns, fulfilling every desire, having accomplished this act.
आम्रातककपित्थानि कदलीवनमेव च । कदंब चंपकाशोका अनेक विविधद्रुमाः
There are mango, wood-apple, and banana groves, as well as kadamba, campaka, and ashoka trees, and many other various trees.
अष्टमी च चतुर्थी च द्वादशी च तथा उभे । संक्रांतिर्विषुवं चैव दिनच्छिद्रमुखं तथा
The eighth, the fourth, and the twelfth days, as well as both transitions, the solstice, the equinox, and the opening of the day—
पुण्यान्येतानि सर्वाणि उपवासंति याः स्त्रियः । तासां तु धर्म्मयुक्तानां स्वर्गे वासो न संशयः
All these are auspicious; women who observe fasts on them, being devoted to righteousness, undoubtedly dwell in heaven.
कलिकालात्तु निर्मुक्ताः सर्वपापविवर्जिताः । उपवासरता नार्यो नोपसर्पंति तापसाः
Freed from the age of Kali and devoid of all sin, women devoted to fasting are not approached by ascetics.
एवं श्रुत्वा तु सुश्रोणि यथेष्टं कर्तुमर्हसि । नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञी वचनमब्रवीत्
Having heard thus, O fair-hipped one, you should act as you wish. Hearing Nārada's words, the queen spoke.
प्रसादं कुरु विप्रेंद्र दानं गृह्ण यथेप्सितम् । सुवर्णमणिरत्नानि वस्त्राण्याभरणानि च
Grant your favor, O best of brāhmaṇas, and accept whatever gift you desire—gold, jewels, gems, garments, and ornaments.
तत्ते दास्याम्यहं विप्र यच्चान्यदपि दुर्ल्लभम् । प्रतिगृह्ण द्विजश्रेष्ठ प्रीयेतां हरिशंकरौ
I will give you that, O brāhmaṇa, and anything else rare as well. Accept it, best of twice-born, may Hari and Śaṅkara be pleased.
नारद उवाच-। अन्यस्मै दीयतां भद्रे क्षीणवृतिश्च यो द्विजः । वयं तु शीलसंपन्ना भक्तिस्तु क्रियते मया
Nārada said: Let it be given to another, O blessed one, to a brāhmaṇa whose means are exhausted. As for us, we are endowed with virtue, and I perform devotion.
एवं तासां मनो हृत्वा सर्वासामुपदिश्य वा । जगाम भरतश्रेष्ठ स्वकीयं स्थानकं पुनः
Thus, having won the minds of them all and having instructed them, he departed, O best of Bharatas, to his own place again.
अत्राकृष्टमनास्तास्तु अन्यत्रगतमानसाः । पुरि छिद्रं समुत्पन्नं बाणस्य तु महात्मनः
But their minds were not drawn there, their thoughts having gone elsewhere; a breach arose in the city of the great-souled Bāṇa.
नारद उवाच- यन्मां पृच्छसि कौंतेय तन्निबोध च तच्छृणु । एतस्मिन्नंतरे रुद्रो नर्मदातटमास्थितः
Nārada said: What you ask me, O son of Kuntī, listen and understand. Meanwhile, Rudra was staying on the bank of the Narmadā.
नाम्ना हरेश्वरं स्थानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तस्मिन्स्थाने महादेवश्चिंतयंस्त्रैपुरं वधम्
By name, that place is called Hareśvara, renowned in the three worlds. There, Mahādeva was contemplating the destruction of Tripura.
गां(गा?)डीवं मंदरं कृत्वा गुणं कृत्वा तु वासुकिम् । स्थानं कृत्वा तु वैशाखं विष्णुं कृत्वा शरोत्तमम्
He made the earth his bow, Mandara his bowstring, Vāsuki the cord, Vaiśākha the station, and Viṣṇu the supreme arrow.
अग्रे चाग्निं प्रतिष्ठाप्य मुखे वायुः समर्पितः । हयाश्च चतुरो वेदाः सर्वदेवमयं रथम्
He placed fire at the front, wind at the mouth, and the four Vedas as horses; the chariot was composed of all the gods.
चक्रगौ चाश्विनौ देवावक्षं चक्रधरः स्वयम् । स्वयमिंद्रश्च चापांते बाणे वैश्रवणः स्थितः
The Aśvins became the wheels, the wielder of the discus himself was the axle, Indra stood at the end of the bow, and Vaiśravaṇa at the arrow.
यमस्तु दक्षिणे हस्ते वामे कालस्तु दारुणः । चक्राणामारके न्यस्ता गंधर्वा लोकविश्रुताः
Yama stands at the right hand, Kāla, fierce, at the left; the Gandharvas, renowned in all worlds, are placed at the hub of the wheels.
प्रजापती रथश्रेष्ठे ब्रह्मा चैव तु सारथिः । एवं कृत्वा तु देवेशः सर्वदेवमयं रथम्
Prajāpati is the best of charioteers, and Brahmā himself is the driver; thus, the Lord of the gods fashioned a chariot embodying all the gods.