ललनास्तस्य रत्नाढ्याः नराः कनकमंडिताः । उत्थितो नारदं दृष्ट्वा दानवेंद्रो महाबलः
His women were rich in jewels, and his men adorned with gold. Rising up, the mighty lord of the demons saw Nārada.
बाण उवाच-। स देवर्षिः स्वयं प्राप्तो मद्गृहं प्रति संप्रति । अर्घं पाद्यं यथान्यायं क्रियतां द्विजसत्तम
Bāṇa said: The divine sage himself has now come to my house. Let the proper offerings—arghya and water for the feet—be made, O best of brāhmaṇas.
चिरात्समागतो विप्र स्थीयतामिदमासनम् । एवं संभावयित्वा तु नारदं समुपस्थितम्
O brāhmaṇa, you have come after a long time—let this seat be prepared. Thus, having honored Nārada, he welcomed him.
तस्य भार्या महादेवी अनौपम्या तु नामतः
His wife was the great goddess, renowned by the name Anaupamyā.
अनौपम्योवाच-। भगवन्मानुषे लोके देवास्तुष्यंति केन वै । व्रतेन नियमेनापि दानेन तपसाथवा
Anaupamyā said: O Blessed One, by what vow, discipline, gift, or austerity are the gods pleased in the world of men?
नारद उवाच-। तिलधेनुं च यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे । ससागरा नवद्वीपा दत्ता भवति मेदिनी
Nārada said: Whoever gives a cow made of sesame seeds to a brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas, gives, as it were, the earth with its nine continents and oceans.
सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशैर्विमानैः सर्वकामिकैः । मोदते चाक्षयं कालं सुचिरं कृतशासनः
He enjoys, for an endless time, celestial palaces shining like ten million suns, filled with every desire, having fulfilled his command.
आम्रातककपित्थानि कदलीवनमेव च । कदंब चंपकाशोका अनेक विविधद्रुमाः
There are mango, āmalaka, wood-apple trees, groves of bananas, kadamba, campaka, aśoka, and many other various trees.
अष्टमी च चतुर्थी च द्वादशी च तथा उभे । संक्रांतिर्विषुवं चैव दिनच्छिद्रमुखं तथा
The eighth, the fourth, and the twelfth lunar days, both transitions of the sun, the equinox, and the juncture of day and night—
पुण्यान्येतानि सर्वाणि उपवासंति याः स्त्रियः । तासां तु धर्म्मयुक्तानां स्वर्गे वासो न संशयः
All these are auspicious occasions. Women who observe fasts on these days, endowed with righteousness, surely dwell in heaven—there is no doubt.
कलिकालात्तु निर्मुक्ताः सर्वपापविवर्जिताः । उपवासरता नार्यो नोपसर्पंति तापसाः
Freed from the age of Kali and devoid of all sins, women devoted to fasting are not approached by ascetics.
एवं श्रुत्वा तु सुश्रोणि यथेष्टं कर्तुमर्हसि । नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञी वचनमब्रवीत्
Having heard this, O lovely-hipped one, you should act as you wish; after hearing Nārada's words, the queen spoke.
प्रसादं कुरु विप्रेंद्र दानं गृह्ण यथेप्सितम् । सुवर्णमणिरत्नानि वस्त्राण्याभरणानि च
Grant your favor, O best of Brahmins, accept whatever gifts you desire—gold, jewels, gems, garments, and ornaments.
तत्ते दास्याम्यहं विप्र यच्चान्यदपि दुर्ल्लभम् । प्रतिगृह्ण द्विजश्रेष्ठ प्रीयेतां हरिशंकरौ
All this I shall give you, O Brahmin, and anything else that is hard to obtain; accept it, O 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 gentle one, to a Brahmin whose means are exhausted; as for us, we are endowed with good conduct, and devotion is performed by me.'
एवं तासां मनो हृत्वा सर्वासामुपदिश्य वा । जगाम भरतश्रेष्ठ स्वकीयं स्थानकं पुनः
Thus, having won over their minds and instructed them all, he returned again to his own place, O best of the Bharatas.
अत्राकृष्टमनास्तास्तु अन्यत्रगतमानसाः । पुरि छिद्रं समुत्पन्नं बाणस्य तु महात्मनः
There, their minds were distracted, their thoughts 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 Mount Mandara his bow, Vasuki the string, Vaiśākha the chariot, and Viṣṇu the supreme arrow.
अग्रे चाग्निं प्रतिष्ठाप्य मुखे वायुः समर्पितः । हयाश्च चतुरो वेदाः सर्वदेवमयं रथम्
Placing fire at the front and offering wind at the mouth, the four Vedas became the horses, and the chariot was composed of all the gods.
चक्रगौ चाश्विनौ देवावक्षं चक्रधरः स्वयम् । स्वयमिंद्रश्च चापांते बाणे वैश्रवणः स्थितः
The Aśvins became the wheels, the bearer of the discus himself was at the axle, Indra himself at the end of the bow, and Vaiśravaṇa stood at the arrow.
यमस्तु दक्षिणे हस्ते वामे कालस्तु दारुणः । चक्राणामारके न्यस्ता गंधर्वा लोकविश्रुताः
Yama was at the right hand, and dreadful Kāla at the left; renowned Gandharvas were placed at the spokes of the wheels.
प्रजापती रथश्रेष्ठे ब्रह्मा चैव तु सारथिः । एवं कृत्वा तु देवेशः सर्वदेवमयं रथम्
The lords of creatures were on the best of chariots, and Brahmā himself was the charioteer; thus, the lord of gods made a chariot composed of all the gods.
सोतिष्ठत्स्थाणुभूतो हि सहस्रं परिवत्सरान् । यदा त्रीणि समेतानि अंतरिक्षचराणि च
He stood there, motionless as a pillar, for a thousand years; when the three aerial cities had come together—
त्रिपुराणि त्रिशल्येन तदा तानि बिभेद सः । शरः प्रचोदितस्तत्र रुद्रेण त्रिपुरं प्रति
Then, with the triple-pointed arrow, he pierced those three cities; the arrow was discharged there by Rudra at Tripura.
भ्रष्टतेजा स्त्रियो जाता बलं तेषां व्यशीर्यत । उत्पाताश्च पुरे तस्मिन्प्रादुर्भूता सहस्रशः
Their brilliance was lost, women were born, their strength was shattered, and thousands of omens appeared in that city.
त्रिपुरस्य विनाशाय कालरूपोभवत्तदा । अट्टहासं प्रमुंचंति रूपाः काष्ठमयास्तथा
For the destruction of Tripura, he became the form of Time; they released loud laughter, and forms of wood likewise appeared.
निमेषोन्मेषणं चैव कुर्वंति चित्रकर्मणा । स्वप्ने पश्यंति चात्मानं रक्तांबरविभूषितम्
They blink and open their eyes, performing wondrous acts, and in dreams they see themselves adorned with red garments.
स्वप्ने पश्यंति ते चैवं विपरीतानि यानि तु । एतान्पश्यति उत्पातांस्तत्र स्थाने तु ये जनाः
In dreams they also see various contrary omens; those people behold these portents in that place.