दृष्ट्वातद्रघुनाथस्य भ्राता देवालयं वरम् । पप्रच्छ सुमतिं स्वीयं मंत्रिणं वदतांवरम्
Seeing that excellent temple of Raghunātha's brother, he questioned his wise minister, foremost among speakers.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। वदामात्य वरेदं किं कस्यदेवस्य केतनम् । का देवता पूज्यतेऽत्र कस्य हेतोः स्थितानघ
Shatrughna said: O best of ministers, tell me, whose shrine is this? Which deity is worshipped here, and for what reason does it stand, O sinless one?
एवमाकर्ण्य यथावदिहसर्वशः
Hearing this, as it was, in every detail—
कामाक्षायाः परं स्थानं विद्धि विश्वैकशर्मदम् । यस्या दर्शनमात्रेण सर्वसिद्धिः प्रजापते
Know this as the supreme abode of Kāmākṣā, the sole giver of happiness to the world; by her mere sight, O Lord of Creatures, all attainments are gained.
देवासुरास्तु यां स्तुत्वा नत्वा प्राप्ताखिलां श्रियम् । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां दात्री भक्तानुकंपिनी
The gods and asuras, having praised and bowed to her, obtained all prosperity; she is the giver of dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation, compassionate to her devotees.
याचिता सुमदेनात्राहिच्छत्रा पतिना पुरा । स्थिता करोति सकलं भक्तानां दुःखहारिणी
Once, at the request of Sumada, king of Ahicchatra, she remained here, fulfilling all desires of her devotees and removing their suffering.
तां नमस्कुरु शत्रुघ्न सर्ववीर शिरोमणे । नत्वाशु सिद्धिं प्राप्नोषि ससुरासुरदुर्ल्लभाम्
Bow to her, O Shatrughna, jewel among all heroes; by bowing, you will swiftly attain success, difficult even for gods and asuras.
इति श्रुत्वाथ तद्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुतापनः । पप्रच्छ सकलां वार्तां भवान्याः पुरुषर्षभः
Hearing these words, Shatrughna, the tormentor of foes, the best of men, then asked for the complete story of Bhavānī.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कोऽहिच्छत्रापती राजा सुमदः किं तपः कृतम् । येनेयं सर्वलोकानां माता तुष्टात्र संस्थिता
Shatrughna said: Who is the king Sumada of Ahicchatra? What austerity did he perform, by which this Mother of all worlds became pleased and established here?
वद सर्वं महामात्य नानार्थपरिबृंहितम् । यथावत्त्वं हि जानासि तस्माद्वद महामते
Tell me everything, O great minister, in all its aspects; for you know it well, therefore speak, O wise one.
सुमतिरुवाच। हेमकूटो गिरिः पूतः सर्वदेवोपशोभितः । तत्रास्ति तीर्थं विमलमृषिवृंदसुसेवितम्
Sumati said: There is the pure Hemakūṭa mountain, adorned by all the gods; there is a holy bathing place, pure and well-served by groups of sages.
सुमदो हि तपस्तेपे हतमातृपितृप्रजः । अरिभिः सर्वसामंतैर्जगाम तपसे हि तम्
Sumada, bereft of mother, father, and children, performed austerity there; attacked by enemies from all sides, he went to that place for penance.
वर्षाणि त्रीणि सपदा त्वेकेन मनसा स्मरन् । जगतां मातरं दध्यौ नासाग्रस्तिमितेक्षणः
For three years and a quarter, with unwavering mind, he meditated on the Mother of the worlds, his gaze fixed steadily at the tip of his nose.
वर्षाणि त्रीणि शुष्काणां पर्णानां भक्षणं चरन् । चकार परमुग्रं स तपः परमदुश्चरम्
For three years, subsisting only on dry leaves, he performed an extremely severe and supremely difficult austerity.
अब्दानि त्रीणि सलिले शीतकाले ममज्ज सः । ग्रीष्मे चचार पंचाग्नीन्प्रावृट्सु जलदोन्मुखः
For three years, during the cold season, he immersed himself in water; in the summer, he practiced the five-fire penance, and in the rainy season, he faced the clouds.
त्रीणि वर्षाणि पवनं संरुध्य स्वांतगोचरम् । भवानीं संस्मरन्धीरो न च किंचन पश्यति
For three years, restraining his breath within his own heart, the steadfast one remembered Bhavani and saw nothing else.
वर्षे तु द्वादशेऽतीते दृष्ट्वैतत्परमं तपः । विभाव्य मनसातीव शक्रः पस्पर्ध तं भयात्
When the twelfth year had passed and this supreme austerity was seen, Indra, deeply considering it in his mind, became fearful and competed with him.
आदिदेश सकामं तु परिवारपरीवृतम् । अप्सरोभिः सुसंयुक्तं ब्रह्मेंद्रादिजयोद्यतम्
He commanded Kama, surrounded by his retinue and joined by beautiful apsarases, ready to conquer even Brahma and Indra.
गच्छ कामसखे मह्यं प्रियमाचर मोहन । सुमदस्य तपोविघ्नं समाचर यथा भवेत्
Go, friend of Kama, do what pleases me and enchants; cause an obstacle to Sumada's austerity, so that it may be disrupted.
इति श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं तुरासाहः स्वयंप्रभुः । उवाच विश्वविजये प्रौढगर्वो रघूद्वह
Hearing this great command, Turasaha, the self-lord, spoke with proud confidence in universal conquest, O best of the Raghus.
काम उवाच। स्वामिन्कोऽसौ हि सुमदः किं तपः स्वल्पकं पुनः । ब्रह्मादीनां तपोभंगं करोम्यस्य तु का कथा
Kama said: 'This Sumada is your servant—what is this small austerity to him? I have broken the austerities of Brahma and others; what need is there to speak of his?'
मद्बाणबलनिर्भिन्नश्चंद्रस्तारां गतः पुरा । त्वमप्यहल्यां गतवान्विश्वामित्रस्तु मेनिकाम्
'By the force of my arrows, the moon once went to the stars; you too went to Ahalya, and Visvamitra to Menaka.'
चिंतां मा कुरु देवेंद्र सेवके मयि संस्थिते । एष गच्छामि सुमदं देवान्पालय मारिष
'Do not worry, O Indra, while I, your servant, am here; I will go to Sumada—protect the gods, O slayer of foes.'
एवमुक्त्वा कामदेवो हेमकूटं गिरिं ययौ । वसंतेन युतः सख्या तथैवाप्सरसांगणैः
Having spoken thus, Kamadeva went to Mount Hemakuta, accompanied by his friend Spring and the hosts of apsarases.
वसंतस्तत्र सकलान्वृक्षान्पुष्पफलैर्युतान् । कोकिलान्षट्पदश्रेण्या घुष्टानाशु चकार ह
There, Spring quickly made all the trees full of flowers and fruits, and filled the air with the calls of cuckoos and swarms of bees.
वायुः सुशीतलो वाति दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रितः । कृतमालासरित्तीर लवंगकुसुमान्वितः
A pleasantly cool breeze blew from the south, along the banks of the Krtamala river, scented with clove blossoms.
एवंविधे वने वृत्ते रंभानामाप्सरोवरा । सखीभिः संवृता तत्र जगाम सुमदांतिकम्
In such a forest, the best of apsarases, Rambha, surrounded by her companions, went there to approach Sumada.
तत्रारभत गानं सा किन्नरस्वरशोभना । मृदंगपणवानेकवाद्यभेदविशारदा
There she began to sing, her voice adorned with the tones of kinnara, skilled in playing many instruments like the mridanga and panava.
तद्गानमाकर्ण्य नराधिपोऽसौ । वसंतमालोक्य मनोहरं च । तथान्यपुष्टारटितं मनोरमं । चकार चक्षुः परिवर्तनं बुधः
Hearing that song, the king, seeing Spring and the enchanting sights, and the delightful cries of other birds, moved his eyes about in wonder.
तं प्रबुद्धं नृपं वीक्ष्य कामः पुष्पायुधस्त्वरन् । चकार सत्वरं सज्यं धनुस्तत्पृष्ठतोऽनघ
Seeing the king awakened, Kama, armed with his flower-bow, swiftly prepared his bow and stood behind him, O sinless one.