याम्यां रक्षस्व मां विष्णो त्वमाहं शरणं गतः
In the south, protect me, O Viṣṇu; I have come to you for refuge.
प्रतीच्यां रक्ष मे विष्णो भवन्तं शरणं गतः
In the west, protect me, O Viṣṇu; I have come to you for refuge.
उत्तरस्यां जगन्नाथ भवन्तं शरणं गतः
In the north, O Lord of the universe, I have come to you for refuge.
नमस्ते रक्ष रक्षघ्न ऐशान्यां शरणं गतः
Salutations! Protect me, destroyer of harm, in the northeast; I have come to you for refuge.
प्रगृहय् रक्ष मां विष्णो आग्नेय्यां यज्ञसूकर
O Viṣṇu, hold me fast and protect me in the southeast, O Boar of the sacrifice.
नैरृत्यां मां च रक्षस्व दिव्यमूर्ते नृकेसरिन्
In the southwest, protect me, O Divine Form, O Man-Lion.
वायव्यां रक्ष मां देव अश्वशीर्ष नमो ऽस्तु ते
In the northwest, protect me, O God with the horse's head; salutations to you.
मां त्वं रक्षाजित सदा नमस्ते त्वपराजति
Always protect me, O Unconquered One; salutations to you, O Invincible One.
अकूपार नमस्तुभ्यं महामोह नमो ऽस्तु ते
O Boundless One, salutations to you; O Great Delusion, salutations to you.
कृत्वा रक्षस्व मां देव नमस्ते पुरुषोत्तम
Having done so, protect me, O God; salutations to you, O Supreme Person.
पुरा रक्षार्थमीशेन कात्यायन्या द्विजोत्तम
Formerly, for the sake of protection, O best of twice-born, by Īśa and Kātyāyanī...
नमरं रक्तबीजं च तथान्यान् सुरकण्टकान्
Namara and Raktabīja, and likewise other thorns among the gods...
नमरं रक्तबीजं च तथान्यान् कुरकण्टकान्
Namara and Raktabīja, and likewise other thorns among the Kurus...
एतद्विस्तरतस्तात यथावद् वक्तुमर्हसिः
This, in detail, O dear one, you should narrate properly.
सर्वदा वरदा दुर्गा येयं कात्यायनी मुने
She who is Kātyāyanī, O sage, is always the boon-giving Durgā.
रम्भश्चैव करम्भश् च द्वावास्तां सुमाबलौ
Rambha and Karambha—these two were of great strength.
बहून् वर्षगणान् दैत्यौ स्थितौ पञ्चनदे जले
The two Daityas remained for many years in the waters of the five rivers.
करम्भश्चैव रम्भश्च यक्षं मालपटं प्रति
Karambha and Rambha, towards the Yakṣa Mālapaṭa...
चरणाभ्यां समादाय निजघान यथेच्छया
Taking him with their feet, they struck him as they wished.
वह्नौ स्वशीर्षं संक्षिद्य होतुमैच्चन् महाबलः
The mighty one, pressing his own head into the fire, wished to offer it as an oblation.
छेत्तुकामो निजं शीर्षं वह्निना प्रतिषेधितः
Desiring to cut off his own head, he was restrained by the fire.
दुस्तरा परवध्यापि स्ववध्याप्यतिदुस्तरा
Difficult to cross is one destined to be slain by another; but one destined to self-destruction is even harder to overcome.
मा म्रियस्व मृतस्येह नष्टा भवति वै कथा
Do not die; for when one is dead, all stories here are lost.
त्रैलोक्यविजयी पुत्रः स्यान्मे त्वत्तेजसाधिकः
May my son, by your surpassing energy, become the conqueror of the three worlds.
महाबलो वायुरिव कामरूपी कृतास्त्रवित्
He will be mighty, like the wind, able to assume any form at will, and skilled in the use of weapons.
यस्यां चित्तं समालम्बि करिष्यसि ततः सुतः
Whatever you set your mind upon, my son, that shall you accomplish.
द्रष्टुं मालवटं यक्षं यक्षैश्च परिवारितम्
To see the Yaksha Malavata, surrounded by other Yakshas,
गजश्च महिषाश्चाश्वा गावो ऽजाविपरिप्लुताः
There were elephants, buffaloes, horses, cows, and flocks of goats and sheep.
महिष्यां रूपयुक्तायां त्रिहायण्यां तपोधन
In the queen, endowed with beauty, in Trihāyaṇī, O ascetic rich in austerity,
स चापि गमनं चक्रे भवितव्यप्रचोदितः
And he set out on his journey, impelled by destiny.