एषो ऽद्य मे गिरिवरः प्ररुणाद्धि मार्गं विन्ध्यस्य निम्नकरणे भगवन् यतस्व
Today, O Lord, this great mountain blocks my path; strive to make Vindhya lower.
तव किरणजितो भविष्यते महीध्रो मम चरणसम्श्रितस्य का व्यथा ते
This mountain, conquered by your rays, will be under my protection; what distress can there be for you?
जगाम संत्यज्य हि दण्डकं हि विन्ध्याचलं वृद्ध्वपुर्महर्षिः
The great sage, leaving Daṇḍaka, went to Mount Vindhya with his aged body.
वृद्धोस्मयशक्तश्च तवाधिरोढुं तस्माद् भवान् नीचतरो ऽस्तु सद्यः
I am old and weak, unable to climb you; therefore, become lower at once.
समाक्रमच्चापि महर्षिमुक्यः प्रोल्लङ्घ्य विन्ध्यं त्विदमाह शैलम्
The foremost of sages stepped over Vindhya, and, having crossed, spoke to the mountain.
त्वया न तावत्त्विह वर्धितव्यं नो चेद् विशप्स्ये ऽहमवज्ञया ते
You must not grow here until I return; otherwise, I will curse you out of disregard.
आक्रम्य तस्थौ स हि तां तदाशां काले व्रजाम्यत्र यदा मुनीन्द्रः
He stood there, having entered that hope, awaiting the time when the chief of sages would come here.
तत्राथ निक्षिप्य विदर्भपुत्रीं स्वमाश्रमं सौम्यमुपाजगाम
Then, having placed the princess of Vidarbha there, he went to his own gentle hermitage.
शेषं च कालं स हि दण्डकस्थस् तपश्चारामितकान्तिमान् मुनिः
The sage, radiant with ascetic power, remained in Dandaka for the rest of the time, practicing austerities.
नासौ निवृत्तेति मतिं विधाय स संस्थितो नीचतराग्रशृङ्गः
He resolved that he would not withdraw, and so he stayed at the lower peak.
तस्योर्ध्वशृङ्गे मुनिसंस्तुता सा दुर्गा स्थिता दानवनाशनार्थम्
At the upper peak, Durga, praised by sages, stood for the destruction of demons.
सर्वाप्सरोभिः प्रतिरामयन्तः कात्यायनीं तस्थुरपेतशोकाः
All the apsaras, comforting Katyayani, stood there, free from sorrow.
अपश्यतां दानवसत्तमौ द्वौ चण्डश् च मुण्डश्च तपस्विनीं ताम्
Among those who saw, the two foremost demons, Chanda and Munda, beheld the ascetic woman.
दृष्ट्वोचतुस्तौ महिषासुरस्य दूताविदं चण्डमुण्डौ दितीशम्
Seeing her, Chanda and Munda, the messengers of Mahishasura, spoke to the queen of the Daityas.
तत्रास्ति देवी सुमहानुभावा कन्या सुरूपा सुरसुन्दरीणाम्
There is a goddess, a maiden of great power, most beautiful among the divine beauties.
नेत्रैस्त्रिभिस्त्रीणि हुताशनानि जितानि कण्ठेन जितस्तु शङ्खः
With three eyes she has conquered three fires, and with her throat she has subdued the conch.
त्वां सर्वजोतारमिति प्रतर्क्य कुचौ स्मरेणैव कृतौ सुदुर्गौ
Thinking you are the illuminator of all, her breasts have become formidable fortresses by love alone.
पराक्रमं वै भवतो विदित्वा कामेन यन्त्रा इव ते कृतास्तु
Knowing your valor, they have been made like mechanisms by desire.
भयातुरारोहणकातरस्य कामस्य सोपानमिव प्रयुक्तम्
For the fearful, hesitant love, it is as if a staircase has been constructed.
आरोहणे त्वद्भयकातरस्य स्वेदप्रवाहो ऽटसुर मन्मथस्य
In the ascent, for the one fearful of you, O demon, the sweat of Manmatha flows.
तस्यैव लावण्यगृहस्य मुद्रा कन्दर्पराज्ञा स्वयमेव दत्ता
The seal of that house of beauty was given by the king of love himself.
मन्याम तं कामनराधिपस्य प्राकारगुप्तं नगरं सुदुर्गम्
I consider it to be a city, well-fortified, guarded by the ramparts of the lord of desire.
आवासनार्थं मकरध्वजेन जनस्य देशाविव सन्निविष्टौ
For the sake of dwelling, by the god of love, the people have been settled there as in a land.
सृष्ट्वा विधाता हि निरूपणाय श्रान्तस्तथा हस्ततले ददौ हि
Having created, the creator, exhausted, gave it into the palm for examination.
आक्रम्य लोकानिव मिर्मिताया रूपार्जितस्यैव कृताधरौ हि
Having seized the worlds, like one newly created, he stands with his virtue gained only by beauty.
आज्ञापि ताभ्यां नखरत्नमाला नक्षत्रमाला गगने यथैव
By their command, a garland of jewel-like nails appeared, just as a garland of stars in the sky.
दृष्ट्वा यथेष्टं न च विद्म का सा सुताथवा कस्यचिदेव बाला
We saw her as we wished, but we do not know who she is, whose daughter, or merely some young girl.
गत्वात्थ विन्ध्यं स्वयमेव पश्य कुरुष्व यत् ते ऽभिमतं क्षमं च
Go yourself to the Vindhya and see; do what you desire and what is fitting for you.
चक्रे मतिं नात्र विचारमस्ति इत्येवमुक्त्वा महिषो ऽपि नास्ति
He resolved in his mind, without any doubt, and thus spoke: 'There is no buffalo here.'
यस्मिन् यथायानि यतो ऽथविप्र स नीयते वा व्रजति स्वयं वा
Wherever one comes from, O Brahmin, in whatever manner, he is led or goes on his own.