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.
उग्रायुधं चिक्षुररक्तबीजौ समादिदेशाथ महासुरेन्द्रः
Then the great lord of the asuras commanded Ugrāyudha, Cikṣura, and Raktabīja.
आगम्य मूले शिविरं निवेश्य तस्थुश्च सञ्जा दनुनन्दनास्ते
Arriving, they set up camp at the base and stood there, those sons of Danu.
मयस्य पुत्रो रिपुसैन्यमर्दी स दुन्दुभिर्दुन्दुभिनिःखनस्तु
Dundubhi, son of Maya, crusher of enemy armies, the one who strikes the drum.
कुमारि दूतो ऽस्मि महासुरस्य रम्भात्मजस्याप्रतिमस्य युद्धे
O maiden, I am the messenger of the great asura, the matchless son of Rambha, in battle.
वाक्यं च यद्रम्भसुतो बभाषे वदस्व तत्सत्यमपेतमोहः
Speak truly, without delusion, the message that the son of Rambha has spoken.
सुखोपविष्टः परमासने च रम्भात्मजेनोक्तमुवाच वाक्यम्
Seated comfortably on the highest seat, the son of Rambha spoke these words.
यथामरा हीनबलाः पृथिव्यां भ्रमान्ति युद्धे विजिता मया ते
Just as the gods, defeated by me in battle, wander the earth, bereft of strength.
इन्द्रो ऽस्मि रुद्रो ऽस्मि दिवाकरो ऽस्मि सर्वेषु लोक्ष्वधिपो ऽस्मि बाले
I am Indra, I am Rudra, I am the sun; in all the worlds, O girl, I am the lord.
यो मां हि संग्राममुपेयिवांस्तु भूतो न यक्षो न जिजीविषुर्यः
Whoever has faced me in battle, whether spirit or yaksha, none has wished to live.
स्रावणि मामद्य समागतानि वीर्यार्जितानीह विशालनेत्रे
O wide-eyed one, today in the month of Śrāvaṇa, my hard-won achievements have gathered here.