यदि वर्षाधिपो ऽहं स्यां ततो यास्यामि देवताः
If I should become lord of the rains, then I will go, O gods.
तस्यां पुरन्दरः प्रीतः पिण्डं पितृषु भक्तितः
There, Purandara, pleased, offered a rice-ball to the ancestors with devotion.
ततः प्रीतास्तु पितरस्तां प्राहुस्तनयां निजाम
Then, pleased, the ancestors spoke to their own daughter.
प्रीतिमानभवच्चासौ रराम च यथेच्छया
She became joyful and lived as she wished.
अजीजनत् सा तनयाश्च तिस्रो रूपातियुक्ताः सुरयोषितोपमाः
She gave birth to three daughters, endowed with extraordinary beauty, comparable to divine women.
सुनाभ इति च ख्यातश्चतुर्थस्तनयो ऽभवत्
A fourth son was born, known as Sunābha.
रागिणि नाम संजाता ज्येष्ठा मेनासुता मुने
O sage, the eldest daughter of Menā was born with the name Rāgiṇī.
श्वेतमाल्याम्बरधरा कुटिला नाम चापरा
Another, named Kuṭilā, wore white garlands and garments.
रूपेणानुपमा काली जघन्या मेनकासुता
The youngest daughter of Menā, Kālī, was incomparable in beauty.
कर्तुं तपः प्रयातास्ता देवास्ता ददृशुः शुभाः
Those auspicious goddesses set out to perform austerities; the gods saw them.
कुटिला ब३ह्मलोकं तु नीता शशिकरप्रभा
Kuṭilā, radiant as moonlight, was taken to Brahmā's world.
पुत्रं महिषहन्तारं ब्रह्मन् व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
O Brahmin, you should describe the son who will slay the buffalo demon.
शार्वं धारयितुं तेजो वराकी मुच्यातां त्वियम्
Let this unfortunate one be released, so she may bear the energy of Śarva.
तथा यतिष्ये भगवन् यता शार्वं सुदुर्द्धरम्
O Lord, I will strive accordingly, though the energy of Śarva is exceedingly hard to bear.
तपसाहं सुतप्तेन समाराध्य जनार्दनम्
By severe austerity, I will propitiate Janārdana.
तथा देव करिष्यामि सत्यं सत्यं मयोदितम्
O god, I will do so; truly, truly I have spoken.
भगवानादिकृद् ब्रह्मा सर्वेशो ऽपि महामुन्
O great sage, the blessed Brahmā, the primeval lord of all, also (spoke).
तस्मान्मच्छापनिर्दग्धा सर्वा आपो भविष्यसि
Therefore, burned by my curse, you shall become all waters.
आपोमयी ब्रह्मलोकं प्लावयामास वेगिनी
Impelled, she, composed of water, flooded Brahmā's world with her current.
ऋक्सामाथर्वयजुभिर्वाङ्मयैर्बन्धनैर्दृढम्
With the strong bonds of the Ṛk, Sāman, Atharvan, and Yajus Vedas, by means of words,
आपोमयी प्लावयन्ती ब्रह्मणो विमला जटाः
The pure locks of Brahmā, composed of water, overflowed and inundated.
ब्रह्मणे तां निवेद्यैवं तामप्याह प्रजापतिः यथा मन्नामसंयुक्तो महिषघ्नो भविष्यति
Having thus offered it to Brahmā, the Lord of Creatures spoke to her: 'By being mixed with my essence, you shall become the destroyer of the buffalo.'
या मद्वाक्यमलङ्घ्यं वै सुरैर्लङ्घयसे बलात्
You, whose command is untransgressable even by the gods, are forcefully transgressed.
या मद्वाक्यमलङ्घ्यं वै सुरैर्लङ्घयसे बलात्
You, whose command is untransgressable even by the gods, are forcefully transgressed.
प्रतीच्छत् कृत्तिकायोगं शैलेया विग्रहं दृढम्
Receiving the conjunction with Kṛttikā, the daughter of the mountain assumed a firm form.
तपसो वारयमास उमेत्येवाब्रवीच्च सा
She tried to restrain her austerities, but that one spoke thus, approaching.
उमेत्येव हि कन्यायाः सा जगाम तपोवनम्
Having thus approached, that maiden went to the forest of austerities.
रुद्रं चेतसि संधाय तपस्तेपे सुदुष्करम्
Fixing Rudra in her mind, she undertook exceedingly difficult austerities.
इहानयध्वं तां कालीं तपस्यन्तीं हिमालये
Bring here that Kālī, who is performing austerities in the Himalayas.
तेजसा विजितास्तस्या न शेकुरुपसर्पितुम्
Overpowered by her radiance, they were unable to approach her.