वाक् कस्यादेहिनी जाता परं कौतूहलं मम
From whom was this speech born, O bodiless one? My curiosity is great.
निसृष्टवान् भूवलये तुरङ्गं ऋतध्वजस्यैव सुतार्थमाशु
He quickly released the horse into the world for the sake of Ṛtadhvaja’s daughter.
राज्ञः कुवलयाश्वस्य कोर्ऽथो नृपसुतस्य च
What is the purpose of King Kuvalayāśva and the prince?
लावण्यराशिः शशिकान्तितुल्या मदालसा नाम मदालसैव
She is a treasure of beauty, equal to moonlight in radiance, named Madālasā—indeed, Madālasā herself.
पातालकेतुस्तु जहार तन्वीं तस्यार्थतः सो ऽश्ववरः प्रदत्तः
But Pātālaketu carried off the slender maiden; for her sake, that excellent horse was given.
दृष्टो यथा देवपतिर्महेन्द्रः शच्या तथा राजसुतो मृगाक्ष्या
Just as Śacī beheld the lord of the gods, Mahendra, so did the king’s son behold the doe-eyed maiden.
हिरण्याक्षसुतो धीमान् किमचेष्टत वै पुनः
What did the wise son of Hiraṇyākṣa do next?
क्रोधं चक्रे सुदुर्बुद्धिर्देवानां देवसैन्यहा
That extremely wicked-minded slayer of the gods’ army became enraged.
निर्जगामाथ पातालाद् विचचार च मेदिनीम
Then he emerged from the underworld and roamed the earth.
दृष्टा गौरी च गिरिजा सखीमध्ये स्थिताशुभा
He saw Gaurī, the daughter of the mountain, standing among her companions, auspicious in form.
तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं गिरिराजसुतां वने
Seeing her, beautiful in every limb, the mountain king’s daughter, in the forest—
कस्येयं चारुसर्वाङ्गी वने चरति सुन्दरी
‘Whose is this beautiful woman, lovely in every limb, who wanders in the forest?’
तन्मदीयेन जीवेन क्रियते निष्फलेन किम्
‘What use is my life if it is fruitless for me?’
अतो धिङ् मम रूपेण किं स्थिरेण प्रयोजनम्
‘Therefore, shame on my beauty—what is the use of it if it remains unfulfilled?’
यो मामसितकेशां तां योजयेन् मृगलोचनाम्
‘Whoever unites me with that black-haired, doe-eyed woman—’
पिधाय कर्णो हस्ताभ्यां शिरःकम्पं वचो ऽब्रवीत्
Covering his ears with his hands, shaking his head, he spoke these words:
लोकनाथस्य भार्योयं शङ्करस्य त्रिशूलिनः
‘She is the wife of the lord of the worlds, Śaṅkara, the wielder of the trident.’
भवतः परदारोयं मा निमज्ज रसातले
‘She is another’s wife, O lord—do not sink into the underworld!’
शत्रवस्ते प्रकुर्वन्तु परदारावगाहनम्
‘Let your enemies commit the sin of approaching another’s wife.’
दृष्ट्वा सैन्यं विप्रधेनुप्रसक्तं तथ्यं पथ्यं सर्वलोके हितं च
Seeing the army devoted to the cow of the Brāhmaṇas, true, wholesome, and beneficial to all the world—
वरं क्लीबैर्भाव्यं न च परकगलत्राभिगमनं वरं भिक्षार्थित्वं न च परधनास्वादमसकृत्
‘It is better to be impotent than to approach another’s wife; it is better to beg for alms than to enjoy another’s wealth, even once.’
इयं सा शत्रुजननीत्येवमुक्त्वा प्रदुद्रुवे
Saying, ‘She is the mother of enemies,’ he fled.
तान् रुरोध बलान्नन्दी वज्रोद्यतकरो ऽव्ययः
Nandī, unshakable, with uplifted thunderbolt in hand, forcefully blocked them.
कुलिशोनाहतास्तूर्णं जग्मुर्भीता दिशो दश
Struck swiftly by the thunderbolt, they fled in fear to the ten directions.
परिघेण समाहत्य पातयामास नन्दिनम्
He struck Nandi with a club and made him fall.
शतरूपाभवद् गौरी भयात् तस्य दुरात्मनः
Out of fear of that wicked one, Śatarūpā became Gaurī.
यथा वने मत्तकरी परिभ्रमन् करेणुमध्ये मदलोलदृष्टिः
Just as a wild, intoxicated elephant wanders in the forest, its gaze unsteady among the herd of females—
नात्राश्चर्यं न पश्यन्ति चत्वारो ऽमी सदैव हि
There is nothing astonishing here; these four never see at all.
सो ऽपश्यमानो गिरिजां पश्यन्नपि तदान्धकः
Though seeing Girijā, that Andhaka did not truly see her.
ततो देव्या स दुष्टात्मा शतवर्या निराकृतः
Then that evil-minded one was rejected by the goddess, who was like a hundred thunderbolts.