Varaha Purana

सुसितैश्चामरैः स्त्रीभिर्वीज्यमाना विलासिनी । कौमारं व्रतमास्थाय तपः कर्तुं समुद्यता ।। ९१.

Fanned by women with pure whisks, radiant, she undertook the vow of maidenhood, ready to perform austerity.

यौवनस्था महाभागा पीनवृत्तपयोधरा । चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागनागकेसरदामभिः ।। ९१.

In the prime of youth, most fortunate, with full and rounded breasts, adorned with garlands of campaka, ashoka, punnaga, and naga flowers—

सर्वाङ्गेष्वर्चिता देवी ऋषिदेवनमस्कृता । पूज्यमाना वरस्त्रीभिः कुमारीभिः समन्ततः ।। ९१.

The goddess, worshipped on all her limbs, honored by sages and gods, was revered by noble women and maidens all around.

सर्वाङ्गभोगिनी देवी यावदास्ते तपोऽन्विता । तावदागतवांस्तत्र नारदो ब्रह्मणः सुतः ।। ९१.

The goddess, enjoying all delights, remained there engaged in austerity; then, at that time, Narada, son of Brahma, arrived.

तं दृष्ट्वा सहसा देवी ब्रह्मपुत्रं तपोधनम् । विद्युत्प्रभामुवाचेदमासनं दीयतामिति । पाद्यमाचमनीयं च क्षिप्रमस्मै प्रदीयताम् ।। ९१.

Seeing suddenly the ascetic son of Brahma, the goddess said to Vidyutprabha: 'Let a seat be given, and quickly bring water for washing the feet and for sipping.'

एवमुक्ता तदा देव्या कन्या विद्युप्रभा शुभा । आसनं पाद्यमर्घ्यं च नारदाय न्यवेदयत् ।। ९१.

Thus addressed by the goddess, the auspicious maiden Vidyutprabha offered a seat, water for the feet, and arghya to Narada.

ततः कृतासनं दृष्ट्वा प्रणतं नारदं मुनिम् । उवाच वचनं देवी हर्षेण महताऽन्विता ।। ९१.

Then, seeing Narada the sage seated and bowing, the goddess spoke to him, filled with great joy.

स्वागतं भो मुनिश्रेष्ठ कस्माल्लोकादिहागतः । किं कार्यं वद ते कृत्यं मा ते कालात्ययो भवेत् ।। ९१.

'Welcome, best of sages! For what reason have you come here from your world? Tell me what you wish to accomplish, so that no time may be lost for you.'

एवमुक्तस्तदा देव्या नारदः प्राह लोकवित् । ब्रह्मलोकादिन्द्रलोकं तस्माद् रौद्रमथाचलम् ।। ९१.

Thus addressed by the goddess, Narada, knower of the worlds, replied: 'From Brahmaloka to Indraloka, and from there to the fierce mountain, I have come.'

ततस्त्वामिह देवेशि द्रष्टुमभ्यागतः शुभे । एवमुक्त्वा मुनिः श्रीमांस्तां देवीमन्ववेक्षत ।। ९१.

'Therefore, O goddess of the gods, I have come here to see you, O auspicious one.' Having spoken thus, the illustrious sage gazed upon the goddess.

दृष्ट्वा मुहूर्तं देवेशि विस्मितो नारदोऽभवत् । अहो रूपमहो कान्तिरहो धैर्यमहो वयः ।। ९१.

Having looked for a moment, O goddess of the gods, Narada was astonished: 'Ah, what beauty! Ah, what radiance! Ah, what composure! Ah, what youth!'

अहो निष्कामता देव्या इति खेदमुपाययौ । देवगन्धर्वसिद्धानां यक्षकिन्नररक्षसाम् ।। ९१.

'Ah, what freedom from desire in the goddess!'—so thinking, he felt disquiet, for among the gods, gandharvas, siddhas, yakshas, kinnaras, and rakshasas—

न रूपमीदृशं क्वापि स्त्रीष्वन्यासु प्रदृश्यते । एवं संचिन्त्य मनसा नारदो विस्मयान्वितः ।। ९१.

Nowhere among other women is such beauty seen. Thus reflecting in his mind, Narada was filled with wonder.

प्रणम्य देवीं वरदामुत्पपात नभस्तलम् । गतश्च त्त्वरया युक्तः पुरीं दैत्येन्द्रपालिताम् ।। ९१.

Bowing to the boon-bestowing goddess, Narada rose into the sky and, with haste, went to the city ruled by the lord of the daityas.

महिषाख्येन भूतेशि समुद्रान्तःस्थितां पुरीम् । तत्राससाद भगवानसुरं महिषाकृतिम् ।। ९१.

O goddess of the earth, that city named Mahisha, situated at the edge of the ocean—there the blessed one encountered the asura in the form of a buffalo.

दृष्ट्वा लब्धवरं वीरं देवसैन्यान्तकं महत् । स तेन पूजितो भक्त्या तदा लोकचरो मुनिः ।। ९१.

Seeing that mighty hero, granted boons and destroyer of the gods' army, the sage, moving among the worlds, was then worshipped with devotion by him.

प्रीतात्मा नारदस्तस्मै देव्या रूपमनुत्तमम् । आचचक्षे यथान्यायं यद् दृष्टं देवतापुरे ।। ९१.

With a pleased heart, Narada properly described to him the goddess's unsurpassed beauty, just as he had seen in the city of the gods.

नारद उवाच । असुरेन्द्र श्रृणुष्वेकं कन्यारत्नं समाहितः । येन लब्धं तु त्रैलोक्यं वरदानाच्चराचरम् ।। ९१.

Narada said: 'O lord of the asuras, listen attentively to the jewel among maidens, by whom the three worlds and all beings, moving and unmoving, have been obtained through boons.'

ब्रह्मलोकादहं दैत्य मन्दराद्रिमुपागतः । तत्र देवीपुरं दृष्टं कुमारीशतसङ्कुलम् ।। ९१.

'From Brahmaloka I have come, O daitya, to Mount Mandara; there I saw the city of the goddess, crowded with hundreds of maidens.'

तत्र प्रधाना या कन्या तापसी व्रतधारिणी । सा देवदैत्ययक्षाणां मध्ये काचिन्न दृश्यते ।। ९१.

There, the foremost maiden, an ascetic devoted to vows, is not seen among the gods, demons, or yakshas.

यादृशी सा शुभा दैत्य तादृश्येकाण्डमध्यतः । भ्रमता तादृशी दृष्ट्वा न कदाचिन्मया सती ।। ९१.

Such a beautiful one as she, O Daitya, I have never seen, wandering through the entire cosmic egg.

तस्याश्च देवगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । उपासांचक्रिरे सर्वे येऽप्यन्ये दैत्यनायकाः ।। ९१.

All the gods, gandharvas, sages, siddhas, and charanas, as well as other leaders of the daityas, worshipped her.

तां दृष्ट्वा वरदां देवीमहं तूर्णमिहागतः । अजित्वा देवगन्धर्वान् न तां जयति कश्चन ।। ९१.

Having seen that wish-bestowing goddess, I came here quickly; without conquering the gods and gandharvas, no one can win her.

एवमुक्त्वा क्षणं स्थित्वा तमनुज्ञाप्य नारदः । यथागतं ययौ धीमानन्तर्धानेन तत्क्षणात् ।। ९१.

Having spoken thus and standing for a moment, Narada, after taking leave, departed as he had come, vanishing instantly.

श्रीवराह उवाच । गते तु नारदे दैत्यश्चिन्तयामास तां शुभाम् । कथितां नारदमुखाच्छ्रुत्वा विस्मितमानसः ।। ९२.

Sri Varaha said: When Narada had departed, the Daitya, his mind astonished after hearing about that auspicious one from Narada's mouth, began to ponder her.

तामेव चिन्तयन् शर्म न लेभे दैत्यसत्तमः । अलंशर्मा महामन्त्री आनिनाय महाबलः ।। ९२.

Thinking only of her, the best of Daityas found no happiness; the mighty minister Alamsharma was summoned.

तस्याष्टौ मन्त्रिणः शूरा नीतिमन्तो बहुश्रुताः । प्रघसो विघसश्चैव शङ्कुकर्णो विभावसुः । विद्युन्माली सुमाली च पर्जन्यः क्रूर एव च ।। ९२.

His eight ministers were valiant, wise, and learned: Praghasa, Vighasa, Shankukarna, Vibhavasu, Vidyunmali, Sumali, Parjanya, and the fierce one.

एते मन्त्रिवरास्तस्य प्राधान्येन प्रकीर्तिताः । ते दानवेन्द्रमासीनमूचुः कृत्यं विधीयताम् ।। ९२.

These chief ministers were named as his foremost; they said to the lord of the Danavas, who was seated, 'Let the necessary action be done.'

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दानवेन्द्रो महाबलः । उवाच कन्यालाभार्थं नारदावाप्तनिश्चयः ।। ९२.

Hearing their words, the powerful lord of the Danavas, determined by Narada's counsel, spoke for the sake of obtaining the maiden.