Varaha Purana

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.

महिष उवाच । मह्यं तु कथिता बाला नारदेन महर्षिणा । सा चाजित्य सुराध्यक्षं न लभ्येत वराङ्गना ।। ९२.

Mahisha said: 'The girl was described to me by the great sage Narada; that excellent woman cannot be attained without conquering the chief of the gods.'

एतदर्थं भवन्तो वै कथयन्तु विमृश्य वै । कथं सा लभ्यते बाला कथं देवाश्च निर्जिताः । भवेयुरिति तत्सर्वं कथयन्तु द्रुतं मम ।। ९२.

For this purpose, you all should consider and tell me: how can that girl be obtained, and how can the gods be defeated? Tell me all this quickly.

एवमुक्तास्ततः सर्वे कथयामासुरञ्जसा । ऊचुः संमन्त्र्य ते सर्वे कथयामो वयं प्रभो ।। ९२.

Thus addressed, they all promptly spoke; after conferring together, they said, 'We shall tell you, lord.'

एवमुक्तस्तथोवाच प्रघसो दानवेश्वरम् । या सा ते कथिता दैत्य नारदेन महासती । सा शक्तिः परमा देवी वैष्णवी लोकधारिणी ।। ९२.

Thus addressed, Praghasa spoke to the lord of the Danavas: 'That one whom Narada described to you, O Daitya, that supremely virtuous one, is the supreme goddess, the Vaishnavi, the sustainer of the worlds.'

गुरुपत्नी राजपत्नी तथा सामन्तयोषितः । जिघृक्षन् नश्यते राजा तथागम्यागमेन च ।। ९२.

A king who desires to seize the wife of a teacher, the wife of another king, or the wives of vassals, perishes, as does one who approaches the unattainable.

प्रघसेनैवमुक्तस्तु विघसो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । सम्यगुक्तं प्रघसेन तां देवीं प्रति पार्थिव ।। ९२.

When Praghasa had spoken thus, Vighasa said: 'What Praghasa has said about that goddess is correct, O king.'

यदि नाम मतैक्यं तु बुद्धिः स्मरणमागता । वरणीया कुमारी तु सर्वदा विजिगीषुभिः । न स्वतन्त्रेण कन्यायाः कार्यं क्वापि प्रकर्षणम् ।। ९२.

Even if there is unity of opinion and the mind is resolved, the maiden is always to be sought by those who desire victory; yet, a maiden should never be seized by force anywhere.

यदि वो रोचते वाक्यं मदीयं मन्त्रिसत्तमाः । तदानीं तां शुभां देवीं गत्वा याचन्तु मन्त्रिणः ।। ९२.

If my words please you, O best of ministers, then let the ministers go and request that auspicious goddess.

यो महात्मा भवेत् तस्या बन्धुस्तं याचयामहे । साम्नैवादौ ततः पश्चात् करिष्यामः प्रदानकम् । ततो भेदं करिष्यामस्ततो दण्डं क्रमेण च ।। ९२.

We shall request her kinsman, who is noble, for her; first with conciliation, then with gifts; then we shall employ division, and finally, punishment, in due order.

अनेन क्रमयोगेन यदि सा नैव लभ्यते । ततः सन्नह्य गच्छामो बलाद् गृह्णीम तां शुभाम् ।। ९२.

If, by this sequence, she is not obtained, then we shall go forth fully armed and seize that auspicious one by force.

विघसेनैवमुक्ते तु शेषास्तु मन्त्रिणो वचः । शुभमूचुः प्रशंसन्तः सर्वे हर्षितया गिरा ।। ९२.

When Vighasa had spoken thus, the remaining ministers, all praising his auspicious words, spoke joyfully.

साधूक्तं विघसेनेदं यत् तां प्रति वराननाम् । तदेव क्रियतां शीघ्रं दूतस्तत्र विसर्ज्यताम् ।। ९२.

Vighasa has spoken well regarding her of radiant face; let this be done quickly, let a messenger be dispatched there.

यः सर्वशास्त्रनीतिज्ञः शुचिः शौर्यसमन्वितः । तस्माज् ज्ञात्वा तु तां देवीं वर्णतो रूपतो गुणैः ।। ९२.

He who knows all the policies of the scriptures, who is pure and endowed with valor, should ascertain her—by her appearance, form, and qualities.

पराक्रमेण शौर्येण शौण्डीर्येण बलेन च । बन्धुवर्गेण सामग्र्य स्थानेन करणेन च । एवं ज्ञात्वा तु तां देवीं ततः कार्यं विधीयताम् ।। ९२.

By prowess, courage, heroism, strength, kinship, resources, position, and means—having thus understood the queen, then let the action be undertaken.

ततः सपदि दैत्यस्य तद्वचः साधु साध्विति । प्रशशंसुर्वरारोहे विघसं मन्त्रिसत्तमम् ।। ९२.

Then, immediately, the daitya's words were praised as excellent by the radiant ones, who commended Vighasa, the foremost among ministers.

प्रशस्य सर्वे तं दूतं संदेष्टुमुपचक्रमुः । विद्युत्प्रभं महाभागं महामायाविदं शुभम् ।। ९२.

All praised that messenger and began to send him forth—Vidyutprabha, greatly fortunate, skilled in great magic, and auspicious.

विसर्जयित्वा तं दूतं विघसो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । संनह्यन्तां दानवेन्द्राश्चतुरङ्गबलेन ह । क्रियतां विजयस्तावद् देवसैन्यं प्रति प्रभो ।। ९२.

After dispatching the messenger, Vighasa spoke: Let the lords of the Danavas be armed with fourfold forces; let victory be achieved over the army of the gods, O master.

असुरेन्द्र सुरैर्भग्नैस्तत् पराक्रमभीषिता । सा कन्या वशतामेति त्वयि शक्रसमागते ।। ९२.

When the gods are defeated by the lord of the asuras, and their valor is subdued, then that maiden will come under your control, O Indra's equal.

लोकपालैर्जितैः सर्वैस्तथैव मरुतां गणैः । नागैर्विद्याधरैः सिद्धैर्गन्धर्वैः सर्वतो जितैः । रुद्रैर्वसुभिरादित्यैस्त्वमेवेन्द्रो भविष्यसि ।। ९२.

When all the guardians of the worlds, the hosts of Maruts, Nagas, Vidyadharas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Rudras, Vasus, and Adityas are conquered everywhere, then you alone will become Indra.

इन्द्रस्य ते शतं कन्या देवगन्धर्वयोषितः । वशमायान्ति साऽपि स्यात् सर्वथा वशमागता ।। ९२.

A hundred maidens of Indra, divine and Gandharva women, will come under your sway; she too will certainly be brought under your control in every way.