आदित्यैर्वसुभिः साध्यै रुद्रैश्च निहता भृशम् । असुरा यातुधानाश्च संख्यापूरणकेवलाः ।। ९३.
The Asuras and Yātudhānas were struck down in great numbers by the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, and Rudras, their ranks replenished only by counting.
देवानामपि सैन्यानि निहतान्यसुरैर्युधि । एवं भूते तदा भग्ने देवेन्द्रे विद्रुताः सुराः ।। ९३.
The armies of the gods too were struck down by the Asuras in battle; in this way, when defeat befell the gods, the Devas fled, abandoning Indra.
अर्दिता विविधैः शस्त्रैः शूलपट्टिशमुद्गरैः । गतवन्तो ब्रह्मलोकमसुरैरर्दिताः सुराः ।। ९३.
Afflicted by various weapons—spears, pattiśas, and maces—the gods, tormented by the Asuras, went to the world of Brahmā.
श्रीवराह उवाच । अथ विद्युत्प्रभो दैत्यस्तथा दूतो विसर्जितः । देव्याः सकाशं गत्वाऽसौ तामुवाच सुमध्यमाम् ।। ९४.
Śrī Varāha said: Then the Daitya Vidyutprabha, sent as a messenger, went to the goddess and addressed her, she of slender waist.
प्रणम्य प्रयतो भूत्वा कुमारीशतसंकुलाम् । आस्थाने विनयापन्नस्ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ९४.
After bowing with devotion and composure, he approached the place crowded with hundreds of maidens, and then, with humility, spoke these words.
विद्युत्प्रभ उवाच । देवि पूर्वमृषिस्त्वासीदादिसर्गे कसंभवः । सखा सारस्वतो जातः सुपार्श्वो नाम वै विभुः ।। ९४.
Vidyutprabha said: O goddess, in the beginning of creation there was a sage, born at that time, whose name was Supārśva, a friend of Sarasvata, renowned and powerful.
तस्याभवन्महातेजाः सिन्धुद्वीपः प्रतापवान् । स हि तीव्रं तपस्तेपे माहिष्मत्यां पुरोत्तमे ।। ९४.
His son was the mighty Sindhudvīpa, full of great energy; he performed intense austerities in the illustrious city of Māhiṣmatī.
कुर्वतस्तु तपो घोरं निराहारस्य शोभने । आद्या तु विप्रचित्तेस्तु सुता सुरसुतोपमा । माहिष्मतीति विख्याता रूपेणासदृशी भुवि ।। ९४.
While he was engaged in severe penance, abstaining from food, the eldest daughter of Vipracitti, equal to the daughters of the gods, became famous on earth as Māhiṣmatī, unmatched in beauty.
सा सखीभिः परिवृता विहरन्ती यदृच्छया । आगता मन्दरद्रोणीं तत्रापश्यत् तपोवनम् । मुनेरम्बरसंज्ञस्य विविधद्रुममालिनम् ।। ९४.
Surrounded by her companions, she was wandering about as she pleased, and came to the slopes of Mount Mandara, where she saw the hermitage of the sage named Ambara, adorned with many kinds of trees.
लतागृहैस्तु विविधैर्वकुलैर्लकुचैस्तथा । चन्दनैः स्पन्दनैः शालैः सरलैरुपशोभितम् । विचित्रवनखण्डैश्च भूषितं तु महात्मनः ।। ९४.
It was beautified by various bowers of creepers, vakula and lakucha trees, as well as sandalwood, spandana, śāla, and sarala trees, and decorated with diverse forest groves belonging to the great-souled sage.
दृष्ट्वाश्रमपदं रम्यं सासुरी कन्यका शुभम् । माहिष्मती वरारोहा चिन्तयामास भामिनी ।। ९४.
Seeing the delightful hermitage, the auspicious demon maiden Māhiṣmatī, of excellent form, began to ponder.
भीषयित्वाहमेनं तु तापसं त्वाश्रमे स्वयम् । तिष्ठामि क्रीडती सार्धं सखीभिः परमार्चिता ।। ९४.
"I will frighten this ascetic myself here in his hermitage, and remain here playing with my companions, greatly honored."
एवं संचिन्त्य सा देवी महिषी संबभूव ह । सखीभिः सह विश्वेशि तीक्ष्णश्रृङ्गाग्रधारिणी ।। ९४.
Thinking thus, that goddess, O mistress of the universe, assumed the form of a buffalo, bearing sharp-tipped horns, together with her companions.
तमृषिं भीषितुं ताभिः सह गत्वा वरानना । असौ बिभीषितस्ताभिस्तां ज्ञात्वा ज्ञानचक्षुषा । आसुरीं क्रोधसंपन्नः शशाप शुभलोचनाम् ।। ९४.
Accompanied by them, the beautiful-faced one went to frighten the sage; but perceiving her true nature with his eye of knowledge, he, filled with anger, cursed the auspicious-eyed demon maiden.
यस्माद् भीषयसे मां त्वं महिषीरूपधारिणी । अतो भव महिष्येव पापकर्मे शतं समाः ।। ९४.
"Because you frighten me, taking the form of a buffalo, therefore, O doer of evil, become a buffalo for a hundred years."
एवमुक्ता ततः सा तु सखीभिः सह वेपती । पादयोर्न्यपतत् तस्य शापान्तं कुरु जल्पती ।। ९४.
Thus addressed, she trembled along with her companions, and fell at his feet, murmuring, "End the curse."
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा स मुनिः करुणान्वितः । शापान्तमकरोत् तस्या वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ।। ९४.
Hearing her words, the sage, filled with compassion, granted her release from the curse and spoke these words.
अनेनैव स्वरूपेण पुत्रमेकं प्रसूय वै । शापान्तो भविता भद्रे मद्वाक्यं न मृषा भवेत् ।। ९४.
"By giving birth to a son in this very form, O blessed one, the curse will end; my words shall not be in vain."
एवमुक्ता गता सा तु नर्मदातीरमुत्तमम् । यत्र तेपे तपो घोरं सिन्धुद्वीपो महातपाः ।। ९४.
Thus addressed, she went to the excellent bank of the Narmadā, where Sindhudvīpa, the great ascetic, was performing severe penance.
तत्र चेन्दुमती नाम दैत्यकन्याऽतिरूपिणी । सा दृष्टा तेन मुनिना विवस्त्रा मज्जती जले ।। ९४.
There, a demon maiden named Endumatī, of surpassing beauty, was seen by that sage, unclothed, plunging into the water.
चस्कन्द स मुनिः शुक्रं शिलाद्रोण्यां महातपाः । तच्च माहिष्मती दृष्ट्वा दिव्यगन्धि सुगन्धि च । ततः सखीरुवाचेदं पिबामीदं जलं शुभम् ।। ९४.
The great ascetic's semen fell on a rocky slope; Māhiṣmatī, seeing it, fragrant with a divine scent, said to her companion, "I will drink this pure water."
एवमुक्त्वा तु सा पीत्वा तच्छुक्रं मुनिसंभवम् । प्राप्ता गर्भं मुनेर्बीजात् सुषाव च तदा सतो ।। ९४.
Having said this, she drank the sage's semen mixed with water, and thus, from the sage's seed, she conceived and gave birth at that time.
तस्याः पुत्रोऽभवद् धीमान् महाबलपराक्रमः । महिषेति स्मृतो नाम्ना ब्रह्मवंशविवर्धनः । स त्वां वरयते देवि देवसैन्यविमर्दनः ।। ९४.
Her son was wise, of great strength and valor; he was known by the name Mahisha, the enhancer of the Brahma lineage. He now seeks you, O goddess, the one who crushes the armies of the gods.
स सुरानपि जित्वाऽऽजौ त्रैलोक्यं च तवानघे । दास्यते देवि सुप्रोतस्तव सर्वं महासुरः । तस्यात्मोपप्रदानेन कुरु देवि महत् कृतम् ।। ९४.
Having conquered even the gods in battle and the three worlds, O faultless one, that great asura will give you everything, O goddess, well-protected. By offering himself, O goddess, accomplish a great deed.
एवमुक्ता तदा देवी तेन दूतेन शोभना । जहास परमा देवी वाक्यं नोवाच किञ्चन ।। ९४.
Thus addressed by that messenger, the radiant goddess laughed; the supreme goddess spoke not a single word.
तस्या हसन्त्या दूतोऽसौ त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । ददर्श कुक्षौ संभ्रान्तस्तत्क्षणात् समपद्यत ।। ९४.
As she laughed, the messenger, bewildered, saw the entire universe of moving and unmoving beings within her belly, and at that moment he was overcome.
ततो देव्याः प्रतीहारी जया नामातितेजना । देव्या हृदि स्थितं वाक्यमुवाच तनुमध्यमा ।। ९४.
Then the goddess’s attendant, named Jaya, exceedingly powerful, spoke the words held in the goddess’s heart, she of slender waist.
जया उवाच । कन्यार्थी वदते यद्धि तत्त्वया समुदीरितम् । यदि नाम व्रतं चास्याः कौमारं सार्वकालिकम् । अपि चान्याः कुमार्योऽत्र सन्ति देव्याः पदानुगाः ।। ९४.
Jaya said: What you have spoken regarding seeking the maiden has been expressed by you. If indeed her vow of maidenhood is eternal, there are other maidens here who follow the goddess.
तासामेकाऽपि नो लभ्या किमु देवी स्वयं शुभा । याहि दूत त्वरन् मा ते किञ्चिदन्यद् भविष्यति ।। ९४.
Not even one of them is attainable, let alone the auspicious goddess herself. Go, messenger, hasten; nothing else will come of this for you.
एवमुक्तो गतो दूतस्तावद् व्योम्नि महामुनिः । आयातो नारदस्तूर्णं नृत्यन्नुच्चैर्महातपाः ।। ९४.
Thus addressed, the messenger departed, and at that moment the great sage Narada arrived swiftly in the sky, dancing loudly, possessed of great austerity.