निधिरेष महापद्मः समानीतो धनेश्वरात् । किञ्जल्किनीं ददौ चाब्धिर्मालामम्लानपङ्कजाम्
This great treasure, Mahāpadma, has been brought from the lord of wealth; and the ocean has given a garland of unfading lotus flowers with filaments.
छत्रं ते वारुणं गेहे काञ्चनस्त्रावि तिष्ठति । तथायं स्यन्तनवरो यः पुरासीत् प्रजापतेः
The Varuṇa’s golden umbrella stands in your house, streaming with radiance; and here is the foremost chariot, which once belonged to Prajāpati.
मृत्योरुत्क्रान्तिदा नाम शक्तिरीश त्वया हृता । पाशः सलिलराजस्य भ्रातुस्तव परिग्रहे
O Lord, the power called Utkrāntidā, which brings about death, has been taken by you; and the noose of the Lord of Waters, your brother, is now in your possession.
निशुम्भस्याब्धिजाताश्च समस्ता रत्नजातयः । वह्निरपि ददौ तुभ्यमग्निशौचे च वाससी
All the jewels born from the ocean, belonging to Niśumbha, have been given to you; even the fire has offered you garments purified by fire.
एवं दैत्येन्द्र रत्नानि समस्तान्याहृतानि ते । स्त्रीरत्नमेषा कल्याणी त्वया कस्मान्न गृह्यते
Thus, O Lord of the Daityas, all the jewels have been brought to you; yet, why do you not take this jewel among women, this auspicious lady?
निशम्येति वचः शुम्भः स तदा चण्डमुण्डयोः । प्रेषयामास सुग्रीवं दूतं देव्या महासुरः
Hearing these words, then Śumbha, the great Asura, sent Sugrīva, the messenger, through Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, to the Goddess.
इति चेति च वक्तव्या सा गत्वा वचनान्मम । यथा चाभ्येति संप्रीत्या तथा कार्यं त्वया लघु
Go and say this and this to her on my behalf; and as she responds with favor, so you must act quickly.
स तत्र गत्वा यत्रास्ते शैलोद्देशे ऽतिशोभने । तां च देवीं ततः प्राह श्लक्ष्णं मधुरया गिरा
He went there, to that most splendid mountain region where the Goddess was, and addressed her with gentle and sweet words.
देवि दैत्येश्वरः शुम्भस्त्रैलोक्ये परमेश्वरः । दूतो ऽहं प्रेषितस्तेन त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः
O Goddess, Śumbha, lord of the demons, is the supreme ruler of the three worlds; I am his messenger, sent here to you.
अव्याहताज्ञः सर्वासु यः सदा देवयोनिषु । निर्जिताखिलदैत्यारिः स यदाह शृणुष्व तत्
He whose commands are never obstructed among all the divine beings, who has conquered all the enemies of the demons—listen to what he says.
मम त्रैलोक्यमखिलं मम देवा वशानुगाः । यज्ञभागानहं सर्वानुपाश्नामि पृथक् पृथक्
The entire three worlds are mine; the gods are all subject to my will; I alone partake of all the shares of sacrifice, each one separately.
त्रैलोक्ये वररत्नानि मम वश्यान्यशेषतः । तथैव गजरत्नं च हृत्वा देवेन्द्रवाहनम्
The best jewels in the three worlds are all completely under my control; likewise, the elephant-jewel, the vehicle of the king of the gods, was seized by me.
क्षीरोदमथनोद्भूतमश्वरत्नं ममामरैः । उच्चैः श्रवससंज्ञं तत्प्रणिपत्य समर्पितम्
The horse-jewel, which arose from the churning of the milk ocean, named Uccaiḥśravas, was respectfully offered to me by the immortals.
यानि चान्यानि देवेषु गन्धर्वेषूरगेषु च । रत्नभूतानि भूतानि तानि मय्येव शोभने
And whatever other precious beings exist among the gods, the gandharvas, and the serpents, O beautiful one, all those are with me alone.
स्त्रीरत्नभूतां त्वां देवि लोके मन्यामहे वयम् । सा त्वमस्मानुपागच्छ यतो रत्नभुजो वयम्
O Devi, we consider you to be the jewel among women in this world; therefore, come to us, for we are the possessors of jewels.
मां वा ममानुजं वापि निशुम्भमुरुविक्रमम् । भज त्वं चञ्चलापाङ्गि रत्नभूतासि वै यतः
O you of restless glance, since you are indeed a jewel, choose either me or my younger brother Niśumbha, of great prowess.
परमैश्वर्यमतुलं प्राप्स्यसे मत्परिग्रहात् । एतद् बुद्ध्या समालोच्य मत्परिग्रहतां व्रज
By accepting me, you will obtain incomparable and supreme sovereignty; consider this carefully and accept my proposal.
इत्युक्ता सा तदा देवी गम्भीरान्तः स्मिता जगौ । दुर्गा भगवती भद्रा ययेदं धार्यते जगत्
Thus addressed, the Devi, Durga, the blessed one who sustains this world, smiled deeply and spoke.
सत्यमुक्तत्वया नात्र मिथ्या किञ्चित्त्वयोदितम् । त्रैलोक्याधिपतिः सुम्भो निशुम्भश्चापि तादृशः
What you have said is true; there is nothing false in your words. Sumbha is the lord of the three worlds, and Niśumbha is likewise.
किं त्वत्र यत्प्रतिज्ञातं मिथ्या तत्क्रियते कथम् । श्रूयतामल्पबुद्धित्वात् प्रतिज्ञा या कृता पुरा
But how can what has been promised here be made false? Listen, since you are of little understanding, to the vow that was made before.
यो मां जयति संग्रामे यो मे दर्पं व्यपोहति । यो मे प्रतिबलो लोके स मे भर्ता भविष्यति
Whoever defeats me in battle, whoever dispels my pride, whoever stands as my equal in the world—he shall become my husband.
तदागच्छतु शुम्भो ऽत्र निशुम्भो वा महासुरः । मां जित्वा किं चिरेणात्र पाणि गृह्णातु मे लघु
Let Shumbha or Nishumbha, the great demon, come here; having conquered me, why delay? Let him quickly take my hand.
अवलिप्तासि मैवं त्वं देवि ब्रूहि ममाग्रतः । त्रैलोक्ये कः पुमांस्तिष्ठेदग्रे शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः
You are arrogant, O Devi; speak before me—who in the three worlds could stand against Shumbha and Nishumbha?
अन्येषामपि दैत्यानां सर्वे देवा न वै युधि । तिष्ठन्ति संमुखे देवि किं पुनः स्त्री त्वमेकिका
Even all the gods and other demons do not stand face to face with them in battle, O Devi; how then, as a woman alone, will you?
इन्द्राद्याः सकला देवास्तस्थुर्येषां न संयुगे । शुम्भादीनां कथं तेषां स्त्री प्रयास्यसि संमुखम्
All the gods, including Indra, have retreated from battle with Shumbha and his kind; how will you, a woman, go forth alone against them?
सा त्वं गच्छ मयैवोक्ता पार्श्वं शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः । केशाकर्षणनिर्धूतगौरवा मा गमिष्यसि
Go, as I have told you, to the side of Shumbha and Nishumbha; you will not go, shaken from your dignity by hair-pulling.
एवमेतद् बली शुम्भो निशुम्भश्चातिवीर्यवान् । किं करोमि प्रतिज्ञा मे यदनालोचिता पुरा
Thus it is: Shumbha is powerful, and Nishumbha is exceedingly mighty. What can I do? I made a promise before, without considering this.
स त्वं गच्छ मयोक्तं ते यदेतत्सर्वमादृतः । तदाचक्ष्वासुरेन्द्राय स च युक्तं करोतु तत्
So you go, as I have told you, and respectfully convey all this to the lord of the asuras. Let him act accordingly.
इत्याकर्ण्य वचो देव्याः स दूतो ऽमर्षपूरितः । समाचष्ट समागम्य दैत्यराजाय विस्तरात्
Hearing the words of the Goddess, the messenger, filled with indignation, went and reported everything in detail to the king of the demons.
तस्य दूतस्य तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्यासुरराट् ततः । सक्रोधः प्राह दैत्यानामधिपं धूम्रलोचनम्
Upon hearing the messenger's words, the king of the asuras, with anger, addressed Dhūmralocana, the chief of the demons.