तस्माद् इमौ परीक्षे ऽहं कदाचित् प्रश्नलीलया । किं मानज्ञानकाव् एताव् इति तामरसेक्षणौ
Therefore, I sometimes examine these two, with playful questioning: Are these two possessed of honor, knowledge, and poetry, O lotus-eyed ones?
आदौ विचार्य सुगुणागुणलेशयुक्तिम् आगस् ततो ऽधिकतरं च गुणाद् यादि स्यात् । कुर्यात् ततस् समुपपत्तिवशेन दण्डं दण्ड्यस्य लघ्व् अथ दृढं धनसम्भवे वा
First, one should consider the presence or absence of virtue and the degree of fault; then, if the fault is greater than the virtue, one should impose punishment on the offender, light or severe, or in the form of a fine, according to what is appropriate.
अथ सा राक्षसी रक्षःकुलकाननमञ्जरी । तमस्य् एवाभ्रलेखेव गम्भीरं निननाद सा
Then that demoness, the flower of the demon clan's forest, roared deeply, like a streak of cloud in the darkness.
नादान्ते समुवाचेदं प्रीङ्कारपरुषं वचः । गर्जितानन्तरं जातकरकाशनिशब्दवत्
At the end of the sound, it uttered these harsh, shrill words—like the noise that follows thunder, resembling the crack of lightning.
भो भो घोराटवीव्योमपदवीशशिभास्करौ । महामायातमःपीठशिलाकोटरकीटकौ
Hey! Hey! Moon and sun, rulers of the wild forest sky-path; worms dwelling in the dark hollows of the great illusion's seat.
कौ भवन्तौ महाबुद्धी दुर्बुद्धी वा समागतौ । मद्ग्रासपथम् आपन्नौ क्षणान् मरणकोविदौ
Who are you two—possessors of great wisdom or poor judgment—who have come together, entering the path of my prey, experts in death for a moment?
भो भो भूतक किं स्यास् त्वं क्व तिष्ठसि च देहकम् । दर्शयास्यास् तव गिरः को बिभेत्य् अलिनीध्वनेः
Hey! Hey! Spirit, what are you? Where does your little body stand? Show your face, let your voice be heard—who fears the buzzing of a bee?
सिंहवत् सर्ववेगेन पतन्त्य् अर्थं किलार्थिनः । समम् आकारशब्दाभ्यां भावयास्मान् बिभेषि किम् । न किञ्चिद् दीर्घसूत्राणां सिध्यत्य् आत्मक्षयाद् ऋते
Like lions, those seeking their aim rush forward with all their strength; with equal form and sound, you try to frighten me—why? Nothing succeeds for those who delay, except self-destruction.
राज्ञेत्य् उक्ते रम्यम् उक्तम् इति सञ्चिन्त्य सा तयोः । प्रकाशायाप्य् अधैर्याय ननाद च जहास च
When 'king' was spoken, she thought, 'That was pleasant to hear,' and, due to her own restlessness, she roared and laughed.
ततो ददृशतुस् तौ तां शब्दपूरितदिग्गणाम् । स्वाट्टहासप्रभापिण्डपूरप्रकटिताकृतिम्
Then the two saw her, filling the quarters with sound, her form revealed by the flood of radiance from her laughter.
कल्पाभ्रांशनिकाशेन घृष्टाम् अद्रितटीम् इव । स्वनेत्रविद्युद्वलयावलनाज्वलिताम्बराम्
With the appearance of a cloud fragment from an age, she seemed to have scraped the mountain's edge; her garment was ablaze with flashes from the circles of lightning in her own eyes.
तिमिरैकार्णवौर्वाग्निज्वालाविवलनाम् इव । गर्जद्घनघटाटोपपीवरासितकन्धराम्
With a neck thick and dark as a mass of thunderclouds, she seemed like the swirling flames of a fire rising from an ocean of darkness.
रणद्वदनसंरम्भहाहाहतनिशाचराम् । रोदसीकज्जलस्तम्भलीलयोल्लासितां पुरः
Her face, fierce in battle, resounded with the cries of slain night-dwellers, and before her, the sky appeared enlivened as if with pillars of black collyrium.
ऊर्ध्वकेशीं सिरालाङ्गीं कपिलाक्षीं तमोमयीम् । यक्षरक्षःपिशाचानाम् अप्य् अनल्पभयप्रदाम्
Her hair stood upright, her limbs veined, her eyes tawny, her form composed of darkness—she inspired great fear even among yakṣas, rākṣasas, and piśācas.
दरीरन्ध्रलसत्स्वास्यां वातझाङ्कारभीषणाम् । मुसुलोलूखलालातां हलशूर्पकशेखराम्
Her mouth gaped like a mountain cave, terrifying with the roar of wind; her forehead bore a pestle and mortar, and she wore a plough and winnowing basket as her crown.
स्फुरन्तीम् इव कल्पान्ते वैडूर्यशिखरिस्थलीम् । हासघट्टितविश्वेशां कालरात्रीम् इवोदिताम्
She seemed to shimmer like a peak of beryl at the end of an age, her laughter shaking the lords of the universe, appearing as if the Night of Time had arisen.
घनव्योमाटवीं साभ्रां कृतदेहाम् इवागताम् । शरीरिणीं महाभ्राढ्यां यामिनीम् इव मांसलाम्
She appeared as if the dense, cloud-filled forest of the sky had taken on a body and arrived, a night so massive and fleshy, endowed with a corporeal form.
शरीरसन्निवेशेन पङ्कपीठीम् इवोत्थिताम् । तनुं चन्द्रार्कयुद्धाय तमसेव समाश्रिताम्
With her bodily form, she seemed to have risen from a seat of mud; as if darkness itself, taking shelter, had assumed a body to wage war against the moon and sun.
इन्द्रनीलतटश्वभ्रलम्बाभ्रयुगलोपमौ । उलूखलादिहालाढ्यौ दधानाम् असितौ स्तनौ
Her two breasts, dark as sapphire mountain slopes and resembling a pair of hanging rainclouds, were adorned with pestle and plough.
नग्नाम् अङ्गारकाशेन समालब्धमहातनुम् । द्रुमाभास्पदसमिरललद्भुजलतातनुम्
Her great body, naked, was touched by the glow of embers; her limbs swayed like the branches of a tree stirred by the wind.
ताम् अवेक्ष्य महावीरौ तथैवाक्षुभितौ स्थितौ । न तद् अस्ति विमोहाय यद् विविक्तस्य चेतसः
Seeing her, the two mighty heroes remained unmoved; nothing can cause delusion in one whose mind is detached.
महाराक्षसि संरम्भो हासात्मा किम् अयं तव । लघवो ह्य् अथ वा नार्यो लाघवे ऽप्य् अतिसम्भ्रमाः
O great rakshasi, is this anger of yours merely laughter? Women are either light-hearted or, even in their lightness, excessively agitated.
त्यज संरम्भम् आरम्भो नायं तव विराजते । विषये हि प्रवर्तन्ते धीमन्तस् स्वार्थसाधकाः
Abandon anger; this agitation does not suit you. Wise people act in the world only to accomplish their own purpose.
त्वादृशीनां सहस्राणि मषिकानाम् इवाबले । अस्माकं वासनावात्याव्यूढानि तृणपर्णवत्
Thousands like you, O powerless one, are as insignificant to us as flies; our strong tendencies sweep them away like grass and leaves.
संरम्भज्वरम् उत्सृज्य समया स्वस्थया धिया । युक्त्या च व्यवहारिण्या सो ऽर्थः प्राज्ञेन साध्यते
Casting off the fever of anger, with a calm mind and practical reasoning, the wise person accomplishes his aim.
स्वेनैव व्यवहारेण कार्यं सिध्यतु माथवा । महानियतिनीत्यैव भ्रमस्यावसरो हि कः
Let the task be accomplished by your own action, O Mathava; for under the rule of great destiny, when is there room for confusion?
कथयाभिमतं किं ते किम् अर्थयसि वार्थिनी । अर्थी स्वप्ने ऽपि नास्माकम् अप्राप्तार्थः पुरोगतः
Speak what you desire; what do you seek, O petitioner? Even in dreams, we never pursue what is unattainable.
इत्य् उक्ता सा तदा तेन चिन्तयाम् आस राक्षसी । अहो नु विमलाचारं सत्त्वं पुरुषसिंहयोः
Thus addressed by him at that time, the demoness thought, 'Ah! Truly, how pure is the conduct and character of these lion-like men.'
न सामान्याव् इमौ मन्ये चित्रैवेयं चमत्कृतिः । वचोवक्त्रेक्षणान्य् एव वदन्त्य् अन्तर्विनिश्चयम्
I do not consider these two to be ordinary; this wonder is truly remarkable. Their words, voices, and glances alone reveal their inner resolve.
वचोवक्त्रेक्षितद्वारैर् धीमताम् आशया मिथः । एकीभवन्ति सरितां पयांसि वलनैर् इव
Through the gateways of words, speech, and glances, the intentions of the wise become united with each other, just as the waters of rivers merge through their channels.