Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— तेषां परस्परं जातः सुधार्थं कलहो महान्। दैत्यानां दानवानां च स्वस्वार्थे फल्गुचेतसाम्॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: A great quarrel over the nectar arose among those Daityas and Dānavas, whose shallow minds were fixed upon their separate interests.
Passage 2
अहं श्रेष्ठोऽस्म्यहं पूर्वं पास्यामि कलशामृतम्। मदुत्तरमितरैर्ग्राह्यं न त्वं प्राधान्यमर्हसि॥२॥
“I am the foremost; I shall drink first from the jar of nectar. The others may take it after me. You do not deserve precedence.”
Passage 3
इत्यूचुः केऽपि दुर्वृत्ताः स्वार्थसंत्यक्तसौहृदाः। अपरे च पुनर्मूर्खाः क्रोधान्धीकृतलोचनाः॥३॥
Some evildoers, who had cast aside friendship for self-interest, spoke in this way; so did other fools whose eyes were blinded by anger.
Passage 4
अस्मद्बाहुबलादेष उद्धृतो मन्दराचलः। आकृष्टो वासुकेर्भोगो मथितश्चापि सागरः॥४॥
“By the strength of our arms Mount Mandara was raised, Vāsuki's body was pulled, and the ocean was churned.
Passage 5
ते वयं पूर्वमत्स्यामो जरामरणनाशनम्। अमृतं शेषमन्येऽपि गृह्णन्त्वस्मत्कृताज्ञया॥५॥
“Therefore we shall first consume the nectar that destroys old age and death. Afterward, by our command, the others may take what remains.”
Passage 6
इत्यूचुरपरे भूय आस्फोटितभुजद्वयाः। क्रोधव्याकुलितैर्वर्णै रीरयन्ति स्म दानवाः॥६॥
Other Dānavas spoke again, slapping their two arms and pouring out angry, agitated words.
Passage 7
कुलेनाभिजनैर्गत्या मत्या च वयमूर्जिताः। भोक्ष्यामः कर्मनिष्पन्नं फलमेतत्सुधात्मकम्॥७॥
“We are eminent in lineage, ancestry, bearing, and intelligence. We shall enjoy this nectar-fruit produced by our labor.”
Passage 8
इत्यन्योन्यं व्याहरन्तो विवलन्तश्च भूरिशः। हुं तुं कृत्य शपन्तश्च विवदन्तः समैः समाः॥८॥
Speaking thus against one another, they reeled about repeatedly, shouted “Hum!” and “Tum!”, cursed, and disputed as equals with equals.
Passage 9
आच्छिद्यामृतमुत्तर्षा जुगुपुः साभ्यसूयकाः। एकस्मादेकको बिभ्यद्दुर्हृद्यश्चारुणलोचनः॥९॥
Arrogant and envious, they seized and guarded the nectar. Each feared the other, becoming evil-hearted and red-eyed.
Passage 10
ये तेषां दुर्बलतमा आच्छिद्यादातुमक्षमाः। पक्षपातं दिविषदां परिगृह्याब्रुवन् वचः॥१०॥
The weakest among them, unable to snatch and take it, adopted the cause of the gods and spoke these words.
Passage 11
हा हा हत महानेष दुर्नयो धर्महापनः। यदैव तुल्यमायस्ता वियोज्यन्ते स्वभागतः॥११॥
“Alas, alas! This is a terrible injustice that destroys dharma: those whose effort was equal are being separated from their own share.
Passage 12
अर्हन्ति चात्मनो भागं तुल्यमेतेऽसुरैः सुराः। दुर्बला इति विज्ञाय वञ्च्यन्ते कालनोदितैः॥१२॥
“The gods deserve a share equal to that of the Asuras. Knowing them to be weaker, these others, driven by Time, are cheating them.
Passage 13
नन्वमीभिः सदाद्रोहनिरतैर्दम्भशालिभिः। एवमेव पुराप्येते स्थानाद्विच्याविताः सुराः॥१२॥
“Surely these arrogant beings, ever intent on hostility, previously drove the gods from their stations in just this way.
Passage 14
पापात्मानः पापरताः सदा परशुभद्रुहः। आत्मवर्गेऽपि चात्यन्तं स्फुटं कपटवृत्तयः॥१४॥
“Their souls are sinful, they delight in sin, and they continually oppose the welfare of others. Their deceitful conduct is manifest even toward their own faction.
Passage 15
केनेमे खलु नीयेरन् दुर्नयानयमुत्तमम्। ये लोकवेदनिष्पक्षाः स्वार्थैकान्तकृतस्पृहाः॥१५॥
“Who indeed could lead these creatures from their wicked policy to excellent conduct? They are indifferent to the world and the Veda, and their desire is fixed exclusively upon self-interest.”
Passage 16
विलपन्त इतीवोच्चैरनन्यशरणा भवे। असुरा बलिनां तेषां पश्यन्ति स्म मुखानि ते॥१६॥
Lamenting aloud in this way, with no other refuge available, those Asuras looked toward the faces of their stronger fellows.
Passage 17
इति कोलाहलस्तेषां मण्डले सुमहानभूत्। निभृतं कस्यचित्पाणौ न्यस्तं चामृतभाजनम्॥१७॥
Thus a tremendous uproar arose in their assembly, while the vessel of nectar was quietly placed in someone's hand. Hari Assumes Mohinī's Form
Passage 18
हरिस्तत्प्रतिकाराय देवेष्वाबद्धसौहृदः। शिवादिधैर्यहरणं धृतवान् कामिनीवपुः॥१८॥
Hari, bound by affection for the gods, assumed a woman's body to remedy the situation—a form capable of stealing the composure even of Śiva and others.
Passage 19
इन्दीवरदलश्यामं नवतारुण्यविश्रमम्। चञ्चत्कटाक्षनिक्षेपजितकन्दर्पसायकम्॥१९॥
It was dark as a blue-lotus petal, the dwelling place of fresh youth, and its darting sidelong glances surpassed the arrows of Kandarpa.
Passage 20
वेणीभारसमाबद्धनवमल्लीप्रसूनजैः। अमन्दसौरभोद्गारैरामन्त्रितमधुव्रतम्॥२०॥
Fresh jasmine flowers were bound into the mass of her braid, and their profuse fragrance summoned the bees.
Passage 21
अङ्गसौन्दर्यसरसीतारुण्यलहरीभरैः। आप्लुवद्धैर्यधरणीं मुनीनामपि योगिनाम्॥२१॥
The surging waves of youth upon the lake of her bodily beauty flooded even the ground of composure belonging to sages and yogins.
Passage 22
ललितापाङ्गसंदर्शैः स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषणैः। मोहयन्मीनजघनकाञ्चीगुणकलक्वणैः॥२२॥
She enchanted them with graceful sidelong looks, smiling words, and the soft music of the girdle-cord upon her shapely hips.
Passage 23
ससुरासुरविस्तीर्णत्रैलोक्यहृदयंगमम्। उत्तुङ्गपीनवक्षोजश्रिया चित्तं विमोहयत्॥२३॥
Her form entered the hearts of the three worlds filled with gods and Asuras, bewildering every mind through the splendor of her high, full breasts.
Passage 24
कान्तिमद्भिरशेषाङ्गेष्वाचितै रत्नभूषणैः। निवारयद्दिशां ध्वान्तं मुखचन्द्रश्रिया तथा॥२४॥
The radiant jeweled ornaments placed upon all her limbs, together with the splendor of her moon-like face, dispelled the darkness of the directions.
Passage 25
शान्तिं समानयत्तेषां कलहं घोरमुत्थितम्। अलिश्रेणीमनोहारिरुचिराङ्गप्रदर्शनैः॥२५॥
By displaying her lovely limbs, captivating even rows of bees, she brought their dreadful, arisen conflict to rest.
Passage 26
लोलालकलताशालिकपोलमुकुरद्वयम्। अर्धचन्द्रसमाकारभालपट्टप्रभाधरम्॥२६॥
Her two mirror-like cheeks were graced by waving tendrils of hair, and her radiant forehead had the shape of a half moon.
Passage 27
कर्णद्वयपरिभ्राजद्रत्नताटङ्कसुन्दरम्। सुमेचकारुणात्यच्छलोचनश्रीमनोरमम्॥२७॥
Jeweled earrings shining at both ears made her beautiful, while the splendor of her dark, compassionate, perfectly clear eyes captivated the mind.
Passage 28
शुकचञ्चुचमत्कारिनासालावण्यशोभितम्। विद्रुमारुणबिम्बोष्ठलुलन्नासामणिद्युति॥२८॥
Her lovely nose surpassed a parrot's beak; her bimba-fruit lips were coral-red, and the jewel upon her nose trembled with light.
Passage 29
कम्बुकण्ठसमुल्लासिरेखात्रयविराजितम्। उदारहारभारश्रीसमुद्दीव्यदुरःस्थलम्॥२९॥
Three gleaming lines adorned her conch-like neck, and the beauty of magnificent, heavy necklaces made her chest blaze with splendor.
Passage 30
सुवर्णाब्जमृणालाभविस्फुरद्भुजवल्लरि। प्रमुष्टक्षीणमध्याङ्गनितम्बाधिकवृद्धिमत्॥३०॥
Her vine-like arms shimmered like the filaments of a golden lotus. Her astonishingly slender waist set off the generous fullness of her hips.
Passage 31
नाभीसरस्समुत्सर्पद्रोमालीशैवलाञ्चितम्। उदरे त्रिवलीचारूपात्तक्रशिमास्पदम्॥३१॥
A line of fine hair, like waterweed rising from the lake of her navel, adorned her form. Three lovely folds made her abdomen the seat of delicate slenderness.
Passage 32
राजहंसविनिर्जेत्रमदालसलसद्गति। हावभावानेकभेदभ्रुकुटीभङ्गसुन्दरम्॥३२॥
Her languid, sportive gait surpassed that of a royal swan, and the many varieties of gesture, expression, and movements of her brows made her lovely. The Asuras Abandon Their Quarrel
Passage 33
तेऽन्योन्यतोऽसुरवराः कलशं हरन्तः सन्त्यक्तसौहृदनयाः श्रितदस्युभावाः। तां मोहिनीं भगवतः परमेश्वरस्य शक्तिं विलोक्य नितरां चकिता इवासन्॥३३॥
Those Asura chiefs had been stealing the jar from one another, abandoning friendship and justice and assuming the conduct of thieves. When they beheld Mohinī, the power of the Supreme Lord, they became utterly astonished.
Passage 34
सा मन्दमन्दमुपसर्पवती पदाभ्यां मञ्जीरमञ्जुमधुपस्वरमम्बुजाभ्याम्। चञ्चत्सकूजवलयाङ्गदमेखलादिभूषालसत्तनुरमोहयदासुरांस्तान्॥३४॥
She slowly drew near on lotus feet whose anklets produced a sweet, bee-like music. Her form shone with tinkling bracelets, armlets, girdle, and other ornaments, and she bewildered those Asuras.
Passage 35
ते दर्शनक्षणविमूढधियोऽसुरेन्द्रा अन्योन्यतोऽमृतकृते कलहं निवार्य। कामोद्धतास्तदधरामृतपातुकामास्तस्याः समीपमभजन् सजवं समेत्य॥३५॥
The Asura lords lost their wits the instant they saw her. Ending their quarrel with one another over the nectar, they became inflamed with desire to drink the nectar of her lips and swiftly gathered near her.