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Fifth Skandha · Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Unit 98 of 318Fifth Skandha · Chapter 11Fifth Skandha · Chapter 111 source entries

Fifth Skandha · Chapter 11

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व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा महिषो मदविह्वलः । मन्त्रिवृद्धान् समाहूय राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥ राजोवाच मन्त्रिणः किं च कर्तव्यं विश्रब्धं ब्रूत मा चिरम् । आगता देवविहिता मायेयं शाम्बरीव किम् ॥ २ ॥ कार्येऽस्मिन्निपुणा यूयमुपायेषु विचक्षणाः । सामादिषु च कर्तव्यः कोऽत्र मह्यं ब्रुवन्तु च ॥ ३ ॥ मन्त्रिण ऊचुः सत्यं सदैव वक्तव्यं प्रियञ्च नृपसत्तम । कार्यं हितकरं नूनं विचार्य विबुधैः किल ॥ ४ ॥ सत्यं च हितकृद्‌राजन्प्रियं चाहितकृद्‌भवेत् । यथौषधं नृणां लोके ह्यप्रियं रोगनाशनम् ॥ ५ ॥ सत्यस्य श्रोता मन्ता च दुर्लभः पृथिवीपते । वक्तापि दुर्लभः कामं बहवश्चाटुभाषकाः ॥ ६ ॥ कथं ब्रूमोऽत्र नृपते विचारे गहने त्विह । शुभं वाप्यशुभं वापि को वेत्ति भुवनत्रये ॥ ७ ॥ राजोवाच स्वस्वमत्यनुसारेण ब्रुवन्त्वद्य पृथक्पृथक् । येषां हि यादृशो भावस्तच्छ्रुत्वा चिन्तयाम्यहम् ॥ ८ ॥ बहूनां मतमाज्ञाय विचार्य च पुनः पुनः । यच्छ्रेयस्तद्धि कर्तव्यं कार्यं कार्यविचक्षणैः ॥ ९ ॥ व्यास उवाच तस्यैवं वचनं श्रुत्वा विरूपाक्षो महाबलः । उवाच तरसा वाक्यं रञ्जयन्पृथिवीपतिम् ॥ १० ॥ विरूपाक्ष उवाच राजन्नारी वराकीयं सा ब्रूते मदगर्विता । विभीषिकामात्रमिदं ज्ञातव्यं वचनं त्वया ॥ ११ ॥ को बिभेति स्त्रियो वाक्यैर्दुरुक्तै रणदुर्मदैः । अनृतं साहसं चेति जानन्नारीविचेष्टितम् ॥ १२ ॥ जित्वा त्रिभुवनं राजन्नद्य कान्ताभयेन वै । दीनत्वेऽप्ययशो नूनं वीरस्य भुवने भवेत् ॥ १३ ॥ तस्माद्याम्यहमेकाकी युद्धाय चण्डिकां प्रति । हनिष्ये तां महाराज निर्भयो भव साम्प्रतम् ॥ १४ ॥ सेनावृतोऽहं गत्वा तां शस्त्रास्त्रैर्विविधैः किल । निषूदयामि दुर्मर्षां चण्डिकां चण्डविक्रमाम् ॥ १५ ॥ बद्ध्वा सर्पमयैः पाशैरानयिष्ये तवान्तिकम् । वशगा तु सदा ते स्यात्पश्य राजन् बलं मम ॥ १६ ॥ व्यास उवाच विरूपाक्षवचः श्रुत्वा दुर्धरो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । सत्यमुक्तं वचो राजन् विरूपाक्षेण धीमता ॥ १७ ॥ ममापि वचनं श्लक्ष्णं श्रोतव्यं धीमता त्वया । कामातुरैषा सुदती लक्ष्यतेऽप्यनुमानतः ॥ १८ ॥ भवत्येवंविधा कामं नायिका रूपगर्विता । भीषयित्वा वरारोहा त्वां वशे कर्तुमिच्छति ॥ १९ ॥ हावोऽयं मानिनीनां वै तं वेत्ति रसवित्तमः । वक्रोक्तिरेषा कामिन्याः प्रियं प्रति परायणम् ॥ २० ॥ वेत्ति कोऽपि नरः कामं कामशास्त्रविचक्षणः । यदुक्तं नाम बाणैस्त्वा वधिष्ये रणमूर्धनि ॥ २१ ॥ हेतुगर्भमिदं वाक्यं ज्ञातव्यं हेतुवित्तमैः । बाणास्तु मानिनीनां वै कटाक्षा एव विश्रुताः ॥ २२ ॥ पुष्पाञ्जलिमयाश्चान्ये व्यंग्यानि वचनानि च । का शक्तिरन्यबाणानां प्रेरणे त्वयि पार्थिव ॥ २३ ॥ तादृशीनां न सा शक्तिर्ब्रह्मविष्णुहरादिषु । ययोक्तं नेत्रबाणैस्त्वां हनिष्ये मन्द पार्थिवम् ॥ २४ ॥ विपरीतं परिज्ञातं तेनारसविदा किल । पातयिष्यामि शय्यायां रणमय्यां पतिं तव ॥ २५ ॥ विपरीतरतिकीडाभाषणं ज्ञेयमेव तत् । करिष्ये विगतप्राणं यदुक्तं वचनं तया ॥ २६ ॥ वीर्यं प्राणा इति प्रोक्तं तद्विहीनं न चान्यथा । व्यंग्याधिक्येन वाक्येन वरयत्युत्तमा नृप ॥ २७ ॥ तद्वै विचारतो ज्ञेयं रसग्रन्थविचक्षणैः । इति ज्ञात्वा महाराज कर्तव्यं रससंयुतम् ॥ २८ ॥ सामदानद्वयं तस्या नान्योपायोऽस्ति भूपते । रुष्टा वा गर्विता वापि वशगा मानिनी भवेत् ॥ २९ ॥ तादृशैर्मधुरैर्वाक्यैरानयिष्ये तवान्तिकम् । किं बहूक्तेन मे राजन् कर्तव्या वशवर्तिनी ॥ ३० ॥ गत्वा मयाधुनैवेयं किङ्करीव सदैव ते । व्यास उवाव इत्थं निशम्य तद्वाक्यं ताम्रस्तत्त्वविचक्षणः ॥ ३१ ॥ उवाच वचनं राजन्निशामय मयोदितम् । हेतुमद्धर्मसहितं रसयुक्तं नयान्वितम् ॥ ३२ ॥ नैषा कामातुरा बाला नानुरक्ता विचक्षणा । व्यंग्यानि नैव वाक्यानि तयोक्तानि तु मानद ॥ ३३ ॥ चित्रमत्र महाबाहो यदेका वरवर्णिनी । निरालम्बा समायाति चित्ररूपा मनोहरा ॥ ३४ ॥ अष्टादशभुजा नारी न श्रुता न च वीक्षिता । केनापि त्रिषु लोकेषु पराक्रमवती शुभा ॥ ३५ ॥ आयुधान्यपि तावन्ति धृतानि बलवन्ति च । विपरीतमिदं मन्ये सर्वं कालकृतं नृप ॥ ३६ ॥ स्वप्नानि दुर्निमित्तानि मया दृष्टानि वै निशि । तेन जानाम्यहं नूनं वैशसं समुपागतम् ॥ ३७ ॥ कृष्णाम्बरधरा नारी रुदती च गृहाङ्गणे । दृष्टा स्वप्नेऽप्युषःकाले चिन्तितव्यस्तदत्ययः ॥ ३८ ॥ विकृताः पक्षिणो रात्रौ रोरुवन्ति गृहे गृहे । उत्पाता विविधा राजन् प्रभवन्ति गृहे गृहे ॥ ३९ ॥ तेन जानाम्यहं नूनं कारणं किञ्चिदेव हि । यत्त्वां प्रार्थयते बाला युद्धाय कृतनिश्चया ॥ ४० ॥ नैषास्ति मानुषी नो वा गान्धर्वी न तथासुरी । देवैः कृतेयं ज्ञातव्या माया मोहकरी विभो ॥ ४१ ॥ कातरत्वं न कर्तव्यं ममैतन्मतमित्यलम् । कर्तव्यं सर्वथा युद्धं यद्‌भाव्यं तद्‌भविष्यति ॥ ४२ ॥ को वेद दैवकर्तव्यं शुभं वाप्यशुभं तथा । अवलम्ब्य धिया धैर्यं स्थातव्यं वै विचक्षणैः ॥ ४३ ॥ जीवितं मरणं पुंसां दैवाधीनं नराधिप । कोऽपि नैवान्यथा कर्तुं समर्थो भुवनत्रये ॥ ४४ ॥ महिष उवाच गच्छ ताम्र महाभाग युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः । तामानय वरारोहां जित्वा धर्मेण मानिनीम् ॥ ४५ ॥ न भवेद्वशगा नारी संग्रामे यदि सा तव । हन्तव्या नान्यथा कामं माननीया प्रयत्‍नतः ॥ ४६ ॥ वीरस्त्वमसि सर्वज्ञ कामशास्त्रविशारदः । येन केनाप्युपायेन जेतव्या वरवर्णिनी ॥ ४७ ॥ त्वरन्वीर महाबाहो सैन्येन महता वृतः । तत्र गत्वा त्वया ज्ञेया विचार्य च पुनः पुनः ॥ ४८ ॥ किमर्थमागता चेयं ज्ञातव्यं तद्धि कारणम् । कामाद्वा वैरभावाच्च माया कस्येयमित्युत ॥ ४९ ॥ आदौ तन्निश्चयं कृत्वा ज्ञातव्यं तच्चिकीर्षितम् । पश्चाद्युद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं यथायोग्यं यथाबलम् ॥ ५० ॥ कातरत्वं न कर्तव्यं निर्दयत्वं तथा न च । यादृशं हि मनस्तस्याः कर्तव्यं तादृशं त्वया ॥ ५१ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तद्‌भाषितं श्रुत्वा ताम्रः कालवशं गतः । निर्गतः सैन्यसंयुक्तः प्रणम्य महिषं नृपम् ॥ ५२ ॥ गच्छन्मार्गे दुरात्मासौ शकुनान्वीक्ष्य दारुणान् । विस्मयञ्च भयं प्राप यममार्गप्रदर्शकान् ॥ ५३ ॥ सगत्वा तां समालोक्य देवीं सिंहोपरिस्थिताम् । स्तूयमानां सुरैः सर्वैः सर्वायुधविभूषिताम् ॥ ५४ ॥ तामुवाच विनीतः सन् वाक्यं मधुरया गिरा । सामभावं समाश्रित्य विनयावनतः स्थितः ॥ ५५ ॥ देवि दैत्येश्वरः शृङ्गी त्वद्‌रूपगुणमोहितः । स्पृहां करोति महिषस्त्वत्पाणिग्रहणाय च ॥ ५६ ॥ भावं कुरु विशालाक्षि तस्मिन्नमरदुर्जये । पतिं तं प्राप्य मृद्वङ्‌गि नन्दने विहराद्‌भुते ॥ ५७ ॥ सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरं देहं प्राप्य सर्वसुखास्पदम् । सुखं सर्वात्मना ग्राह्यं दुःखं हेयमिति स्थितिः ॥ ५८ ॥ करभोरु किमर्थं ते गृहीतान्यायुधान्यलम् । पुष्पकन्दुकयोग्यास्ते कराः कमलकोमलाः ॥ ५९ ॥ भ्रूचापे विद्यमानेऽपि धनुषा किं प्रयोजनम् । कटाक्षा विशिखाः सन्ति किं बाणैर्निष्प्रयोजनैः ॥ ६० ॥ संसारे दुःखदं युद्धं न कर्तव्यं विजानता । लोभासक्ताः प्रकुर्वन्ति संग्रामञ्च परस्परम् ॥ ६१ ॥ पुष्पैरपि न योद्धव्यं किं पुनर्निशितैः शरैः । भेदनं निजगात्राणां कस्य तज्जायते मुदे ॥ ६२ ॥ तस्मात्त्वमपि तन्वङ्‌गि प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि । भर्तारं भज मे नाथं देवदानवपूजितम् ॥ ६३ ॥ स तेऽत्र वाञ्छितं सर्वं करिष्यति मनोरथम् । त्वं पट्टमहिषी राज्ञः सर्वथा नात्र संशयः ॥ ६४ ॥ वचनं कुरु मे देवि प्राप्स्यसे सुखमुत्तमम् । संग्रामे जयसन्देहः कष्टं प्राप्य न संशयः ॥ ६५ ॥ जानासि राजनीतिं त्वं यथावद्वरवर्णिनि । भुंक्ष्व राज्यसुखं पूर्णं वर्षाणामयुतायुतम् ॥ ६६ ॥ पुत्रस्ते भविता कान्तः सोऽपि राजा भविष्यति । यौवने क्रीडयित्वान्ते वार्धक्ये सुखमाप्स्यसि ॥ ६७ ॥

vyāsa uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā mahiṣo madavihvalaḥ | mantrivṛddhān samāhūya rājā vacanamabravīt || 1 || rājovāca mantriṇaḥ kiṃ ca kartavyaṃ viśrabdhaṃ brūta mā ciram | āgatā devavihitā māyeyaṃ śāmbarīva kim || 2 || kārye'sminnipuṇā yūyamupāyeṣu vicakṣaṇāḥ | sāmādiṣu ca kartavyaḥ ko'tra mahyaṃ bruvantu ca || 3 || mantriṇa ūcuḥ satyaṃ sadaiva vaktavyaṃ priyañca nṛpasattama | kāryaṃ hitakaraṃ nūnaṃ vicārya vibudhaiḥ kila || 4 || satyaṃ ca hitakṛd‌rājanpriyaṃ cāhitakṛd‌bhavet | yathauṣadhaṃ nṛṇāṃ loke hyapriyaṃ roganāśanam || 5 || satyasya śrotā mantā ca durlabhaḥ pṛthivīpate | vaktāpi durlabhaḥ kāmaṃ bahavaścāṭubhāṣakāḥ || 6 || kathaṃ brūmo'tra nṛpate vicāre gahane tviha | śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ vāpi ko vetti bhuvanatraye || 7 || rājovāca svasvamatyanusāreṇa bruvantvadya pṛthakpṛthak | yeṣāṃ hi yādṛśo bhāvastacchrutvā cintayāmyaham || 8 || bahūnāṃ matamājñāya vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ | yacchreyastaddhi kartavyaṃ kāryaṃ kāryavicakṣaṇaiḥ || 9 || vyāsa uvāca tasyaivaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā virūpākṣo mahābalaḥ | uvāca tarasā vākyaṃ rañjayanpṛthivīpatim || 10 || virūpākṣa uvāca rājannārī varākīyaṃ sā brūte madagarvitā | vibhīṣikāmātramidaṃ jñātavyaṃ vacanaṃ tvayā || 11 || ko bibheti striyo vākyairduruktai raṇadurmadaiḥ | anṛtaṃ sāhasaṃ ceti jānannārīviceṣṭitam || 12 || jitvā tribhuvanaṃ rājannadya kāntābhayena vai | dīnatve'pyayaśo nūnaṃ vīrasya bhuvane bhavet || 13 || tasmādyāmyahamekākī yuddhāya caṇḍikāṃ prati | haniṣye tāṃ mahārāja nirbhayo bhava sāmpratam || 14 || senāvṛto'haṃ gatvā tāṃ śastrāstrairvividhaiḥ kila | niṣūdayāmi durmarṣāṃ caṇḍikāṃ caṇḍavikramām || 15 || baddhvā sarpamayaiḥ pāśairānayiṣye tavāntikam | vaśagā tu sadā te syātpaśya rājan balaṃ mama || 16 || vyāsa uvāca virūpākṣavacaḥ śrutvā durdharo vākyamabravīt | satyamuktaṃ vaco rājan virūpākṣeṇa dhīmatā || 17 || mamāpi vacanaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ śrotavyaṃ dhīmatā tvayā | kāmāturaiṣā sudatī lakṣyate'pyanumānataḥ || 18 || bhavatyevaṃvidhā kāmaṃ nāyikā rūpagarvitā | bhīṣayitvā varārohā tvāṃ vaśe kartumicchati || 19 || hāvo'yaṃ māninīnāṃ vai taṃ vetti rasavittamaḥ | vakroktireṣā kāminyāḥ priyaṃ prati parāyaṇam || 20 || vetti ko'pi naraḥ kāmaṃ kāmaśāstravicakṣaṇaḥ | yaduktaṃ nāma bāṇaistvā vadhiṣye raṇamūrdhani || 21 || hetugarbhamidaṃ vākyaṃ jñātavyaṃ hetuvittamaiḥ | bāṇāstu māninīnāṃ vai kaṭākṣā eva viśrutāḥ || 22 || puṣpāñjalimayāścānye vyaṃgyāni vacanāni ca | kā śaktiranyabāṇānāṃ preraṇe tvayi pārthiva || 23 || tādṛśīnāṃ na sā śaktirbrahmaviṣṇuharādiṣu | yayoktaṃ netrabāṇaistvāṃ haniṣye manda pārthivam || 24 || viparītaṃ parijñātaṃ tenārasavidā kila | pātayiṣyāmi śayyāyāṃ raṇamayyāṃ patiṃ tava || 25 || viparītaratikīḍābhāṣaṇaṃ jñeyameva tat | kariṣye vigataprāṇaṃ yaduktaṃ vacanaṃ tayā || 26 || vīryaṃ prāṇā iti proktaṃ tadvihīnaṃ na cānyathā | vyaṃgyādhikyena vākyena varayatyuttamā nṛpa || 27 || tadvai vicārato jñeyaṃ rasagranthavicakṣaṇaiḥ | iti jñātvā mahārāja kartavyaṃ rasasaṃyutam || 28 || sāmadānadvayaṃ tasyā nānyopāyo'sti bhūpate | ruṣṭā vā garvitā vāpi vaśagā māninī bhavet || 29 || tādṛśairmadhurairvākyairānayiṣye tavāntikam | kiṃ bahūktena me rājan kartavyā vaśavartinī || 30 || gatvā mayādhunaiveyaṃ kiṅkarīva sadaiva te | vyāsa uvāva itthaṃ niśamya tadvākyaṃ tāmrastattvavicakṣaṇaḥ || 31 || uvāca vacanaṃ rājanniśāmaya mayoditam | hetumaddharmasahitaṃ rasayuktaṃ nayānvitam || 32 || naiṣā kāmāturā bālā nānuraktā vicakṣaṇā | vyaṃgyāni naiva vākyāni tayoktāni tu mānada || 33 || citramatra mahābāho yadekā varavarṇinī | nirālambā samāyāti citrarūpā manoharā || 34 || aṣṭādaśabhujā nārī na śrutā na ca vīkṣitā | kenāpi triṣu lokeṣu parākramavatī śubhā || 35 || āyudhānyapi tāvanti dhṛtāni balavanti ca | viparītamidaṃ manye sarvaṃ kālakṛtaṃ nṛpa || 36 || svapnāni durnimittāni mayā dṛṣṭāni vai niśi | tena jānāmyahaṃ nūnaṃ vaiśasaṃ samupāgatam || 37 || kṛṣṇāmbaradharā nārī rudatī ca gṛhāṅgaṇe | dṛṣṭā svapne'pyuṣaḥkāle cintitavyastadatyayaḥ || 38 || vikṛtāḥ pakṣiṇo rātrau roruvanti gṛhe gṛhe | utpātā vividhā rājan prabhavanti gṛhe gṛhe || 39 || tena jānāmyahaṃ nūnaṃ kāraṇaṃ kiñcideva hi | yattvāṃ prārthayate bālā yuddhāya kṛtaniścayā || 40 || naiṣāsti mānuṣī no vā gāndharvī na tathāsurī | devaiḥ kṛteyaṃ jñātavyā māyā mohakarī vibho || 41 || kātaratvaṃ na kartavyaṃ mamaitanmatamityalam | kartavyaṃ sarvathā yuddhaṃ yad‌bhāvyaṃ tad‌bhaviṣyati || 42 || ko veda daivakartavyaṃ śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ tathā | avalambya dhiyā dhairyaṃ sthātavyaṃ vai vicakṣaṇaiḥ || 43 || jīvitaṃ maraṇaṃ puṃsāṃ daivādhīnaṃ narādhipa | ko'pi naivānyathā kartuṃ samartho bhuvanatraye || 44 || mahiṣa uvāca gaccha tāmra mahābhāga yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ | tāmānaya varārohāṃ jitvā dharmeṇa māninīm || 45 || na bhavedvaśagā nārī saṃgrāme yadi sā tava | hantavyā nānyathā kāmaṃ mānanīyā prayat‍nataḥ || 46 || vīrastvamasi sarvajña kāmaśāstraviśāradaḥ | yena kenāpyupāyena jetavyā varavarṇinī || 47 || tvaranvīra mahābāho sainyena mahatā vṛtaḥ | tatra gatvā tvayā jñeyā vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ || 48 || kimarthamāgatā ceyaṃ jñātavyaṃ taddhi kāraṇam | kāmādvā vairabhāvācca māyā kasyeyamityuta || 49 || ādau tanniścayaṃ kṛtvā jñātavyaṃ taccikīrṣitam | paścādyuddhaṃ prakartavyaṃ yathāyogyaṃ yathābalam || 50 || kātaratvaṃ na kartavyaṃ nirdayatvaṃ tathā na ca | yādṛśaṃ hi manastasyāḥ kartavyaṃ tādṛśaṃ tvayā || 51 || vyāsa uvāca iti tad‌bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā tāmraḥ kālavaśaṃ gataḥ | nirgataḥ sainyasaṃyuktaḥ praṇamya mahiṣaṃ nṛpam || 52 || gacchanmārge durātmāsau śakunānvīkṣya dāruṇān | vismayañca bhayaṃ prāpa yamamārgapradarśakān || 53 || sagatvā tāṃ samālokya devīṃ siṃhoparisthitām | stūyamānāṃ suraiḥ sarvaiḥ sarvāyudhavibhūṣitām || 54 || tāmuvāca vinītaḥ san vākyaṃ madhurayā girā | sāmabhāvaṃ samāśritya vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ || 55 || devi daityeśvaraḥ śṛṅgī tvad‌rūpaguṇamohitaḥ | spṛhāṃ karoti mahiṣastvatpāṇigrahaṇāya ca || 56 || bhāvaṃ kuru viśālākṣi tasminnamaradurjaye | patiṃ taṃ prāpya mṛdvaṅ‌gi nandane viharād‌bhute || 57 || sarvāṅgasundaraṃ dehaṃ prāpya sarvasukhāspadam | sukhaṃ sarvātmanā grāhyaṃ duḥkhaṃ heyamiti sthitiḥ || 58 || karabhoru kimarthaṃ te gṛhītānyāyudhānyalam | puṣpakandukayogyāste karāḥ kamalakomalāḥ || 59 || bhrūcāpe vidyamāne'pi dhanuṣā kiṃ prayojanam | kaṭākṣā viśikhāḥ santi kiṃ bāṇairniṣprayojanaiḥ || 60 || saṃsāre duḥkhadaṃ yuddhaṃ na kartavyaṃ vijānatā | lobhāsaktāḥ prakurvanti saṃgrāmañca parasparam || 61 || puṣpairapi na yoddhavyaṃ kiṃ punarniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | bhedanaṃ nijagātrāṇāṃ kasya tajjāyate mude || 62 || tasmāttvamapi tanvaṅ‌gi prasādaṃ kartumarhasi | bhartāraṃ bhaja me nāthaṃ devadānavapūjitam || 63 || sa te'tra vāñchitaṃ sarvaṃ kariṣyati manoratham | tvaṃ paṭṭamahiṣī rājñaḥ sarvathā nātra saṃśayaḥ || 64 || vacanaṃ kuru me devi prāpsyase sukhamuttamam | saṃgrāme jayasandehaḥ kaṣṭaṃ prāpya na saṃśayaḥ || 65 || jānāsi rājanītiṃ tvaṃ yathāvadvaravarṇini | bhuṃkṣva rājyasukhaṃ pūrṇaṃ varṣāṇāmayutāyutam || 66 || putraste bhavitā kāntaḥ so'pi rājā bhaviṣyati | yauvane krīḍayitvānte vārdhakye sukhamāpsyasi || 67 ||

English translation

1-3. Vyasa said The King Mahisasura, maddened with pride, heard the messenger’s words and called the aged and experienced ministers and said thus O Ministers! What am I to do now? Better judge you all well, and speak out definitely to me. Is it that this Devi has been created by the Devas like the Maya of Sambarasura and thus has appeared before us? You are all dexterous and know where to apply the four means of success, viz., conciliation, gift or bribery, sowing dissensions, and war; and therefore you would better tell me which one of the above four, I am to adopt now.

4-7. The ministers said O King! One should always speak true and at the same time pleasant; the wise ones should then select only those which are beneficial and apply them. O King! As a medicine, though bitter, cures diseases, so true words, though appearing unpleasant, lead to beneficial results. Those that are simply pleasant, are generally injurious as to their effects. O Lord of the Earth! The bearers and approvers of truth both are very rare; truth speakers also are very difficult to be seen; laudatory sycophancy is found in a great measure in this world. O King! Nobody in the three worlds knows what will be good or what will lead to inauspicious results? How can we then definitely pronounce our judgment in this difficult matter?

8-9. The King said Let each of you say separately, according to his own intellect, what is his opinion; I will hear them all and consider for myself. Clever persons should hear the opinions of several

persons, then judge for himself what is the best and then adopt that as what is to be done.

10. Vyasa said Hearing his words, the powerful Virupaksa came out foremost of all and began to say pleasant words to the King.

11-16. O King! Please take for certain, what has been spoken by that ordinary woman, swelled with vanity, as words simply to scare you. The efforts and courage of a woman are known to all; who will be afraid therefore, to hear abusive language from a woman, praising her ownself in matters of warfare? O King! You have conquered the three worlds by your own heroic valour; now if you acknowledge your inferiority, out of fear to a woman, you would be subject to very much disgrace in this world. Therefore, O King! I will go alone to fight with Chandika and I will kill Her. You can stay here now without any fear.

O King! See my prowess now; I am just now going with my army and I will kill that violent Chandika, maddened with pride, or I will tie Her down by a coil of snakes and bring Her before you; then that Lady, seeing Herself helpless, will become quite submissive to you; there is no doubt in this.

17-30. Vyasa said Hearing these words of Virupaksa, Durdhara said O King! Virupaksa is very intelligent; what he has said just now is all reasonable and true. O King! You are intelligent; hear my words full of truth also. As far as I think, I consider that woman with beautiful teeth as passionate. For that woman of broad hips has expressed a desire to bring you under control by making you fearful; the mistresses, proud of their beauty generally use such words when they become passionate. When they behave in this way, people call these amorous gestures. These crooked words of mistresses are the chief causes in attracting dear persons unto them. Those who are skilled in the art of love affair, some of them can know these things

thoroughly well. O King! That woman has said, “I will pierce and kill you by arrows, face to face, in the battlefield.” The sense of this is different. The wise persons that are clever and experienced in the art of finding out the cause, declare that the above sentence is pregnant with deep and esoteric meaning. You can easily see that the handsome women have no other arrows with them; their side- glances are their arrows. And their words carry their hidden meanings, and, expressing their desires, are their flowers. O King! Brahma, Visnu and Mahes’a even have no powers to shoot arrows at you; how can, then, that helpless woman, who appears so passionate, dart real arrows at you? O King! That lady said “O Stupid! I will kill your King by my arrow-like eye-sight.” But the messenger was wanting in that power to appreciate; so he, no doubt, understood her words in their contrary sense. The saying of that lady, “I will lay your lord in the death-bed in the battle-field” is to be taken in the light of inverted sexual intercourse, where woman is above the man. Her utterance, “I will take away the vitality (life) of your lord” is also significant. The semen virile is known as the vitality (life). Therefore the above expression means that she will make you devoid of your virility. There can be no other meaning. O King! Those women that are excellent shew by too much of their covert expressions (innuendos) that they select and like very much their beloved. The experts only in these amorous affairs will be able to appreciate these things. Knowing thus, dealings ought to be made with Her so that the harmony in amorous sentiments be not broken.

O King! Sama (conciliation) and Dana (gifts) are the two means to be adopted; there is no other way. By these two, that Lady, whether she be proud or angry, is sure to have brought under control; I will go now and bring Her before you by such sweet words. O King! What is the use of my talking too much? I will make Her submissive to you like a slave girl.

31-44. Vyasa said Hearing those words of Durdhara, the Danava Tamra, who was very experienced in finding out the real nature, said

“I am telling you what is sanctioned by virtue and is at the same time full of sweet amorous feelings, pregnant with deep meanings. Kindly hear; O Giver of honour! This intelligent woman is not at all passionate nor devoted to you; nor has that woman used any covert expressions to you. O Great Hero! This is strange indeed that a Lady, beautiful, handsome, and of strange features, at the same time alone and helpless, has come here to fight. A good-looking woman, powerful, and having eighteen hands is never heard of, nor ever seen by me in these three worlds. She is holding in each of Her hands powerful weapons. O king! All these seem to be the contrary actions of Time. O King! I saw ominous dreams during the night; and I conclude, therefore, that great dangers are over our heads. Early in the morning twilight, I saw in my dream that a woman, wearing a black raiment, was weeping in the inner courtyard; that some inauspicious events are forthcoming can be easily judged from the above. O King! The birds were screaming hoarsely in every house and various calamitous events were seen in various houses; at this time that woman, firmly resolved, was challenging you to fight; it, therefore seems to me that there is something very serious in this matter. O Lord! This woman is neither human, nor a GandharvT, nor the wife of any Asura. Only to cause delusion to us, she, this wondrous Maya has been created by the gods. O King! In no case, weakness is to be resorted; it is wise by all means to fight as best as possible; what is inevitable will come to pass; this is my opinion. No one is able to unriddle the doings of the Devas, whether they would be auspicious or inauspicious. Therefore intelligent ones should weigh pros and cons carefully and remain patient and steady. O King! Life or death is at the hands of Destiny; Nobody, therefore, can do it otherwise.”

45-51. Hearing this, Mahisasura said “O Highly fortunate Tamra! Better, then, stand for fight, fully resolved and go to that Lady, beautiful, and conquer Her according to rules of justice and bring Her before me. In case She does not come under your control in fight, kill

Her; but if She comes round, then show Her honour; do not kill Her. O All-knowing! You are a great hero and at the same thoroughly conversant with Kama S’astra (science of love); therefore conquer that Fair One by any means you can. O valiant Tamra, of mighty prowess! Go then with a mighty force and ponder over again and again and find out Her intention. Is She prompted by passion or by real inimical feeling or by any other motive? Try to find out whose Maya is this? Know all these beforehand; then find out the remedy; next fight with Her according to your strength and prowess. Weakness should not be shown nor merciless behaviour is to be resorted; you should behave with Her according to the bent of Her mind.”

52. Vyasa said O king! Thus hearing the King’s words, Tamra coming as if under the sway of Death, saluted the king Mahisa and marched away with his army.

53-66. That wicked Danava, who, on his way, began to see all the fearful inauspicious signs, indicative of Death, became surprised and was caught with fear. When he arrived at the spot, he saw the Devi standing on a lion, while She was decorated with all the weapons and instruments, and all the Devas were chanting hymns to Her. Tamra, then bowed down before Her with humility and modesty and addressed Her with sweet words, according to the rules of the policy of conciliation. “O Devi! Mahisa, the lord of the Daityas, has become enchanted on hearing Your beauty and qualifications and has become desirous to marry You. O Beautiful One! You would better be graciously pleased with that conqueror of the Immortals, the Mahisasura; O Thou of delicate limbs! Make him your husband and enjoy all the exquisite pleasures of the Nandana garden as best as you can. The end and aim of attaining this human form, beautiful in every respect and the abode of all bliss, is to enjoy, in every way, all

the pleasures of human existence and to avoid the sources of all troubles. This is the rule.

“O Thou of beautiful thighs like those of the young of an elephant! Your soft and delicate lotus-like hands are fit to play only with nice balls of flowers; why then are You holding in Your hands all the weapons and arrows? What is the use of holding ordinary arrows, when those two eye-brows like bows, are existing with You? What need have you to take ordinary arrows when you are graced with those piercing eye sights, your arrows. The war is exceedingly painful in this world; those who know thus ought never to fight. It is only those human beings that are prompted by greed that fight with each other. What to speak of those sharpened arrows, one ought not to fight with flowers even; O Devi! You can well say who is it that feels pleasure, when one’s own body is pierced? Therefore, O Delicate One! Gladly you can worship Mahisa, the lord of the world and the object of worship of the Devas and Danavas. Then he will satisfy all your desires. What more to say, you will no doubt be his queen-consort. O Devi! If one tries one’s best, it is doubtful whether one would be crowned with success; therefore keep my this request; you will surely get all the best pleasures. O Beautiful! You are well acquainted with all the politics; therefore you better enjoy thoroughly the pleasures of the kingdom for full many years. And if you marry Mahisa you will have beautiful sons and those sons again will be kings; and enjoying the pleasures of your full grown womanhood, you will no doubt, be happy in your old age.”

Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Fifth Book on the appearing of the Danava Tamra before the Devi in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24410, revision 74843 (2016-07-21T23:33:52Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk05ch11.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.