Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 39
Sourceशेष उवाच। निनदत्सुमृदंगेषु वीणानादेषु सर्वतः । मुक्तो वाहस्ततो देव पुरं देवविनिर्मितम् १। यत्र स्फाटिक कुड्यानां रचनाभिर्गृहा नृणाम् । हसंति विंध्यं विमलं पर्वतं नागसेवितम् २। राजतानि गृहाण्यत्र दृश्यंते प्रकृतेरपि । विचित्रमणिसन्नद्धा नानामाणिक्यगोपुराः ३। पद्मिन्यो यत्र लोकानां गेहे गेहे मनोहराः । हरंति चित्तानि नृणां मुखपद्मकलेक्षिताः ४। पद्मरागमणिर्यत्र गेहे गेहे सुभूमिषु । बद्धः संलक्ष्यते विप्र तदोष्ठस्पर्धया नु किम् ५। क्रीडाशैलाः प्रत्यगारं नीलरत्नविनिर्मिताः । कुर्वंति शंकां मेघस्य मयूराणां कलापिनाम् ६। हंसा यत्र नृणां गेहे स्फाटिकेषु नियंत्रिताः । कुर्वंति मेघान्नो भीतिं मानसं न स्मरंति च ७। निरंतरं शिवस्थाने ध्वस्तं चंद्रिकया तमः । शुक्लकृष्णविभेदो न पक्षयोस्तत्र वै नृणाम् ८। तत्र वीरमणी राजा धार्मिकेष्वग्रणीर्महान् । राज्यं करोति विपुलं सर्वभोगसमन्वितम् ९। तस्य पुत्रो महाशूरो नाम्ना रुक्मांगदो बली । वनिताभिर्गतो रम्यदेहाभिः क्रीडितुं वनम् १०। तासां मंजीरसंरावः कंकणानां रवस्तथा । मनो हरति कामस्य किमन्यस्य कथात्र भोः ११। वनं जगाम सुमहत्सुपुष्पनगसंयुतम् । सदाशिवकृतस्थानमृतुषट्कैर्विराजितम् १२। चंपका यत्र बहुशः फुल्लकोरकशोभिताः । कुर्वंति कामिनां तत्र हृच्छयार्तिं विलोकिताः १३। चूताः फलादिभिर्नम्रा मंजरीकोटिसंयुताः । नागाः पुन्नागवृक्षाश्च शालास्तालास्तमालकाः १४। कोकिलानां समारावा यत्र च श्रुतिगोचराः । सदा मधुपझंकार गतनिद्राः सुमल्लिकाः १५। दाडिमानां समूहाश्च कर्णिकारैः समन्विताः । केतकीकानकीवन्यवृक्षराजिविराजिताः १६। तस्मिन्वने प्रमदसंयुतचित्तवृत्तिर्गायन्कलं मधुरवाग्विचिकीर्षयोच्चैः । उद्यत्कुचाभिरभितो वनिताभिरागाच्छोभानिधान वपुरुद्गतभीर्विवेश १७। काश्चित्तं नृत्यविद्याभिस्तोषयंति स्म शोभनम् । काश्चिद्गानकलाभिश्च काश्चिद्वाक्चतुरोचितैः १८। भ्रूसंज्ञया पराः काश्चित्तोषयामासुरुन्मदाः । परिरंभणचातुर्यैस्तं हृष्टं विदधुः स्त्रियः १९। ताभिः पुष्पोच्चयं कृत्वा भूषयामास ताः स्त्रियः । वाण्या कोमलया शंसन्रेमे कामवपुर्धरः २०। एवं प्रवृत्ते समये राजराजस्य धीमतः । प्रायात्तद्वनदेशं स हयः परमशोभनः २१। तं स्वर्णपत्ररचितैकललाटदेशं । गंगासमं घुसृणकुंकुम पिंजरांगम् । गत्यासमं पवनवेगतिरस्करिण्या । दृष्ट्वा स्त्रियः परमकौतुकधामदेहम् २२। ऊचुः पतिं कमलमध्यपिशंगवर्णा -। स्ताम्राधरप्रतिभयाहतविद्रुमाभाः । दंतव्रजप्रमितहास्यसुशोभिवक्त्राः । कामस्य बाणनयनादिविमोहनाभाः २३। स्त्रिय ऊचुः। कांतकोयं महानर्वास्वर्णपत्रैकशोभितः । कस्य वा भाति शोभाढ्यो गृहाण स्वबलादिमम् २४। शेष उवाच। तदुक्तं वच आकर्ण्य लीलाललितलोचनः । जग्राह हयमेकेन करपद्मेन लीलया २५। वाचयित्वा स्वर्णपत्रं स्पष्टवर्णसमन्वितम् । जहास महिलामध्ये जगाद वचनं पुनः २६। रुक्मांगद उवाच। पृथिव्यां नास्ति मे पित्रा समः शौर्येण च श्रिया । तस्मिन्कथं विधत्ते स उत्सेकं रामभूमिपः २७। यस्य रक्षां प्रकुरुते सदा रुद्रः पिनाकधृक् । यं देवा दानवा यक्षा नमंति मणिमौलिभिः २८। कुरुताद्वाजिमेधं वै जनको मे महाबलः । या त्वेष वाजिशालायां बध्नंतु मम वै भटाः २९। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य महिलास्ता मनोहराः । प्रहर्षवदना जाताः कांतं तु परिरेभिरे ३०। गृहीत्वा च हयं पुत्रो राज्ञो वीरमणेर्महान् । पुरं पत्नीसमायुक्तो महोत्साहमवीविशत् ३१। मृदंगध्वनिषु प्रोच्चैराहतेषु समंततः । बंदिभिः संस्तुतः प्रागात्स्वपितुर्मंदिरं महत् ३२। तस्मै स कथयामास हयं नीतं रघोः पतेः । वाजिमेधाय निर्मुक्तं स्वच्छंदगतिमद्भुतम् ३३। रक्षितं शत्रुसूदेन महाबलसमेतिना । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य नृपो वीरमणिर्महान् ३४। नातिप्रशंसयामास तत्कर्म सुमहामतिः । नीत्वा पुनः समायांतं चौरस्येव विचेष्टितम् ३५। कथयामास जामात्रे शिवायाद्भुतकर्मणे । अर्धांगनाधरायांगभूषाय चंद्रधारिणे ३६। तेन संमंत्रयामास नृपो वीरमणिर्महान् । पुत्रसृष्टं महत्कर्म विनिंद्यं महतां मतः ३७। शिव उवाच। राजन्पुत्रेण भवतः कृतं कर्म महाद्भुतम् । यो जहार महावाहंरामचंद्रस्य धीमतः ३८। अद्य युद्धं महद्भाति सुरासुरविमोहनम् । शत्रुघ्नेन महाराज्ञा वीरकोट्येकरक्षिणा ३९। मया यो ध्रियते स्वांते जिह्वया प्रोच्यते हि यः । तस्य रामस्ययज्ञांगं जहार तव पुत्रकः ४०। परमत्र महाँल्लाभो भविष्यतितरां रणे । यद्रामचरणांभोजं द्रक्ष्यामः स्वीयसेवितम् ४१। अत्र यत्नो महान्कार्यो हयस्य परिरक्षणे । नयिष्यंति बलाद्वाहं मया रक्षितमप्यमुम् ४२। तस्मादिमं महाराज राज्येन सह सन्नतः । वाजिनं भोजनं दत्वा प्रेक्षस्वांघ्रियुगं ततः ४३। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शिवस्य स नृपोत्तमः । उवाच तं सुरेंद्रादिवंद्यपादांबुजद्वयम् ४४। वीरमणिरुवाच। क्षत्रियाणामयं धर्मो यत्प्रतापस्य रक्षणम् । तदसौ क्रांतुमुद्युक्तः क्रतुना हयसंज्ञिना ४५। तस्माद्रक्ष्यः स्वप्रतापो येनकेनापि मानिना । यावच्छक्यं कर्म कृत्वा शरीरव्ययकारिणा ४६। सर्वं कृतं सुतेनेदं गृहीतोऽश्व पुनर्यतः । कोपितं रामभूपालं समयार्हं कुरु प्रभो ४७। क्षत्त्रियाणामिदं कर्म कर्तव्यार्हं भवेन्नहि । यदकस्माद्रिपोः पादौ प्रणमेद्भयविह्वलः ४८। रिपवो विहसंत्येनं कातरोऽयं नृपाधमः । क्षुद्रः प्राकृतवन्नीचो नतवान्भयविह्वलः ४९। तस्माद्भवान्यथायोग्यं योद्धव्ये समुपस्थिते । यद्विधेयं विचार्यैव कर्तव्यं भक्तरक्षणम् ५०। शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य चंद्रचूडोवदद्वचः । प्रहसन्मेघगंभीरवाण्या संमोहयन्मनः ५१। यदि देवास्त्रयस्त्रिंशत्कोटयः समुपस्थिताः । तथापि त्वत्तः केनाश्वो गृह्यते मम रक्षितुः ५२। यदि रामः समागत्य स्वात्मानं दर्शयिष्यति । तदाहं चरणौ तस्य प्रणमामि सुकोमलौ ५३। स्वामिना न हि योद्धव्यं महान नय उच्यते । अन्ये वीरास्तृणप्रायाः किंचित्कर्तुं न वै क्षमाः ५४। तस्माद्युद्ध्यस्व राजेंद्र रक्षके मयि सुस्थिते । को गृह्णाति बलाद्वाहं त्रिलोकी यदि संगता ५५। शेष उवाच। एतद्वचः परं श्रुत्वा चंद्रचूडस्य भूमिपः । जहर्ष मानसेऽत्यंतं युद्धकर्मणि कौतुकी ५६। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे वीरमणिपुत्रेण हयग्रहणंनाम एकोनचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ३९ ।
śeṣa uvāca| ninadatsumṛdaṃgeṣu vīṇānādeṣu sarvataḥ | mukto vāhastato deva puraṃ devavinirmitam 1| yatra sphāṭika kuḍyānāṃ racanābhirgṛhā nṛṇām | hasaṃti viṃdhyaṃ vimalaṃ parvataṃ nāgasevitam 2| rājatāni gṛhāṇyatra dṛśyaṃte prakṛterapi | vicitramaṇisannaddhā nānāmāṇikyagopurāḥ 3| padminyo yatra lokānāṃ gehe gehe manoharāḥ | haraṃti cittāni nṛṇāṃ mukhapadmakalekṣitāḥ 4| padmarāgamaṇiryatra gehe gehe subhūmiṣu | baddhaḥ saṃlakṣyate vipra tadoṣṭhaspardhayā nu kim 5| krīḍāśailāḥ pratyagāraṃ nīlaratnavinirmitāḥ | kurvaṃti śaṃkāṃ meghasya mayūrāṇāṃ kalāpinām 6| haṃsā yatra nṛṇāṃ gehe sphāṭikeṣu niyaṃtritāḥ | kurvaṃti meghānno bhītiṃ mānasaṃ na smaraṃti ca 7| niraṃtaraṃ śivasthāne dhvastaṃ caṃdrikayā tamaḥ | śuklakṛṣṇavibhedo na pakṣayostatra vai nṛṇām 8| tatra vīramaṇī rājā dhārmikeṣvagraṇīrmahān | rājyaṃ karoti vipulaṃ sarvabhogasamanvitam 9| tasya putro mahāśūro nāmnā rukmāṃgado balī | vanitābhirgato ramyadehābhiḥ krīḍituṃ vanam 10| tāsāṃ maṃjīrasaṃrāvaḥ kaṃkaṇānāṃ ravastathā | mano harati kāmasya kimanyasya kathātra bhoḥ 11| vanaṃ jagāma sumahatsupuṣpanagasaṃyutam | sadāśivakṛtasthānamṛtuṣaṭkairvirājitam 12| caṃpakā yatra bahuśaḥ phullakorakaśobhitāḥ | kurvaṃti kāmināṃ tatra hṛcchayārtiṃ vilokitāḥ 13| cūtāḥ phalādibhirnamrā maṃjarīkoṭisaṃyutāḥ | nāgāḥ punnāgavṛkṣāśca śālāstālāstamālakāḥ 14| kokilānāṃ samārāvā yatra ca śrutigocarāḥ | sadā madhupajhaṃkāra gatanidrāḥ sumallikāḥ 15| dāḍimānāṃ samūhāśca karṇikāraiḥ samanvitāḥ | ketakīkānakīvanyavṛkṣarājivirājitāḥ 16| tasminvane pramadasaṃyutacittavṛttirgāyankalaṃ madhuravāgvicikīrṣayoccaiḥ | udyatkucābhirabhito vanitābhirāgācchobhānidhāna vapurudgatabhīrviveśa 17| kāścittaṃ nṛtyavidyābhistoṣayaṃti sma śobhanam | kāścidgānakalābhiśca kāścidvākcaturocitaiḥ 18| bhrūsaṃjñayā parāḥ kāścittoṣayāmāsurunmadāḥ | pariraṃbhaṇacāturyaistaṃ hṛṣṭaṃ vidadhuḥ striyaḥ 19| tābhiḥ puṣpoccayaṃ kṛtvā bhūṣayāmāsa tāḥ striyaḥ | vāṇyā komalayā śaṃsanreme kāmavapurdharaḥ 20| evaṃ pravṛtte samaye rājarājasya dhīmataḥ | prāyāttadvanadeśaṃ sa hayaḥ paramaśobhanaḥ 21| taṃ svarṇapatraracitaikalalāṭadeśaṃ | gaṃgāsamaṃ ghusṛṇakuṃkuma piṃjarāṃgam | gatyāsamaṃ pavanavegatiraskariṇyā | dṛṣṭvā striyaḥ paramakautukadhāmadeham 22| ūcuḥ patiṃ kamalamadhyapiśaṃgavarṇā -| stāmrādharapratibhayāhatavidrumābhāḥ | daṃtavrajapramitahāsyasuśobhivaktrāḥ | kāmasya bāṇanayanādivimohanābhāḥ 23| striya ūcuḥ| kāṃtakoyaṃ mahānarvāsvarṇapatraikaśobhitaḥ | kasya vā bhāti śobhāḍhyo gṛhāṇa svabalādimam 24| śeṣa uvāca| taduktaṃ vaca ākarṇya līlālalitalocanaḥ | jagrāha hayamekena karapadmena līlayā 25| vācayitvā svarṇapatraṃ spaṣṭavarṇasamanvitam | jahāsa mahilāmadhye jagāda vacanaṃ punaḥ 26| rukmāṃgada uvāca| pṛthivyāṃ nāsti me pitrā samaḥ śauryeṇa ca śriyā | tasminkathaṃ vidhatte sa utsekaṃ rāmabhūmipaḥ 27| yasya rakṣāṃ prakurute sadā rudraḥ pinākadhṛk | yaṃ devā dānavā yakṣā namaṃti maṇimaulibhiḥ 28| kurutādvājimedhaṃ vai janako me mahābalaḥ | yā tveṣa vājiśālāyāṃ badhnaṃtu mama vai bhaṭāḥ 29| iti vākyaṃ samākarṇya mahilāstā manoharāḥ | praharṣavadanā jātāḥ kāṃtaṃ tu parirebhire 30| gṛhītvā ca hayaṃ putro rājño vīramaṇermahān | puraṃ patnīsamāyukto mahotsāhamavīviśat 31| mṛdaṃgadhvaniṣu proccairāhateṣu samaṃtataḥ | baṃdibhiḥ saṃstutaḥ prāgātsvapiturmaṃdiraṃ mahat 32| tasmai sa kathayāmāsa hayaṃ nītaṃ raghoḥ pateḥ | vājimedhāya nirmuktaṃ svacchaṃdagatimadbhutam 33| rakṣitaṃ śatrusūdena mahābalasametinā | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya nṛpo vīramaṇirmahān 34| nātipraśaṃsayāmāsa tatkarma sumahāmatiḥ | nītvā punaḥ samāyāṃtaṃ caurasyeva viceṣṭitam 35| kathayāmāsa jāmātre śivāyādbhutakarmaṇe | ardhāṃganādharāyāṃgabhūṣāya caṃdradhāriṇe 36| tena saṃmaṃtrayāmāsa nṛpo vīramaṇirmahān | putrasṛṣṭaṃ mahatkarma viniṃdyaṃ mahatāṃ mataḥ 37| śiva uvāca| rājanputreṇa bhavataḥ kṛtaṃ karma mahādbhutam | yo jahāra mahāvāhaṃrāmacaṃdrasya dhīmataḥ 38| adya yuddhaṃ mahadbhāti surāsuravimohanam | śatrughnena mahārājñā vīrakoṭyekarakṣiṇā 39| mayā yo dhriyate svāṃte jihvayā procyate hi yaḥ | tasya rāmasyayajñāṃgaṃ jahāra tava putrakaḥ 40| paramatra mahā~llābho bhaviṣyatitarāṃ raṇe | yadrāmacaraṇāṃbhojaṃ drakṣyāmaḥ svīyasevitam 41| atra yatno mahānkāryo hayasya parirakṣaṇe | nayiṣyaṃti balādvāhaṃ mayā rakṣitamapyamum 42| tasmādimaṃ mahārāja rājyena saha sannataḥ | vājinaṃ bhojanaṃ datvā prekṣasvāṃghriyugaṃ tataḥ 43| iti vākyaṃ samākarṇya śivasya sa nṛpottamaḥ | uvāca taṃ sureṃdrādivaṃdyapādāṃbujadvayam 44| vīramaṇiruvāca| kṣatriyāṇāmayaṃ dharmo yatpratāpasya rakṣaṇam | tadasau krāṃtumudyuktaḥ kratunā hayasaṃjñinā 45| tasmādrakṣyaḥ svapratāpo yenakenāpi māninā | yāvacchakyaṃ karma kṛtvā śarīravyayakāriṇā 46| sarvaṃ kṛtaṃ sutenedaṃ gṛhīto'śva punaryataḥ | kopitaṃ rāmabhūpālaṃ samayārhaṃ kuru prabho 47| kṣattriyāṇāmidaṃ karma kartavyārhaṃ bhavennahi | yadakasmādripoḥ pādau praṇamedbhayavihvalaḥ 48| ripavo vihasaṃtyenaṃ kātaro'yaṃ nṛpādhamaḥ | kṣudraḥ prākṛtavannīco natavānbhayavihvalaḥ 49| tasmādbhavānyathāyogyaṃ yoddhavye samupasthite | yadvidheyaṃ vicāryaiva kartavyaṃ bhaktarakṣaṇam 50| śeṣa uvāca| iti vākyaṃ samākarṇya caṃdracūḍovadadvacaḥ | prahasanmeghagaṃbhīravāṇyā saṃmohayanmanaḥ 51| yadi devāstrayastriṃśatkoṭayaḥ samupasthitāḥ | tathāpi tvattaḥ kenāśvo gṛhyate mama rakṣituḥ 52| yadi rāmaḥ samāgatya svātmānaṃ darśayiṣyati | tadāhaṃ caraṇau tasya praṇamāmi sukomalau 53| svāminā na hi yoddhavyaṃ mahāna naya ucyate | anye vīrāstṛṇaprāyāḥ kiṃcitkartuṃ na vai kṣamāḥ 54| tasmādyuddhyasva rājeṃdra rakṣake mayi susthite | ko gṛhṇāti balādvāhaṃ trilokī yadi saṃgatā 55| śeṣa uvāca| etadvacaḥ paraṃ śrutvā caṃdracūḍasya bhūmipaḥ | jaharṣa mānase'tyaṃtaṃ yuddhakarmaṇi kautukī 56| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe pātālakhaṃḍe śeṣavātsyāyanasaṃvāde rāmāśvamedhe vīramaṇiputreṇa hayagrahaṇaṃnāma ekonacatvāriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 39 |
English translation
Śeṣa said :
1-8. When everywhere the tabors were sounded and when everywhere there were the sounds of lutes, the horse was released. From there he (went) to Devapura fashioned by gods, in which men’s houses laughed, as it were, (i.e. were bright) by means of the constructions of crystal walls at the spotless Vindhya mountain resorted to by elephants. Even the houses of the subjects (i.e. ordinary people) were made of silver here (i.e. in this city). Here the ornamental ruby gateways were girdled by variegated gems; in every house there were attractive, most beautiful women that with side-glances attracted the hearts of men. Here, O brāhmaṇa , in every house rubies were seen to have been fixed in the good (i.e. beautiful) floors, as it were, to vie with the lips of the women. In every house the pleasure-mountains fashioned with sapphires produced the hope of (the arrival of) clouds in (the minds of) the peacocks having plumages. In this city swans, restrained on the crystal-floors in the houses were not afraid of a cloud and did not remember the Mānasa lake. (In it) at the abode of Śiva darkness was always dispelled by the moonlight; (so) the men there did not distinguish between the bright half and the dark half (of the month).
9-11. There the great king Vīramaṇi , the chief among the righteous (kings), ruled over a large kingdom full of all enjoyments. His very brave and powerful son named Rukmāṅgada (once) went to a forest to sport with women of charming bodies. The sound of their anklets and also the sound of their bracelets attracted the mind of Cupid (himself); then what to say about others!
12-16. He (i.e. Rukmāṅgada) went to the great forest which was full of trees with good flowers, where Sadāśiva had made his abode, and which shone with the six seasons. In it the many campaka trees adorned with blooming buds caused affliction in the hearts of passionate men, when they were seen by the men. (There) the mango trees, having crores of sprouts, were bent with fruits etc. (There were) the nāga (trees), the punnāga trees, the śāla (trees), the tāla (trees) and the tamāla (trees). In it the cooings of cuckoos were heard. The good jasmine (creepers) had always lost their sleep (i.e. were blossoming) due to the humming of bees. (There) the groups of the pomgranate (trees) were linked to the karṇikāra (trees); the rows of the sylvan trees shone with the ketakī and kanakī trees.
17-20. With his mind full of joy, singing sweetly and indistinctly, and having a body—the abode of charm—he, with women on all sides having a strong desire to talk sweetly and having raised breasts, entered the forest through passion and free from fear. Some pleased him with their knowledge of dancing, some (pleased) him with their singing arts, some with clever words; others, being intoxicated, pleased him with the signs (i.e. knittings) of their eye-brows. The women made him happy with their skill in embracing. Having collected flowers with them he, having Cupid’s body, praising them with tender words, adorned those women.
21-23. When the intelligent king of kings was passing his time like this, that extremely charming horse went to that region of the forest. The women seeing him, on whose forehead was arranged (i.e. put) the golden note, who resembled Gaṅgā (in colour), whose body was tawny due to the reddish saffron, who was uniform in speed which excelled that of the wind said (the following) to their lord. The women had a tawny complexion like the interior of a lotus. They had set back the beauty of corals afraid of their red lips, with their red lips. Their faces were beautiful due to the laughter meted out by the rows of their teeth. They were lustrous due to their seductive eyes resembling Cupid’s arrows.
The women said :
24. O darling, who is this great horse adorned only with the golden note? To whom does he, endowed with loveliness, belong? Seize him with your might.
Śeṣa said :
25-26. Hearing those words spoken (by the women), he having charming and sportive eyes, easily seized the horse with only one hand resembling a lotus. Having read the golden note having clear letters, he seized him, and again said these words to the women.
Rukmāṅgada said :
27-32. On the earth there is none else like my father in valour and wealth. How can that king Rāma show haughty disregard of him? Let my very mighty father whom Rudra , the holder of the trident, always protects, whom gods, demons, yakṣas salute with their heads having jewels (bowed), perform the horse-sacrifice. Let this (horse) go to the stable. Let my soldiers tie him.
Hearing these words, the charming women had their faces joyful, and embraced their lover. The great son of king Vīramaṇi, seizing the horse, entered with his wives the city with great enthusiasm. When the sounds of the tabors that were beaten, were loud, he, being praised on all sides by the bards, went to the great house (i.e. palace) of his father.
33-37. He told him about his having seized Rāma’s wonderful horse released for the horse-sacrifice, moving freely and protected by Śatrughna endowed with great power. The great, very intelligent king Vīramaṇi, having heard his words, did not very much approve that deed of him. Taking the seizure of that horse which was brought (to him by his son) like a thief’s act and bringing him (to Śiva) he told lord Śiva, of wonderful deeds, having a lady (i.e. Pārvatī ) as the half (part) of his body, having the moon for decorating his body. The great king Vīramaṇi honoured by the great, having condemned the deed done by his son, consulted him.
Śiva said :
38-44. O king, your son who took away the great horse of the intelligent Rāmacandra , has done a wonderful deed. Today a great war deluding gods and demons, with the great king Śatrughna, the only protector of a crore of heroes, appears (imminent). Your son has carried away (the horse)—the constituent of the sacrifice—of that Rāma who is held by me in my heart, and who is spoken (about) with my tongue (by me). But in the battle there will be a great gain, since we shall see the lotus-like feet of Rāma, which are waited upon by me. Now a great effort must be done to protect the horse. They will forcibly take this horse, though protected by me. Therefore, O great king, with modesty you should (first) give along with the kingdom, the horse and food and then see the pair of his feet.
Having heard these words of Śiva, the best king said to him, whose pair of lotus-like feet were adorable (even) to Indra and others.
Vīramaṇi said :
45-50. This is the duty of kṣatriyas to preserve valour. He is eager to surpass it by the sacrifice called horse (-sacrifice). Therefore whosoever is possessed of self-respect, has to maintain his own valour, by doing, as is possible, a deed, (even) spending (i.e. harming) his (own) body. Everything is done by (my) son since he has seized the horse. He has angered king Rāma. (So) O lord, do what is proper for the occasion. It would certainly not be an act to be done by kṣatriyas that he (i.e. a kṣatriya ) overcome with fear, should all of a sudden, salute the feet of his enemy. The enemies laugh at him (and say): “This mean king is a coward. He is insignificant; he, the mean one, being overcome with fear like a common man, has bowed (before me).” Therefore, when the fight is imminent, you should think and do whatever is proper and should protect your devotee.
Śeṣa said :
51-56. Hearing these words, Śiva laughed, and spoke words in a voice deep-sounding like a cloud, and infatuating his mind: “Even if the thirty-three crore gods are present, who would take the horse from you when I am your protector. If Rāma comes and shows himself to me, then I shall salute his very delicate feet. One should not fight with one’s lord. (Doing so) is said to be a very evil course. Other heroes are (insignificant) like blades of grass. They are not capable of doing anything. Therefore, O best of kings, fight when I, your protector, am well-settled. Who would take (away) the horse even if the three worlds come together.”
Śeṣa said :
Hearing those great words of Candracūḍa (i.e. Śiva) the king who took pleasure in fighting was very much delighted in his mind.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43933, revision 335936 (2022-04-17T02:18:40Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365350.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.