नारद उवाच विनीय दुःखमबला साऽऽत्मनैवायतेक्षणा। उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा लतेवावर्जिता तदा॥
Narada said The lady having large eyes, controlling her grief by self-exertion, addressed the Grandfather, with joined hands and bending low like a creeper.
त्वया सृष्टा कथं नारी मादृशी वदतां वर। रौद्रकर्माभिजायेत सर्वप्राणिभयङ्करी॥
And she said, How, O foremost of speakers, shall a lady like me who has sprung from you proceed to perform such a terrible feat-a feat, which is sure to terrorize all living creatures.
विभेम्यहमधर्मस्य धर्नामादिश कर्म मे। त्वं मां भीतामवेक्षस्व शिवेनेक्षस्व चक्षुषा॥
I fear to do any thing that is iniquitious! Do you find out a holy work for me. You see that I am frightened. Oh, look upon me mercifully.
बालान् वृद्धान् वयस्थांश्च न हरेयमनागसः। प्राणिनः प्राणिनामीश नमस्तेऽस्तु प्रसीद मे॥
I shall not be able to cut off living creatures,-infants, youths, and elderly ones,-who have done me no injury! O lord of all creatures, I bow to you, be pleased with me.
प्रियान् पुत्रान् वयस्यांश्च भ्रातृन् मातृः पितृनपि। अपध्यास्यन्ति यद्येवं मृतास्तेषां बिभेम्यहम्॥
I shall not be able to cut off dear sons, loved friends and brothers and mothers and fathers! If these perish their surviving relatives will surely curse me. Thinking of this I am filled with fear.
कृपणाश्रुपरिक्लेदो देहन्मां शाश्वतीः समाः। तेभ्योऽहं बलवद् भीता शरणं त्वामुपागता॥
The tears of the sorrow-stricken survivors will burn me for good. I am very much afraid of them. I seek your protection.
यमस्य भवने देव पात्यन्ते पापकर्मिणः। प्रसादये त्वां वरद प्रसादं कुरु मे प्रभो॥
All sinful creatures will have to sink into hell. I seek to please you, O boon-giving god! Extend to me your favour, O powerful lord.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं कामं त्वत्तो लोकपितामह। इच्छेयं त्वत्प्रसादार्थं तपस्तप्तुं महेश्वर॥
I seek the satisfaction of this wish, O Grandfather, of all the worlds. O foremost of all the gods, I seek, through your grace, permission to practise austere penances.
पितामह उवाच मृत्यो संकल्पिता मे त्वं प्रजासंहारहेतुना। गच्छ संहर सर्वास्त्वं प्रजा मा च विचारय॥
The Grandfather said O Death, I have selected you for the destruction of all creatures! Go, and begin the task of killing all. Do not think thus.
एतदेवमवश्यं हि भविता नैतदन्यथा। क्रियतामनवद्याङ्गि यथोक्तं मद्वचोऽनघे॥
This must surely take place. It cannot be otherwise. O sinless one, O fair lady do you satisfy the order I have given.
एवमुक्ता महाबाहो मृत्युः परपुरंजय। न व्याजहार तस्थौ च प्रह्वा भगवदुन्मुखी॥
Thus addressed, O you of mighty arms, the lady called Death, O conqueror of hostile cities, did not utter a word, but humbly stood there with her eyes turned towards the powerful Lord of all creatures.
पुनः पुनरथोक्ता सा गतसत्त्वेव भामिनी। तूष्णीमासीत् ततो देवो देवानामीश्वरेश्वरः॥
Brahma addressed her again and again, but the lady appeared to be herself deprived of life. Seeing her thus, the god of gods, that lords of lords, became silent.
प्रससाद किल ब्रह्मा स्वयमेवात्मनाऽऽत्मनि। स्मयमानश्च लोकेशो लोकान् सर्वानवैक्षत॥
Indeed, the Self-create by an effort of his will, became pleased. Smiling the lord of all the worlds then looked at the universe.
निवृत्तरोषे तस्मिस्तु भगवत्यपराजिते। सा कन्याथ जगामास्य समीपादिति नः श्रुतम्॥
We have heard that when that unconquered and illustrious lord controlled his anger, the lady (called Death) went away from his side.
अपसृत्याप्रतिश्रुत्य प्रजासंहरणं तदा। त्वरमाणेव राजेन्द्र मृत्युर्धेनुकमभ्यगात्॥
Leaving Brahma's side without having promised to bring about the destruction of living creatures, Death speedily went, O king, 10 the sacred spot known by the name of Dhenuka.
सा तत्र परमं देवी तपोऽचरद् दुश्चरम्। समा होकपदे तस्थौ दश पद्मानि पञ्च च॥
There the goddess performed austere penances for fifteen billions of years, standing upon one foot.
तां तथा कुर्वतीं तत्र तपः परमदुश्चरम्। पुनरेव महातेजा ब्रह्मा वचनमब्रवीत्॥ कुरुष्व मे वचो मृत्यो तदनादृत्य सत्वरा। तथैवैकपदे तात पुनरन्यानि सप्त सा॥ तस्थौ पद्मानि षट् चैव पञ्च द्वे चैव मानद। भूयः पद्मायुतं तात मृगैः सह चचार सा॥
After she had practised such highly severe austerities in that place, the highly energetic Brahma once more said to her,-Do you satisfy iny command, O Death! Disregarding this order, the lady once more practised austerities standing upon one foot for twenty billions of years, O giver of honours! And once more, O son, she lived in the forest with the deer for another long period of ten thousand billions of years.
द्वे चायुते नरश्रेष्ठ वायवाहारा महामते। पुनरेव ततो राजन् मौनमातिष्ठदुत्तमम्॥ अप्सु वर्षसहस्राणि सप्त चैकं च पार्थिवा ततो जगाम सा कन्या कौशिकी नृपसत्तम॥
And once more, O foremost of men, she passed twenty thousand years living upon air only. Once again, O king she observed the excellent vow of silence for eight thousand years passing the whole period in water. Then that maiden, O best of kings, went to river Kaushiki.
तत्र वायुजलाहारा चचार नियम पुनः। ततो ययौ महाभागा गङ्गां मेरुं च केवलम्॥
There she began to pass her days observing another vow, living upon only water and air. After this, O king, the blessed maiden proceeded to the Ganges and thence to the mount Meru.
तस्थौ दार्विव निश्चेष्टा प्रजानां हितकाम्यया। ततो हिमवतो मूनि यत्र देवाः समीजिरे॥ तत्राङ्गुष्ठेन राजेन्द्र निखर्वमपरं ततः। तस्थौ पितामहं चैव तोषयामास यत्नतः॥
Actuated by the desire of doing good to all living creatures, she stood perfectly motionless there like a piece of wood. Going thence to the summit of Himavat where the gods had celebrated their great sacrifice, she stood there for another hundred billions of years, standing upon only the toes of her feet, with the object of pleasing the Grandfather with such an act of austerity.
ततस्तामब्रवीत् तत्र लोकानां प्रभवाप्ययः। किमिदं वर्तते पुत्रि क्रियतां मम तद् वचः॥
Going there the Creator and Destroyer of the universe again addressed her saying,-What are you doing, O daughter! Satisfy those words of mine!
ततोऽब्रवीत् पुनर्मृत्युर्भगवन्तं पितामहम्। न हरेयं प्रजा देव पुनश्चाहं प्रसादये॥
Addressing the divine Grandfather, the maiden once more said, I am unable to destroy living creatures, O god! I seek to please you.
तामधर्मभयाद् भीतां पुनरेव प्रयाचतीम्। तदाब्रवीद् देवदेवो निगृह्येदं वचस्ततः॥
Frightened at doing the prospect of iniquity as she then was and employed in soliciting the Grandfather to excuse her for disobedience the Grandsire silenced her, and once more said to her',-
अधर्मो नास्ति ते मृत्यो संयच्छेमाः प्रजाः शुभे। मया हुक्तं मृषा भद्रे भविता नेह किंचन॥
No sin shall visit you, O Death,! Do you, O auspicious maiden, begin the task of destroying living creatures! What I have said, O amiable girl, cannot be falsified.
धर्मः सनातनश्च त्वामिहैवानुप्रवेक्ष्यति। अहं च विबुधाश्चैव त्वद्धिते निरताः सदा॥
Eternal virtue shall now live in you. Myself and all the gods shall always be busy with secking your well-being.
इममन्यं च ते कामं ददानि मनसेप्सितम्। न त्वां दोषेण यास्यन्ति व्याधिसम्पीडिताः प्रजाः॥
I grant you this other wish that is in your heart! Living creatures shall be possessed by disease, and shall not censure you.
पुरुषेषु स्वरूपेण पुरुषस्त्वं भविष्यसि। स्त्रीषु स्त्रीरूपिणी चैव तृतीयेषु नपुंसकम्॥
You will become a male in all male beings, a female in all female beings, and a eunuch in all those who are so.
सैवमुक्ता महाराज कृताञ्जलिरुवाच ह। पुनरवे महात्मानं नेति देवेशमव्ययम्॥ तामब्रवीत् तदा देवो मृत्यो संहर मानवान्।
Thus addressed by Brahma, O king, the maiden at last said, with joined hands to that great and undecaying lord of all the gods-I am unable to satisfy your order. The great God again said to her, O Death, do you kill men!
अधर्मस्ते न भविता तथा ध्यास्याम्यहं शुभे॥ यानश्रुबिन्दूम्पतितानपश्यं ये पाणिभ्यां धारितास्ते पुरस्तात्। ते व्याधयो मानवान् घोररूपाः। प्राप्ते काले कालयिष्यन्ति मृत्यो॥
I shall so ordain that you will not commit any sin by doing this, O auspicious lady. The tears that I see fall from your eyes, and which you still hold in joined hands, shall take the form of terrible diseases and even they shall destroy men when their time comes.
सर्वेषा त्वं प्राणिनामन्तकाले कामक्रोधौ सहितौ योजयेथाः। एवं धर्मस्त्वामुपैष्यत्यमेयो न चाधर्मं लप्स्यसे तुल्यवृत्तिः॥
When the end of living creatures arrives you will send Desire and Anger together against them. You shall reap immeasurable merit. You will not commit sin, being yourself perfectly equal in your conduct.
एवं धर्म पालयिष्यस्यथो त्वं न चात्मानं मज्जयिष्यस्यधर्मे। तस्मात् कामं रोचयाभ्यागतं त्वं संयोज्याथो संहरस्वेह जन्तून।३६॥
By doing this you will only observe righteousness instead of committing sin. Do you, therefore, mind the work in hand, and addressing Desire and Anger begin to kill all living creatures.
सा वै तदा मृत्युसंज्ञापदेशा गीता शापाद्बाढमित्यब्रवीत् तम्। अथो प्राणान्प्राणिनामन्तकाले कामक्रोधौ प्राप्य निर्मोह्य हन्ति॥
Thus addressed, that lady, Death, became afraid of Brahma's curse and answered him, saying,-Yes! Thence-forward she began to send Desire and Anger at the last hours of living creatures, and through their agency to kill them.
मृत्योर्ये ते व्याधयश्चाश्रुपाता मनुष्याणां रुज्यते यैः शरीरम्। सवेषां वै प्राणिनां प्राणनान्ते तस्माच्छोकं मा कृथा बुद्ध्य बुद्ध्या॥
Those tears that Death had shed are the diseases by which the bodies of men are possessed. At the destruction, therefore, of living creatures, one should not, understanding with the help of the intelligence, give way to grief.
सर्वे जीवाः प्राणिनां प्राणनान्ते गत्वा वृत्ताः संनिवृत्तास्तथैव। एवं सर्वे मानवाः प्राणनान्ते गत्वा वृत्ताः देववद्राजसिंह॥
As the senses of all creatures disappear when they are in dreamless slumber and return once more when they awake, similarly, upon the dissolution of their bodies, all human beings have to go into the other world and return thence to this, O foremost of kings.
वायुीमो भीमनादो महौजा: स सर्वेषां प्राणिनां प्राणभूतः। नानावृत्तिर्देहिनां देहभेदे तस्माद्वायुर्देवदेवो विशिष्टः॥
The element called wind, which has terrible energy and mighty prowess and dealening roars, acts as the life in all living creatures. When the bodies of living creatures are destroyed, that wind, passing from the old performs various functions in various new bodies. Therefore the wind is called the lord of senses and is superior to all other elements forming the gross body.
सर्वे देवा मर्त्यसंज्ञाविशिष्टाः सर्वे मर्त्या देवसंज्ञाविशिष्टाः। तस्मात् पुत्रं मा शुचो राजसिंह पुत्रः स्वर्ग प्राप्य ते मोदते ह॥
The gods, without any exception, have to take birth as mortal creatures on Earth. Likewise, all mortal creatures also, succeed in acquiring the dignity to gods. Therefore, O foremost of kings, do not grieve for you son. Your son has gone to heaven, and is enjoying great happiness there.
एवं मृत्युर्देवसृष्टा प्रजानां प्राप्ते काले संहरन्ती यथावत्। तस्याश्चैव व्याधयस्तेऽश्रुपाताः प्राप्ते काले संहरन्तीह जन्तून्॥
It was thus, O king, that Death was created by the Self-Create and it is in this way that she kills duly all living creatures when their time comes. the tears she had shed became diseases, which when their last hours come, snatch away all beings gifted with life.