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nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
vinīya duḥkhamabalā sā tvatīvāyatekṣaṇā। uvāca prāñjalirbhūtvā latevāvarjitā tadā ॥12-250-1॥
Then, having removed her sorrow, that weak woman, with very wide eyes, bent like a creeper, joined her palms and spoke.
tvayā sṛṣṭā kathaṃ nārī mādṛśī vadatāṃ vara। raudrakarmābhijāyeta sarvapraṇibhayaṅkarī ॥12-250-2॥
O best of speakers, how could a woman like me, created by you, who performs fierce deeds and causes fear to all beings, be born?
bibhemy aham adharmasya dharmy am ādiśa karma me। tvaṃ māṃ bhītām avekṣasva śivena īśvara cakṣuṣā ॥12-250-3॥
I am afraid of unrighteousness; instruct me in righteous action; please look upon me, who am fearful, with the auspicious eye of the Lord.
bālān vṛddhān vayaḥ-sthāṁś ca na hared am-anāgasaḥ। prāṇinaḥ prāṇinām īśa namas te'bhprasīda me ॥12-250-4॥
O Lord of living beings, I should not take away the lives of children, the aged, or those of mature age who are innocent. O Lord, I bow to you; please be gracious to me.
priyān putrān vayasyāṃś ca bhrātṝn mātṝḥ pitṝn api। apadhyāsyanti yad deva mṛtāṃs teṣāṃ bibhemy aham॥12-250-5॥
O god, I am afraid that the dear sons, friends, brothers, mothers, and fathers of those who have died will imagine them.
kṛpaṇāśruparikledo dahe nmāṃ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ। tebhyo' haṃ balavadbhītā śaraṇaṃ tvāmupāgatā ॥12-250-6॥
The soaking of miserable tears may burn me for endless years. Out of great fear of them, I have come to you for refuge.
yamasya bhavane deva yātyante pāpakarmiṇaḥ। prasādaye tvā varada prasādaṃ kuru me prabho ॥12-250-7॥
O god, those who perform sinful actions go to the abode of Yama. O bestower of boons, I beseech you; O lord, please bestow your grace upon me.
etam icchāmi ahaṃ kāmam tvatto lokapitāmaha। iccheyam tvatprasādāc ca tapas taptuṃ sureśvara ॥12-250-8॥
O grandsire of the world, this is the wish I desire from you. O lord of the gods, by your grace, I wish to perform austerities.
pitāmaha uvāca॥
The paternal grandfather said.
mṛtyo saṅkalpitā me tvaṃ prajāsaṃhārahetunā। gaccha saṃhara sarvāstvaṃ prajā mā ca vicāraya ॥12-250-9॥
O Death, you have been appointed by me for the destruction of beings. Go and destroy all creatures; do not hesitate or consider further.
etadevam avaśyaṃ hi bhavitā naitad anyathā। kriyatām anavadyāṅgi yathoktaṃ mad-vaco'naghe ॥12-250-10॥
This will certainly happen exactly as stated; it cannot be otherwise. O faultless one, let my words be carried out as I have said, O sinless one.
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
evamuktā mahābāho mṛtyuḥ parapurañjaya। na vyājahāra tasthau ca prahvā bhagavadunmukhī ॥12-250-11॥
O mighty-armed conqueror of enemy cities, when thus addressed, Death remained silent and stood humbly, facing the Lord.
punaḥ punarathoktā sā gatasattveva bhāminī। tūṣṇīmāsīttato devo devānāmīśvareśvaraḥ ॥12-250-12॥
Again and again she was addressed, but the lady, as if bereft of life, remained silent; then the god, the lord of lords among the gods, acted.
prasasāda kila brahmā svayamevātmanātmavān। smayamānaś ca lokeśo lokān sarvān avaikṣata ॥12-250-13॥
Brahmā, truly pleased and self-possessed, smiled and gazed upon all the worlds as the lord of the worlds.
nivṛttarōṣe tasmiṁstu bhagavatyaparājitē। sā kanyāpajagāmāsya samīpāditi naḥ śrutam ॥12-250-14॥
It is said that when the anger subsided in the venerable unconquered one, the maiden left his presence.
apasṛtyāpratiśrutya prajāsaṃharaṇaṃ tadā। tvaramāṇeva rājendra mṛtyurdhenukamabhyayāt ॥12-250-15॥
O King, having withdrawn without making a promise regarding the destruction of the subjects, Death, hastening, then approached Dhenuka.
sā tatra paramaṃ devī tapo'carat duścaram। samā hyekapade tasthau daśa padmāni pañca ca ॥12-250-16॥
There, the supreme goddess performed extremely difficult austerities. For a whole year, she stood on one foot, upon fifteen lotuses.
tāṃ tathā kurvatīṃ tatra tapaḥ paramaduścaram। punareva mahātejā brahmā vacanamabravīt ॥12-250-17॥
As she was thus engaged in performing that extremely difficult austerity there, Brahmā, the one of great splendor, again spoke these words.
kuruṣva me vaco mṛtyo tadanādṛtya satvarā। tathaivaikapade tāta punaranyāni sapta sā ॥12-250-18॥
O Death, do as I say, quickly disregarding that. In the same way, O dear, at once, she again (does) the other seven.
tasthau padmāni ṣaṭ caiva pañca dve caiva mānada। bhūyaḥ padmāyutaṃ tāta mṛgaiḥ saha cacāra sā ॥12-250-19॥
She stood by six, five, and two lotuses, O bestower of honor. Then, O dear one, she wandered together with the deer among ten thousand lotuses.
punargatvā tato rājan maunam ātiṣṭhad uttamam। apsu varṣasahasrāṇi sapta ca ekaṃ ca pārthiva ॥12-250-20॥
Then, O king, having returned, he practiced the highest silence in the waters for seven thousand and one years.
tato jagāma sā kanyā kauśikīṃ bharatarṣabha। tatra vāyujalāhārā cacāra niyamaṃ punaḥ ॥12-250-21॥
Then the maiden went to the river Kauśikī, O best of the Bharatas. There, living only on air and water, she again undertook austerities.
tato yayau mahābhāgā gaṅgāṃ meruṃ ca kevalam। tasthau dārviva niśceṣṭā bhūtānāṃ hitakāmyayā ॥12-250-22॥
Then the highly blessed lady went to Gaṅgā and to Meru alone. She stood still like a piece of wood, wishing for the welfare of all beings.
tato himavato mūrdhni yatra devāḥ samījire। tatrāṅguṣṭhena rājendra nikharmamaparaṃ tataḥ ॥ tasthau pitāmahaṃ caiva toṣayāmāsa yatnataḥ ॥12-250-23॥
From there, on the summit of the Himalayas where the gods had assembled, O king, with his thumb, to the depth of a span, at another place, then Brahmā stood and earnestly gratified him.
tatastāmabravīttatra lokānāṃ prabhavāpyayaḥ। kimidaṃ vartate putri kriyatāṃ tadvaco mama ॥12-250-24॥
Then, the origin and dissolution of worlds said to her there: "O daughter, what is this that is happening? Let my word be carried out."
tato'bravītpunarmṛtyurbhagavantaṃ pitāmaham। na hareyaṃ prajā deva punastvāhaṃ prasādaye ॥12-250-25॥
Then Death again addressed the venerable grandfather: 'O god, I do not wish to take away the creatures again; I request you.'
tām adharma-bhaya-trastām punar eva ca yācatīm। tadā abravīt devadevo nigṛhya idaṃ vacas tataḥ ॥12-250-26॥
Seeing her, afflicted by fear of unrighteousness and again begging, then the god of gods, restraining her, spoke these words.
adharmo nāsti te mṛtyo saṃyacchemaḥ prajāḥ śubhe। mayā hyuktaṃ mṛṣā bhadre bhavitā neha kiñcana ॥12-250-27॥
There is no unrighteousness in you, O Death; we should restrain these beings, O auspicious one. What I said before was false, O gentle one; nothing of that will happen here.
dharmaḥ sanātanaś ca tvām ihaiva anupravekṣyate। ahaṃ ca vibudhāś caiva tvaddhite niratāḥ sadā ॥12-250-28॥
Eternal righteousness is established in you here. I and the wise are always devoted to your welfare.
imam anyaṃ ca te kāmaṃ dadāmi manas-epsitam। na tvā doṣeṇa yāsyanti vyādhi-sampīḍitāḥ prajāḥ ॥12-250-29॥
I grant you this other wish you desire in your mind. Your subjects, afflicted by disease, will not perish because of any fault of yours.
puruṣeṣu ca rūpeṇa puruṣastvaṃ bhaviṣyasi। strīṣu strīrūpiṇī caiva tṛtīyeṣu napuṃsakam ॥12-250-30॥
You will assume the form of a man among men, of a woman among women, and of a neuter among the third gender.
saivamuktā mahārāja kṛtāñjaliruvāca ha। punareva mahātmānaṃ neti deveśamavyayam ॥12-250-31॥
Thus addressed, she, with joined palms, spoke again to the great-souled, imperishable lord of the gods, saying 'not this', O great king.
tāmabravīttadā devo mṛtyo saṃhara mānavān। adharmaste na bhavitā tathā dhyāsyāmyahaṃ śubhe ॥12-250-32॥
Then the god said to her: "O Death, destroy the humans. Unrighteousness will not be yours; thus, O auspicious one, I will contemplate."
yānaśrubindūnpatitānapaśyaṃ; ye pāṇibhyāṃ dhāritāste purastāt. te vyādhayo mānavānghorarūpāḥ; prāpte kāle pīḍayiṣyanti mṛtyo ॥12-250-33॥
O Death, I saw the tear-drops fallen from the vehicle, those which were previously held by the hands. Those terrible diseases will torment humans when the time comes.
sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ prāṇinām antakāle; kāmakrodhau sahitau yojoyethāḥ. evaṃ dharmas tvām upaiṣyaty ameyo; na cādharmam lapsyase tulyavṛttiḥ ॥12-250-34॥
At the end of all beings' lives, you should unite desire and anger together. In this way, immeasurable righteousness will come to you, and as one who acts equally, you will not incur unrighteousness.
evaṃ dharmaṃ pālayiṣyasyathoktaṃ; na cātmānaṃ majjayiṣyasyadharme. tasmātkāmaṃ rocayābhyāgataṃ tvaṃ; saṃyojyātho saṃharasveha jantūn ॥12-250-35॥
Thus, if you protect duty as instructed, you will not immerse yourself in unrighteousness. Therefore, accept the desire that has come to you; unite and then withdraw your creatures here.
sā vai tadā mṛtyu-saṃjñā-apadeśā; cchāpād-bhītā bāḍham-ity-abravīt-tam. atho prāṇān prāṇinām-antakāle; kāma-krodhau prāpya nirmohya hanti ॥12-250-36॥
She, then known as 'Death', frightened by the curse, certainly said this to him. Then, at the final moment, desire and anger arise, delude, and destroy the life-breaths of living beings.
mṛtyorye te vyādhayaścāśrupātā; manuṣyāṇāṃ rujyate yaiḥ śarīram. sarveṣāṃ vai prāṇināṃ prāṇanānte; tasmācchokaṃ mā kṛthā budhya buddhyā ॥12-250-37॥
The diseases of death that bring tears and afflict the bodies of men—these come to all living beings at the end of life. Therefore, do not grieve; understand this with your intellect.
sarve devāḥ prāṇināṃ prāṇanānte; gatvā vṛttāḥ saṃnivṛttās tathaiva. evaṃ sarve mānavāḥ prāṇanānte; gatvā vṛttā devavad rājasiṃha ॥12-250-38॥
All gods, at the end of the lives of beings, depart and cease to exist, withdrawing just so. In the same way, all humans, at the end of life, depart and cease, like the gods, O king.
vāyurbhīmo bhīmanādo mahaujāḥ; sarveṣāṃ ca prāṇināṃ prāṇabhūtaḥ। nānāvṛttirdehināṃ dehabhede; tasmādvāyurdevadevo viśiṣṭaḥ ॥12-250-39॥
Vāyu, the wind, is terrible, of mighty roar and great energy; he is the very life of all living beings. With varied functions in the bodies of embodied beings, therefore Vāyu, the god of gods, is unique and distinguished.
sarve devā martyasañjñāviśiṣṭāḥ; sarve martyā devasañjñāviśiṣṭāḥ. tasmāt putraṃ mā śuco rājasiṃha; putraḥ svargaṃ prāpya te modate ha ॥12-250-40॥
All gods are called mortals at times, and all mortals are sometimes called gods. Therefore, O king, do not grieve for your son; your son, having reached heaven, is now rejoicing.
evaṃ mṛtyur devasṛṣṭā prajānāṃ; prāpte kāle saṃharantī yathāvat. tasyāś caiva vyādhayas te'śrupātāḥ; prāpte kāle saṃharantīha jantūn ॥12-250-41॥
Thus, death, created by the gods for living beings, comes at the appointed time and takes them away as is proper. And indeed, her diseases, those bringers of tears, also come at the appointed time and take away creatures here.
