Devasena's Destined Husband and Agni's Desire

Verse 1 (3.226.1)

अहं प्रजापतेः कन्या देवसेनेति विश्रुता । भगिनी मे दैत्यसेना सा पूर्वं केशिना हृता ॥

ahaṃ prajāpateḥ kanyā devaseneti viśrutā | bhaginī me daityasenā sā pūrvaṃ keśinā hṛtā

"I am the daughter of Prajapati, known as Devasena. My sister Daityasena was carried off earlier by Keshin.

Note on the text: Corrected वुश्रुता → विश्रुता and कोशिना → केशिना (misprints in Wikisource; wrong vowel signs; critical edition viśrutā, keśinā).

Verse 2 (3.226.2)

सहैवावां भगिन्यौ तु सखीभिः सह मानसम् । आगच्छावो विहारार्थमनुज्ञाप्य प्रजापतिम् ॥

sahaivāvāṃ bhaginyau tu sakhībhiḥ saha mānasam | āgacchāvo vihārārthamanujñāpya prajāpatim

We two sisters, with our companions, came together to Manasa for pleasure, having taken leave of Prajapati.

Verse 3 (3.226.3)

नित्यं चावां प्रार्थयते हर्तुं केशी महासुरः । इच्छत्येनं दैत्यसेना न चाहं पाकशासन ॥

nityaṃ cāvāṃ prārthayate hartuṃ keśī mahāsuraḥ | icchatyenaṃ daityasenā na cāhaṃ pākaśāsana

The great asura Keshin was always begging for us, wanting to carry us off. Daityasena loves him, but I do not, O chastiser of Paka.

Verse 4 (3.226.4)

सा हृताऽनेन भगवन्मुक्ताऽहं त्वद्बलेन तु । त्वया देवेन्द्र निर्दिष्टं पतिमिच्छामि दुर्जयम् ॥

sā hṛtā'nena bhagavanmuktā'haṃ tvadbalena tu | tvayā devendra nirdiṣṭaṃ patimicchāmi durjayam

She has been carried off by him, my lord, but I have been freed by your strength. Lord of the gods, I want an invincible husband appointed by you."

Note on the text: Corrected भगवान् → भगवन् (misprint in Wikisource; the vocative is needed, "O lord"; critical edition bhagavan).

Verse 5 (3.226.5)

मम मातृष्वसेयी त्वं माता दाक्षायणी मम । आख्यातुं त्वहमिच्छामि स्वयमात्मबलं त्वया ॥

mama mātṛṣvaseyī tvaṃ mātā dākṣāyaṇī mama | ākhyātuṃ tvahamicchāmi svayamātmabalaṃ tvayā

"You are my mother's sister's daughter; my mother is Dakshayani, Daksha's daughter. I wish you yourself to tell me of your own strength."

Verse 6 (3.226.6)

अबलाऽहं महाबाहो पतिस्तु बलवान्मम । वरदानात्पितुर्भावी सुरासुरनमस्कृतः ॥

abalā'haṃ mahābāho patistu balavānmama | varadānātpiturbhāvī surāsuranamaskṛtaḥ

"I am weak, mighty-armed one, but my husband will be strong. By my father's boon he will be honoured by gods and asuras alike."

Verse 7 (3.226.7)

कीदृशं तु बलंदेवि पत्युस्तव भविष्यति । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तव वाक्यमनिन्दिते ॥

kīdṛśaṃ tu balaṃdevi patyustava bhaviṣyati | etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tava vākyamanindite

"What kind of strength, goddess, will your husband have? I wish to hear this from your own lips, blameless one."

Verse 8 (3.226.8)

देवदानवयक्षाणां किन्नरोरगरक्षसाम् । जेता यो दुष्टदैत्यानां महावीर्यो महाबलः ॥

devadānavayakṣāṇāṃ kinnaroragarakṣasām | jetā yo duṣṭadaityānāṃ mahāvīryo mahābalaḥ

"He who will be the conqueror of gods, Danavas, Yakshas, Kinnaras, serpents and Rakshasas, and of the wicked Daityas, of great valour and great strength,

Verse 9 (3.226.9)

यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि त्वया सह विजेष्यति । स हि मे भविता भर्ता ब्रह्मण्यः कीर्तिवर्धनः ॥

yastu sarvāṇi bhūtāni tvayā saha vijeṣyati | sa hi me bhavitā bhartā brahmaṇyaḥ kīrtivardhanaḥ

who together with you will conquer all beings, he shall be my husband, devoted to brahmins and increasing their fame."

Verse 10 (3.226.10)

इन्द्रस्तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा दुःखितोऽचिन्तयद्भृशम् । अस्या देव्याः पतिर्नास्ति यादृशं संप्रभाषते ॥

indrastasyā vacaḥ śrutvā duḥkhito'cintayadbhṛśam | asyā devyāḥ patirnāsti yādṛśaṃ saṃprabhāṣate

Hearing her words, Indra grew troubled and thought hard: "There is no husband such as she describes for this goddess."

Verse 11 (3.226.11)

अथापश्यत्स उदये भास्करं भास्करद्युतिः । सोमं चैव महाभागं प्रविशन्तं दिवाकरम् ॥

athāpaśyatsa udaye bhāskaraṃ bhāskaradyutiḥ | somaṃ caiva mahābhāgaṃ praviśantaṃ divākaram

Then he, bright as the sun, saw the sun on the mountain of sunrise, and the glorious Soma entering the sun.

Verse 12 (3.226.12)

अमावास्यां प्रवृत्तायां मुहूर्ते रौद्र एव तु । देवासुरं च संग्रामं सोऽपश्यदुदये गिरौ ॥

amāvāsyāṃ pravṛttāyāṃ muhūrte raudra eva tu | devāsuraṃ ca saṃgrāmaṃ so'paśyadudaye girau

The new moon had set in, at the fierce hour of Rudra, and on the mountain of sunrise he saw a battle of gods and asuras.

Verse 13 (3.226.13)

लोहितैश्च घनैर्युक्तां पूर्वां संध्यां शतक्रतुः । अपश्यल्लोहितोदं च मघवान्वरुणालयम् ॥

lohitaiśca ghanairyuktāṃ pūrvāṃ saṃdhyāṃ śatakratuḥ | apaśyallohitodaṃ ca maghavānvaruṇālayam

Shatakratu saw the eastern twilight hung with red clouds, and Maghavan saw the ocean, Varuna's abode, with its waters turned red.

Verse 14 (3.226.14)

भृगुभिश्चाङ्गिरोभिश्च हुतं मन्त्रैः पृथग्विधैः । हव्यं गृहीत्वा वह्निं च प्रविशन्तं दिवाकरम् ॥

bhṛgubhiścāṅgirobhiśca hutaṃ mantraiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ | havyaṃ gṛhītvā vahniṃ ca praviśantaṃ divākaram

He saw the fire, too, taking up the oblation offered with mantras of many kinds by the Bhrigus and the Angirases, and entering the sun.

Note on the text: Corrected चाङ्गिरोभ्यश्च → चाङ्गिरोभिश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the instrumental is needed, parallel to भृगुभिः; critical edition cāṅgirobhiś ca).

Verse 15 (3.226.15)

पर्व चैव चतुर्विंशं तदा सूर्यमुपस्थितम् । तथा सूर्यं वह्निगतं सोमं सूर्यगतं च तम् ॥

parva caiva caturviṃśaṃ tadā sūryamupasthitam | tathā sūryaṃ vahnigataṃ somaṃ sūryagataṃ ca tam

He saw the twenty-fourth juncture then present at the sun, the sun gone into the fire, and Soma gone into the sun.

Verse 16 (3.226.16)

समालोक्यैकतामेव शशिनो भास्करस्य च । समवायं तु तं रौद्रं दृष्ट्वा शक्रोऽन्वचिन्तयत् ॥

samālokyaikatāmeva śaśino bhāskarasya ca | samavāyaṃ tu taṃ raudraṃ dṛṣṭvā śakro'nvacintayat

Beholding the oneness of moon and sun, and seeing that fierce conjunction, Shakra reflected:

Verse 17 (3.226.17)

सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्घोरं दृश्यते परिवेषणम् । एतस्मिन्नेव रात्र्यन्ते महद्युद्धं तु शंसति ॥

sūryācandramasorghoraṃ dṛśyate pariveṣaṇam | etasminneva rātryante mahadyuddhaṃ tu śaṃsati

"A dreadful halo is seen around the sun and the moon; it foretells a great battle at the close of this very night.

Note on the text: Speaker: Indra's reflection, in his own words and filling the whole verse (no heading in Wikisource). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus gives this verse and the next as 3.213.31d*1057.

Verse 18 (3.226.18)

सरित्सिन्धुरपीयं तु प्रत्यसृग्वाहिनी भृशम् । शृगालिन्यग्निवक्त्रा च प्रत्यादित्यं विराविणी ॥

saritsindhurapīyaṃ tu pratyasṛgvāhinī bhṛśam | śṛgālinyagnivaktrā ca pratyādityaṃ virāviṇī

This river Sindhu too is flowing heavily with blood, and a jackal with a fiery mouth howls, facing the sun.

Note on the text: Speaker: Indra's reflection, in his own words and filling the whole verse (no heading in Wikisource). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus, 3.213.31d*1057, gives it). Corrected शृगालिनयग्निवक्रा → शृगालिन्यग्निवक्त्रा (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct and वक्र for वक्त्र, "mouth"; the apparatus reads śṛgāliny agnivaktrā).

Verse 19 (3.226.19)

एष रौद्रश्चसंघातो महान्युक्तश्च तेजसा । सोमस्य वह्निसूर्याभ्यामद्भुतोऽयं समागमः ॥

eṣa raudraścasaṃghāto mahānyuktaśca tejasā | somasya vahnisūryābhyāmadbhuto'yaṃ samāgamaḥ

This is a fierce conjunction, great and charged with splendour, this wondrous union of Soma with the fire and the sun.

Note on the text: Speaker: Indra's reflection, in his own words and filling the whole verse (no heading in Wikisource). This verse is CE 3.213.32ab–cd.

Verse 20 (3.226.20)

जनयेद्यं सुतं सोमः सोऽस्या देव्याः पतिर्भवेत् । अथानेकैर्गुणैश्चाग्निरग्निः सर्वाश्च देवताः ॥

janayedyaṃ sutaṃ somaḥ so'syā devyāḥ patirbhavet | athānekairguṇaiścāgniragniḥ sarvāśca devatāḥ

The son that Soma might beget would be this goddess's husband. And Agni has many virtues; Agni is all the deities.

Note on the text: Speaker: Indra's reflection, in his own words and filling the whole verse (no heading in Wikisource). This verse is CE 3.213.32ef and 33ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently; its second line differs from the critical edition's agniś caitair guṇair yuktaḥ sarvair agniś ca devatā and is kept).

Verse 21 (3.226.21)

एष चेञ्जनयेद्गर्भं सोऽस्या देव्याः पतिर्भवेत् । एवं संचिन्त्य भगवान्ब्रह्मलोकं तदा गतः ॥

eṣa ceñjanayedgarbhaṃ so'syā devyāḥ patirbhavet | evaṃ saṃcintya bhagavānbrahmalokaṃ tadā gataḥ

"If he should beget a child, that child would be this goddess's husband." Having reflected thus, the lord went then to the world of Brahma.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.213.33cd and 34ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently). The first line ends Indra's reflection; the verse is left with the narrator because the second line is narration.

Verse 22 (3.226.22)

गृहीत्वा देवसेनां तां ववन्दे स पितामहम् । उवाच चास्या देव्यास्त्वं साधु शूरं पतिं दिश ॥

gṛhītvā devasenāṃ tāṃ vavande sa pitāmaham | uvāca cāsyā devyāstvaṃ sādhu śūraṃ patiṃ diśa

Taking Devasena with him, he paid homage to the Grandsire and said: "Appoint a good and valiant husband for this goddess."

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.213.34cd–ef. Corrected दिशा → दिश (misprint in Wikisource; the imperative "appoint" is needed; critical edition diśa).

Verse 23 (3.226.23)

यथैतच्चिन्तितंकार्यं त्वया दानवसूदन । तथा स भविता गर्भो बलवानुरुविक्रमः ॥

yathaitaccintitaṃkāryaṃ tvayā dānavasūdana | tathā sa bhavitā garbho balavānuruvikramaḥ

"As you have thought this matter through, slayer of the Danavas, so shall that child be, mighty and of great prowess.

Verse 24 (3.226.24)

स भविष्यति सेनानीस्त्वया सह शतक्रतो । अस्या देव्याः पतिश्चैव स भविष्यति वीर्यवान् ॥

sa bhaviṣyati senānīstvayā saha śatakrato | asyā devyāḥ patiścaiva sa bhaviṣyati vīryavān

He shall be the commander of the army alongside you, Shatakratu, and he shall be this goddess's husband, full of valour."

Note on the text: Corrected स विष्यति → स भविष्यति (misprint in Wikisource; the akshara भ had dropped; critical edition sa bhaviṣyati).

Verse 25 (3.226.25)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा नमस्तस्मै कृत्वाऽसौ सह कन्यया । तत्राभ्यगच्छद्देवेन्द्रो यत्र सप्तर्षयोऽभवन् ॥

etacchrutvā namastasmai kṛtvā'sau saha kanyayā | tatrābhyagacchaddevendro yatra saptarṣayo'bhavan

Hearing this, the lord of the gods bowed to him and went with the maiden to where the Seven Seers were,

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. This verse is CE 3.213.37ab–cd (Wikisource reads सप्तर्षयः for devarṣayaḥ). Corrected मह → सह (misprint in Wikisource; "with the maiden"; critical edition saha kanyayā).

Verse 26 (3.226.26)

वसिष्ठप्रमुखा मुख्या विप्रेन्द्राः सुमहाप्रभाः । भागार्थं तपसोपात्तं तेषां सोमं तथाऽध्वरे ॥

vasiṣṭhapramukhā mukhyā viprendrāḥ sumahāprabhāḥ | bhāgārthaṃ tapasopāttaṃ teṣāṃ somaṃ tathā'dhvare

the foremost of brahmins, led by Vasishtha, of great radiance. To their sacrifice, for their share of the soma won by austerity,

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. This verse is CE 3.213.37ef and 38ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently and reads सुमहाप्रभाः for sumahāvratāḥ).

Verse 27 (3.226.27)

पिपासवो ययुर्देवाः शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः । इष्टिं कृत्वा यथान्यायं सुसमिद्धे हुताशने ॥

pipāsavo yayurdevāḥ śatakratupurogamāḥ | iṣṭiṃ kṛtvā yathānyāyaṃ susamiddhe hutāśane

the gods, eager to drink, came, led by Shatakratu. Having performed the ishti in due order in the well-kindled fire,

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. This verse is CE 3.213.38cd and 39ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently). Corrected कृत्वयतान्यायं → कृत्वा यथान्यायं (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together with य and थ confused; critical edition kṛtvā yathānyāyaṃ).

Verse 28 (3.226.28)

जुहुवुस्ते महात्मानो हव्यं सर्वदिवौकसाम् । समाहूतो हुतवहःसोऽद्भुतः सूर्यमण्डलात् ॥

juhuvuste mahātmāno havyaṃ sarvadivaukasām | samāhūto hutavahaḥso'dbhutaḥ sūryamaṇḍalāt

those great-souled seers offered the oblation for all the dwellers of heaven. Summoned, the oblation-bearer Adbhuta came forth from the orb of the sun;

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. This verse is CE 3.213.39cd and 40ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently).

Verse 29 (3.226.29)

विनिःसृत्य ययौ वह्निः पार्श्वतो विधिवत्प्रभुः । आगम्याहवनीयं वै तैर्द्विजैर्मन्त्रतो हुतम् ॥

viniḥsṛtya yayau vahniḥ pārśvato vidhivatprabhuḥ | āgamyāhavanīyaṃ vai tairdvijairmantrato hutam

issuing out, the lord, the fire, went duly to their side and came to the ahavaniya fire, into which those brahmins had made offering with mantras.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. This verse is CE 3.213.40cd–ef (Wikisource reads ययौ … पार्श्वतो for āyayau … vāgyato).

Verse 30 (3.226.30)

सतत्र विविधं हव्यं प्रतिगृह्यहुताशनः । ऋषिभ्यो भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रायच्छत दिवौकसाम् ॥

satatra vividhaṃ havyaṃ pratigṛhyahutāśanaḥ | ṛṣibhyo bharataśreṣṭha prāyacchata divaukasām

There the fire received the many kinds of oblation and, O best of the Bharatas, passed them on from the seers to the dwellers of heaven.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over.

Verse 31 (3.226.31)

निष्क्रामंश्चाप्यपश्यत्स पत्नीस्तेषां महात्मनाम् । स्वेष्वासनेषूपविष्टाः स्नायन्तीश्च यथासुखम् ॥

niṣkrāmaṃścāpyapaśyatsa patnīsteṣāṃ mahātmanām | sveṣvāsaneṣūpaviṣṭāḥ snāyantīśca yathāsukham

As he came out he saw the wives of those great-souled seers, seated on their own seats or bathing at their ease.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. Corrected आसतेषु → आसनेषु (misprint in Wikisource; आसत is not a word here, read "on their seats"; the critical edition has a different word, āśrameṣu, "in their hermitages") and यथासुस्वम् → यथासुखम् (misprint; critical edition yathāsukham).

Verse 32 (3.226.32)

रुक्मवेदिनिभास्तास्तु चन्द्रलेखा इवामलाः । हुताशनार्चिःप्रतिमाः सर्वास्तारा इवाद्भुताः ॥

rukmavedinibhāstāstu candralekhā ivāmalāḥ | hutāśanārciḥpratimāḥ sarvāstārā ivādbhutāḥ

They shone like golden altars, spotless as the crescent moon, like flames of fire, all of them wondrous as stars.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over.

Verse 33 (3.226.33)

स तत्रतेन मनसा बभूव क्षुभितेन्द्रियः । पत्नीर्दृष्ट्वा द्विजेन्द्राणां वह्निः कामवशं ययौ ॥

sa tatratena manasā babhūva kṣubhitendriyaḥ | patnīrdṛṣṭvā dvijendrāṇāṃ vahniḥ kāmavaśaṃ yayau

With his mind fixed on them there, his senses were stirred; seeing the wives of the foremost brahmins, the fire fell under the sway of desire.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over.

Verse 34 (3.226.34)

भूयः संचिन्तयामास न न्याय्यं क्षुभितो ह्यहम् । साध्व्यः पत्न्यो द्विजेन्द्राणामकामा कामयाम्यहम् ॥

bhūyaḥ saṃcintayāmāsa na nyāyyaṃ kṣubhito hyaham | sādhvyaḥ patnyo dvijendrāṇāmakāmā kāmayāmyaham

Again he reflected: "It is not right that I am so stirred. These are the virtuous wives of the foremost brahmins; they do not desire me, and yet I desire them.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration (मार्कण्डेय); Wikisource's heading ब्रह्मा covers only verses 23–24, and the input had carried it over. The verse opens in narration and continues with Agni's thought; it is left with the narrator.

Verse 35 (3.226.35)

नैताः शक्या मया द्रष्टुं स्प्रष्टुं वाऽप्यनिमित्ततः । गार्हपत्यं समाविश्य तस्मात्पश्याम्यभीक्ष्णशः ॥

naitāḥ śakyā mayā draṣṭuṃ spraṣṭuṃ vā'pyanimittataḥ | gārhapatyaṃ samāviśya tasmātpaśyāmyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ

I cannot look at them or touch them without some cause. So I shall enter the garhapatya fire and gaze at them again and again."

Note on the text: Speaker: Agni's reflection, in his own words and filling the whole verse (the input had carried over Brahma's heading).

Verse 36 (3.226.36)

संस्पृशन्निव सर्वास्ताः शिखाभिः काञ्चनप्रभाः । पश्यमानश्च मुमुदे गार्हपत्यं समाश्रितः ॥

saṃspṛśanniva sarvāstāḥ śikhābhiḥ kāñcanaprabhāḥ | paśyamānaśca mumude gārhapatyaṃ samāśritaḥ

As though touching them all with his golden flames, he rejoiced as he gazed at them, dwelling in the garhapatya fire.

Verse 37 (3.226.37)

निरुध्य तत्रसुचिरमेवं वह्निर्वनं गतः । मनस्तासु विनिक्षिप्य कामयानो वराङ्गनाः ॥

nirudhya tatrasuciramevaṃ vahnirvanaṃ gataḥ | manastāsu vinikṣipya kāmayāno varāṅganāḥ

Having held himself back there a long time, his mind set on them, longing for those lovely women, the fire at last went to the forest.

Verse 38 (3.226.38)

कामसंतप्तहृदयो देहत्यागे विनिश्चितः । अलाभे ब्राह्मणस्त्रीणामग्निर्वनमुपागमत् ॥

kāmasaṃtaptahṛdayo dehatyāge viniścitaḥ | alābhe brāhmaṇastrīṇāmagnirvanamupāgamat

His heart burning with desire, resolved to give up his body since he could not win the brahmins' wives, the fire went to the forest.

Verse 39 (3.226.39)

स्वाहा तं दक्षदुहिता प्रथमाऽकामयत्तदा । सा तस्य च्छिद्रमन्वैच्छच्चिरात्प्रभृतिभामिनी । अप्रमत्तस्य देवस्य न चापश्यदनिन्दिता ॥

svāhā taṃ dakṣaduhitā prathamā'kāmayattadā | sā tasya cchidramanvaicchaccirātprabhṛtibhāminī | apramattasya devasya na cāpaśyadaninditā

Svaha, daughter of Daksha, had long desired him before this. For a long time the lovely lady had sought some weakness in him, but in that ever-watchful god the faultless one found none.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (3.213.50ef): Wikisource ends this verse after two lines with a single danda, and the sense (Svaha sought a weakness in him) lacks its close; the line अप्रमत्तस्य देवस्य न चापश्यदनिन्दिता is supplied from the critical edition. The first two lines are CE 3.213.50ab–cd.

Verse 40 (3.226.40)

सा तं ज्ञात्वा यथावत्तु वह्निं वनमुपागतम् । तत्त्वतः कामसंतप्तं चिन्तयामास भामिनी ॥

sā taṃ jñātvā yathāvattu vahniṃ vanamupāgatam | tattvataḥ kāmasaṃtaptaṃ cintayāmāsa bhāminī

Knowing truly that the fire had gone to the forest, burning with desire, the lovely lady reflected:

Note on the text: Corrected वर्हिं → वह्निं (misprint in Wikisource; "the fire"; critical edition vahniṃ).

Verse 41 (3.226.41)

अहं सप्तर्षिपत्नीनां कृत्वा रूपाणि पावकम् । कामयिष्यामि कामार्तं तासां रूपेण मोहितम् । एवं कृते प्रीतिरस्य कामावाप्तिश्च मे भवेत् ॥

ahaṃ saptarṣipatnīnāṃ kṛtvā rūpāṇi pāvakam | kāmayiṣyāmi kāmārtaṃ tāsāṃ rūpeṇa mohitam | evaṃ kṛte prītirasya kāmāvāptiśca me bhavet

"I shall take on the forms of the wives of the Seven Seers and make love to the fire, who is tormented by desire and bewitched by their beauty. When this is done he will be pleased, and I shall gain my desire."

Note on the text: Corrected प्रीतिरस् → प्रीतिरस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the final akshara had dropped; critical edition prītir asya). Speaker: Svaha's reflection, in her own words and filling the whole verse (no heading in Wikisource).