The Tale of Vihunda and Kamoda

Verse 1 (padma.2.118.1)

कपिंजल उवाच । गंगामुखे पुरा तात रोदमाना वरांगना । नेत्राभ्यामश्रुबिंदूनि पतंति च महाजले

kapiṁjala uvāca gaṁgāmukhe purā tāta rodamānā varāṁganā netrābhyāmaśrubiṁdūni pataṁti ca mahājale

Kapinjala said: Father, once, at the very source of the Ganga, a fine woman was weeping, and drops of tears fell from her eyes into that great water.

Verse 2 (padma.2.118.2)

गंगामध्ये निमज्जंति भवंति कमलानि च । पुष्पाणि दिव्यरूपाणि सौगंधानि महांति च

gaṁgāmadhye nimajjaṁti bhavaṁti kamalāni ca puṣpāṇi divyarūpāṇi saugaṁdhāni mahāṁti ca

Sinking into the midst of the Ganga, they became lotuses — flowers of divine form, most fragrant and great.

Verse 3 (padma.2.118.3)

तस्यास्तात सुनेत्राभ्यां किमर्थं प्रपतंति च । गंगोदके महाभाग निर्मला अश्रुबिंदवः

tasyāstāta sunetrābhyāṁ kimarthaṁ prapataṁti ca gaṁgodake mahābhāga nirmalā aśrubiṁdavaḥ

Why, father, did those pure tear-drops keep falling into the Ganga's water from her lovely eyes, O blessed one?

Verse 4 (padma.2.118.4)

अस्थिचर्मावशेषस्तु जटाचीरधरः पुनः । तानि सौगंधयुक्तानि पद्मानि विचिनोति सः

asthicarmāvaśeṣastu jaṭācīradharaḥ punaḥ tāni saugaṁdhayuktāni padmāni vicinoti saḥ

A man, reduced to a mere frame of bone and skin, wearing matted locks and bark garments, would gather those fragrant lotuses.

Verse 5 (padma.2.118.5)

हेमवर्णानि दिव्यानि नीत्वा शिवं समर्चयेत् । सा का नारी समाचक्ष्व स वा को हि महामते

hemavarṇāni divyāni nītvā śivaṁ samarcayet sā kā nārī samācakṣva sa vā ko hi mahāmate

Taking those divine, gold-hued lotuses, he would worship Shiva with them. Tell me who that woman was, and who that man too was, O wise one.

Verse 6 (padma.2.118.6)

अर्चयित्वा शिवं सोथ कस्मात्पश्चात्प्रदेवति । एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व यद्यहं वल्लभस्तव

arcayitvā śivaṁ sotha kasmātpaścātpradevati etanme sarvamācakṣva yadyahaṁ vallabhastava

Having worshipped Shiva, why did he weep again afterward? Tell me all of this, if I am dear to you.

Verse 7 (padma.2.118.7)

कुंजल उवाच । शृणु वत्स प्रवक्ष्यामि वृत्तांतं देवनिर्मितम् । चरित्रं सर्वपापघ्नं विष्णोश्चैव महात्मनः

kuṁjala uvāca śṛṇu vatsa pravakṣyāmi vṛttāṁtaṁ devanirmitam caritraṁ sarvapāpaghnaṁ viṣṇoścaiva mahātmanaḥ

Kunjala said: Listen, my child, I shall relate that event, fashioned by the gods themselves — this very account, destroying every sin, concerning the great-souled Vishnu.

Verse 8 (padma.2.118.8)

योसौ हुंडो महावीर्यो नहुषेण हतो रणे । तस्य पुत्रस्तु विख्यातो विहुंडस्तप आस्थितः

yosau huṁḍo mahāvīryo nahuṣeṇa hato raṇe tasya putrastu vikhyāto vihuṁḍastapa āsthitaḥ

That mighty Hunda, who was slain in battle by Nahusha — his son, renowned by the name Vihunda, took up austerity.

Verse 9 (padma.2.118.9)

निहतं पितरं श्रुत्वा सामात्यं सपरिच्छदम् । आयुपुत्रेण वीरेण नहुषेण बलीयसा

nihataṁ pitaraṁ śrutvā sāmātyaṁ saparicchadam āyuputreṇa vīreṇa nahuṣeṇa balīyasā

Hearing that his father, together with his ministers and retinue, had been slain by the mighty son of Ayu, the hero Nahusha,

Verse 10 (padma.2.118.10)

तपस्तपति सक्रोधाद्देवान्हंतुं समुद्यतः । पौरुषं तस्य दुष्टस्य तपसा वर्द्धितस्य च

tapastapati sakrodhāddevānhaṁtuṁ samudyataḥ pauruṣaṁ tasya duṣṭasya tapasā varddhitasya ca

he began, in his fury, to perform austerity, rising up intent on the destruction of the gods. That wicked one's valor, magnified by his austerity —

Verse 11 (padma.2.118.11)

जानंति देवताः सर्वा दुःसहं समरांगणे । हुंडात्मजो विहुंडस्तु त्रैलोक्यं हंतुमुद्यतः

jānaṁti devatāḥ sarvā duḥsahaṁ samarāṁgaṇe huṁḍātmajo vihuṁḍastu trailokyaṁ haṁtumudyataḥ

— all the gods knew to be unbearable on the field of battle. Hunda's son, Vihunda, rose up, intent on destroying all three worlds.

Verse 12 (padma.2.118.12)

पितुर्वैरं करिष्यामि हनिष्ये मानवान्सुरान् । एवं समुद्यतः पापी देवब्राह्मणकंटकः

piturvairaṁ kariṣyāmi haniṣye mānavānsurān evaṁ samudyataḥ pāpī devabrāhmaṇakaṁṭakaḥ

'I shall avenge my father, I shall slay both men and gods' — thus resolved, that sinner, a thorn to gods and brahmins,

Verse 13 (padma.2.118.13)

उपद्रवं समारेभे प्रजाः पीडयते च सः । तस्यैव तेजसा दग्धा देवाश्चेंद्रपुरोगमाः

upadravaṁ samārebhe prajāḥ pīḍayate ca saḥ tasyaiva tejasā dagdhā devāśceṁdrapurogamāḥ

began to wreak havoc, tormenting the people. By his very splendor, the gods, led by Indra, began to be scorched,

Verse 14 (padma.2.118.14)

शरणं देवदेवस्य जग्मुर्विष्णोर्महात्मनः । देवदेवं जगन्नाथं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्

śaraṇaṁ devadevasya jagmurviṣṇormahātmanaḥ devadevaṁ jagannāthaṁ śaṁkhacakragadādharam

and they went for refuge to the God of gods, the great-souled Vishnu. To that God of gods, Lord of the universe, bearer of conch, discus and mace —

Verse 15 (padma.2.118.15)

ऊचुश्च पाहि नो नित्यं विहुंडस्य महाभयात् । श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । वर्द्धंतु देवताः सर्वाः सुसुखेन महेश्वराः

ūcuśca pāhi no nityaṁ vihuṁḍasya mahābhayāt śrīviṣṇuruvāca varddhaṁtu devatāḥ sarvāḥ susukhena maheśvarāḥ

— they said: 'Protect us always from Vihunda's great terror.' Shri Vishnu said: 'O great lords, may all of you gods flourish now in happiness.'

Verse 16 (padma.2.118.16)

विहुंडं नाशयिष्यामि पापिष्ठं देवकंटकम् । एवमाभाष्य तान्देवान्मायां कृत्वा जनार्दनः

vihuṁḍaṁ nāśayiṣyāmi pāpiṣṭhaṁ devakaṁṭakam evamābhāṣya tāndevānmāyāṁ kṛtvā janārdanaḥ

'I shall destroy that most sinful Vihunda, thorn of the gods.' Having spoken thus to those gods, Janardana, weaving his illusion,

Verse 17 (padma.2.118.17)

स्वयमेवस्थितस्तत्र नंदने सुमहायशाः । मायामयं चकाराथ स्त्रीरूपं च गुणान्वितम्

svayamevasthitastatra naṁdane sumahāyaśāḥ māyāmayaṁ cakārātha strīrūpaṁ ca guṇānvitam

that man of great renown himself remained there, in the Nandana grove, and then fashioned an illusory form of a woman, endowed with every fine quality.

Verse 18 (padma.2.118.18)

विष्णुमाया महाभागा सर्वविश्वप्रमोहिनी । चकार रूपमतुलं विष्णोर्मायाप्रमोहिनी

viṣṇumāyā mahābhāgā sarvaviśvapramohinī cakāra rūpamatulaṁ viṣṇormāyāpramohinī

That great illusion of Vishnu, deluder of the whole universe, went on fashioning that incomparable form — that power of Vishnu's maya, deluder of all —

Verse 19 (padma.2.118.19)

विहुंडस्य वधार्थाय रूपलावण्यशालिनी । कुंजल उवाच । स देवानां वधार्थाय दिव्यमार्गं जगाम ह

vihuṁḍasya vadhārthāya rūpalāvaṇyaśālinī kuṁjala uvāca sa devānāṁ vadhārthāya divyamārgaṁ jagāma ha

— fashioned it, full of beauty and grace, for the destruction of Vihunda. Kunjala said: She set out along that divine path, for the destruction of that demon.

Verse 20 (padma.2.118.20)

नंदनांते ततो मायामपश्यद्दितिजेश्वरः । तया विमोहितो दैत्यः कामबाणकृतांतरः

naṁdanāṁte tato māyāmapaśyadditijeśvaraḥ tayā vimohito daityaḥ kāmabāṇakṛtāṁtaraḥ

Then, at the edge of the Nandana grove, that lord of the demons beheld that illusory form. Deluded by her, that demon, his mind pierced by the arrows of desire,

Verse 21 (padma.2.118.21)

आत्मनाशं न जानाति कालरूपां वरस्त्रियम् । तां दृष्ट्वा नवहेमाभां रूपद्रविणशालिनीम्

ātmanāśaṁ na jānāti kālarūpāṁ varastriyam tāṁ dṛṣṭvā navahemābhāṁ rūpadraviṇaśālinīm

— failed to recognize, in that fine woman, the very form of Death itself, come for his own destruction. Beholding her, golden as fresh gold, endowed with beauty and wealth,

Verse 22 (padma.2.118.22)

लुब्धो विहुंडः पापात्मा तामुवाच वरांगनाम् । कासि कस्य वरारोहे ममचित्तप्रमाथिनि

lubdho vihuṁḍaḥ pāpātmā tāmuvāca varāṁganām kāsi kasya varārohe mamacittapramāthini

— greedy, that sinful-souled Vihunda spoke to that fine woman: 'Who are you, whose are you, fair one — you who torment my very heart?'

Verse 23 (padma.2.118.23)

संगमं देहि मे भद्रे रक्षरक्ष वरानने । संगमात्तव देवेशि यद्यदिच्छसि सांप्रतम्

saṁgamaṁ dehi me bhadre rakṣarakṣa varānane saṁgamāttava deveśi yadyadicchasi sāṁpratam

'Grant me union with you, auspicious one — save me, save me, lovely one! For union with you, O goddess among women, whatever you now desire —'

Verse 24 (padma.2.118.24)

तत्तद्दद्मि महाभागे दुर्लभं देवदानवैः । मायोवाच । मामेव भोक्तुमिच्छा चेद्दायं मे देहि दानव

tattaddadmi mahābhāge durlabhaṁ devadānavaiḥ māyovāca māmeva bhoktumicchā ceddāyaṁ me dehi dānava

'— that, most blessed one, I shall give you, however hard it be to obtain even for gods and demons.' Maya said: 'Demon, if it is your wish to enjoy me, then give me my due price —'

Verse 25 (padma.2.118.25)

सप्तकोटिमितैश्चैव पुष्पैः पूजय शंकरम् । कामोदसंभवैर्दिव्यैः सौगंधैर्देवदुर्लभैः

saptakoṭimitaiścaiva puṣpaiḥ pūjaya śaṁkaram kāmodasaṁbhavairdivyaiḥ saugaṁdhairdevadurlabhaiḥ

'— worship Shankara with seven crores of flowers — divine, most fragrant, born of the Kamoda tree, hard to obtain even for the gods.'

Verse 26 (padma.2.118.26)

तेषां पुष्पकृतां मालां मम कंठे तु दानव । आरोपय महाभाग एतद्दायं प्रदेहि मे

teṣāṁ puṣpakṛtāṁ mālāṁ mama kaṁṭhe tu dānava āropaya mahābhāga etaddāyaṁ pradehi me

'Fashioning a garland of those very flowers, demon, place it about my neck, most blessed one — grant me just this as my price.'

Verse 27 (padma.2.118.27)

तदाहं सुप्रिया भार्या भविष्यामि न संशयः । विहुंड उवाच । एवं देवि करिष्यामि वरं दद्मि प्रयाचितम्

tadāhaṁ supriyā bhāryā bhaviṣyāmi na saṁśayaḥ vihuṁḍa uvāca evaṁ devi kariṣyāmi varaṁ dadmi prayācitam

'Then I shall become your most loving wife, without doubt.' Vihunda said: 'So shall I do, goddess; the boon you have asked, that I grant you.'

Verse 28 (padma.2.118.28)

वनानि यानि पुण्यानि दिव्यानि दितिजेश्वरः । बभ्राममन्मथाविष्टो न च पश्यति तं द्रुमम्

vanāni yāni puṇyāni divyāni ditijeśvaraḥ babhrāmamanmathāviṣṭo na ca paśyati taṁ drumam

That lord of the Daityas, possessed by desire, wandered through every holy and divine forest there was, but nowhere did he see that tree.

Verse 29 (padma.2.118.29)

कामोदकाख्यं पप्रच्छ यत्रतत्र गतः स्वयम् । कामोदाख्यद्रुमो नास्ति वदंत्येवं महाजनाः

kāmodakākhyaṁ papraccha yatratatra gataḥ svayam kāmodākhyadrumo nāsti vadaṁtyevaṁ mahājanāḥ

Going here and there himself, he kept asking after the one called Kamoda. 'There is no tree called Kamoda' — thus the great and learned folk told him.

Verse 30 (padma.2.118.30)

पृच्छमानः स दुष्टात्मा कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः । पप्रच्छ भार्गवं गत्वा भक्त्या नमित कंधरः

pṛcchamānaḥ sa duṣṭātmā kāmabāṇaiḥ prapīḍitaḥ papraccha bhārgavaṁ gatvā bhaktyā namita kaṁdharaḥ

Asking on, that wicked-souled one, sorely tormented by the arrows of desire, went to Bhargava (Shukracharya), and, bowing his head in devotion, asked —

Verse 31 (padma.2.118.31)

कामोदकं द्रुमं ब्रूहि कांतं पुष्पसमन्वितम् । शुक्र उवाच । कामोदः पादपो नास्ति योषिदेवास्ति दानव

kāmodakaṁ drumaṁ brūhi kāṁtaṁ puṣpasamanvitam śukra uvāca kāmodaḥ pādapo nāsti yoṣidevāsti dānava

'Tell me of that Kamodaka tree, so lovely, laden with flowers.' Shukra said: 'Demon, there is no tree called Kamoda — there is a woman of that name.'

Verse 32 (padma.2.118.32)

यदा सा हसते चैव प्रसंगेन प्रहर्षिता । तद्धासाज्जज्ञिरे दैत्य सुगंधीनि वराण्यपि

yadā sā hasate caiva prasaṁgena praharṣitā taddhāsājjajñire daitya sugaṁdhīni varāṇyapi

'When she laughs, delighted by some circumstance, from that very laughter, demon, fine and fragrant flowers are born.'

Verse 33 (padma.2.118.33)

सुमान्येतानि दिव्यानि कामोदाया न संशयः । हृद्यानि पीतपुष्पाणि सौरभेण युतानि च

sumānyetāni divyāni kāmodāyā na saṁśayaḥ hṛdyāni pītapuṣpāṇi saurabheṇa yutāni ca

'These fine, divine flowers are indeed Kamoda's own, without doubt — delightful, pale-yellow, endowed with fragrance.'

Verse 34 (padma.2.118.34)

तेनाप्येकेन पुष्पेण यः समर्चति शंकरम् । तस्येप्सितं महाकामं संपूरयति शंकरः

tenāpyekena puṣpeṇa yaḥ samarcati śaṁkaram tasyepsitaṁ mahākāmaṁ saṁpūrayati śaṁkaraḥ

'Whoever worships Shankara with even one of those flowers, Shankara fulfills for him his greatest and most cherished desire.'

Verse 35 (padma.2.118.35)

अस्याश्च रोदनाद्दैत्य प्रभवंति न संशयः । तादृशान्येव पुष्पाणि लोहितानि महांति च

asyāśca rodanāddaitya prabhavaṁti na saṁśayaḥ tādṛśānyeva puṣpāṇi lohitāni mahāṁti ca

'And from her weeping too, demon, without doubt, just such fine flowers arise — large, and red in hue.'

Verse 36 (padma.2.118.36)

सौरभेण विना दैत्य तेषां स्पर्शं न कारयेत् । एवमाकर्णितं तेन वाक्यं शुक्रस्य भाषितम्

saurabheṇa vinā daitya teṣāṁ sparśaṁ na kārayet evamākarṇitaṁ tena vākyaṁ śukrasya bhāṣitam

'Without their fragrance, demon, one should not even touch them.' Having heard this word spoken by Shukra,

Verse 37 (padma.2.118.37)

उवाच सा तु कुत्रास्ति कामोदा भृगुनंदन । शुक्र उवाच । गंगाद्वारे महापुण्ये महापातकनाशने

uvāca sā tu kutrāsti kāmodā bhṛgunaṁdana śukra uvāca gaṁgādvāre mahāpuṇye mahāpātakanāśane

he asked: 'Where then is that Kamoda, O son of Bhrigu?' Shukra said: 'At Gangadwara, most holy, a destroyer of the greatest sins,'

Verse 38 (padma.2.118.38)

कामोदाख्यं पुरं तत्र निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा । कामोदपत्तने नारी दिव्यभोगैरलंकृता

kāmodākhyaṁ puraṁ tatra nirmitaṁ viśvakarmaṇā kāmodapattane nārī divyabhogairalaṁkṛtā

'— there stands a city named Kamoda, built by Vishvakarma himself. In the city of Kamoda dwells that woman, adorned with divine pleasures,'

Verse 39 (padma.2.118.39)

तथा चाभरणैर्भाति सर्वदेवैः सुपूजिता । त्वया तत्रैव गंतव्यं पूजितव्या वराप्सराः

tathā cābharaṇairbhāti sarvadevaiḥ supūjitā tvayā tatraiva gaṁtavyaṁ pūjitavyā varāpsarāḥ

'— she shines too with ornaments, and is well honored by all the gods. You must go there yourself, and worship that fine apsara,'

Verse 40 (padma.2.118.40)

उपायेनापि पुण्येन तां प्रहासय दानव । एवमुक्त्वा तु योगींद्र सः शुक्रो दानवं प्रति

upāyenāpi puṇyena tāṁ prahāsaya dānava evamuktvā tu yogīṁdra saḥ śukro dānavaṁ prati

'and, by some holy device, demon, make her laugh.' Having spoken thus to that demon, that lord of yogis, Shukra,

Verse 41 (padma.2.118.41)

विरराम महातेजाः स्वकार्यायोद्यतोऽभवत्

virarāma mahātejāḥ svakāryāyodyato'bhavat

— that great-souled one fell silent, and that demon set about his own task.