Kama's Army Marches

Verse 1 (padma.2.55.1)

विष्णुरुवाच- भावं विदित्वा सुरराट्च तस्याः प्रोवाच कामं पुरतः स्थितं सः । न चास्ति शक्या स्मर ते जयाय सत्यात्मकध्यान सुदंशिता सती

viṣṇuruvāca- bhāvaṁ viditvā surarāṭca tasyāḥ provāca kāmaṁ purataḥ sthitaṁ saḥ na cāsti śakyā smara te jayāya satyātmakadhyāna sudaṁśitā satī

Vishnu said: Knowing her true state of mind, the king of the gods spoke to Kama, standing before him: 'O Smara, she cannot be conquered by you; that chaste woman is armed through and through with meditation rooted in truth.'

Verse 2 (padma.2.55.2)

धर्माख्य चापं स्वकरे गृहीत्वा ज्ञानाभिधानं वरमेव बाणम् । योद्धुं रणे संप्रति संस्थिता सती वीरो यथा दर्पितवीर्यभावः

dharmākhya cāpaṁ svakare gṛhītvā jñānābhidhānaṁ varameva bāṇam yoddhuṁ raṇe saṁprati saṁsthitā satī vīro yathā darpitavīryabhāvaḥ

'Taking up in her hand the bow called dharma, and the excellent arrow named knowledge, that chaste woman now stands ready for battle, like a hero filled with proud, valorous spirit.'

Verse 3 (padma.2.55.3)

जिगीषयेयं पुरुषार्थमेव त्वमात्मनः कुरुषे पौरुषं तु । त्वामद्य जेतुं समरे समर्था यद्भाव्यमेवं तदिहैव चिंत्यम्

jigīṣayeyaṁ puruṣārthameva tvamātmanaḥ kuruṣe pauruṣaṁ tu tvāmadya jetuṁ samare samarthā yadbhāvyamevaṁ tadihaiva ciṁtyam

'You seek only to display your own manly effort, exerting your own prowess. Today she is capable of conquering you in battle — whatever is destined, let that be considered here itself.'

Verse 4 (padma.2.55.4)

दग्धोसि पूर्वं त्वमिहैव शंभुना महात्मना तेन समं विरोधम् । कृत्वा फलं तस्य विकर्मणश्च जातोस्यनंगः स्मर सत्यमेव

dagdhosi pūrvaṁ tvamihaiva śaṁbhunā mahātmanā tena samaṁ virodham kṛtvā phalaṁ tasya vikarmaṇaśca jātosyanaṁgaḥ smara satyameva

'You were burned before, right here, by that great-souled Shambhu, when you provoked conflict with him; and as the fruit of that misdeed you became bodiless, O Smara — this is the very truth.'

Verse 5 (padma.2.55.5)

यथा त्वया कर्म कृतं पुरा स्मर फलं तु प्राप्तं तु तथैव तीव्रम् । सुकुत्सितां योनिमवाप्स्यसि ध्रुवं साध्व्यानया सार्धमिहैव कथ्यसे

yathā tvayā karma kṛtaṁ purā smara phalaṁ tu prāptaṁ tu tathaiva tīvram sukutsitāṁ yonimavāpsyasi dhruvaṁ sādhvyānayā sārdhamihaiva kathyase

'As the deed you did before, O Smara, so was the fruit you received, equally severe. If you provoke this virtuous woman, you will surely attain a most despicable womb — this I tell you here plainly.'

Verse 6 (padma.2.55.6)

ये ज्ञानवंतः पुरुषा जगत्त्रये वैरं प्रकुर्वन्ति महात्मभिः समम् । भुंजन्ति ते दुष्कृतमेवतत्फलं दुःखान्वितं रूपविनाशनं च

ye jñānavaṁtaḥ puruṣā jagattraye vairaṁ prakurvanti mahātmabhiḥ samam bhuṁjanti te duṣkṛtamevatatphalaṁ duḥkhānvitaṁ rūpavināśanaṁ ca

'Those men of knowledge in the three worlds who provoke enmity with great souls — they reap only the fruit of that misdeed, filled with sorrow and the ruin of their own form.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.55.7)

व्याघुष्य आवां तु व्रजाव काम एनां परित्यज्य सतीं प्रयुज्य । सत्याः प्रसंगेन पुरा मया तु लब्धं फलं पापमयं त्वसह्यम्

vyāghuṣya āvāṁ tu vrajāva kāma enāṁ parityajya satīṁ prayujya satyāḥ prasaṁgena purā mayā tu labdhaṁ phalaṁ pāpamayaṁ tvasahyam

'Let us therefore proclaim this and go our way, O Kama, leaving this chaste woman alone. Through my own past dealing with a truthful woman I once obtained a sinful, unbearable fruit.'

Verse 8 (padma.2.55.8)

त्वमेव जानासि चरित्रमेतच्छप्तोस्मि तेनापि च गौतमेन । जातश्च मेषवृषणः सदा ह्यहं भवान्गतो मां तु विहाय तत्र

tvameva jānāsi caritrametacchaptosmi tenāpi ca gautamena jātaśca meṣavṛṣaṇaḥ sadā hyahaṁ bhavāngato māṁ tu vihāya tatra

'You yourself know this story — I was cursed by that very Gautama, and I forever became one bearing the testicles of a ram; you went away then, leaving me there.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.55.9)

तेजः प्रभावो ह्यतुलः सतीनां धाता समर्थः सहितुं न सूर्यः । सुकुत्सितं रूपमिदं तु रक्षेत्पुरानुसूया मुनिना हि शप्तम्

tejaḥ prabhāvo hyatulaḥ satīnāṁ dhātā samarthaḥ sahituṁ na sūryaḥ sukutsitaṁ rūpamidaṁ tu rakṣetpurānusūyā muninā hi śaptam

'The splendor and power of chaste women is truly incomparable — not even the Creator, not even the Sun, can bear it. This very despicable form was once preserved by Anasuya, when he had been cursed by a sage.'

Verse 10 (padma.2.55.10)

निरुध्य सूर्यं परिवेगवंतमुद्यंतमेवं प्रभया सुदीप्तम् । भर्तुश्च मृत्युं परिबाधमानं मांडव्यशापस्य च कौंडिनस्य

nirudhya sūryaṁ parivegavaṁtamudyaṁtamevaṁ prabhayā sudīptam bhartuśca mṛtyuṁ paribādhamānaṁ māṁḍavyaśāpasya ca kauṁḍinasya

'She held back the Sun himself, so swift and blazing with radiance as he rose, and warded off her husband's death — this after the curse of Mandavya, of Kaundinya.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.55.11)

अत्रेः प्रिया सत्यपतिव्रता तया स्वपुत्रतां देवत्रयं हि नीतम् । न किं पुरा मन्मथ ते श्रुतं सदा संस्कारयुक्ताः प्रभवंति सत्यः

atreḥ priyā satyapativratā tayā svaputratāṁ devatrayaṁ hi nītam na kiṁ purā manmatha te śrutaṁ sadā saṁskārayuktāḥ prabhavaṁti satyaḥ

'Atri's beloved wife, truly devoted to her husband, brought the three gods themselves to be born as her own sons. Have you not heard of this before, O Manmatha? Truthful women, ever endowed with such refinement, hold great power indeed.'

Verse 12 (padma.2.55.12)

सावित्रीनाम्नी द्युमत्सेनपुत्री नीतं प्रियं सा पुनरानिनाय । यमादिहैवाश्वपतेः सुपुत्रं सती त्वमेवं परिसंश्रुतं च

sāvitrīnāmnī dyumatsenaputrī nītaṁ priyaṁ sā punarānināya yamādihaivāśvapateḥ suputraṁ satī tvamevaṁ parisaṁśrutaṁ ca

'Savitri, daughter of Dyumatsena — she brought her beloved husband back again, taken by Yama himself; that chaste daughter of Ashvapati — surely you have heard this told before.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.55.13)

अग्नेः शिखां कः परिसंस्पृशेद्वै तरेद्धिकः सागरमेव मूढः । गले तु बद्धासु शिलां भुजाभ्यां को वा सतीं वश्यति वीतरागाम्

agneḥ śikhāṁ kaḥ parisaṁspṛśedvai tareddhikaḥ sāgarameva mūḍhaḥ gale tu baddhāsu śilāṁ bhujābhyāṁ ko vā satīṁ vaśyati vītarāgām

'Who indeed would touch the very flame of fire? What fool would swim across the ocean with a stone bound round his neck by his own arms? Who then could subdue a chaste woman who has abandoned all passion?'

Verse 14 (padma.2.55.14)

उक्ते तु वाक्ये बहुनीतियुक्ते इंद्रेण कामस्य सुशिक्षणार्थम् । आकर्ण्य वाक्यं मकरध्वजस्तु उवाच देवेंद्रमथैनमेव

ukte tu vākye bahunītiyukte iṁdreṇa kāmasya suśikṣaṇārtham ākarṇya vākyaṁ makaradhvajastu uvāca deveṁdramathainameva

When these words, full of sound counsel, had been spoken by Indra for Kama's proper instruction, the fish-bannered one, having heard them, spoke thus to that very lord of gods —

Verse 15 (padma.2.55.15)

काम उवाच- तवातिदेशादहमागतो वै धैर्यं सुहृत्त्वं पुरुषार्थमेव । त्यक्त्वा तदर्थं परिभाषसे मां निःसत्वरूपं बहुभीतियुक्तम्

kāma uvāca- tavātideśādahamāgato vai dhairyaṁ suhṛttvaṁ puruṣārthameva tyaktvā tadarthaṁ paribhāṣase māṁ niḥsatvarūpaṁ bahubhītiyuktam

Kama said: 'At your own bidding I came here, having set aside my own steadfastness, friendship, and manly effort for your sake; and now you speak of me as if I were powerless, full of fear.'

Verse 16 (padma.2.55.16)

व्याबुद्धि यास्यामि यदा सुरेशस्याल्लोकमध्ये मम कीर्तिनाशः । ऊढिंकरोमानविहीन एव सर्वे वदिष्यंत्यनया जितं माम्

vyābuddhi yāsyāmi yadā sureśasyāllokamadhye mama kīrtināśaḥ ūḍhiṁkaromānavihīna eva sarve vadiṣyaṁtyanayā jitaṁ mām

'If I now turn back with such changed resolve, O lord of gods, my fame in the world will be destroyed; I would be bereft of pride, and everyone will say that I was conquered by this woman.'

Verse 17 (padma.2.55.17)

ये वै जिता देवगणाश्च दानवाः पूर्वं मुनींद्रास्तपसः प्रयुक्ताः । हास्यं करिष्यंति ममापि सद्यो नार्या जितो मन्मथ एष भीमः

ye vai jitā devagaṇāśca dānavāḥ pūrvaṁ munīṁdrāstapasaḥ prayuktāḥ hāsyaṁ kariṣyaṁti mamāpi sadyo nāryā jito manmatha eṣa bhīmaḥ

'The hosts of gods, the demons, and the great sages devoted to austerity, all conquered by me before — they will laugh at me at once, saying: "This terrible Manmatha has been conquered by a mere woman!"'

Verse 18 (padma.2.55.18)

तस्मात्प्रयास्यामि त्वयैव सार्धमस्या बलं मानमतः सुरेश । तेजश्च धैर्यं परिणाशयिष्ये कस्माद्भवानत्र बिभेति शक्र

tasmātprayāsyāmi tvayaiva sārdhamasyā balaṁ mānamataḥ sureśa tejaśca dhairyaṁ pariṇāśayiṣye kasmādbhavānatra bibheti śakra

'Therefore I shall go, together with you, O lord of gods; I shall destroy her strength, her pride, her splendor, and her steadfastness. Why then, O Shakra, are you so afraid in this matter?'

Verse 19 (padma.2.55.19)

संबोध्य चैवं स सुराधिनाथं चापं गृहीतं सशरं सुपुष्पम् । उवाच क्रीडां पुरतः स्थितां तां विधाय मायां भवती प्रयातु

saṁbodhya caivaṁ sa surādhināthaṁ cāpaṁ gṛhītaṁ saśaraṁ supuṣpam uvāca krīḍāṁ purataḥ sthitāṁ tāṁ vidhāya māyāṁ bhavatī prayātu

Having thus addressed the lord of the gods, and taking up his flower-bow with its arrows, he spoke to Krida, who stood before him: 'Fashion your illusion, and go forth.'

Verse 20 (padma.2.55.20)

वैश्यस्य भार्यां सुकलां सुपुण्यां सत्येस्थितां धर्मविदां गुणज्ञाम् । इतो हि गत्वा कुरु कार्यमुक्तं साहाय्यरूपं च प्रिये सखे शृणु

vaiśyasya bhāryāṁ sukalāṁ supuṇyāṁ satyesthitāṁ dharmavidāṁ guṇajñām ito hi gatvā kuru kāryamuktaṁ sāhāyyarūpaṁ ca priye sakhe śṛṇu

'Sukala, that most sacred wife of the merchant, established in truth, knower of dharma, versed in virtue — go from here and do the task I have told, and lend your aid, my dear friend — listen.'

Verse 21 (padma.2.55.21)

क्रीडां समाभाष्य ततो मनोभवस्त्वंते स्थितां प्रीतिमथाह्वयत्पुनः । कार्यं भवत्या ममकार्यमुत्तममे तां सुस्नेहैः परिभावयत्वम्

krīḍāṁ samābhāṣya tato manobhavastvaṁte sthitāṁ prītimathāhvayatpunaḥ kāryaṁ bhavatyā mamakāryamuttamame tāṁ susnehaiḥ paribhāvayatvam

Having thus spoken to Krida, Manobhava then also called upon Priti, who stood nearby: 'This excellent task of mine is now yours to do; you must win her over with the gentlest of affection.'

Verse 22 (padma.2.55.22)

इंद्रं हि दृष्ट्वा सुकला यथा भवेत्स्नेहानुगा चारुविलोचनेयम् । तैस्तैः प्रभावैर्गुणवाक्ययुक्तैर्नयस्व वश्यं च प्रिये सखे शृणु

iṁdraṁ hi dṛṣṭvā sukalā yathā bhavetsnehānugā cāruvilocaneyam taistaiḥ prabhāvairguṇavākyayuktairnayasva vaśyaṁ ca priye sakhe śṛṇu

'So that this lovely-eyed Sukala, upon seeing Indra, may become inclined toward love — with all your various powers, with your virtuous, persuasive words, bring her under his sway; listen, my dear friend.'

Verse 23 (padma.2.55.23)

भो भोः सखे साधय गच्छ शीघ्रं मायामयं नंदनरूपयुक्तम् । पुष्पोपयुक्तं च फलप्रधानं घुष्टं रुतैः कोकिलषट्पदानाम्

bho bhoḥ sakhe sādhaya gaccha śīghraṁ māyāmayaṁ naṁdanarūpayuktam puṣpopayuktaṁ ca phalapradhānaṁ ghuṣṭaṁ rutaiḥ kokilaṣaṭpadānām

'O friend, go swiftly and accomplish this — create by illusion a place in the very likeness of Nandana, filled with flowers and choice fruit, resounding with the cries of cuckoos and bees.'

Verse 24 (padma.2.55.24)

आहूय वीरं मकरंदमेव रसायनं स्वादुगुणैरुपेतम् । सहानिलाद्यैर्निजकर्मयुक्तैः संप्रेषयित्वा पुनरेव कामम्

āhūya vīraṁ makaraṁdameva rasāyanaṁ svāduguṇairupetam sahānilādyairnijakarmayuktaiḥ saṁpreṣayitvā punareva kāmam

'Summon too that hero, mere flower-nectar itself, a very elixir endowed with sweet qualities; and, together with the wind and other allies each engaged in his own task, send them forth again to serve Kama.'

Verse 25 (padma.2.55.25)

एवं समादिश्य महत्ससैन्यं त्रैलोक्यसंमोहकरं तु कामः । चक्रे प्रयाणं सुरराजसार्धं संमोहनायैव महासतीं ताम्

evaṁ samādiśya mahatsasainyaṁ trailokyasaṁmohakaraṁ tu kāmaḥ cakre prayāṇaṁ surarājasārdhaṁ saṁmohanāyaiva mahāsatīṁ tām

Having thus given his commands, Kama, with his great army that bewitches the three worlds, set forth together with the king of the gods, solely to bewilder that great chaste woman.