Devibhagavatapurana 5.31.16

5.31.16

ityuktvā sainikāñchumbho rathamāsthāya satvaraḥ |
prayayāvambikā yatra saṃsthitā tu himācale ||

Thus saying, S’umbha mounted on the chariot quickly and went where the Devî Ambikâ was staying. Then the four-fold army, cavalry, infantry, chariots, horses and elephants and innumerable soldiers, followed him with weapons in their hands. Going there to the Himâlayâ mountain, he saw the Divine Mother sitting on Her Lion. She appeared so very lovely as to enchant the three worlds. Her body was decorated with various ornaments, all the auspicious gems were manifest; the Devas, Gandarbhas, Yaksas and Kinnaras in the heavens were all worshipping Her with hymns and Pârijâta flowers; and the Devî was making beautiful sounds with bells and conches, indicative of Her victory. Seeing Her S’umbha was very much enchanted with passionate love and struck with, the five arrows of cupid, thought thus:-- How wonderful is Her lovely countenance! See! How wonderful and amazing is Her skilfulness! Delicacy and capability to endure the hardships of war, though quite contrary to each other, are both in Her. What a wonder is this! Her bodies are extremely delicate and limbs are lean and thin; besides She is lately blooming into womanhood; still She does not feel any passion; this is undoubtedly very wonderful! She is exquisitely beautiful that can be desired of in one’s mind; and though She is endowed with all the auspicious signs, yet She has no inclinations for all the pleasures and allurements of the world and is now slaying the powerful Asuras; this is wonderful indeed! Now what steps are to be taken so that this Lady comes under my control? All the Mantrams also are not with me now to bring over this Swan-eyed Lady unto me. This proud lovely Lady is the incarnate of all Mantrams; how will She come under my control? This heroic Lady cannot be controlled by conciliatory words, allurements, dissensions; it is not advisable, too, to fly away from the battlefield and to go to Pâtâla. What am I to do? Where shall I go in this critical moment? And if I die at the hands of this Lady, that death is not a glorious one; it will take away my fame. The death in a battlefield is conducive to one’s well being, so the sages say, when both the parties are equally strong. The Devas have created this Lady stronger than even hundred strong men; She is a woman merely in name. This Lady is very powerful and has come here to destroy the Dânavas; there is no doubt in this. What effect will conciliatory words now produce on Her; She has come to slay us; Will She be appeased with good words? Neither will allurements of precious things be of any avail, for She is decked with various arms and weapons; nor will it be of any use to sow dissensions between the Devas and Her. Further all the Devas are under Her control. Therefore it is far better to die than to fly; victory or death would come unto me today as Fate has ordained.