Devibhagavatapurana 5.31.2

5.31.2

śumbha uvāca |
jālmāḥ kiṃ śrūta durvācyaṃ kṛtvā jīvitumutsahe |
nihatya sacivānbhrātṝnnirlajjo vicarāmi kim ||

S’umbha said:-- “O Fools! What are you saying all this? How can I do this unspeakably mean act and then hope to live? How shall I be able to roam in this world when I have become the cause the slaying of my brothers and ministers? Time is the more powerful cause of all that takes place, good or bad; so when this formless Time is the Supreme Ruler, what use is there in my brooding over the result? Let whatever come that is inevitable, let whatever be done that is destined to take place; death or life, I do not think of either. The more so when Time is never able, even when worshipped, to thwart off death or life when their proper moment arrives. See! The God of rain gives us rain in the rainy season; but, it is seen that sometimes it does not rain in the month of S’râvan (the rainy season); whereas it rains sometimes in the month Agrahâyana, Pausa, Mâgha, or Phâlguna (not the rainy season). Therefore it is evident that Time is not the chief factor. Fate is stronger than Time; Time is merely the instrumental cause. It is this Fate that has created all this universe; it cannot be rendered otherwise. I consider Fate Supreme; Fie on this one’s own exertion! For, Lo! Nis’umbha, who had before conquered all the Devas, is slain today by an ordinary woman! Alas!
When Raktabîja, too, had been slain, how can I desire to hold on to my life, foregoing all my name and fame! Even Brahmâ, who has created all this universe, will not sooner come to an end than his longevity expires. Four thousand Yugas constitute one day of Brahmâ; and in that one day fourteen Indras perished; so twice the life of Brahmâ constitute the life of Visnu; similarly twice the life period of Visnu constitute the life period of Mahes’a; and when their longevities expire, they come to an end. This visible earth, mountains, sun and moon all will perish; so it has been specially ordained by the Destiny; therefore, O Fools! I do not care a bit for the death. When a being is born, he must die; and when anyone dies, he will be born again, there is no doubt in this. So one ought to preserve one’s name and fame which is more permanent in this transitory body. Prepare my chariot; I will go today to the battlefield; let victory or defeat come what it may, as Fate has ordained. I will soon go to fight.”