Bhagavata Purana

विद्राविते भूतगणे ज्वरस्तु त्रीशिरास्त्रिपात् । अभ्यधावत दाशार्हं दहन्निव दिशो दश

When the hosts of beings were driven away, the fever demon with three heads and three feet rushed at the descendant of Dasarha, as if burning the ten directions.

अथ नारायणः देवः तं दृष्ट्वा व्यसृजज्ज्वरम् । माहेश्वरो वैष्णवश्च युयुधाते ज्वरावुभौ

Then, seeing him, the divine Nārāyaṇa released his own fever demon; the fever of Śiva and the fever of Viṣṇu fought each other.

माहेश्वरः समाक्रन्दन् वैष्णवेन बलार्दितः । अलब्ध्वाभयमन्यत्र भीतो माहेश्वरो ज्वरः । शरणार्थी हृषीकेशं तुष्टाव प्रयताञ्जलिः

Overwhelmed by the power of the Viṣṇu fever, the Śiva fever cried out; unable to find safety elsewhere and frightened, he sought refuge in Hṛṣīkeśa, praising him with folded hands.

ज्वर उवाच - ( मिश्र ) नमामि त्वानन्तशक्तिं परेशं सर्वात्मानं केवलं ज्ञप्तिमात्रम् । विश्वोत्पत्तिस्थानसंरोधहेतुं यत्तद् ब्रह्म ब्रह्मलिङ्गं प्रशान्तम्

The fever demon said: I bow to you, O Lord of infinite power, supreme ruler, the soul of all, pure consciousness alone, the cause of the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe, that tranquil Brahman, the mark of Brahman.

कालो दैवं कर्म जीवः स्वभावो द्रव्यं क्षेत्रं प्राण आत्मा विकारः । तत्सङ्घातो बीजरोहप्रवाहः त्वन्मायैषा तन्निषेधं प्रपद्ये

Time, destiny, action, the living being, nature, substance, field, breath, self, and transformation—this aggregate, the flow of seed and sprout, is your illusion; I seek refuge in its negation.

नानाभावैर्लीलयैवोपपन्नैः देवान् साधून् लोकसेतून्बिभर्षि । हंस्युन्मार्गान् हिंसया वर्तमानान् जन्मैतत्ते भारहाराय भूमेः

By your play, assuming various forms, you support the gods, the virtuous, and the bridges of the worlds; you destroy those who stray by violence; your birth is for relieving the burden of the earth.

तप्तोऽहं ते तेजसा दुःसहेन शान्तोग्रेणात्युल्बणेन ज्वरेण । तावत्तापो देहिनां तेऽङ्‌घ्रिमूलं नो सेवेरन् यावदाशानुबद्धाः

I am scorched by your unbearable, fierce, and exceedingly intense fever; so long as people are bound by hope, they do not worship the root of your feet, and thus their suffering continues.

श्रीभगवानुवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) त्रिशिरस्ते प्रसन्नोऽस्मि व्येतु ते मज्ज्वराद्‌भयम् । यो नौ स्मरति संवादं तस्य त्वन्न भवेद्‌भयम्

The Blessed Lord said: O Triśiras, I am pleased with you; let your fear from fever be dispelled. Whoever remembers our conversation will not have fear from you.

इत्युक्तोऽच्युतमानम्य गतो माहेश्वरो ज्वरः । बाणस्तु रथमारूढः प्रागाद्योत्स्यञ्जनार्दनम्

Thus addressed, the fever demon of Śiva bowed to Acyuta and departed; Bāṇa, mounting his chariot, advanced to fight Janārdana.

ततो बाहुसहस्रेण नानायुधधरोऽसुरः । मुमोच परमक्रुद्धो बाणांश्चक्रायुधे नृप

Then, O King, the demon, bearing a thousand arms and various weapons, released arrows in great fury at the wielder of the discus.

तस्यास्यतोऽस्त्राण्यसकृत् चक्रेण क्षुरनेमिना । चिच्छेद भगवान्बाहून् शाखा इव वनस्पतेः

Again and again, the Lord cut down the weapons coming from his mouth with the razor-edged discus, and severed Bāṇa's arms like branches from a tree.

बाहुषु छिद्यमानेषु बाणस्य भगवान् भवः । भक्तानकम्प्युपव्रज्य चक्रायुधमभाषत

As Bāṇa's arms were being cut, the Lord Bhava, compassionate to his devotees, approached and spoke to the wielder of the discus.

श्रीरुद्र उवाच - त्वं हि ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः गूढं ब्रह्मणि वाङ्‌मये । यं पश्यन्त्यमलात्मान आकाशमिव केवलम्

Śrī Rudra said: You are the supreme Brahman, the highest light, hidden within the Brahman expressed in words; those with pure souls see you as the sky, alone.

( मिश्र ) नाभिर्नभोऽग्निर्मुखमम्बु रेतो द्यौः शीर्षमाशाः श्रुतिरङ्‌घ्रिरुर्वी । चन्द्रो मनो यस्य दृगर्क आत्मा अहं समुद्रो जठरं भुजेन्द्रः

Your navel is the ether, fire is your mouth, water is your semen, the sky is your head, the directions are your ears, your feet are the earth; the moon is your mind, the sun your eye, the self is your soul, I am the ocean, your belly, and the serpent king is your arm.

रोमाणि यस्यौषधयोऽम्बुवाहाः केशा विरिञ्चो धिषणा विसर्गः । प्रजापतिर्हृदयं यस्य धर्मः स वै भवान् पुरुषो लोककल्पः

Your hairs are the plants, the clouds are your waters, Brahmā is your hair, intelligence is your creative power, Prajāpati is your heart, and Dharma is your essence; truly, you are the cosmic person, the model of the worlds.

तवावतारोऽयमकुण्ठधामन् धर्मस्य गुप्त्यै जगतो हिताय । वयं च सर्वे भवतानुभाविता विभावयामो भुवनानि सप्त

This descent of yours, O unimpeded Lord, is for the protection of dharma and the welfare of the world; and we, all inspired by you, comprehend the seven realms.

त्वमेक आद्यः पुरुषोऽद्वितीयः तुर्यः स्वदृग् हेतुरहेतुरीशः । प्रतीयसेऽथापि यथाविकारं स्वमायया सर्वगुणप्रसिद्ध्यै

You alone are the primordial, unique Person, the fourth beyond; self-seeing, cause and causeless, O Lord; you appear, yet unchanged, by your own power, for the manifestation of all qualities.

यथैव सूर्यः पिहितश्छायया स्वया छायां च रूपाणि च सञ्चकास्ति । एवं गुणेनापिहितो गुणांस्त्वम् आत्मप्रदीपो गुणिनश्च भूमन्

Just as the sun, concealed by its own shadow, projects both the shadow and forms, so you, hidden by your quality, illuminate the qualities, O boundless light of the self, and those possessing qualities.

( अनुष्टुप् ) यन्मायामोहितधियः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु । उन्मज्जन्ति निमज्जन्ति प्रसक्ता वृजिनार्णवे

Those whose minds are deluded by your maya become attached to children, spouses, homes, and so forth, and rise and sink, engrossed, in the ocean of misfortune.

देवदत्तमिमं लब्ध्वा नृलोकमजितेन्द्रियः । यो नाद्रियेत त्वत्पादौ स शोच्यो ह्यात्मवञ्चकः

Having obtained this human birth, if one with uncontrolled senses does not honor your feet, he is to be pitied, for he deceives himself.

यस्त्वां विसृजते मर्त्य आत्मानं प्रियमीश्वरम् । विपर्ययेन्द्रियार्थार्थं विषमत्त्यमृतं त्यजन्

He who abandons you, O Lord, his own beloved self, and pursues the objects of the senses in reverse, consumes poison, forsaking nectar.

अहं ब्रह्माथ विबुधा मुनयश्चामलाशयाः । सर्वात्मना प्रपन्नास्त्वां आत्मानं प्रेष्ठमीश्वरम्

I, Brahma, the gods, and the sages of pure mind, have all surrendered to you, the dearest Lord, with our whole being.

( मिश्र ) तं त्वा जगत्स्थित्युदयान्तहेतुं समं प्रशान्तं सुहृदात्मदैवम् । अनन्यमेकं जगदात्मकेतं भवापवर्गाय भजाम देवम्

You, the cause of the world's creation, sustenance, and dissolution, equal, tranquil, friend, self and god; the sole, nondual, source of the universe; we worship you, O Lord, for liberation from birth and death.

अयं ममेष्टो दयितोऽनुवर्ती मयाभयं दत्तममुष्य देव । संपाद्यतां तद्‌भवतः प्रसादो यथा हि ते दैत्यपतौ प्रसादः

This one is dear to me, beloved, obedient; I have granted him fearlessness, O Lord; let your favor be bestowed upon him, just as you showed mercy to the lord of the daityas.

श्रीभगवानुवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) यदात्थ भगवन् त्वं नः करवाम प्रियं तव । भवतो यद्व्यवसितं तन्मे साध्वनुमोदितम्

The Blessed Lord said: O revered one, whatever you say, I shall do what pleases you; whatever you decide, that is agreeable and approved by me.

अवध्योऽयं ममाप्येष वैरोचनिसुतोऽसुरः । प्रह्रादाय वरो दत्तो न वध्यो मे तवान्वयः

This son of Virocana, an asura, is not to be slain even by me; a boon was granted to Prahlada, so neither he nor your lineage shall be killed by me.

दर्पोपशमनायास्य प्रवृक्णा बाहवो मया । सूदितं च बलं भूरि यच्च भारायितं भुवः

To humble his pride, I have broken his arms; his vast army, which burdened the earth, has been destroyed by me.

चत्वारोऽस्य भुजाः शिष्टा भविष्यत्यजरामरः । पार्षदमुख्यो भवतो न कुतश्चिद्‌भयोऽसुरः

Four of his arms remain; he will be ageless and immortal, chief among your attendants, and, O asura, he shall have no fear from anywhere.

इति लब्ध्वाभयं कृष्णं प्रणम्य शिरसासुरः । प्राद्युम्निं रथमारोप्य सवध्वा समुपानयत्

Thus, having received fearlessness, the asura bowed his head to Krishna, placed Pradyumna on the chariot with his wife, and brought him forward.