जग्राह मन्त्रपूतं च देवी पाशुपतं रुषा । निक्षेपणं निरोद्धुं च वाग्बभूवाशरीरिणी
The Goddess, in anger, took up the Pāśupata weapon, purified by mantras; as she was about to release it, a bodiless voice spoke to restrain her.
मृत्युः पाशुपते नास्ति नृपस्य च महात्मनः । यावदस्ति च मन्त्रस्य कवचं च हरेरिति
Death by the Pāśupata weapon cannot befall this great-souled king, as long as the power of the mantra and the protection of Hari remain.
यावत्सतीत्वमस्त्येव सत्याश्च नृपयोषितः । तावदस्य जरामृत्युर्नास्तीति ब्रह्मणो वचः
As long as his wife remains chaste and true, so long, according to Brahmā's word, old age and death cannot touch him.
इत्याकर्ण्य भद्रकाली न तच्चिक्षेप शस्त्रकम् । शतलक्षं दानवानां जग्रास लीलया क्षुधा
Hearing this, Bhadrakālī did not release that weapon; instead, playfully and out of hunger, she devoured a hundred thousand Dānavas.
ग्रस्तुं जगाम वेगेन शङ्खचूडं भयङ्करी । दिव्यास्त्रेण सुतीक्ष्णेन वारयामास दानवः
Then, moving swiftly, the fearsome Goddess advanced to devour Śaṅkhacūḍa; but the Dānava repelled her with a very sharp divine weapon.
खड्गं चिक्षेप सा देवी ग्रीष्मसूर्योपमं यथा । दिव्यास्त्रेण दानवेन्द्रः शतखण्डं चकार सः
The Goddess hurled a sword, blazing like the summer sun; the lord of the Dānavas shattered it into a hundred pieces with his divine weapon.
पुनर्ग्रस्तुं महादेवी वेगेन च जगाम तम् । सर्वसिद्धेश्वरः श्रीमान्ववृधे दानवेश्वरः
Again, the great Goddess rushed at him to devour him; but the illustrious lord of the Dānavas grew in power, master of all perfections.
वेगेन मुष्टिना काली कोपयुक्ता भयङ्करी । बभञ्ज च रथं तस्य जघान सारथिं सती
Kālī, filled with wrath and terrifying, struck his chariot with her fist at great speed and killed his charioteer.
सा च शूलं प्रचिक्षेप प्रलयाग्निशिखोपमम् । वामहस्तेन जग्राह शङ्खचूडः स्वलीलया
She then hurled her trident, blazing like the fire of dissolution; Śaṅkhacūḍa, with ease, caught it in his left hand.
मुष्ट्या जघान तं देवी महाकोपेन वेगतः । बभ्राम च तया दैत्यः क्षणं मूर्च्छामवाप च
The Goddess struck him with her fist, moving swiftly in great fury; the Daitya reeled from the blow and for a moment lost consciousness.
क्षणेन चेतनां प्राप्य समुत्तस्थौ प्रतापवान् । न चकार बाहुयुद्धं देव्या सह ननाम ताम्
Regaining consciousness in a moment, the valiant one rose up; he did not engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Goddess, but bowed to her.
देव्याश्चास्त्रं स चिच्छेद जग्राह च स्वतेजसा । नास्त्रं चिक्षेप तां भक्तो मातृभक्त्या तु वैष्णवः
He cut apart the Goddess's weapon and seized it by his own power; but, devoted to the Mother and to Viṣṇu, he did not hurl a weapon at her.
गृहीत्वा दानवं देवी भ्रामयित्वा पुनः पुनः । ऊर्ध्वं च प्रापयामास महावेगेन कोपिता
The Goddess seized the demon, whirled him around again and again, and, enraged, hurled him upward with great force.
ऊर्ध्वात्पपात वेगेन शङ्खचूडः प्रतापवान् । निपत्य च समुत्तस्थौ प्रणम्य भद्रकालिकाम्
From above, the mighty Shankhacuda fell swiftly; after falling, he rose up and bowed to Bhadrakali.
रत्नेन्द्रसारनिर्माणं विमानं सुमनोहरम् । आरुरोह हर्षयुक्तो न विश्रान्तो महारणे
He joyfully ascended a most beautiful aerial chariot, fashioned from the finest jewels, without resting from the great battle.
दानवानां च क्षतजं सा देवी च पपौ क्षुधा । पीत्वा भुक्त्वा भद्रकाली जगाम शङ्करान्तिकम्
And the Goddess, hungry, drank the blood of the demons; having drunk and eaten, Bhadrakali went to Shankara.
उवाच रणवृत्तान्तं पौर्वापर्यं यथाक्रमम् । श्रुत्वा जहास शम्भुश्च दानवानां विनाशनम्
She recounted the events of the battle, in their proper order, and Shambhu, hearing of the destruction of the demons, laughed.
लक्षं च दानवेन्द्राणामवशिष्टं रणेऽधुना । भुञ्जन्त्या निर्गतं वक्त्रात्तदन्यं भुक्तमीश्वर
Now, a hundred thousand demon chiefs remain in the battle; as she ate, what emerged from her mouth was consumed by another, O Lord.
संग्रामे दानवेन्द्रं च हन्तुं पाशुपतेन वै । अवध्यस्तव राजेति वाग्बभूवाशरीरिणी
In the battle, when the lord of demons was to be slain by the Pashupata weapon, a bodiless voice declared, 'He is not to be killed by you, O King.'
राजेन्द्रश्च महाज्ञानी महाबलपराक्रमः । न च चिक्षेप मय्यस्त्रं चिच्छेद मम सायकम्
And the king of demons, greatly wise and of immense strength and valor, did not hurl a weapon at me, but cut down my arrow.
शङ्खचूडवधवर्णनम् शिवस्तत्त्वं समाकर्ण्य तत्त्वज्ञानविशारदः । ययौ स्वयं च समरे स्वगणैः सह नारद
Hearing the account of Shankhacuda's death, Shiva, expert in true knowledge, went himself to the battlefield with his attendants, O Narada.
शङ्खचूडः शिवं दृष्ट्वा विमानादवरुह्य च । ननाम परया भक्त्या शिरसा दण्डवद्भुवि
Shankhacuda, seeing Shiva, descended from his chariot and bowed with utmost devotion, prostrating himself on the ground.
तं प्रणम्य च वेगेन विमानमारुरोह सः । तूर्णं चकार सन्नाहं धनुर्जग्राह दुर्वहम्
Having bowed to him, he quickly ascended his chariot, donned his armor at once, and took up his formidable bow.
शिवदानवयोर्युद्धं पूर्णमब्दशतं पुरा । न बभूवतुरन्योन्यं ब्रह्मञ्जयपराजयौ
In ancient times, the battle between Shiva and the demon lasted a full hundred years, but neither gained victory nor suffered defeat, O Brahman.
न्यस्तशस्त्रश्च भगवान् न्यस्तशस्त्रश्च दानवः । रथस्थः शङ्खचूडश्च वृषस्थो वृषभध्वजः
Both the Blessed Lord and the demon laid down their weapons; Shankhacuda stood on his chariot, and the Bull-bannered One on his bull.
दानवानां च शतकमुद्धृतं च बभूव ह । रणे ये ये मृताः शम्भुर्जीवयामास तान्विभुः
A hundred of the demons were revived; those who had died in battle, Shambhu, the Lord, restored to life.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वृद्धब्राह्मणः परमातुरः । आगत्य च रणस्थानमुवाच दानवेश्वरम्
At that moment, an aged Brahmin, greatly afflicted, came to the battlefield and spoke to the lord of demons.
वृद्धब्राह्मण उवाच देहि भिक्षां च राजेन्द्र मह्यं विप्राय साम्प्रतम् । त्वं सर्वसम्पदां दाता यन्मे मनसि वाञ्छितम्
The aged Brahmin said: 'O king of kings, grant me alms now, for I am a Brahmin; you are the giver of all wealth, give me what I desire in my heart.'
निरीहाय च वृद्धाय तृषिताय च साम्प्रतम् । पश्चात्त्वां कथयिष्यामि पुरः सत्यं च कुर्विति
'To me, who am old, without desire, and now thirsty, you shall give; afterwards, I will tell you—do this truly before me.'
ओमित्युवाच राजेन्द्रः प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणः । कवचार्थी जनश्चाहमित्युवाचातिमायया
The king, with a gracious face, said 'Om'; and, desiring the armor, replied with great cunning, 'I am one who seeks armor.'