नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणं नानामायाविचित्रितम् । जगत्क्षयकरं नूनं तेषां युद्धमभून्नृप
That battle involved many kinds of weapons and was marked by various magical feats; it truly threatened the destruction of the world, O king.
पराशक्तिकृपावेशाद्देवैर्दैत्या जिता युधि । भुवं स्वर्गं परित्यज्य गताः पातालवेश्मनि
By the grace of the Supreme Power, the gods defeated the Daityas in battle; abandoning earth and heaven, they went to the abode of the netherworld.
ततः प्रहर्षिता देवाः स्वपराक्रमवर्णनम् । चक्रुः परस्परं मोहात्साभिमानाः समन्ततः
Then, delighted, the gods—overcome by delusion and pride—began to boast of their own prowess to one another on all sides.
जयोऽस्माकं कुतो न स्यादस्माकं महिमा यतः । सर्वोत्तरः कुत्र दैत्याः पामरा निष्पराक्रमाः
Why should victory not be ours, since our greatness surpasses all? Where are the demons compared to us—those base ones, powerless and insignificant?
सृष्टिस्थितिक्षयकरा वयं सर्वे यशस्विनः । अस्मदग्रे पामराणां दैत्यानां चैव का कथा
We are the illustrious ones who create, sustain, and destroy the universe; what need is there to speak of the lowly demons before us?
पराशक्तिप्रभावं ते न ज्ञात्वा मोहमागताः । तेषामनुग्रहं कर्तुं तदैव जगदम्बिका
Not knowing the power of the Supreme Energy, they fell into delusion; at that very moment, Jagadambika appeared to bestow her grace upon them.
प्रादुरासीत्कृपापूर्णा यक्षरूपेण भूमिप । कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशं चन्द्रकोटिसुशीतलम्
Full of compassion, she manifested in the form of a Yaksha, O King, shining like ten million suns yet as cool as ten million moons.
विद्युत्कोटिसमानाभं हस्तपादादिवर्जितम् । अदृष्टपूर्वं तद्दृष्ट्वा तेजः परमसुन्दरम्
Her radiance was like ten million lightning flashes, without hands or feet; beholding that supreme and unparalleled brilliance, never seen before—
सविस्मयास्तदा प्रोचुः किमिदं किमिदं त्विति । दैत्यानां चेष्टितं किं वा माया कापि महीयसी
Astonished, they exclaimed, 'What is this? What is this? Is it some act of the demons, or some extraordinary magic?'
केनचिन्निर्मिता वाथ देवानां स्मयकारिणी । सम्भूय ते तदा सर्वे विचारं चक्रुरुत्तमम्
'Or has someone created this to make the gods proud?' Gathering together, they all began to deliberate deeply.
यक्षस्य निकटे गत्वा प्रष्टव्यं कस्त्वमित्यपि । बलाबलं ततो ज्ञात्वा कर्तव्या तु प्रतिक्रिया
'Let us approach the Yaksha and ask, "Who are you?" After knowing his strength or weakness, we should then decide our response.'
ततो वह्निं समाहूय प्रोवाचेन्द्रः सुराधिपः । गच्छ वह्ने त्वमस्माकं यतोऽसि मुखमुत्तमम्
Then Indra, lord of the gods, summoned Agni and said, 'Go, O Agni, since you are our foremost mouth.'
ततो गत्वा तु जानीहि किमिदं यक्षमित्यपि । सहस्राक्षवचः श्रुत्वा स्वपराक्रमगर्भितम्
'Go and find out what this Yaksha is,' he said, having heard the words of the thousand-eyed one, filled with pride in their own power.
वेगात्स निर्गतो वह्निर्ययौ यक्षस्य सन्निधौ । तदा प्रोवाच यक्षस्तं त्वं कोऽसीति हुताशनम्
With speed, Agni departed and approached the Yaksha; then the Yaksha asked him, 'Who are you, O Fire-god?'
वीर्यं च त्वयि किं यत्तद्वद सर्वं ममाग्रतः । अग्निरस्मि तथा जातवेदा अस्मीति सोऽब्रवीत्
'Tell me, what is your power? Declare it all before me.' He replied, 'I am Agni, known as Jatavedas.'
सर्वस्य दहने शक्तिर्मयि विश्वस्य तिष्ठति । तदा यक्षं परं तेजस्तदग्रे निदधौ तृणम्
'The power to burn all things in the universe resides in me.' Then the Yaksha placed a blade of grass before him, shining with supreme radiance.
दहैनं यदि ते शक्तिर्विश्वस्य दहनेऽस्ति हि । तदा सर्वबलेनैवाकरोद्यत्नं हुताशनः
'If you have the power to burn the universe, then burn this.' Thereupon, Agni exerted all his strength and made the attempt.
न शशाक तृणं दग्धुं लज्जितोऽगात्सुरान्प्रति । पृष्टे देवैस्तु वृत्तान्ते सर्वं प्रोवाच हव्यभुक्
But he was unable to burn the grass; ashamed, he returned to the gods. When questioned by the gods about what had happened, Agni told them everything.
वृथाभिमानो ह्यस्माकं सर्वेशत्वादिके सुराः । ततस्तु वृत्रहा वायुं समाहूयेदमब्रवीत्
'Our pride in being lords of all was in vain, O gods.' Then the slayer of Vritra summoned Vayu and spoke these words.
त्वयि प्रोतं जगत्सर्वं त्वच्चेष्टाभिस्तु चेष्टितम् । त्वं प्राणरूपः सर्वेषां सर्वशक्तिविधारकः
'The whole world is woven in you, and all actions are performed by your movements. You are the very breath of all beings, the bearer of all power.'
त्वमेव गत्वा जानीहि किमिदं यक्षमित्यपि । नान्यः कोऽपि समर्थोऽस्ति ज्ञातुं यक्षं परं महः
You alone must go and find out what this Yaksha is; no one else is capable of knowing the supreme greatness of the Yaksha.
सहस्राक्षवचः श्रुत्वा गुणगौरवगुम्फितम् । साभिमानो जगामाशु यत्र यक्षं विराजते
Hearing the words of the thousand-eyed one, woven with praise and respect, he, full of pride, quickly went to where the Yaksha was shining forth.
यक्षं दृष्ट्वा ततो वायुं प्रोवाच मृदुभाषया । कोऽसि त्वं त्वयि का शक्तिर्वद सर्वं ममाग्रतः
Seeing the Yaksha, Vayu spoke gently: Who are you? What power is in you? Tell me everything before me.
ततो यक्षवचः श्रुत्वा गर्वेण मरुदब्रवीत् । मातरिश्वाहमस्मीति वायुरस्मीति चाब्रवीत्
Hearing the Yaksha’s words, Marut replied with pride: I am Matarishva, I am Vayu.
वीर्यं तु मयि सर्वस्य चालने ग्रहणेऽस्ति हि । मच्चेष्टया जगत्सर्वं सर्वव्यापारवद्भवेत्
All strength to move and grasp things is in me; by my action, the entire world becomes full of activity.
इति श्रुत्वा वायुवाणीं निजगाद परं महः । तृणमेतत्तवाग्रे यत्तच्चालय यथेप्सितम्
Hearing Vayu’s speech, the supreme greatness said: Move this blade of grass before you, as you wish.
नोचेद्गर्वं विहायैनं लज्जितो गच्छ वासवम् । श्रुत्वा यक्षवचो वायुः सर्वशक्तिसमन्वितः
If you cannot, abandon your pride and, ashamed, return to Indra; hearing the Yaksha’s words, Vayu, endowed with all power,
उद्योगमकरोत्तच्च स्वस्थानान्न चचाल ह । लज्जितोऽगाद्देवपार्श्वे हित्वा गर्वं स चानिलः
made an effort, but the blade did not move from its place; ashamed, Anila went to the gods, abandoning his pride.
वृत्तान्तमवदत्सर्वं गर्वनिर्वापकारणम् । नैतञ्ज्ञातुं समर्थाः स्म मिथ्यागर्वाभिमानिनः
He told everything that had happened, the cause of his pride’s destruction; we were not capable of knowing this, being falsely proud and arrogant.
अलौकिकं भाति यक्षं तेजः परमदारुणम् । ततः सर्वे सुरगणाः सहस्राक्षं समूचिरे
The Yaksha’s radiance shines as supernatural, supremely fierce; then all the host of gods spoke to the thousand-eyed one.