सुखं क्षयाय पुण्यस्य दुःखं पापस्य मारिष । तस्मात्सुखक्षये हर्षः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा बुधैः
Pleasure is the result of merit; pain is the result of sin, O sage. Therefore, when pleasure ends, wise people should always rejoice.
अथवा मन्त्रयित्वाद्य कुरु यत्नं यथाविधि । कृते यत्ने महाराज भवितव्यं भविष्यति
Or, after consulting today, act according to proper method. When effort is made, O great king, what is destined will come to pass.
दैत्यसैन्यपराजयः व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षः पुनराह बृहस्पतिम् । युद्धोद्योगं करिष्यामि हयारेर्नाशनाय वै
Defeat of the demon army Vyasa said: Having heard thus, Indra again spoke to Brihaspati: I will undertake preparations for battle, to destroy the horse-sacrifice.
नोद्यमेन विना राज्यं न सुखं न च वै यशः । निरुद्यमं न शंसन्ति कातरा न च सोद्यमाः
Without effort, there is neither kingdom, nor happiness, nor fame. Those without effort are not praised; nor are the timid, but only those who exert themselves.
यतीनां भूषणं ज्ञानं सन्तोषो हि द्विजन्मनाम् । उद्यमः शत्रुहननं भूषणं भूतिमिच्छताम्
For ascetics, knowledge is an ornament; for twice-born, contentment; for those who seek prosperity, effort is the ornament that destroys enemies.
उद्यमेन हतस्त्वाष्ट्रो नमुचिर्बल एव च । तथैनं निहनिष्यामि महिषं मुनिसत्तम
By effort, Tvaṣṭra and Namuci were slain, both powerful; in the same way, O best of sages, I shall slay Mahisha.
बलं देवगुरुस्त्वं मे वज्रमायुधमुत्तमम् । सहायस्तु हरिर्नूनं तथोमापतिरव्ययः
O preceptor of the gods, strength is mine; the thunderbolt is my supreme weapon; Hari is certainly my ally, and so too is the unfailing Lord Shiva.
रक्षोघ्नान्पठ मे साधो करोम्यद्य समुद्यमम् । स्वसैन्याभिनिवेशञ्च महिषं प्रति मानद
Recite for me the hymns that destroy demons, O holy one; today I undertake a great effort, and I shall deploy my army against Mahisha, O giver of honor.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तो देवराजेन वाचस्पतिरुवाच ह । सुरेन्द्रं युद्धसंरक्तं स्मितपूर्वं वचस्तदा
Vyasa said: Thus addressed by the king of the gods, Brihaspati spoke, smiling first, to Indra, who was eager for battle.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच प्रेरयामि न चाहं त्वां न च निर्वारयाम्यहम् । सन्दिग्धेऽत्र जये कामं युध्यतश्च पराजये
Brihaspati said: I do not urge you, nor do I restrain you; in this uncertain outcome, whether victory or defeat, fight as you wish.
न तेऽत्र दूषणं किञ्चिद्भवितव्ये शचीपते । सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं विहितं च भविष्यति
There is no fault in you here, O lord of Shachi; whether happiness or sorrow comes, it will be as ordained.
न मया तत्परिज्ञातं भावि दुःखं सुखं तथा । यद्भार्याहरणे प्राप्तं पुरा वासव वेत्सि हि
I did not know beforehand the happiness or sorrow that would come, just as you know what befell when your wife was taken, O Vasava.
शशिना मे हृता भार्या मित्रेणामित्रकर्शन । स्वाश्रमस्थेन सम्प्राप्तं दुःखं सर्वसुखापहम्
My wife was taken by the moon, O tormentor of enemies, while he was in his own hermitage; sorrow came to me, taking away all happiness.
बुद्धिमान्सर्वलोकेषु विदितोऽहं सुराधिप । क्व मे गता तदा वुद्धिर्यदा भार्या हृता बलात्
I am known as wise in all worlds, O lord of the gods; but where did my wisdom go when my wife was forcibly taken?
तस्मादुपायः कर्तव्यो बुद्धिमद्भिः सदा नरैः । कार्यसिद्धिः सदा नूनं दैवाधीना सुराधिप
Therefore, wise men should always devise a means; yet the accomplishment of any task is always dependent on fate, O lord of the gods.
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं सत्यं गुरोः सार्थं शचीपतिः । ब्रह्माणं शरणं गत्वा नत्वा वचनमब्रवीत्
Vyasa said: Hearing the true and meaningful words of the guru, the lord of Shachi, having bowed, went to Brahma for refuge and spoke.
पितामह सुराध्यक्ष दैत्यो महिषसंज्ञकः । ग्रहीतुकामः स्वर्गं मे बलोद्योगं करोत्यलम्
O grandsire, lord of the gods, the demon named Mahisha desires to seize my heaven and is making great efforts.
अन्ये च दानवाः सर्वे तत्सैन्यं समुपस्थिताः । योद्धुकामा महावीर्याः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः
And all the other Danavas have assembled with his army; all are eager to fight, mighty, and skilled in battle.
तेनाहं भीतभीतोऽस्मि त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः । सर्वज्ञोऽसि महाप्राज्ञ साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि
Therefore, I am terrified and have come to you; you are all-knowing and greatly wise, you ought to grant your assistance.
ब्रह्मोवाच गच्छामः सर्व एवाद्य कैलासं त्वरिता वयम् । शङ्करं पुरतः कृत्वा विष्णुं च बलिनां वरम्
Brahma said: Let us all go today, swiftly, to Kailasa, placing Shiva in front and Vishnu, the best among the strong.
ततो युद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं सर्वैः सुरगणैः सह । मिलित्वा मन्त्रमाधाय देशं कालं विचिन्त्य च
Then, all the hosts of gods must wage war together, having assembled, established counsel, and considered place and time.
बलाबलमविज्ञाय विवेकमपहाय च । साहसं तु प्रकुर्वाणो नरः पतनमृच्छति
Without knowing one's own strength and weakness, and abandoning discernment, a man who acts rashly meets with ruin.
व्यास उवाच तन्निशम्य सहस्राक्षः कैलासं निर्जगाम ह । ब्रह्माणं पुरतः कृत्वा लोकपालसमन्वितः
Vyāsa said: Hearing this, the thousand-eyed one set out for Kailāsa, taking Brahmā before him, accompanied by the guardians of the worlds.
तुष्टाव शङ्करं गत्वा वेदमन्त्रैर्महेश्वरम् । प्रसन्नं पुरतः कृत्वा ययौ विष्णुपुरं प्रति
Having gone, he praised Maheśvara Śaṅkara with Vedic hymns; making him pleased and standing before him, he proceeded towards Viṣṇu's city.
स्तुत्वा तं देवदेवेशं कार्यं प्रोवाच चात्मनः । महिषात्तद्भयं चोग्रं वरदानमदोद्धतात्
Having praised that Lord of gods, he spoke of his own purpose: the terrible fear from Mahiṣa, who was intoxicated by the boon he had received.
तदाकर्ण्य भयं तस्य विष्णुर्देवानुवाच ह । करिष्यामो वयं युद्धं हनिष्यामस्तु दुर्जयम्
Hearing of that fear, Viṣṇu spoke to the gods: 'We shall fight; we will slay that unconquerable one.'
व्यास उवाच इति ते निश्चयं कृत्वा ब्रह्मविष्णुहरीश्वराः । स्वानि स्वानि समारुह्य वाहनानि ययुः सुराः
Vyāsa said: Thus, having made this decision, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Hara, the Lord, mounted their respective vehicles and the gods set out.
ब्रह्मा हंससमारूढो विष्णर्गरुडवाहनः । शङ्करो वृषभारूढो वृत्रहा गजसंस्थितः
Brahmā mounted the swan, Viṣṇu rode Garuḍa, Śaṅkara was on the bull, and the slayer of Vṛtra was seated on the elephant.
मयूरवाहनः स्कन्दो यमो महिषवाहनः । कृत्वा सैन्यसमायोगं यावत्ते निर्ययुः सुराः
Skanda rode the peacock, Yama was on the buffalo; assembling their armies, the gods set out.
तावद्दैत्यबलं प्राप्तं दृप्तं महिषपालितम् । तत्राभूत्तुमुलं युद्धं देवदानवसैन्ययोः
Meanwhile, the army of the daityas, proud and led by Mahiṣa, arrived; there arose a tumultuous battle between the armies of the gods and the dānavas.