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.
बाणैः खड्गैस्तथा प्रासैर्मुसलैश्च परश्वधैः । गदाभिः पट्टिशैः शूलैश्चक्रैश्च शक्तितोमरैः
With arrows, swords, spears, maces, axes, clubs, pattiśas, tridents, discs, śaktis, and tomaras,
मुद्गरैर्भिन्दिपालैश्च हलैश्चैवातिदारुणैः । अन्यैश्च विविधैरस्त्रैर्निजघ्नुस्ते परस्परम्
With mudgaras, bhindipālas, and terrible ploughs, and with various other weapons, they struck each other.
सेनानीश्चिक्षुरस्तस्य गजारूढो महाबलः । मघवन्तं पञ्चभिस्तैः सायकैः समताडयत्
The commander Cikṣura, of great might, mounted on an elephant, struck Maghavan with five swift arrows.
तुराषाडपि तांश्छित्त्वा बाणैर्बाणांस्त्वरान्वितः । हृदये चार्धचन्द्रेण ताडयामास तं कृती
But Turāṣāḍa, swiftly cutting those arrows with his own, struck him in the heart with a crescent-tipped shaft.
बाणाहतस्तु सेनानीः प्राप मूर्च्छां गजोपरि । करिणं वज्रघातेन स जघान करे ततः
Struck by the arrow, the commander lost consciousness atop the elephant; then Indra struck the elephant with his thunderbolt.
तद्वज्राभिहतो नागो भग्नः सैन्यं जगाम ह । दृष्ट्वा तं दैत्यराट् कुद्धो बिडालाख्यमथाब्रवीत्
Struck by that thunderbolt, the elephant, broken, fled to the army; seeing this, the enraged lord of the daityas spoke to one named Biḍāla.
गच्छ वीर महाबाहो जहीन्द्रं मदगर्वितम् । वरुणादीन्परान्देवान्हत्वाऽऽगच्छ ममान्तिकम्
'Go, hero of mighty arms, slay Indra, proud with arrogance; having slain Varuṇa and the other gods, return to me.'
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य बिडालाख्यो महाबलः । आरुह्य वारणं मत्तं जगाम त्रिदशाधिपम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing his words, Biḍāla, of great strength, mounted a maddened elephant and went towards the lord of the gods.
वासवस्तं समायान्तं दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः । जघान विशिखैस्तीक्षौराशीविषसमप्रभैः
Seeing him approaching, Vāsava, filled with anger, struck him with sharp arrows, shining like venomous serpents.
स तु छित्त्वा शरांस्तूर्णं स्वशरैश्चापनिःसृतैः । पञ्चाशद्भिर्जघानाशु वासवञ्च शिलीमुखैः
But he, swiftly cutting those arrows with his own, struck Vāsava quickly with fifty stone-tipped shafts.
तथेन्द्रोऽपि च तान्बाणांश्छित्त्वा कोपसमन्वितः । जघान विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैराशीविषसमप्रभैः
Then Indra, filled with anger, cut down those arrows and struck with sharp arrows, radiant like serpent venom.
स तु छित्त्वा शरांस्तूर्णं स्वशरैश्चापनिःसृतैः । गदया ताडयामास गजं तस्य करोपरि
He swiftly cut the arrows with his own, released from his bow, and struck the elephant on its trunk with his mace.
स्वकरे निहतो नागश्चकारार्तस्वरं मुहुः । परिवृत्य जघानाशु दैत्यसैन्यं भयातुरम्
The elephant, wounded in its trunk, cried out repeatedly in pain, turned around, and quickly attacked the demon army, which was seized by fear.
दानवस्तु गजं वीक्ष्य परावृत्य गतं रणात् । समाविश्य रथे रम्ये जगामाशु सुरान् रणे
But the demon, seeing the elephant turn and leave the battlefield, entered his splendid chariot and quickly advanced against the gods in battle.
तुराषाडपि तं वीक्ष्य रथस्थं पुनरागतम् । अहनद्विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैराशीविषसमप्रभैः
Turashad, seeing him return upon his chariot, struck him again with sharp arrows, radiant like serpent venom.
सोऽपि क्रुद्धश्चकारोग्रां बाणवृष्टिं महाबलः । बभूव तुमुलं युद्धं तयोस्तत्र जयैषिणोः
He too, enraged, unleashed a fierce shower of arrows with great strength; the battle between the two, both seeking victory, became tumultuous.
इन्द्रस्तु बलिनं दृष्ट्वा कोपेनाकुलितेन्द्रियः । जयन्तमग्रतः कृत्वा युयुधे तेन संयुतः
Indra, seeing the powerful one, his senses agitated by anger, placed Jayanta in front and engaged him in battle.
जयन्तस्तु शितैर्बाणैस्तं जघान स्तनान्तरे । पञ्चभिः प्रबलाकृष्टैरसुरं मदगर्वितम्
Jayanta struck that arrogant demon, intoxicated with pride, in the chest with five sharp arrows, drawn with great force.
स बाणाभिहतस्तावन्निपपात रथोपरि । अतिवाह्य रथं सूतो निर्जगाम रणाजिरात्
Struck by those arrows, he fell upon his chariot; the charioteer quickly drove the chariot away and departed from the battlefield.
तस्मिन्विनिर्गते दैत्ये बिडालाख्येऽथ मूर्च्छिते । जयशब्दो महानासीदुन्दुभीनां च निःस्वनः
When that demon named Bidala left and then fainted, a great cry of victory arose, along with the sound of drums.