सुराः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे तुष्टुवुस्तं शचीपतिम् । जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः
All the gods, delighted, praised the lord of Shachi; the chiefs of the Gandharvas sang, and the groups of Apsaras danced.
चुकोप महिषः श्रुत्वा जयशब्दं सुरैः कृतम् । प्रेषयामास तत्रैव ताम्रं परमदापहम्
Mahisha, angered upon hearing the victory cry raised by the gods, sent Tamra, the destroyer of enemies, to the battlefield.
ताम्रस्तु बहुभिः सार्धं समागम्य रणाजिरे । शरवृष्टिं चकाराशु तडित्वानिव सागरे
Tamra, together with many others, entered the battlefield and quickly unleashed a shower of arrows, like lightning in the ocean.
वरुणः पाशमुद्यम्य जगाम त्वरितस्तदा । यमश्च महिषारूढो दण्डमादाय निर्ययौ
Varuna, raising his noose, hurried forward; and Yama, mounted upon a buffalo, went forth, taking his staff.
तत्र युद्धमभूद् घोरं देवदानवयोर्मिथः । बाणैः खड्गैश्च मुसलैः शक्तिभिश्च परश्वधैः
There arose a fierce battle between the gods and demons, with arrows, swords, clubs, spears, and axes.
दण्डेन निहतस्ताम्रो यमहस्तोद्यतेन च । न चचाल महाबाहुः संग्रामाङ्गणतस्तदा
Tamra, struck by Yama's staff, raised in his hand, did not move from the battlefield, though possessing mighty arms.
चापमाकृष्य वेगेन मुक्त्वा तीव्राञ्छिलीमुखान्। इन्द्रादीनहनत्तूर्णं ताम्रस्तस्मिन् रणाजिरे
Drawing his bow with speed and releasing sharp, pointed arrows, Tamra swiftly struck Indra and the others in that battlefield.
तेऽपि देवाः शरैर्दिव्यैर्निशितैश्च शिलाशितैः । निजघ्नुर्दानवान्क्रुद्धास्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चुकुशुः
The gods, enraged, struck the demons with divine arrows and sharp stones, shouting 'Stop! Stop!'
निहतस्तैः सुरैर्दैत्यो मूर्च्छामाप रणाङ्गणे । हाहाकारो महानासीद्दैत्यसैन्ये भयातुरे
The demon was struck down by the gods and fell unconscious on the battlefield; a great cry of distress arose in the demon army, terrified by fear.
महिषासुरस्येन्द्रादिदेवैः सह युद्धवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच ताम्रेऽथ मूर्च्छिते दैत्ये महिषः क्रोधसंयुतः । समुद्यम्य गदां गुर्वीं देवानुपजगाम ह
Vyasa said: Then, as the demon lay unconscious, Mahisha, filled with rage, seized his heavy mace and approached the gods.
तिष्ठन्त्वद्य सुराः सर्वे हन्म्यहं गदया किल । सर्वे बलिभुजः कामं बलहीनाः सदैव हि
He said, 'Stand here today, all you gods! I will slay you with my mace. All who possess strength may do as they wish, but the weak are always powerless.'
इत्युक्त्वासौ गजारूढं सम्प्राप्य मदगर्वितः । जघान गदया तूर्णं बाहुमूले महाभुजः
Having spoken thus, intoxicated with pride, he mounted an elephant and, swift of arm, struck with his mace at the base of the mighty god's arm.
सोऽपि वज्रेण घोरेण चिच्छेदाशु गदाञ्च ताम् । प्रहर्तुकामस्त्वरितो जगाम महिषं प्रति
The god, with a fierce thunderbolt, quickly shattered that mace and, eager to strike, rushed toward Mahisha.
हयारिरपि कोपेन खड्गमादाय सुप्रभम् । ययाविन्द्रं महावीर्यं प्रहरिष्यन्निवान्तिकम्
The horse-faced enemy, too, in anger, took up a brilliant sword and advanced toward mighty Indra, intent on striking him.
बभूव च तयोर्युद्धं सर्वलोकभयावहम् । आयुधैर्विविधैस्तत्र मुनिविस्मयकारकम्
A battle arose between them, terrifying to all worlds, with various weapons, causing wonder among the sages.
चकाराशु तदा दैत्यो मायां मोहकरीं किल । शाम्बरीं सर्वलोकघ्नीं मुनीनामपि मोहिनीम्
Then the demon swiftly performed a delusive magic, the Shambara illusion, which destroys all worlds and bewilders even the sages.
कोटिशो महिषास्तत्र तद्रूपास्तत्पराक्रमाः । ददृशुः सायुधाः सर्वे निघ्नन्तो देववाहिनीम्
There appeared millions of Mahishas, all with the same form and prowess, armed and slaying the army of the gods.
मघवा विस्मितस्तत्र दृष्ट्वा तां दैत्यनिर्मिताम् । बभूवातिभयोद्विग्नो मायां मोहकरीं किल
Maghavan, seeing that illusion created by the demon, was greatly astonished and overwhelmed with fear by the delusive magic.
वरुणोऽपि सुसन्त्रस्तस्तथैव धननायकः । यमो हुताशनः सूर्यः शीतरश्मिर्भयातुरः
Varuna was utterly terrified, as were the lord of wealth, Yama, Agni, Surya, and the cool-rayed moon, all seized by fear.
पलायनपरा सर्वे बभूवुर्मोहिताः सुराः । ब्रह्मविष्णमहेशानां स्मरणं चक्रुरुद्यताः
All the gods, bewildered, turned to flight; they began to remember Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara, seeking their aid.
तत्राजग्मुश्च काजेशाः स्मृतमात्राः सुरोत्तमाः । हंसतार्क्ष्यवृषारूढास्त्रातुकामा वरायुधाः
Then the lords of creation, preservation, and destruction arrived, summoned by remembrance, riding on swan, eagle, and bull, bearing excellent weapons, intent on protection.
शौरिस्तां मोहिनीं दृष्ट्वा सुदर्शनमथोज्ज्वलम् । मुमोच तत्तेजसैव माया सा विलयं गता
Seeing that delusive magic, Shauri released the brilliant Sudarshana discus; by its power, the illusion was destroyed.
वीक्ष्य तान्महिषस्तत्र सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारिणः । योद्धुकामः समादाय परिघं समुपाद्रवत्
Mahisha, seeing those who create, sustain, and end the worlds, eager for battle, took up a club and rushed forward.
महिषाख्यो महावीरः सेनानीश्चिक्षुरस्तथा । उग्रास्यश्चोग्रवीर्यश्च दुद्रुवुर्युद्धकामुकाः
The mighty hero called Mahisha, along with the commander Chikshura and fierce-faced, fierce-powered Ugrasya, all eager for battle, charged forth.
असिलोमात्रिनेत्रश्च बाष्कलोऽन्धक एव च । एते चान्ये च बहवो युद्धकामा विनिर्ययुः
Asiloma, Trinetra, Baskala, and Andhaka, along with many others, all desiring battle, went out.
सन्नद्धा धृतचापास्ते रथारूढा मदोद्धताः । परिवव्रुः सुरान्सर्वान्वृका इव सुवत्सकान्
Fully armored, holding bows, riding chariots, intoxicated with pride, they surrounded all the gods like wolves encircling tender calves.
बाणवृष्टिं ततश्चक्रुर्दानवा मदगर्विताः । सुराश्चापि तथा चक्रुः परस्परजिघांसवः
Then the Daityas, intoxicated with pride, unleashed a shower of arrows; the gods likewise did the same, each intent on destroying the other.
अन्धको हरिमासाद्य पञ्चबाणाञ्छिलाशितान् । मुमोच विषसन्दिग्धान्कर्णाकृष्टान्महाबलान्
Andhaka, confronting Hari, released five arrows tipped with stone, smeared with poison, drawn to his ear, and endowed with great force.
वासुदेवोऽप्यसंप्राप्तान्विशिखानाशुगैस्तदा । चिच्छेद तान्पुनः पञ्च मुमोच रिपुनाशनः
Vāsudeva, before those arrows reached him, swiftly cut them down with his own sharp arrows, and then, the destroyer of enemies, released five more.
तयोः परस्परं युद्धं बभूव हरिदैत्ययोः । बाणासिचक्रमुसलैर्गदाशक्तिपरश्वधैः
A fierce battle took place between Hari and the Daitya, with arrows, swords, discs, maces, clubs, spears, and axes.