महेशान्धकयोर्युद्धं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम् । पञ्चाशद्दिनपर्यन्तं बभूव च परस्परम्
The tumultuous and hair-raising battle between Mahesha and Andhaka lasted for fifty days, each contending with the other.
इन्द्रबाष्कलयोस्तद्वन्महिषासुररुद्रयोः । यमत्रिनेत्रयोस्तद्वन्महाहनुधनेशयोः
Similarly, battles occurred between Indra and Bāṣkala, Mahishasura and Rudra, Yama and Trinetra, and Mahāhanu and Dhanesha.
असिलोमवरुणयोर्युद्धं परमदारुणम् । गरुडं गदया दैत्यो जघान हरिवाहनम्
A most dreadful battle took place between Asi and Lomavaruna; the Daitya struck Garuda, the vehicle of Hari, with his mace.
स गदापातखिन्नाङ्गो निःश्वसन्नवतिष्ठत । शौरिस्तं दक्षिणेनाशु हस्तेन परिसान्त्वयन्
Struck by the blow of the mace, his body exhausted, Garuda stood gasping; the heroic one quickly comforted him with his right hand.
स्थिरं चकार देवेशो वैनतेयं महाबलम् । समाकृष्य धनुः शार्ङ्गं मुमोच विशिखान्बहून्
The Lord of the gods made the mighty son of Vinata steady, drew his Sharnga bow, and released many arrows.
अन्धकोपरि कोपेन हन्तुकामो जनार्दनः । दानवोऽपि च तान्वाणांश्चिच्छेद स्वशरैः शितैः
Janardana, enraged and intent on killing Andhaka, directed his arrows at him; but the Daitya cut them down with his own sharp arrows.
पञ्चाशद्भिर्हरिं कोपाज्जघान च शिलाशितैः । वासुदेवोऽपि तांस्तूर्णं वञ्चयित्वा शरोत्तमान्
In anger, Andhaka struck Hari with fifty stone-tipped arrows; but Vāsudeva swiftly evaded those excellent arrows.
चक्रं मुमोच वेगेन सहस्रारं सुदर्शनम् । त्यक्तं सुदर्शनं दूरात्स्वचक्रेण न्यवारयत्
He hurled the Sudarshana discus, blazing with a thousand spokes, with great speed; but the Daitya blocked the released Sudarshana from afar with his own discus.
ननाद च महाराज देवान्सम्मोहयन्निव । दृष्ट्वा तु विफलं जातं चक्रं देवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः
He roared loudly, O King, as if to bewilder the gods; seeing the discus of the bow-bearing god rendered ineffective.
जग्मुः शोकं सुराः सर्वे जहर्षुर्दानवास्तथा । वासुदेवोऽपि तरसा दृष्ट्वा देवाञ्छुचावृतान्
All the gods fell into sorrow, while the Daityas rejoiced; and Vāsudeva, seeing the gods overcome with grief, acted swiftly.
गदां कौमोदकीं धृत्वा दानवं समुपाद्रवत् । तं जघानातिवेगेन मूर्ध्नि मायाविनं हरिः
Seizing the Kaumodakī mace, he rushed at the Daitya; Hari struck the sorcerer on the head with tremendous force.
स गदाभिहतो भूमौ निपपातातिमूर्च्छितः । तं तथा पतितं वीक्ष्य हयारिरतिकोपनः
Struck by the mace, he fell to the ground in a deep swoon; seeing him fallen thus, the enemy of horses became exceedingly enraged.
आजगाम रमानाथं त्रासयन्नतिगर्जितैः । वासुदेवोऽपि तं दृष्ट्वा समायान्तं क्रुधान्वितम्
He approached the Lord of Lakshmi, terrifying him with loud roars; and Vāsudeva, seeing him advancing in wrath—
चापज्यानिनदं चोग्रं चकार नन्दयन्सुरान् । शरवृष्टिं चकाराशु भगवान्महिषोपरि
Made a fierce twang on his bowstring, delighting the gods, and swiftly showered arrows upon Mahisha.
सोऽपि चिच्छेद बाणौघैस्ताञ्छरान्गगनेरितान् । तयोर्युद्धमभूद्राजन् परस्परभयावहम्
He too cut down with volleys of arrows those missiles hurled into the sky; between the two, O King, there arose a battle that inspired mutual terror.
गदया ताडयामास केशवो मस्तकोपरि । स गदाभिहतो मूर्ध्नि पपातोर्व्यां सुमूर्च्छितः
Keśava struck him on the head with his mace; struck by the mace on the crown, he fell to the ground, deeply unconscious.
हाहाकारो महानासीत्सैन्ये तस्य सुदारुणः । स विहाय व्यथां दैत्यो मुहूर्तादुत्थितः पुनः
A great and dreadful outcry arose in his army; abandoning his pain, the demon rose again after a moment.
गृहीत्वा परिघं शीर्षे जघान मधुसूदनम् । परिघेणाहतस्तेन मूर्च्छामाप जनार्दनः
Seizing an iron club, he struck Madhusūdana on the head; struck by that club, Janārdana fell into a swoon.
मूर्च्छितं तमुवाहाशु जगाम गरुडो रणात् । परावृत्ते जगन्नाथे देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः
Garuda swiftly carried away the unconscious one from the battle; when the Lord of the Universe withdrew, the gods, led by Indra,
भयं प्रापुः सुदुःखार्ताश्चुक्रुशुश्च रणाजिरे । क्रन्दमानान्सुरान्वीक्ष्य शङ्करः शूलभृत्तदा
were seized by fear, overwhelmed with deep distress, and cried out on the battlefield; seeing the gods wailing, Śaṅkara, the wielder of the trident, then
महिषं तरसाभ्येत्य प्राहरद्रोषसंयुतः । सोऽपि शक्तिं मुमोचाथ शङ्करस्योरसि स्फुटम्
rushed at Mahisha in anger and struck him; he too hurled a spear, which struck Śaṅkara firmly in the chest.
जगर्ज स च दुष्टात्मा वञ्चयित्वा त्रिशूलकम् । शङ्करोऽपि तदा पीडां न प्रापोरसि ताडितः
That wicked-souled one roared, having deceived the trident-bearer; yet Śaṅkara did not feel pain in his chest when struck.
तं जघान त्रिशूलेन कोपादरुणलोचनः । संलग्नं शङ्करं दृष्ट्वा महिषेण दुरात्मना
With eyes red with anger, he struck him with his trident; seeing Śaṅkara engaged with the evil-minded Mahisha,
आजगाम हरिस्तावत्त्यक्त्वा मूर्च्छां प्रहारजाम् । महिषस्तु तदा वीक्ष्य सम्प्राप्तौ हरिशङ्करौ
Hari then came, abandoning the swoon caused by the blow; Mahisha, seeing Hari and Śaṅkara both arrived,
युद्धकामौ महावीर्यो चक्रशूलधरौ वरौ । कोपयुक्तो बभूवासौ दृष्ट्वा तौ समुपागतौ
those two great heroes, eager for battle, bearing discus and trident; seeing them both approach, he became filled with wrath.
जगाम सम्मुखस्तावत्संग्रामार्थं महाभुजः । माहिषं वपुरास्थाय धुन्वन्पुच्छं समुत्कटम्
That mighty-armed one advanced to face them for battle, assuming the form of a buffalo, fiercely lashing his tail.
चकार भैरवं नादं त्रासयन्नमरानपि । धुन्वञ्छृङ्गे महाकायो दारुणो जलदो यथा
He made a terrifying roar, frightening even the immortals; shaking his horns, his massive body was dreadful like a storm cloud.
शृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वताज्छृङ्गांश्चिक्षेप भृशमुत्कटान् । दृष्ट्वा तौ तु महावीर्यौ दानवं देवसत्तमौ
With his two horns he hurled great mountain peaks; seeing those two mighty heroes, the best of gods, the demon
चक्रतुर्बाणवृष्टिं च दानवोपरि दारुणाम् । कुर्वाणौ बाणवृष्टिं तौ दृष्ट्वा हरिहरौ हरिः
was assailed by a fierce shower of arrows from them; as Hari and Hara rained arrows, seeing this,
चिक्षेप गिरिशृङ्गं तु पुच्छेनावृत्य दारुणम् । आपतन्तं गिरिं वीक्ष्य भगवान्सात्वतां पतिः
he hurled a terrible mountain peak, covering it with his tail; seeing the mountain rushing forth, the blessed Lord of the Sātvatas