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
विशिखैः शतधा चक्रे चक्रेणाशु जघान तम् । हरिचक्राहतः संख्ये मूर्च्छामाप स दैत्यराट्
shattered it into a hundred pieces with arrows, and swiftly struck him with the discus; struck by Hari's discus in battle, the king of the demons fell into a swoon.
उत्तस्थौ च क्षणान्नूनं मानुषं वपुरास्थितः । गदापाणिर्महाघोरो दानवः पर्वतोपमः
He rose again in a moment, now assuming a human form; the dreadful demon, mace in hand, stood like a mountain.
मेघनादं ननादोच्चैर्भीषयन्नमरानपि । तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्विष्णुः पाञ्चजन्यं समुज्ज्वलम्
Meghanada roared loudly, terrifying even the gods; hearing this, the blessed Vishnu took up his radiant Panchajanya conch.
पूरयामास तरसा शब्दं कर्तुं खरस्वरम् । तेन शब्देन शङ्खस्य भयत्रस्ताश्च दानवाः । बभूवुर्मुदिता देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
With force, he filled it with a harsh sound; by the sound of the conch, the demons became fearful and distressed, while the gods and the ascetic sages rejoiced.
शङ्करशरणगमनवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच असुरान्महिषो दृष्ट्वा विषण्णमनसस्तदा । त्यक्त्वा तन्माहिषं रूपं बभूव मृगराडसौ
Vyasa said: Seeing the demons, Mahisha became despondent; abandoning his buffalo form, he took the shape of a mighty lion.
कृत्वा नादं महाघोरं विस्तार्य च महासटाम् । पपात सुरसेनायां त्रासयन्नखदर्शनैः
Making a terrifying roar and spreading his great mane, he leapt into the army of the gods, frightening them with the display of his claws.
गरुडञ्च नखाघातैः कृत्वा रुधिरविप्लुतम् । जघान च भुजे विष्णुं नखाघातेन केसरी
With blows of his claws, he drenched Garuda in blood; and the lion struck Vishnu on the arm with his claws.
वासुदेवोऽपि तं दृष्ट्वा चक्रमुद्यम्य वेगवान् । हन्तुकामो हरिः काममवापाशु क्रुधान्वितः
Vasudeva, seeing him, swiftly raised his discus, desiring to kill him; Hari, filled with anger, rushed forward.
यावद्धयरिपुं वेगाच्चक्रेणाभिजघान तम् । तावत्सोऽतिबलः शृङ्गी शृङ्गाभ्यां न्यहनद्धरिम्
As he struck the enemy with speed using his discus, that powerful horned one struck Hari with his horns.
वासुदेवो विषाणाभ्यां ताडितोरसि विह्वलः । पलायनपरो वेगाज्जगाम भुवनं निजम्
Vasudeva, struck on the chest by the horns, was bewildered; intent on fleeing, he quickly went to his own realm.
गतं दृष्ट्वा हरिं कामं शङ्करोऽपि भयान्वितः । अवध्यं तं परं मत्वा ययौ कैलासपर्वतम्
Seeing Hari depart, Shankara, filled with fear, considered him invincible and went to Mount Kailasa.
ब्रह्मापि च निजं धाम त्वरितः प्रययौ भयात् । मघवा वज्रमालम्ब्य तस्थावाजौ महाबलः
Brahma too, out of fear, quickly went to his own abode; Maghavan, grasping his thunderbolt, stood in the battle, full of strength.
वरुणः शक्तिमालम्ब्य धैर्यमालम्ब्य संस्थितः । यमोऽपि दण्डमादाय यत्तः समरतत्परः
Varuna, taking up his spear and courage, stood firm; Yama, holding his staff, was ready and intent on battle.
ततो यक्षाधिपः कामं बभूव रणतत्परः । पावकः शक्तिमादाय तत्राभूद्युद्धमानसः
Then the lord of the Yakshas became intent on battle; Pavaka, taking up his spear, was also ready for war.
नक्षत्राधिपतिः सूर्यः समवेतौ स्थितावुभौ । वीक्ष्य तं दानवश्रेष्ठं युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयौ
The lord of the stars, Surya, stood together with another; seeing that foremost demon, both were resolved to fight.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रुद्धं दैत्यसैन्यं समभ्यगात् । विसृजन्बाणजालानि क्रूराहिसदृशानि च
Meanwhile, the demon army approached in anger, releasing showers of arrows resembling fierce serpents.
कृत्वा हि माहिषं रूपं भूपतिः संस्थितस्तदा । देवदानवयोधानां निनादस्तुमुलोऽभवत्
Taking the buffalo form, the lord stood firm; the tumultuous roar of the gods and demons became overwhelming.
ज्याघातश्च तलाघातो मेघनादसमोऽभवत् । संग्रामे सुमहाघोरे देवदानवसेनयोः
The twang of the bowstring and the slap of palms were like thunder; in the exceedingly fierce battle between the armies of gods and demons.
शृङ्गाभ्यां पार्वताञ्छृङ्गांश्चिक्षेप च महाबलः । जघान सुरसङ्घांश्च दानवो मदगर्वितः
With his horns, the mighty one hurled mountains and their peaks; the demon, intoxicated with pride, slew hosts of gods.
खुराघातैस्तथा देवान्पुच्छस्य भ्रमणेन च । स जघान रुषाविष्टो महिषः परमाद्भुतः
With blows of his hooves and the swinging of his tail, he struck the gods; Mahisha, possessed by wrath, was wondrous indeed.