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.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा भयमाजग्मुरुद्यताः । मघवा महिषं दृष्ट्वा पलायनपरोऽभवत्
Then the gods, together with the Gandharvas, became fearful; seeing Mahisha, Maghavan sought only to flee.
सङ्गरं सम्परित्यज्य गते शक्रे शचीपतौ । यमो धनाधिपः पाशी जग्मुः सर्वे भयातुराः
Abandoning the battle, when Shakra, lord of Shachi, departed, Yama, the lord of wealth, and the noose-holder, all left, overcome by fear.
महिषोऽपि जयं मत्वा जगाम स्वगृहं ततः । ऐरावतं गजं प्राप्य त्यक्तमिन्द्रेण गच्छता
Mahisha, considering himself victorious, then went to his own abode; he obtained Airavata, the elephant, which had been abandoned by Indra as he departed.
तथोच्चैःश्रवसं भानोः कामधेनुं पयस्विनीम् । स्वसैन्यसंवृतस्तूर्णं स्वर्गं गन्तुं मनो दधे
In the same way, he took Uccaiḥśravas, the horse of the sun, and Kamadhenu, the milk-giving cow; surrounded by his own army, he quickly resolved to go to heaven.
तरसा देवसदनं गत्वा स महिषासुरः । जग्राह सुरराज्यं वै त्यक्तं देवैर्भयातुरैः
With force, Mahishasura entered the abode of the gods; he seized the sovereignty of the gods, which had been abandoned by them out of fear.
इन्द्रासने तथा रम्ये दानवः समुपाविशत् । दानवान्स्थापयामास देवानां स्थानकेषु सः
The demon sat upon the beautiful throne of Indra; he placed the demons in the positions of the gods.
एवं वर्षशतं पूर्णं कृत्वा युद्धं सुदारुणम् । अवापैन्द्रपदं कामं दानवो मदगर्वितः
Thus, after waging a most terrible battle for a full hundred years, the demon, intoxicated with pride, attained the desired position of Indra.
निर्जरा निर्गता नाकात्तेन सर्वेऽतिपीडिताः । एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि बभ्रमुर्गिरिगह्वरे
The immortals were driven out of heaven by him, all greatly afflicted; for many years they wandered in the mountain caves.
श्रान्ताः सर्वे तदा राजन् ब्रह्माणं शरणं ययुः । प्रजापतिं जगन्नाथं रजोरूपं चतुर्मुखम्
Then, O King, all became exhausted and sought refuge in Brahma, the lord of creatures, the master of the world, the four-faced one, embodiment of rajas.
पद्मासनं वेदगर्भं सेवितं मुनिभिः स्वजैः । मरीचिप्रमुखैः शान्तैर्वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः
Seated upon a lotus, containing the Vedas, served by his own sages, by the peaceful ones headed by Marichi, who had mastered the Vedas and their limbs.
किन्नरैः सिद्धगन्धर्वैश्चारणोरगपन्नगैः । तुष्टुवुर्भयभीतास्ते देवदेवं जगद्गुरुम्
With Kinnaras, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Charanas, Nagas, and Pannagas, those fearful and anxious ones praised the god of gods, the teacher of the world.
देवा ऊचुः धातः किमेतदखिलार्तिहराम्बुजन्म जन्माभिवीक्ष्य न दयां कुरुषे सुरान् यत् । सम्पीडितान् रणजितानसुराधिपेन स्थानच्युतान् गिरिगुहाकृतसन्निवासान्
The gods said: O Creator, why, seeing the birth of the lotus-born remover of all suffering, do you not show compassion to the gods, who are afflicted, defeated in battle by the lord of demons, displaced from their positions, and forced to dwell in mountain caves?
पुत्रान्पिता किमपराधशतैः समेता- न्सन्त्यज्य लोभरहितः कुरुतेऽतिदुःस्थान् । यस्त्वं सुरांस्तव पदाम्बुजभक्तियुक्ता- न्दैत्यार्दितांश्च कृपणान् यदुपेक्षसेऽद्य
O Father, why, abandoning your sons, though they are free from greed and joined with countless faults, do you act so harshly? Why do you neglect today the gods, devoted to your lotus feet, afflicted by demons, and miserable?
अमरभुवनराज्यं तेन भुक्तं नितान्तं मखहविरपि योग्यं ब्राह्मणैराददाति । सुरतरुवरपुष्पं सेवतेऽसौ दुरात्मा जलनिधिनिधिभूतां गामसौ सेवते ताम्
He has thoroughly enjoyed the sovereignty of the immortal realms; he even takes the sacrificial offerings rightly given by Brahmins; that wicked soul serves the best flowers of the celestial tree, and he serves the earth, which is the treasure of the ocean.
किं वा गृणीमः सुरकार्यमद्भुतं जानासि देवेश सुरारिचेष्टितम् । ज्ञानेन सर्वं त्वमशेषकार्यवि- त्तस्मात्प्रभो ते प्रणताः स्म पादयोः
What can we say about the wondrous work for the gods? You know, O lord of gods, the actions of the enemies of the gods. By knowledge, you are aware of all deeds without remainder; therefore, O master, we bow at your feet.
यत्रापि कुत्रापि गतान्सुरानसौ नानाचरित्रः खलु पापमानसः । पीडां करोत्येव स दुष्टचेष्टित- स्त्रातासि देवेश विधेहि शं विभो
Wherever the gods go, that one, of various conduct and surely evil mind, causes them suffering through wicked deeds; O lord of gods, you are the protector—grant us auspiciousness, O mighty one.
नो चेद्वयं दावमहाग्निपीडिताः कं शान्तिकर्तारमनन्ततेजसम् । यामः प्रजेशं शरणं सुरेष्टं धातारमाद्यं परिमुच्य कं शिवम्
If not, we, afflicted like by a great forest fire, to whom shall we go for peace, who possesses infinite splendor? Shall we seek refuge in the lord of creatures, the best of gods, the primal creator, abandoning whom shall we find auspiciousness?
व्यास उवाच इति स्तुत्वा सुराः सर्वे प्रणेमुस्तं प्रजापतिम् । बद्धाञ्जलिपुटाः सर्वे विषण्णवदना भृशम्
Vyasa said: Having thus praised him, all the gods bowed to Prajapati; all, with hands joined in reverence, their faces utterly dejected.
तांस्तथा पीडितान्दृष्ट्वा तदा लोकपितामहः । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा सुखं सञ्जनयन्निव
Seeing them thus afflicted, at that time the Grandfather of the worlds spoke with gentle words, as if to bring them comfort.
ब्रह्मोवाच किं करोमि सुराः कामं दानवो वरदर्पितः । स्त्रीवध्योऽसौ न पुंवध्यो विधेयं तत्र किं पुनः
Brahmā said: What can I do, O gods? The demon, empowered by a boon, cannot be slain by men—only by a woman. What, then, is to be done in this matter?