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?
व्रजामोऽद्य सुराः सर्वे कैलासं पर्वतोत्तमम् । शङ्करं पुरतः कृत्वा सर्वकार्यविशारदम्
Let us all go today, O gods, to Kailāsa, the supreme mountain, placing Śaṅkara before us, who is skilled in every undertaking.
ततो व्रजाम वैकुण्ठं यत्र देवो जनार्दनः । मिलित्वा देवकार्यञ्च विमृशामो विशेषतः
Then let us proceed to Vaikuṇṭha, where the god Janārdana resides; gathering together, let us especially deliberate on the matter concerning the gods.
इत्युक्त्वा हंसमारुह्य ब्रह्मा कार्यसमुच्चये । देवांश्च पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कैलासाभिमुखो ययौ
Having spoken thus, Brahmā mounted his swan, intent on the task at hand, and, with the gods following behind, set out toward Kailāsa.
तावच्छिवोऽपि तरसा ज्ञात्वा ध्यानेन पद्मजम् । आगच्छन्तं सुरैः सार्धं निर्गतः स्वगृहाद्बहिः
Meanwhile, Śiva, by the power of meditation, perceived the lotus-born approaching with the gods, and swiftly came out of his abode.
दृष्ट्वा परस्परं तौ तु कृताभिवादनौ भृशम् । प्रणतौ च सुरैः सर्वैः सन्तुष्टौ सम्बभूवतुः
Seeing each other, the two exchanged respectful greetings, and, deeply bowed to by all the gods, they both became pleased.
आसनानि पृथग्दत्त्वा देवेभ्यो गिरिजापतिः । उपविष्टेषु तेष्वेव निषसादासने स्वके
The Lord of the Mountain, having offered separate seats to the gods, sat down on his own seat once they had all taken their places.
कृत्वा तु कुशलप्रश्नं ब्रह्माणं वृषभध्वजः । पप्रच्छ कारणं देवान्कैलासागमने विभुः
After inquiring about Brahmā’s well-being, the Bull-bannered One asked the gods the reason for their coming to Kailāsa.
शिव उवाच किमत्रागमनं ब्रह्मन् कृतं देवैः सवासवैः । भवता च महाभाग ब्रूहि तत्कारणं किल
Śiva said: What is the reason, O Brahmā, that the gods along with their leaders have come here? O greatly fortunate one, tell me the cause of this.
ब्रह्मोवाच महिषेण सुरेशान पीडिताः स्वर्निवासिनः । भ्रमन्ति गिरिदुर्गेषु भयत्रस्ताः सवासवाः
Brahmā said: O Lord of the gods, the dwellers of heaven, along with their leaders, have been afflicted by Mahiṣa and now wander, terrified, among the mountain fastnesses.
यज्ञभुग्महिषो जातस्तथान्ये सुरशत्रवः । पीडिता लोकपालाश्च त्वामद्य शरणं गताः
Mahiṣa, the eater of sacrifices, has arisen, along with other enemies of the gods; the guardians of the worlds, oppressed, have today sought refuge in you.