इन्द्रास्त्रयस्ते विज्ञेया असुराणां महौजसः दैत्यसंस्थमिदं सर्वम् आसीद्दशयुगं पुनः
Know that there were three powerful Indras among the demons; all this, established among the Daityas, lasted for ten ages again.
त्रैलोक्यमिदमव्यग्रं महेन्द्रेणानुपाल्यते असपत्नमिदं सर्वम् आसीद्दशयुगं पुनः
This threefold world, undisturbed, was governed by mighty Indra; all of it, without rival, lasted for ten ages again.
प्रह्लादस्य हते तस्मिंस् त्रैलोक्ये कालपर्ययात् पर्यायेण तु सम्प्राप्ते त्रैलोक्यं पाकशासने ततो ऽसुरान्परित्यज्य शुक्रो देवानगच्छत
When Prahlada was slain, in the three worlds, as time passed, and when the reign of Paka (Indra) arrived, Shukra abandoned the demons and went to the gods.
यज्ञे देवानथ गतं दितिजाः काव्यमाह्वयन् किं त्वं नो मिषतां राज्यं त्यक्त्वा यज्ञं पुनर्गतः
At the sacrifice, when Shukra went to the gods, the sons of Diti called out to him: 'Why, having abandoned our kingdom, have you returned to the sacrifice, even as we look on?'
स्थातुं न शक्नुमो ह्य् अत्र प्रविशामो रसातलम् एवमुक्तो ऽब्रवीद्दैत्यान् विषण्णान्सान्त्वयन्गिरा
'We are unable to remain here; let us enter the netherworld.' Thus addressed, Shukra spoke to the dejected Daityas, consoling them with gentle words.
मा भैष्ट धारयिष्यामि तेजसा स्वेन वो ऽसुराः मन्त्राश्चौषधयश्चैव रसा वसु च यत्परम्
'Do not fear, O demons; I will sustain you with my own power—mantras, herbs, essences, and the highest wealth.'
कृत्स्नानि मयि तिष्ठन्ति पादस्तेषां सुरेषु वै तत्सर्वं वः प्रदास्यामि युष्मदर्थे धृता मया
'All these things remain with me, and their feet are among the gods; all of this I will give to you, for your sake, held by me.'
ततो देवास्तु तान्दृष्ट्वा वृतान्काव्येन धीमता संमन्त्रयन्ति देवा वै संविज्ञास्तु जिघृक्षया
Then, seeing them protected by wise Shukra, the gods deliberated together, desiring to seize them.
काव्यो ह्य् एष इदं सर्वं व्यावर्तयति नो बलात् साधु गच्छामहे तूर्णं यावन्नाध्यापयिष्यति
'This Shukra is turning everything away from us by his power. Let us quickly depart before he instructs them.'
प्रसह्य हत्वा शिष्टांस्तु पातालं प्रापयामहे ततो देवास्तु संरब्धा दानवान् उपसृत्य ह
'Let us forcibly slay the survivors and send them to the netherworld.' Then the gods, enraged, approached the Danavas.
ततस्ते वध्यमानास्तु काव्यमेवाभिदुद्रुवुः ततः काव्यस्तु तान्दृष्ट्वा तूर्णं देवैर् अभिद्रुतान्
Then, as they were being slain, they rushed to Shukra; seeing them swiftly pursued by the gods, Shukra acted.
रक्षां काव्येन संहृत्य देवास्ते ऽप्यसुरार्दिताः काव्यं दृष्ट्वा स्थितं देवा निःशङ्कमसुराञ्जहुः
Having withdrawn his protection, the gods, afflicted by the demons, saw Shukra standing firm and, without fear, abandoned the demons.
ततः काव्यो ऽनुचिन्त्याथ ब्राह्मणो वचनं हितम् तानुवाच ततः काव्यः पूर्वं वृत्तमनुस्मरन्
Then Kāvya, the Brāhmaṇa, after careful thought, spoke these beneficial words to them, recalling what had happened before.
त्रैलोक्यं वो हृतं सर्वं वामनेन त्रिभिः क्रमैः बलिर्बद्धो हतो जम्भो निहतश्च विरोचनः
The entire three worlds have been taken from you by Vāmana in three steps; Bali has been bound, Jambha slain, and Virocana killed.
महासुरा द्वादशसु संग्रामेषु सुरैर् हताः तैस्तैरुपायैर्भूयिष्ठं निहता वः प्रधानतः
The great Asuras have been killed by the gods in twelve battles; by various means, your leaders have mostly been destroyed.
किंचिच्छीष्टास्तु यूयं वै युद्धं मास्त्विति मे मतम् नीतिं यां वो ऽभिधास्यामि तिष्ठध्वं कालपर्ययात्
You who remain are but few; it is my opinion that there should be no more fighting. I will tell you a strategy—wait for the proper time.
यास्याम्यहं महादेवं मन्त्रार्थं विजयावहम् अप्रतीपांस्ततो मन्त्रान् देवात्प्राप्य महेश्वरात् युध्यामहे पुनर्देवांस् ततः प्राप्स्यथ वै जयम्
I will go to Mahādeva to obtain mantras that bring victory; after receiving from the great lord those mantras that cannot be countered, we will fight the gods again, and then you will surely gain victory.
ततस्ते कृतसंवादा देवान् ऊचुस्तदासुराः न्यस्तशस्त्रा वयं सर्वे निःसंनाहा रथैर्विना
Then, having agreed, the Asuras spoke to the gods: 'We have all laid down our weapons, set aside our armor, and are without chariots.'
वयं तपश्चरिष्यामः संवृता वल्कलैर्वने प्रह्लादस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सत्याभिव्याहृतं तु तत्
'We will practice austerities, clad in bark garments in the forest,' having heard Prahlāda's words, which were truly spoken.
ततो देवा न्यवर्तन्त विज्वरा मुदिताश्च ते न्यस्तशस्त्रेषु दैत्येषु विनिवृत्तास्तदा सुराः
Then the gods withdrew, free from anxiety and joyful; when the Daityas had laid down their weapons, the gods departed at that time.
ततस्तानब्रवीत्काव्यः कंचित्कालमुपास्यथ निरुत्सिक्तास् तपोयुक्ताः कालं कार्यार्थसाधकम्
Then Kāvya said to them, 'Serve for some time, steadfast in austerity and undistracted, until the time for action is fulfilled.'
पितुर्ममाश्रमस्था वै मां प्रतीक्षत दानवाः तत्संदिश्यासुरान्काव्यो महादेवं प्रपद्यत
'O Dānavas, remain in my father's hermitage and wait for me.' Having instructed the Asuras thus, Kāvya approached Mahādeva.
मन्त्रानिच्छाम्यहं देव ये न सन्ति बृहस्पतौ पराभवाय देवानाम् असुराणां जयाय च
'O god, I desire those mantras which Bṛhaspati does not possess, for the defeat of the gods and the victory of the Asuras.'
एवमुक्तो ऽब्रवीद्देवो व्रतं त्वं चर भार्गव पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु कणधूममवाक्शिराः यदि पास्यसि भद्रं ते ततो मन्त्रानवाप्स्यसि
Thus addressed, the god said, 'O Bhārgava, undertake a vow for a full thousand years, standing with smoke as your food and your head downward; if you complete this, you will obtain the mantras. May it be well for you.'
तथेति समनुज्ञाप्य शुक्रस्तु भृगुनन्दनः पादौ संस्पृश्य देवस्य बाढमित्यब्रवीद्वचः व्रतं चराम्यहं देव त्वयादिष्टो ऽद्य वै प्रभो
Śukra, son of Bhṛgu, having received permission, touched the god's feet and said, 'So be it. O lord, I will perform the vow as you have commanded today.'
ततो ऽनुसृष्टो देवेन कुण्डधारो ऽस्य धूमकृत् तदा तस्मिन्गते शुक्रे ह्य् असुराणां हिताय वै मन्त्रार्थं तत्र वसति ब्रह्मचर्यं महेश्वरे
Then, as Śukra departed, the god sent Kuṇḍadhāra, the smoke-bearer, to him. There, for the sake of the Asuras, Śukra dwelt in celibacy at Maheśvara's place, seeking the mantras.
तद्बुद्ध्वा नीतिपूर्वं तु राज्ये न्यस्ते तदासुरैः अस्मिंश्छिद्रे तदामर्षाद् देवास्तान्समुपाद्रवन् दंशिताः सायुधाः सर्वे बृहस्पतिपुरःसराः
Knowing this, and seeing that the Asuras had set aside their rule according to policy, the gods, angered by this opportunity, attacked them, all armed and led by Bṛhaspati.
दृष्ट्वासुरगणा देवान् प्रगृहीतायुधान्पुनः उत्पेतुः सहसा ते वै संत्रस्तास्तान्वचो ऽब्रुवन्
Seeing the gods approaching, weapons in hand, the groups of Asuras suddenly rose up in fear and spoke these words to them:
न्यस्ते शस्त्रे ऽभये दत्त आचार्ये व्रतमास्थिते दत्त्वा भवन्तो ह्य् अभयं सम्प्राप्ता नो जिघांसया
'With our weapons laid down, safety granted, and our teacher engaged in a vow, you have given us assurance of safety, yet you come now with the intent to kill us.'
अनाचार्या वयं देवास् त्यक्तशस्त्रास्त्ववस्थिताः चीरकृष्णाजिनधरा निष्क्रिया निष्परिग्रहाः
'We are without a teacher, O gods, and stand here having abandoned our weapons, wearing bark and black antelope skins, inactive and possessing nothing.'