नन्दीश्वरेण प्रमथास् तारकाख्येन दानवाः चक्रुः संहत्य संग्रामं चोद्यमाना बलेन च
The Pramathas, led by Nandīśvara, and the Dānavas, led by Tāraka, joined together in battle, urged on by their respective forces.
ते ऽसिभिश्चन्द्रसंकाशैः शूलैश्चानलपिङ्गलैः बाणैश्च दृढनिर्मुक्तैर् अभिजघ्नुः परस्परम्
With swords shining like the moon, with spears glowing like fire, and with firmly loosed arrows, they struck each other.
शराणां सृज्यमानानाम् असीनां च निपात्यताम् रूपाण्यासन्महोल्कानां पतन्तीनामिवाम्बरात्
As arrows were shot and swords fell, their forms resembled great meteors falling from the sky.
शक्तिभिर्भिन्नहृदया निर्दया इव पातिताः निरयेष्विव निर्मग्नाः कूजन्ते प्रमथासुराः
Pierced in the heart by spears, mercilessly struck down, the Pramathas and Asuras wailed, as if plunged into hell.
हेमकुण्डलयुक्तानि किरीटोत्कटवन्ति च शिरांस्युर्व्यां पतन्ति स्म गिरिकूटा इवात्यये
Heads adorned with golden earrings and towering crowns fell to the earth like mountain peaks in a great calamity.
परश्वधैः पट्टिशैश्च खड्गैश्च परिघैस्तथा छिन्नाः करिवराकारा निपेतुस्ते धरातले
Struck down by axes, spears, swords, and maces, those who resembled mighty elephants collapsed upon the ground.
गर्जन्ति सहसा हृष्टाः प्रमथा भीमगर्जनाः साधयन्त्यपरे सिद्धा युद्धगान्धर्वमद्भुतम्
The Pramathas, exultant, suddenly roared with terrifying thunder; others, accomplished Siddhas, performed wondrous Gandharva warfare.
बलवान्भासि प्रमथ दर्पितो भासि दानव इति चोच्चारयन्वाचं वारणा रणधूर्गताः
The Pramathas, proud and powerful, shouted, 'You appear strong! You seem like a Daitya!' as they advanced into the fortress of battle like elephants.
परिघैराहताः केचिद् दानवैः शंकरानुगाः वमन्ते रुधिरं वक्त्रैः स्वर्णधातुमिवाचलाः
Some followers of Śaṅkara, struck by the Dānavas with maces, spewed blood from their mouths like mountains emitting streams of gold.
प्रमथैरपि नाराचैर् असुराः सुरशत्रवः द्रुमैश्च गिरिशृङ्गैश्च गाढमेवाहवे हताः
Even the Asuras, enemies of the gods, were slain in the battle by the Pramathas with arrows, as well as with trees and mountain peaks.
सूदितानथ तान्दैत्यान् अन्ये दानवपुंगवाः उत्क्षिप्य चिक्षिपुर् वाप्यां मयदानवचोदिताः
Then, other eminent Dānavas, prompted by Maya Dānava, lifted up the slain Daityas and cast them into the pool.
ते चापि भास्वरैर्देहैः स्वर्गलोक इवामराः उत्तस्थुर्वापीमासाद्य सद्रूपाभरणाम्बराः
And those, too, with radiant bodies, adorned with their own ornaments and garments, rose from the pool as if they were immortals in heaven.
अथैके दानवाः प्राप्य वापीप्रक्षेपणाद् असून् आस्फोट्य सिंहनादं च कृत्वाधावंस्तथासुराः
Then some Dānavas, having regained their lives by being thrown into the pool, roared like lions and charged forward, as did the Asuras.
दानवाः प्रमथानेतान् प्रसर्पत किम् आसथ हतानपि हि वो वापी पुनरुज्जीवयिष्यति
The Dānavas taunted the Pramathas, saying, 'Why do you advance, Pramathas? Even those you have slain, the pool will revive again.'
एवं श्रुत्वा शङ्कुकर्णो वचो ऽग्रग्रहसंनिभः द्रुतमेवैत्य देवेशम् इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, sharp as the grasp of a serpent, Śaṅkukarṇa swiftly approached the lord of the gods and spoke these words.
सूदिताः सूदिता देव प्रमथैरसुरा ह्यमी उत्तिष्ठन्ति पुनर्भीमाः सस्या इव जलोक्षिताः
'Slain, slain, O god! These Asuras are killed by the Pramathas, yet they rise again, terrible as crops revived by rain.'
अस्मिन्किल पुरे वापी पूर्णामृतरसाम्भसा निहता निहता यत्र क्षिप्ता जीवन्ति दानवाः
'In this city, it is said, there is a pool filled with the nectar of immortality; whenever slain Dānavas are cast there, they live again.'
इति विज्ञापयद्देवं शङ्कुकर्णो महेश्वरम् अभवन्दानवबल उत्पाता वै सुदारुणाः
Thus did Śaṅkukarṇa inform great Maheśvara; and the power of the Dānavas became truly dreadful, with terrible portents arising.
तारकाख्यः सुभीमाक्षो दारितास्यो हरिर्यथा अभ्यधावत्सुसंक्रुद्धो महादेवरथं प्रति
Tāraka, whose eyes were exceedingly fierce and whose mouth was torn like Hari's, rushed in great fury toward Mahādeva's chariot.
त्रिपुरे तु महान्घोरो भेरीशङ्खरवो बभौ दानवा निःसृता दृष्ट्वा देवदेवरथे सुरम्
In Tripura, a tremendous sound of drums and conches arose; seeing the gods and the chariot of the lord of gods, the Dānavas sallied forth.
भूकम्पश्चाभवत्तत्र शताङ्गो भूगतो ऽभवत् दृष्ट्वा क्षोभमगाद्रुद्रः स्वयम्भूश्च पितामहः
There, the earth quaked; Śatāṅga fell to the ground. Seeing this disturbance, Rudra and the self-born grandsire were agitated.
ताभ्यां देववरिष्ठाभ्याम् अन्वितः स रथोत्तमः अनायतनम् आसाद्य सीदते गुणवानिव
Accompanied by those two foremost gods, that excellent chariot, reaching a place without support, began to sink, as if a virtuous man faltered.
धातुक्षये देह इव ग्रीष्मे चाल्पमिवोदकम् शैथिल्यं याति स रथः स्नेहो विप्रकृतो यथा
Just as a body, when its vital elements are depleted, becomes slack, or as water diminishes in the heat of summer, so too does that chariot lose its vigor, its lubrication disturbed.
रथादुत्पत्यात्मभूर् वै सीदन्तं तु रथोत्तमम् उज्जहार महाप्राणो रथं त्रैलोक्यरूपिणम्
Then, the great vital force, springing forth from the chariot, lifted up the exhausted, excellent chariot—whose form encompassed the three worlds.
तदा शराद्विनिष्पत्य पीतवासा जनार्दनः वृषरूपं महत्कृत्वा रथं जग्राह दुर्धरम्
At that moment, Janardana, clad in yellow garments, leapt from the chariot, assumed a mighty form as a bull, and seized the formidable chariot.
स विषाणाभ्यां त्रैलोक्यं रथमेव महारथः प्रगृह्योद्वहते सज्जं कुलं कुलवहो यथा
That great chariot, grasped by its horns, carried the three worlds, just as a bull carrying its herd.
तारकाख्यो ऽपि दैत्येन्द्रो गिरीन्द्र इव पक्षवान् अभ्यद्रवत्तदा देवं ब्रह्माणं हतवांश्च सः
Then, the demon king named Taraka, possessing wings like a mountain lord, rushed toward the god Brahma and struck him down.
स तारकाख्याभिहतः प्रतोदं न्यस्य कूबरे विजज्वाल मुहुर्ब्रह्मा श्वासं वक्त्रात् समुद्गिरन्
Struck by Taraka, Brahma placed the goad on the yoke and blazed forth repeatedly, exhaling his breath from his mouth.
तत्र दैत्यैर्महानादो दानवैरपि भैरवः तारकाख्यस्य पूजार्थं कृतो जलधरोपमः
There, a great and terrifying roar arose from the demons and danavas, made for the worship of Taraka, resembling the sound of thunderclouds.
रथचरणकरो ऽथ महामृधे वृषभवपुर्वृषभेन्द्रपूजितः दितितनयबलं विमर्द्य सर्वं त्रिपुरपुरं प्रविवेश केशवः
Then, the chariot's wheel, honored by the foremost bulls and bull-kings in the great battle, crushed all the forces of the sons of Diti, and Keśava entered the city of Tripura.