कार्मुकाणां विकृष्टानां बभूवुर्दारुणा रवाः कालानुगानां मेघानां यथा वियति वायुना
Terrible sounds arose from the drawn bows, like the rumbling of storm clouds driven by the wind in the sky.
आहुश्च युद्धे मा भैषीः क्व यास्यसि मृतो ह्यसि प्रहराशु स्थितो ऽस्म्यत्र एहि दर्शय पौरुषम्
In battle they cried out: 'Do not fear! Where will you go? You are as good as dead! Strike quickly, I stand here—come, show your valor!'
गृहाण छिन्द्धि भिन्द्धीति खाद मारय दारय इत्यन्योन्यम् अनूच्चार्य प्रययुर्यमसादनम्
Shouting to each other, 'Seize! Cut! Break! Eat! Kill! Tear apart!' they rushed toward the abode of Yama.
खड्गापवर्जिताः केचित् केचिच्छिन्नाः परश्वधैः केचिन्मुद्गरचूर्णाश्च केचिद्बाहुभिराहताः
Some were struck down by swords, some were cut by axes, some were crushed by maces, and some were beaten by fists.
पट्टिशैः सूदिताः केचित् केचिच्छूलविदारिताः दानवाः शरपुष्पाभाः सवना इव पर्वताः निपतन्त्यर्णवजले भीमनक्रतिमिङ्गिले
Some Dānavas were split by spears, some pierced by tridents, and others, shining like flowers of arrows, fell into the ocean waters like mountains into the sea, among fearsome crocodiles and whales.
व्यसुभिः सुनिबद्धाङ्गैः पतमानैः सुरेतरैः संबभूवार्णवे शब्दः सजलाम्बुदनिस्वनः
With bodies well-joined but lifeless, the fallen gods and others made a sound in the ocean like the roaring of rain-filled clouds.
तेन शब्देन मकरा नक्रास्तिमितिमिङ्गिलाः मत्ता लोहितगन्धेन क्षोभयन्तो महार्णवम्
By that sound, the sea creatures—crocodiles, sharks, and whales—intoxicated by the scent of blood, stirred up the great ocean.
परस्परेण कलहं कुर्वाणा भीममूर्तयः भ्रमन्ते भक्षयन्तश्च दानवानां च लोहितम्
With terrifying forms, they fought among themselves, circling and devouring the blood of the Dānavas.
सरथान् सायुधान् साश्वान् सवस्त्राभरणावृतान् जग्रसुस्तिमयो दैत्यान् द्रावयन्तो जलेचरान्
The sharks, driving away the aquatic beings, devoured Daityas along with their chariots, weapons, horses, and garments and ornaments.
मृधं यथासुराणां च प्रमथानां प्रवर्तते अम्बरे ऽम्भसि च तथा युद्धं चक्रुर्जलेचराः
Just as battles arise between Asuras and Pramathas in the sky and in the waters, so too did the aquatic beings wage war.
यथा भ्रमन्ति प्रमथाः सदैत्यास् तथा भ्रमन्ते तिमयः सनक्राः यथैव छिन्दन्ति परस्परं तु तथैव क्रन्दन्ति विभिन्नदेहाः
As the Pramathas and Daityas whirl about, so do the sharks and crocodiles; as they strike each other, so too do the wounded cry out with broken bodies.
व्रणाननैर् अङ्गरसं स्रवद्भिः सुरासुरैर्नक्रतिमिङ्गिलैश्च कृतो मुहूर्तेन समुद्रदेशः सरक्ततोयः समुदीर्णतोयः
In a moment, the region of the ocean became filled with blood-red, surging waters, as gods, asuras, crocodiles, and whales, their wounds gaping and limbs streaming, mingled together.
पूर्वं महाम्भोधरपर्वताभं द्वारं महान्तं त्रिपुरस्य शक्रः निपीड्य तस्थौ महता बलेन युक्तो ऽमराणां महता बलेन
First, Indra, endowed with the great strength of the immortals, pressed upon the massive gateway of Tripura, which resembled a great mountain or cloud.
तथोत्तरं सो ऽन्तरजो हरस्य बालार्कजाम्बूनदतुल्यवर्णः स्कन्दः पुरद्वारमथारुरोह वृद्धो ऽस्तशृङ्गं प्रपतन्निवार्कः
Then Skanda, whose complexion was like young gold or the rising sun, ascended the northern inner gate of Hara's city, like an aged sun falling upon a mountain with eight peaks.
यमश्च वित्ताधिपतिश्च देवो दण्डान्वितः पाशवरायुधश्च देवारिणस्तस्य पुरस्य द्वारं ताभ्यां तु तत्पश्चिमतो निरुद्धम्
Yama and the lord of wealth, both gods armed with staff and noose, stood at the western gate of that city, barring it against the enemies of the gods.
दक्षारिरुद्रस्तपनायुताभः स भास्वता देवरथेन देवः तद्दक्षिणद्वारमरेः पुरस्य रुद्ध्वावतस्थौ भगवांस्त्रिनेत्रः
The enemy of Daksha, Rudra, shining with the brilliance of ten thousand suns, the radiant god with his divine chariot, the blessed three-eyed one, stood blocking the southern gate of the enemy's city.
तुङ्गानि वेश्मानि सगोपुराणि स्वर्णानि कैलासशशिप्रभाणि प्रह्लादरूपाः प्रमथावरुद्धा ज्योतींषि मेघा इव चाश्मवर्षाः
Lofty mansions with gateways, golden and shining like the moon on Kailasa, delightful in form, were besieged by the Pramathas, blazing like clouds raining stones.
उत्पात्य चोत्पाट्य गृहाणि तेषां सशैलमालासमवेदिकानि प्रक्षिप्य प्रक्षिप्य समुद्रमध्ये कालाम्बुदाभाः प्रमथा विनेदुः
Uprooting and tearing out their houses, with mountain ranges and altars, the Pramathas hurled them into the midst of the ocean, roaring like dark storm clouds.
रक्तानि चाशेषवनैर्युतानि साशोकखण्डानि सकोकिलानि गृहाणि हे नाथ पितः सुतेति भ्रातेति कान्तेति प्रियेति चापि उत्पाट्यमानेषु गृहेषु नार्यस् त्व् अनार्यशब्दान्विविधान्प्रचक्रुः
Red, filled with countless groves, with sorrowful fragments and cuckoos, the houses—'O lord! Father! Son! Brother! Beloved! Dear one!'—as their homes were being torn apart, the women uttered all manner of unseemly cries.
कलत्रपुत्रक्षयप्राणनाशे तस्मिन्पुरे युद्धमतिप्रवृत्ते महासुराः सागरतुल्यवेगा गणेश्वराः कोपवृताः प्रतीयुः
As wives, sons, and lives were being destroyed, and the battle in that city raged fiercely, the great Asuras, swift as the ocean, turned back the furious lords of the hosts.
परश्वधैस्तत्र शिलोपलैश्च त्रिशूलवज्रोत्तमकम्पनैश्च शरीरसद्मक्षपणं सुघोरं युद्धं प्रवृत्तं दृढवैरबद्धम्
There, with axes, stones, tridents, thunderbolts, and mighty clubs, a most terrible battle broke out, bent on mutual destruction, bound by deep enmity.
अन्योन्यमुद्दिश्य विमर्दतां च प्रधावतां चैव विनिघ्नतां च शब्दो बभूवामरदानवानां युगान्तकालेष्विव सागराणाम्
As they rushed at each other, clashing and striking, the sound of gods and Asuras was like the roar of oceans at the end of an age.
व्रणैरजस्रं क्षतजं वमन्तः कोपोपरक्ता बहुधा नदन्तः गणेश्वरास्ते ऽसुरपुंगवाश्च युध्यन्ति शब्दं च महदुद्गिरन्तः
Streaming with wounds, ever vomiting blood, flushed with wrath, roaring in many ways, the lords of the hosts and the foremost Asuras fought, sending forth a mighty tumult.
मार्गाः पुरे लोहितकर्दमालाः स्वर्णेष्टकास्फाटिकभिन्नचित्राः कृता मुहूर्तेन सुखेन गन्तुं छिन्नोत्तमाङ्गाङ्घ्रिकराः करालाः
The streets of the city became muddy with blood, scattered with broken gold bricks and crystal, and in a moment, the fierce ones, their heads, feet, and hands severed, lay strewn, making passage easy.
कोपावृताक्षः स तु तारकाख्यः संख्ये सवृक्षः सगिरिर्निलीनः तस्मिन्क्षणे द्वारवरं रिरक्षो रुद्धं भवेनाद्भुतविक्रमेण
Then Taraka, his eyes red with rage, concealed among trees and mountains in the battle, at that moment, with wondrous might, stood to defend the blocked main gate.
स तत्र प्राकारागतांश्च भूताञ् छातन् महानद्भुतवीर्यसत्त्वः चचार चाप्तेन्द्रियगर्वदृप्तः पुराद्विनिष्क्रम्य ररास घोरम्
There, that being of great and wondrous strength and courage, proud of his mastery over his senses, drove away the spirits who had come to the ramparts, and, emerging from the city, let out a terrible roar.
ततः स दैत्योत्तमपर्वताभो यथाञ्जसा नाग इवाभिमत्तः निवारितो रुद्ररथं जिघृक्षुर् यथार्णवः सर्पति चातिवेलः
Then that foremost Daitya, towering like a great mountain, rushed like an enraged elephant, seeking to seize Rudra's chariot, but was restrained, as the ocean is held back at its limit.
शेषः सुधन्वा गिरिशश्च देवश् चतुर्मुखो यः स त्रिलोचनश्च ते तारकाख्याभिगता गताजौ क्षोभं यथा वायुवशात्समुद्राः
Shesha, Sudhanvan, the god Girisha, and the four-faced one, the three-eyed god—all, having approached Taraka, were shaken in battle, like oceans disturbed by the wind.
शेषो गिरीशः सपितामहेशश् चोत्क्षुभ्यमाणः स रथे ऽम्बरस्थः बिभेद संधीषु बलाभिपन्नः कूजन्निनादांश्च करोति घोरान्
Shesha, Girisha, and the lord of grandsires, greatly agitated, stood on their chariot in the sky, assailed at the joints by force, making dreadful sounds.
एकं तु ऋग्वेदतुरंगमस्य पृष्ठे पदं न्यस्य वृषस्य चैकम् तस्थौ भवः सोद्यतबाणचापः पुरस्य तत्सङ्गसमीक्षमाणः
Bhava, with bow and arrow raised, stood placing one foot on the back of the Rigveda-horse and one on the bull, observing the mass of the city.