तस्माज्जयायामरपुंगवानां त्रैलोक्यलक्ष्मीहरणाय शीघ्रम् संयोज्यतां मे रथमष्टचक्रं बलं च मे दुर्जयदैत्यचक्रम् ध्वजं च मे काञ्चनपट्टनद्धं छत्त्रं च मे मौक्तिकजालबद्धम्
Therefore, quickly prepare for me the eight-wheeled chariot for victory over the foremost of the immortals, to seize the fortune of the three worlds; assemble my invincible demon army, my banner adorned with golden cloth, and my umbrella covered with a net of pearls.
तारकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ग्रसनो नाम दानवः सेनानीर् दैत्यराजस्य तथा चक्रे बलान्वितः
Hearing Tāraka's words, the demon named Grasana, commander of the demon king's army, did exactly as he was commanded, gathering the forces.
आहत्य भेरीं गम्भीरां दैत्यानाहूय सत्वरः तुरगाणां सहस्रेण चक्राष्टकविभूषितम्
Sounding a deep drum, he swiftly summoned the Daityas, with a chariot adorned with eight wheels, drawn by a thousand horses.
शुक्लाम्बरपरिष्कारं चतुर्योजनविस्तृतम् नानाक्रीडागृहयुतं गीतवाद्यमनोहरम्
Clad in white garments, it stretched four yojanas wide, filled with various pleasure-houses, enchanting with songs and music.
विमानमिव देवस्य सुरभर्तुः शतक्रतोः दशकोटीश्वरा दैत्या दैत्यानां चण्डविक्रमाः
Like the celestial chariot of Indra, lord of the gods, the Daityas—ten crores in number, fierce in valor—assembled.
तेषामग्रेसरो जम्भः कुजम्भो ऽनन्तरस्ततः महिषः कुञ्जरो मेघः कालनेमिर्निमिस्तथा
Foremost among them was Jambha; next was Kujambha, then Mahisha, Kunjara, Megha, Kalanemi, and Nimi.
मथनो जम्भकः शुम्भो दैत्येन्द्रा दश नायकाः अन्ये ऽपि शतशस्तस्य पृथिवीदलनक्षमाः
Mathana, Jambhaka, Shumbha—these ten Daitya lords were leaders; and hundreds of others, capable of shaking the earth, were with them.
दैत्येन्द्रा गिरिवर्ष्माणः सन्ति चण्डपराक्रमाः नानायुधप्रहरणा नानाशस्त्रास्त्रपारगाः
These Daitya lords were mountain-like in stature, fierce in might, skilled in many weapons and missiles of various kinds.
तारकस्याभवत्केतू रौद्रः कनकभूषणः केतुना मकरेणापि सेनानीर् ग्रसनो ऽरिहा
Tāraka's banner was dreadful, adorned with gold; Grasaṇa, the slayer of foes, was the army chief, with a makara as his emblem.
पैशाचं यस्य वदनं जम्भस्यासीदयोमयम् खरविधूतलाङ्गूलं कुजम्भस्याभवद्ध्वजे
Jambha's banner bore a demonic face of iron; Kujambha's standard displayed a donkey with a swinging tail.
महिषस्य तु गोमायुः केतोर्हैमस्तदाभवत् ध्वाङ्क्षो ध्वजे तु शुम्भस्य कृष्णायोमयमुच्छ्रितम्
Mahisha's banner bore a golden jackal; Shumbha's banner was raised high with a black iron vulture.
अनेकाकारविन्यासाश् चान्येषां तु ध्वजास्तथा शतेन शीघ्रवेगाणां व्याघ्राणां हेममालिनाम्
The banners of the others were arranged in many forms; a hundred swift tigers adorned with gold garlands were also present.
ग्रसनस्य रथो युक्तां किङ्किणीजालमालिनाम् शतेनापि च सिंहानां रथो जम्भस्य दुर्जयः
Grasaṇa's chariot was yoked with a hundred lions adorned with jingling bells; Jambha's formidable chariot too was drawn by lions.
कुजम्भस्य रथो युक्तः पिशाचवदनैः खरैः रथस्तु महिषस्योष्ट्रैर् गजस्य तु तुरंगमैः
Kujambha's chariot was drawn by donkeys with demonic faces; Mahisha's chariot by camels, and Kunjara's by horses.
मेषस्य द्वीपिभिर्भीमैः कुञ्जरैः कालनेमिनः पर्वताभैः समारूढो निमिर्मत्तैर्महागजैः
Mesha's was drawn by fierce leopards; Kalanemi's by elephants like mountains; Nimi rode on intoxicated great elephants.
चतुर्दन्तैर्गन्धवद्भिः शिक्षितैर्मेघभैरवैः शतहस्तायतैः कृष्णैस् तुरंगैर्हेमभूषणैः
With four-tusked, fragrant, well-trained elephants of thunderous roar; with black, gold-adorned horses, each a hundred hands long.
सितचामरजालेन शोभिते दक्षिणां दिशम् सितचन्दनचार्वङ्गो नानापुष्पस्रजोज्ज्वलः
The southern quarter shone, adorned with white yak-tail fans; their bodies smeared with white sandal, radiant with garlands of many flowers.
मथनो नाम दैत्येन्द्रः पाशहस्तो व्यराजत जम्भकः किङ्किणीजालमालमुष्ट्रं समास्थितः
Mathana, the Daitya lord, holding a noose, shone forth; Jambhaka mounted a camel adorned with jingling bells.
कालशुक्लमहामेषम् आरूढः शुम्भदानवः अन्ये ऽपि दानवा वीरा नानावाहनगामिनः
Shumbha the demon mounted a great ram, black as time; other heroic Dānavas rode various mounts.
प्रचण्डचित्रकर्माणः कुण्डलोष्णीषभूषणाः नानाविधोत्तरासङ्गा नानामाल्यविभूषणाः
Fierce and wondrous in their deeds, adorned with earrings and turbans, wearing garments of many kinds, and decked with various garlands.
नानासुगन्धिगन्धाढ्या नानाबन्दिजनस्तुताः नानावाद्यपरिस्पन्दाश् चाग्रेसरमहारथाः
Rich with many fragrances, praised by various attendants, resounding with diverse musical instruments, the foremost great chariots advanced.
नानाशौर्यकथासक्तास् तस्मिन्सैन्ये महासुराः तद्बलं दैत्यसिंहस्य भीमरूपं व्यजायत
In that army, the mighty heroes were engaged in tales of valor; thus the force of the lion among Daityas appeared in a terrifying form.
प्रमत्तचण्डमातंगतुरंगरथसंकुलम् प्रतस्थे ऽमरयुद्धाय बहुपत्तिपताकि तत्
Filled with intoxicated, fierce elephants, horses, and chariots, that army, bearing many banners, set forth for battle with the gods.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वायुर् देवदूतो ऽम्बरालये दृष्ट्वा स दानवबलं जगामेन्द्रस्य शंसितुम्
Meanwhile, Vayu, the divine messenger, seeing that host of Danavas from the sky, went to inform Indra.
स गत्वा तु सभां दिव्यां महेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः शशंस मध्ये देवानां तत्कार्यं समुपस्थितम्
Having reached the splendid assembly of the great-souled Mahendra, he reported in the midst of the gods the matter that had arisen.
तच्छ्रुत्वा देवराजस्तु निमीलितविलोचनः बृहस्पतिमुवाचेदं वाक्यं काले महाभुजः
Hearing this, the king of the gods, eyes closed, spoke these timely words to Brihaspati, the mighty-armed.
सम्प्राप्तो ऽति विमर्दो ऽयं देवानां दानवैः सह कार्यं किमत्र तद्ब्रूहि नीत्युपायसमन्वितम्
A great conflict has now arisen between the gods and the Danavas; what should be done here? Tell me, with a policy full of proper means.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं महेन्द्रस्य गिरांपतिः इत्युवाच महाभागो बृहस्पतिरुदारधीः
Hearing these words of Mahendra, the lord of speech, the illustrious and noble-minded Brihaspati spoke thus:
सामपूर्वा स्मृता नीतिश् चतुरङ्गा पताकिनी जिगीषतां सुरश्रेष्ठ स्थितिरेषा सनातनी
The policy that begins with conciliation, and is fourfold with banners and all divisions, is the eternal stance for those who seek victory, O best of gods.
साम भेदस्तथा दानं दण्डश्चाङ्गचतुष्टयम् नीतौ क्रमाद्देशकालरिपुयोग्यक्रमादिदम्
Conciliation, division, gifts, and punishment—these are the four limbs of policy, to be applied in order according to place, time, enemy, and circumstance.