कुम्भेन रत्नचित्रेण केतुर् अश्विनयोर् अभूत् हेममातंगरचितं चित्ररत्नपरिष्कृतम्
The banner of the Ashvins was a jeweled pitcher, crafted of golden elephant and adorned with varied precious gems.
ध्वजं शतक्रतोरासीत् सितचामरमण्डितम् सनागयक्षगन्धर्वम् अहोरगनिशाचरा
The banner of Shatakratu was decorated with white yak tails, attended by Nagas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and both serpents and night-dwellers.
सेना सा देवराजस्य दुर्जया भुवनत्रये कोटयस्तास् त्रयस्त्रिंशद् देवदेवनिकायिनाम्
That army of the king of the gods was unconquerable in the three worlds; its divisions numbered thirty-three crores of divine hosts.
हिमाचलाभे सितकर्णचामरे सुवर्णपद्मामलसुन्दरस्रजि कृताभिरागोज्ज्वलकुङ्कुमाङ्कुरे कपोललीलालिकदम्बसंकुले
With white yak tails resembling Himalayan peaks, pure golden lotus garlands, radiant with bright saffron marks, cheeks adorned with playful clusters of locks.
स्थितस्तदैरावतनामकुञ्जरे महाबलश्चित्रविभूषणाम्बरः विशालवस्त्रांशुवितानभूषितः प्रकीर्णकेयूरभुजाग्रमण्डलः सहस्रदृग्बन्दिसहस्रसंस्तुतस् त्रिविष्टपे ऽशोभत पाकशासनः
Standing upon the elephant named Airavata, mighty, clad in wondrous ornaments and garments, adorned with vast cloths and armlets, praised by thousands of bards, Indra shone in heaven.
तुरंगमातंगबलौघसंकुला सितातपत्रध्वजराजिशालिनी चमूश्च सा दुर्जयपत्त्रिसंतता विभाति नानायुधयोधदुस्तरा
That army, crowded with horses and elephants, bearing rows of white parasols and banners, unconquerable, shone with its array of diverse weapons, difficult to overcome in battle.
सुरासुराणां सम्मर्दस् तस्मिन्नत्यन्तदारुणे तुमुलो ऽतिमहानासीत् सेनयोरुभयोरपि
In that exceedingly fierce clash between gods and demons, a tumultuous and immense battle arose between both armies.
गर्जतां देवदैत्यानां शङ्खभेरीरवेण च तूर्याणां चैव निर्घोषैर् मातंगानां च बृंहितैः
With the roaring of gods and demons, the sound of conches and drums, the thunder of instruments, and the trumpeting of elephants.
ह्वेषतां हयवृन्दानां रथनेमिस्वनेन च ज्याघोषेण च शूराणां तुमुलो ऽतिमहानभूत्
With the neighing of horses, the rumble of chariot wheels, the twang of bowstrings, and the tumult of heroes, a great and terrible din arose.
समासाद्योभये सेने परस्परजयैषिणाम् रोषेणातिपरीतानां त्यक्तजीवितचेतसाम्
When both armies met, each seeking victory over the other, filled with wrath, their minds set on abandoning life.
समासाद्य तु ते ऽन्योन्यं प्रक्रमेण विलोमतः रथेनासक्तपादातो रथेन च तुरंगमः
Meeting each other, they engaged in battle in various ways: a horse attacked a chariot, a chariot struck a foot soldier.
हस्ती पदातिसंयुक्तो रथिना च क्वचिद्रथी मातंगेनापरो हस्ती तुरंगैर्बहुभिर्गजः
An elephant joined with foot soldiers, a charioteer fought with another charioteer, elsewhere an elephant battled many horses.
पदातिरेको बहुभिर् गजैर्मत्तैश्च युज्यते ततः प्रासाशनिगदाभिन्दिपालपरश्वधैः
A single foot soldier was matched by many intoxicated elephants; then with spears, maces, clubs, axes, and swords.
शक्तिभिः पट्टिशैः शूलैर् मुद्गरैः कुणपैर्गडैः चक्रैश्च शङ्कुभिश्चैव तोमरैरङ्कुशैः सितैः
With lances, swords, spikes, hammers, corpses, maces, wheels, stakes, spears, and white goads.
कर्णिनालीकनाराचवत्सदन्तार्धचन्द्रकैः भल्लैश्च शतपत्त्रैश्च शुकतुण्डैश्च निर्मलैः
With arrows tipped with ears, reeds, narachas, calf teeth, half-moon shapes, broad blades, hundred-petaled points, and pure parrot-beak heads,
वृष्टिरत्यद्भुताकारा गगने समदृश्यत संप्रच्छाद्य दिशः सर्वास् तमोमयमिवाकरोत्
A rain of astonishing appearance was seen in the sky, covering all directions and making them seem filled with darkness.
न प्राज्ञायत ते ऽन्योन्यं तस्मिंस्तमसि संकुले अलक्ष्यं विसृजन्तस्ते हेतिसंघातमुद्धतम्
In that tumultuous gloom, they could not recognize each other; unseen, they released a furious barrage of missiles.
पतितं सेनयोर्मध्ये निरीक्षन्ते परस्परम् ततो ध्वजैर्भुजैश्छत्त्रैः शिरोभिश्च सकुण्डलैः
They gazed at one another at what had fallen between the armies—then, with standards, arms, parasols, and heads adorned with earrings,
गजैस्तुरंगैः पादातैः पतद्भिः पतितैरपि आकाशसरसो भ्रष्टैः पङ्कजैरिव भूः स्तृता
With elephants, horses, foot soldiers, those falling and fallen, the earth was strewn like a lake whose lotuses have dropped from the sky.
भग्नदन्ता भिन्नकुम्भाश् छिन्नदीर्घमहाकराः गजाः शलनिभाः पेतुर् धरण्यां रुधिरस्रवाः
Elephants with broken tusks, shattered domes, and severed long trunks, resembling rocks, fell to the ground, streaming blood.
भग्नेषादण्डचक्राक्षा रथाश्च शकलीकृताः पेतुः शकलतां यातास् तुरंगाश्च सहस्रशः
Chariots with broken yokes, axles, and wheels were smashed to fragments; horses too, by the thousands, fell and were reduced to pieces.
ततो ऽसृघ्रददुस्तारा पृथिवी समजायत नद्यश्च रुधिरावर्ता हर्षदाः पिशिताशिनाम् वेतालाक्रीडमभवत् तत्संकुलरणाजिरम्
Then the earth became impassable with streams of blood; rivers with bloody whirlpools delighted the flesh-eaters, and the battlefield became a playground for ghouls.
अथ ग्रसनमालोक्य यमः क्रोधविमूर्छितः ववर्ष शरवर्षेण विशेषेणाग्निवर्चसा
Then, seeing the devouring, Yama, overwhelmed with anger, showered a rain of arrows, especially those blazing like fire.
स विद्धो बहुभिर्बाणैर् ग्रसनो ऽतिपराक्रमः कृतप्रतिकृताकाङ्क्षी धनुरानम्य भैरवम्
Struck by many arrows, the mighty Grasana, eager for retaliation, drew his bow with a terrifying aspect.
शतैः पञ्चभिरत्युग्रैः शराणां यममर्दयत् स विचिन्त्य यमो बाणान् ग्रसनस्यातिपौरुषम्
With five hundred fierce arrows, he wounded Yama; Yama, considering the arrows and Grasana's extraordinary valor,
बाणवृष्टिभिरुग्राभिर् यमो ग्रसनमर्दयत् कृतान्तशरवृष्टिं तां वियति प्रतिसर्पिणीम्
Yama attacked Grasana with fierce showers of arrows, and the rain of arrows from the Lord of Death advanced through the sky.
चिछेद शरवर्षेण ग्रसनो दानवेश्वरः विफलां तां समालोक्य यमस्तां शरसंततिम्
Grasana, lord of the demons, cut down that rain of arrows with his own, and seeing it rendered fruitless, Yama observed that stream of arrows.
स विचिन्त्य शरव्रातं ग्रसनस्य रथं प्रति चिक्षेप मुद्गरं घोरं तरसा तस्य चान्तकः
Considering the mass of arrows aimed at Grasana's chariot, Antaka hurled a dreadful mace at him with force.
स तं मुद्गरम् आयान्तम् उत्प्लुत्य गगनस्थितम् जग्राह वामहस्तेन याम्यं दानवनन्दनः
As that mace came flying through the sky, the delight of the demons leapt up and caught it with his left hand.
तमेव मुद्गरं गृह्य यमस्य महिषं रुषा पातयामास वेगेन स पपात महीतले
Grabbing that very mace, with wrath Grasana struck Yama's buffalo with speed, and it fell to the earth.