कुजम्भेनाथ संसक्तो रजनीचरनन्दनः मायाममोघामाश्रित्य तामसीं राक्षसेश्वरः
Then, joined by Kujambha, the night-wanderer's son, the lord of the Rakshasas, relying on his unfailing, dark magic, engaged in battle.
मोहयामास दैत्येन्द्रं जगत्कृत्वा तमोमयम् ततो विफलनेत्राणि दानवानां बलानि तु
He bewildered the lord of the Daityas, making the world enveloped in darkness; then the eyes of the Daityas became useless, and their forces as well.
न शेकुश्चलितं तत्र पदादपि पदं तदा ततो नानास्त्रवर्षेण दानवानां महाचमूम्
There, they were unable to move even a single step; then, by a rain of various weapons, the great army of the Daityas—
जघान घननीहारतिमिरातुरवाहनाम् वध्यमानेषु दैत्येषु कुजम्भे मूढचेतसि
—whose mounts were afflicted by dense, fog-like darkness—was struck down; as the Daityas were being slain, Kujambha's mind became bewildered.
महिषो दानवेन्द्रस्तु कल्पान्ताम्भोदसंनिभः अस्त्रं चकार सावित्रम् उल्कासंघातमण्डितम्
Then the Daitya king Mahisha, dark as the clouds at the end of an age, created a Savitra missile, adorned with a mass of meteors.
विजृम्भत्यथ सावित्रे परमास्त्रे प्रतापिनि प्रणाशमगमत्तीव्रं तमो घोरमनन्तरम्
As the blazing Savitra missile expanded, the intense, dreadful darkness was utterly destroyed.
ततो ऽस्त्रं विस्फुलिङ्गाङ्कं तमः कृत्स्नं व्यनाशयत् प्रफुल्लारुणपद्मौघं शरदीवामलं सरः
Then a missile marked with sparks dispelled all the darkness, like a clear autumn lake filled with blooming red lotuses.
ततस्तमसि संशान्ते दैत्येन्द्राः प्राप्तचक्षुषः चक्रुः क्रूरेण मनसा देवानीकैः सहाद्भुतम्
When the darkness subsided, the Daitya lords regained their sight and, with fierce intent, performed a wondrous act together with their armies against the gods.
शस्त्रैरमर्षान्निर्मुक्तैर् भुजंगास्त्रं विनोदितम् अथादाय धनुर्घोरम् इषूंश्चाशीविषोपमान्
Out of anger, they released weapons, and, employing the serpent-missile, took up their dreadful bows and arrows resembling venomous snakes.
कुजम्भो ऽधावत क्षिप्तं रक्षोराजबलं प्रति राक्षसेन्द्रस्तम् आयान्तं विलोक्य सपदानुगः
Kujambha charged at the army of the Rakshasa king, which had been deployed; seeing him advancing with his followers, the lord of the Rakshasas—
विव्याध निशितैर्बाणैः क्रूराशीविषभीषणैः तदादानं च संधानं न मोक्षश्चापि लक्ष्यते
He struck with sharp arrows, dreadful as cruel serpents; the drawing, aiming, and releasing of the bow could not be discerned.
चिछेदास्य शरव्रातान् स्वशरैर् अतिलाघवात् ध्वजं परमतीक्ष्णेन चित्रकर्मामरद्विषः
With his own arrows, swift as thought, he cut down the showers of arrows sent at him, and with an exceedingly sharp, beautifully wrought shaft, he struck the banner of the foe of the immortals.
सारथिं चास्य भल्लेन रथनीडादपातयत् कुजम्भः कर्म तद्दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य संयुगे
With a broad-headed arrow he brought down his charioteer from the chariot-seat; seeing this deed of Kujambha in battle, the king of the Rākṣasas—
रोषरक्तेक्षणयुतो रथादाप्लुत्य दानवः खड्गं जग्राह वेगेन शरदम्बरनिर्मलम्
His eyes bloodshot with anger, the Dānava leapt from his chariot and swiftly seized a sword, clear as the autumn sky.
चर्म चोदयखण्डेन्दुदशकेन विभूषितम् अभ्यद्रवद्रणे दैत्यो रक्षो ऽधिपतिमोजसा
Taking a shield adorned with a crescent of ten gold bosses, the Daitya charged in battle, with great force, at the lord of the Rākṣasas.
तं रक्षो ऽधिपतिः प्राप्तं मुद्गरेणाहनद्धृदि स तु तेन प्रहारेण क्षीणः संभ्रान्तमानसः
The lord of the Rākṣasas struck him in the chest with a mace as he approached; from that blow, he was weakened and his mind was thrown into confusion.
तस्थावचेष्टो दनुजो यथा धीरो धराधरः स मुहूर्तं समाश्वस्तो दानवेन्द्रो ऽतिदुर्जयः
The Dānava stood motionless, like a steadfast mountain; after a moment, the exceedingly formidable lord of the Dānavas regained his composure.
रथमारुह्य जग्राह रक्षो वामकरेण तु केशेषु निरृतिं दैत्यो जानुनाक्रम्य धिष्ठितम्
Mounting the chariot, the Rākṣasa seized Nirṛti by the hair with his left hand, as the Daitya pressed his knee upon him, holding him fast.
ततः खड्गेन च शिरश् छेत्तुमैच्छदमर्षणः तस्मिंस्तदन्तरे देवो वरुणो ऽपांपतिर्द्रुतम्
Then, enraged, he wished to cut off his head with the sword; but in that moment, the god Varuṇa, lord of the waters, swiftly—
पाशेन दानवेन्द्रस्य बबन्ध च भुजद्वयम् ततो बद्धभुजं दैत्यं विफलीकृतपौरुषम्
—bound both arms of the lord of the Dānavas with a noose; thus, with his arms tied, the Daitya's strength was rendered useless.
ताडयामास गदया दयामुत्सृज्य पाशभृत् स तु तेन प्रहारेण स्रोतोभिः क्षतजं वमन्
The noose-bearer struck the Daitya, whose arms were bound, with a mace, showing no mercy; from that blow, he vomited blood from his wounds.
दधार रूपं मेघस्य विद्युन्मालालतावृतम् तदवस्थागतं दृष्ट्वा कुजम्भं महिषासुरः
He took on the form of a cloud, wreathed with a garland of lightning; seeing Kujambha in that state, Mahiṣāsura—
व्यावृत्तवदने ऽगाधे ग्रस्तुमैच्छत् सुरावुभौ निरृतिं वरुणं चैव तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रोत्कटाननः
With gaping mouth and dreadful, sharp fangs, he wished to swallow both Nirṛti and Varuṇa, the two gods, into the abyss.
तावभिप्रायमालक्ष्य तस्य दैत्यस्य दूषितम् त्यक्त्वा रथपथं भीतौ महिषस्यातिरंहसा
Perceiving the Daitya's wicked intent, both, terrified by Mahiṣa's violence, abandoned the chariot path and fled.
भृशं द्रुतौ जवाद् दिग्भ्याम् उभाभ्यां भयविह्वलौ जगाम निरृतिः क्षिप्रं शरणं पाकशासनम्
Greatly alarmed, both fled swiftly in different directions, overwhelmed by fear; Nirṛti quickly sought refuge with Indra, the lord of the gods.
क्रुद्धस्तु महिषो दैत्यो वरुणं समभिद्रुतः तमन्तकमुखासक्तम् आलोक्य हिमवद्द्युतिः
But the enraged Daitya, Mahiṣa, charged at Varuṇa; seeing him entangled with Death, shining like the snowy mountain—
चक्रे सोमास्त्रनिःसृष्टं हिमसंघातकण्टकम् वायव्यं चास्त्रमतुलं चन्द्रश्चक्रे द्वितीयकम्
Soma released a weapon of cold, bristling with icy spikes; and he fashioned a second, mighty wind-weapon as well.
वायुना तेन चन्द्रेण संशुष्केण हिमेन च व्यथिता दानवाः सर्वे शीतोच्छिन्ना विपौरुषाः
By that wind, by the moon, and by the parching cold, all the Dānavas were afflicted, cut down by the chill, their valor destroyed.
न शेकुश्चलितुं पद्भ्यां नास्त्राण्यादातुमेव च महाहिमनिपातेन शस्त्रैश्चन्द्रप्रचोदितैः
They were unable to move their feet or even take up their weapons, struck down by the great force and by missiles driven by the moon.
गात्राण्यसुरसैन्यानाम् अदह्यन्त समन्ततः महिषो निष्प्रयत्नस्तु शीतेनाकम्पिताननः
The bodies of the demon armies were burning everywhere; but the buffalo, exhausted, sat unmoving, his face unshaken by the cold.