गन्धर्वा राक्षसा यक्षाः सकिंनरमहोरगाः नानाविधायुधाश्चित्रा दधाना हेमभूषणाः
Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Yakshas, Kinnaras, and great serpents, bearing various wondrous weapons and adorned with golden ornaments, assembled there.
कोटिशः कोटिशः कृत्वा वृन्दं चिह्नोपलक्षितम् विश्रामयन्तः स्वां कीर्तिं बन्दिवृन्दपुरःसराः चेरुर्दैत्यवधे हृष्टाः सहेन्द्राः सुरजातयः
Countless groups, marked with distinctive signs, led by bands of bards, joyfully paraded their own glory, delighted at the destruction of the demons, together with Indra and the divine hosts.
शतक्रतोरमरनिकायपालिता पताकिनी गजशतवाजिनादिता सितोन्नतध्वजपटकोटिमण्डिता बभूव सा दितिसुतशोकवर्धिनी
Indra's army, guarded by the immortal hosts, with banners, the roar of hundreds of elephants and horses, and adorned with countless lofty white flag-cloths, became a source of grief for the sons of Diti.
आयान्तीम् अवलोक्याथ सुरसेनां गजासुरः गजरूपी महाम्भोदसंघातो भाति भैरवः
Seeing the advancing army of the gods, the elephant-demon, in elephant form, appeared terrifying like a mass of great clouds.
परश्वधायुधो दैत्यो दंशितोष्ठकसंपुटः ममर्द च रणे देवांश् चिक्षेपान्यान्करेण तु
Armed with a battle-axe, the demon, his lips curled in rage, crushed the gods in battle and hurled others with his hand.
परान्परशुना जघ्ने दैत्येन्द्रो रौद्रविक्रमः तस्य पातयतः सेनां यक्षगन्धर्वकिंनराः
The demon king, fierce in valor, struck down his foes with his axe; as he destroyed their army, the Yakshas, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras—
मुमुचुः संहताः सर्वे चित्रशस्त्रास्त्रसंहतिम् पाशान् परश्वधांश्चक्रान् भिन्दिपालान् समुद्गरान्
All together released a mass of wondrous weapons and missiles: nooses, axes, discs, spears, and maces.
कुन्तान्प्रासान् असींस्तीक्ष्णान् मुद्गरांश्चापि दुःसहान् तान्सर्वान्सो ऽग्रसद्दैत्यः कवलानिव यूथपः
Javelins, lances, sharp swords, and formidable maces—all these the demon devoured like a herd-leader swallowing morsels.
कोपास्फालितदीर्घाग्रकरास्फोटेन पातयन् विचचार रणे देवान् दुष्प्रेक्ष्ये गजदानवः
With his long, furious trunk, striking and felling, the elephant-demon roamed the battlefield among the gods, dreadful to behold.
यस्मिन्यस्मिन्निपतति सुरवृन्दे गजासुरः तस्मिंस्तस्मिन्महाशब्दो हाहाकारकृतो ऽभवत्
Wherever the elephant-demon fell upon a group of gods, a great cry of lament arose in each place.
अथ विद्रवमाणं तद् बलं प्रेक्ष्य समन्ततः रुद्राः परस्परं प्रोचुर् अहंकारोत्थितार्चिषः
Then, seeing the army fleeing in all directions, the Rudras, their pride flaring, spoke among themselves.
भो भो गृह्णीत दैत्येन्द्रं मर्दतैनं हताश्रयम् कर्षतैनं शितैः शूलैर् भञ्जतैनं च मर्मसु
"Ho, ho! Seize the demon king! Crush him, whose refuge is destroyed! Drag him with sharp spears, break him at his vital points!"
कपाली वाक्यमाकर्ण्य शूलं शितशिखामुखम् संमार्ज्य वामहस्तेन संरम्भविवृतेक्षणः
Hearing these words, Kapali, his eyes wide with wrath, grasped his sharp-tipped spear with his left hand and wiped it clean.
अधावद्भृकुटीवक्रो दैत्येन्द्राभिमुखो रणे दृढेन मुष्टिबन्धेन शूलं विष्टभ्य निर्मलम्
With furrowed brow, Kapali rushed toward the demon king in battle, gripping his spotless spear firmly in his fist.
जघान कुम्भदेशे तु कपाली गजदानवम् ततो दशापि ते रुद्रा निर्मलायोमयै रणे
Kapālī struck the elephant-demon in the flank; then, all ten Rudras attacked in battle with flawless iron weapons.
जघ्नुः शूलैश्च दैत्येन्द्रं शैलवर्ष्माणमाहवे स्रुतशोणितरन्ध्रस्तु शितशूलमुखार्दितः
They pierced the lord of the demons, massive as a mountain, with spears in the conflict; blood flowed from his wounds, tormented by the sharp spear-points.
बभौ कृष्णच्छविर् दैत्यः शरदीवामलं सरः प्रोत्फुल्लारुणनीलाब्जसंघातः सर्वतोदिशम्
The demon, dark-hued, shone like a spotless autumn lake, surrounded on all sides by blooming red and blue lotuses.
भस्मशुभ्रतनुछायै रुद्रैर्हंसैरिवावृतः उपस्थितार्तिर्दैत्यो ऽथ प्रचलत्कर्णपल्लवः
His body, pale as ashes, was encircled by Rudras like swans; the demon, afflicted, approached, his ear-flaps quivering.
शंभुं बिभेद दशनैर् नाभिदेशे गजासुरः दृष्ट्वा सक्तं तु रुद्राभ्यां नव रुद्रास्ततो ऽद्भुतम्
The elephant-demon pierced Śambhu in the navel with his ten tusks; seeing him caught between two Rudras, the nine other Rudras performed a wondrous act.
ततक्षुर्विविधैः शस्त्रैः शरीरममरद्विषः निर्भया बलिनो युद्धे रणभूमौ व्यवस्थिताः
They struck the body of the foe of the immortals with various weapons, fearless and strong, standing firm on the battlefield.
मृतं महिषमासाद्य वने गोमायवो यथा कपालिनं परित्यज्य गतश्चासुरपुंगवः
Like jackals gathering around a dead buffalo in the forest, the chief of the demons abandoned Kapālī and departed.
वेगेन कुपितो दैत्यो नव रुद्रानुपाद्रवत् ममर्द चरणाघातैर् दन्तैश्चापि करेण च
Angered, the demon rushed at the nine Rudras with speed, trampling them with his feet, tusks, and trunk.
स तैस्तुमुलयुद्धेन श्रममासादितो यदा तदा कपाली जग्राह करं तस्यामरद्विषः
When he was exhausted by their fierce battle, Kapālī seized the hand of the enemy of the immortals.
भ्रामयामास वेगेन ह्य् अतीव च गजासुरम् दृष्ट्वा श्रमातुरं दैत्यं किंचित्स्फुरितजीवितम्
He whirled the elephant-demon violently; seeing the demon weary, barely alive, his life flickering.
निरुत्साहं रणे तस्मिन् गतयुद्धोत्सवोद्यमम् ततः पतत एवास्य चर्म चोत्कृत्य भैरवम्
In that battle, the demon lost all spirit, abandoning the effort for victory; then, as he fell, Kapālī tore off his hide, making it a terrifying garment.
स्रवत्सर्वाङ्गरक्तौघं चकाराम्बरमात्मनः दृष्ट्वा विनिहतं दैत्यं दानवेन्द्रा महाबलाः
With streams of blood flowing from every limb, Kapālī made a cloak for himself; seeing the demon slain, the mighty leaders of the demons—
वित्रेसुर्दुद्रुवुर्जग्मुर् निपेतुश्च सहस्रशः दृष्ट्वा कपालिनो रूपं गजचर्माम्बरावृतम्
Were terrified, fled, departed, and fell by the thousands, seeing Kapālī's form draped in the elephant-hide cloak.
दिक्षु भूमौ तमेवोग्रं रुद्रं दैत्या व्यलोकयन् एवं विलुलिते तस्मिन् दानवेन्द्रे महाबले
The demons beheld that fierce Rudra on the earth and in all directions; thus, as the mighty demon king was laid low—
द्विपाधिरूढो दैत्येन्द्रो हतदुन्दुभिना ततः कल्पान्ताम्बुधराभेण दुर्धरेणापि दानवः
The demon king, mounted on an elephant, with his drum destroyed, appeared like a storm-cloud at the end of an age, formidable even to the powerful.
निमिरभ्यपतत्तूर्णं सुरसैन्यानि लोडयन्
He swiftly charged, shaking the armies of the gods.