संरम्भेणाप्ययुध्यन्त संहतास्तुमुलेन च गतिं न विविदुश्चापि श्रान्ता दैत्यस्य देवताः
Even with great fury, they fought together in tumultuous battle, yet the gods, exhausted by the demon, could not discern a way forward.
दैत्यास्त्रभिन्नसर्वाङ्गा ह्य् अकिंचित्करतां गताः परस्परं व्यलीयन्त गावः शीतार्दिता इव
With all their limbs shattered by the demon's weapons, rendered powerless, they mingled together like cows afflicted by cold.
तदवस्थान्हरिर्दृष्ट्वा देवाञ्छक्रमुवाच ह ब्रह्मास्त्रं स्मर देवेन्द्र यस्यावध्यो न विद्यते विष्णुना चोदितः शक्रः सस्मारास्त्रं महौजसम्
Seeing their condition, Hari spoke to the gods: 'O Indra, recall the Brahma weapon, for none can withstand it.' Prompted by Vishnu, Indra remembered that mighty weapon.
सम्पूजितं नित्यमरातिनाशनं समाहितं बाणममित्रघातने धनुष्यजय्ये विनियोज्य बुद्धिमान् अभूत्ततो मन्त्रसमाधिमानसः
Always honored, the destroyer of enemies, focused on the arrow for slaying foes, the wise one placed it upon the bow, his mind absorbed in mantra and concentration.
स मन्त्रमुच्चार्य यतान्तराशयो वधाय दैत्यस्य धियाभिसंध्य तु विकृष्य कर्णान्तम् अकुण्ठदीधितिं मुमोच वीक्ष्याम्बरमार्गमुन्मुखः
Reciting the mantra, with his mind firmly controlled, aiming to kill the demon, he drew the arrow to his ear, its brilliance undiminished, and released it, his gaze fixed on its path through the sky.
अथासुरः प्रेक्ष्य महास्त्रमाहितं विहाय मायामवनौ व्यतिष्ठत प्रवेपमानेन मुखेन शुष्यता बलेन गात्रेण च संभ्रमाकुलः
Then the demon, seeing the great weapon deployed, abandoned his illusions and stood in the forest, his face trembling, his strength fading, his body shaken and confused.
ततस्तु तस्यास्त्रवराभिमन्त्रितः शरो ऽर्धचन्द्रप्रतिमो महारणे पुरंदरस्यासनबन्धुतां गतो नवार्कबिम्बं वपुषा विडम्बयन्
Then, empowered by the supreme mantra, Indra's arrow, shaped like a half-moon, entered the great battle, imitating the new sun's disk with its form.
किरीटकोटिस्फुटकान्तिसंकटं सुगन्धिनानाकुसुमाधिवासितम् प्रकीर्णधूमज्वलनाभमूर्धजं पपात जम्भस्य शिरः सकुण्डलम्
With its dazzling brilliance at the crest, fragrant with many flowers, scattered with smoke and blazing hair, the arrow struck Jambha's head, knocking off his crown and earrings.
तस्मिन्विनिहते जम्भे दानवेन्द्राः पराङ्मुखाः ततस्ते भग्नसंकल्पाः प्रययुर्यत्र तारकः
When Jambha was slain, the demon leaders turned away; their resolve broken, they went to where Tāraka was.
तांस्तु त्रस्तान्समालोक्य श्रुत्वारोषमगात्परम् स जम्भदानवेन्द्रं तु सुरै रणमुखे हतम्
Seeing them terrified and hearing their report, he grew intensely angry, learning that Jambha, the demon lord, had been killed by the gods in battle.
सावलेपं ससंरम्भं सगर्वं सपराक्रमम् साविष्कारमनाकारं तारको भावमाविशत्
Tāraka was filled with arrogance, wrath, pride, and valor; his feelings openly displayed, his demeanor fierce.
स जैत्रं रथमास्थाय सहस्रेण गरुत्मताम् संरम्भाद्दानवेन्द्रस्तु सुरै रणमुखे गतः
He mounted his victorious chariot, accompanied by a thousand Garuda-bannered warriors, and, driven by rage, the demon lord entered the battlefield against the gods.
सर्वायुधपरिष्कारः सर्वास्त्रपरिरक्षितः त्रैलोक्यऋद्धिसम्पन्नः सुविस्तृतमहाननः
Fully equipped with all weapons, protected by every missile, possessing the wealth of the three worlds, his vast mouth wide open.
रणायाभ्यपतत्तूर्णं सैन्येन महता वृतः जम्भास्त्रक्षतसर्वाङ्गं त्यक्त्वैरावतदन्तिनम्
He rushed swiftly to battle, surrounded by a great army, his body wounded by Jambha's weapon, abandoning his elephant Airavata.
सज्जं मातलिना गुप्तं रथमिन्द्रस्य तेजसा तप्तहेमपरिष्कारं महारत्नसमन्वितम्
Indra's chariot, guarded by Matali, was ready, adorned with glowing gold and set with great jewels.
चतुर्योजनविस्तीर्णं सिद्धसंघपरिष्कृतम् गन्धर्वकिंनरोद्गीतम् अप्सरोनृत्यसंकुलम्
Four yojanas wide, decorated by groups of siddhas, sung by Gandharvas and Kinnaras, crowded with dancing apsaras and men.
सर्वायुधम् असंबाधं विचित्ररचनोज्ज्वलम् तं रथं देवराजस्य परिवार्य समन्ततः
Armed with all weapons, spacious and brilliantly crafted, that chariot of the king of gods was surrounded on all sides.
दंशिता लोकपालास्तु तस्थुः सगरुडध्वजाः ततश्चचाल वसुधा ततो रूक्षो मरुद्ववौ
The guardians of the worlds stood ready, bearing Garuda banners; then the earth trembled, and a harsh wind blew.
ततो ऽम्बुधय उद्भूतास् ततो नष्टा रविप्रभा ततस्तमः समुद्भूतं नातो ऽदृश्यन्त तारकाः
Then the oceans surged, the sun's light vanished, darkness arose, and the stars were no longer visible.
ततो जज्वलुरस्त्राणि ततो ऽकम्पत वाहिनी एकतस्तारको दैत्यः सुरसंघस्तु चैकतः
Then the weapons blazed, the armies shook; on one side was Tāraka the demon, and on the other, the host of gods.
लोकावसादमेकत्र जगत्पालनमेकतः चराचराणि भूतानि सुरासुरविभेदतः
The decline of the worlds was on one side, the preservation of the universe on the other; all beings, moving and unmoving, were divided into gods and demons.
तद्द्विधाप्येकतां यातं ददृशुः प्रेक्षका इव यद्वस्तु किंचिल् लोकेषु त्रिषु सत्तास्वरूपकम् तत् तत्रादृश्यद् अखिलं खिलीभूतविभूतिकम्
Even that duality became unity, as if spectators beheld it; whatever entity exists in the three worlds as the essential nature of existence, all that appeared there, manifesting as the totality of powers.
अस्त्राणि तेजांसि धनानि धैर्यं सेनाबलं वीर्यपराक्रमौ च सत्त्वौजसां तन्निकरं बभूव सुरासुराणां तपसो बलेन
Weapons, energies, treasures, courage, the strength of armies, valor and prowess, and the assemblage of all vital powers—these belonged to the gods and demons by the force of their austerity.
अथाभिमुखम् आयान्तं नवभिर्नतपर्वभिः बाणैरनलकल्पाग्रैर् बिभिदुस्तारकं हृदि
Then, as Tāraka advanced, they struck him in the heart with nine arrows whose tips blazed like fire, bent at the joints.
स तानचिन्त्य दैत्येन्द्रः सुरबाणान्गतान्हृदि नवभिर्नवभिर्बाणैः सुरान्विव्याध दानवः
That lord of the Daityas, unperturbed, struck the gods with nine arrows each, aiming at their hearts, with the very arrows that had entered his own.
जगद्धरणसम्भूतैः शल्यैरिव पुरःसरैः ततो ऽच्छिन्नं शरव्रातं संग्रामे मुमुचुः सुराः
With darts born of the world's support leading the way, the gods then released an unbroken shower of arrows in battle.
अनन्तरं च कान्तानाम् अश्रुपातमिवानिशम् तदप्राप्तं वियत्येव नाशयामास दानवः
Immediately after, as if it were the ceaseless fall of beloveds' tears, the demon destroyed those arrows in the sky before they could reach him.
शरैर्यथा कुचरितैः प्रख्यातं परमागतम् सुनिर्मलं क्रमायातं कुपुत्रः स्वं महाकुलम्
Just as a wicked son, by his misdeeds, destroys the renowned, pure, and well-established great lineage into which he is born, so too were those arrows.
ततो निवार्य तद्बाणजालं सुरभुजेरितम् बाणैर्व्योम दिशः पृथ्वीं पूरयामास दानवः
Then, blocking that volley of arrows sent by the gods, the demon filled the sky, the directions, and the earth with his own arrows.
चिछेद पुङ्खदेशेषु स्वके स्थाने च लाघवात् बाणजालैः सुतीक्ष्णाग्रैः कङ्कबर्हिणवाजितैः
With showers of arrows, sharp-pointed and fletched with vulture and peacock feathers, he swiftly cut them at the very base and in their places.