तमन्वयुर्देवगणा मुनयश्च समाहिताः गीर्भिः परममन्त्राभिस् तुष्टुवुश्च जनार्दनम्
The hosts of gods and concentrated sages followed him, praising Janardana with words and supreme mantras.
तद्वैश्रवणसंश्लिष्टं वैवस्वतपुरःसरम् द्विजराजपरिक्षिप्तं देवराजविराजितम्
That assembly, embraced by Vaishravana and led by Vaivasvata, surrounded by the king of brahmins and graced by the king of gods, shone forth.
चन्द्रप्रभाभिर्विपुलं युद्धाय समवर्तत पवनाविद्धनिर्घोषं संप्रदीप्तहुताशनम्
Vast with the radiance of the moon, it assembled for battle, roaring with wind-driven sounds and blazing like kindled fire.
विष्णोर्जिष्णोश्च भ्राजिष्णोस् तेजसा तमसावृतम् बलं बलवदुद्वृत्तं युद्धाय समवर्तत
The army of Vishnu, the victorious and radiant one, enveloped in darkness by its own power, rose up, mighty and tumultuous, ready for battle.
स्वस्त्यस्तु देवेभ्य इति बृहस्पतिरभाषत स्वस्त्यस्तु दानवानीक उशना वाक्यमाददे
Brihaspati spoke, 'May there be welfare for the gods,' and Ushanas replied, 'May there be welfare for the host of Danavas.'
ताभ्यां बलाभ्यां संजज्ञे तुमुलो विग्रहस्तदा सुराणामसुराणां च परस्परजयैषिणाम्
Then, from those two mighty hosts, a tumultuous conflict arose, as gods and asuras sought victory over one another.
दानवा दैवतैः सार्धं नानाप्रहरणोद्यताः समीयुर्युध्यमाना वै पर्वता इव पर्वतैः
The Danavas, together with the gods, armed with various weapons, engaged in battle, like mountains clashing with mountains.
तत्सुरासुरसंयुक्तं युद्धमत्यद्भुतं बभौ धर्माधर्मसमायुक्तं दर्पेण विनयेन च
That battle, joined by gods and asuras, was truly wondrous, mingled with righteousness and unrighteousness, with pride and with humility.
ततो रथैर्विप्रयुक्तैर् वारणैश्च प्रचोदितैः उत्पतद्भिश्च गगनम् असिहस्तैः समन्ततः
Then, with chariots separated, elephants driven forward, and sword-bearers leaping into the sky on all sides—
क्षिप्यमाणैश्च मुसलैः संपतद्भिश्च सायकैः चापैर्विस्फार्यमाणैश्च पात्यमानैश्च मुद्गरैः
With maces being hurled, arrows flying, bows being drawn, and clubs being cast down—
तद्युद्धमभवद्घोरं देवदानवसंकुलम् जगतस्त्रासजननं युगसंवर्तकोपमम्
That battle became terrible, filled with gods and Danavas, causing terror in the world, resembling the destruction at the end of an age.
हस्तमुक्तैश्च परिघैर् विप्रयुक्तैश्च पर्वतैः दानवाः समरे जघ्नुर् देवानिन्द्रपुरोगमान्
With iron clubs thrown by hand and mountains cast aside, the Danavas struck the gods in battle, with Indra at their head.
ते वध्यमाना बलिभिर् दानवैर्जितकाशिभिः विषण्णवदना देवा जग्मुरार्तिं परां मृधे
Assailed by the Daityas, mighty and conquerors of the regions, the gods, their faces fallen, entered into great distress in battle.
ते ऽस्त्रशूलप्रमथिताः परिघैर्भिन्नमस्तकाः भिन्नोरस्का दितिसुतैर् वेमू रक्तं व्रणैर्बहु
Struck down by weapons and spears, their heads shattered by iron clubs, their chests broken by the sons of Diti, the gods fell, blood flowing from many wounds.
वेष्टिताः शरजालैश्च निर्यत्नाश्चासुरैः कृताः प्रविष्टा दानवीं मायां न शेकुस्ते विचेष्टितुम्
Enveloped in showers of arrows and rendered helpless by the Asuras, caught in the illusion of the Daityas, they were unable to move.
अस्तं गतमिवाभाति निष्प्राणसदृशाकृति बलं सुराणामसुरैर् निष्प्रयत्नायुधं कृतम्
The army of the gods, made powerless and weaponless by the Asuras, appeared as if the sun had set, their forms resembling those without life.
दैत्यचापच्युतान् घोरांश् छित्त्वा वज्रेण ताञ्छरान् शक्रो दैत्यबलं घोरं विवेश बहुलोचनः
Indra, wide-eyed, cut down those terrible arrows shot from the Daityas' bows with his thunderbolt, and entered the fierce Daitya army.
स दैत्यप्रमुखान्हत्वा तद्दानवबलं महत् तामसेनास्त्रजालेन तमोभूतमथाकरोत्
Having slain the foremost Daityas and that great host of Dānavas, he made it shrouded in darkness with a net of Tamasic weapons.
ते ऽन्योन्यं नावबुध्यन्त देवानां वाहनानि च घोरेण तमसाविष्टाः पुरुहूतस्य तेजसा
Overwhelmed by that dreadful darkness created by Puruhūta's (Indra's) power, they could not recognize one another or even the vehicles of the gods.
मायापाशैर्विमुक्तास्तु यत्नवन्तः सुरोत्तमाः वपूंषि दैत्यसिंहानां तमोभूतान्यपातयन्
Freed from the bonds of illusion, the best of the gods, striving with effort, struck down the bodies of the Daitya leaders, which had become shrouded in darkness.
अपध्वस्ता विसंज्ञाश्च तमसा नीलवर्चसा पेतुस्ते दानवगणाश् छिन्नपक्षा इवाद्रयः
The Daitya hosts, scattered and senseless, their brilliance darkened, fell like mountains with their wings cut off.
तद्घनीभूतदैत्येन्द्रम् अन्धकार इवार्णवे दानवं देवकदनं तमोभूतमिवाभवत्
That Daitya lord, thick with darkness like the ocean at night, became as if the slayer of gods himself was enveloped in gloom.
तदासृजन्महामायां मयस्तां तामसीं दहन् युगान्तोद्योतजननीं सृष्टामौर्वेण वह्निना
Then Maya created a great illusion, Tamasic and blazing, produced by Aurva fire, like the fire that appears at the end of an age.
सा ददाह ततः सर्वान् माया मयविकल्पिता दैत्याश्चादित्यवपुषः सद्य उत्तस्थुराहवे
That illusion, fashioned by Maya, burned all the gods; and the Daityas, assuming the forms of the sun, immediately rose up in the battle.
मायामौर्वीं समासाद्य दह्यमाना दिवौकसः भेजिरे चन्द्रविषयं शीतांशुसलिलप्रदम्
Afflicted by the Aurva illusion and burning, the gods sought the realm of the moon, which gives coolness and water.
ते दह्यमाना ह्यौर्वेण वह्निना नष्टचेतसः शशंसुर्वज्रिणं देवाः संतप्ताः शरणैषिणः
Burning with the Aurva fire, their minds lost, the gods, tormented and seeking refuge, appealed to the wielder of the thunderbolt.
संतते मायया सैन्ये हन्यमाने च दानवैः चोदितो देवराजेन वरुणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
As the army was being destroyed by the Daityas and enveloped in illusion, Varuṇa, urged by the king of the gods, spoke these words.
पुरा ब्रह्मर्षिजः शक्र तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ऊर्वः सपूर्वतेजस्वी सदृशो ब्रह्मणो गुणैः
Once, O Indra, the sage Aurva, born of Brahmarshis, performed severe austerities, radiant with former brilliance, equal to Brahmā in qualities.
तं तपन्तमिवादित्यं तपसा जगदव्ययम् उपतस्थुर्मुनिगणा दिव्या देवर्षिभिः सह
As he performed austerities like the blazing sun, the hosts of divine sages, along with the Devarṣis, approached him.
हिरण्यकशिपुश्चैव दानवो दानवेश्वरः ऋषिं विज्ञापयामासुः पुरा परमतेजसम्
And Hiraṇyakaśipu, the lord of the Dānavas, once approached that sage of supreme brilliance and made his request.