ध्वजातपर्त्रैर्गगनाबुराशेस्तरङ्गविद्युत्स्मरणं प्रकुर्वन्
With banners and pennants, he made the sky resemble a mass of clouds flashing with lightning.
सुरश्च युद्धाय पुरात्तथैव विनिर्ययुर्वज्रकरादयश्च
The gods too, along with those bearing thunderbolts and others, came forth for battle just as before.
कल्पान्तमेघानिर्धोषं डिण्डिंमध्वनिसंभ्रमम्
The tumult of drums resounded like the thunder of clouds at the end of an age.
देवाश्च दैत्यसेनासु संग्रामे ऽत्यन्तदारुणे
The gods engaged the Daitya armies in a battle of extreme ferocity.
इत्येवं सुमहान्घोषो वदतां सेनयोरभूत्
Thus arose a tremendous uproar from both armies as they shouted.
भाङ्कारैः स्यन्दनानां च बाणक्रेङ्गारनिःस्वनैः
With the rumbling of chariots and the sharp twang of arrows, the noise was immense.
टङ्गारैर्धनुषां चैव लोकः शब्दत्मयो ऽभवत्
With the clanging of bows and the crash of weapons, the world became filled with sound.
अकालप्रलयं मेने निरीक्ष्य सकलं जगत्
Observing this, all the world thought the untimely dissolution had come.
चलद्विद्युन्निभा रात्रिश्छादिता जलदैरिव
The night, veiled by clouds, shone with flashes like moving lightning.
नाराचैश्चूर्णयामासुर्वेवास्ते लघुविक्रमाः
The swift gods shattered their foes with iron arrows.
अश्वैरश्वांश्च केचित्तु गदादण्डैरथार्द्दयन्
Some struck horses with horses, while others battered with maces and staffs.
समुक्त्रान्तासवः केचिद्विमानानि समाश्रिताः
Some, having drunk the nectar, took refuge in their aerial chariots.
ते देवभावमापन्ना दैतेयान्समुपाद्रवन्
Having assumed divine forms, they rushed upon the Daityas.
शस्त्रैर्बहुविधैर्द्देवान्निजध्नुरतिदारुणाः शक्रस्यैश्वर्यमिच्छन्ती दैत्यानां च पराजयम्
The gods, fierce in battle, slew the Daityas with many kinds of weapons, desiring Indra’s sovereignty and the defeat of their foes.
परिधैश्छुरिकाभिश्च कुन्तैश्चक्रैश्च शङ्कुभिः
With fire-barriers, knives, spears, wheels, and spikes,
शक्त्योपलैः शतघ्रीभिः पाशैश्च तलमुष्टिभिः
With javelins, stones, hundred-slayers, nooses, and palm-sized weapons,
रथाश्वनागपदगैः सङ्कुलो ववृधे रणः
The battle grew crowded with chariots, horses, elephants, and foot soldiers.
एवमष्टसहस्राणि युद्धमासीत्सुदारुणम्
Thus, eight thousand fought in a most terrible war.
सुरलोकं परित्यतज्य सर्वे भीताः प्रदुद्रुवुः
All, abandoning the realm of the gods, fled in fear.
वैरोचनिस्त्रिभुवनं नारायणपरायणः
Vairochani, devoted to Narayana, ruled over the three worlds.
इत्याज चाश्वमेघैः स विष्णुप्रीणनतत्परः
He performed horse sacrifices, intent on pleasing Vishnu.
देवानां प्रीणनार्थाय यैः क्रियन्ते द्विजैर्मखाः
For the sake of pleasing the gods, sacrifices are performed by twice-born men.
अदितिः स्वात्मजान्वीक्ष्य देवमातातिदुःखिता
Aditi, mother of the gods, seeing her own sons, was deeply distressed.
किञ्चित्कालं समासीना तिष्टन्ती च ततः परम्
For some time she remained seated, and then continued to stay.
कञ्चित्कालं फलाहारा ततः शीर्णदलाशना
For some time she subsisted on fruit, then on fallen leaves.
सञ्चिदानन्दसन्दोहं ध्यायत्यात्मानमत्मना
She meditated upon the essence of bliss, contemplating the Self by the Self.
दुरन्तं तत्तपः श्रुत्वा दैतेया मायिनो ऽदितिम्
Hearing of her relentless austerity, the deceitful Daityas approached Aditi.
किमर्थं तप्यते मातः शरीरपरिशोषणम्
Mother, for what purpose do you perform austerity, exhausting your body?
त्यजेदं दुःखबहुलं कायशोषणकारणम्
Abandon this, so full of suffering, which causes the wasting of the body.
शरीरं यन्ततो रक्ष्यं धर्मसाधनतत्परैः
The body must be protected by those intent on the pursuit of dharma.