दानवा दैवतैः सार्द्धं नानाप्रहरणोद्यमाः। समीयुर्युध्यमाना वै पर्वता इव पर्वतैः1.41.
The Dānavas, together with the gods, eager with various weapons, came together to fight, like mountains clashing with mountains.
तत्सुरासुरसंयुक्तं युद्धमत्यद्भुतं बभौ। धर्माधर्मसमायुक्तं दर्पेण विनयेन च
That wondrous battle, joined by gods and asuras, shone forth, filled with both righteousness and unrighteousness, with pride and with humility.
ततो हयैः प्रजवितैर्वारणैश्च प्रचोदितैः। उत्पतद्भिश्च गगने सासिहस्तैः समंततः
Then, with swift horses and urged elephants, leaping into the sky all around, bearing swords in hand,
क्षिप्यमाणैश्च मुसलैः संपतद्भिश्च सायकैः। चापैर्विस्फार्यमाणैश्च पात्यमानैः सुदारुणैः
With maces being hurled, arrows flying, and bows being drawn, terrible missiles were cast down.
तद्युद्धमभवद्घोरं देवदानवसंकुलम्। जगतस्त्रासजननं युगसंवर्तकोपमम्
That battle became dreadful, filled with gods and demons, causing terror in the world, resembling the destruction at the end of an age.
स्वहस्तमुक्तैः परिघैर्मुद्गरैश्चैव पर्वतैः। दानवास्समरे जघ्नुर्देवानिंद्रपुरोगमान्
With iron clubs, mallets, and even mountains hurled from their own hands, the demons struck the gods led by Indra in the fight.
ते वध्यमाना बलिभिर्दानवैर्जितकाशिभिः। विषण्णवदना देवा जग्मुरार्तिं परां मृधे
Struck down by the powerful demons, conquerors of hosts, the gods, their faces despondent, fell into great distress in battle.
ते चास्त्रशूलमथिताः परिघैर्भिन्नमस्तकाः। भिन्नोरस्का दितिसुतैः स्रवद्रक्ता रणे बहु
Crushed by weapons and spears, their heads split by clubs, their chests shattered by the sons of Diti, the gods bled profusely on the battlefield.
सूदिताः शरजालैश्च निर्यत्नाश्च शरैः कृताः। प्रविष्टा दानवीं मायां न शेकुस्ते विचेष्टितम्
Slain by showers of arrows, rendered helpless by missiles, entering the demons’ illusion, they could not move or act.
उत्तंभितमिवाभाति निष्प्राण सदृशाकृति। बलं सुराणामसुरैर्निष्प्रयत्नायुधं कृतम्
The army of the gods, made lifeless and weaponless by the demons, appeared as if propped up, resembling forms without life.
दैत्यचापच्युतान्घोरांश्छित्वा वज्रेण तान्शरान्। शक्रो दैत्यबलं घोरं विवेश बहुलोचनः
Having cut those fierce arrows shot from the bows of the Daityas with his thunderbolt, Shakra, the many-eyed, entered the terrible host of the Daityas.
स दैत्यप्रमुखान्सर्वान्हत्वा दैत्यबलं महत्। तामसेनास्त्रजालेन तमोभूतमथाकरोत्
Having slain all the Daityas led by their chiefs, he made that great army of Daityas enveloped in darkness with a net of Tamasa weapons.
तेऽन्योन्यं नान्वबुध्यंत दैत्यानां वाहनानि च। घोरेण तमसाविष्टाः पुरुहूतस्य तेजसा
Overwhelmed by that terrible darkness created by Puruhuta’s energy, they could not recognize one another or the vehicles of the Daityas.
मायापाशैर्विमुक्तास्तु यत्नवंतः सुरोत्तमाः। शिरांसि दैत्यसंघानां तमोभूतान्यपातयन्
Freed from the bonds of illusion, the best of the gods, exerting themselves, struck down the heads of the groups of Daityas, now enveloped in darkness.
अपध्वस्ता विसंज्ञाश्च तमसा नीलवर्चसा। पेतुस्ते दानवास्सद्यश्छिन्नपक्षा इवाद्रयः
Shattered and senseless by the dark, blue-glowing gloom, the Daityas fell at once, like mountains with their wings cut off.
तत्राभिभूतदैत्यैंद्रमंधकारमिवांतरं। दानवं देहसदनं तमोभूतमिवाभवत्
There, with the Daityas overcome, the abode of the Daityas became like an inner darkness, as if their very bodies were turned to gloom.
तथाऽसृजन्महामायां मयस्तां तामसीं दहन्। युगांतोद्योतजननीं सृष्टा मौर्वेण वह्निना
Then Maya created a great illusion, that dark and fiery one, produced by the Maurvi fire, which brings about the radiance of the end of an age.
स ददाह च तां शाक्रीं माया मयविकल्पिता। दैत्याश्चादित्यवपुषा सद्य उत्तस्थुराहवे
He burned that Shakra-created illusion, fashioned by Maya, and the Daityas, taking on the form of the sun, immediately rose up in battle.
मायां मौर्वीं समासाद्य दह्यमाना दिवौकसः। भेजिरे चंद्रविषयं शीतांशुसलिलह्रदम्
Coming into contact with the Maurvi illusion, burning, the gods fled to the region of the moon, to the cool lake of the moon’s waters.
ते दह्यमाना और्वेण वह्निना नष्टचेतसः। शशंसुर्वज्रिणं देवाः संतप्ताः शरणैषिणः
Burned by the Aurva fire, their minds lost, the gods, scorched and seeking refuge, reported to the wielder of the thunderbolt.
संतप्ते मायया सैन्ये हन्यमाने च दानवैः। चोदितो देवराजेन वरुणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
When the army was afflicted by illusion and being slain by the Daityas, Varuṇa, prompted by the king of the gods, spoke these words:
पुरा ब्रह्मर्षिजः शक्र तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्। उर्वः स पूर्वं तेजस्वी सदृशो ब्रह्मणो गुणैः
Long ago, O Indra, a son of a Brahmarṣi performed severe austerities; he was radiant, equal to Brahmā in qualities.
तं तपंतमिवादित्यं तपसा जगदव्ययं। उपतस्थुर्मुनिगणा देवा देवर्षिभिः सह
As he practiced austerity like the blazing sun, sustaining the imperishable world through his penance, hosts of sages and gods, along with divine seers, approached him.
हिरण्यकशिपुश्चैव दानवो दानवेश्वरः। ॠषिं विज्ञापयामास पुरा परमतेजसम्
Hiraṇyakaśipu, the lord of the Daityas, once approached that sage of supreme brilliance.
ऊचुर्ब्रह्मर्षयस्ते तु वचनं धर्मसंहितम्। ॠषिवंशेषु भगवंश्छिन्नमूलमिदं कुलं
Then those Brahmarṣis spoke words imbued with righteousness: 'O revered one, in the lineage of sages, this family has had its roots cut off.'
एकस्त्वमनपत्यश्च गोत्रा याऽन्यो न विद्यते। कौमारं व्रतमास्थाय क्लेशमेवानुवर्तसे
'You alone remain, without offspring, and there is no other of your lineage; having adopted the vow of celibacy from youth, you continue only in hardship.'
बहूनि विप्रगोत्राणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्। एकदेहानि तिष्ठंति विविक्तानि विना प्रजाः
'Many Brāhmaṇa lineages of self-controlled sages exist as solitary bodies, distinct and without progeny.'
एवंभूतेषु सर्वेषु पुत्रैर्मे नास्ति कारणम्। भवांश्च तापसश्रेष्ठः प्रजापति समद्युतिः
'With all these being so, there is no reason for my sons; and you, best of ascetics, are equal in splendor to a progenitor.'
तत्प्रवर्तस्व वंशाय वर्धयात्मानमात्मना। समाधत्स्वोर्जितं तेजो द्वितीयां कुरु वै तनुं
'Therefore, set forth to continue your lineage, increase yourself by yourself; establish your hard-won energy, and create a second body.'
स एवमुक्तो मुनिभिर्मुनिर्मनसि ताडितः। जगर्ह तानृषिगणान्वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by the sages, the sage, struck in his mind, reproached those groups of seers and spoke these words: