सर्पैर्ज्वलद्भिर्धावद्भिर्भीमं भीमभुजंगवत्। जटासटाभिराकाशं फणिरत्नशिखार्चिषा
With blazing, darting serpents, dreadful as monstrous snakes, his matted locks filled the sky, crowned with the jeweled hoods of serpents.
दहन्नतीवतेजोभिः कालाग्निरिव संक्षये। मुखैर्दंष्ट्रांकुरांकैश्च द्वितीयेन्दुकलोज्ज्वलैः
Burning with intense radiance like the fire at the end of time, his faces shone with fangs and crescent moons, terrifying to behold.
पातालोदररूपाभैर्भैरवारावनादिभिः। भुजैरनेकसाहस्रैर्बहुशस्त्रकृतग्रहः
With forms as deep as the underworld, roaring like Bhairava and Arāva, his many thousands of arms grasped countless weapons.
बह्वाभरणभूषाढ्यै रणे घोरनिनादिभिः। सिंहचर्मपरीधानं व्याघ्रत्वगुत्तरीयकं
Adorned with many ornaments, resounding with dreadful noise in battle, he wore a lion's skin as a garment and a tiger hide as an upper cloth.
गजाजिनकृताटोपं पतद्भृंगरवाकुलं। ईदृग्रूपं विधायेशो दनुदैत्यभयावहं
The Lord assumed such a form, adorned with the majesty of an elephant hide, swarming with the hum of bees, bringing terror to the Daityas and Danavas.
अवातरन्महीं भीमो दनूनां क्षयकारकः। अंधासुरोपि दनुजः पुत्रं श्रुत्वा हतं युधि
That formidable one, the destroyer of the Danavas, descended to earth; and the blind Asura, hearing that his son had been slain in battle—
क्रोधेन तमसाविष्टो रणतूर्याण्यचोदयत्। संहत्यावहितः प्राप्तो यत्र ते त्रिदशाः स्थिताः
Overcome by anger and darkness, he ordered the war drums to sound; gathering his forces, he arrived where the gods were assembled.
महत्या सेनया सार्द्धं रथवारणयुक्तया। ते देवा दानवान्वीक्ष्य महाहवकृतादरान्
With a great army equipped with chariots and elephants, the gods, seeing the Danavas approaching with fierce intent for battle—
व्यपयाततनुत्राणाः शंभुं शरणमन्वयुः। मा भैरिति च तान्देवो देवानुक्त्वा त्रिलोचनः
Abandoning their slender armor, they sought refuge with Shambhu; and the three-eyed god said to them, 'Do not fear.'
गृहीत्वा शूलमातिष्ठद्दंष्ट्रारवधरो रुषा। अंधकेनाथ रुष्टेन शतकोटिशरैर्गणाः
Seizing his trident, his mouth agape with fangs in wrath, he stood ready; then Andhaka, enraged, struck down hosts of gods with a hundred million arrows.
निहताश्चापि देवानां बहूनामेकताकृतां। सस्फुलिंगार्चिषो वह्नेर्मुंचमानः पिनाकधृक्
Many gods, formed as one, were slain; the bearer of Pinaka, emitting sparks and flames like fire—
शरैः समावृतं चक्रे अंधकं रथगं ततः। दनुनाथो रथस्थोथ शिथिलः शिथिलायुधः
Then covered Andhaka, who was riding his chariot, with arrows; the lord of the Danavas, standing on his chariot, his weapons loosened and slack—
निमंत्र्य दानवान्सर्वान्स योद्धुमुपचक्रमे। बहुधा तद्बलं भग्नं विविधायुधयोधिभिः
Summoned all the Danavas and began to fight; that army was shattered in many ways by warriors wielding various weapons.
युधि वीरैर्हतं देवैः स्थाणुना सख्यमाश्रितैः। दानवश्चांधकः सैन्यं भिन्नं दृष्ट्वा कृतं सुरैः
In battle, the gods, allied with Sthanu, slew the heroic Danavas; Andhaka, seeing his army broken by the gods—
आत्मानं च महेशेन निरुद्धं बाणकोटिभिः। विह्वलीभूतदेहोसौ धैर्यमालंब्य केवलम्
And himself restrained by Mahesha with countless arrows, his body overwhelmed, relied solely on his courage.
पिनाकं चैव रुद्रस्य गृह्य रुद्रमताडयत्। पिनाकस्याभिघातेन रुद्रो भूमिमथागमत्
He seized Rudra's Pinaka and struck Rudra; by the blow of Pinaka, Rudra fell to the ground.
भूमौ निपातिते देवे चलितं भुवनत्रयं। तत्यजुः सागरा वेलां पर्वताः शिखराणि च
When the god fell to the earth, the three worlds trembled; the oceans abandoned their shores, and the mountains their peaks.
नक्षत्राणि वियोगीनि जग्मुर्मुक्तान्यनेकशः। पतिते भुवि देवेशे अंधको गदया पुनः
The stars, separated, fell in countless numbers; as the Lord of the gods lay on the ground, Andhaka again struck with his mace.
जघान रुषितो नागं हत्वा तं पातयद्भुवि। शिवं त्यक्त्वा नागराजः प्रपलाय्यान्यतो गतः
In anger, he struck the serpent; having slain it, he cast it to the ground; abandoning Shiva, the king of serpents fled elsewhere.
मुहूर्त्ताच्चेतनां लब्ध्वा उत्थितः परमेश्वरः। गृहीत्वा परशुं दिव्यं दानवं नैव पश्यति
After a moment, regaining consciousness, the Supreme Lord arose; taking up his divine axe, he could not see the Danava.
कृत्वा तु तामसीं मायां मायाशतविशारदः। तया विमोहिते देवे क्व नु वै दानवो गतः
Then, skilled in a hundred forms of illusion, he created a dark illusion; with the gods bewildered by it, he wondered where the Danava had gone.
शंभोर्भयमथो प्राप्य किं नु पापः करिष्यति। तमसा छादिता यावद्देवा व्याकुलतां गताः
Having caused fear to Shambhu, what evil might he do? While the gods, shrouded in darkness, were thrown into confusion.
संभ्रांतमानसानीकास्तदोचुः कार्यगौरवात्। एतस्मिन्नंतरे सूर्यस्तेजोरूपो व्यवस्थितः
Their minds agitated, that assembly spoke out of the gravity of the situation; in that very moment, the Sun, in the form of radiance, appeared.
उत्तस्थौ नररूपेण कुर्वन्वितिमिरा दिशः। नष्टे तमसि हृष्टाङ्गे खद्योते प्रकटे स्थिते
He rose up in human form, dispelling the darkness in all directions; as the gloom vanished and the firefly became visible, joy filled their limbs.
देवा मुदमवापुस्ते स्पष्टाननविलोचनाः। उद्दीप्तास्तु सुराः सर्वे गणाः स्कंदपुरोगमाः
The gods, with faces and eyes now clear, attained delight; all the shining hosts of the gods, with Skanda at their head, were radiant.
स्तुवंति विविधैस्तोत्रैः नररूपं दिवाकरम्। अनौपम्यं जगद्व्यापि ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्परम्
They praised the Sun in human form with various hymns—him who is incomparable, who pervades the universe, and who is beyond Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
स्निग्धविद्रुमसच्छायं सिंदूरारुणसप्रभम्। प्रभासंतं तदा दृष्ट्वा पंचांगालिंगितावनिः
Seeing him shining with the gentle hue of fresh coral and the brilliance of vermilion-red, the earth, embraced by the five elements, beheld him.
पुनः प्रणामप्रवणं प्रणिधानपुरःसरम्। आलोक्य स्निग्धया दृष्ट्या देवदेवं त्रिलोचनः
Again, with devotion and deep concentration, bowing low, the three-eyed Lord (Shiva) gazed upon the God of gods with a gentle look.
उवाच स्निग्धगंभीर वाचा देवं शनैर्हरः। पूरयन्निव तेजोभिर्भगवान्भुवनत्रयम्
With a gentle and deep voice, Hara (Shiva) slowly spoke to the God, as if filling the three worlds with his radiance.
दैत्यमायाभिपन्नानां दर्शनाकुलचेतसाम्। प्राणिनामिदमेवैकमविसंवादि दैवतम्
For beings afflicted by the illusions of demons and whose minds are troubled by visions, this alone is the unfailing divinity.