वीरभद्रस्ततो दृष्ट्वा वानरर्षिसुरादनम् । पंचाशद्योजनशिलां करेणादाय तं रुषा
Virabhadra, seeing the devouring of monkeys, sages, and gods, in anger took a rock fifty yojanas wide in his hand—
निजघान शिरोमध्ये मध्यमं पतितं शिरः । तत आदाय शैलस्य शृंगं तच्छतयोजनम्
He struck him in the middle of his heads, and the middle head fell; then, taking the peak of a mountain a hundred yojanas high—
स्थापयित्वा दृढतरं राक्षसेंद्रं तथाहरत् । राक्षसोऽथ बभाषे तं वीरभद्रं त्रिलोचनम्
Having firmly placed the king of the rakshasas, he then carried him away; the rakshasa spoke to Virabhadra, the three-eyed one.
मम बाहुबलं पश्य वीक्षितं त्वद्बलं मया । असिद्वयं तैलधौतं पंचाशद्योजनोन्नतम्
Behold my strength of arms; I have observed your power. Here are two swords, oiled and polished, fifty yojanas in height.
एकयोजनविस्तारं सुदृढं लक्षणान्वितम् । एकं गृहाणाभिमतं विशिष्टं तन्ममप्रियम्
Each is one yojana wide, exceedingly strong and marked with auspicious signs. Choose whichever you desire; the one you prefer is yours.
वीरभद्रस्तथेत्युक्त्वा गृहीत्वासिं महाबलः । करेणाचालयत्तीक्ष्णं क्ष्वेलीं चक्रे ततः क्रुधा
Virabhadra replied, 'So be it,' and, taking up the sword with great strength, he brandished the sharp blade in his hand and roared in anger.
गृहीतासिस्तथा क्ष्वेलद्यं चक्रे राक्षसपुंगवः । वीरभद्रं समभ्येत्य कंठं प्रतिसमर्पयत्
The foremost rakshasa likewise seized his sword, roared fiercely, and, approaching Virabhadra, pressed it against his neck.
तद्गात्रं भिन्नमभवच्छोणितं निर्गतं बहु । राक्षसस्त्वेकहस्तेन पपौ तच्छोणितं ततः
His body was wounded and much blood flowed out; the rakshasa, with one hand, drank that blood.
वीरभद्रः कंठदेशे राक्षसं प्राहरद्रुषा । शिरोद्वयं तथाच्छिन्नं पतमानं ततोऽग्रहीत्
Virabhadra struck the rakshasa at the neck in anger, and cut off both his heads, then caught them as they fell.
न्यभक्षयदमेयात्मा सिंहनादं चकार ह । तेन नादेन महता क्षुब्धमासीज्जगत्त्रयम्
He devoured them, his immeasurable spirit unleashed, and let out a lion's roar; by that great sound, the three worlds were shaken.
अन्योन्यमसिघातेन भिन्नगात्रौ विकस्वरौ । किंशुकाविव दृश्येते पुष्पितौ रुधिरोक्षितौ
Striking each other with swords, their bodies wounded and shining, they appeared like blossoming kimshuka trees, drenched in blood.
वर्षमेकं तु संयुध्य सासीदेवासुरौ तदा । अतःपरं वर्षमेकं गदायुद्धमभूत्तयोः
For one year they fought with swords, gods and asuras alike; thereafter, for another year, they battled with maces.
असिपुत्रिकया पश्चाद्वर्षमेकमभूद्रणः । पुनर्गृहीत्वासियुगं युयुधाते परस्परम्
Then, for a year, they fought with sword-daughters; again, taking up pairs of swords, they fought each other.
शं ब्रुवाणो महाखड्गं दंष्ट्राकारो गणेश्वरः । सरोषरक्तनयनश्चालयित्वासिमग्रतः
Proclaiming victory, the lord of the ganas, tusked in form, with eyes red and furious, brandished his sword before him.
तस्य कंठवनं सर्वं चिच्छेद कदलद्यं यथा । शिरांसि सर्वाण्यादाय बभक्ष भगनेत्रहा
He cut through the entire neck region like a banana stalk; taking all the heads, he devoured them, the destroyer of Bhaga's eyes.
तस्य गात्रं कररुहैर्विदार्याहृत्य देवताः । कपींद्रौ च तथा चान्या अद्राक्षीत्परमेश्वरीम्
Tearing his body with their nails and carrying it away, the gods, the two monkey chiefs, and others beheld the supreme goddess.
एतद्युद्धं महाघोरं नारदो वीक्ष्य चाभ्यगात् । ब्रह्मणे वासुदेवाय शंकराय व्यजिज्ञपत्
Witnessing this terrible battle, Narada approached and reported it to Brahma, Vasudeva, and Shankara.
मुनयो रक्षिता देवा वालिसुग्रीव वानरौ । एतौ संजीवयामास ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकः
The sages, the gods, and the monkeys Vali and Sugriva were protected; Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva revived them.
रक्षसे शंभुना दत्तो वरः परमदारुणः । हिरण्यकशिपोराज्ये बलवानेक राक्षसः
Shambhu granted the rakshasa a boon, exceedingly dreadful; in Hiranyakashipu's kingdom, the rakshasa became powerful.
देवैः सार्द्धं तु युयुधे वर्षाणां शतमद्भुतम् । पलायिताश्च बहुधा मृताश्च शतशोसुराः
He fought together with the gods for a hundred years, wondrously; many fled, and hundreds of asuras were slain.
शुक्रेण रक्षितः सोऽथ गुरुणाचिंतयत्त्विदम् । मृतोऽस्मि शतशः शुक्र जीवितोऽस्मि त्वयैव हि
Protected by Śukra, then by my teacher, I reflected thus: 'Śukra, I have died hundreds of times, and by you alone have I been restored to life.'
अमृत्यवे त्वमेतस्मादुदरस्थमृताय च । अन्यथा मरणं मह्यं भविष्यति न संशयः
You are the cause of my being deathless and of my rebirth from the womb; otherwise, without doubt, death would have come to me.
गुरो यमेन साकं मे युद्धमासीत्सुदारुणम् । मयासौ ग्रसितो युद्धे यमराजः प्रतापवान्
O teacher, I fought a fierce battle with Yama; in that fight, I swallowed the mighty Lord of Death.
ममोदरं प्रविश्यासौ बिभेद च ननाद च । अहं मृतस्तदा चासं त्वया संजीवितः पुनः
He entered my belly, tore it open, and roared; at that time I died, but you revived me again.
तस्मादुदरसंस्थानां मरणाय तपे तपः । शुक्र उवाच- एवमेतन्न संदेहो यथावत्त्वं समाचर
Therefore, I will perform austerity for the destruction of those who dwell in the belly.' Śukra said: 'So be it, there is no doubt; act accordingly.'
स्यमंतपंचकं तीर्थं तत्र त्वं तप्तुमर्हसि । राक्षस उवाच- तपे महत्तपो घोरं यन्न चीर्णं सुरासुरैः
You should undertake austerity at the holy place called Syamantapañcaka.' The Rākṣasa said: 'I will perform a great and terrible penance, such as neither gods nor demons have accomplished.'
गुल्फप्रदेशे पादान्ते त्वयःपाशैः प्रबध्य च । अयःस्तंभयुगं कृत्वा अयःपट्टिकयान्वितम्
Binding my feet at the ankles with iron chains, making a pair of iron pillars joined by an iron band,
पट्टिकायां पादबंधं कृत्वाधः शीर्षतां तथा । विवृतास्यं तथा कल्पं कृत्वाधोमुखमुच्चकैः
fastening my feet to the band, hanging with my head downward, mouth open, and remaining thus for a long time,
स्तंभोत्तरेण ज्वालायां चक्रिकायामितस्ततः । अधःशिरास्तथा तिष्ठन्नुन्मील्यैव विलोचने
standing with my head down, eyes open, between the pillars, in the midst of flames and a revolving wheel,
एवं तपश्चरिष्यामि वरदः कोपि मे भवेत् । ब्रह्मा वा वरदः सोऽस्तु शंकरो विष्णुरेव च
thus I will perform austerity; may some bestower of boons grant me a boon—be it Brahmā, Śaṅkara, or Viṣṇu.