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.
वरदे न तु मे भाव्यं यो वा कोवा वरप्रदः । इत्थमाभाष्य मुनिना गुरुणा भार्गवेण सः
But if no one grants me a boon, let it be so, whoever the giver may be.' Having spoken thus to the sage, his teacher Bhārgava,
तथातपच्च षण्मासं पुनरन्यच्चकार ह । नखाभ्यां स्वशिरश्छित्त्वा जुहावाग्नौ समंत्रकम्
he performed such austerity for six months, and then did something further: with his nails he cut off his own heads and offered them into the fire with mantras.
नमो भद्राय मंत्रेण चत्वारि च शिरांसि सः । पंचमं तु शिरो हातुं यतमाने च राक्षसे
With the mantra 'Salutation to the Auspicious One,' he offered four heads; as he was about to offer the fifth, the Rākṣasa,
वह्निमध्यात्समुत्तस्थौ भगवानंबिकापतिः । शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशो बालचन्द्र विभूषणः
from the midst of the fire arose the blessed Lord, husband of Ambikā, shining like pure crystal, adorned with the crescent moon.
अधःशिरस्कं तद्रक्ष इदमाह महेश्वरः । मा साहसं कृथा रक्षो वरदोऽस्मि वरं वृणु
Seeing the demon with his head downward, Maheśvara said: 'Do not act rashly, O demon; I am the giver of boons—choose your boon.'
राक्षस उवाच- बहूनां च वराणां त्वं दाता नूनं महेश्वरः । हतशीर्षसमुत्पत्तिं ग्रस्तजीवमृतिं तथा
The Rākṣasa said: 'O Maheśvara, you are indeed the giver of many boons; grant me rebirth after my head is cut off, and restoration of life if it is swallowed.'
वराहवपुषो विष्णोरस्तु शक्तिश्चतुर्गुणा । मयि तेन हि रोषः स्यात्संनिधिस्तु सदा मम
May I possess fourfold the power of Viṣṇu in his Boar form; may I always have that wrath and presence.
त्वज्जटोत्पाटनेनैकः पुरुषः संभविष्यति । तेनैव मरणं नान्यैरिदमस्तु वृतं मम
Let it be that only one person, by uprooting your matted locks, can cause my death—by no other means; let this be granted to me.
भविष्यत्येवमेवैतदित्युक्त्वांतर्हितोहरः । एवंलब्धवरः पापी राक्षसो निहतस्त्वया
Having said, 'So it shall indeed be in the future,' Hara vanished; thus, the sinful demon, having obtained his boon, was slain by you.
अथालिंग्य हरिर्वीरं शंकरश्च पितामहः । यथागतमथोजग्मुरथ देवादियोषितः
Then Hari, Shankara, and Pitamaha embraced the hero, and, as they had come, so too did the gods and divine women depart.