श्रीभगवानुवाच - पुरा कृतयुगे पार्थ मुरनामेति दानवः । अत्यद्भुतो महारौद्र सर्वदेवभयंकरः 6.38.
The Blessed Lord said: In ancient times, in the Krita Yuga, O Partha, there was a demon named Mura, exceedingly wondrous and terribly fierce, a source of fear for all the gods.
इंद्रोऽपि निर्जितस्तेन सर्वदेवास्तथा नृप । महासुरेण तेनैव मृत्युना च दुरात्मना
Even Indra was defeated by him, and all the gods as well, O king, by that great demon, that wicked one who was like death itself.
स्वर्गान्निराकृतास्तेन विचरंति महीतले । सशंका भयभीताश्च सर्वे गत्वा महेश्वरम्
Driven out of heaven by him, they wandered the earth, all filled with doubt and fear, and went to Maheshvara.
इंद्रेण कथितं सर्वमीश्वरस्यापि चाग्रतः । स्वर्गलोकपरिभ्रष्टा विचरंति महीतले
Indra recounted everything before Ishvara; having fallen from the heavenly world, they wandered the earth.
मर्त्येषु संस्थिता देवा न शोभंते महेश्वर । उपायं ब्रूहि मे देव ह्यमरा यांति कां गतिम्
The gods, dwelling among mortals, did not shine, O Maheshvara; tell me a means, O Lord, for the immortals to regain their state.
महादेव उवाच- देवराजसुरश्रेष्ठयत्रास्तेगरुडध्वजः । शरण्यश्च जगन्नाथः परित्राता परायणः
Mahadeva said: Where the lord of Garuda’s banner, the refuge, the lord of the world, the savior, and the supreme goal abides, there, O best of gods and chiefs of demons, you should go.
तत्र गच्छ सुरश्रेष्ठ स वो रक्षां विधास्यति । ईश्वरस्य वचः श्रुत्वा देवराजो महामतिः
Go there, O best of gods; he will provide you protection. Hearing the words of Ishvara, the king of the gods, wise as he was,
त्रिदशैः सहितो यत्र गतस्तत्र युधिष्ठिर । जलमध्ये प्रसुप्तं तं दृष्ट्वा देवं गदाधरम्
Went there with the gods, O Yudhishthira, and, seeing the club-bearing god lying asleep in the waters—
कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा इंद्रः स्तोत्रमुदीरयत्
With hands joined in reverence, Indra began to recite a hymn.
इंद्र उवाच- ॐनमो देवदेवेश देवदानववंदित । दैत्यारे पुंडरीकाक्ष त्राहि नो मधुसूदन
Indra said: Om, obeisance to you, Lord of gods, revered by gods and demons; enemy of the Daityas, lotus-eyed one, Madhusudana, protect us.
सुराः सर्वे समायाता भयभीताश्च दानवात् । शरणं त्वां जगन्नाथ त्राहि मां भक्तवत्सल
All the gods have come together, terrified by the demon; Lord of the universe, we seek refuge in you—protect me, lover of devotees.
त्राहि नो देवदेवेश त्राहि त्राहि जनार्दन । त्राहि वै पुंडरीकाक्ष दानवानां विनाशक
Protect us, Lord of gods; protect, protect, O Janardana; truly protect, O lotus-eyed destroyer of demons.
त्वत्समीपं गताः सर्वे त्वमेव शरणं प्रभो । चशरणागतानां देवानां सहायं कुरु वै प्रभो
All have come near to you; you alone are our refuge, O Lord; for the gods who have sought shelter, grant your aid, O Master.
त्वं पतिस्त्वं मतिर्देव त्वं कर्ता त्वं च कारणम् । त्वं माता सर्वलोकानां त्वमेव जगतः पिता
You are the Lord, you are the mind, you are the creator, you are the cause; you are the mother of all worlds, and you alone are the father of the universe.
भगवन्देवदेवेश शरणागतवत्सल । शरणं तव चायाता भयभीताश्च देवताः
O blessed one, Lord of gods, cherisher of those who seek refuge, the gods, fearful and trembling, have come to your protection.
देवता निर्जिताः सर्वाः स्वर्गभ्रष्टाः कृताः प्रभो । अत्युग्रेण हि दैत्येन मुरनाम्ना महौजसा । इंद्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्वचनमब्रवीत्
All the gods have been defeated, cast down from heaven, O Lord, by the exceedingly fierce demon named Mura, of great might. Hearing Indra’s words, Vishnu spoke.
श्रीभगवानुवाच- कीदृशो दानवः शक्र किं रूपं कीदृशं बलम् । क्व स्थानं तस्य दुष्टस्य किं वीर्यं कः पराक्रमः । किं वरं तस्य दुष्टस्य ममाख्याहि महामते
The Blessed Lord said: What kind of demon is he, O Shakra? What is his form, what is his strength? Where is the abode of this wicked one? What is his power, what is his valor? What boon does this evil one possess? Tell me, O wise one.
इंद्र उवाच- पूर्वं बभूव देवेश ब्रह्मवंशसमुद्भवः । तालजंघस्तु नाम्ना च अत्युग्रोऽपि महासुरः
Indra said: Formerly, O Lord of gods, there was born from the lineage of Brahma a mighty asura named Talajangha, exceedingly fierce.
तस्य पुत्रो हि विख्यातो मुरनामेति दानवः । अत्युत्कटो महावीर्यो देवतानां भयंकरः
His son, renowned as the demon Mura, is exceedingly terrible, of great might, and a source of terror for the gods.
पुरी चंद्रावती नाम्ना तत्र स्थाने वसत्यसौ । निर्जिता देवताः सर्वा स्वर्गात्तेन विवासिताः
He dwells in a city named Chandravati; there, all the gods have been defeated and driven from heaven by him.
इंद्रोऽन्यो रोपितस्तेन वातश्चैव हुताशनः । चंद्रसूर्यो कृतौ चान्यौ वायुर्वरुण एव च
Another Indra was installed by him, as well as Vata and Hutashana; other moons and suns were created, and also Vayu and Varuna.
सर्वमात्मकृतं तेन सत्यं सत्यं जनार्दन । देवलोकः कृतस्तेन सर्वस्थानविवर्जितः
All this was done by him alone, truly, truly, O Janardana; the world of the gods has been made devoid of all its places by him.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कोपमानो जनार्दनः । हनिष्ये दानवं दुष्टं देवतानां भयंकरम्
Hearing these words, Janardana, becoming angry, said: I will slay that wicked demon, the terror of the gods.
त्रिदशैः सहितो देवो गतश्चंद्रावतीं पुरीम् । दृष्टो देवैस्तु दैत्येंद्रो गर्जमानः पुनः पुनः
Accompanied by the gods, the Lord went to the city of Chandravati; there, the demon king was seen by the gods, roaring again and again.
तेन सर्वे जिता देव गताश्चैव दिशो दश । हरिं निरीक्ष्य प्रोवाच तिष्ठतिष्ठेति दानवः
By him all the gods were conquered and fled in all ten directions; seeing Hari, the demon said, 'Stop, stop!'
भगवानब्रवीत्तं च क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः । श्रीभगवानुवाच- रे दानव दुराचार मम बाहुं निरीक्षय
The Blessed Lord, his eyes reddened with anger, spoke to him: The Blessed Lord said: O wicked demon, look upon my arm!
ततस्ते सम्मुखाः सर्वे विष्णुना दुष्टदानवाः । हता बाणैः पुनर्दिव्यैर्जाताश्च भयविह्वलाः
Then all those wicked demons, facing Viṣṇu, were struck down by his divine arrows and became overwhelmed with fear.
चक्रं मुक्तं च कृष्णेन दैत्यसैन्येषु पांडव । तेनच्छिन्नास्तु शतशो बहवो निधनं गताः
O Pāṇḍava, Kṛṣṇa released his discus upon the army of the Daityas, and by it, hundreds were slain and met their end.
एकोपि दानवस्तत्र युध्यमानो मुहुर्मुहुः । नष्टाः सर्वे सुरास्तेन निर्जितो मधुसूदनः
Yet there, a single Dānava kept fighting again and again; by him, all the gods were defeated, and even Madhusūdana was overcome.
निर्जितं तेन दैत्येन बाहुयुद्धमजायत । बाहुयुद्धं कृतं तेन दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रकम्
By that Daitya's power, Viṣṇu was vanquished, and a hand-to-hand battle arose; for a thousand divine years, that hand-to-hand combat was waged.