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 told everything before the Lord; deprived of 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 God, for the immortals to attain their state.
महादेव उवाच- देवराजसुरश्रेष्ठयत्रास्तेगरुडध्वजः । शरण्यश्च जगन्नाथः परित्राता परायणः
Mahadeva said: Where the king of the gods and the foremost of demons are, there too is the one with Garuda as his banner, the refuge of all, the Lord of the universe, the savior, the supreme goal.
तत्र गच्छ सुरश्रेष्ठ स वो रक्षां विधास्यति । ईश्वरस्य वचः श्रुत्वा देवराजो महामतिः
Go there, O best of the gods; he will provide protection for you. Having heard the words of the Lord, the wise king of the gods—
त्रिदशैः सहितो यत्र गतस्तत्र युधिष्ठिर । जलमध्ये प्रसुप्तं तं दृष्ट्वा देवं गदाधरम्
—together with the other gods, went to that place, O Yudhishthira. There, in the midst of the waters, they saw the god bearing the mace, lying asleep.
कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा इंद्रः स्तोत्रमुदीरयत्
Indra, with hands joined in reverence, began to recite a hymn.
इंद्र उवाच- ॐनमो देवदेवेश देवदानववंदित । दैत्यारे पुंडरीकाक्ष त्राहि नो मधुसूदन
Indra said: Om, obeisance to the Lord of gods, revered by gods and demons; enemy of the Daityas, lotus-eyed one, O slayer of Madhu, protect us.
सुराः सर्वे समायाता भयभीताश्च दानवात् । शरणं त्वां जगन्नाथ त्राहि मां भक्तवत्सल
All the gods have come, terrified by the demon; O Lord of the universe, we seek your refuge—protect me, O lover of devotees.
त्राहि नो देवदेवेश त्राहि त्राहि जनार्दन । त्राहि वै पुंडरीकाक्ष दानवानां विनाशक
Protect us, O Lord of gods, protect, protect, O Janardana; truly protect, O lotus-eyed one, destroyer of the 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 your shelter, be their helper, O Lord.
त्वं पतिस्त्वं मतिर्देव त्वं कर्ता त्वं च कारणम् । त्वं माता सर्वलोकानां त्वमेव जगतः पिता
You are the master, you are the intellect, O god; you are the creator and 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 Lord, Lord of gods, cherisher of those who seek refuge, the gods, frightened, have come to your shelter.
देवता निर्जिताः सर्वाः स्वर्गभ्रष्टाः कृताः प्रभो । अत्युग्रेण हि दैत्येन मुरनाम्ना महौजसा । इंद्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्वचनमब्रवीत्
All the gods have been defeated and cast down from heaven, O Lord, by the exceedingly fierce and mighty demon named Mura. 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 wicked 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 a mighty demon named Talajangha, born in the lineage of Brahma, 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 terror to the gods.
पुरी चंद्रावती नाम्ना तत्र स्थाने वसत्यसौ । निर्जिता देवताः सर्वा स्वर्गात्तेन विवासिताः
He dwells in a city named Chandravati at that place; 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 Agni; the moon and sun were replaced, as were 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 rightful places by him.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कोपमानो जनार्दनः । हनिष्ये दानवं दुष्टं देवतानां भयंकरम्
Hearing these words, Janardana became angry: '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 gods saw the king of the demons, 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 to the ten directions; seeing Hari, the demon spoke, '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 demon of evil conduct, look upon my arm.
ततस्ते सम्मुखाः सर्वे विष्णुना दुष्टदानवाः । हता बाणैः पुनर्दिव्यैर्जाताश्च भयविह्वलाः
Then, all those wicked demons who stood before Vishnu were slain by celestial arrows and became overwhelmed with fear.
चक्रं मुक्तं च कृष्णेन दैत्यसैन्येषु पांडव । तेनच्छिन्नास्तु शतशो बहवो निधनं गताः
Krishna released the discus into the army of the demons, O Pandava; by it, hundreds were cut down and many met their end.
एकोपि दानवस्तत्र युध्यमानो मुहुर्मुहुः । नष्टाः सर्वे सुरास्तेन निर्जितो मधुसूदनः
Yet, there was one demon there who fought again and again; by him, all the gods were destroyed, and even Madhusudana was defeated.
निर्जितं तेन दैत्येन बाहुयुद्धमजायत । बाहुयुद्धं कृतं तेन दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रकम्
By that demon, a hand-to-hand battle was begun; he fought a celestial hand-to-hand combat for a thousand years.
विष्णुश्चिंतां प्रपन्नश्च नष्टाः सर्वाश्च देवताः । विष्णुश्च निर्जितस्तेन गतो बदरिकाश्रमम्
Vishnu fell into anxiety, and all the gods were lost; Vishnu, defeated by him, went to the Badarika hermitage.
गुहा सिंहावती नाम तत्र सुप्तो जनार्दनः । योजनद्वादशवती एकद्वारा च पांडव
There is a cave called Simhavati, where Janardana slept; it is twelve yojanas long and has a single entrance, O Pandava.