Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

किमु ते व्याग्रवद्वक्त्रं विभाति विषमेक्षणम् वत्स विष्णो महामानमागतं कालवेगतः

Why does your face appear fierce, your gaze uneven, like a tiger's, O Viṣṇu? Great pride has come upon you, driven by time.

पितामहश्च जगतः पाता च तव वत्सक मत्स्थं जगदिदं वत्स मनुषे त्वं हि चोरवत्

O child, the Grandfather is the lord of the world, and you are its protector. This world abides in me, yet you act like a thief among men.

मन्नाभिकमलाज्जातः पुत्रस्त्वं भाषसे वृथा एवं हि वदतोस्तत्र मुग्धयोरजयोस्तदा

Born from the lotus of my navel, you are my son, yet you speak in vain. Thus, as these two deluded and undefeated ones spoke there—

अहमेव बरो न त्वमहं प्रभुरहं प्रभुः परस्परं हंतुकामौ चक्रतुः समरोद्यमम्

'I alone am supreme, not you; I am the lord, not you.' Wishing to kill each other, they prepared for battle.

युयुधाते ऽमरौ वीरौ हंसपक्षींद्रवाहनौ वैरंच्या वैष्णवाश्चैवं मिथो युयुधिरे तदा

Those two immortal heroes, riding the swan and the king of birds, fought each other; thus, the followers of Brahmā and Viṣṇu also fought mutually.

तावद्विमानगतयः सर्वा वै देवजातयः दिदृक्षवः समाजग्मुः समरं तं महाद्भुतम्

Then, all the races of gods, traveling in their aerial chariots, came together, eager to witness that wondrous battle.

क्षिपंतः पुष्पवर्षाणि पश्यंतः स्वैरमंबरे सुपर्णवाहनस्तत्र क्रुद्धो वै ब्रह्मवक्षसि

Showering down rains of flowers, watching freely in the sky, there, the one riding Garuḍa became angry at Brahmā's chest.

मुमोच बाणानसहानस्त्रांश्च विविधान्बहून् मुमोचा ऽथ विधिः क्रुद्धो विष्णोरुरसि दुःसहान्

Then the enraged Brahmā released countless arrows and various formidable weapons upon Viṣṇu’s chest.

बाणाननलसंकाशानस्त्रांश्च बहुशस्तदा तदाश्चर्यमिति स्पष्टं तयोः समरगोचरम्

At that time, he discharged many weapons and arrows blazing like fire; truly, the spectacle of their battle was astonishing.

समीक्ष्य दैवतगणाः शशंसुर्भृशमाकुलाः ततो विष्णुः सुसंक्रुद्धः श्वसन्व्यसनकर्शितः

Observing this, the hosts of gods, greatly distressed, spoke anxiously; then Viṣṇu, deeply angered and breathing heavily in affliction—

माहेश्वरास्त्रं मतिमान् संदधे ब्रह्मणोपरि ततो ब्रह्मा भृशं क्रुद्धः कंपयन्विश्वमेव हि

—the wise one, Viṣṇu, readied the mighty Maheśvara missile against Brahmā; then Brahmā, exceedingly enraged, shook the entire universe.

अस्त्रं पाशुपतं घोरं संदधे विष्णुवक्षसि ततस्तदुत्थितं व्योम्नि तपनायुतसन्निभम्

He set the dreadful Pāśupata weapon upon Viṣṇu’s chest; then that missile, rising up, shone in the sky like ten thousand suns.

सहस्रमुखमत्युग्रं चंडवातभयंकरम् अस्त्रद्वयमिदं तत्र ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्भयंकरम्

That weapon, with a thousand terrible mouths, fierce and fearsome as a violent wind, was a terror to both Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

इत्थं बभूव समरो ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोः परस्परम् ततो देवगणाः सर्वे विषण्णा भृशमाकुलाः ऊचुः परस्परं तात राजक्षोभे यथा द्विजाः

Thus the battle between Brahmā and Viṣṇu became mutually destructive; then all the hosts of gods, deeply troubled and dismayed, spoke among themselves, ‘O sages, this is like the turmoil of kings.’

सृष्टिः स्थितिश्च संहारस्तिरो भावोप्यनुग्रहः यस्मात्प्रवर्तते तस्मै ब्रह्मणे च त्रिशूलिने

From whom creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace proceed—to that Brahmā and the wielder of the trident—

अशक्यमन्यैर्यदनुग्रहं विना तृणक्षयोप्यत्र यदृच्छया क्वचित्

Without their favor, not even the destruction of a blade of grass is possible here by anyone else, even by chance.

इति देवाभयं कृत्वा विचिन्वंतः शिवक्षयम् जग्मुः कैलासशिखरं यत्रास्ते चंद्रशेखरः

Thus, having become fearful, the gods sought out the abode of Śiva; they went to the peak of Kailāsa, where the moon-crested Lord abides.

दृष्ट्वैवममरा हृष्टाः पदंतत्पारमेश्वरम् प्रणेमुः प्रणवाकारं प्रविष्टास्तत्र सद्मनि

Seeing thus, the delighted immortals reached the supreme abode of the Lord; they entered that mansion, bowing in the form of the sacred syllable Oṃ.

तेपि तत्र सभामध्ये मंडपे मणिविष्टरे विराजमानमुमया ददृशुर्देवपुंगवम्

There, in the center of the assembly, upon a jeweled seat within the pavilion, they beheld the illustrious Lord of gods, shining with Umā.

सव्योत्तरेतरपदं तदर्हितकरां बुजम् स्वगणैः सर्वतो जुष्टं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्

With one foot placed over the other, his hands in a posture befitting worship, surrounded on all sides by his own attendants, marked by every auspicious sign—

वीज्यमानं विशोषजैः स्त्रीजनैस्तीव्रभावनैः शस्यमानं सदावेदैरनुगृह्णंतमीश्वरम्

He was being fanned by devoted women with lotus-leaf fans, praised continually by the Vedas, and graciously blessing all as the Lord.

दृष्ट्वैवमीशममराः संतोषसलिलेक्षणाः दंडवद्दूरतो वत्स नमश्चक्रुर्महागणाः

Seeing the Lord in this way, the immortals, their eyes filled with the water of satisfaction, prostrated themselves from afar, O child, and the great hosts offered their salutations.

तानवेक्ष्य पतिर्देवान्समीपे चाह्वयद्गणैः अथ संह्लादयन्देवान्देवो देवशिखामणिः अवोचदर्थगंभीरं वचनं मधुमंगलम्

Observing the gods, the Lord summoned them near with his attendants; then, delighting the gods, the crest-jewel of gods spoke words deep in meaning and sweet in blessing.

वत्सकाः स्वस्तिवः कच्चिद्वर्तते मम शासनात् जगच्च देवतावंशः स्वस्वकर्मणि किं नवा

Children, is all well with you? Does the world and the lineage of gods abide by my command? Is each engaged in their proper duty or not?

प्रागेव विदितं युद्धं ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्मयासुराः भवतामभितापेन पौनरुक्त्येन भाषितम्

I was already aware of the battle between Brahmā and Viṣṇu, O gods; your repeated anxious words have made it clear.

इति सस्मितया माध्व्या कुमारपरिभाषया समतोषयदंबायाः स पतिस्तत्सुरव्रजम्

Thus, with a gentle smile, by the sweet words of the boy, the Lord pleased the Mother, and then went to the assembly of the gods.

अथ युद्धांगणं गंतुं हरिधात्रोरधीश्वरः आज्ञापयद्गणेशानां शतं तत्रैव संसदि

Then, to proceed to the battlefield, the Lord of Hari and Brahma commanded a hundred leaders of the hosts right there in the assembly.

ततो वाद्यं बहुविधं प्रयाणाय परेशितुः गणेश्वराश्च संनद्धा नानावाहनभूषणाः

Then, many kinds of instruments sounded for the departure of the Supreme Lord, and the chiefs of the hosts, adorned with various vehicles and ornaments, were fully equipped.

प्रणवाकारमाद्यंतं पञ्चमंडलमंडितम् आरुरोह रथं भद्रमंबिकापतिरीश्वरः ससूनुगणमिंद्राद्याः सर्वेप्यनुययुः सुराः

The Lord, husband of Bhadrāmbikā, mounted a chariot adorned with five circles, having the form of the sacred syllable Om from beginning to end; all the gods, with their sons and hosts, including Indra, followed him.