Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

ततस्त्रिपुरहा प्राह हैमवत्याः प्रियेच्छया वीरभद्रं महाबाहुं वाचा विपुलनादया

Then the destroyer of the three cities, out of love for Parvati, spoke in a deep, resonant voice to Virabhadra, the mighty-armed one.

प्राचेतसस्य दक्षस्य यज्ञं सद्यो विनाशय भद्रकाल्या सहासि त्वमेतत्कृत्यं गणेश्वर

'Immediately destroy the sacrifice of Daksha, son of Prachetas, together with Bhadrakali; this is your task, O Lord of the Ganas.'

अहमप्यनया सार्धं रैभ्याश्रमसपीपतः स्थित्वा वीक्षे गणेशान विक्रमं तव दुःसहम्

'I too, along with her, will remain at Raibhya's hermitage and witness, O Lord of the Ganas, your formidable valor.'

वृक्षा कनखले ये तु गंगाद्वारसमीपगाः सुवर्णशृंगस्य गिरेर्मेरुमंदरसंनिभाः

The trees at Kanakhala, near the gateway of the Ganga, resemble Mount Meru and Mandara with golden peaks.

तस्मिन्प्रदेशे दक्षस्य युज्ञः संप्रति वर्तते सहसा तस्य यज्ञस्य विघातं कुरु मा चिरम्

In that region, Daksha's sacrifice is now taking place; quickly disrupt that sacrifice without delay.

इत्युक्ते सति देवेन देवी हिमगिरीन्द्रजा भद्रं भद्रं च संप्रेक्ष्य वत्सं धेनुरिवौरसम्

When the god had spoken thus, the goddess, daughter of the lord of the Himalayas, looked upon Bhadra with affection, as a cow gazes at her calf.

आलिंग्य च समाघ्राय मूर्ध्नि षड्वदनं यथा सस्मिता वचनं प्राह मधुरं मधुरं स्वयम्

Embracing and smelling the head of the six-faced one, she smiled and spoke sweet, gentle words herself.

वत्स भद्र महाभाग महाबलपराक्रम मत्प्रियार्थं त्वमुत्पन्नो मम मन्युं प्रमार्जक

'Dear Bhadra, greatly fortunate and mighty in valor, you were born for my sake, to remove my anger.'

यज्ञेश्वरमनाहूय यज्ञकर्मरतो ऽभवत् दक्षं वैरेण तं तस्माद्भिंधि यज्ञं गणेश्वर

'Daksha, absorbed in sacrificial rites, did not invite the Lord of Sacrifice; therefore, out of enmity, O Lord of the Ganas, destroy his sacrifice.'

यज्ञलक्ष्मीमलक्ष्मीं त्वं भद्र कृत्वा ममाज्ञया यजमानं च तं हत्वा वत्स हिंसय भद्रया

'By my command, O Bhadra, make the fortune of the sacrifice into misfortune; and, dear one, slay the sacrificer together with Bhadra.'

अशेषामिव तामाज्ञां शिवयोश्चित्रकृत्ययोः मूर्ध्नि कृत्वा नमस्कृत्य भद्रो गंतुं प्रचक्रमे

Receiving this command from both Shiva and Parvati, whose deeds are wondrous, Bhadra bowed his head and prepared to depart.

अथैष भगवान्क्रुद्धः प्रेतावासकृतालयः वीरभद्रो महादेवो देव्या मन्युप्रमार्जकः

Then, the blessed Lord, enraged, Vīrabhadra, the great god, whose abode is among the dwellings of spirits, the remover of the goddess's wrath, appeared.

ससर्ज रोमकूपेभ्यो रोमजाख्यान्गणेश्वरान् दक्षिणाद्भुजदेशात्तु शतकोटिगविश्वरान्

From the pores of his skin, he created the lordly Gaṇas called Romajas, and from his right arm, he brought forth a hundred crore Gaṇas of fierce aspect.

पादात्तथोरुदेशाच्च पृष्ठात्पार्श्वान्मुखाद्गलात् गुह्याद्गुल्फाच्छिरोमध्यात्कंठादास्यात्तथोदरात्

From his feet, thighs, back, sides, face, throat, secret parts, ankles, crown of the head, neck, mouth, and belly, he produced more beings.

तदा गणेश्वरैर्भद्रैर्भद्रतुल्यपराक्रमैः संछादितमभूत्सर्वं साकाशविवरं जगत्

Then, with those noble Gaṇeśvaras, equal in valor to Bhadra, the entire world, with all its spaces and openings, became filled.

सर्वे सहस्रहस्तास्ते सहस्रायुधपाणयः रुद्रस्यानुचरास्सर्वे सर्वे रुद्रसमप्रभाः

All of them had a thousand arms, each hand holding a thousand weapons; all were followers of Rudra, all shone with the same radiance as Rudra.

शूलशक्तिगदाहस्ताष्टंकोपलशिलाधराः कालाग्निरुद्रसदृशास्त्रिनेत्राश्च जटाधराः

Holding tridents, spears, maces, axes, skulls, and stones, resembling Kālāgni Rudra, they were three-eyed and wore matted hair.

निपेतुर्भृशमाकाशे शतशस्सिंहवाहनाः विनेदुश्च महानादाञ्जलदा इव भद्रजाः

Hundreds of them, riding on lions, swiftly descended through the sky, roaring with great sounds like thunderclouds, these sons of Bhadra.

तैर्भद्रैर्भगवान्मद्रस्तथा परिवृतो बभौ कालानलशतैर्युक्तो यथांते कालभैरवः

Surrounded by these noble beings, the blessed Lord shone, as if joined by hundreds of fires of destruction, like Kālabhairava at the end of time.

तेषां मध्ये समारुह्य वृषेंद्रं वृषभध्वजः जगाम भगवान्भद्रश्शुभमभ्रं यथा भवः

Among them, mounting the great bull, the Bull-bannered Lord, the blessed Bhadra, advanced, shining like the creator amidst the clouds.

तस्मिन्वृषभमारूढे भद्रे तु भसितप्रभः बभार मौक्तिकं छत्रं गृहीतसितचामरः

When Bhadra, radiant as ashes, mounted the bull, he bore a pearl-white parasol and held a pure white chowrie.

स तदा शुशुभे पार्श्वे भद्रस्य भसितप्रभः भगवानिव शैलेन्द्रः पार्श्वे विश्वजगद्गुरोः

Then, by Bhadra's side, shone the ash-hued Lord, like the lord of mountains beside the preceptor of the universe.

सो ऽपि तेन बभौ भद्रः श्वेतचामरपाणिना बालसोमेन सौम्येन यथा शूलवरायुधः

He too, Bhadra, shone with the white chowrie in hand, like the gentle young moon, as did the trident-bearing Lord.

दध्मौ शंखं सितं भद्रं भद्रस्य पुरतः शुभम् भानुकंपो महातेजा हेमरत्नैरलंकृतः

In front of Bhadra, the radiant Bhānu, adorned with gold and jewels, blew a pure, auspicious conch, making the earth tremble.

देवदुंदुभयो नेदुर्दिव्यसंकुलनिःस्वनाः ववृषुश्शतशो मूर्ध्नि पुष्पवर्षं बलाहकाः

Divine drums resounded, filling the heavens with celestial echoes, and hundreds of clouds showered flowers upon their heads.

फुल्लानां मधुगर्भाणां पुष्पाणां गंधबंधवः मार्गानुकूलसंवाहा वबुश्च पथि मारुताः

The winds, carrying the fragrance of blooming, honey-filled flowers, blew gently along the path, favoring their journey.

ततो गणेश्वराः सर्वे मत्ता युद्धबलोद्धताः

Then all the Gaṇeśvaras, intoxicated and proud of their battle strength, advanced.

तदा भद्रगणांतःस्थो बभौ भद्रः स भद्रया यथा रुद्रगणांतः स्थस्त्र्यम्बकोंबिकया सह

At that time, Bhadra, standing among the hosts of Bhadra, shone with Bhadra, just as Tryambaka stands among the Rudra hosts with Ambikā.

तत्क्षणादेव दक्षस्य यज्ञवाटं रण्मयम् प्रविवेश महाबाहुर्वीरभद्रो महानुगः

In that very moment, the mighty-armed Vīrabhadra, accompanied by his great followers, entered Dakṣa's sacrificial enclosure, now transformed into a battlefield.