धर्षिता भूतवेतालैर्दारास्सुतपरिग्रहाः यथा कलियुगे जारैर्बलेन कुलयोषितः
The wives and children of the gods, violated by spirits and ghouls, were seized just as women of noble families are overpowered by adulterers in the Kali age.
तच्च विध्वस्तकलशं भग्नयूपं गतोत्सवम् प्रदीपितमहाशालं प्रभिन्नद्वारतोरणम्
The sacrificial ground was laid waste: the ritual vessels overturned, the posts broken, the festivities ended, the great hall set ablaze, and the gates and arches shattered.
उत्पाटितसुरानीकं हन्यमानं तपोधनम् प्रशान्तब्रह्मनिर्घोषं प्रक्षीणजनसंचयम्
The army of the gods was uprooted, the ascetics were being slain, the solemn chanting of Brahman was silenced, and the gathering of people diminished.
क्रन्दमानातुरस्त्रीकं हताशेषपरिच्छदम् शून्यारण्यनिभं जज्ञे यज्ञवाटं तदार्दितम्
The sacrificial enclosure, struck by calamity, became like a deserted forest—filled with wailing, distressed women and all their attendants slain.
शूलवेगप्ररुग्णाश्च भिन्नबाहूरुवक्षसः विनिकृत्तोत्तमांगाश्च पेतुरुर्व्यां सुरोत्तमाः
The foremost of the gods fell to the earth, their arms, thighs, and chests shattered by the force of spears, their heads severed.
हतेषु तेषु देवेषु पतितेषुः सहस्रशः प्रविवेश गणेशानः क्षणादाहवनीयकम्
When thousands of those gods had been slain and fallen, the Lord of the Gaṇas entered the sacrificial fire at once.
प्रविष्टमथ तं दृष्ट्वा भद्रं कालाग्निसंनिभम् दुद्राव मरणाद्भीतो यज्ञो मृगवपुर्धरः
Seeing that formidable one, resembling the fire of destruction, enter, the sacrifice, terrified of death, fled, taking the form of a deer.
स विस्फार्य महच्चापं दृढज्याघोषणभीषणम् भद्रस्तमभिदुद्राव विक्षिपन्नेव सायकान्
Then Bhadra, stringing his great bow with a terrifying twang, pursued him, releasing arrows as he went.
आकर्णपूर्णमाकृष्टं धनुरम्बुदसंनिभम् नादयामास च ज्यां द्यां खं च भूमिं च सर्वशः
Drawing the bow fully to his ear, making a sound like thunder, he caused the bowstring to resound throughout the sky, the atmosphere, and the earth.
तमुपश्रित्य सन्नादं हतो ऽस्मीत्येव विह्वलम् शरणार्धेन वक्रेण स वीरो ऽध्वरपूरुषम्
Struck by that deafening sound, the sacrificial being, bewildered and crying 'I am slain!', was pierced by a curved half-arrow from that hero.
महाभयस्खलत्पादं वेपन्तं विगतत्विषम् मृगरूपेण धावन्तं विशिरस्कं तदाकरोत्
With his feet stumbling in great fear, trembling and his brilliance gone, the sacrificial being, in the form of a deer, ran headless.
तमीदृशमवज्ञातं दृष्ट्वा वै सूर्यसंभवम् विष्णुः परमसंक्रुद्धो युद्धायाभवदुद्यतः
Seeing that one, born of the sun, thus humiliated, Viṣṇu, filled with supreme wrath, rose up, ready for battle.
तमुवाह महावेगात्स्कन्धेन नतसंधिना सर्वेषां वयसां राजा गरुडः पन्नगाशनः
Then Garuḍa, the king of birds and devourer of serpents, swift as the wind and with bent joints, carried him on his shoulder, surpassing all creatures in age.
देवाश्च हतशिष्टा ये देवराजपुरोगमाः प्रचक्रुस्तस्य साहाय्यं प्राणांस्त्यक्तुमिवोद्यताः
The gods who survived, led by the king of the gods, came forward to assist him, ready even to give up their lives.
विष्णुना सहितान्देवान्मृगेन्द्रः क्रोष्टुकानिव दृष्ट्वा जहास भूतेन्द्रो मृगेन्द्र इव विव्यथः
Seeing the gods together with Viṣṇu, the lord of beings laughed, just as a lion, seeing jackals, is unshaken.
तस्मिन्नवसरे व्योम्नि समाविरभवद्रथः सहस्रसूर्यसंकाशश्चारुचीरवृषध्वजः
At that moment, a chariot appeared in the sky, radiant as a thousand suns, adorned with beautiful banners and bearing the bull emblem.
अश्वरत्नद्वयोदारो रथचक्रचतुष्टयः सञ्चितानेकदिव्यास्त्रशस्त्ररत्नपरिष्कृतः
It was drawn by two divine horses, had four wheels, and was decorated with many celestial weapons and jeweled arms.
तस्यापि रथवर्यस्य स्यात्स एव हि सारथिः यथा च त्रैपुरे युद्धे पूर्वं शार्वरथे स्थितः
For that excellent chariot, the same charioteer was appointed as before, just as in the previous battle against Tripura, standing on the dark chariot.
स तं रथवरं ब्रह्मा शासनादेव शूलिनः हरेस्समीपमानीय कृताञ्जलिरभाषत
Then Brahmā, by the command of the Trident-bearer, brought that best of chariots near to Hari and, with joined palms, spoke.
भगवन्भद्र भद्रांग भगवानिन्दुभूषणः आज्ञापयति वीरस्त्वां रथमारोढुमव्ययः
"O blessed Bhadra, of auspicious form, the Lord adorned with the moon commands you, O heroic one, to mount the imperishable chariot."
रेभ्याश्रमसमीपस्थस्त्र्यंबको ऽंबिकया सह सम्पश्यते महाबाहो दुस्सहं ते पराक्रमम्
Near the hermitage of the sages, the three-eyed one, together with Ambika, beholds your formidable valor, O mighty-armed one.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स वीरो गणकुञ्जरः आरुरोह रथं दिव्यमनुगृह्य पितामहम्
Hearing those words, that heroic leader of the hosts ascended the celestial chariot, having received it from the Grandfather.
तथा रथवरे तस्मिन्स्थिते ब्रह्मणि सारथौ भद्रस्य ववृधे लक्ष्मी रुद्रस्येव पुरद्विषः
As Brahma stood as charioteer upon that excellent chariot, auspicious fortune increased, as it had for Rudra, the enemy of cities.
ततः शंखवरं दीप्तं पूर्णचंद्रसमप्रभम् प्रदध्मौ वदने कृत्वा भानुकंपो महाबलः
Then the mighty Bhānukaṃpa, full of strength, blew a splendid conch, radiant as the full moon, placing it to his mouth.
तस्य शंखस्य तं नादं भिन्नसारससन्निभम् श्रुत्वा भयेन देवानां जज्वाल जठरानलः
Hearing the sound of that conch, resembling the breaking of musical strings, the fire in the bellies of the gods blazed forth in fear.
यक्षविद्याधराहीन्द्रैः सिद्धैर्युद्धदिदृक्षुभिः क्षणेन निबडीभूताः साकाशविवरा दिशाः
In an instant, the directions became crowded with Yakshas, Vidyadharas, serpent kings, and Siddhas, all eager to witness the battle.
ततः शार्ङ्गेण चापाङ्कात्स नारायणनीरदः महता बाणवर्षेण तुतोद गणगोवृषम्
Then Narayana, dark as a rain cloud, from the bow Sharnga, pierced the bull of the hosts with a great shower of arrows.
तं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुमायांतं शतधा बाणवर्षिणम् स चाददे धनुर्जैत्रं भद्रो बाणसहस्रमुक्
Seeing Vishnu, manifesting his power and raining arrows in hundreds, Bhadra seized the victorious bow and a thousand arrows.
समादाय च तद्दिव्यं धनुस्समरभैरवम् शनैर्विस्फारयामास मेरुं धनुरिवेश्वरः
Taking up that divine, dreadful bow, he slowly drew it, like the Lord drawing Mount Meru as a bow.
तस्य विस्फार्यमाणस्य धनुषो ऽभून्महास्वनः तेन स्वनेन महता पृथिवीं समकंपयत्
As he drew the bow, a great sound arose, and with that mighty sound, he shook the earth.