दुस्तरा सुतरा जाता नदी वैतरणी नृणाम् ।। नरकांते तदा जाते गते विश्वेश्वरे विभौ
The river Vaitaraṇī, hard to cross and then easy, arose for men at the end of Naraka, when the Lord of all, the mighty one, had gone.
पापक्षयात्ततः सर्वे ते मुक्ता नारका नराः
Then, with the destruction of their sins, all those men were freed from Naraka.
विमानेषु सहस्रेषु ह्यारूढास्ते समंततः
They ascended thousands of aerial chariots together on all sides.
ततः शून्यं मुने जातं सर्वं निरयमंडलम्
Then, O sage, the entire realm of hell became empty.
ततो दूताः कृतांतस्य कृष्णं च युद्धकारिणम्
Then the messengers of Death and the warriors of Krishna
किंकरा ऊचुः मा वीरानेन मार्गेण रथमानय मानवन्
The attendants said: 'O hero, do not bring the chariot along this path.'
यमादिष्टा नराः पापा येऽमोच्या वर्षकोटिभिः
Those sinful men whom Yama has condemned, who are not to be released even after millions of years,
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां कृपया पीडितो भृशम्
Hearing these words, he was deeply afflicted with compassion for them.
सर्वेषां स्वर्गदाताहं यमलोकनिवारकः
I am the giver of heaven to all, and the one who prevents entry into Yama's realm.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो दूताः सत्वरा यममागताः 5.1.27.
Hearing these words, the messengers quickly went to Yama.
ततो यमो रुषाविष्टः प्राह तान्यमकिंकरान्
Then Yama, filled with anger, addressed his attendants.
तं गत्वा वारयध्वं वै गृहीत्वानीयतामिति
Go there and stop him; seize him and bring him here.
एवमुक्तो यमेनाथ किंकरः स नरांतकः
Thus addressed by Yama, the attendant named Narantaka,
यदा न वारितस्तस्थौ तदा क्रुद्धो नरांतकः
When he was not stopped, Narantaka stood firm, then, enraged,
बलदेवोपि समरे ताडितो विविधैः शरैः
Even Baladeva, struck in battle by various arrows,
आदाय धनुषी दिव्ये जघ्नतुर्यमकिंकरान्
Taking up their divine bows, they struck down Yama's attendants.
नरांतकोऽपि समरे बलेन बलिनार्दितः
Narantaka too, in battle, was overpowered by the strength of the mighty.
ततो नरांतके वीरे पतिते यमकिंकरे
Then, when the heroic Narantaka fell among Yama's attendants,
रामकृष्णाभ्यां ते दूता हन्यमाना भयातुराः
Those messengers, being slain by Rama and Krishna, became terrified.
ततो यमो ययौ क्रुद्धः समंतात्किंकरैर्वृतः 5.1.27.
Then Yama, enraged, advanced, surrounded on all sides by his attendants.
ततो वादित्रनिर्घोषैस्तुमुलानकगोमुखैः
Then, with the tumultuous sound of drums, trumpets, and cowhorns,
देवा विद्याधराः सिद्धा दृष्ट्वा यांतं महाबलम्
The gods, Vidyadharas, and Siddhas, seeing that mighty one advancing,
ततस्ते किंकराः सर्वे चित्रगुप्तेन नोदिताः
Then all the attendants, not urged on by Citragupta,
बलं च केशवं संख्ये जघ्नतुस्तावुभावपि
Both of them struck down the army and Keśava in battle.
विदार्य च सहस्राणि किंकराणां समंततः चचार रणदुर्धर्षः कामपालेन पालितः
Tearing through thousands of attendants on all sides, he moved about, invincible in battle, protected by Kāmadeva.
ततश्चित्रगुप्तो रणे किंकराद्यं विदीर्णं निरीक्ष्यार्तनादं चकार
Then Citragupta, seeing the foremost attendant torn apart in battle, let out a cry of distress.
शरैः पंचभिः कृष्णमायांतमाजौ जघानाष्टभिर्वक्त्रदेशे स भिन्नः
With five arrows he struck down Kṛṣṇamāyānta in the battle, and with eight more he wounded his face.
रथं स्वं समादाय यातः कृतांतस्ततश्चित्रगुप्ते शरार्ते प्रसुप्ते
Taking up his own chariot, Kṛtānta departed, while Citragupta, wounded by arrows, fell unconscious.
प्रधानाश्च भग्ना विचित्राश्च भग्रास्ततश्चित्रगुप्तं निशम्याथ भग्नम्
The chiefs were broken, and the various divisions shattered; then, hearing that Citragupta was defeated—
विनाशाय युध्यद्युगांते प्रजानां यथा वाडवो ज्वालवृद्धः प्रवृत्तः 5.1.27.
At the end of the age, as the blazing submarine fire arises for the destruction of beings, so too did he fight for their annihilation.