Varaha Purana

तत्राञ्जनो नीलकुक्षिर्मेघवर्णो बलाहकः । उदराक्षो ललाटाक्षः सुभीमो भीमविक्रमः । स्वर्भानुश्चेति दैत्याष्टौ वसून् दुद्रुवुराहवे ।। ९३.

There, Añjana, Nīlakukṣi, Meghavarṇa, Balāhaka, Udarākṣa, Lalāṭākṣa, Subhīma, and Bhīmavikrama—these eight Daityas, along with Svarbhānu, charged at the Vasus in battle.

यथासंख्येन तद्वच्च दैत्या द्वादश चापरे । आदित्यान् दैत्यवर्यास्तु तेषां प्राधान्यतः श्रृणु ।। ९३.

In the same way, twelve other Daityas, each according to their number, attacked the Ādityas; listen now to the chief among these Daitya leaders.

भीमो ध्वङ्क्षो ध्वस्तकर्णः शङ्कुकर्णस्तथैव च । वज्रकायोऽतिवीर्यश्च विद्युन्माली तथैव च ।। ९३.

Bhīma, Dhvaṅkṣa, Dhvastakarṇa, Śaṅkukarṇa, Vajrakāya the exceedingly mighty, and Vidyunmālī as well,

रक्ताक्षो भीमदंष्ट्रस्तु विद्युज्जिह्वस्तथैव च । अतिकायो महाकायो दीर्घबाहुः कृतान्तकः ।। ९३.

Raktākṣa, Bhīmadaṃṣṭra, Vidyujjihva, Atikāya, Mahākāya, Dīrghabāhu, and Kṛtāntaka—these,

एते द्वादश दैत्येन्द्रा आदित्यान् युधि दुद्रुवुः । स्वकं सैन्यमुपादाय तद्वदन्येऽपि दानवाः । रुद्रान् दुद्रुवुरव्यग्रा यथासंख्येन कोपिताः ।। ९३.

These twelve Daitya lords, with their own armies, charged at the Ādityas in battle; likewise, other Dānavas, enraged, attacked the Rudras, each according to their number.

कालः कृतान्तो रक्ताक्षो हरणो मित्रहाऽनिलः । यज्ञहा ब्रह्महा गोघ्नः स्त्रीघ्नः संवर्त्तकस्तथा ।। ९३.

Kāla, Kṛtānta, Raktākṣa, Haraṇa, Mitrahā, Anila, Yajñahā, Brahmahā, Goughna, Strīghna, and Saṃvartaka—these,

इत्येते दश चैकश्च दैत्येन्द्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः । यथासंख्येन रुद्रांस्तु दुद्रुवुर्भीमविक्रमाः ।। ९३.

Thus, these ten and one more Daitya lords, mad with the desire for battle, charged fiercely at the Rudras, each according to their number.

शेषान् देवान् शेषदैत्या यथायोगमुपाद्रवन् । स्वयं महिषदैत्यस्तु इन्द्रं दुद्राव वेगितः ।। ९३.

The remaining Daityas attacked the other gods as appropriate; but Mahisha himself, with great speed, rushed directly at Indra.

स चापि बलवान् दैत्यो ब्रह्मणो वरदर्पितः । अवध्यः पुरुषेणाजौ यद्यपि स्यात् पिनाकधृक् ।। ९३.

And that powerful Daitya, emboldened by the boon of Brahmā, could not be slain by any man in battle, even if he were the wielder of Pināka.

आदित्यैर्वसुभिः साध्यै रुद्रैश्च निहता भृशम् । असुरा यातुधानाश्च संख्यापूरणकेवलाः ।। ९३.

The Asuras and Yātudhānas were struck down in great numbers by the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, and Rudras, their ranks replenished only by counting.

देवानामपि सैन्यानि निहतान्यसुरैर्युधि । एवं भूते तदा भग्ने देवेन्द्रे विद्रुताः सुराः ।। ९३.

The armies of the gods too were struck down by the Asuras in battle; in this way, when defeat befell the gods, the Devas fled, abandoning Indra.

अर्दिता विविधैः शस्त्रैः शूलपट्टिशमुद्गरैः । गतवन्तो ब्रह्मलोकमसुरैरर्दिताः सुराः ।। ९३.

Afflicted by various weapons—spears, pattiśas, and maces—the gods, tormented by the Asuras, went to the world of Brahmā.

श्रीवराह उवाच । अथ विद्युत्प्रभो दैत्यस्तथा दूतो विसर्जितः । देव्याः सकाशं गत्वाऽसौ तामुवाच सुमध्यमाम् ।। ९४.

Śrī Varāha said: Then the Daitya Vidyutprabha, sent as a messenger, went to the goddess and addressed her, she of slender waist.

प्रणम्य प्रयतो भूत्वा कुमारीशतसंकुलाम् । आस्थाने विनयापन्नस्ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ९४.

After bowing with devotion and composure, he approached the place crowded with hundreds of maidens, and then, with humility, spoke these words.

विद्युत्प्रभ उवाच । देवि पूर्वमृषिस्त्वासीदादिसर्गे कसंभवः । सखा सारस्वतो जातः सुपार्श्वो नाम वै विभुः ।। ९४.

Vidyutprabha said: O goddess, in the beginning of creation there was a sage, born at that time, whose name was Supārśva, a friend of Sarasvata, renowned and powerful.

तस्याभवन्महातेजाः सिन्धुद्वीपः प्रतापवान् । स हि तीव्रं तपस्तेपे माहिष्मत्यां पुरोत्तमे ।। ९४.

His son was the mighty Sindhudvīpa, full of great energy; he performed intense austerities in the illustrious city of Māhiṣmatī.

कुर्वतस्तु तपो घोरं निराहारस्य शोभने । आद्या तु विप्रचित्तेस्तु सुता सुरसुतोपमा । माहिष्मतीति विख्याता रूपेणासदृशी भुवि ।। ९४.

While he was engaged in severe penance, abstaining from food, the eldest daughter of Vipracitti, equal to the daughters of the gods, became famous on earth as Māhiṣmatī, unmatched in beauty.

सा सखीभिः परिवृता विहरन्ती यदृच्छया । आगता मन्दरद्रोणीं तत्रापश्यत् तपोवनम् । मुनेरम्बरसंज्ञस्य विविधद्रुममालिनम् ।। ९४.

Surrounded by her companions, she was wandering about as she pleased, and came to the slopes of Mount Mandara, where she saw the hermitage of the sage named Ambara, adorned with many kinds of trees.

लतागृहैस्तु विविधैर्वकुलैर्लकुचैस्तथा । चन्दनैः स्पन्दनैः शालैः सरलैरुपशोभितम् । विचित्रवनखण्डैश्च भूषितं तु महात्मनः ।। ९४.

It was beautified by various bowers of creepers, vakula and lakucha trees, as well as sandalwood, spandana, śāla, and sarala trees, and decorated with diverse forest groves belonging to the great-souled sage.

दृष्ट्वाश्रमपदं रम्यं सासुरी कन्यका शुभम् । माहिष्मती वरारोहा चिन्तयामास भामिनी ।। ९४.

Seeing the delightful hermitage, the auspicious demon maiden Māhiṣmatī, of excellent form, began to ponder.

भीषयित्वाहमेनं तु तापसं त्वाश्रमे स्वयम् । तिष्ठामि क्रीडती सार्धं सखीभिः परमार्चिता ।। ९४.

"I will frighten this ascetic myself here in his hermitage, and remain here playing with my companions, greatly honored."

एवं संचिन्त्य सा देवी महिषी संबभूव ह । सखीभिः सह विश्वेशि तीक्ष्णश्रृङ्गाग्रधारिणी ।। ९४.

Thinking thus, that goddess, O mistress of the universe, assumed the form of a buffalo, bearing sharp-tipped horns, together with her companions.

तमृषिं भीषितुं ताभिः सह गत्वा वरानना । असौ बिभीषितस्ताभिस्तां ज्ञात्वा ज्ञानचक्षुषा । आसुरीं क्रोधसंपन्नः शशाप शुभलोचनाम् ।। ९४.

Accompanied by them, the beautiful-faced one went to frighten the sage; but perceiving her true nature with his eye of knowledge, he, filled with anger, cursed the auspicious-eyed demon maiden.

यस्माद् भीषयसे मां त्वं महिषीरूपधारिणी । अतो भव महिष्येव पापकर्मे शतं समाः ।। ९४.

"Because you frighten me, taking the form of a buffalo, therefore, O doer of evil, become a buffalo for a hundred years."

एवमुक्ता ततः सा तु सखीभिः सह वेपती । पादयोर्न्यपतत् तस्य शापान्तं कुरु जल्पती ।। ९४.

Thus addressed, she trembled along with her companions, and fell at his feet, murmuring, "End the curse."

तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा स मुनिः करुणान्वितः । शापान्तमकरोत् तस्या वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ।। ९४.

Hearing her words, the sage, filled with compassion, granted her release from the curse and spoke these words.

अनेनैव स्वरूपेण पुत्रमेकं प्रसूय वै । शापान्तो भविता भद्रे मद्वाक्यं न मृषा भवेत् ।। ९४.

"By giving birth to a son in this very form, O blessed one, the curse will end; my words shall not be in vain."

एवमुक्ता गता सा तु नर्मदातीरमुत्तमम् । यत्र तेपे तपो घोरं सिन्धुद्वीपो महातपाः ।। ९४.

Thus addressed, she went to the excellent bank of the Narmadā, where Sindhudvīpa, the great ascetic, was performing severe penance.

तत्र चेन्दुमती नाम दैत्यकन्याऽतिरूपिणी । सा दृष्टा तेन मुनिना विवस्त्रा मज्जती जले ।। ९४.

There, a demon maiden named Endumatī, of surpassing beauty, was seen by that sage, unclothed, plunging into the water.