Varaha Purana

कूष्माण्डा यातुधानाश्च सर्वे प्रज्वलिताननाः । उत्तस्थुः कोटिशस्तत्र नानाप्रहरणावृताः ।। २१.

Kūṣmāṇḍas and yātudhānas, all with blazing faces, arose there by the millions, armed with various weapons.

ते दृष्ट्वा भूतसंघाता विविधायुधपाणयः । ससर्ज वेदविद्याङ्गं रथं परमशोभनम् ।। २१.

Seeing those hosts of beings, holding diverse weapons, he created a most splendid chariot, endowed with the limbs of Vedic knowledge.

तस्मिन्नृगादयस्त्वश्वास्त्रितत्त्वं च त्रिवेणुकम् । त्रिपूजकं त्रिषवणं धर्माक्षं मारुतध्वनिम् ।। २१.

On that chariot were the Ṛg and other Vedas, horses, the threefold essence, the triple braid, the triple worship, the three pressings, the righteous dice, and the sound of the wind.

अहोरात्रे पताके द्वे धर्माधर्मे तु दण्डके । शकटं सर्वविद्याश्च स्वयं ब्रह्मादिसारथिः ।। २१.

Day and night are his two banners, righteousness and unrighteousness are his two rods; the chariot is all knowledge, and Brahma himself is the charioteer, along with the other gods.

गायत्री च धनुस्तस्य ओङ्कारो गुण एव च । स्वराः सप्त शरास्तस्य देवदेवस्य सुव्रत ।। २१.

Gayatri is his bow, Om is the bowstring, and the seven notes are the arrows of that Lord of gods, O virtuous one.

एवं कृत्वा स सामग्रीं देवदेवः प्रतापवान् । जगाम दक्षयज्ञाय कोपाद् रुद्रः प्रतापवान् ।। २१.

Having thus assembled these things, the glorious Lord of gods, filled with wrath, went to Daksha’s sacrifice.

गच्छतस्तस्य देवस्य अम्बराङ्गिरसं नयत् । ऋत्विजां मन्त्रनिचयो नष्टो रुद्रागमे तदा ।। २१.

As that god advanced, leading the Angirasa spirits through the sky, the collection of mantras of the priests was lost at Rudra’s arrival.

विपरीतमिदं दृष्ट्वा तदा सर्वे च ऋत्विजः । ऊचुः संनह्यतां देवा महद् वो भयमागतम् ।। २१.

Seeing this reversal, all the priests then said: 'Let the gods arm themselves; a great danger has come upon you.'

कश्चिदायाति बलवानसुरो ब्रह्मनिर्मितः । यज्ञभागार्थमेतस्मिन् क्रतौ परमदुर्लभम् ।। २१.

'Some powerful demon, created by Brahma, is coming here for a share of the sacrifice, which is extremely difficult to obtain in this rite.'

एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा ऊचुर्मातामहं तदा । दक्ष तात किमत्रास्मत्कार्यं ब्रूहि विवक्षितम् ।। २१.

Thus addressed, the gods then spoke to their grandsire: 'Daksha, revered one, what should we do here? Tell us what you intend.'

दक्ष उवाच । गृह्यन्तां द्रुतमस्त्राणि संग्रामोऽत्र विधीयताम् । एवमुक्ते तदा देवैर्विविधायुधधारिभिः । रुद्रस्यानुचरैः सार्धं महद्युद्धं प्रवर्तितम् ।। २१.

Daksha said: 'Let weapons be quickly taken up, let battle be arranged here.' When this was said, the gods, bearing various weapons, began a great battle together with Rudra’s followers.

तत्र वेतालभूतानि कूष्माण्डा ग्रहपूतनाः । युयुधुर्लोकपालैश्च नानाशस्त्रधराणि च ।। २१.

There, ghouls, spirits, goblins, planets, and witches, all bearing various weapons, fought with the guardians of the worlds.

देवा रौद्राणि भूतानि निरसन्तो यमालयम् । चिक्षिपुः सायकान् घोरानसींश्च सपरश्वधान् ।। २१.

The gods, driving away the fierce spirits toward the abode of Yama, hurled dreadful arrows, swords, and axes.

भूतान्यपि मृधे धोराण्युल्मुकैरस्थिभिः शरैः । जग्मुर्देवान् मृधे रोषाद् रुद्रस्य पुरतो बलात् ।। २१.

The spirits too, in the battle, out of anger, forcefully attacked the gods before Rudra, with blazing brands, bones, and arrows.

ततस्तस्मिन् महारौद्रे संग्रामे भीमरूपिणि । रुद्रो भगस्य नेत्रे तु बिभेदैकेषुणा मृधे ।। २१.

Then, in that exceedingly fierce and terrifying battle, Rudra, in the conflict, pierced Bhaga’s eyes with a single arrow.

रुद्रस्य शरपातेन नष्टनेत्रं भगं तदा । दृष्ट्वाऽस्य क्रोधात् तेजस्वी पूषा रुद्रमयोधयत् ।। २१.

When Bhaga’s eyes were destroyed by Rudra’s shower of arrows, the radiant Pushan, enraged, fought with Rudra.

सृजन्तमिषुजालानि पूषणं तु महामृधे । दृष्ट्वा रुद्रोऽस्य दन्तांस्तु चकर्षं परवीरहा ।। २१.

When Rudra saw Pushan releasing volleys of arrows in the great battle, the destroyer of enemies pulled out his teeth.

तस्य दन्तांस्तदा दृष्ट्वा पूष्णो रुद्रेण पातितान् । दुद्रुवुः वसवो दिक्षु रुद्रास्त्वेकादश द्रुतम् ।। २१.

Seeing Pushan’s teeth struck down by Rudra, the Vasus fled in all directions, and the eleven Rudras quickly departed.

तान् भग्नान् सहसा दिक्षु दृष्ट्वा विष्णुः प्रतापवान् । आदित्यावरजो वाक्यमुवाच स्वबलं तदा ।। २१.

Seeing them suddenly defeated and fleeing in all directions, the glorious Vishnu, the younger brother of the Sun, then spoke these words to his own army.

क्व यात पौरुषं त्यक्त्वा दर्पं माहात्म्यमेव च । व्यवसायं कुलं भूतिं कथं न स्मर्यते द्रुतम् ।। २१.

'Where has your manliness gone, abandoning pride and greatness? How is it that you do not quickly remember your resolve, your lineage, and your glory?'

परमेष्ठिगुणैर्युक्तो लघुवद्भीतितः पुरा । नमस्कं कुरुते मोघं पृथिव्यां पद्मजः स्वयम् ।। २१.

'Though endowed with the virtues of the Supreme Lord, formerly, out of fear, even the self-born Lotus-born one offered futile salutations on earth.'

एवमुक्त्वा गरुत्मन्तमारुरोह हरिस्तदा । शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासा जनार्दनः ।। २१.

Having spoken thus, Hari, clad in yellow garments, holding conch, discus, and mace in his hands, the sustainer of the people, then mounted Garuda.

ततो हरिहरं युद्धमभवल्लोमहर्षणम् । रुद्रः पाशुपतास्त्रेण विव्याध हरिमोजसा । हरिर्नारायणास्त्रेण रुद्रं विव्याध कोपवान् ।। २१.

Then there arose a hair-raising battle between Hari and Hara; Rudra struck Hari with the Pashupata weapon with great force, and Hari, enraged, struck Rudra with the Narayana weapon.

नारायणं पाशुपतमुभेऽस्त्रे व्योम्नि रोषिते । युयुधाते भृशं दिव्यं परस्परजिघांसया । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्त्रं तु तयोर्युद्धमभूत् तदा ।। २१.

Both the Narayana and Pashupata weapons, released in anger, clashed in the sky; the two fought fiercely, each intent on destroying the other, and their divine battle lasted a thousand years.

तत्रैकं मुकुटोद्बद्धं मूर्द्धन्यं जटजालकम् । एकं प्रध्मापयच्छङ्खमन्यडुमरुकं शुभम् ।। २१.

There, one wore a crown adorned with matted locks upon his head; one blew a conch, while the other sounded a beautiful drum.

एकं खङ्गकरं तत्र तथाऽन्यं दण्डधारिणम् । एकं कौस्तुभदीप्ताङ्गमन्यं भूतिविभूषितम् ।। २१.

One held a sword in his hand, the other bore a staff; one’s body shone with the Kaustubha gem, the other was adorned with sacred ashes.

एकं गदां भ्रामयति द्वितीयं दण्डमेव च । एकं शोभति कण्ठस्थैर्मणिभिस्त्वस्थिभिः परम् । एकं पीताम्बरं तत्र द्वितीयं सर्पमेखलम् ।। २१.

One whirled a mace, the other a staff; one’s neck gleamed with jewels, the other with bones; one was clad in yellow garments, the other wore a serpent as a belt.

एवं तौ स्पर्द्धिनावस्त्रौ रौद्रनारायणात्मकौ । अन्योऽन्यातिशयोपेतौ तदालोक्य पितामहः ।। २१.

Thus, those two, fierce and rivalrous, embodying Rudra and Narayana, each surpassing the other, were beheld by the Grandfather (Brahma).

उवाच शाम्यतामस्त्रौ स्वस्वभावेन सुव्रतौ । एवं ते ब्रह्मणा चोक्तौ शान्तभावं प्रजग्मतुः ।। २१.

He said, 'Let the weapons be withdrawn, O virtuous ones, each according to his own nature.' Thus addressed by Brahma, they both became peaceful.