Vayu Purana

व्कचिद्ध्यायति युक्तात्मा व्कचित्स्तूलं प्रमार्जति। व्कचिद्गायति विश्वात्मा व्कचिद्रौति मुहुर्मुहुः ।। ३०.

At times he meditates, his mind disciplined; at times he sweeps the altar; at times he sings, the soul of the universe; at times he roars again and again.

ज्ञानं वैराग्यमैश्वर्य्यं तपः सत्यं क्षमा धृतिः। प्रभुत्वमात्मसंबोधो ह्यधिष्ठानगुणैर्युतः ।। ३०.

He is endowed with knowledge, detachment, lordliness, austerity, truth, forbearance, steadfastness, sovereignty, self-awareness, and the qualities of mastery.

जानुभ्यामवनिं गत्वा प्रणतः प्राञ्जलिः स्थितः। आज्ञापय त्वं देवेश किं कार्य्यं करवाणि ते ।। ३०.

Having gone to the ground on his knees, bowing with joined palms, he said: 'Command me, Lord of gods, what task shall I perform for you?'

तमुवाचाक्षिप मखं दक्षस्येह महेश्वरः। देवस्यानुमतिं श्रुत्वा वीरभद्रो महाबलः। प्रणम्य शिरसा पादौ देवेशस्य उमापतेः ।। ३०.

To him, the great Lord Maheśvara said, 'Destroy Dakṣa's sacrifice here.' Hearing the goddess's consent, mighty Vīrabhadra bowed his head to the feet of the Lord of gods, the husband of Umā.

ततो बन्धात् प्रमुक्तेन सिंहेनेवेह लीलया। देव्या मन्युकृतं मत्वा हतो दक्षस्य स क्रतुः ।। ३०.

Then, released from bonds, like a lion at play, considering the goddess's wrath, he destroyed Dakṣa's sacrifice.

मन्युना च महाभीमा भद्रकाली महेश्वरी। आत्मनः सर्वसाक्षित्वे तेन सार्द्ध सहानुगा ।। ३०.

And with great fury, Bhadrakālī, the great goddess, as the witness of all, together with her attendants, accompanied him.

स एष भगवान् क्रुद्धः प्रेतावासकृतालयः। वीरभद्र इति ख्यातो देव्या मन्युप्रमार्जकः ।। ३०.

Thus, this blessed one, enraged, dwells in the abode of spirits; known as Vīrabhadra, he is the remover of the goddess's wrath.

सोऽसृजद्रोमकूपेभ्यो रौद्रान्नाम गणेश्वरान्। रुद्रानुगा महावीर्य्या रुद्रवीर्यपराक्रमाः ।। ३०.

From the pores of his skin, he created fierce leaders of hosts, followers of Rudra, of great might, possessing the valor and power of Rudra.

रुद्रस्यानुचराः सर्वे सर्वे रुद्रसमप्रभाः। ते निपेतुस्ततस्तूर्णं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ।। ३०.

All of them were attendants of Rudra, all shining with the same brilliance as Rudra; then, they descended swiftly, by the hundreds and thousands.

ततः किलकिलाशब्द आकाशं पूरयन्निव। तेन शब्देन महता त्रस्ताः सर्वे दिवौकसः।। ३०.

Then, a clattering sound, as if filling the sky, arose; terrified by that great noise, all the dwellers of heaven were struck with fear.

पर्वताश्च व्यशीर्यन्त कम्पते च वसुन्धरा। मेरुश्च घूर्णते विप्राः क्षुभ्यन्ते वरुणालयाः ।। ३०.

Mountains shattered, the earth trembled, Meru reeled, O sages, and the abodes of Varuna were agitated.

अग्नयो नैव दीप्यन्ते न च दीप्यन्ति भास्कराः। ग्रहा नैव प्रकाशन्ते नक्षत्राणि न तारकाः ।। ३०.

The fires did not blaze, nor did the suns shine; the planets did not give light, nor the stars or constellations.

ऋषयो नाभ्यभाषन्त न देवा न च दानवाः। एवं हि तिमिरीभूतं निर्द्दहन्ति विमानिताः ।। ३०.

The sages did not speak, nor the gods, nor the demons; thus, all was enveloped in darkness, scorched by the insulted ones.

सिंहनादं प्रमुञ्चन्ते घोररूपा महाबलाः। प्रभञ्जन्ते परे घोरा यूपानुत्पाटयन्ति च ।। ३०.

Terrible in form and great in strength, they let out lion-roars; others, fierce, broke apart and uprooted sacrificial posts.

प्रमर्द्दन्ति तथा चान्ये विनृत्यन्ति तताऽपरे। आधावन्ति प्रधावन्ति वायुवेगा मनोजवाः ।। ३०.

Some crushed, others danced, and yet others ran and rushed about with the speed of wind and mind.

चूर्णन्ते यज्ञपात्राणि यागस्यायतनानि च। शीर्यमाणानि दृश्यन्ते तारा इव नभस्तलात् ।। ३०.

They shattered the sacrificial vessels and the places of worship; these, as they broke apart, appeared like stars falling from the sky.

दिव्यान्नपानभक्षाणां राशयः पर्वतोपमाः। क्षीर नद्यस्तथा चान्या घृतपायसकर्दमाः. मधुमण्डोदका दिव्याः खण्डशर्करवालुकाः ।। ३०.

Heaps of divine food and drink, mountain-like, were seen; rivers of milk and others, with mud of ghee and sweet rice, and divine streams of honey and water, with sands of sugar crystals.

षड्रसान्निवहन्त्यन्या गुडकुल्या मनोरमाः। उच्चावचानि मांसानि भक्ष्याणि विविधानि च ।। ३०.

Other delightful streams carried the six tastes; there were meats of various kinds, both high and low, and many other foods.

यानि कानि च दिव्यानि लेह्यञ्चोष्यं तथापरे। भुञ्जते विविधैर्वक्त्रैर्विलुण्ठन्ति च सर्वसः। क्रीडन्ति विविधाकाराश्चिक्षिपुः सुरयोषितः ।। ३०.

Whatever divine foods there were, to be licked or sucked, they ate with various mouths, plundering everything; they played in many forms and threw about the celestial women.

रुद्रकोपप्रयुक्तास्तु सर्वदेवैः सुरक्षितम्। तं यज्ञमहनन् शीघ्रं रुद्रकल्पाः समीपतः ।। ३०.

Driven by Rudra's wrath, and though protected by all the gods, those Rudra-like beings swiftly destroyed that sacrifice at close quarters.

चक्रुरन्ये तथा नादान् सर्वभूतभयंकरान्। छित्त्वा शिरोऽन्ये यज्ञस्य विनदन्ति भयङ्कराः ।। ३०.

Others made terrifying sounds, frightening all beings; some, having cut off the head of the sacrifice, howled fearsomely.

दक्षो दक्षपतिश्चैव देवो यज्ञपतिस्तथा। मृगरूपेण चाकाशे प्रपलायितुमारभत् ।। ३०.

Daksha, the lord of sacrifice, and the god who was the master of the sacrifice, began to flee into the sky in the form of a deer.

वीरभद्रोऽप्रमेयात्मा ज्ञात्वा तस्य बलन्तदा। अन्तरिक्षगतस्याशु चिच्छेदास्य शिरो महान् ।। ३०.

Vīrabhadra, of immeasurable nature, perceiving his strength, swiftly cut off his head as he moved through the sky.

दक्षः प्रजापतिश्चैव विनष्ट भ्रान्तचेतनः। क्रुद्धेन वीरभद्रेण शिरः पादेन पीडितः। जराभिभूततीव्रात्मा निपपात महीतले ।। ३०.

Daksha, the lord of creatures, his mind lost and destroyed, had his head trampled by the enraged Vīrabhadra's foot; overcome by intense old age, he fell to the earth.

त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवतानां ताः कोटयो विमलात्मकाः। पाशेनाग्निबलेनाशु बद्धाः सिंहबलेन च ।। ३०.

The crores of the thirty-three gods, pure in nature, were quickly bound by the noose and the power of fire, and by the strength of lions.

ततो जग्मुर्महात्मानं सर्वे देवा महाबलम्। प्रसीद भगवन् रुद्र बृत्यानां मा कुधः प्रभो ।। ३०.

Then all the gods went to the great-souled, mighty one and said, 'Be gracious, Lord Rudra; do not be angry with your servants, O Master.'

ततो ब्रह्मादयो देवा दक्षश्चैव प्रजापतिः। ऊचुः प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा कथ्यतां को भवानिति ।। ३०.

Then the gods, beginning with Brahma, and also Daksha, the lord of creatures, with joined palms, said, 'Please tell us, who are you?'

न च देवो न चादित्यो न च भोक्तुमिहागतः। नैवद्रष्टुं हि देवेन्द्रान्न च कौतूहलान्वितः ।। ३०.

I am not a god, nor an Aditya, nor have I come here to partake, nor even to see the lords of the gods, nor out of curiosity.

दक्षयज्ञविनाशार्थं सम्प्राप्तं विद्धि मामिह। वीरभद्र इति ख्यातं रुद्रकोपाद्विनिर्गतम् ।। ३०.

Know me as come here for the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice, famed as Virabhadra, arisen from Rudra's wrath.