Vayu Purana

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.

भद्रकाली च विज्ञेया देव्याः क्रोधाद्विनिर्गता। प्रेषिता देवदेवेन यज्ञान्तिकमिहागता ।। ३०.

And know Bhadrakali, born from the goddess's anger, sent by the Lord of gods, has come here to the sacrifice.

शारणं गच्छ राजेन्द्र देवं ते त्वमुमापतिम्। वरं क्रोधोऽपि रुद्रस्य वरदानं न देवतः ।। ३०.

O king of kings, take refuge in the god, the consort of Uma; for even Rudra's anger grants boons, not punishment, to the gods.

वीरभद्रवचः श्रुत्वा दक्षो धर्म्मभृतां वरः। तोषयामास देवेशं शूलपाणिं महेश्वरम् ।। ३०.

Hearing the words of Virabhadra, Daksha, foremost among the righteous, sought to please the Lord of gods, the wielder of the trident, the great Lord.

प्रदुष्टे यज्ञवादे तु विद्रुतेषु द्विजातिषु। तारामृगमये दीप्ते रौद्रे भीममहानले ।। ३०.

When the sacrificial proceedings were corrupted, and the twice-born scattered, in the blazing, terrifying, great fire made of stars and deer,

शूलनिर्भिन्नवदनैः कूजद्भिः परिचारकैः। निखातोत्पाटितैर्यूपैरपविद्धै र्य्यतस्ततः ।। ३०.

With attendants shrieking, their faces pierced by tridents, with heaps of bodies uprooted and thrown here and there,

उत्पत्द्भिः पतद्भिश्च गृध्रैरामिषगृध्रुभिः। पक्षपातविनिर्धूतैः शिवाशतनिनादितैः ।। ३०.

With vultures, eager for flesh, flying up and down, tossed about by the flapping of wings, echoing with the cries of hundreds of jackals,

प्राणापानौ सन्निरुध्य ततः स्थानेन यत्नतः। विचार्य सर्वतो दृष्टिं बहुदृष्टिरमित्रजित् ।। ३०.

Restraining his breath in and out, then, with great effort, fixing his gaze everywhere, the conqueror of foes reflected deeply.

सहसा देवदेवेशः अग्निकुण्डादुपागतः। चन्द्रसूर्य्यसहस्रस्य तेजः संवर्त्तकोपमम् ।। ३०.

Suddenly, the Lord of gods emerged from the fire-pit, with a radiance like the blaze of a thousand suns and moons.

प्रहस्य चैनं भगवानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। नष्टस्ते ज्ञानतो दक्ष प्रीतिस्ते मयि सांप्रतम् ।। ३०.

Smiling, the Blessed Lord spoke these words to him: 'O Daksha, your knowledge is lost, but now your affection for me has returned.'

स्मितं कृत्वाब्रवीद्वाक्यं ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। श्रावितञ्च समाख्याय देवानां गुरुभिः सह ।। ३०.

Smiling, he said, 'Speak, what shall I do for you? Tell me, and let it be heard in the presence of the gods and their teachers.'