नागास्त्रम् आदधे भीमं पाशबन्धनखेददम् । तेनाभवन् नभो व्याप्तं भोगिभिः पर्वतोपमैः
He took up the dreadful serpent-weapon, causing the pain of binding fetters; by it, the sky became filled with serpents, resembling mountains.
सर्पैर् विवलिता भूमिर् मृणालैस् सरसी यथा । सम्पन्ना गिरयस् सर्वे कृष्णपन्नगकम्बलाः
The earth was writhing with snakes, just as a lake is with lotuses’ stalks; all the mountains became covered with black serpent-blankets.
पदार्थास् सर्व एवेमे पिहिता अहिविग्रहैः । सपर्वतवनाभोगा ययौ विवशतां मही
All these objects were concealed by the forms of serpents; the earth, with its mountains and forests, became helpless.
धूताङ्गारकणाकीर्णा विषवेगस्य शंसिनी । ववुर् उष्णोष्णनीहारा वातज्वलनरेणवः
Hot winds, carrying embers and ashes, heralding the force of poison, blew fiercely, their heat like fiery dust-storms.
विदूरथो ऽथ सौपर्णम् आदधे ऽस्त्रं महास्त्रवित् । उदगुर् गरुडास् तेन सौवर्णा इव पर्वताः
Then Viduratha, master of great weapons, took up the Suparna-weapon; by it, Garuḍas arose, golden like mountains.
काञ्चनीकृतसर्वाशास् सर्वाशपरिपूरकाः । पक्षपर्वतसंरम्भजनितप्रलयानिलाः
All directions became golden, fulfilling every direction; winds of dissolution arose, born from the tumult of mountain-winged birds.
घोणाविवलनाकृष्टश्वसद्भुजगमण्डलाः । महाघरघरारावपूरिताम्भोदषण्डकाः
The circles of serpents, breathing and hissing, were drawn about by the swaying of their hoods, filling the masses of clouds with a great, rumbling roar.
भूपूरकं तु सर्पौघं स सुपर्णघनो ऽपिबत् । कृष्टं शलशलायन्तम् अगस्त्य इव वारिधिम्
Then the mighty Garuda devoured that host of serpents covering the earth, as Agastya once drank the ocean, while they hissed and rustled as they were seized.
सर्पकम्बलनिर्मुक्तं भूमण्डलम् अराजत । विशालम् इव नीरन्ध्रम् इव निर्वारि राशि वा
Freed from the serpent-blanket, the earth appeared vast, seamless, and shining, like a great, uninterrupted, and waterless expanse of silver.
ततस् तद्गरुडानीकं क्वाप्य् अगच्छद् अदृश्यताम् । दीपौघ इव वातेन शरदीवाभ्रमण्डलम्
Then that host of Garudas vanished somewhere, becoming invisible, like a cluster of lamps scattered by the wind, or like a mass of autumn clouds.
वज्रभीत्येव पक्षाढ्यं पर्वतप्रकरं पुनः । स्वप्नदृष्टं जगद् इव सङ्कल्पपुरपूरवत्
Once again, the mountain range, covered with wings as if out of fear of thunderbolts, appeared as if it were the world seen in a dream, or the city of imagination filled to the brim.
ततस् तमोऽस्त्रम् असृजत् सिन्धुर् अन्धान्धकारदम् । तेनान्धकारो ववृधे कृष्णाभ्रजठरोपमः
Then the ocean released the darkness-weapon, producing dense, blinding gloom; by it, darkness grew, resembling the belly of a black cloud.
रोदोरन्ध्रे प्रविसृत एकार्णव इवाभवत् । मत्स्या इवाभवञ् शैलास् ताराश् च मणयो ऽभवन्
Spreading through the gaps in the mountains, it became like a single ocean; the mountains became like fish, and the stars appeared as jewels.
अन्धकारः प्रववृधे मषीपङ्कार्णवोपमः । कज्जलाचलसम्भारो धुतः कल्पान्तरैर् अपि
The darkness increased, like an ocean of inky mud, a mass of lampblack that could not be dispelled even by the passing of ages.
अन्धकूपे निपतिता इवासन् सकलाः प्रजाः । कल्पान्त इव संशेमुर् व्यवहारा दिशां प्रति
All the people were as if fallen into a dark pit; like at the end of an age, all activities in every direction came to a standstill.
विदूरथो ऽथ मार्ताण्डम् अस्त्रं ब्रह्माण्डमण्डपे । ददाव् अस्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठः पुष्टमन्त्रविचेष्टितः
Then Viduratha, the best among those skilled in weapons, empowered by nourishing mantras, gave the solar missile within the dome of the cosmic egg.
अथोदितस् तमोऽम्भोधिम् अर्कागस्त्यो गभस्तिभिः । अपिबत् कृष्णम् अम्भोदं शरत्काल इवामलः
Then, as the sun Agastya rises, with his rays he drank up the dark ocean, pure as the autumn season.
अन्धकाराम्बरोन्मुक्ता विरेजुर् अमला दिशः । भूपतेः पुरतः कान्ता इव रम्यपयोधराः
Freed from the garment of darkness, the spotless directions shone forth, like lovely women with beautiful breasts before the king.
ययुः प्रकटताम् अन्तर् अखिला वनराजयः । लोभकज्जलजालेन मुक्ता इव सतां धियः
All the rows of forests became visible, as the minds of the virtuous are freed from the net of greed-born darkness.
अथ कोपाकुलस् सिन्धू राक्षसास्त्रं महाभयम् । क्षणाद् उदीरयाम् आस मन्त्रोदितशरात्मकम्
Then, the oceans, agitated by anger, suddenly unleashed the terrifying demon-missile, composed of arrows produced by mantra.
उदगुर् भीषणा दिग्भ्यस् सरुषो वनराक्षसाः । पातालगजहूङ्कारक्षुब्धा इव महार्णवाः
From every direction, fierce forest-demons arose in wrath, like great oceans churned by the roar of the underworld elephant.
कपिलोर्ध्वजटाधूम्रास् स्फुटच्चटचटारवाः । अग्नयो लेलिहानोग्रजिह्वा अर्द्रेन्धना इव
With smoke rising from their tawny, upraised matted hair, crackling and snapping loudly, the fires licked with fierce tongues, as if fed with moist fuel.
सावर्तवृत्तयो व्योम्नि भीमडक्कारटाङ्कृताः । अग्निदाहमहाधूमविपुला इव सोल्मुकाः
With circling movements in the sky, they made dreadful, drum-like sounds, vast as blazing meteors trailing great plumes of smoke.
दंष्ट्राबिसाङ्कुराक्रान्तमुखपङ्कजदेहकाः । उत्थिता लोमनिर्यातदुष्प्रज्वालजटा इव
Their bodies, with lotus-like faces seized by sprouting fangs, rose up like tangled locks of hair fiercely aflame, bursting forth from the pores.
निगिरन्तः प्रधावन्तो गर्जन्तस् तर्जिताशयाः । जटोज्ज्वालितडित्पुञ्जजलदास् सजला इव
Devouring, rushing, roaring with threatening intent, they were like storm clouds ignited by flashes of lightning from their tangled hair.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तस्मिंल् लीलानाथो विदूरथः । नारायणास्त्रं प्रददौ दुष्टभूतनिवारणम्
At that very moment, the lord of play, Viduratha, released the Narayana weapon, which wards off evil spirits.
उदीर्यमाण एवास्मिन्न् अस्त्रराजे तु राजयः । राक्षसानां प्रशेमुस् ता अन्धकारा इवोदये
As that supreme weapon was being unleashed, the hosts of demons vanished, just as darkness disappears at sunrise.
प्रमृष्टराक्षसानीकम् अभवद् भुवनत्रयम् । शरदीव गताम्भोदं व्योम निर्मलम् आबभौ
The army of demons was swept away, and the three worlds became clear, like the sky shining pure after the clouds of autumn have departed.
अथ सिन्धुर् मुमोचास्त्रम् आग्नेयं ज्वलिताम्बरम् । जज्वलुः ककुभस् तेन कल्पाग्निवलिता इव
Then Sindhu released the fiery weapon, blazing across the sky; by it, the quarters of the heavens burned as if consumed by the fire of dissolution.
धूमाम्बुदभरच्छन्ना बभूवुस् सकला दिशः । गगनप्रोत्थपातालतिमिराकुलिता इव
All directions became veiled with masses of smoke and clouds, as if the sky and the netherworld were filled with thick darkness.