वज्रप्रहाराविरतम्रियमाणमहासुरम् । शुक्रामरमहाविद्याजायमानापरासुरम्
The great demons, struck incessantly by thunderbolts, were dying; other demons arose, born from the mighty spells of Shukra and the gods.
शुभग्रहमहाकेतुपालितानाम् इतस् ततः । उत्पातमङ्गलौघानां युद्धैर् उद्धतकन्धरम्
Guarded by auspicious planets and great comets here and there, the tumultuous battles raised the necks of crowds of omens and portents.
साद्रिखोर्वीसमुद्रद्यु जगद् रुधिरवारिभिः । फुल्लैककिंशुकवनं कुर्वद् दुर्वारवैरतः
The world, along with mountains, oceans, and sky, was flooded with streams of blood, making it appear like a blossoming forest of single kimshuka trees, due to the irresistible enmity.
पर्वतप्रतिमासङ्ख्यशवपूर्णमहार्णवम् । समग्रतरुशाखांसलम्बलोलमहाशवम्
The vast ocean was filled with corpses as numerous as mountains, and the great corpses swayed, hanging from the branches and trunks of all the trees.
नीयमानैस् स्ववाताक्तैः पक्षपुष्पलसत्फलैः । तालोत्तालैश् शरव्रातवनैर् व्याप्तनभस्तलम्
Carried away by winds, with wings, flowers, and fruits attached, the tall palm trees and forests of arrows filled the sky.
पर्वतप्रतिमासङ्ख्यकबन्धवनबाहुभिः । नृत्यद्भिः पतिताम्भोदविमानसुरतारकम्
With arms as numerous as mountain-like hosts of corpses, dancing, the celestial nymphs and stars fell from their aerial chariots into the waters below.
शरशक्तिगदाप्रासपट्टिसप्रोतपर्वतम् । लोकसप्तकविभ्रष्टकुड्यखण्डाचिताम्बरम्
Mountains were pierced through with arrows, spears, maces, javelins, and swords; the sky was strewn with fragments of walls fallen from the seven worlds.
अनारतरसन्मत्तकल्पाभ्रदृढदुन्दुभि । पृष्ठशब्दश्रवोन्नादपातालतलवारणम्
The unceasing, intoxicated, thunderous sound of great war drums, like dense clouds, echoed so powerfully that it seemed to shake the very elephants of the netherworld.
विनायककराकृष्टदीर्घदानवपर्वतम् । एकदिक्तटनिस्स्पन्दसिद्धसाध्यमरुद्गणम्
Mountains, drawn forth by the hands of mighty demons like Vināyaka, were hurled; and on one side, the hosts of perfected beings and wind-gods stood motionless.
पलायमानगन्धर्वकिन्नरामरचारणम् । शवीभूतक्षतक्षीणपतद्गन्धर्वनायकम्
Gandharvas, kinnaras, gods, and celestial sages fled in all directions; their leaders, wounded and exhausted, fell lifeless to the ground.
किञ्चिल्लब्धजयप्रायदैत्यदानवमण्डलम् । दूयमानसुरानीकम् एकान्तोद्विग्नवासवम्
The hosts of demons and daityas, having gained but a little victory, were nearly destroyed; the army of gods was being torn apart, and Indra stood alone, deeply anxious.
उत्तराशामिलद्वह्निरक्तहेतिबृहत्प्रभम् । प्रतिक्षणं लसद्दाहप्रकाशतिमिरोल्बणम्
A blazing fire, tinged with red weapons, shone in the northern direction, its fierce and ever-bright flames flashing forth, dispelling the darkness.
ववुर् अशनिनिपातपिण्डिताङ्गा दलितशिलाशकला दिशां मुखेषु । प्रलयसमयसूचकास् सुराणाम् उरुतरघर्घरघस्मरास् समीराः
Winds, roaring terribly like great serpents, swept through the quarters, their force scattering fragments of shattered rocks and bodies struck by thunderbolts—portents of cosmic dissolution for the gods.
वहत्स्व् असृक्प्रवाहेषु गङ्गापूरेष्व् इवाम्बरात् । दाम्नि वेष्टितदेवौघे मुक्तक्ष्वेडाघनारवे
As blood flowed in streams, like the Ganges in flood pouring from the sky, the hosts of gods, bound together by cords, roared with the tumult of released thunder.
व्याले निजकराकृष्टिपिष्टसर्वसुरालये । कटे कठिनसंरम्भसङ्गराच्छादितामरे
The serpent, having seized and crushed all the abodes of the gods with its own hand, concealed the lotus with the harsh tumult of battle at its waist.
ऐरावणे क्षीणमदे पलायनपरायणे । प्रवृद्धे दानवानीके मध्याह्न इव भास्करे
When Airavata, his pride subdued and intent on fleeing, was overwhelmed by the army of demons, it was as if the midday sun was surrounded by a multitude of clouds.
पतितार्धायुधाङ्गानि प्रस्रवद्रुधिराणि च । पयांसीव विसेतूनि देवसैन्यानि दुद्रुवुः
The armies of the gods, with their weapons and limbs fallen and blood streaming forth, fled like waters breaking through a breached dam.
दामव्यालकटास् तानि चिरम् अन्तर्हितान्य् अपि । अनुजग्मुर् लसन्नादम् इन्धनानीव पावकाः
Those cords, serpents, and belts, though hidden for a long time, followed with resounding noise, like flames pursuing fuel.
अन्विष्टान् अपि यत्नेन नालभन्तासुरास् सुरान् । घनजालवनोड्डीनान् सिंहा हरिणकान् इव
Though the demons searched diligently, they could not find the gods, just as lions cannot find deer that have leapt into a thicket of dense clouds.
अलब्धेष्व् अमरौघेषु दामव्यालकटास् तदा । जग्मुः पातालकोशस्थं प्रभुं प्रमुदिताशयाः
When the hosts of gods could not be found, those cords, serpents, and belts then joyfully went to their lord, who dwelt in the treasury of the netherworld.
अथ देवा विषण्णास् ते क्षणम् आश्वस्य वै ययुः । जयोपायाय विजिता ब्रह्माणम् अमितौजसम्
Then the gods, dejected, after regaining their composure for a moment, went to Brahma, the one of immeasurable brilliance, seeking a means to victory.
तेषाम् आविरभूद् ब्रह्मा रक्तरक्ताननश्रियाम् । सायं रक्तीकृताम्बूनाम् अब्धीनाम् इव चन्द्रमाः
To them appeared Brahma, his face radiant with a red glow, like the moon rising in the evening over oceans tinged red.
प्रणम्य ते सुरास् तस्मै तम् अर्थं शम्बरेरितम् । सम्यक् प्रकथयाम् आसुर् दामव्यालकटक्रमम्
Having bowed to him, those gods clearly related to him the matter spoken by Shambara, describing in detail the sequence of the Dama, Vyala, and Kata armies.
तम् आकर्ण्याखिलं ब्रह्मा विचार्य च विचारवित् । उवाचेदं सुरानीकम् आश्वासनकरं वचः
Hearing all this and reflecting as one skilled in discernment, Brahma spoke these reassuring words to the assembly of gods.
हन्त वर्षसहस्रान्ते शम्बरेण हरेः क्रमात् । मर्तव्यम् अमरेशस्य तत्कालं सम्प्रतीक्ष्यताम्
Indeed, at the end of a thousand years, Shambara will, in due course, be slain by Hari; until then, wait for that time, O lord of immortals.
दामव्यालकटान् एतान् अद्य त्व् अमरसत्तमाः । योधयन्तः पलायध्वं मायायुद्धेन दानवान्
Today, O best of immortals, fight with these Dama, Vyala, and Kata forces, and then withdraw from the battle with the demons who wield illusion.
युद्धाभ्यासवशाद् एषां मकुराणाम् इवाशये । अहङ्कारचमत्कारः प्रतिबिम्बम् उपैष्यति
Because of their constant practice of battle, the pride of these warriors will, like a reflection in a mirror, arise from their own sense of ego.
गृहीतवासनास् त्व् एते दामव्यालकटास् सुराः । सुजया वो भविष्यन्ति जाललग्नाः खगा इव
But when these Dama, Vyala, and Kata warriors have acquired tendencies, they will be easily conquered by you, like birds caught in a net.
अद्य त्व् अवासना एते सुखदुःखविवर्जिताः । धैर्येणारीन् विनिघ्नन्तो देवदुर्जयतां गताः
But today, since they are without such tendencies and untouched by pleasure or pain, by courageously striking down your enemies, you gods have attained invincibility.
वासनातन्तुबद्धा ये आशापाशवशीकृताः । वश्यतां यान्ति ते लोके रज्जुबद्धाः खगा इव
Those who are bound by the threads of latent tendencies and subdued by the bonds of desire become controlled in this world, like birds tied with a rope.