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.
ये हि निर्वासना धीरास् सर्वत्रासक्तबुद्धयः । न हृष्यन्ति न कुप्यन्ति दुर्जयास् ते महाधियः
But those wise ones who are free from latent tendencies and whose minds are unattached everywhere neither rejoice nor become angry; such great intellects are difficult to overcome.
यस्यान्तर्वासनारज्ज्वा ग्रन्थिबन्धश् शरीरिणः । महान् अपि बहुज्ञो ऽपि स बालेनापि जीयते
One whose inner self is knotted by the cord of latent tendencies, even if he is great and learned, can be defeated even by a child.
अयं सो ऽहम् इदं मे तद् इत्य् आकलितकल्पनः । आपदां पात्रताम् एति पयसाम् इव सागरः
He who constantly thinks, 'I am this, this is mine, that is that,' becomes a vessel for calamities, like the ocean for waters.
इयन्मात्रपरिच्छिन्नो येनात्माभव्यभावितः । स सर्वज्ञो ऽपि सर्वत्र परां कृपणतां गतः
He who limits himself to this alone and regards himself as insignificant, even if he knows everything, everywhere falls into the highest state of wretchedness.
अनन्तस्याप्रमेयस्य येनेयत्ता प्रकल्पिता । आत्मतत्त्वस्य तेनात्मा स्वात्मनैवावशीकृतः
By whomsoever limitation is imagined for the infinite, immeasurable essence of the Self, by that very person the Self is subdued by his own self-nature.
आत्मनो व्यतिरिक्तं यत् किञ्चिद् अस्ति जगत्त्रये । तत्रोपादेयभावेन बद्धा भवति भावना
Whatever exists in the three worlds apart from the Self, when regarded as something to be acquired, becomes the cause of bondage through such conception.
आस्थामात्रम् अनन्तानां दुःखानां कारणं विदुः । अनास्थामात्रम् अभितस् सुखानां कारणं विदुः
They know that mere attachment is the cause of countless sorrows, and they know that mere detachment everywhere is the cause of happiness.
दामव्यालकटा यावद् अनास्था भावसंस्थितौ । तावन् न नाम जेया वो मषकाणाम् इवानिलाः
As long as there is disregard for the state of inner being, the bonds of desire cannot be overcome, just as the wind cannot conquer mosquitoes.
अन्तर्वासनया जन्तुर् दीनताम् अनुयातया । जितो भवत्य् अन्यथा तु मषको ऽप्य् अमराचलः
A creature, subdued by inner tendencies and led by weakness, is conquered; otherwise, even a mosquito would be like the immovable mountain of the gods.
विद्यते वासना यत्र तत्र चायाति दीनता । गुणागुणानुविद्धत्वं सतो दृष्टं हि नासतः
Wherever there is a tendency, there arises weakness; qualities and faults are seen in the existent, never in the non-existent.