Shiva Arrives on the Battlefield

Narada said:

l-6a. Seeing the demon-army killed by the attendants led by Nandin, the demons Sumbha and others, getting angry, went to (fight with) the attendants (of Shiva). Then the great demon Sumbha fought with Nandin. Nisumbha (fought with) Mahakala, and Kala with LokeSvara in the battle. Sailaroman fought with Puspudanta, and Mahabala with Malyavat. Due to the, power of illusion, О king, there was a din on the battlefield. Bhayanaka ran to Capda> and Rahu to Skanda (i.e. Kartikeya). Sarparoman (ran) to Kushmapda, and Gharghara to Madana. Ketumukha went to kill shubha, and Jambha (went to kill) Vinayaka. Patalaketu (rushed to kill) Hasa, and Romakaptaka (rushed to kill) Bhrngisa. The attendants of Rudra and the demons in crores fought with one another.

6b-19a When the lords of both of them were watching, the attendants and the demons, striking hard, struck (one another) with arrows. Nandin discharged those arrows as a great shower would (fall) on a mountain. Then he filled the face of Sumbha with arrows as wind fills the cave of Mandara with the masses of leaves. Kumbha left his bow, and ran to him (getting down) from the chariot. He uprooted a mountain and struck with it on the chest of Nandin, and having crushed his chariot in the battle, that mountain fell on the ground as a mountain would fall on coming in contact with the thunderbolt. He fainted for a moment, (then) regaining consciousness, he ran speedily. Mahakala was struck on the chest by Nisumbha with a mallet. Coming (to him) he struck the demon on his crown with a mace. Ignor­ing that stroke, that very mighty Nisumbha also seized him by his feet and the very mighty one whirling him from his palm, threw him and roared. Drinking (i.e. inhaling) the air from his mouth (i.e. his breath), he, who had been tawny due to blood, roared. Puspadanta was struck on his face with a fist|by Sailaroman. He (i.e. Puspadanta) struck Sailaroman with a mace, and knocked him on the ground. Seeing him fallen on the ground, the very strong Giriketu struck with a mallet the very fierce Puspadanta. Then Puspadanta cutoffGiriketu’s head with a sword and ran taking with him the shield and the sword of Giriketu. (Giriketu’s) head said to him, “Why do you go away, leaving me who desire to fight (with you)? Do you not feel ashamed of running when this body is deprived of the head? ” Thus address­ed by his head, the trunk of Giriketu seized Puspadanta by his feet, and cut (i.e. pierced) his belly with a sharp sword.

19b-29a. From the side a demon, very strong and having a hundred heads, went out. He had two hundred eyes and two hundred arms. His head, whirling round, < shme near his trunk, О king. Seeing the head come, Pushpadanta cut it off with his sword. Then (came) a demon named Bhukampana, and a fearful demon by name Jvara. Then, О king, Pushpadanta was crushed there by the two. That unbearable and very speedy Jvara troubled him. The attendant of Shiva (viz. Pu? padanta) left the battle and trembling went to the mountain (Kailasa). A great archer Kolahala struck Malyavat with three arrows on his shoulders, and Malyavat (struck) the demon on his forehead. Kolahala who was struck by Malyavat with sharp weapons of various kinds, showing his dexterity, struck Malyavat. That Malyavat, the chief among the attendants, ignoring the pain caused by the weapon, took a huge rock and struck Kolahala with it in the battle. From him Feverish Heat, named Jvalana came out. He was very fierce, had three heads, nine hands, nine feet, and was very tawny. That Feverish Heat deluded Malyavat with his lustre. Malyavat, being subdued, left the battle and went to the mountain. In the battle Can^i was struck with a strong noose on his chest. His horse went out (of the battlefield); from him he was hurled into the ocean.

29b-38a. In the battle Kartikeya hit Rahu with sharp arrows. Having covered him with volleys of arrows, he quickly discharged (the missile called) Sakti. Seeing the shakti, burning as it were with lustre, coming to him, Rahu flew into the sky and quickly seized it with both his hands. Seizing that aakti, and roaring loudly, Rahu struck him (i.e. Kartikeya) with that same shakti. Struck with that JSakti on his chest, a river went out of his body. In that battle, the son of Mahadeva (i.e. Kartikeya) was washed by it. Somehow the river was checked; but a flood similarly went to the river. The Ocean’s son, having heard from Jvara, the harsh cries of the mass of the (enemy’s) army, did not remember even that melodious skilful note of the male cuckoo. Barbara killed with a sword Dahana (i.e. Agni) who was covering him with arrows. Sarparoman struck Kushmap4^ on his head with a fist. Patalaketu struck Hasa with a mallet. Taking it out from his body, the elephant bent the mallet. Patalaketu hit him on his trunk with the stroke of his fist. Romakaptaka wounded the lordly Bhfngin with his weapons. The lordly Bhfngin also being frightened, quickly went to the mountain from the battlefield.

38b-45. The white DhQmravanja suddenly fell into the mouth of Ketu. The demon, of a large body and a large mouth, swallowed the attendant. When he was swallowed in the battle by Ketu, there was a very loud wailing. With the sharp arrows of Jrbha, the body of Vinayaka was pierced. He cut off the trunk of that Gajanana. Then the mouse (the vehicle of Gajanana) also pierced with arrows entered a cave. In the battle Vinayaka afflicted with the stroke lamented, and was agitated. (He lamented: ) “O mother, О father, О brother, О mouse dear to me.” Hearing the cry of Gaflesa, the revered Parvati, coming (to Shiva) from another peak, said to Shiva at that time: “Gajanana is being killed by the demons. Kartikeya also is knocked down. О Shiva, why are you sporting on the mountain. Protect your two sons and the attendants also. Today is the moment (i.e. the opportunity to use) the weapons like the trident always held by you.” Then hearing the words of Parvati, Shiva said to Virabhadra: “Quickly make ready ready my bull (i.e. Nandin).”

46-52. When this was said, he did (like that) at that time. He fastened a diadem to his horns, which was lustrous like the sun. Having fastened a hundred bells round his neck, he put two mirrors on his ears. On his shoulders a mass of bells (was placed), and large anklets (were tied) to his feet. A thousand chowries were tied round his tail, and into his mouth (were placed) eight nooses. Then that auspicious goddess Ambika, with the eight nooses and holding a sword, sat there (i.e. on the back of the bull) near Shiva. All the weapons were put (there, on his back). The bull was ready. With the string of her own bells, Parvati adorned him. The goddess also put a mark (on his face) and spoke to him after honouring him: “O best among the bulls, you should never leave Shiva in the dangerous battle. You should come (back) with Shiva after having vanquished the enemies in the battle.” Hearing these words of the goddess, Shiva, adorned with his own ornaments, holding a thousand weapons, mounted upon his bull. With respect he spoke to that Parvati: “I am going to the battlefield.”

The lord said:

53-57. With a desire for your own forms, you can remain even alone; for the demons, having a bad intention about ladies, have come. Therefore, О beautiful lady, you have to protect yourself.

Speaking thus, Shiva, mounted upon his bull, went to the battlefield. Shiva was surrounded by thirty thousand mahabja pramathas (i.e. the goblin-attendants of Shiva) О king; the brave Virabhadra quickly going with (i.e. after mounting) his lion, guarded the left side of the great lord. The archer Mapibhadra, the killer of the enemies, with (i.e. seated in) a chariot, protected the right side of Shiva. Climbing down from the high lordly moun­tain, Shiva reached the battlefield with his attendants.

58-62a. Seeing the great lord seated on his bull, the demons roared. Then there was a great din of (i.e. produced by) the armies of the demons and the pramathas. О king, a terrible des­truction of the two (armies) took place. Then all those — Nandin, Mahakala, Kala, Skanda, the very strong Malyavat, Pushpadanta, Vfsalin, Svarnadantika. Ca? ^isha, Madana, Capita, Kushmatsha, and Guptalomaka — who had formerly run away from the battle came to the dangerous battle. The very mighty demons fought before Shiva. A very fearful fight between the warriors — the attendants (of Shiva) and the demons — took place.

62b-64. Then having caused the army of the attendants to flee, the very mighty (demons) surrounded Shiva on all sides with showers (i.e. volleys) of arrows, with pikes, lances, maces, mallets, clubs tipped with iron, as the sense-organs surround the soul with the five objects of senses. Then Shiva with arrows that were very fierce, killed the demons in the battle, as Magha quickly and that moment only destroys the sins by means of a bath (taken in that month).

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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