Devantaka, Durdharsa a Dwmukha Stain

Vyasa said:

1-5a. Then the demon Devantaka roared to fight. He, biting his lips, fought with Yama. Having gone (to the battlefield) he said the words condemned by all people: " O wicked one, through folly, you do not know the supreme dharma in its proper order. By using one's sin and merit, it is the master that curbs or favours one. I am created by the Creator (i.e. Brahma). I shall correct you, since, you, heading towards death, do not know the dharma. Disease, old age, or a slave — none of these is (the cause of) death. A person who is engaged in work, but who has deviated from dharma, becomes unhappy day and night."

5b-6. He struck, with three arrows, powerful like death, god Yama, who was very mighty, whose only witness was dharma, and who was thus addressed by him; but with three other arrows the righteous one cut them off.

7. Then in the battle he (i.e. Devantaka) powerfully struck Yama with many arrows, lustious like the fire at the end of the world. He cut off (these) arrows with (his) artows.

8. In the meanwhile (i.e. at that time) the two, who possessed great power and valour, who were angry, and who desired to conquer each other struck each other in the battle.

9-11. That very terrible fight between the two continued day and night. Then, the wrathful, best demon, who was possessed of pride and was powerful, angrily hit Yama with a (missile called) sakti. Then Yama quickly took up the same sakti and with it powerfully struck (the demon) between his breasts. His entire body was distressed, and blood was coming (out) of his body.

12. Then the very lustrous and angry Yama held a very terrible unfailing staff and hit it on the body of that demon.

13. Yama, filled with anger, reduced the warrior, along with his horses, his chariot, his charioteer, his collection of missiles, to ashes.

14. Then, when that demon dropped like that, a demon, named Durdharsa, with a lance in his hand, rushed at Yama to kill him.

15. Yama, with a sakti in his hand and extremely fearless, afflicted him, who approached him with a spike in his hand and who resembled the submarine fire, in the battle.

16-18a. That demon, seeing Yama, struck him with a lance only. Then Yama discharged a sakti in the battle. Suddenly burning the lance (thrown by the demon), which resembled a fiery iron-spear, it pierced the chest of the demon and went down to the ground. With his body shattered by the sakti, he fell down with his chariot.

18b-19a. Then another demon named Durmukha, who was very mighty, who had stretched his bow and who had held a sword and a shield, seated in his chariot only, went (i.e. rushed at) Yama.

19b-21. Seeing Yama, he struck him with many arrows in the battle. That god, jumping from the chariot, cut off his head with the ear-rings, and suddenly made him drop on the ground. The army of the demons, that escaped being killed, ran in the ten directions.

 

CHAPTER SEVENTYONE

The Second JVamuci Slain

Vyasa said:

1. Then another angry Namuci, seated in his chariot, struck the gods with arrows resembling serpents.

2. So in the war the gods, Siddhas. Kinnaras and snakes could not tolerate the force of the arrows from all sides.

3. Having got into the chariot to which (the horse) Uccaihsravas1 was yoked, and which was driven by Ma tali, Indra went to that very powerful demon.

4. Seeing Indra with his attendants in the war, the best of the demons then said to Indra:

5-6. " By killing an ordinary god there is no glory, nor it is pleasing. O Indra, there is no sufficient gain, nor victory. So everything will be everlasting when you are killed here. In heaven I shall obtain the kingdom of gods and happiness fit to be enjoyed."

7-8 Indra, of great lustre and conqueror of the enemies' cities, said to him: " Bravery merely by (uttering) words (i.e. merely in words) is easily available everywhere. O meanest demon, if you have great valour, show your power in the battle. I shall take you to the house of the Sun's son (i.e. of Yama)."

9. Hearing this, the greatest demon', possessing great lustre, got angry. He hit the best god with five sharp arrows.

1. Uccaihs'rava — Name of Indra's horse, produced at the churning of the ocean. It is regarded as the prototype and king of horses.

10. Indra quickly cut them off with five sharp-edged arrows. The very mighty two desiring (to acquire) kingdom fought with each other.

11. They (rushed at) each other with great speed, and (each one) cut off (the other's) arrows with his own arrows. They also (hit) each other's bodies with arrows resembling a thunderbolt.

12-13a. The two greatly performed a very unprecedented feat in battle. Seeing their very rare dexterity, taking aim with the arrow, holding and despatching (a missile) gods and hosts of demons became amazed.

13b-15a. In the meanwhile the demon let loose illusions. There hundreds of airovvs moved from all sides. Powerful Indra, again, with anger quickly raised his bow and hit him with arrows on all his limbs, burning them.

15b-16. Then with more than eight thousand arrows, they pierced and hit each other They saw there in the battle, the sky compact with arrows.

17-18a. Many (hit) with the strokes of swords dropped down in thousands on the ground. The cruel Namuci demonstrated his illusory missile in the war which went on for a long time.

18b-20a. He created a dense darkness in the three worlds. Gods and hosts of demons could not see one another. In that dense darkness difficult to cross, no ray was seen issuing forth from the planets like the Sun, the Moon and the heavenly fires.

20b-21. In that battle, all gods and Indraalso were quickly shattered with the demon's arrows (i.e. of the arrows discharged by the demon) resembling flames of fire. With their bodies pierced with the arrows (discharged by the demon) they fell on the ground.

22-23a. Other brave (gods) were defeated and went (i.e. ran) into the ten directions. Knowing his trick, Vishnu, who was worshipped by all gods, discharged a mild weapon, lustrous like a hundrd suns, in the sky.

23b-25. Seeing that it was retarded, he hit on the chest of the demon with a sakti having many bells. Full of agony he dropped down. Having regained consciousness after a long time,

837 the demon, who was filled with anger, went speedily to the best of gods and seized Airavata1. Angrily he very much frightened Indra's elephant.

26. Seizing the elephant with Indra (on its back) he dropped him on the ground. Then Indra, who had gone to (i.e. fallen on) the ground was depressed for a moment.

27-28. The lord of the demons jumped and remained between the tusks of the elephant. To kill him, Indra cut off, with his sword, the head of the chief of the demon-troops, and caused him to fall on the ground. All gods were very much delighted, and Gandharvas sang charming music. Sages, who were pleased, praised the best god.

 

CHAPTER SEVENTYTWO

The Slaying of Madhu

Vyasa said:

1-2. In the war, Madhu, the destroyer of the gods, mounted on a divine chariot, having a bow in his hand and with troops and full of great anger, went to Vishnu in front of the hosts of gods, and said (these) harsh words to him, the immutable lord:

3-5a. " O Narayana, how do you not know here the laws of war? Using a foul means to kill (the demons) unjustly, you will not shine. Due to this sin, and due to not doing (proper) activity, gods would perish. I shall have another creation. Here I shall just kill you with the hosts of gods."

5b-9. Speaking thus, and taking a bow he struck the lord with arrows. Vishnu cut them off with arrows, powerful like the thunderbolt; and then struck Madhu with many arrows (sent) into all his limbs. The demon got himself screened with illusion. The best gods, and those Rudras and others who were brave, and other gods possessing strength, and goddesses of various kinds endowed with weapons and vehicles, generals, chiefs of Ganas, gods like the chief of the worlds, Shiva and Vishnu, others like the planets — all together fought with him. Due to Madhu's trickery all gods fled away at that time.

1. Airavata — Name of Indra's elephant.

10. (Struck) with showers of swords and saktis in front of and behind them, the gods being hurt by weapons suddenly fell on the ground.

11. In the meanwhile, Vishnu, taking his (disc known as) Sudars'ana1, killed in the battle, the demons (who had) through illusion (turned themselves into) gods.

12. He cut off their heads in thousands; the lord of gods struck down the demons (who had taken up) the forms of gods.

13-14a. In the same way, the lord caused the demons to flee away from the battle (-field). Seeing him all sages and gods were amazed. Gods and hosts of sages spoke (i.e. whispered) into one another's ear:

14b-15a. " This Vishnu, the immutable lord, is always the only protector of gods. This god, witnessing everything, is the conqueror of the demons in every yuga."

15b-16. How does he (i.e. Madhu) kill all the gods? Here the end of the world2 is taking place. In the meanwhile, at a distance Madhu employed his illusion. Taking the form of Hara (Shiva), he said to the immutable Vishnu:

17-18. " O sinner, today what merit, fame, glory and (other) excellence (will) you (get) by killing the gods all round in the presence of the demons? Due to your great madness you do not know your own (individuals) and others. Therefore, (hitting you) with sharp arrows I shall take you to Yama's abode."

19. Saying so he struck Vishnu with fierce arrows in the battle. But Vishnu cut them off, (and) said (these) words:

20-2la. " O heroic demon, I know you to be brave Madhu in the lovely form of Hara, and doing an impious act and employing trickery. Having struck you down in the battle, I shall give (i.e. send) you to a fruitless world."

1. Sudars'ana — A circular weapon of Vishnu-Krishna.

2. Kalpanta — Destruction of the world. Kalpa — a day of Brabma or one thousand yugas, a period of four thousand three hundred and twenty millions of years of mortals, measuring the duration of the world.

21b-22. In the meanwhile he hit, with sharp arrows, the bull-bannered Shiva, having matted'hair and seated upon a bull in the battle. At that time the fight between the god and the demon was great.

23-26. They pierced each other (with arrows) and there met one another. The immutable Vishnu cut off his bow with sharp horse-shoe-shaped arrows. Then he struck down the horse in the form of the bull. The demon, with a lance in his hand, lushed at the lord of the world. Then whirling the lance he struck the highest lord. With three arrows he (i.e. the lord) cut off the lance resembling the fire at the end of the world. Then the cruel, large-armed Madhu, who was greatly deceitful, took up the form of the goddess and having mounted upon a lion, went to Vishnu.

27-28a. He struck Vishnu with various kinds of arrows and said (these) words to him: " O best of gods, you have killed my lord in the battle. I shall kill you and the two sons Kartikeya and Ganesha."

28b-29a. With many arrows he (i.e. the lord) struck the demon, who was speaking thus. Bleeding, he fell down dead on the ground.

29b-30. Seeing his parents struck, the very powerful Kartikeya bound by illusion, took up a sakti and went to fight with Vishnu. Then the creator (i.e. Brahma) said these words to Kartikeya who was harassed by delusion:

31. " See, your parents, observing the worlds, are moving in the intermediate region between the heaven and the earth, and are witnessing the war from a distance."

32-33a. Seeing that he has heard this, he vanished there only. Then the very proud brothers Dhundhu and Sundhu fell upon Garuda to kill Vishnu in the battle.

33b-34. Vishnu with his Nandaka sword cut off Dhundhu with a sword in his hand and Sundhu with a mace; and with his mace killed another (demon). The two, being wounded, dropped on the ground.

35-37. Then Madhu, screened with darkness, quickly disappeared. Through his illusion he dropped a hundred mountains on (the body of) Vishnu. Then in the battle, getting into the darkness, he cut off the mountains, and angrily cut off

840 Padma Purana his head with his (disc called) Sudarsana. Then gods like Brahma and Shiva made him known as 'Madhusudana' in the worlds.

 

CHAPTER SEVENTYTHREE

The Slaying of Vritra

Vyasa said:

1. Then, Vritra, of great lustre and most distinguished of the demons, mounted upon an elephant, ran to Vishnu rich in (i.e. seated upon) an elephant.

2. In the gieat war, he, seated upon an elephant, pierced Vritra, coming to him, (piercing him) in all his limbs, with arrows like the destructh e fire at the end of the world.

3-5. Then Vritra hit with an arrow the head of Indra. Due to that the mighty one shook. Then calming himself, and raising his bow, the powerful one showered with the shower of arrows (i.e. showered arrows) on the body of the demon. The very powerful one having cut them ofF, hit Indra, the lord of all gods, with arrows resembling serpents.

6-8. Thus with thousands of arrows they struck each other. The arrows in the battle of the two archers were of the same quality, were quick like the speed of mind, were strong like mountains, resembled the submarine fire in touch, and were moving in the sky and pierced (i.e. were capable of piercing) the spokes of the thunderbolt.

9-12. Thus, in this manner the battle lasted for days and nights. Indra struck the elephant (of the demon) with his own lance. Throwing (himself) on the ground, he quickly went to his chariot. Remaining in the chariot, he, with a sakti, quickly struck hard (the elephant called) Airavana of that lord (of gods), as (Indra would strike; a great mountain with the thunderbolt. That great elephant, with Indra (on his back), though (he was) trembling, looked splendid. Then Indra taking a sakti, pierced (with it) the demon in his chest; (then) he (i.e. the demon) fell on the chariot.

13-14. Regaining consciousness in a moment, and roaring, he struck Indra in the battle with an arrow. He (i.e. Indra) then swooned. Regaining consciousness, Indra struck him with hundreds of arrows. Struck with arrows resembling Indra's thunderbolt he was full of agony.

15-17. Then Vritra discharged a great lance on (the body of) the lord of gods. With (i.e. against) the demon's missile of (i.e. granted by) Shiva, Indra let loose the Vaisnava missile. The missiles of the two resembling mass of fire, struck each other in the sky and discharged sparks of fire. Due to the touch of the sparks of fire the warriors of both the armies could not remain comfortably, as moths cannot stand in (front of) fire.

18. Being burnt, the warriors (in the army) of the gods and demons fell on the ground and ran into all directions. The battle (-field) became vacant then.

19. Seeing that his missile was retarded, the demon, filled with anger, discharged at Indra a missile made of a group of mountains.

20. In the battle, Indra cut off (that) group of mountains with volleys of arrows. The demon sent a Saiva missile at the very mighty Indra.

21-22a. Crores of thousands chief beings, lions, demons, bears, wolves, tigers, great elephants, serpents — such and other creatures ran to the lord of gods.

22b-23a. Indra, the killer of the heroes of his enemy, cut them off, even before they reached him, with arrows with sharp horse-shoe-shaped heads, with crescent-shaped arrows, with lances and (other) arrows.

23b-24a. Then Vritra of mighty arms and brave, raised his bow and struck Indra with thousands of arrows resembling the thunderbolt.

24b-25a. Indra cut them off and also cut off his bow with arrows with sharp horse-shoe-shaped heads. That moment (only) he struck down on the ground his charioteer and his horses.

25b-26a. The best demon, having worshipped a thorny mace, struck it on the head of (Indra's) elephant. Due to swoon (caused by the stroke) the elephant dropped on the ground.

26b-27. The lord of all gods came to the ground with his mace. Then repeatedly a mace-fight took place between the two. There verily was the sound produced by the strokes of the maces of the two who were striking (each other).

28-29. Again and again they turned round and round. They (gave) very fearful strokes below and above and on (each other's) sides. Thus the fight between the two which caused fear to the visible and invisible worlds took place. Seeing (the fight) hosts of gods, Siddhas and demons were amazed.

30-3la. The two fighting heroes were in peril of death. Heroes among gods and demons were not at all able to see it. Shiva, Brahma and others remained in the sky to see that wonder.

31b-3? a. Due to 'hum' sound of (i.e. produced by) them and due to the sound produced by the strokes of their maces, a sound went up and up; surely such a sound is produced by the thunderbolt (only). When their maces were broken, their hands remained folded (into fists). Thus after half a watch their weapons fell down.

33b-35a. In the meanwhile, the two heroes, holding swords and shields, moved in the battle to fight against each other. Their swords, bodies and shields shone like lightning and meteors. The two were looked at with speed and wonder by all the worlds.

35b-37a. The multi-coloured shields of the two were cut off. Thus a fearful and great fight took place between the two. It was full of circular movements, use of disc and bow and dexterity. The tight between Vftra and Indra is like the fight of Vritra and Vasava (only).

37b-40. In the battle, Indra, after jumping, rooted out Vritra's hair, and quickly and suddenly cut off his head. Cry of victory of (i.e. raised by) gods, was there on all sides. Gods, with I.74.1-10a

843 their hearts expanded (i.e. rejoicing), worshipped Indra. The drums of gods were sounded, the bands of celestial nymphs danced. The Gandharvas sang songs; and the sages praised (Indra). The demons were afraid, and giving up their arms, ran in (various) directions.

 

CHAPTER SEVENTYFOUR

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