27. Chapter 27

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । तस्मिंस्तदा वर्तमाने घोरे समरसंभ्रमे । देवासुरशरीरेषु गर्तेष्वभ्रोदरेष्विव ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | tasmiṃstadā vartamāne ghore samarasaṃbhrame | devāsuraśarīreṣu garteṣvabhrodareṣviva || 1 ||

Vasishtha related:—As the war of the gods and Titans, was raging violently on both sides, and their bodies were pierced by the weapons of one another:—

वहत्स्वसृक्प्रवाहेषु गङ्गापूरेष्विवाम्बरात् । दाम्नि वेष्टितदेवौघकृतक्ष्वेडाघनारवे ॥ २ ॥

vahatsvasṛkpravāheṣu gaṅgāpūreṣvivāmbarāt | dāmni veṣṭitadevaughakṛtakṣveḍāghanārave || 2 ||

Streams of blood, gushed out of their wounds like water-falls in the basin of Ganges; and the gods caught into the snares of the demigods, groaned and roared aloud like lions.

व्याले निजकराकृष्टिपिष्टसर्वसुरालये । कटे कठिनसंरम्भसङ्गरक्षपितामरे ॥ ३ ॥

vyāle nijakarākṛṣṭipiṣṭasarvasurālaye | kaṭe kaṭhinasaṃrambhasaṅgarakṣapitāmare || 3 ||

Vyala (Baal) with his stretching arms, was crushing the bodies of the gods; and Kata was harassing them in their unequal challenge with them.

ऐरावते क्षीणरवे पलायनपरायणे । प्रवृद्धे दानवानीके मध्याह्न इव भास्करे ॥ ४ ॥

airāvate kṣīṇarave palāyanaparāyaṇe | pravṛddhe dānavānīke madhyāhna iva bhāskare || 4 ||

The Daityas waged their battle with the rage of the midday sun, and put to flight the Airavata elephant of Indra—the leader of the gods.

पतिताङ्गव्यथार्तानि प्रस्रवद्रुधिराणि च । पयांसीवावसेतूनि देवसैन्यानि दुद्रुवुः ॥ ५ ॥

patitāṅgavyathārtāni prasravadrudhirāṇi ca | payāṃsīvāvasetūni devasainyāni dudruvuḥ || 5 ||

The Devas dropped down with their bodies gored with wounds, and spouting with blood; and their armies fled on all sides, like the currents of a river overflowing and breaking down its bank.

दामव्यालकटास्तानि चिरमन्तर्हितानि च । अनुजग्मुर्लसन्नादसिन्धनानीव पावकाः ॥ ६ ॥

dāmavyālakaṭāstāni ciramantarhitāni ca | anujagmurlasannādasindhanānīva pāvakāḥ || 6 ||

Dama, Vyala and Kata pursued the flying and run away gods, in the same manner as a raging fire runs after the wood for its fuel.

अन्विष्टानपि यत्नेन नालभन्तासुराः सुरान् । घनजालवनोड्डीनान्सिंहा हरिणकानिव ॥ ७ ॥

anviṣṭānapi yatnena nālabhantāsurāḥ surān | ghanajālavanoḍḍīnānsiṃhā hariṇakāniva || 7 ||

The Asuras sought and searched long after the gods in vain, for they had disappeared like the deer and lions, among the thickets after breaking loose of their snares.

अलब्धेष्वमरौघेषु दामव्यालकटास्तदा । जग्मुः पातालकोशस्थं प्रभुं प्रमुदिताशयाः ॥ ८ ॥

alabdheṣvamaraugheṣu dāmavyālakaṭāstadā | jagmuḥ pātālakośasthaṃ prabhuṃ pramuditāśayāḥ || 8 ||

Failing to find out the gods, the generals Dama, Vyala and Kata, repaired with cheerful hearts to their chief in his abode in the infernal region.

अथ देवा विषण्णास्ते क्षणमाश्वास्य वै ययुः । जयोपायाय विजिता ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् ॥ ९ ॥

atha devā viṣaṇṇāste kṣaṇamāśvāsya vai yayuḥ | jayopāyāya vijitā brahmāṇamamitaujasam || 9 ||

The defeated gods after halting awhile, had then their recourse to the almighty Brahma, in order to consult him on the means of gaining their victory over the demons.

तेषामाविरभूद्ब्रह्मा रक्तरक्ताननश्रियाम् । सायं रक्तीकृताम्बूनामब्धीनामिव चन्द्रमाः ॥ १० ॥

teṣāmāvirabhūdbrahmā raktaraktānanaśriyām | sāyaṃ raktīkṛtāmbūnāmabdhīnāmiva candramāḥ || 10 ||

Brahma then appeared to the blood besmeared Devas with his purple countenance, as the bright and cooling moonbeams appear in the evening on the surface of the sea, tinged with the crimson hues of the setting sun.

प्रणम्य ते सुरास्तस्मा अनर्थं शम्बरेहितम् । सम्यक्प्रकथयामासुर्दामव्यालकटक्रमम् ॥ ११ ॥

praṇamya te surāstasmā anarthaṃ śambarehitam | samyakprakathayāmāsurdāmavyālakaṭakramam || 11 ||

They bowed down before him, and complained of the danger that was brought upon them by Sambara, through his generals Dama, Vyala and Kata, whose doings they fully related to him.

तदाकर्ण्याखिलं ब्रह्मा विचार्य स विचारवित् । उवाचेदं सुरानीकमाश्वासनकरं वचः ॥ १२ ॥

tadākarṇyākhilaṃ brahmā vicārya sa vicāravit | uvācedaṃ surānīkamāśvāsanakaraṃ vacaḥ || 12 ||

The judging Brahma having heard and considered all this, delivered the following encouraging words to the host of gods before him.

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच । शतवर्षसहस्रान्ते शम्बरेण हरेः करात् । मर्तव्यं समरेशस्य तत्कालं संप्रतीक्षताम् ॥ १३ ॥

śrībrahmovāca | śatavarṣasahasrānte śambareṇa hareḥ karāt | martavyaṃ samareśasya tatkālaṃ saṃpratīkṣatām || 13 ||

Brahma said:—"You shall have to wait a hundred thousand years more, for the destruction of Sambara under the arms of Hari in an open engagement.[4]

दामव्यालकटानेतानद्य त्वमरसत्तमाः । योधयन्तः पलायध्वं मायायुद्धेन दानवान् ॥ १४ ॥

dāmavyālakaṭānetānadya tvamarasattamāḥ | yodhayantaḥ palāyadhvaṃ māyāyuddhena dānavān || 14 ||

You have been put to flight to-day by the demoniac Dama, Vyala and Kata, who have been fighting with their magical art.

युद्धाभ्यासवशादेषां मुकुराणामिवाशये । अहंकारचमत्कारः प्रतिबिम्बमुपैष्यति ॥ १५ ॥

yuddhābhyāsavaśādeṣāṃ mukurāṇāmivāśaye | ahaṃkāracamatkāraḥ pratibimbamupaiṣyati || 15 ||

They are elated with pride at their great skill in warfare, but it will soon vanish like the shadow of a man in a mirror.

गृहीतवासनास्त्वेते दामव्यालकटाः सुराः । सुजेया वो भविष्यन्ति लग्नजालाः खगा इव ॥ १६ ॥

gṛhītavāsanāstvete dāmavyālakaṭāḥ surāḥ | sujeyā vo bhaviṣyanti lagnajālāḥ khagā iva || 16 ||

These demons who are led by their ambition to annoy you, will soon be reduced under your might, like birds caught in a snare.

अद्य त्ववासना ह्येते सुखदुःखविवर्जिताः । धैर्येणारीन्विनिघ्नन्तो देवा दुर्जयतां गताः ॥ १७ ॥

adya tvavāsanā hyete sukhaduḥkhavivarjitāḥ | dhairyeṇārīnvinighnanto devā durjayatāṃ gatāḥ || 17 ||

The gods being devoid of ambition, are freed from the vicissitudes of pain and pleasure; and have become invincible by destroying the enemy by their patience.

वासनातन्तुबद्धा ये आशापाशवशीकृताः । वश्यतां यान्ति ते लोके रज्जुबद्धाः खगा इव ॥ १८ ॥

vāsanātantubaddhā ye āśāpāśavaśīkṛtāḥ | vaśyatāṃ yānti te loke rajjubaddhāḥ khagā iva || 18 ||

Those that are caught and bound fast in the net of their ambition, and led away by the thread of their expectation, are surely defeated in their aims, and are caught as birds by a string.

ये भिन्नवासना धीराः सर्वत्रासक्तबुद्धयः । न हृष्यन्ति न कुप्यन्ति दुर्जयास्ते महाधियः ॥ १९ ॥

ye bhinnavāsanā dhīrāḥ sarvatrāsaktabuddhayaḥ | na hṛṣyanti na kupyanti durjayāste mahādhiyaḥ || 19 ||

The learned that are devoid of desire, and are unattached to anything in their minds, are truly great and invincible, as nothing can elate or depress them at any time.

यस्यान्तर्वासनारज्ज्वा ग्रन्थिबन्धः शरीरिणः । महानपि बहुज्ञोऽपि स बालेनापि जीयते ॥ २० ॥

yasyāntarvāsanārajjvā granthibandhaḥ śarīriṇaḥ | mahānapi bahujño'pi sa bālenāpi jīyate || 20 ||

A man however great and experienced he may be, is easily overcome by a boy, when he is enticed to pursue after every thing by his avarice.

अयं सोऽहं ममेदं तदित्याकल्पितकल्पनः । आपदां पात्रतामेति पयसामिव सागरः ॥ २१ ॥

ayaṃ so'haṃ mamedaṃ tadityākalpitakalpanaḥ | āpadāṃ pātratāmeti payasāmiva sāgaraḥ || 21 ||

The knowledge that, this is I and these are mine (and apart from all others), is the bane of human life; and one with such knowledge of his self and egoism, becomes the receptacle of evils like the sea of briny waters.

इयन्मात्रपरिच्छिन्नो येनात्मा भव्यभावितः । स सर्वज्ञोऽपि सर्वत्र परां कृपणतां गतः ॥ २२ ॥

iyanmātraparicchinno yenātmā bhavyabhāvitaḥ | sa sarvajño'pi sarvatra parāṃ kṛpaṇatāṃ gataḥ || 22 ||

He who confines his mind within a narrow limit, for want of his great and extended views, is called dastardly and narrow-minded man notwithstanding with all his learning and wisdom.

अनन्तस्याप्रमेयस्य येनेयत्ता प्रकल्पिता । आत्मनस्तस्य तेनात्मा स्वात्मनैवावशीकृतः ॥ २३ ॥

anantasyāprameyasya yeneyattā prakalpitā | ātmanastasya tenātmā svātmanaivāvaśīkṛtaḥ || 23 ||

He that puts a limit to his soul or atma, which is unbounded and infinite, both surely reduce his magnanimity or garima to the minuteness or anima by his own making.

आत्मनो व्यतिरिक्तं यत्किंचिदस्ति जगत्त्रये । यत्रोपादेयभावेन बद्धा भवतु वासना ॥ २४ ॥

ātmano vyatiriktaṃ yatkiṃcidasti jagattraye | yatropādeyabhāvena baddhā bhavatu vāsanā || 24 ||

If there be anything in the world beside the oneself, that may be thine or worth thy desiring, thou mayst long to have it; but all things being but parts of the universe, there is nothing particular for any one to have or seek.

आस्थामात्रमनन्तानां दुःखानामाकरं विदुः । अनास्थामात्रमभितः सुखानामाकरं विदुः ॥ २५ ॥

āsthāmātramanantānāṃ duḥkhānāmākaraṃ viduḥ | anāsthāmātramabhitaḥ sukhānāmākaraṃ viduḥ || 25 ||

Reliance on earthly things is the source of unhappiness, while our disinterestedness with all things, is the fountain of everlasting felicity.

दामव्यालकटा यावदनास्था भवसंस्थितौ । तावन्न नाम जेयावो मशकानामिवानलाः ॥ २६ ॥

dāmavyālakaṭā yāvadanāsthā bhavasaṃsthitau | tāvanna nāma jeyāvo maśakānāmivānalāḥ || 26 ||

As long as the Asuras are independent of worldly things, they must remain invincible; but being dependent on them, they will perish as a swarm of gnats in the flame of wild fire.

अन्तर्वासनया जन्तुर्दीनतामनुयातया । जितो भवत्यन्यथा तु मशकोऽप्यमराचलः ॥ २७ ॥

antarvāsanayā janturdīnatāmanuyātayā | jito bhavatyanyathā tu maśako'pyamarācalaḥ || 27 ||

It is the inward desire of man that makes him miserable in himself, and became subdued by others; otherwise the worm-like man is as firm as a rock.

विद्यते वासना यत्र तत्र सा याति पीनताम् । गुणो गुणिनि हि द्वित्वं सतो दृष्टं हि नासतः ॥ २८ ॥

vidyate vāsanā yatra tatra sā yāti pīnatām | guṇo guṇini hi dvitvaṃ sato dṛṣṭaṃ hi nāsataḥ || 28 ||

Where there is any desire in the heart, it is thickened and hardened in time; as every thing in nature increases in its bulk in time; but not so the things that are not in existence, as the want of desires.

अयं सोऽहं ममेदं चेत्येवमन्तः सवासनम् । यथा दामादयः शक्र भावयन्ति तथा कुरु ॥ २९ ॥

ayaṃ so'haṃ mamedaṃ cetyevamantaḥ savāsanam | yathā dāmādayaḥ śakra bhāvayanti tathā kuru || 29 ||

Do you, O Indra! try to foster both the egoistic selfishness, as well as the ambition of Dama and others for their universal dominion, if you want to cause their destruction.

या या जनस्य विपदो भावाभावदशाश्च याः । तृष्णाकरञ्जवल्ल्यास्ता मञ्जर्यः कटुकोमलाः ॥ ३० ॥

yā yā janasya vipado bhāvābhāvadaśāśca yāḥ | tṛṣṇākarañjavallyāstā mañjaryaḥ kaṭukomalāḥ || 30 ||

Know, it is avarice which is the cause of the poverty, and all dangers to mankind;just as the Karanja tree is the source of its bitter and pernicious fruits.

वासनातन्तुबद्धो यो लोको विपरिवर्तते । सा प्रवृद्धातिदुःखाय सुखायोच्छेदमागता ॥ ३१ ॥

vāsanātantubaddho yo loko viparivartate | sā pravṛddhātiduḥkhāya sukhāyocchedamāgatā || 31 ||

All those men who rove about under the bondage of avarice, have bid farewell to their happiness, by subjecting themselves to misery.

धीरोऽप्यतिबहुज्ञोऽपि कुलजोऽपि महानपि । तृष्णया बध्यते जन्तुः सिंहः शृङ्खलया यथा ॥ ३२ ॥

dhīro'pyatibahujño'pi kulajo'pi mahānapi | tṛṣṇayā badhyate jantuḥ siṃhaḥ śṛṅkhalayā yathā || 32 ||

One may be very learned and well-informed in every thing, he may be a noble and great man also, but he is sure to be tied down by his avarice, as a lion is fettered by his chain.

देहपादपसंस्थस्य हृदयालयगामिनः । तृष्णा चित्तखगस्येयं वागुरा परिकल्पिता ॥ ३३ ॥

dehapādapasaṃsthasya hṛdayālayagāminaḥ | tṛṣṇā cittakhagasyeyaṃ vāgurā parikalpitā || 33 ||

Avarice is known as the snare of the mind, which is situated like a bird in its nest of the heart, as it is within the hollow of the tree of the body.

दीनो वासनया लोकः कृतान्तेनापकृष्यते । रज्ज्वेव बालेन खगो विवशो भृशमुच्छवसन् ॥ ३४ ॥

dīno vāsanayā lokaḥ kṛtāntenāpakṛṣyate | rajjveva bālena khago vivaśo bhṛśamucchavasan || 34 ||

The miserable man becomes an easy prey to the clutches of death by his avarice, as a bird is caught in the birdlime by a boy; and lies panting on the ground owing to its greediness.

अलमायुधभारेण संगरभ्रमणेन च । वासनाया विपर्यासं युक्त्या यत्नाद्रिपोः कुरु ॥ ३५ ॥

alamāyudhabhāreṇa saṃgarabhramaṇena ca | vāsanāyā viparyāsaṃ yuktyā yatnādripoḥ kuru || 35 ||

You gods, need not bear the burden of your weapons any more, nor toil and moil in the field of war any longer;but try your best to inflame the pernicious avarice of your enemies to the utmost.

अन्तरा क्षुभिते धैर्ये रिपोरमरनायक । न शस्त्राणि न चास्त्राणि न शास्त्राणि जयन्ति च ॥ ३६ ॥

antarā kṣubhite dhairye riporamaranāyaka | na śastrāṇi na cāstrāṇi na śāstrāṇi jayanti ca || 36 ||

Know, O chief of the gods, that no arm nor weapon, nor any polity or policy, is able to defeat the enemy, until they are defeated of themselves by their want of patience, through excess of their avarice.

दामव्यालकटास्त्वेते युद्धाभ्यासवशेन च । अहंकारमयीं मत्तास्ते ग्रहीष्यन्ति वासनाम् ॥ ३७ ॥

dāmavyālakaṭāstvete yuddhābhyāsavaśena ca | ahaṃkāramayīṃ mattāste grahīṣyanti vāsanām || 37 ||

These Dama, Vyala and Kata, that have become elated with their success in warfare, must now cherish their ambition and foster their avarice to their ruin.

यदा तेऽत्यज्ञपुरुषाः शम्बरेण विनिर्मिताः । वासनामाश्रयिष्यन्ति तदा यास्यन्ति जेयताम् ॥ ३८ ॥

yadā te'tyajñapuruṣāḥ śambareṇa vinirmitāḥ | vāsanāmāśrayiṣyanti tadā yāsyanti jeyatām || 38 ||

No sooner these ignorant creatures of Sambara, shall have gained their high desires, than they are sure to be foiled by you in their vain attempts.

तत्तावद्युक्तियुद्धेन तान्प्रबोधयतामराः । यावदभ्यासवशतो भविष्यन्ति सवासनाः ॥ ३९ ॥

tattāvadyuktiyuddhena tānprabodhayatāmarāḥ | yāvadabhyāsavaśato bhaviṣyanti savāsanāḥ || 39 ||

Now ye gods! excite your enemies to the war by your policy, of creating in them an ambition and intense desire for conquest, and by this you will gain your object.

ततो वश्या भविष्यन्ति भवतां बद्धवासनाः । तृष्णाऽप्रोताशया लोके न च केचन पेलवाः ॥ ४० ॥

tato vaśyā bhaviṣyanti bhavatāṃ baddhavāsanāḥ | tṛṣṇā'protāśayā loke na ca kecana pelavāḥ || 40 ||

They being subjected by their desire, will be easily subdued by you; for nobody that is led blindfold by his desires in this world, is ever master of himself.

समविषममिदं जगत्समग्रं समुपनतं स्थिरतां स्ववासनान्तः । चलचललहरीभरो यथाब्धावत इह सैव चिकित्स्यतां प्रयाता ॥ ४१ ॥

samaviṣamamidaṃ jagatsamagraṃ samupanataṃ sthiratāṃ svavāsanāntaḥ | calacalalaharībharo yathābdhāvata iha saiva cikitsyatāṃ prayātā || 41 ||

The path of this world, is either even or rugged, according to the good or restless desires of our hearts. The heart is like the sea in its calm after storm, when its waves are still as our subsided desires, or as boisterous as the stormy sea with our increasing rapacity.