29. Chapter 29

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एवंप्रायाकुलारम्भैरसुरैरसुहारिभिः । सहसा हृतसंरब्धैरारब्धः सुमहान् रणः ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | evaṃprāyākulārambhairasurairasuhāribhiḥ | sahasā hṛtasaṃrabdhairārabdhaḥ sumahān raṇaḥ || 1 ||

Vasishtha continued:—In this manner, the energetic and murderous Asuras, repeated their attacks and waged many wars with the gods.

माययाथ विवादेन सन्धिना विग्रहेण च । पलायनेन धैर्येण च्छन्नगोपायनेन च ॥ २ ॥

māyayātha vivādena sandhinā vigraheṇa ca | palāyanena dhairyeṇa cchannagopāyanena ca || 2 ||

They carried on their warfare sometimes by fraud and often by their aggressiveness; and frequently after a truce or open war was made with the gods. They sometimes took themselves to flight, and having recruited their strength, they met again in the open field; and at others they lay in ambush, and concealed themselves in their subterranean caves.

कार्पण्येनास्त्रयुद्धेन स्वान्तर्धानैश्च भूरिशः । धृतः स संगरो देवैस्त्रिंशद्वर्षाणि पञ्चकम् ॥ ३ ॥

kārpaṇyenāstrayuddhena svāntardhānaiśca bhūriśaḥ | dhṛtaḥ sa saṃgaro devaistriṃśadvarṣāṇi pañcakam || 3 ||

Thus they waged their battle for five and thirty years against the celestials, by repeatedly flying and withdrawing themselves from the field, and then reappearing in it with their arms.

वर्षाणि दिवसान्मासान्दशाष्टौ सप्त पञ्च च । वर्षाणि पेतुर्वृक्षाग्निहेत्येकाशनिभूभृताम् ॥ ४ ॥

varṣāṇi divasānmāsāndaśāṣṭau sapta pañca ca | varṣāṇi peturvṛkṣāgnihetyekāśanibhūbhṛtām || 4 ||

They fought again for five years, eight months and ten days, darting their fire arms, trees and stones and thunders upon the gods.

एतावता तु कालेन दृढाभ्यासादहंकृतेः । दामादयोऽहमित्यास्थां जगृहुर्ग्रस्तचेतसः ॥ ५ ॥

etāvatā tu kālena dṛḍhābhyāsādahaṃkṛteḥ | dāmādayo'hamityāsthāṃ jagṛhurgrastacetasaḥ || 5 ||

Being used to warfare for so long a period, they at last grew proud of their superior strength and repeated successes, and entertained the desire of their final victory.

नैकट्यातिशयाद्यद्वद्दर्पणं बिम्बवद्भवेत् । अभ्यासातिशयात्तद्वत्ते साहंकारतां गताः ॥ ६ ॥

naikaṭyātiśayādyadvaddarpaṇaṃ bimbavadbhavet | abhyāsātiśayāttadvatte sāhaṃkāratāṃ gatāḥ || 6 ||

Their constant practice in arms made them sure of their success, as the nearness of objects casts their reflection in the mirror.

यद्वद्दूरगतं वस्तु नादर्शे प्रतिबिम्बति । पदार्थवासना तद्वदनभ्यासान्न जायते ॥ ७ ॥

yadvaddūragataṃ vastu nādarśe pratibimbati | padārthavāsanā tadvadanabhyāsānna jāyate || 7 ||

But as distant objects are never reflected in the glass, so the desire for any thing, is never successful without intense application to it.

यदा दामादयो जाता अहंकारात्मवासनाः । तदा मे जीवितं मेऽर्थ इति दैन्यमुपागताः ॥ ८ ॥

yadā dāmādayo jātā ahaṃkārātmavāsanāḥ | tadā me jīvitaṃ me'rtha iti dainyamupāgatāḥ || 8 ||

So when the desires of the demons Dama and others, became identified with their selves, their souls were degraded from their greatness, and confined to the belief of the desired objects.

भववासनया ग्रस्ता मोहवासनया ततः । आशापाशनिबद्धास्ते ततः कृपणतां गताः ॥ ९ ॥

bhavavāsanayā grastā mohavāsanayā tataḥ | āśāpāśanibaddhāste tataḥ kṛpaṇatāṃ gatāḥ || 9 ||

All worldly desires lead to erroneous expectations, and those that are entangled in the snares of their expectations, are thereby reduced to the meanness of their spirits.

मुग्धेव ह्यनहंकारैर्ममत्वमुपकल्पितम् । रज्ज्वां भुजङ्गत्वमिव दामव्यालकटैस्ततः ॥ १० ॥

mugdheva hyanahaṃkārairmamatvamupakalpitam | rajjvāṃ bhujaṅgatvamiva dāmavyālakaṭaistataḥ || 10 ||

Falling into the errors of egotism and selfishness, they were led to the blunder of mei tatem or thinking these things as mine; just as a man mistakes a rope for a snake.

आपादमस्तको देहः कथं मे भवतु स्थिरः । ममेति तृष्णाकृपणा दीनतां ते समाययुः ॥ ११ ॥

āpādamastako dehaḥ kathaṃ me bhavatu sthiraḥ | mameti tṛṣṇākṛpaṇā dīnatāṃ te samāyayuḥ || 11 ||

Being reduced to the depravity of selfishness, they began to think their personalities to consist in their bodies, and to reflect how their bodies from the head to foot could be safe and secure from harm.

स्थिरो भवतु मे देहः सुखायास्तु धनं मम । इति बद्धधियां तेषां धैर्यमन्तर्द्धिमाययौ ॥ १२ ॥

sthiro bhavatu me dehaḥ sukhāyāstu dhanaṃ mama | iti baddhadhiyāṃ teṣāṃ dhairyamantarddhimāyayau || 12 ||

They lost their patience by continually thinking on the stability of their bodies, and their properties and pleasures of life.

सवासनत्वाद्वपुषामल्पसत्त्वात्सुरद्विषाम् । या तु प्रहारपरता मार्जितेवाशु साभवत् ॥ १३ ॥

savāsanatvādvapuṣāmalpasattvātsuradviṣām | yā tu prahāraparatā mārjitevāśu sābhavat || 13 ||

Desire of their enjoyments, diminished their strength and valour; and their former acts of gallantry now became a dead letter to them.

कथं सुरा जगत्यस्मिन्भवाम इति चिन्तया । विवशा दीनतां जग्मुः पद्मा इव निरम्भसः ॥ १४ ॥

kathaṃ surā jagatyasminbhavāma iti cintayā | vivaśā dīnatāṃ jagmuḥ padmā iva nirambhasaḥ || 14 ||

They thought only how to become lords of the earth, and thus became lazy and enervated, as lotus-flowers without water.

तेषां योषान्नपानेन स्वाहंकृतिमतां रतिः । बभूव भावभावस्था भीषणा भवभाजिनी ॥ १५ ॥

teṣāṃ yoṣānnapānena svāhaṃkṛtimatāṃ ratiḥ | babhūva bhāvabhāvasthā bhīṣaṇā bhavabhājinī || 15 ||

Their pride and egoism led their inclination to the pleasures of good eating and drinking, and to the possession of every worldly good.

अथ तस्मिन्रणे भीत्या सापेक्षत्वमुपाययुः । मत्तेभघनसंरब्धे वने हरिणका इव ॥ १६ ॥

atha tasminraṇe bhītyā sāpekṣatvamupāyayuḥ | mattebhaghanasaṃrabdhe vane hariṇakā iva || 16 ||

They began to hesitate in joining the warfare, and became as timid as the timorous deer, to encounter the furious elephants in their ravages of the forest.

मरिष्यामो मरिष्याम इति चिन्ताहताशयाः । मन्दं मन्दं किल भ्रेमुः कुपितैरावणे रणे ॥ १७ ॥

mariṣyāmo mariṣyāma iti cintāhatāśayāḥ | mandaṃ mandaṃ kila bhremuḥ kupitairāvaṇe raṇe || 17 ||

They moved slowly in despair of their victory, and for fear of losing their lives, in their encounter with the furious elephants (of the gods) in the field.

शरीरैकार्थिनां तेषां भीतानां मरणादपि । अल्पसत्त्वतया मूर्घ्नि कृतमेव परैः पदम् ॥ १८ ॥

śarīraikārthināṃ teṣāṃ bhītānāṃ maraṇādapi | alpasattvatayā mūrghni kṛtameva paraiḥ padam || 18 ||

These cowards wishing to preserve their bodies from the hands of death, became as powerless as to rest satisfied with having the feet of their enemies set up on their heads. (I.e. they fell at the feet of their foes to spare their lives.

अथ प्रम्लानसत्त्वास्ते हन्तुमग्रगतं भटम् । न शेकुरिन्धने क्षीणे हविर्दग्धुमिवाग्नयः ॥ १९ ॥

atha pramlānasattvāste hantumagragataṃ bhaṭam | na śekurindhane kṣīṇe havirdagdhumivāgnayaḥ || 19 ||

Thus these enervated demons, were as disabled to kill the enemy standing before them; as the fire is unable to consume the sacred ghee offering, when it is not kindled by its fuel.

विबुधानां प्रहरतां मशकत्वमुपागताः । क्षतविक्षतसंघातास्तस्थुः सामान्यसद्भटाः ॥ २० ॥

vibudhānāṃ praharatāṃ maśakatvamupāgatāḥ | kṣatavikṣatasaṃghātāstasthuḥ sāmānyasadbhaṭāḥ || 20 ||

They became as gnats before the aggressive gods, and stood with their bruised bodies like beaten soldiers.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन मरणाद्भीतचेतसः । दैत्या देवेषु वलगत्सु दुद्रुवुः समराजिरात् ॥ २१ ॥

bahunātra kimuktena maraṇādbhītacetasaḥ | daityā deveṣu valagatsu dudruvuḥ samarājirāt || 21 ||

What needs saying more, than that the demons being overpowered by the gods, fled away from the field of battle for fear of their lives.

तेषु द्रवत्सु भीतेषु सर्वतो दानवादिषु । दामव्यालकटाख्येषु विख्यातेषु सुरालये ॥ २२ ॥

teṣu dravatsu bhīteṣu sarvato dānavādiṣu | dāmavyālakaṭākhyeṣu vikhyāteṣu surālaye || 22 ||

When the demons Dama, Vyala, Kata and others, who were renowned before the gods in their prowess, fled cowardly in different ways:—

तद्दैत्यसैन्यं न्यपतद्विद्रुतं खादितस्ततः । कल्पान्तपवनोद्भूतं ताराजालमिवाभितः ॥ २३ ॥

taddaityasainyaṃ nyapatadvidrutaṃ khāditastataḥ | kalpāntapavanodbhūtaṃ tārājālamivābhitaḥ || 23 ||

The force of the Daityas, fell before the deities, and fled from the air on all sides, like the falling stars of heaven, at the end of a kalpa age or last day.

अमराचलकुञ्जेषु शिखराणां शिखासु च । तटेषु वारिराशीनां पयोदपटलेषु च ॥ २४ ॥

amarācalakuñjeṣu śikharāṇāṃ śikhāsu ca | taṭeṣu vārirāśīnāṃ payodapaṭaleṣu ca || 24 ||

They fell upon the summits of mountains, and in the arbours of the Sumeru range;some were enwrapped in the folds of the clouds above, and others fell on the banks of distant seas below.

सागरावर्तगर्तेषु श्वभ्रेषूद्यत्सरित्सु च । जङ्गलेषु दिगन्तेषु ज्वलत्सु विपिनेषु च ॥ २५ ॥

sāgarāvartagarteṣu śvabhreṣūdyatsaritsu ca | jaṅgaleṣu diganteṣu jvalatsu vipineṣu ca || 25 ||

Many fell in the cavities of the eddies of seas, and in the abyss of the ocean, and in the running streams; some fell into far distant forests, and others dropped down amidst the burning woods of wild fire.

तद्वाणोच्छिन्नदेशेषु ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च । अटवीषूग्रपक्षासु मरुभूमिदवाग्निषु ॥ २६ ॥

tadvāṇocchinnadeśeṣu grāmeṣu nagareṣu ca | aṭavīṣūgrapakṣāsu marubhūmidavāgniṣu || 26 ||

Some being pierced by the arrows of the celestials, fell in distant countries, villages and cities on earth;and others were hurled in thick jungles of wild beasts, and in sandy deserts and in wild conflagrations.

लोकालोकाचलान्तेषु पर्वतेषु ह्रदेषु च । आन्ध्रद्वविडकाश्मीरपारसीकपुरेषु च ॥ २७ ॥

lokālokācalānteṣu parvateṣu hradeṣu ca | āndhradvaviḍakāśmīrapārasīkapureṣu ca || 27 ||

Many fell in the polar regions, some alighting on the mountain tops, and others sinking in the lakes below; while several of them were tossed over the countries of Andhra, Dravida, Kashmir and Persia.

नानाम्भोधितरङ्गासु गङ्गाजलघटासु च । द्वीपान्तरेषु जालेषु जम्बूखण्डलतासु च ॥ २८ ॥

nānāmbhodhitaraṅgāsu gaṅgājalaghaṭāsu ca | dvīpāntareṣu jāleṣu jambūkhaṇḍalatāsu ca || 28 ||

Some sank in billowy seas and in the watery maze of Ganges, and others fell on distant islands, in different parts of the Jambudvipa, and in the nets of fisher-men.

सर्वतः पर्वताकाराः पतितास्ते सुरारयः । विस्फोटिताङ्गचरणा विभिन्नकरबाहवः ॥ २९ ॥

sarvataḥ parvatākārāḥ patitāste surārayaḥ | visphoṭitāṅgacaraṇā vibhinnakarabāhavaḥ || 29 ||

Thus the enemies of the gods, lay everywhere with their mountainous bodies, all full of scars from head to foot; and maimed in their hands and arms.

शाखालग्नान्त्रतन्त्रीका मुक्तरक्तभरच्छटाः । व्यस्तशेखरमूर्धानो निष्क्रान्ताः कुपितेक्षणाः ॥ ३० ॥

śākhālagnāntratantrīkā muktaraktabharacchaṭāḥ | vyastaśekharamūrdhāno niṣkrāntāḥ kupitekṣaṇāḥ || 30 ||

Some were hanging on the branches of trees, by their outstretched entrails, gushing out with blood; others with their cropt off crowns and heads, were lying on the ground with open and fiery eyes.

सायुधा बलमायेषुच्छिन्नकङ्कटहेतयः । दूरापातविपर्यस्तपतन्नानायुधांशुकाः ॥ ३१ ॥

sāyudhā balamāyeṣucchinnakaṅkaṭahetayaḥ | dūrāpātaviparyastapatannānāyudhāṃśukāḥ || 31 ||

Many were lying with their broken armours and weapons, slashed by the superior power of the adversary, and with their robes and attires all dismantled and torn by their fall.

कण्ठलम्बिशिरस्त्राणचटत्कारोग्रभीतयः । शिखाशतशिलाप्रोता देहभागविलम्बिनः ॥ ३२ ॥

kaṇṭhalambiśirastrāṇacaṭatkārograbhītayaḥ | śikhāśataśilāprotā dehabhāgavilambinaḥ || 32 ||

Their helmets which were terrific by their blaze, were hanging down their necks; and the braids of their hairs woven with stones, hung loosely about their bodies.

शाल्मल्युग्रदृढापातकटत्कण्टकसंकटाः । सुशिलाफलकास्फालशतधाशीर्णमस्तकाः ॥ ३३ ॥

śālmalyugradṛḍhāpātakaṭatkaṇṭakasaṃkaṭāḥ | suśilāphalakāsphālaśatadhāśīrṇamastakāḥ || 33 ||

Their heads which were covered with hard brazen and pointed coronets, were broken by slabs of stone, which were pelted upon them from the hands of the gods.

सर्वं एव सकलायुधशस्त्रपातमात्रसमनन्तरमेव । दिक्षु नाशमगमन्नसुरेन्द्राः पांसवोऽम्बुदनिधौ पयसीव ॥ ३४ ॥

sarvaṃ eva sakalāyudhaśastrapātamātrasamanantarameva | dikṣu nāśamagamannasurendrāḥ pāṃsavo'mbudanidhau payasīva || 34 ||

In this manner the demons were destroyed on all sides, together with all weapons at the end of the battle;which devoured them, as the sea water dissolves the dust.