The Kaleyas Ravage the Hermitages; the Gods Seek Narayana

Verse 1 (3.101.1)

समुद्रं ते समाश्रित्य वरुणं निधिमम्भसः । कालेयाः संप्रवर्तन्त त्रैलोक्यस्य विनाशने ॥

samudraṃ te samāśritya varuṇaṃ nidhimambhasaḥ | kāleyāḥ saṃpravartanta trailokyasya vināśane

Taking refuge in the ocean, Varuna, the store of the waters, the Kaleyas set about destroying the three worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected निधम् → निधिम् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads nidhim). The critical edition reads vāruṇaṃ … ambhasām for वरुणं … अम्भसः, variants.

Verse 2 (3.101.2)

ते रात्रौ समभिक्रुद्धा भक्षयन्ति सदा मुनीन् । आश्रमेषु च ये सन्ति पुण्येष्वायतनेषु च ॥

te rātrau samabhikruddhā bhakṣayanti sadā munīn | āśrameṣu ca ye santi puṇyeṣvāyataneṣu ca

At night, in their fury, they would devour the hermits who lived in the ashrams and at the holy shrines.

Verse 3 (3.101.3)

वसिष्ठस्याश्रमे विप्रा भक्षितास्तैर्दुरात्मभिः । अशीतिः शतमष्टौ च नव चान्ये तपस्विनः ॥

vasiṣṭhasyāśrame viprā bhakṣitāstairdurātmabhiḥ | aśītiḥ śatamaṣṭau ca nava cānye tapasvinaḥ

In Vasishtha's ashram those evil ones devoured a hundred and eighty-eight brahmins, and nine other ascetics.

Verse 4 (3.101.4)

च्यवनस्याश्रमं गत्वा पुण्यं द्विजनिषेवितम् । फलमूलाशनानां हि मुनीनां भक्षितं शतम् ॥

cyavanasyāśramaṃ gatvā puṇyaṃ dvijaniṣevitam | phalamūlāśanānāṃ hi munīnāṃ bhakṣitaṃ śatam

Going to Chyavana's holy ashram, frequented by the twice-born, they devoured a hundred hermits who lived on fruits and roots.

Verse 5 (3.101.5)

एवं रात्रौ स्म कुर्वन्ति विविशुश्चार्णवं दिवा । कालेयास्ते दुरात्मानो भक्षयन्तस्तपोधनान् ॥

evaṃ rātrau sma kurvanti viviśuścārṇavaṃ divā | kāleyāste durātmāno bhakṣayantastapodhanān

So they did by night, and by day they entered the ocean: those evil Kaleyas, devouring men rich in austerity.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick and closing quote mark around the last line (wiki marks in Wikisource). The first line is CE 3.100.5ab; the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 3.100.5b*500).

Verse 6 (3.101.6)

भरद्वाजाश्रमे चैव नियता ब्रह्मचारिणः । वाय्वाहाराम्बुभक्षाश्च विंशतिः संनिषूदिताः ॥

bharadvājāśrame caiva niyatā brahmacāriṇaḥ | vāyvāhārāmbubhakṣāśca viṃśatiḥ saṃniṣūditāḥ

In Bharadvaja's ashram too, twenty disciplined celibate students who lived on air and water were slaughtered.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्र्हमचारिणः → ब्रह्मचारिणः (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads brahmacāriṇaḥ). The last two lines of CE 3.100.5, which reads saṃnipātitāḥ for संनिषूदिताः.

Verse 7 (3.101.7)

एवं क्रमेण सर्वांस्तानाश्रमान्दानवास्तदा । निशायां परिबाधन्ते समुद्राम्बुबलाश्रयात् । कालोपसृष्टाः कालेया घ्नन्तो द्विजगणान्बहून् ॥

evaṃ krameṇa sarvāṃstānāśramāndānavāstadā | niśāyāṃ paribādhante samudrāmbubalāśrayāt | kālopasṛṣṭāḥ kāleyā ghnanto dvijagaṇānbahūn

In this way, one after another, the Danavas harried all those ashrams by night, trusting in the strength of the ocean's waters: the Kaleyas, seized by Death, killing many hosts of the twice-born.

Note on the text: Matched to CE 3.100.6, which reads paridhāvanti mattā bhujabalāśrayāt for परिबाधन्ते समुद्राम्बुबलाश्रयात्; a recension variant.

Verse 8 (3.101.8)

न चैनानन्वबुध्यन्त मनुजा मनुजोत्तम । एवं प्रवृत्तान्दैत्यांस्तांस्तापसेषु तपस्विषु ॥

na cainānanvabudhyanta manujā manujottama | evaṃ pravṛttāndaityāṃstāṃstāpaseṣu tapasviṣu

Yet men did not discover them, best of men, the Daityas who went about in this way among the ascetics and hermits.

Verse 9 (3.101.9)

क्षयाय जगतः क्रूराः पर्यटन्ति स्म मेदिनीम् ॥

kṣayāya jagataḥ krūrāḥ paryaṭanti sma medinīm

The cruel ones roamed the earth to destroy the world.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before the line (a wiki mark in Wikisource). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has the line as 3.100.7d*501. Wikisource prints this single line as a verse of its own.

Verse 10 (3.101.10)

प्रभाते समदृश्यन्त नियताहारकर्शिताः । महीतलस्था मुनयः शरीरैर्गतजीवितैः ॥

prabhāte samadṛśyanta niyatāhārakarśitāḥ | mahītalasthā munayaḥ śarīrairgatajīvitaiḥ

At dawn the hermits, worn thin by their disciplined fasting, were seen lying on the ground in lifeless bodies,

Verse 11 (3.101.11)

क्षीणमांसैर्विरुधिरैर्विमज्जान्त्रैर्विसन्धिभिः । आकीर्णैराचिता भूमिः शङ्खानामिव राशिभिः ॥

kṣīṇamāṃsairvirudhirairvimajjāntrairvisandhibhiḥ | ākīrṇairācitā bhūmiḥ śaṅkhānāmiva rāśibhiḥ

and the earth was heaped with their scattered bodies, flesh wasted, bloodless, without marrow or entrails, their joints torn apart, like heaps of conch shells.

Verse 12 (3.101.12)

कलशैर्विप्रविद्धैश्च स्रुवैर्भग्नैस्तथैव च । विकीर्णैरग्निहोत्रैश्च भूर्बभूव समावृता ॥

kalaśairvipraviddhaiśca sruvairbhagnaistathaiva ca | vikīrṇairagnihotraiśca bhūrbabhūva samāvṛtā

The ground was covered with flung-away water-jars, broken ladles and scattered sacred fires.

Note on the text: Corrected लशैः → कलशैः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara; the critical edition reads kalaśair).

Verse 13 (3.101.13)

निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारं नष्टयज्ञोत्सवक्रियम् । जगदासीन्निरुत्साहं कालेयभयपीडितम् ॥

niḥsvādhyāyavaṣaṭkāraṃ naṣṭayajñotsavakriyam | jagadāsīnnirutsāhaṃ kāleyabhayapīḍitam

With no Veda-recitation and no Vashat-call, its rites of sacrifice and festival destroyed, the world lost all heart, tormented by fear of the Kaleyas.

Note on the text: Corrected वपट्कारं → वषट्कारं (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads vaṣaṭkāraṃ).

Verse 14 (3.101.14)

एवं संक्षीयमाणाश्च मानवा मनुजेश्वर । आत्मत्राणपरा भीताः प्राद्रवन्त दिशो भयात् ॥

evaṃ saṃkṣīyamāṇāśca mānavā manujeśvara | ātmatrāṇaparā bhītāḥ prādravanta diśo bhayāt

So, lord of men, as men were being wiped out, they fled in fear in every direction, thinking only of saving themselves.

Note on the text: Corrected आत्मत्राणपपा → आत्मत्राणपरा (misprint in Wikisource; प for र; the critical edition reads ātmatrāṇaparā). The critical edition reads prakṣīyamāṇāś for संक्षीयमाणाश्, a variant.

Verse 15 (3.101.15)

केचिद्गुहाः प्रविविशुर्निर्झरांश्चापरे श्रिताः । अपरे मरणोद्विग्ना भयात्प्राणान्समुत्सृजन् ॥

kecidguhāḥ praviviśurnirjharāṃścāpare śritāḥ | apare maraṇodvignā bhayātprāṇānsamutsṛjan

Some entered caves, others took to the waterfalls; and others, terrified of death, gave up their lives out of sheer fear.

Note on the text: Corrected निर्भरान् → निर्झरान् (misprint in Wikisource; भ for झ; the critical edition reads nirjharāṃś).

Verse 16 (3.101.16)

केचिदत्रमहेष्वासाः शूराः परमहर्षिताः । मार्गमाणाः परं यत्नं दानवानां प्रचक्रिरे ॥

kecidatramaheṣvāsāḥ śūrāḥ paramaharṣitāḥ | mārgamāṇāḥ paraṃ yatnaṃ dānavānāṃ pracakrire

Some great archers here, heroes full of zeal, searched for the Danavas and made the utmost effort.

Note on the text: Corrected मार्गमाणआः → मार्गमाणाः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel letter; the critical edition reads mārgamāṇāḥ). The critical edition reads paramadarpitāḥ for परमहर्षिताः, a variant.

Verse 17 (3.101.17)

न चैतानधिजग्मुस्ते समुद्रं समुपाश्रितान् । श्रमं जग्मुश्च परममाजग्मुः क्षयमेव च ॥

na caitānadhijagmuste samudraṃ samupāśritān | śramaṃ jagmuśca paramamājagmuḥ kṣayameva ca

But they could not find them, sheltered as they were in the ocean; they grew utterly weary and came to ruin.

Verse 18 (3.101.18)

जगत्युपशमं याते नष्टयज्ञोत्सवक्रिये । आजग्मुः परमामार्तिं त्रिदशा मनुजेश्वर ॥

jagatyupaśamaṃ yāte naṣṭayajñotsavakriye | ājagmuḥ paramāmārtiṃ tridaśā manujeśvara

When the world had fallen still and its rites of sacrifice and festival were destroyed, the thirty gods fell into the deepest distress, lord of men.

Verse 19 (3.101.19)

समेत्य समहेन्द्राश्च भयान्मन्त्रं प्रचक्रिरे ॥

sametya samahendrāśca bhayānmantraṃ pracakrire

Gathering together with great Indra, they took counsel out of fear.

Note on the text: CE 3.100.17ab; Wikisource prints this single line as a verse of its own.

Verse 20 (3.101.20)

शरण्यं शरणं देवं नारायणमजं विभुम् । तेऽभिगम्य नमस्कृत्य वैकुण्ठमपराजितम् । ततो देवाः समस्तास्ते तदोचुर्मधुसूदनम् ॥

śaraṇyaṃ śaraṇaṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇamajaṃ vibhum | te'bhigamya namaskṛtya vaikuṇṭhamaparājitam | tato devāḥ samastāste tadocurmadhusūdanam

Going to the god Narayana, the refuge of all, unborn and all-pervading, Vaikuntha the unconquered, they bowed to him; and then all the gods together spoke to the slayer of Madhu.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 3.100.17b*502). The second line answers to CE 3.100.17cd, which reads nārāyaṇaṃ puraskṛtya for तेऽभिगम्य नमस्कृत्य; the third is CE 3.100.18ab (sametās for समस्तास्).

Verse 21 (3.101.21)

त्वंनः स्रष्टा च भर्ता च हर्ता च जगतः प्रभो । त्वया सृष्टमिदं विश्वं यच्चेङ्गं यच्च नेङ्गति । त्वय्येव पुण्डरीकाक्ष पुनस्तत्प्रविलीयते ॥

tvaṃnaḥ sraṣṭā ca bhartā ca hartā ca jagataḥ prabho | tvayā sṛṣṭamidaṃ viśvaṃ yacceṅgaṃ yacca neṅgati | tvayyeva puṇḍarīkākṣa punastatpravilīyate

"You are the creator, the sustainer and the destroyer of the world, lord. By you this universe was created, all that moves and all that does not move; and into you alone, lotus-eyed one, it dissolves again.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick and closing quote mark around the last line (wiki marks in Wikisource). Given to the gods: verses 21–27 are wholly their speech, with no printed heading. The first two lines are CE 3.100.18cd–ef (which reads pātā for हर्ता and sarvaṃ for विश्वं); the last is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 3.100.18f*503).

Verse 22 (3.101.22)

त्वया भूमिः पुरा नष्टा समुद्रात्पुष्करेक्षण । वाराहं वपुराश्रित्यजगदर्थे समुद्धृता ॥

tvayā bhūmiḥ purā naṣṭā samudrātpuṣkarekṣaṇa | vārāhaṃ vapurāśrityajagadarthe samuddhṛtā

Long ago, lotus-eyed one, when the earth was lost in the ocean, you took on the body of a boar and raised it up for the sake of the world.

Verse 23 (3.101.23)

आदिदैत्यो महावीर्यो हिरण्यकशिपुः पुरा । नारसिंहं वपुः कृत्वा सूदितः पुरुषोत्तम ॥

ādidaityo mahāvīryo hiraṇyakaśipuḥ purā | nārasiṃhaṃ vapuḥ kṛtvā sūditaḥ puruṣottama

Long ago, best of beings, the first of the Daityas, mighty Hiranyakashipu, was slain when you took on the body of the Man-lion.

Verse 24 (3.101.24)

अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां बलिश्चापि महासुरः । वामनं वपुराश्रित्य त्रैलोक्याद्भ्रंशितस्त्वया ॥

avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ baliścāpi mahāsuraḥ | vāmanaṃ vapurāśritya trailokyādbhraṃśitastvayā

And the great Asura Bali, whom no creature could slay, you cast out of the three worlds by taking on the body of a dwarf.

Note on the text: Corrected त्रैलोक्याद्धंशितः → त्रैलोक्याद्भ्रंशितः (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct, ध for भ्र; the critical edition reads trailokyād bhraṃśitas).

Verse 25 (3.101.25)

असुरश्च महेष्वासो जम्भ इत्यभिविश्रुतः । यज्ञक्षोभकरः क्रूरस्त्वयैव विनिपातितः ॥

asuraśca maheṣvāso jambha ityabhiviśrutaḥ | yajñakṣobhakaraḥ krūrastvayaiva vinipātitaḥ

And the Asura known as Jambha, a great archer, the cruel disturber of sacrifices, was struck down by you alone.

Verse 26 (3.101.26)

एवमादीनि कर्माणि येषां संख्या न विद्यते । अस्माकं भयभीतानां त्वं गतिर्मधुसूदन ॥

evamādīni karmāṇi yeṣāṃ saṃkhyā na vidyate | asmākaṃ bhayabhītānāṃ tvaṃ gatirmadhusūdana

Such are your deeds, past all counting. You are the refuge of us who are stricken with fear, slayer of Madhu.

Verse 27 (3.101.27)

तस्मात्त्वां देवदेवेश लोकार्थं ज्ञापयामहे । रक्ष लोकांश्च देवांश्च शक्रं च महतो भयात् । शरणागतसंत्राणे त्वमेकोऽसि दृढव्रतः ॥

tasmāttvāṃ devadeveśa lokārthaṃ jñāpayāmahe | rakṣa lokāṃśca devāṃśca śakraṃ ca mahato bhayāt | śaraṇāgatasaṃtrāṇe tvameko'si dṛḍhavrataḥ

Therefore, lord of the gods of gods, we make this known to you for the sake of the worlds: protect the worlds, the gods and Shakra from this great danger. In sheltering those who come to you for refuge, you alone are steadfast in your vow."

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick and closing quote mark around the last line (wiki marks in Wikisource). The first two lines are CE 3.100.24; the last is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 3.100.24d*504).