Brihadashva Departs; the Slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha

Verse 1 (3.206.1)

स एवमुक्तो राजर्षिरुदङ्केनापराजितः । उदङ्कं कौरवश्रेष्ठ कृताञ्जलिरथाब्रवीत् ॥

sa evamukto rājarṣirudaṅkenāparājitaḥ | udaṅkaṃ kauravaśreṣṭha kṛtāñjalirathābravīt

Thus addressed by Udanka, the unconquered royal sage joined his palms, best of the Kurus, and said to Udanka:

Note on the text: Corrected कृताञ्जलिथाब्रवीत् → कृताञ्जलिरथाब्रवीत् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara र, the critical edition reads kṛtāñjalir athābravīt).

Verse 2 (3.206.2)

न हि मे गमनं ब्रह्मन्मोघमेतद्भविष्यति । पुत्रो ममायं भगवन्कुवलाश्व इति स्मृतः ॥

na hi me gamanaṃ brahmanmoghametadbhaviṣyati | putro mamāyaṃ bhagavankuvalāśva iti smṛtaḥ

Brahmin, my going away will not make this come to nothing. This son of mine, holy one, is known as Kuvalashva.

Note on the text: Speaker set to बृहदश्व: verses 2–4 are his direct reply to Udanka.

Verse 3 (3.206.3)

धृतिमान्क्षिप्रकारी च वीर्येणाप्रतिमो भुवि । प्रियं च ते सर्वमेतत्करिष्यति न संशयः ॥

dhṛtimānkṣiprakārī ca vīryeṇāpratimo bhuvi | priyaṃ ca te sarvametatkariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

He is steadfast and swift to act, without equal on earth in valour. He will do all this that you desire; there is no doubt of it.

Verse 4 (3.206.4)

पुत्रैः परिवृतः सर्वैः शूरैः परिघबाहुभिः । हनिष्यति महाबाहुस्तं वै धुन्धुं महाऽसुरम् । विसर्जयस्व मां ब्रह्मन्न्यस्तशस्त्रोस्मि सांप्रतम् ॥

putraiḥ parivṛtaḥ sarvaiḥ śūraiḥ parighabāhubhiḥ | haniṣyati mahābāhustaṃ vai dhundhuṃ mahā'suram | visarjayasva māṃ brahmannyastaśastrosmi sāṃpratam

Surrounded by all his sons, heroes with arms like iron bars, the mighty-armed one will slay that great asura Dhundhu. Let me go, brahmin; I have now laid down my weapons.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the second line. The first and third lines are CE 3.194.4a and 4c; the second line is not in the critical edition's text (apparatus star passage 975*).

Verse 5 (3.206.5)

तथाऽस्त्विति च तेनोक्तो मुनिनाऽमिततेजसा । स तमादिश्य तनयमुदङ्काय महात्मने । क्रियतामिति राजर्षिर्जगाम वनमुत्तमम् ॥

tathā'stviti ca tenokto muninā'mitatejasā | sa tamādiśya tanayamudaṅkāya mahātmane | kriyatāmiti rājarṣirjagāma vanamuttamam

"So be it," said the sage of boundless splendour. Then the royal sage charged his son to serve the great-souled Udanka with the words "Let it be done," and went to the finest of forests.

Verse 6 (3.206.6)

क एष भगवन्दैत्यो महावीर्यस्तपोधन । कस्य पुत्रोऽथ नप्ता वा एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥

ka eṣa bhagavandaityo mahāvīryastapodhana | kasya putro'tha naptā vā etadicchāmi veditum

Who was this Daitya of great might, holy one rich in austerity? Whose son or grandson was he? This I wish to know.

Verse 7 (3.206.7)

एवं महाबलो दैत्यो न श्रुतो मे तपोधन । यस्य निश्वासवातेन कम्पते भूः सपर्वता ॥

evaṃ mahābalo daityo na śruto me tapodhana | yasya niśvāsavātena kampate bhūḥ saparvatā

I have never heard of so mighty a Daitya, rich in austerity — one by the wind of whose breath the earth with its mountains shakes.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the second line. The first line is CE 3.194.7a; the second is not in the critical edition's text (apparatus star passage 976*).

Verse 8 (3.206.8)

एतदिच्छामि भगवन्याथातथ्येन वेदितुम् । सर्वमेव महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरेण तपोधन ॥

etadicchāmi bhagavanyāthātathyena veditum | sarvameva mahāprājña vistareṇa tapodhana

This I wish to know truly, holy one — all of it, in full, O wise one rich in austerity.

Note on the text: Lines are CE 3.194.7c and 7e (the automatic alignment missed them).

Verse 9 (3.206.9)

शृणु राजन्निदं सर्वं यथावृत्तं नराधिप । कथ्यमानं महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरेण यथातथम् ॥

śṛṇu rājannidaṃ sarvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ narādhipa | kathyamānaṃ mahāprājña vistareṇa yathātatham

Hear it all, O king, as it happened, lord of men, told in full and truly, wise one.

Note on the text: Corrected राजननिदं → राजन्निदं (misprint in Wikisource; न for the half-form न्, the critical edition reads rājann idaṃ). The first line is CE 3.194.8a; the second is not in the critical edition's text (apparatus star passage 977*).

Verse 10 (3.206.10)

एकार्णवे निरालोके नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे । प्रनष्टेषु च भूतेषु सर्वेषु भरतर्षभ ॥

ekārṇave nirāloke naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame | pranaṣṭeṣu ca bhūteṣu sarveṣu bharatarṣabha

When all was one ocean, without light, when everything moving and unmoving had perished and all beings had vanished, bull of the Bharatas,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 3.194.8c and 8e (निरालोके for tadā ghore is a recension variant).

Verse 11 (3.206.11)

प्रभवं लोककर्तारं विष्णुं शाश्वतमव्ययम् । यमाहुर्मुनयः सिद्धाः सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् । चतुर्भुजमुदाराङ्गं दृष्टवानस्मि भारत ॥

prabhavaṃ lokakartāraṃ viṣṇuṃ śāśvatamavyayam | yamāhurmunayaḥ siddhāḥ sarvalokamaheśvaram | caturbhujamudārāṅgaṃ dṛṣṭavānasmi bhārata

I saw, O Bharata, the source of all, the maker of the worlds, Vishnu, eternal and imperishable, whom the sages and Siddhas call the great lord of all the worlds — four-armed and noble of form.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the third line. The first line answers to CE 3.194.9a in a different wording (prabhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ śāśvataḥ puruṣo 'vyayaḥ); the second and third lines are not in the critical edition's text (apparatus star passages 978* and 979*).

Verse 12 (3.206.12)

सुष्वाप भगवान्विष्णुरप्शय्यामेक एव हि । नागस्य भोगे महति शेषस्यामिततेजसः ॥

suṣvāpa bhagavānviṣṇurapśayyāmeka eva hi | nāgasya bhoge mahati śeṣasyāmitatejasaḥ

The Blessed Vishnu slept alone, with the waters for his bed, on the vast coils of the serpent Shesha of boundless splendour.

Note on the text: Corrected नागस् → नागस्य and शेपस्य → शेषस्य (misprints in Wikisource; a dropped akshara य, and प for ष; the critical edition reads nāgasya and śeṣasya). Lines are CE 3.194.9c and 9e.

Verse 13 (3.206.13)

लोककर्ता महाभाग भगवानच्युतो हरिः । नागभोगेन महता परिरभ्य महीमिमाम् ॥

lokakartā mahābhāga bhagavānacyuto hariḥ | nāgabhogena mahatā parirabhya mahīmimām

The maker of the worlds, the glorious Blessed Lord Achyuta, Hari, lay encircling this earth with the great coils of the serpent.

Note on the text: Corrected नागभगेन → नागभोगेन (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign, the critical edition reads nāgabhogena).

Verse 14 (3.206.14)

स्वपतस्तस्य देवस्य पद्मं सूर्यसमप्रभम् । नाभ्या विनिःसृतं दिव्यं तत्रोत्पन्नः पितामहः ॥

svapatastasya devasya padmaṃ sūryasamaprabham | nābhyā viniḥsṛtaṃ divyaṃ tatrotpannaḥ pitāmahaḥ

As that god slept, a divine lotus as bright as the sun sprang from his navel, and in it the Grandsire was born —

Note on the text: Lines are CE 3.194.11a and 11c (नाभ्या विनिःसृतं दिव्यं तत्रोत्पन्नः for nābhyāṃ viniḥsṛtaṃ tatra yatrotpannaḥ is a recension variant). Wikisource divides verses 14–24 differently from the critical edition.

Verse 15 (3.206.15)

साक्षाल्लोकगुरुर्ब्रह्मा पद्मे सूर्यसमप्रभः । चतुर्वेदश्चतुर्मूर्तिश्चतुर्वर्गश्चतुर्मुखः ॥

sākṣāllokagururbrahmā padme sūryasamaprabhaḥ | caturvedaścaturmūrtiścaturvargaścaturmukhaḥ

Brahma himself, the teacher of the worlds, radiant as the sun in the lotus, with the four Vedas, four forms, the four aims of life and four faces,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.194.11e (सूर्यसमप्रभः for sūryendusaprabhe), the second CE 3.194.12a (चतुर्वर्गः for tathaiva ca); both differences are recension variants.

Verse 16 (3.206.16)

स्वप्रभावाद्दुराधर्षो महाबलपराक्रमः । कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य दानवौ वीर्यवत्तमौ ॥

svaprabhāvāddurādharṣo mahābalaparākramaḥ | kasyacittvatha kālasya dānavau vīryavattamau

invincible by his own power, of great strength and valour. Then, after some time had passed, two Danavas of the greatest might,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.194.12c, the second CE 3.194.13a.

Verse 17 (3.206.17)

मधुश्च कैटभश्चैव दृष्टवन्तौ हरिं प्रभुम् । शयानं शयने दिव्ये नागभोगे महाद्युतिम् ॥

madhuśca kaiṭabhaścaiva dṛṣṭavantau hariṃ prabhum | śayānaṃ śayane divye nāgabhoge mahādyutim

Madhu and Kaitabha, saw the lord Hari lying in great splendour on his divine bed, the coils of the serpent,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.194.13c, the second CE 3.194.14a.

Verse 18 (3.206.18)

बहुयोजनविस्तीर्णे बहुयोजनमायते । किरीटकौस्तुभधरं पीतकौशेयवाससम् ॥

bahuyojanavistīrṇe bahuyojanamāyate | kirīṭakaustubhadharaṃ pītakauśeyavāsasam

a bed many yojanas wide and many yojanas long; they saw him wearing a crown and the Kaustubha gem, clad in yellow silk,

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.194.14c, the second CE 3.194.15a.

Verse 19 (3.206.19)

दीप्यमानं श्रिया राजंस्तेजसा वपुषा तथा । सहस्रसूर्यप्रतिममद्भुतोपमदर्शनम् ॥

dīpyamānaṃ śriyā rājaṃstejasā vapuṣā tathā | sahasrasūryapratimamadbhutopamadarśanam

blazing, O king, with beauty, with splendour and with his form, like a thousand suns, a wondrous sight to behold.

Note on the text: Corrected वपुपा → वपुषा (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, the critical edition reads vapuṣā). Lines are CE 3.194.15c and 15e.

Verse 20 (3.206.20)

विस्मयः सुमहानासीन्मधुकैटभयोस्तदा ॥

vismayaḥ sumahānāsīnmadhukaiṭabhayostadā

Great was the amazement of Madhu and Kaitabha then

Note on the text: Corrected विस्मय → विस्मयः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped visarga, the critical edition reads vismayaḥ). A single line in Wikisource: it is CE 3.194.16a, and the next verse carries 16c. Nothing is missing.

Verse 21 (3.206.21)

दृष्ट्वा पितामहं चापि पद्मे पद्मनिभेक्षणम् । वित्रासयेतामथ तौ ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् ॥

dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṃ cāpi padme padmanibhekṣaṇam | vitrāsayetāmatha tau brahmāṇamamitaujasam

on seeing the lotus-eyed Grandsire too, in the lotus. Then the two of them set about terrifying Brahma of boundless might.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.194.16c, the second CE 3.194.17a.

Verse 22 (3.206.22)

वित्रास्यमानो बहुधा ब्रह्मा ताभ्यां महायशाः । अकम्पयत्पद्मनालं ततोऽबुध्यत केशवः ॥

vitrāsyamāno bahudhā brahmā tābhyāṃ mahāyaśāḥ | akampayatpadmanālaṃ tato'budhyata keśavaḥ

Terrified by them again and again, the glorious Brahma shook the stalk of the lotus, and at that Keshava awoke.

Note on the text: Lines are CE 3.194.17c and 17e.

Verse 23 (3.206.23)

अथापश्यत गोविन्दो दानवौ वीर्यवत्तरौ ॥

athāpaśyata govindo dānavau vīryavattarau

Then Govinda saw the two Danavas of surpassing might.

Note on the text: Corrected अथापश्त → अथापश्यत (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara य, the critical edition reads athāpaśyata). A single line in Wikisource: it is CE 3.194.18a, and the next verse carries 18c and 18e. Nothing is missing.

Verse 24 (3.206.24)

दृष्ट्वा तावब्रवीद्देवः स्वागतं वां महाबलौ । ददामि वां वरं श्रेष्ठं प्रीतिर्हि मम जायते ॥

dṛṣṭvā tāvabravīddevaḥ svāgataṃ vāṃ mahābalau | dadāmi vāṃ varaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ prītirhi mama jāyate

Seeing them, the god said: "Welcome to you both, mighty ones. I give you a choice boon, for I am pleased with you."

Note on the text: Corrected रप्रीतिर्हि → प्रीतिर्हि (misprint in Wikisource; a stray akshara र, the critical edition reads prītir hi). Lines are CE 3.194.18c and 18e.

Verse 25 (3.206.25)

तौ प्रहस्य हृषीकेशं महादर्पौ महाबलौ । प्रत्यब्रूतां महाराज सहितौ मधुसूदनम् ॥

tau prahasya hṛṣīkeśaṃ mahādarpau mahābalau | pratyabrūtāṃ mahārāja sahitau madhusūdanam

Laughing, the two, mighty and full of pride, answered Hrishikesha, the slayer of Madhu, together, great king:

Verse 26 (3.206.26)

आवां वरय देव त्वं वरदौ स्वः सुरोत्तम । दातारौ स्वो वरं तुभ्यं तद्ब्रवीह्यविचारयन् ॥

āvāṃ varaya deva tvaṃ varadau svaḥ surottama | dātārau svo varaṃ tubhyaṃ tadbravīhyavicārayan

Ask a boon of us, O God, best of the gods; we two are givers of boons. We will give you a boon; name it without hesitation.

Note on the text: Speaker set to मधुकैटभौ: this verse is the two Danavas' own words.

Verse 27 (3.206.27)

प्रतिगृह्णे वरं वीरावीप्सितश्च वरो मम । युवां हि वीर्यसंपन्नौ न वामस्ति समः पुमान् ॥

pratigṛhṇe varaṃ vīrāvīpsitaśca varo mama | yuvāṃ hi vīryasaṃpannau na vāmasti samaḥ pumān

I accept a boon, heroes, and there is a boon I desire. You are both endowed with valour; there is no man your equal.

Verse 28 (3.206.28)

वध्यत्वमुपगच्छेतां मम सत्यपराक्रमौ । एतदिच्छाम्यहं कामं प्राप्तुं लोकहिताय वै ॥

vadhyatvamupagacchetāṃ mama satyaparākramau | etadicchāmyahaṃ kāmaṃ prāptuṃ lokahitāya vai

Let the two of you, true in your prowess, become slayable by me. This is the wish I would obtain, for the good of the worlds.

Verse 29 (3.206.29)

अनृतंनोक्तपूर्वं नौ स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा । सत्ये धर्मे च निरतौ विद्ध्यावां पुरुषोत्तम ॥

anṛtaṃnoktapūrvaṃ nau svaireṣvapi kuto'nyathā | satye dharme ca niratau viddhyāvāṃ puruṣottama

Never before have we spoken an untruth, even in jest — how then in earnest? Know, Supreme Person, that we are devoted to truth and dharma.

Note on the text: The speaker heading मधुकैटभावूचतुः had slipped into the verse text; made it the speaker.

Verse 30 (3.206.30)

बले रूपे च शौर्ये च शमे न च समोस्ति नौ । धर्मे तपसि दाने च शीलसत्वदमेषु च ॥

bale rūpe ca śaurye ca śame na ca samosti nau | dharme tapasi dāne ca śīlasatvadameṣu ca

In strength, in beauty, in heroism and in calm there is none equal to us, nor in dharma, austerity and giving, in good conduct, goodness and self-control.

Verse 31 (3.206.31)

उपप्लवो महानस्मानुपावर्तत केशव । उक्तं प्रतिकुरुष्व त्वं कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ॥

upaplavo mahānasmānupāvartata keśava | uktaṃ pratikuruṣva tvaṃ kālo hi duratikramaḥ

A great calamity has come upon us, Keshava. Do what you have said; time is hard to pass beyond.

Verse 32 (3.206.32)

आवामिच्छावहे देव कृतमेकं त्वया विभो । अनावृतेऽवकाशे त्वं जह्यावां सुरसत्तम ॥

āvāmicchāvahe deva kṛtamekaṃ tvayā vibho | anāvṛte'vakāśe tvaṃ jahyāvāṃ surasattama

But we wish one thing to be done by you, O God, our lord: slay us in a place that is uncovered, best of the gods.

Verse 33 (3.206.33)

पुत्रत्वमधिगच्छाव तव चापि सुलोचन । वर एष वृतोदेव तद्विद्धि सुरसत्तम ॥

putratvamadhigacchāva tava cāpi sulocana | vara eṣa vṛtodeva tadviddhi surasattama

And we would become your sons, fair-eyed one. This is the boon we have chosen, O God; know it, best of the gods.

Verse 34 (3.206.34)

अनृतं मा भवेद्देव यद्धि नौ संश्रुतं तदा ॥

anṛtaṃ mā bhaveddeva yaddhi nau saṃśrutaṃ tadā

Let what was then promised to us not prove false, O God.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as star passage 984*, after 3.194.27.

Verse 35 (3.206.35)

बाढमेवं करिष्यामि सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति ॥

bāḍhamevaṃ kariṣyāmi sarvametadbhaviṣyati

Very well, I shall do so; all this will come to pass.

Verse 36 (3.206.36)

सविचिन्त्याथ गोविन्दो नापश्यद्यदनावृतम् । अवकाशंपृथिव्यां वा दिवि वा मधुसूदनः ॥

savicintyātha govindo nāpaśyadyadanāvṛtam | avakāśaṃpṛthivyāṃ vā divi vā madhusūdanaḥ

Reflecting, Govinda, the slayer of Madhu, saw no place that was uncovered, either on earth or in heaven.

Note on the text: Speaker set to मार्कण्डेय: verses 36–37 are narration (the critical edition prints mārkaṇḍeya uvāca here).

Verse 37 (3.206.37)

स्वकावनावृतावूरू दृष्ट्वा देववरस्तदा । मधुकैटभयो राजञ्शिरसी मधुसूदनः । चक्रेण शितधारेण न्यकृन्तत महायशाः ॥

svakāvanāvṛtāvūrū dṛṣṭvā devavarastadā | madhukaiṭabhayo rājañśirasī madhusūdanaḥ | cakreṇa śitadhāreṇa nyakṛntata mahāyaśāḥ

Seeing his own thighs uncovered, the best of gods, the glorious slayer of Madhu, then cut off the heads of Madhu and Kaitabha, O king, with his sharp-edged discus.