The Slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha

Verse 1 (2.44.1)

अव्यक्तो व्यक्तलिङ्गस्थो य एव भगवान्प्रभुः । नरनारायणो भूत्वा हरिरासीद्युधिष्ठिर ॥

avyakto vyaktaliṅgastho ya eva bhagavānprabhuḥ | naranārāyaṇo bhūtvā harirāsīdyudhiṣṭhira

The blessed lord who is unmanifest yet abides in a manifest form became Nara and Narayana: he was Hari, Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 76 and 78 (य एव for ya eṣa; the CE's line 77 is not in Wikisource).

Verse 2 (2.44.2)

ब्रह्मा च शक्रः सूर्यश्च धर्मश्चैव सनातनः । बहुशः सर्वभूतात्मा प्रादुर्भवति कार्यतः । प्रादुर्भावांस्तु वक्ष्यामि दिव्यान्देवगणैर्युतान् ॥

brahmā ca śakraḥ sūryaśca dharmaścaiva sanātanaḥ | bahuśaḥ sarvabhūtātmā prādurbhavati kāryataḥ | prādurbhāvāṃstu vakṣyāmi divyāndevagaṇairyutān

As Brahma, Shakra, the Sun and eternal Dharma, the Self of all beings appears many times, as the need arises. I shall tell you of his divine manifestations, attended by hosts of gods.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 79–81 (a three-line verse in both; the first line in a variant form, CE brahmāṇaṃ śaśisūryau ca dharmaṃ caivāsṛjat svayam).

Verse 3 (2.44.3)

सुप्त्वा युगसहस्रं स प्रादुर्भवति कार्यवान् । अनेकबहुसाहस्रैर्देवदेवो जगत्पतिः ॥

suptvā yugasahasraṃ sa prādurbhavati kāryavān | anekabahusāhasrairdevadevo jagatpatiḥ

After sleeping for a thousand ages he appears, intent on his work — the god of gods, the lord of the world — in many thousands upon thousands of forms.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 82–83 (the second line in a variant form).

Verse 4 (2.44.4)

ब्रह्माणं कपिलं चैव परमेष्ठिं तथैव च । देवान्सप्तर्षिभिश्चैव शङ्करं च महायशाः ॥

brahmāṇaṃ kapilaṃ caiva parameṣṭhiṃ tathaiva ca | devānsaptarṣibhiścaiva śaṅkaraṃ ca mahāyaśāḥ

Brahma, Kapila and Parameshthin as well, the gods together with the seven sages, and Shankara of great fame,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 84–85.

Verse 5 (2.44.5)

सनत्कुमारं भगवान्मनुं चैव प्रजापतिम् । पुरा चक्रे च देवादिः प्रदीप्ताग्निसमप्रभः ॥

sanatkumāraṃ bhagavānmanuṃ caiva prajāpatim | purā cakre ca devādiḥ pradīptāgnisamaprabhaḥ

Sanatkumara, and Manu the lord of creatures — these the blessed one, first of the gods, shining like a blazing fire, made long ago.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 86–87.

Verse 6 (2.44.6)

येन चार्णवमध्यस्थौ नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे । नष्टदेवासुरवरे प्रणष्टोरगराक्षसे ॥

yena cārṇavamadhyasthau naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame | naṣṭadevāsuravare praṇaṣṭoragarākṣase

It was he by whom — when, in the midst of the ocean, all things moving and unmoving had perished, the best of gods and asuras had perished, and serpents and rakshasas were utterly destroyed —

Note on the text: Corrected नष्टेस्थावरजङ्गमे → नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे (misprint in Wikisource; the space between two words was lost). Corrected प्रनष्टोरगराक्षसे → प्रणष्टोरगराक्षसे (misprint in Wikisource; प्र- requires ण; the critical edition reads praṇaṣṭa-). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 88–89.

Verse 7 (2.44.7)

योद्धुकामौ सुदुर्धर्षौ भ्रातरौ मधुकैटभौ । हतौ भगवता तेन ततो दत्त्वा वरं परम् ॥

yoddhukāmau sudurdharṣau bhrātarau madhukaiṭabhau | hatau bhagavatā tena tato dattvā varaṃ param

the two brothers Madhu and Kaitabha, who stood in the ocean eager to fight and very hard to overcome, were slain by that blessed one, after he had granted them a supreme boon.

Note on the text: Corrected कैठभ → कैटभ (misprint in Wikisource; ठ for ट; the name is Kaiṭabha, as in the critical edition and in this page's own chapter heading मधुकैटभवधकथनम्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 90–91 (the second line in a variant form).

Verse 8 (2.44.8)

भूमिं बद्ध्वा कृतौ पूर्वावजेयौ द्वौ महाऽसुरौ । तौ कर्णमलसंभूतौ विष्णोस्तस्य महात्मनः ॥

bhūmiṃ baddhvā kṛtau pūrvāvajeyau dvau mahā'surau | tau karṇamalasaṃbhūtau viṣṇostasya mahātmanaḥ

Long ago the two great asuras had been made by binding earth together, and they were invincible. They were born from the wax in the ears of the great-souled Vishnu

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 92–93 (in a variant form).

Verse 9 (2.44.9)

महार्णवे प्रस्वपतः शैलराजसमौ स्थितौ । तौ विवेश स्वयं वायुर्ब्रह्मणा साधु चोदितः ॥

mahārṇave prasvapataḥ śailarājasamau sthitau | tau viveśa svayaṃ vāyurbrahmaṇā sādhu coditaḥ

as he slept in the great ocean, and they stood there like the king of mountains. Vayu, the Wind, duly urged by Brahma, entered into them himself.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 94–95.

Verse 10 (2.44.10)

तौ दिवं छादयित्वा तु ववृधाते महाऽसुरौ । वायुप्रमाणौ तौ दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा पर्यमृशच्छनैः ॥

tau divaṃ chādayitvā tu vavṛdhāte mahā'surau | vāyupramāṇau tau dṛṣṭvā brahmā paryamṛśacchanaiḥ

The two great asuras grew until they covered the sky. Seeing them grown as vast as the wind, Brahma gently felt them with his hand.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 96–97.

Verse 11 (2.44.11)

एकं मृदुतरं वेत्ति कठिनं वेत्ति चापरम् । नामनी तु तयोश्चक्रे सविता सलिलोद्भवः ॥

ekaṃ mṛdutaraṃ vetti kaṭhinaṃ vetti cāparam | nāmanī tu tayoścakre savitā salilodbhavaḥ

He found one to be the softer, and the other he found to be hard. Then the water-born creator gave the two of them names:

Note on the text: Corrected तयोश्चके → तयोश्चक्रे (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct क्र lost its र; the critical edition reads cakre). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 98–99.

Verse 12 (2.44.12)

मृदुस्त्वयं मधुर्नाम कठिनः कैटभः स्वयम् । तौ दैत्यौ कृतनामानौ चेरतुर्बलगर्वितौ ॥

mṛdustvayaṃ madhurnāma kaṭhinaḥ kaiṭabhaḥ svayam | tau daityau kṛtanāmānau ceraturbalagarvitau

"This soft one is named Madhu, and the hard one is Kaitabha." Named thus, the two daityas roamed about, proud of their strength.

Note on the text: Corrected कैठभ → कैटभ (misprint in Wikisource; ठ for ट; the name is Kaiṭabha, as in the critical edition and in this page's own chapter heading मधुकैटभवधकथनम्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 100–101.

Verse 13 (2.44.13)

तौ पुराऽथ दिवं सर्वां प्राप्तौ राजन्महासुरौ । प्रच्छाद्याथ दिवं सर्वां चेरतुर्मधुकैटभौ ॥

tau purā'tha divaṃ sarvāṃ prāptau rājanmahāsurau | pracchādyātha divaṃ sarvāṃ ceraturmadhukaiṭabhau

Then, O king, the two great asuras reached the whole of heaven; covering all heaven, Madhu and Kaitabha roamed about,

Note on the text: Corrected कैठभ → कैटभ (misprint in Wikisource; ठ for ट; the name is Kaiṭabha, as in the critical edition and in this page's own chapter heading मधुकैटभवधकथनम्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 102–103.

Verse 14 (2.44.14)

सर्वमेकार्णवं लोकं योद्धुकामौ सुनिर्भयौ । तौ गतावसुरौ दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥

sarvamekārṇavaṃ lokaṃ yoddhukāmau sunirbhayau | tau gatāvasurau dṛṣṭvā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ

fearless and eager to fight, through the whole world, which had become a single ocean. Seeing the two asuras coming, Brahma, grandsire of the worlds,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 104–105.

Verse 15 (2.44.15)

एकार्णवाम्बुनिचये तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । स पद्मात्पद्मनाभस्य नाभिदेशात्समुत्थितात् ॥

ekārṇavāmbunicaye tatraivāntaradhīyata | sa padmātpadmanābhasya nābhideśātsamutthitāt

vanished right there in the mass of waters of the single ocean. From the lotus that had risen from the navel of Padmanabha, the lotus-naveled one,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 106–107.

Verse 16 (2.44.16)

आससाद स्वयं जन्म तत्पङ्कजमपङ्कजम् । पूजयामास वसतिं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥

āsasāda svayaṃ janma tatpaṅkajamapaṅkajam | pūjayāmāsa vasatiṃ brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ

he himself had received his birth — from that lotus that was not born of mud — and Brahma, grandsire of the worlds, honoured it as his dwelling.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 108–109 (the first line in a variant form).

Verse 17 (2.44.17)

तावुभौ जलगर्भस्थौ नारायणचतुर्मुखौ । बहून्वर्षायुतानप्सु शयानौ न च कम्पितौ ॥

tāvubhau jalagarbhasthau nārāyaṇacaturmukhau | bahūnvarṣāyutānapsu śayānau na ca kampitau

Both of them, Narayana and the four-faced one, lay within the waters for many tens of thousands of years, and were not stirred.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 110–111.

Verse 18 (2.44.18)

अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य तावुभौ मधुकैटभौ । आजग्मतुस्तौ तं देशं यत्र ब्रह्मा व्यवस्थितः ॥

atha dīrghasya kālasya tāvubhau madhukaiṭabhau | ājagmatustau taṃ deśaṃ yatra brahmā vyavasthitaḥ

Then, after a long time, Madhu and Kaitabha both came to the place where Brahma was.

Note on the text: Corrected कैठभ → कैटभ (misprint in Wikisource; ठ for ट; the name is Kaiṭabha, as in the critical edition and in this page's own chapter heading मधुकैटभवधकथनम्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 112–113.

Verse 19 (2.44.19)

तौ दृष्ट्वा लोकनाथस्तु रोषात्संरक्तलोचनः । उत्पपाताथ शयनात्पद्मनाभो महाद्युतिः ॥

tau dṛṣṭvā lokanāthastu roṣātsaṃraktalocanaḥ | utpapātātha śayanātpadmanābho mahādyutiḥ

Seeing them, the lord of the world, Padmanabha of great splendour, his eyes reddened with anger, sprang up from his bed.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 114–115.

Verse 20 (2.44.20)

तद्युद्धमभवद्घोरं तयोस्तस्य च भारत । एकार्णवे तदा घोरे त्रैलोक्ये जलतां गते ॥

tadyuddhamabhavadghoraṃ tayostasya ca bhārata | ekārṇave tadā ghore trailokye jalatāṃ gate

Then a dreadful battle took place between him and the two of them, O Bharata, in that dreadful single ocean, when the three worlds had turned to water.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 116–117.

Verse 21 (2.44.21)

तदभूत्तुमुलं युद्धं वर्षसङ्ख्यासहस्रशः । न च तावसुरौ युद्धे तदा श्रममवापतुः ॥

tadabhūttumulaṃ yuddhaṃ varṣasaṅkhyāsahasraśaḥ | na ca tāvasurau yuddhe tadā śramamavāpatuḥ

That tumultuous battle went on for thousands of years, and still the two asuras did not grow weary in the fight.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 118–119.

Verse 22 (2.44.22)

अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य तौ दैत्यौ युद्धदुर्मदौ । ऊचतुः प्रीतमनसौ देवं नारायणं प्रभुम् ॥

atha dīrghasya kālasya tau daityau yuddhadurmadau | ūcatuḥ prītamanasau devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum

Then, after a long time, the two daityas, wild for battle, spoke with pleased hearts to the god Narayana, the lord:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 120–121.

Verse 23 (2.44.23)

प्रीतौ स्वस्तव युद्धेन श्लाघ्यस्त्वं मृत्युरावयोः । आवां जहि न यत्रोर्वी सलिलेन परिप्लुता ॥

prītau svastava yuddhena ślāghyastvaṃ mṛtyurāvayoḥ | āvāṃ jahi na yatrorvī salilena pariplutā

"We are pleased with your fighting; death at your hands is something to be proud of. Slay us where the earth is not flooded by water.

Note on the text: Corrected यत्रोर्वा → यत्रोर्वी (misprint in Wikisource; ा for ी; the critical edition reads yatrorvī). Corrected पिरप्लुता → परिप्लुता (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign ि misplaced; the critical edition reads pariplutā). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 122–123. Speaker: the direct speech of Madhu and Kaitabha (introduced by ऊचतुः in the previous verse) has no printed heading; given to them.

Verse 24 (2.44.24)

हतौ च तव पुत्रत्वं प्राप्नुयाव सुरोत्तम । यो ह्यावां युधि निर्जेता तस्यावां विहितौ सुतौ ॥

hatau ca tava putratvaṃ prāpnuyāva surottama | yo hyāvāṃ yudhi nirjetā tasyāvāṃ vihitau sutau

And once slain, best of the gods, we would become your sons; for whoever conquers us in battle, we are destined to be his sons."

Note on the text: Corrected ह्यानां → ह्यावां (misprint in Wikisource; न for व; the critical edition reads hy āvāṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 124–125.

Verse 25 (2.44.25)

तयोस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तदा नारायणः प्रभुः । तौ प्रहस्य मृधे दैत्यौ दोर्भ्यां च समपीडयत् ॥

tayostu vacanaṃ śrutvā tadā nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | tau prahasya mṛdhe daityau dorbhyāṃ ca samapīḍayat

Hearing their words, the lord Narayana laughed, and in the fight he squeezed the two daityas with his arms;

Note on the text: Corrected समपीडयम् → समपीडयत् (misprint in Wikisource; a first-person ending where the subject is Narayana; the critical edition reads samapīḍayat). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 126–127 (प्रहस्य for pragṛhya).

Verse 26 (2.44.26)

ऊरुभ्यां निधनं चक्रे तावुभौ मधुकैटभौ । तौ हतौ चाप्लुतौ तोये वपुर्भ्यामेकतां गतौ ॥

ūrubhyāṃ nidhanaṃ cakre tāvubhau madhukaiṭabhau | tau hatau cāplutau toye vapurbhyāmekatāṃ gatau

on his thighs he put both Madhu and Kaitabha to death. Slain, and washed over by the water, their two bodies became one.

Note on the text: Corrected मधुकैठबौ → मधुकैटभौ (misprint in Wikisource; ठ for ट and ब for भ; the name is Kaiṭabha, as in the critical edition). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 128–129.

Verse 27 (2.44.27)

मेदो मुमुचतुर्दैत्यौ मज्जमानौ जलोर्मिभिः । मेदसा तज्जलं व्याप्तं ताभ्यामन्तर्दधे तदा ॥

medo mumucaturdaityau majjamānau jalormibhiḥ | medasā tajjalaṃ vyāptaṃ tābhyāmantardadhe tadā

Sinking beneath the waves, the two daityas gave off their fat. The water was pervaded with that fat, and then the two of them vanished.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 130–131 (मज्जमानौ for mathyamānau).

Verse 28 (2.44.28)

नारायणश्च भगवानसृजद्विविधाः प्रजाः । दैत्ययोर्मेदसा छन्ना सर्वा राजन्वसुन्धरा ॥

nārāyaṇaśca bhagavānasṛjadvividhāḥ prajāḥ | daityayormedasā channā sarvā rājanvasundharā

And the blessed Narayana created creatures of many kinds. The whole earth, O king, was covered with the fat of the two daityas.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 132–133.

Verse 29 (2.44.29)

तदाप्रभृति कौन्तेय मेदिनीति स्मृता मही । प्रभावात्पद्मनाभस्य शाश्वती च कृता नृणाम् ॥

tadāprabhṛti kaunteya medinīti smṛtā mahī | prabhāvātpadmanābhasya śāśvatī ca kṛtā nṛṇām

From that time on, son of Kunti, the earth has been called Medini; and by the power of Padmanabha it was made lasting for men.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 134–135.