Description of Madhu and Kaitabha's Preparation for War

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.1.6.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । सौम्य यच्च त्वया प्रोक्तं शौरेर्युद्धं महार्णवे । मधुकैटभयोः सार्धं पञ्चवर्षसहस्रकम् ॥ 6.1 ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ saumya yacca tvayā proktaṁ śaureryuddhaṁ mahārṇave madhukaiṭabhayoḥ sārdhaṁ pañcavarṣasahasrakam

The sages said: O gentle one, you have told of the war of Shauri in the great ocean, together with Madhu and Kaitabha, lasting five thousand years.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.1.6.2)

कस्मात्तौ दानवौ जातौ तस्मिन्नेकार्णवे जले । महावीर्यो दुराधर्षौ देवैरपि सुदुर्जयौ ॥ 6.2 ॥

kasmāttau dānavau jātau tasminnekārṇave jale mahāvīryo durādharṣau devairapi sudurjayau

How were those two danavas born in the waters of that single ocean — of great valor, unassailable, hard to conquer even by the gods?

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.1.6.3)

कथं तावसुरौ जातौ कथं च हरिणा हतौ । तदाचक्ष्व महाप्राज्ञ चरितं परमाद्भुतम् ॥ 6.3 ॥

kathaṁ tāvasurau jātau kathaṁ ca hariṇā hatau tadācakṣva mahāprājña caritaṁ paramādbhutam

How were those two asuras born, and how were they slain by Hari? Tell us that most wondrous story, O greatly wise one.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.1.6.4)

श्रोतुकामा वयं सर्वे त्वं वक्ता च बहुश्रुतः । दैवाच्चात्रैव सञ्जातः संयोगश्च तथावयोः ॥ 6.4 ॥

śrotukāmā vayaṁ sarve tvaṁ vaktā ca bahuśrutaḥ daivāccātraiva sañjātaḥ saṁyogaśca tathāvayoḥ

We are all eager to hear, and you are a speaker of great learning; by fate indeed this meeting of us both has come about here.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.1.6.5)

मूर्खेण सह संयोगो विषादपि सुदुर्जरः । विज्ञेन सह संयोगः सुधारससमः स्मृतः ॥ 6.5 ॥

mūrkheṇa saha saṁyogo viṣādapi sudurjaraḥ vijñena saha saṁyogaḥ sudhārasasamaḥ smṛtaḥ

Company with a fool is harder to digest even than poison; company with a wise man is remembered to be like the taste of nectar.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.1.6.6)

जीवन्ति पशवः सर्वे खादन्ति मेहयन्ति च । जानन्ति विषयाकारं व्यवायसुखमद्भुतम् ॥ 6.6 ॥

jīvanti paśavaḥ sarve khādanti mehayanti ca jānanti viṣayākāraṁ vyavāyasukhamadbhutam

All beasts too live, eat, and excrete; they know the form of sense-objects, and the wondrous pleasure of mating.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.1.6.7)

न तेषां सदसज्ज्ञानं विवेको न च मोक्षदः । पशुभिस्ते समा ज्ञेया येषां न श्रवणादरः ॥ 6.7 ॥

na teṣāṁ sadasajjñānaṁ viveko na ca mokṣadaḥ paśubhiste samā jñeyā yeṣāṁ na śravaṇādaraḥ

But they have no knowledge of what is real and unreal, no discernment, nor anything liberating; those who have no regard for listening are to be known as equal to beasts.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.1.6.8)

मृगाद्याः पशवः केचिज्जानन्ति श्रावणं सुखम् । अश्रोत्राः फणिनश्चैव मुमुहुर्नादपानतः ॥ 6.8 ॥

mṛgādyāḥ paśavaḥ kecijjānanti śrāvaṇaṁ sukham aśrotrāḥ phaṇinaścaiva mumuhurnādapānataḥ

Some beasts, like deer, know the pleasure of hearing; and even serpents, though earless, are enchanted by the fall of sound.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.1.6.9)

पञ्चानामिन्द्रियाणां वै शुभे श्रवणदर्शने । श्रवणाद्वस्तुविज्ञानं दर्शनाच्चित्तरञ्जनम् ॥ 6.9 ॥

pañcānāmindriyāṇāṁ vai śubhe śravaṇadarśane śravaṇādvastuvijñānaṁ darśanāccittarañjanam

Of the five senses, hearing and sight are auspicious; from hearing comes true knowledge of a thing, and from seeing, delight of the mind.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.1.6.10)

श्रवणं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं सात्त्विकं राजसं तथा । तामसं च महाभाग सुज्ञोक्तं निश्चयान्वितम् ॥ 6.10 ॥

śravaṇaṁ trividhaṁ proktaṁ sāttvikaṁ rājasaṁ tathā tāmasaṁ ca mahābhāga sujñoktaṁ niścayānvitam

Hearing is declared to be of three kinds — sattvic, and likewise rajasic, and tamasic, O greatly fortunate one — thus firmly declared by the wise.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.1.6.11)

सात्त्विकं वेदशास्त्रादि साहित्यं चैव राजसम् । तामसं युद्धवार्ता च परदोषप्रकाशनम् ॥ 6.11 ॥

sāttvikaṁ vedaśāstrādi sāhityaṁ caiva rājasam tāmasaṁ yuddhavārtā ca paradoṣaprakāśanam

The sattvic is hearing the Vedas and scriptures and the like; the rajasic is hearing poetry and romance; the tamasic is war-news and the exposing of others' faults.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.1.6.12)

सात्त्विकं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं प्रज्ञावद्भिश्च पण्डितैः । उत्तमं मध्यमं चैव तथैवाधममित्युत ॥ 6.12 ॥

sāttvikaṁ trividhaṁ proktaṁ prajñāvadbhiśca paṇḍitaiḥ uttamaṁ madhyamaṁ caiva tathaivādhamamityuta

The sattvic itself is declared threefold by the wise and learned: highest, middling, and likewise lowest.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.1.6.13)

उत्तमं मोक्षफलदं स्वर्गदं मध्यमं तथा । अधमं भोगदं प्रोक्तं निर्णीय विदितं बुधैः ॥ 6.13 ॥

uttamaṁ mokṣaphaladaṁ svargadaṁ madhyamaṁ tathā adhamaṁ bhogadaṁ proktaṁ nirṇīya viditaṁ budhaiḥ

The highest bestows the fruit of liberation; the middling bestows heaven; and the lowest is declared, after due determination by the wise, to bestow mere worldly enjoyment.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.1.6.14)

साहित्यं चैव त्रिविधं स्वीयायां चोत्तमं स्मृतम् । मध्यमं वारयोषायां परोढायां तथाधमम् ॥ 6.14 ॥

sāhityaṁ caiva trividhaṁ svīyāyāṁ cottamaṁ smṛtam madhyamaṁ vārayoṣāyāṁ paroḍhāyāṁ tathādhamam

Poetry and romance-literature is likewise threefold: the highest is remembered as concerning one's own wife; the middling, a courtesan; and the lowest, another man's wife.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.1.6.15)

तामसं त्रिविधं ज्ञेयं विद्वद्भिः शास्त्रदर्शिभिः । आततायिनियुद्धं यत्तदुत्तममुदाहृतम् ॥ 6.15 ॥

tāmasaṁ trividhaṁ jñeyaṁ vidvadbhiḥ śāstradarśibhiḥ ātatāyiniyuddhaṁ yattaduttamamudāhṛtam

The tamasic too is to be known as threefold by the wise, the seers of scripture; that which is war against an aggressor is declared the highest of these.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.1.6.16)

मध्यमं चापि विद्वेषात्पाण्डवानां तथारिभिः । अधमं निर्निमित्तं तु विवादे कलहे तथा ॥ 6.16 ॥

madhyamaṁ cāpi vidveṣātpāṇḍavānāṁ tathāribhiḥ adhamaṁ nirnimittaṁ tu vivāde kalahe tathā

The middling is war arising from enmity, as that between the Pandavas and their foes; and the lowest is that which arises without cause, in mere dispute and quarrel.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.1.6.17)

तदत्र श्रवणं मुख्यं पुराणस्य महामते । बुद्धिप्रवर्धनं पुण्यं ततः पापप्रणाशनम् ॥ 6.17 ॥

tadatra śravaṇaṁ mukhyaṁ purāṇasya mahāmate buddhipravardhanaṁ puṇyaṁ tataḥ pāpapraṇāśanam

Therefore, here, the hearing of the Purana is foremost, O great-minded one — it increases the intellect, is meritorious, and thereafter destroys sin.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.1.6.18)

तदाख्याहि महाबुद्धे कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । श्रुतां द्वैपायनात्पूर्वं सर्वार्थस्य प्रसाधिनीम् ॥ 6.18 ॥

tadākhyāhi mahābuddhe kathāṁ paurāṇikīṁ śubhām śrutāṁ dvaipāyanātpūrvaṁ sarvārthasya prasādhinīm

Therefore recount, O one of great intellect, that auspicious Puranic tale, heard by you before from Dvaipayana, which accomplishes every end.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.1.6.19)

सूत उवाच । यूयं धन्या महाभागा धन्योऽहं पृथिवीतले । येषां श्रवणबुद्धिश्च ममापि कथने किल ॥ 6.19 ॥

sūta uvāca yūyaṁ dhanyā mahābhāgā dhanyo'haṁ pṛthivītale yeṣāṁ śravaṇabuddhiśca mamāpi kathane kila

Suta said: Blessed are you all, greatly fortunate ones; and I too am blessed on this earth, having both your resolve to listen and my own ability to tell it.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.1.6.20)

पुरा चैकार्णवे जाते विलीने भुवनत्रये । शेषपर्यङ्कसुप्ते च देवदेवे जनार्दने ॥ 6.20 ॥

purā caikārṇave jāte vilīne bhuvanatraye śeṣaparyaṅkasupte ca devadeve janārdane

Long ago, when a single ocean had come to be, and the three worlds had dissolved into it, and the god of gods, Janardana, lay asleep upon the couch of Shesha,

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.1.6.21)

विष्णुकर्णमलोद्भूतौ दानवौ मधुकैटभौ । महाबलौ च तौ दैत्यौ विवृद्धौ सागरे जले ॥ 6.21 ॥

viṣṇukarṇamalodbhūtau dānavau madhukaiṭabhau mahābalau ca tau daityau vivṛddhau sāgare jale

— the two danavas Madhu and Kaitabha, born from Vishnu's ear-wax, those two mighty daityas, grew up in the waters of that ocean.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.1.6.22)

कीडमानौ स्थितौ तत्र विचरन्तावितस्ततः । तावेकदा महाकायौ क्रीडासक्तौ महार्णवे ॥ 6.22 ॥

kīḍamānau sthitau tatra vicarantāvitastataḥ tāvekadā mahākāyau krīḍāsaktau mahārṇave

They stayed there at play, wandering here and there; those two, of huge form, once, absorbed in sport in the great ocean,

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.1.6.23)

चिन्तामवापतुश्चित्ते भ्रातराविव संस्थितौ । नाकारणं भवेत्कार्यं सर्वत्रैषा परम्परा ॥ 6.23 ॥

cintāmavāpatuścitte bhrātarāviva saṁsthitau nākāraṇaṁ bhavetkāryaṁ sarvatraiṣā paramparā

fell into thought in their minds — those two, standing there like brothers: 'No effect can occur without a cause; this is the rule everywhere.'

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.1.6.24)

आधेयं तु विनाधारं न तिष्ठति कथञ्चन । आधाराधेयभावस्तु भाति नो चित्तगोचरः ॥ 6.24 ॥

ādheyaṁ tu vinādhāraṁ na tiṣṭhati kathañcana ādhārādheyabhāvastu bhāti no cittagocaraḥ

'That which is supported cannot stand at all without a support; yet the relation of supporter and supported does not appear within the range of our mind.'

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.1.6.25)

क्व तिष्ठति जलं चेदं सुखरूपं सुविस्तरम् । केन सृष्टं कथं जातं मग्नावावाञ्जले स्थितौ ॥ 6.25 ॥

kva tiṣṭhati jalaṁ cedaṁ sukharūpaṁ suvistaram kena sṛṣṭaṁ kathaṁ jātaṁ magnāvāvāñjale sthitau

'Where does this water — so pleasant in form, so vast — rest? By whom was it created, how did it come to be, we who stand submerged in this water?'

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.1.6.26)

आवां वा कथमुत्पन्नौ केन वोत्पादितावुभौ । पितरौ क्वेति विज्ञानं नास्ति कामं तथावयोः ॥ 6.26 ॥

āvāṁ vā kathamutpannau kena votpāditāvubhau pitarau kveti vijñānaṁ nāsti kāmaṁ tathāvayoḥ

'And how were we two born, and by whom were we both produced? Where are our parents?' — of these things, in truth, neither of them had any knowledge.

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.1.6.27)

सूत उवाच । एवं कामयमानौ तौ जग्मतुर्न विनिश्चयम् । उवाच कैटभस्तत्र मधुं पार्श्वे स्थितं जले ॥ 6.27 ॥

sūta uvāca evaṁ kāmayamānau tau jagmaturna viniścayam uvāca kaiṭabhastatra madhuṁ pārśve sthitaṁ jale

Suta said: Thus wondering, the two of them arrived at no conclusion; then Kaitabha spoke there to Madhu, who was standing beside him in the water.

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.1.6.28)

कैटभ उवाच । मधो वामत्र सलिले स्थातुं शक्तिर्महाबला । वर्तते भ्रातरचला कारणं सा हि मे मता ॥ 6.28 ॥

kaiṭabha uvāca madho vāmatra salile sthātuṁ śaktirmahābalā vartate bhrātaracalā kāraṇaṁ sā hi me matā

Kaitabha said: 'O Madhu, there exists here, in this water, a great, unmoving power that enables it to stay in place; that, brother, I believe, is the cause.'

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.1.6.29)

तया ततमिदं तोयं तदाधारं च तिष्ठति । सा एव परमा देवी कारणञ्च तथावयोः ॥ 6.29 ॥

tayā tatamidaṁ toyaṁ tadādhāraṁ ca tiṣṭhati sā eva paramā devī kāraṇañca tathāvayoḥ

'By her this water is pervaded, and it rests upon her as its support; she alone is the supreme Devi, and likewise the cause of the two of us.'

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.1.6.30)

एवं विबुध्यमानौ तौ चिन्ताविष्टौ यदासुरौ । तदाकाशे श्रुतं ताभ्यां वाग्बीजं सुमनोहरम् ॥ 6.30 ॥

evaṁ vibudhyamānau tau cintāviṣṭau yadāsurau tadākāśe śrutaṁ tābhyāṁ vāgbījaṁ sumanoharam

As the two asuras were thus reasoning it out, absorbed in thought, they heard then, from the sky, a most enchanting seed-syllable of sound.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.1.6.31)

गृहीतं च ततस्ताभ्यां तस्याभ्यासो दृढः कृतः । तदा सौदामनी दृष्टा ताभ्यां खे चोत्थिता शुभा ॥ 6.31 ॥

gṛhītaṁ ca tatastābhyāṁ tasyābhyāso dṛḍhaḥ kṛtaḥ tadā saudāmanī dṛṣṭā tābhyāṁ khe cotthitā śubhā

That was taken up by the two of them, and firm repetition of it was made; then a lightning-flash, auspicious, was seen by them, rising up in the sky.

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.1.6.32)

ताभ्यां विचारितं तत्र मन्त्रोऽयं नात्र संशयः । तथा ध्यानमिदं दृष्टं गगने सगुणं किल ॥ 6.32 ॥

tābhyāṁ vicāritaṁ tatra mantro'yaṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ tathā dhyānamidaṁ dṛṣṭaṁ gagane saguṇaṁ kila

They reasoned there: 'This is indeed a mantra, no doubt of it' — and likewise they perceived, in the sky, a form fit for meditation, endowed with qualities.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.1.6.33)

निराहारौ जितात्मानौ तन्मनस्कौ समाहितौ । बभूवतुर्विचिन्त्यैवं जपध्यानपरायणौ ॥ 6.33 ॥

nirāhārau jitātmānau tanmanaskau samāhitau babhūvaturvicintyaivaṁ japadhyānaparāyaṇau

Taking no food, self-controlled, their minds fixed on that alone, deeply composed, they became — having thus reasoned it out — devoted wholly to repetition and meditation.

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.1.6.34)

एवं वर्षसहस्रं तु ताभ्यां तप्तं महत्तपः । प्रसन्ना परमा शक्तिर्जाता सा परमा तयोः ॥ 6.34 ॥

evaṁ varṣasahasraṁ tu tābhyāṁ taptaṁ mahattapaḥ prasannā paramā śaktirjātā sā paramā tayoḥ

Thus, for a thousand years, great austerity was performed by the two of them; the supreme Shakti became pleased, manifest there before them.

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.1.6.35)

खिन्नौ तौ दानवौ दृष्ट्वा तपसे कृतनिश्चयौ । तयोरनुग्रहार्थाय वागुवाचाशरीरिणी ॥ 6.35 ॥

khinnau tau dānavau dṛṣṭvā tapase kṛtaniścayau tayoranugrahārthāya vāguvācāśarīriṇī

Seeing the two danavas, worn down by austerity, firm in their resolve to practice it, a bodiless voice spoke, for the sake of showing them grace:

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.1.6.36)

वरं वां वाञ्छितं दैत्यौ ब्रूतं परमसम्मतम् । ददामि परितुष्टास्मि युवयोस्तपसा किल ॥ 6.36 ॥

varaṁ vāṁ vāñchitaṁ daityau brūtaṁ paramasammatam dadāmi parituṣṭāsmi yuvayostapasā kila

'O daityas, speak the boon you desire, most agreeable to grant; I shall give it — I am truly well pleased by the austerity of you both.'

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.1.6.37)

सूत उवाच । इति श्रुत्वा तु तां वाणीं दानवावूचतुस्तदा । स्वेच्छया मरणं देवि वरं नौ देहि सुव्रते ॥ 6.37 ॥

sūta uvāca iti śrutvā tu tāṁ vāṇīṁ dānavāvūcatustadā svecchayā maraṇaṁ devi varaṁ nau dehi suvrate

Suta said: Having heard that voice, the two danavas then said: 'O Devi, grant us the boon of death only at our own will, O one of noble vow.'

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.1.6.38)

वागुवाच । वाञ्छितं मरणं दैत्यौ भवेद्वा मत्प्रसादतः । अजेयौ देवदैत्यैश्च भ्रातरौ नात्र संशयः ॥ 6.38 ॥

vāguvāca vāñchitaṁ maraṇaṁ daityau bhavedvā matprasādataḥ ajeyau devadaityaiśca bhrātarau nātra saṁśayaḥ

The voice said: 'Let death by your own choice be yours, O daityas, by my grace; and, brothers, you shall be unconquerable by gods and daityas alike — no doubt of this.'

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.1.6.39)

सूत उवाच । इति दत्तवरौ देव्या दानवौ मददर्पितौ । चक्रतुः सागरे क्रीडां यादोगणसमन्वितौ ॥ 6.39 ॥

sūta uvāca iti dattavarau devyā dānavau madadarpitau cakratuḥ sāgare krīḍāṁ yādogaṇasamanvitau

Suta said: Thus granted the boon by the Devi, the two danavas, puffed up with pride, sported in the ocean, together with the hosts of sea-creatures.

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.1.6.40)

कालेन कियता विप्रा दानवाभ्यां यदृच्छया । दृष्टः प्रजापतिर्ब्रह्मा पद्मासनगतः प्रभुः ॥ 6.40 ॥

kālena kiyatā viprā dānavābhyāṁ yadṛcchayā dṛṣṭaḥ prajāpatirbrahmā padmāsanagataḥ prabhuḥ

O brahmins, after some time, by chance, Prajapati Brahma, the lord seated upon his lotus-seat, was seen by the two danavas.

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.1.6.41)

दृष्ट्वा तु मुदितावास्तां युद्धकामौ महाबलौ । तमूचतुस्तदा तत्र युद्धं नौ देहि सुव्रत ॥ 6.41 ॥

dṛṣṭvā tu muditāvāstāṁ yuddhakāmau mahābalau tamūcatustadā tatra yuddhaṁ nau dehi suvrata

Seeing him, the two mighty ones became delighted, eager for battle; they said to him there: 'Give us battle, O one of noble vow.'

Verse 42 (devibhagavatam.1.6.42)

नोचेत्पद्मं परित्यज्य यथेष्टं गच्छ माचिरम् । यदि त्वं निर्बलश्चासि क्व योग्यं शुभमासनम् ॥ 6.42 ॥

nocetpadmaṁ parityajya yatheṣṭaṁ gaccha māciram yadi tvaṁ nirbalaścāsi kva yogyaṁ śubhamāsanam

'Otherwise, abandon this lotus and go wherever you please, without delay; if you are without strength, what right have you to so fine and fitting a seat?'

Verse 43 (devibhagavatam.1.6.43)

वीरभोग्यमिदं स्थानं कातरोऽसि त्यजाशु वै । तयोरिति वचः श्रुत्वा चिन्तामाप प्रजापतिः ॥ 6.43 ॥

vīrabhogyamidaṁ sthānaṁ kātaro'si tyajāśu vai tayoriti vacaḥ śrutvā cintāmāpa prajāpatiḥ

'This place is fit only for the enjoyment of heroes; you are a coward — abandon it at once!' Hearing these words of theirs, Prajapati fell into anxious thought.

Verse 44 (devibhagavatam.1.6.44)

दृष्ट्वा च बलिनौ वीरौ किं करोमीति तापसः । चिन्ताविष्टस्तदा तस्थौ चिन्तयन्मनसा तदा ॥ 6.44 ॥

dṛṣṭvā ca balinau vīrau kiṁ karomīti tāpasaḥ cintāviṣṭastadā tasthau cintayanmanasā tadā

Seeing those two mighty heroes, wondering 'What shall I do?', the ascetic Brahma stood there absorbed in thought, pondering within his mind.