The Second Slaying of Namuchi

Verse 1 (padma.1.71.1)

व्यास उवाच। अथान्यो नमुचिः क्रुद्धः स्यंदनस्थो दिवौकसः। विशिखैरर्दयामस घोरैराशीविषोपमैः

vyāsa uvāca. athānyo namuciḥ kruddhaḥ syaṁdanastho divaukasaḥ. viśikhairardayāmasa ghorairāśīviṣopamaiḥ

Vyasa said: Then another Namuchi, enraged, standing upon his chariot, assailed the gods with dreadful arrows resembling venomous serpents.

Verse 2 (padma.1.71.2)

ततस्तु संयुगे देवाः सिद्धकिन्नरपन्नगाः। न शक्नुवंति बाणानां वेगं सोढुं समंततः

tatastu saṁyuge devāḥ siddhakinnarapannagāḥ. na śaknuvaṁti bāṇānāṁ vegaṁ soḍhuṁ samaṁtataḥ

Then in that battle, the gods, siddhas, kinnaras, and serpents were, on every side, unable to bear the force of his arrows.

Verse 3 (padma.1.71.3)

रथमुच्चैश्श्रवोश्वेन युक्तं मातलिनेरितम्। पुरुहूतः समास्थाय प्रागमत्तं महाबलम्

rathamuccaiśśravośvena yuktaṁ mātalineritam. puruhūtaḥ samāsthāya prāgamattaṁ mahābalam

Purūhūta, mounting his chariot yoked with the horse Uchchaihshravas and driven by Matali, advanced toward that mighty one.

Verse 4 (padma.1.71.4)

दृष्ट्वा शक्रं महावीर्यं नमुचिर्दैत्यपुंगवः। अब्रवीद्वासवं संख्ये वचनं सानुगं तदा

dṛṣṭvā śakraṁ mahāvīryaṁ namucirdaityapuṁgavaḥ. abravīdvāsavaṁ saṁkhye vacanaṁ sānugaṁ tadā

Seeing Shakra of great valor, Namuchi, foremost of daityas, then spoke to Vasava in battle, before his own followers, these words—

Verse 5 (padma.1.71.5)

प्राकृतं निर्जरं हत्वा न यशोस्ति न च प्रियम्। न लाभकृतकं वापि न जयस्तु पुरष्टुत

prākṛtaṁ nirjaraṁ hatvā na yaśosti na ca priyam. na lābhakṛtakaṁ vāpi na jayastu puraṣṭuta

"—there is no glory, nor pleasure, in slaying an ordinary god; nor is there gain in it, nor is it true victory, O ancient one."

Verse 6 (padma.1.71.6)

तस्मात्वयि हतेत्रैव सर्वं भवति शाश्वतम्। देवराज्यं प्रलप्स्यामि सुखं भोग्यं सुरालये

tasmātvayi hatetraiva sarvaṁ bhavati śāśvatam. devarājyaṁ pralapsyāmi sukhaṁ bhogyaṁ surālaye

"—therefore, when you alone are slain here, everything becomes mine forever; I shall obtain the kingdom of the gods, and every pleasure enjoyed in the abode of the gods."

Verse 7 (padma.1.71.7)

तमब्रवीन्महातेजाः शक्रः परपुरंजयः। शूरता वाक्यमात्रेण सर्वत्र सुलभा भवेत्

tamabravīnmahātejāḥ śakraḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ. śūratā vākyamātreṇa sarvatra sulabhā bhavet

To him spoke the greatly radiant Shakra, conqueror of enemy cities: "Valor in mere words is easily had everywhere—"

Verse 8 (padma.1.71.8)

महापराक्रमं यद्वा अस्ति ते दानवाधम। दर्शयस्वाहवे वीर्यं पुरं नेष्यामि भास्करेः

mahāparākramaṁ yadvā asti te dānavādhama. darśayasvāhave vīryaṁ puraṁ neṣyāmi bhāskareḥ

"—whatever great prowess you possess, O basest of danavas, show it now in battle; I shall send you to the city of Bhaskara, the Sun."

Verse 9 (padma.1.71.9)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महातेजाश्चुकोप दैत्यपुंगवः। पंचभिर्निशितैर्बाणैर्जघान सुरसत्तमम्

etacchrutvā mahātejāścukopa daityapuṁgavaḥ. paṁcabhirniśitairbāṇairjaghāna surasattamam

Hearing this, the greatly radiant, foremost of daityas grew enraged, and struck the foremost of gods with five sharp arrows.

Verse 10 (padma.1.71.10)

तांस्तु चिच्छेद मघवा क्षुरप्रैः पंचभिर्द्रुतम्। जग्मतुस्तौ महावीर्यौ समरे विषयैषिणौ

tāṁstu ciccheda maghavā kṣurapraiḥ paṁcabhirdrutam. jagmatustau mahāvīryau samare viṣayaiṣiṇau

Maghavan swiftly cut them down with five razor-edged arrows. Those two of great valor, each desiring the other's downfall, threw themselves into the fray.

Verse 11 (padma.1.71.11)

अन्योन्यं सहसा वेगाच्छरैश्चिच्छिदतुः शरान्। बिभिदातेथ गात्राणि विशिखैर्भिदुरोपमैः

anyonyaṁ sahasā vegāccharaiścicchidatuḥ śarān. bibhidātetha gātrāṇi viśikhairbhiduropamaiḥ

Swiftly the two cut each other's arrows with arrows; then they pierced each other's limbs with shafts like thunderbolts.

Verse 12 (padma.1.71.12)

अत्यपूर्वं कृतं कर्म ताभ्यामेव रणे भृशम्। लाघवं शरसंधान ग्रहमोक्षं सुदुर्लभम्

atyapūrvaṁ kṛtaṁ karma tābhyāmeva raṇe bhṛśam. lāghavaṁ śarasaṁdhāna grahamokṣaṁ sudurlabham

An utterly unprecedented feat was performed by the two of them in that intense battle — a swiftness in nocking, aiming, and releasing arrows most difficult to achieve.

Verse 13 (padma.1.71.13)

दृष्ट्वा तु विस्मयं जग्मुर्देवासुरगणास्तदा। एतस्मिन्नंतरे दैत्यो मायास्संप्रमुमोच ह

dṛṣṭvā tu vismayaṁ jagmurdevāsuragaṇāstadā. etasminnaṁtare daityo māyāssaṁpramumoca ha

Seeing it, the hosts of gods and demons were struck with wonder. Meanwhile, the daitya let loose his powers of illusion.

Verse 14 (padma.1.71.14)

विशिखाः शतशस्तत्र विनिश्चेरुस्समंततः। शक्रः कोपात्पुनः शीघ्रं धनुरुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्

viśikhāḥ śataśastatra viniścerussamaṁtataḥ. śakraḥ kopātpunaḥ śīghraṁ dhanurudyamya vīryavān

Arrows by the hundreds issued forth there on every side. Then Shakra, mighty, in anger, swiftly raised his bow again—

Verse 15 (padma.1.71.15)

जघान विशिखैरुग्रैः सर्वगात्रेषु संज्वलन्। ततो मार्गणसाहस्रैरष्टभिस्त्वधिकं तथा

jaghāna viśikhairugraiḥ sarvagātreṣu saṁjvalan. tato mārgaṇasāhasrairaṣṭabhistvadhikaṁ tathā

—and, blazing with fury, struck him on every limb with terrible shafts; then with more than a thousand and eight arrows besides—

Verse 16 (padma.1.71.16)

बिभिदाते ततोन्योन्यं चिच्छिदाते परस्परम्। शरैर्निरंतराकाशं ददृशुस्तत्र संयुगे

bibhidāte tatonyonyaṁ cicchidāte parasparam. śarairniraṁtarākāśaṁ dadṛśustatra saṁyuge

—the two pierced each other and cut down each other's shafts. In that battle the sky was seen filled everywhere, without a gap, by arrows.

Verse 17 (padma.1.71.17)

निपतंति धरापृष्ठे खड्गपातैः सहस्रशः। एवं सुदीर्घकाले तु गते तस्मिन्महाहवे

nipataṁti dharāpṛṣṭhe khaḍgapātaiḥ sahasraśaḥ. evaṁ sudīrghakāle tu gate tasminmahāhave

By the thousands, arrows fell upon the surface of the earth, cut down by sword-strokes. Thus, when a very long time had passed in that great battle—

Verse 18 (padma.1.71.18)

मायास्त्रं दर्शयामास क्रूरकृन्नमुचिस्तदा। तामसं त्रिषुलोकेषु कृतं स्यात्तु निरंतरम्

māyāstraṁ darśayāmāsa krūrakṛnnamucistadā. tāmasaṁ triṣulokeṣu kṛtaṁ syāttu niraṁtaram

—the cruel Namuchi then displayed his weapon of illusion; a darkness was produced, unbroken, throughout the three worlds.

Verse 19 (padma.1.71.19)

परस्परं न पश्यंति देवासुरगणा भृशम्। सूर्यचंद्रग्रहाणां च वह्नीनां च दिवौकसाम्

parasparaṁ na paśyaṁti devāsuragaṇā bhṛśam. sūryacaṁdragrahāṇāṁ ca vahnīnāṁ ca divaukasām

The hosts of gods and demons could no longer see one another at all; nor could the light of the sun, moon, planets, fires, or the gods themselves—

Verse 20 (padma.1.71.20)

तस्मिंस्तमसि दुष्पारे गभस्तिर्नैव दृश्यते। दैत्यस्य च ततस्तूर्णं शरैरग्निशिखोपमैः

tasmiṁstamasi duṣpāre gabhastirnaiva dṛśyate. daityasya ca tatastūrṇaṁ śarairagniśikhopamaiḥ

—be seen at all; in that impenetrable darkness not a single ray of light could be made out. Then, swiftly, by that daitya's arrows resembling flames of fire—

Verse 21 (padma.1.71.21)

विभग्नाः सर्वदेवाश्च शक्रश्चरणसंमुखे। शरैर्विभिन्नदेहास्तु निपेतुर्धरणीतले

vibhagnāḥ sarvadevāśca śakraścaraṇasaṁmukhe. śarairvibhinnadehāstu nipeturdharaṇītale

—all the gods were shattered, and Shakra too fled before him; their bodies torn open by arrows, they all fell upon the surface of the earth.

Verse 22 (padma.1.71.22)

प्रभग्नाश्चापरे शूरास्संयांति च दिशो दश। कूटं तस्य परिज्ञाय सर्वदेवार्चितो हरिः

prabhagnāścāpare śūrāssaṁyāṁti ca diśo daśa. kūṭaṁ tasya parijñāya sarvadevārcito hariḥ

Other warriors too, shattered, fled in all ten directions. Recognizing his deceit, Hari, worshipped by all the gods—

Verse 23 (padma.1.71.23)

सौम्यमस्त्रं मुमोचाथ दिवि सूर्यशतप्रभम्। विलंबितं समालोक्य शक्त्या च बहुघंटया

saumyamastraṁ mumocātha divi sūryaśataprabham. vilaṁbitaṁ samālokya śaktyā ca bahughaṁṭayā

—then released the Saumya weapon in the sky, radiant as a hundred suns. Seeing him falter, with a spear hung with many bells—

Verse 24 (padma.1.71.24)

जघानोरसि दैत्यस्य स पपात व्यथान्वितः। चिरात्संलभ्य संज्ञां च दैतेयः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः

jaghānorasi daityasya sa papāta vyathānvitaḥ. cirātsaṁlabhya saṁjñāṁ ca daiteyaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ

—he struck the daitya on the chest; Namuchi fell down in agony. After a long while, regaining consciousness, that daitya, overcome with rage—

Verse 25 (padma.1.71.25)

गत्वा वेगात्सुरश्रेष्ठमैरावतं दधार ह। त्रासयामास सुतरामिंद्रस्य द्विरदं रुषा

gatvā vegātsuraśreṣṭhamairāvataṁ dadhāra ha. trāsayāmāsa sutarāmiṁdrasya dviradaṁ ruṣā

—swiftly went and seized Airavata, foremost among the mounts of the gods; in fury he terrified Indra's elephant exceedingly.

Verse 26 (padma.1.71.26)

धृत्वा स तु गजं सेंद्रं मुमोच धरणीतले। ततो भूमिगतः शक्रः कश्मलं च क्षणं गतः

dhṛtvā sa tu gajaṁ seṁdraṁ mumoca dharaṇītale. tato bhūmigataḥ śakraḥ kaśmalaṁ ca kṣaṇaṁ gataḥ

Seizing the elephant together with Indra upon it, he flung them down to the ground. Then Shakra, thrown to the earth, fell into a swoon for a moment.

Verse 27 (padma.1.71.27)

अवप्लुत्य स दैत्येंद्रो गजदंतांतरस्थितः। शक्रं ग्रहीतुकामस्य वधार्थं यूथपस्य सः

avaplutya sa daityeṁdro gajadaṁtāṁtarasthitaḥ. śakraṁ grahītukāmasya vadhārthaṁ yūthapasya saḥ

That lord of daityas, leaping down, positioned himself between the elephant's tusks, desiring to seize Shakra; and to slay him for it—

Verse 28 (padma.1.71.28)

असिनाऽसुरमुख्यस्य शिरश्छित्वा न्यपातयत्। सर्वे प्रजहृषुर्देवा गंधर्वा ललितं जगुः। मुदितास्ते च मुनयः स्तुवंति सुरसत्तमम्

asinā'suramukhyasya śiraśchitvā nyapātayat. sarve prajahṛṣurdevā gaṁdharvā lalitaṁ jaguḥ. muditāste ca munayaḥ stuvaṁti surasattamam

—Hari cut off the head of that chief of asuras with his sword and cast it down. All the gods rejoiced, the gandharvas sang sweetly, and the delighted sages praised the foremost of the gods.