The Gods Arm Nahusha for Battle

Verse 1 (padma.2.110.1)

कुंजल उवाच । आमंत्र्य स मुनीन्सर्वान्वशिष्ठं तपतांवरम् । समुत्सुको गंतुकामो नहुषो दानवं प्रति

kuṁjala uvāca āmaṁtrya sa munīnsarvānvaśiṣṭhaṁ tapatāṁvaram samutsuko gaṁtukāmo nahuṣo dānavaṁ prati

Kunjala said: Having taken leave of all the sages, together with Vasishtha, foremost of ascetics, Nahusha, eager, resolved to go against that demon.

Verse 2 (padma.2.110.2)

ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे वशिष्ठाद्यास्तपोधनाः । आशीर्भिरभिनंद्यैनमायुपुत्रं महाबलम्

tataste munayaḥ sarve vaśiṣṭhādyāstapodhanāḥ āśīrbhirabhinaṁdyainamāyuputraṁ mahābalam

Then all the sages, rich in austerity, headed by Vasishtha, greeting him with blessings, sent forth that mighty son of Ayu.

Verse 3 (padma.2.110.3)

आकाशे देवताः सर्वा जघ्नुर्वै दुंदुभीन्मुदा । पुष्पवृष्टिं प्रचक्रुस्ते नहुषस्य च मूर्धनि

ākāśe devatāḥ sarvā jaghnurvai duṁdubhīnmudā puṣpavṛṣṭiṁ pracakruste nahuṣasya ca mūrdhani

In the sky, all the gods, with joy, struck their kettledrums, and rained down flowers upon Nahusha's head.

Verse 4 (padma.2.110.4)

अथ देवः सहस्राक्षः सुरैः सार्द्धं समागतः । ददौ शस्त्राणि चास्त्राणि सूर्यतेजोपमानि च

atha devaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ suraiḥ sārddhaṁ samāgataḥ dadau śastrāṇi cāstrāṇi sūryatejopamāni ca

Then the thousand-eyed god (Indra), together with the other gods, came there, and bestowed weapons and missiles radiant as the very splendor of the sun.

Verse 5 (padma.2.110.5)

देवेभ्यो नृपशार्दूलो जगृहे द्विजसत्तम । तानि दिव्यानि चास्त्राणि दिव्यरूपोपमोऽभवत्

devebhyo nṛpaśārdūlo jagṛhe dvijasattama tāni divyāni cāstrāṇi divyarūpopamo'bhavat

O best of the twice-born, that best of kings received those divine missiles from the gods, and he himself came to resemble a being of divine form.

Verse 6 (padma.2.110.6)

अथ ता देवताः सर्वाः सहस्राक्षमथाब्रुवन् । स्यंदनो दीयतामस्मै नहुषाय सुरेश्वर

atha tā devatāḥ sarvāḥ sahasrākṣamathābruvan syaṁdano dīyatāmasmai nahuṣāya sureśvara

Then all the gods said to the thousand-eyed one: 'O lord of the gods, let a chariot too be given to this Nahusha.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.110.7)

देवानां मतमाज्ञाय वज्रपाणिः स्वसारथिम् । आहूय मातलि तं तु आदिदेश ततो द्विज

devānāṁ matamājñāya vajrapāṇiḥ svasārathim āhūya mātali taṁ tu ādideśa tato dvija

Learning the gods' wish, the wielder of the thunderbolt summoned his own charioteer, Matali, O twice-born one, and gave him this command —

Verse 8 (padma.2.110.8)

एनं गच्छ महात्मानमुह्यतां स्यंदनेन वै । सध्वजेन महाप्राज्ञमायुजं समरोद्यतम्

enaṁ gaccha mahātmānamuhyatāṁ syaṁdanena vai sadhvajena mahāprājñamāyujaṁ samarodyatam

'Go, and bear this great soul, this greatly wise son of Ayu, ready for battle, upon a chariot with its banner.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.110.9)

स चोवाच सहस्राक्षं करिष्ये तवशासनम् । एवमुक्त्वा जगामाशु ह्यायुपुत्रं रणोद्यतम्

sa covāca sahasrākṣaṁ kariṣye tavaśāsanam evamuktvā jagāmāśu hyāyuputraṁ raṇodyatam

He said to the thousand-eyed one: 'I shall do as you command.' Having said this, he went swiftly to Ayu's son, ready for battle.

Verse 10 (padma.2.110.10)

राजानं प्रत्युवाचैव देवराजस्य भाषितम् । विजयी भव धर्मज्ञ रथेनानेन संगरे

rājānaṁ pratyuvācaiva devarājasya bhāṣitam vijayī bhava dharmajña rathenānena saṁgare

He related to the king the message of the king of gods: 'O knower of dharma, become victorious in this battle with this chariot.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.110.11)

इत्युवाच सहस्राक्षस्त्वामेव नृपतीश्वर । जहि त्वं दानवं संख्ये तं हुंडं पापचेतनम्

ityuvāca sahasrākṣastvāmeva nṛpatīśvara jahi tvaṁ dānavaṁ saṁkhye taṁ huṁḍaṁ pāpacetanam

'This the thousand-eyed one has said to you alone, O lord of kings: slay in battle that sinful-minded demon Hunda.'

Verse 12 (padma.2.110.12)

समाकर्ण्य स राजेंद्र सानंदपुलकोद्गमः । प्रसादाद्देवदेवस्य वशिष्ठस्य महात्मनः

samākarṇya sa rājeṁdra sānaṁdapulakodgamaḥ prasādāddevadevasya vaśiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ

O king of kings, hearing this, thrilled with joy, remembering the grace of the great-souled Vasishtha, God among gods, he spoke —

Verse 13 (padma.2.110.13)

दानवं सूदयिष्यामि समरे पापचेतनम् । देवानां च विशेषेण मम मायापचारितम्

dānavaṁ sūdayiṣyāmi samare pāpacetanam devānāṁ ca viśeṣeṇa mama māyāpacāritam

'I shall slay that sinful-minded demon in battle — by the special grace of the gods, and by my own use of illusion too.'

Verse 14 (padma.2.110.14)

एवमुक्ते महावाक्ये नहुषेण महात्मना । अथायातः स्वयं देवः शंखचक्रगदाधरः

evamukte mahāvākye nahuṣeṇa mahātmanā athāyātaḥ svayaṁ devaḥ śaṁkhacakragadādharaḥ

When this great word had been spoken by the great-souled Nahusha, the god who bears conch, discus and mace (Vishnu) himself came there.

Verse 15 (padma.2.110.15)

चक्राच्चक्रं समुत्पाट्य सूर्यबिंबोपमं महत् । ज्वलता तेजसा दीप्तं सुवृत्तारं शुभावहम्

cakrāccakraṁ samutpāṭya sūryabiṁbopamaṁ mahat jvalatā tejasā dīptaṁ suvṛttāraṁ śubhāvaham

Drawing forth from his own discus another great discus — resembling the very orb of the sun, blazing with a burning splendor, perfectly round and auspicious —

Verse 16 (padma.2.110.16)

नहुषाय ददौ देवो हर्षेण महता किल । तस्मै शूलं ददौ शंभुः सुतीक्ष्णं तेजसान्वितम्

nahuṣāya dadau devo harṣeṇa mahatā kila tasmai śūlaṁ dadau śaṁbhuḥ sutīkṣṇaṁ tejasānvitam

— that god, with great joy, bestowed it upon Nahusha. Shambhu (Shiva) too gave him a sharp trident, full of splendor.

Verse 17 (padma.2.110.17)

तेन शूलवरेणासौ शोभते समरोद्यतः । द्वितीयः शंकरश्चासौ त्रिपुरघ्नो यथा प्रभुः

tena śūlavareṇāsau śobhate samarodyataḥ dvitīyaḥ śaṁkaraścāsau tripuraghno yathā prabhuḥ

With that excellent trident, ready for battle, he shone forth as if he were a second Shankara, the very Lord who destroyed the three cities.

Verse 18 (padma.2.110.18)

ब्रह्मास्त्रं दत्तवान्ब्रह्मा वरुणः पाशमुत्तमम् । चंद्र तेजःप्रतीकाशं शंखं च नादमंगलम्

brahmāstraṁ dattavānbrahmā varuṇaḥ pāśamuttamam caṁdra tejaḥpratīkāśaṁ śaṁkhaṁ ca nādamaṁgalam

Brahma gave the Brahma-astra, Varuna gave his excellent noose; the moon gave a conch resembling his own radiance, sounding an auspicious note.

Verse 19 (padma.2.110.19)

वज्रमिंद्रस्तथा शक्तिं वायुश्चापं समार्गणम् । आग्नेयास्त्रं तथा वह्निर्ददौ तस्मै महात्मने

vajramiṁdrastathā śaktiṁ vāyuścāpaṁ samārgaṇam āgneyāstraṁ tathā vahnirdadau tasmai mahātmane

Indra gave the thunderbolt, Vayu gave a spear and a bow with its arrows; and Agni gave that great soul the fire-missile.

Verse 20 (padma.2.110.20)

शस्त्राण्यस्त्राणि दिव्यानि बहूनि विविधानि च । ददुर्देवा महात्मानस्तस्मै राज्ञे महौजसे

śastrāṇyastrāṇi divyāni bahūni vividhāni ca dadurdevā mahātmānastasmai rājñe mahaujase

To that king of great splendor, the great-souled gods bestowed many and various divine weapons and missiles.

Verse 21 (padma.2.110.21)

कुंजल उवाच । अथ आयुसुतो वीरो दैवतैः परिमानितः । आशीर्भिर्नंदितश्चापि मुनिभिस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः

kuṁjala uvāca atha āyusuto vīro daivataiḥ parimānitaḥ āśīrbhirnaṁditaścāpi munibhistattvavedibhiḥ

Kunjala said: Then that hero, the son of Ayu, honored by the gods, greeted also with blessings by the sages versed in truth,

Verse 22 (padma.2.110.22)

आरुरोह रथं दिव्यं भास्वरं रत्नमालिनम् । घंटारवैः प्रणदंतं क्षुद्रघंटासमाकुलम्

āruroha rathaṁ divyaṁ bhāsvaraṁ ratnamālinam ghaṁṭāravaiḥ praṇadaṁtaṁ kṣudraghaṁṭāsamākulam

mounted that divine, radiant chariot, hung with garlands of jewels — resounding with the ringing of its bells, thronged with tiny bells.

Verse 23 (padma.2.110.23)

रथेन तेन दिव्येन शुशुभे नृपनदंनः । दिविमार्गे यथा सूर्यस्तेजसा स्वेन वै किल

rathena tena divyena śuśubhe nṛpanadaṁnaḥ divimārge yathā sūryastejasā svena vai kila

With that divine chariot that king shone forth, just as the sun shines in the pathway of the sky by its own splendor,

Verse 24 (padma.2.110.24)

प्रतपंस्तेजसा तद्वद्दैत्यानां मस्तकेषु सः । जगाम शीघ्रं वेगेन यथा वायुः सदागतिः

pratapaṁstejasā tadvaddaityānāṁ mastakeṣu saḥ jagāma śīghraṁ vegena yathā vāyuḥ sadāgatiḥ

— even so, blazing forth with his splendor upon the very heads of the demons, he sped swiftly, with the speed of the ever-moving wind —

Verse 25 (padma.2.110.25)

यत्रासौ दानवः पापस्तिष्ठते स्वबलैर्युतः । तेन मातलिना सार्द्धं वाहकेन महात्मना

yatrāsau dānavaḥ pāpastiṣṭhate svabalairyutaḥ tena mātalinā sārddhaṁ vāhakena mahātmanā

— toward that place where the sinful demon stood, together with his own forces, accompanied by that great-souled charioteer, Matali.