The Destruction of the Sorcery of Paundraka's Son

Verse 1 (padma.6.251.1)

श्रीरुद्र उवाच- अथ पौंड्रक वासुदेवः काशिराजो वाराणस्यां विविक्ते द्वादशवर्षं महेशमर्च्चयन्निराहारः पंचाक्षरं जजाप ।

śrīrudra uvāca atha pauṁḍraka vāsudevaḥ kāśirājo vārāṇasyāṁ vivikte dvādaśavarṣaṁ maheśamarccayannirāhāraḥ paṁcākṣaraṁ jajāpa

Shri Rudra said: Then Paundraka Vasudeva, king of Kashi, in Varanasi, in solitude, for twelve years, worshipping Mahesha, fasting, recited the five-syllabled mantra.

Verse 2 (padma.6.251.2)

पौरश्चरणकाले शंकरं स्वनेत्रकमलेन पूजयामास ।

pauraścaraṇakāle śaṁkaraṁ svanetrakamalena pūjayāmāsa

At the time of the concluding Purashcharana rite, he worshipped Shankara with his own lotus-eye.

Verse 3 (padma.6.251.3)

ततः शूलपाणिरुमापतिः प्रसन्नो वरं वृणीष्वेति तमाह ।

tataḥ śūlapāṇirumāpatiḥ prasanno varaṁ vṛṇīṣveti tamāha

Then the trident-bearing husband of Uma, pleased, said to him, "Choose a boon."

Verse 4 (padma.6.251.4)

असौ पंचवक्त्रंसर्वभूतपतिं शिवं प्रसन्नं वरद मम वासुदेवसमानरूपं प्रयच्छेत्युवाच ।

asau paṁcavaktraṁsarvabhūtapatiṁ śivaṁ prasannaṁ varada mama vāsudevasamānarūpaṁ prayacchetyuvāca

He said to that five-faced, pleased Lord of all beings, Shiva, the boon-giver: "Give me a form equal to Vasudeva's."

Verse 5 (padma.6.251.5)

शिवस्तस्मै शंख चक्र गदा पद्मयुत चतुर्भुजं पुंडरीकदलनिभलोचनं वासुदेवसमानकिरीट। ललित कुंतलं पीतवस्त्रकौस्तुभाभरणादि चिह्नान्यपि मह्यं देहीति याचितः शिवः सर्वमपि तस्मै प्रददौ ।

śivastasmai śaṁkha cakra gadā padmayuta caturbhujaṁ puṁḍarīkadalanibhalocanaṁ vāsudevasamānakirīṭa lalita kuṁtalaṁ pītavastrakaustubhābharaṇādi cihnānyapi mahyaṁ dehīti yācitaḥ śivaḥ sarvamapi tasmai pradadau

Entreated with "Give me a four-armed form bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, with lotus-petal eyes, a crown like Vasudeva's, lovely locks, yellow garments, the Kaustubha ornament, and the other marks" — Shiva gave him all of that.

Verse 6 (padma.6.251.6)

स तु वासुदेवोऽहमिति सर्वलोकान्मोहयामास ।

sa tu vāsudevo'hamiti sarvalokānmohayāmāsa

He then deluded the entire world, proclaiming, "I am Vasudeva."

Verse 7 (padma.6.251.7)

कदाचित्स्वर्गतः मदबलोत्कटं तं काशिपतिं नारदोऽभ्येत्य वसुदेवसुतमजित्वा वासुदेवत्वं न विद्यते इत्युवाच ।

kadācitsvargataḥ madabalotkaṭaṁ taṁ kāśipatiṁ nārado'bhyetya vasudevasutamajitvā vāsudevatvaṁ na vidyate ityuvāca

Once, coming from heaven, Narada approached that lord of Kashi, arrogant with pride in his power, and said, "Without conquering the son of Vasudeva, there is no true Vasudeva-ness for you."

Verse 8 (padma.6.251.8)

स तु तस्मिन्नेव क्षणे गरुडपताकायुतरूपं रथमारोप्य चतुरंगाक्षौहिणीबलेन द्वारकामवाप ।

sa tu tasminneva kṣaṇe garuḍapatākāyutarūpaṁ rathamāropya caturaṁgākṣauhiṇībalena dvārakāmavāpa

He, at that very instant, mounting a chariot bearing a banner shaped like Garuda, with a fourfold akshauhini army, arrived at Dvaraka.

Verse 9 (padma.6.251.9)

तत्र पुरद्वारि स्वर्णयाने संस्थितो वासुदेवोऽहं युद्धार्थं संप्राप्तोस्मि मामजित्वात ववासुदेवत्वं नास्तीति दूतं प्रेषयामास ।

tatra puradvāri svarṇayāne saṁsthito vāsudevo'haṁ yuddhārthaṁ saṁprāptosmi māmajitvāta vavāsudevatvaṁ nāstīti dūtaṁ preṣayāmāsa

There, at the city gate, stationed upon his golden chariot, he sent a messenger, saying: "I am Vasudeva; I have come for battle; without conquering me, there is no true Vasudeva-ness."

Verse 10 (padma.6.251.10)

विष्णुरपि तच्छ्रुत्वा वैनतेयमारुह्य पौंड्रकेण योद्धुं पुरद्वारि विनिष्क्रम्याक्षौहिणीबलेन स्यंदने समासीनं शंखचक्रगदापद्महस्तं पौंड्रकं ददर्श ।

viṣṇurapi tacchrutvā vainateyamāruhya pauṁḍrakeṇa yoddhuṁ puradvāri viniṣkramyākṣauhiṇībalena syaṁdane samāsīnaṁ śaṁkhacakragadāpadmahastaṁ pauṁḍrakaṁ dadarśa

Vishnu too, hearing this, mounting Garuda, going forth from the city gate to fight Paundraka, beheld Paundraka, seated on his chariot with his akshauhini army, holding conch, discus, mace, and lotus in hand.

Verse 11 (padma.6.251.11)

कृष्णोऽथ शार्ङ्गमादाय संवर्ताग्निप्रभैर्बाणैस्तथाश्वगजपदातियुक्तं महदक्षौहिणीबलं मुहूर्तमात्रेण निःशेषं ददाह ।

kṛṣṇo'tha śārṅgamādāya saṁvartāgniprabhairbāṇaistathāśvagajapadātiyuktaṁ mahadakṣauhiṇībalaṁ muhūrtamātreṇa niḥśeṣaṁ dadāha

Krishna then, taking up the Sharnga bow, with arrows blazing like the fire of dissolution, burned up entirely, in a mere moment, that great akshauhini army, equipped with horses, elephants, and foot-soldiers.

Verse 12 (padma.6.251.12)

शरेणैकेन तस्य हस्तावसक्तशंखचक्रगदादिहेतीरपि लीलयैव चिच्छेद ।

śareṇaikena tasya hastāvasaktaśaṁkhacakragadādihetīrapi līlayaiva ciccheda

With a single arrow, he cut down, with ease, even the weapons — conch, discus, mace, and the rest — held fast in his hands.

Verse 13 (padma.6.251.13)

पवित्रेण सुदर्शनेन किरीटकुंडलयुतं तस्य शिरः कमलं छित्त्वा वाराणस्यामंतः पुरे निपातयामास ।

pavitreṇa sudarśanena kirīṭakuṁḍalayutaṁ tasya śiraḥ kamalaṁ chittvā vārāṇasyāmaṁtaḥ pure nipātayāmāsa

With the sacred Sudarshana, he severed his lotus-head, adorned with crown and earrings, and cast it down within the inner palace at Varanasi.

Verse 14 (padma.6.251.14)

तद्दृष्ट्वा सर्वे काशीनिवासिनः किमेतदित्याशंक्य विस्मिता बभूवुः ।

taddṛṣṭvā sarve kāśīnivāsinaḥ kimetadityāśaṁkya vismitā babhūvuḥ

Seeing that, all the inhabitants of Kashi, wondering, "What is this?", were struck with astonishment.

Verse 15 (padma.6.251.15)

तस्य पौंड्रकस्य सुतो दंडपाणिरिति वासुदेवेन भगवता निहतं स्वपितरं श्रुत्वा मात्रा मृत्युना समादिष्टः स्वपुरोहितेनाभियुक्तो माहेश्वरेण क्रतुना शंकरमियाज ।

tasya pauṁḍrakasya suto daṁḍapāṇiriti vāsudevena bhagavatā nihataṁ svapitaraṁ śrutvā mātrā mṛtyunā samādiṣṭaḥ svapurohitenābhiyukto māheśvareṇa kratunā śaṁkaramiyāja

His son, named Dandapani, hearing that his father had been slain by the Lord Vasudeva, instructed by his mother, engaged by his own family priest, worshipped Shankara with a Maheshvara rite.

Verse 16 (padma.6.251.16)

स तु प्रसन्नः कृष्णजिघांसया समर्थां माहेश्वरीं कृत्यां तस्मै संप्रीत्या च दत्तवान् ।

sa tu prasannaḥ kṛṣṇajighāṁsayā samarthāṁ māheśvarīṁ kṛtyāṁ tasmai saṁprītyā ca dattavān

He, pleased, lovingly gave him a powerful sorcery-being, the Maheshvari Kritya, empowered with the intent to slay Krishna.

Verse 17 (padma.6.251.17)

स काशिराजस्तां महोश्वरीं ज्वालाकुलोपचितविग्रहां संदीप्तसटाकलापां पिंगलनेत्रां ज्वलत्करालवदनां त्रिशूलहस्तां भस्मांगरागलिप्तां नरमुंडमालाविभूषितां सर्वदेवभयंकरीं रुद्रदत्तां समीक्ष्य सपुत्रदारबांधवसहितं कृष्णं जहीति प्रेरयामास ।

sa kāśirājastāṁ mahośvarīṁ jvālākulopacitavigrahāṁ saṁdīptasaṭākalāpāṁ piṁgalanetrāṁ jvalatkarālavadanāṁ triśūlahastāṁ bhasmāṁgarāgaliptāṁ naramuṁḍamālāvibhūṣitāṁ sarvadevabhayaṁkarīṁ rudradattāṁ samīkṣya saputradārabāṁdhavasahitaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ jahīti prerayāmāsa

That king of Kashi, beholding that Maheshvari, her body wreathed in flame, her mane blazing, her eyes tawny, her mouth ablaze and terrible, trident in hand, smeared with ash, adorned with a garland of human skulls, terrifying to all the gods, given by Rudra, sent her forth, saying, "Slay Krishna together with his sons, wives, and kinsmen!"

Verse 18 (padma.6.251.18)

सा तु सर्वलोकभयावहा सर्वां पृथ्वीं स्वतेजसा निर्दहंती प्रलयाशनिनिर्भरस्वनं नदंती द्वारकामवाप ।

sā tu sarvalokabhayāvahā sarvāṁ pṛthvīṁ svatejasā nirdahaṁtī pralayāśaninirbharasvanaṁ nadaṁtī dvārakāmavāpa

She, terrifying to all the world, burning the entire earth with her own splendor, roaring with a sound like the thunderbolt of universal dissolution, arrived at Dvaraka.

Verse 19 (padma.6.251.19)

तत्रत्याः सर्वेजनास्तां दृष्ट्वा महाप्रलयमिति मत्वा हाहाकारं कुर्वंतः कृष्णं निवेदयामासुः ।

tatratyāḥ sarvejanāstāṁ dṛṣṭvā mahāpralayamiti matvā hāhākāraṁ kurvaṁtaḥ kṛṣṇaṁ nivedayāmāsuḥ

All the people there, seeing her, thinking it was the great dissolution of the world, crying out in dismay, informed Krishna.

Verse 20 (padma.6.251.20)

कृष्णोऽपि तान्सर्वान्न भेतव्यमित्युक्त्वा प्राकारतोरणे स्थितां महारौद्रां कृत्यां तथाविधां दृष्ट्वा सकलशस्त्रास्त्रानिवारणसमर्थं सहस्रारं सुदर्शनं तस्या कृत्यायां सहसा मुमोच ।

kṛṣṇo'pi tānsarvānna bhetavyamityuktvā prākāratoraṇe sthitāṁ mahāraudrāṁ kṛtyāṁ tathāvidhāṁ dṛṣṭvā sakalaśastrāstrānivāraṇasamarthaṁ sahasrāraṁ sudarśanaṁ tasyā kṛtyāyāṁ sahasā mumoca

Krishna too, telling them all, "Do not be afraid," seeing that most terrible Kritya standing at the rampart-gate, at once loosed his thousand-spoked Sudarshana, capable of repelling all weapons, at that Kritya.

Verse 21 (padma.6.251.21)

सा तु कल्पान्तार्ककोटिसमवर्चसा शतयोजनोद्गतं सकलदीप्तास्त्रयुतं हिरण्मयं प्रभापूर्णं सकलजगत्प्रलयस्थितिसमर्थं सहस्रारं सर्वदेवनमस्कृतं जगच्छरणभूतं महासुदर्शनं विलोक्य विनष्टतेजा भयार्ता क्रोशंती वाराणसीं प्रतिदुद्राव ।

sā tu kalpāntārkakoṭisamavarcasā śatayojanodgataṁ sakaladīptāstrayutaṁ hiraṇmayaṁ prabhāpūrṇaṁ sakalajagatpralayasthitisamarthaṁ sahasrāraṁ sarvadevanamaskṛtaṁ jagaccharaṇabhūtaṁ mahāsudarśanaṁ vilokya vinaṣṭatejā bhayārtā krośaṁtī vārāṇasīṁ pratidudrāva

She, beholding that great Sudarshana — of splendor equal to a myriad suns at the world's dissolution, extending a hundred yojanas, blazing with every weapon, golden, full of radiance, capable of both the dissolution and the sustaining of the entire universe, thousand-spoked, honored by all the gods, the very refuge of the world — her own power destroyed, terrified, wailing, fled back toward Varanasi.

Verse 22 (padma.6.251.22)

सुदर्शनमपि तां कृत्यां भृशमन्वगात् ।

sudarśanamapi tāṁ kṛtyāṁ bhṛśamanvagāt

And Sudarshana pursued that Kritya relentlessly.

Verse 23 (padma.6.251.23)

सापि भयार्ता क्रोशंती काशिपतेस्तस्यांतःपुरं प्रविवेश ।

sāpi bhayārtā krośaṁtī kāśipatestasyāṁtaḥpuraṁ praviveśa

She too, terrified, wailing, entered the inner palace of that king of Kashi.

Verse 24 (padma.6.251.24)

सुदर्शनोऽपि तां वाराणसीं पुरीं प्राप्य सभृत्यबलवाहनं पौंड्रकसुतं दंडपाणिं नामकाशिराजं बहुप्रासादहर्म्यमालिनीं पुरीं माहेश्वरीमपि भस्मावशेषां कृत्वा सकलदेवमहर्षिभिः पूज्यमानः पुनरेव द्वारवत्यां कृष्णहस्तं सुसौम्यं कल्पमिव आविवेश ।

sudarśano'pi tāṁ vārāṇasīṁ purīṁ prāpya sabhṛtyabalavāhanaṁ pauṁḍrakasutaṁ daṁḍapāṇiṁ nāmakāśirājaṁ bahuprāsādaharmyamālinīṁ purīṁ māheśvarīmapi bhasmāvaśeṣāṁ kṛtvā sakaladevamaharṣibhiḥ pūjyamānaḥ punareva dvāravatyāṁ kṛṣṇahastaṁ susaumyaṁ kalpamiva āviveśa

Sudarshana too, reaching that city of Varanasi, reduced to ashes that king of Kashi named Dandapani, together with his servants, army, and mounts, and that city adorned with many palaces and mansions, and the Maheshvari too — and then, honored by all the gods and great sages, gently, like a returning age, re-entered Krishna's hand once more, back in Dvaravati.

Verse 25 (padma.6.251.25)

अत्र च श्लोका गीयंते । शस्त्रास्त्रमोक्षमजरं दग्ध्वा तद्बलमोजसा । कृत्यां भस्मावशेषं तां ततो वाराणसीं पुरीम् ।

atra ca ślokā gīyaṁte śastrāstramokṣamajaraṁ dagdhvā tadbalamojasā kṛtyāṁ bhasmāvaśeṣaṁ tāṁ tato vārāṇasīṁ purīm

Here verses are sung in praise of this: Having burned, by its own power, that unaging discharge of every weapon, that army, and that Kritya, reducing them to ashes — then that city of Varanasi —

Verse 26 (padma.6.251.26)

प्रभूतरथमातंगां साश्वां पुंस्त्रीसमन्विताम् । साशेषकोषकोष्ठां तां दुर्निरीक्ष्यां सुरैरपि ।

prabhūtarathamātaṁgāṁ sāśvāṁ puṁstrīsamanvitām sāśeṣakoṣakoṣṭhāṁ tāṁ durnirīkṣyāṁ surairapi

filled with many chariots, elephants, and horses, with its men and women, with all its treasuries and storehouses, that city unbearable to behold even for the gods,

Verse 27 (padma.6.251.27)

द्वारोपलक्षिताशेष गृहप्राकारचत्वराम् । प्रददाह हरेश्चक्रं सकलामेव तां पुरीम् ।

dvāropalakṣitāśeṣa gṛhaprākāracatvarām pradadāha hareścakraṁ sakalāmeva tāṁ purīm

marked with its gates, its every house, rampart, and square — Hari's discus burned that entire city, all of it, completely.

Verse 28 (padma.6.251.28)

अक्षीणगतिसामर्थ्यमसाध्यकृतसाधनम् । तच्चक्रं प्रज्वलद्भासं विष्णोरभ्याययौ करम् ।

akṣīṇagatisāmarthyamasādhyakṛtasādhanam taccakraṁ prajvaladbhāsaṁ viṣṇorabhyāyayau karam

That discus, its power of motion undiminished, having accomplished what was otherwise unachievable, its splendor blazing, returned to Vishnu's hand.