The War of Jalandhara and the Gods

Verse 1 (padma.6.97.1)

नारद उवाच । ये देवैर्निर्जिताः पूर्वं दैत्याः पातालसंस्थिताः

nārada uvāca ye devairnirjitāḥ pūrvaṁ daityāḥ pātālasaṁsthitāḥ

Narada said: Those demons who had earlier been defeated by the gods and were dwelling in the netherworld —

Verse 2 (padma.6.97.2)

ते हि भूमंडलं जाता निर्भयास्तमुपासितुम् । कदाचिच्छिन्नशिरसं राहुं दृष्ट्वा स दैत्यराट् । पप्रच्छ भार्गवं विप्रं केनेदं विहितं प्रभो

te hi bhūmaṁḍalaṁ jātā nirbhayāstamupāsitum kadācicchinnaśirasaṁ rāhuṁ dṛṣṭvā sa daityarāṭ papraccha bhārgavaṁ vipraṁ kenedaṁ vihitaṁ prabho

— came, without fear, to the surface of the earth to serve him (Jalandhara). Once, seeing Rahu with his severed head, that king of demons asked the brahmin Bhargava (Shukra): 'O Lord, who has done this?'

Verse 3 (padma.6.97.3)

भार्गवस्तस्य शिरसश्छेदं राहोः शशंस ह । अमृतार्थं समुद्रस्य मथनं देवकारितम्

bhārgavastasya śirasaśchedaṁ rāhoḥ śaśaṁsa ha amṛtārthaṁ samudrasya mathanaṁ devakāritam

Bhargava told him of the severing of Rahu's head, and of the churning of the ocean for the sake of nectar, which the gods had brought about.

Verse 4 (padma.6.97.4)

रत्नापहरणं चैव दैत्यानां च पराभवम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा क्रोधरक्ताक्षः स्वपितुर्मथनं तदा

ratnāpaharaṇaṁ caiva daityānāṁ ca parābhavam tacchrutvā krodharaktākṣaḥ svapiturmathanaṁ tadā

They also told of the seizing of the jewels and the defeat of the demons. Hearing this, his eyes red with rage upon hearing of the churning of his father (the ocean) —

Verse 5 (padma.6.97.5)

स दूतं प्रेषयामास घस्मरं शक्रसंनिधौ । दूतस्त्रिविष्टपं गत्वा सुधर्मां प्राप्य सत्वरम्

sa dūtaṁ preṣayāmāsa ghasmaraṁ śakrasaṁnidhau dūtastriviṣṭapaṁ gatvā sudharmāṁ prāpya satvaram

— he sent a messenger named Ghasmara to the presence of Indra. That messenger went to heaven and swiftly reached the Sudharma assembly hall.

Verse 6 (padma.6.97.6)

गर्वादखर्वमौलिस्तु देवेंद्रं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । दूत उवाच । जलंधरोऽब्धितनयः सर्वदैत्यजनेश्वरः

garvādakharvamaulistu deveṁdraṁ vākyamabravīt dūta uvāca jalaṁdharo'bdhitanayaḥ sarvadaityajaneśvaraḥ

With his head held high in pride, he spoke these words to the lord of the gods. The messenger said: 'Jalandhara, son of the ocean, lord of all the demons —'

Verse 7 (padma.6.97.7)

दूतोऽहं प्रेषितस्तेन स यदाह शृणुष्व तत् । कस्मात्त्वया मम पिता मथितः सागरोऽद्रिणा

dūto'haṁ preṣitastena sa yadāha śṛṇuṣva tat kasmāttvayā mama pitā mathitaḥ sāgaro'driṇā

'— has sent me as his messenger. Listen to what he says: Why did you churn my father, the ocean, with a mountain?'

Verse 8 (padma.6.97.8)

नीतानि सर्वरत्नानि तानि शीघ्रं प्रयच्छ मे । इति दूतवचः श्रुत्वा विस्मितस्त्रिदशाधिपः । उवाच घस्मरं घोरं भयरोषसमन्वितः

nītāni sarvaratnāni tāni śīghraṁ prayaccha me iti dūtavacaḥ śrutvā vismitastridaśādhipaḥ uvāca ghasmaraṁ ghoraṁ bhayaroṣasamanvitaḥ

'Give back to me quickly all the jewels that have been taken.' Hearing this message from the messenger, the astonished lord of the gods, filled with fear and anger, spoke to that terrible Ghasmara —

Verse 9 (padma.6.97.9)

ईश्वर उवाच । शृणु दूत मया पूर्वं मथितः सागरो यथा । अद्रयो मद्भयाद्भीताः स्वकुक्षिस्थास्तथा कृताः

īśvara uvāca śṛṇu dūta mayā pūrvaṁ mathitaḥ sāgaro yathā adrayo madbhayādbhītāḥ svakukṣisthāstathā kṛtāḥ

Indra said: 'Listen, O messenger: as I churned the ocean in former times, and the mountains, in fear of me, hid themselves within its depths —'

Verse 10 (padma.6.97.10)

अन्येऽपि मद्द्विषस्तेन रक्षिता दितिजास्तथा । तस्मात्तद्रत्नजातं तु मयाप्यपहृतं किल

anye'pi maddviṣastena rakṣitā ditijāstathā tasmāttadratnajātaṁ tu mayāpyapahṛtaṁ kila

'— so too my other enemies, the sons of Diti, were likewise protected by that ocean. Therefore the collection of jewels born of it was indeed taken by me alone.'

Verse 11 (padma.6.97.11)

शंखोऽप्येवं पुरा देवानद्विषत्सागरात्मजः । ममानुजेन निहतः प्रविष्टः सागरोदरम्

śaṁkho'pyevaṁ purā devānadviṣatsāgarātmajaḥ mamānujena nihataḥ praviṣṭaḥ sāgarodaram

'In just the same way, long ago, Shankha too, the ocean's son, was hostile to the gods; he was slain by my younger brother (Vishnu) and entered into the depths of the ocean.'

Verse 12 (padma.6.97.12)

तद्गच्छ कथयस्वास्यसर्वं मथनकारणम्

tadgaccha kathayasvāsyasarvaṁ mathanakāraṇam

'Therefore go, and tell your master this entire reason for the churning.'

Verse 13 (padma.6.97.13)

नारद उवाच । इत्थं विसर्जितो दूतस्तदेंद्रेणागमद्गृहम् । तदिंद्रवचनं दैत्यराजायाकथयत्तदा

nārada uvāca itthaṁ visarjito dūtastadeṁdreṇāgamadgṛham tadiṁdravacanaṁ daityarājāyākathayattadā

Narada said: Thus dismissed by Indra, the messenger returned home, and told the demon king these words of Indra.

Verse 14 (padma.6.97.14)

तन्निशम्य तदा दैत्यो रोषात्प्रस्फुरिताधरः । उद्योगमकरोत्तूर्णं सर्वदेवजिगीषया

tanniśamya tadā daityo roṣātprasphuritādharaḥ udyogamakarottūrṇaṁ sarvadevajigīṣayā

Hearing this, the demon's lips trembled with rage, and, desiring victory over all the gods, he swiftly began his preparations for war.

Verse 15 (padma.6.97.15)

तदोद्योगे सुरेंद्रस्य दिग्भ्यः पातालतस्तथा । दितिजाः प्रत्यपद्यंत शतशः कोटिशस्तथा

tadodyoge sureṁdrasya digbhyaḥ pātālatastathā ditijāḥ pratyapadyaṁta śataśaḥ koṭiśastathā

At the time of this endeavor, the sons of Diti gathered from all directions and from the netherworld too, in the hundreds and millions, to oppose the lord of the gods.

Verse 16 (padma.6.97.16)

अथ शुंभनिशुंभाद्यैर्बलाधिपतिकोटिभिः । गत्वा त्रिविष्टपं दैत्यो युद्धायाधिष्ठितोऽभवत्

atha śuṁbhaniśuṁbhādyairbalādhipatikoṭibhiḥ gatvā triviṣṭapaṁ daityo yuddhāyādhiṣṭhito'bhavat

Then, going with Shumbha, Nishumbha, and millions of other army commanders, that demon took his stand at heaven for battle.

Verse 17 (padma.6.97.17)

निर्ययुस्त्वमरावत्या देवा युद्धाय दंशिताः । पुरमावृत्य तिष्ठंति दृष्ट्वा दैत्यबलं महत्

niryayustvamarāvatyā devā yuddhāya daṁśitāḥ puramāvṛtya tiṣṭhaṁti dṛṣṭvā daityabalaṁ mahat

The gods, clad in armor, marched out from Amaravati for battle, but seeing the vast army of demons, they remained standing, encircling the city instead.

Verse 18 (padma.6.97.18)

ततः समभवद्युद्धं देवदानवसेनयोः । मुशलैः परिघैर्बाणैर्गदापरशुशक्तिभिः

tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṁ devadānavasenayoḥ muśalaiḥ parighairbāṇairgadāparaśuśaktibhiḥ

Then a battle broke out between the armies of the gods and the demons, waged with clubs, iron bars, arrows, maces, axes, and javelins.

Verse 19 (padma.6.97.19)

तेऽन्योन्यं समधावेतां जघ्नतुश्च परस्परम् । क्षणेनाभवतां सेने रुधिरौघ परिप्लुते

te'nyonyaṁ samadhāvetāṁ jaghnatuśca parasparam kṣaṇenābhavatāṁ sene rudhiraugha pariplute

They rushed at one another and struck each other down. In a single moment, both armies were drenched in streams of blood.

Verse 20 (padma.6.97.20)

पतितैः पात्यमानैश्च गजाश्वरथपत्तिभिः । व्यराजत रणे भूमिः संध्याभ्रपटलैरिव

patitaiḥ pātyamānaiśca gajāśvarathapattibhiḥ vyarājata raṇe bhūmiḥ saṁdhyābhrapaṭalairiva

With elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers, both fallen and falling, the battlefield glowed like the massed clouds of twilight.

Verse 21 (padma.6.97.21)

तत्र युद्धे हतान्दैत्यान्भार्गवस्तूदतिष्ठयत् । विद्ययाऽमृतजीविन्या मंत्रितैस्तोयबिंदुभिः

tatra yuddhe hatāndaityānbhārgavastūdatiṣṭhayat vidyayā'mṛtajīvinyā maṁtritaistoyabiṁdubhiḥ

In that battle, Bhargava (Shukra) would revive the slain demons through his mrita-sanjivani knowledge, using consecrated drops of water.

Verse 22 (padma.6.97.22)

देवास्तत्र तथा युद्धे जीवयेदंगिरस्सुतः । दिव्यौषधीः समानीय द्रोणदेश्याः पुनः पुनः

devāstatra tathā yuddhe jīvayedaṁgirassutaḥ divyauṣadhīḥ samānīya droṇadeśyāḥ punaḥ punaḥ

In the same way, in that battle, the son of Angiras (Brihaspati) would revive the gods, again and again bringing divine herbs from the Drona mountain.

Verse 23 (padma.6.97.23)

दृष्ट्वा देवांस्तथा युद्धे पुनरेव समुत्थितान् । जलंधरः क्रोधवशो भार्गवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्

dṛṣṭvā devāṁstathā yuddhe punareva samutthitān jalaṁdharaḥ krodhavaśo bhārgavaṁ vākyamabravīt

Seeing the gods thus repeatedly revived in battle, Jalandhara, overcome with rage, spoke these words to Bhargava.

Verse 24 (padma.6.97.24)

जलंधर उवाच । मया देवा हता युद्धे उत्तिष्ठंति कथं पुनः । तव संजीवनीविद्या नैवान्यत्रेति विश्रुतम्

jalaṁdhara uvāca mayā devā hatā yuddhe uttiṣṭhaṁti kathaṁ punaḥ tava saṁjīvanīvidyā naivānyatreti viśrutam

Jalandhara said: 'How is it that the gods, slain by me in battle, rise up again? It is well known that no revival-knowledge exists anywhere except your own sanjivani.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.97.25)

भृगुरुवाच । दिव्यौषधीः समानीय द्रोणाद्रेरंगिराः सुरान् । जीवयत्येष वै शीघ्रं द्रोणाद्रिं समपाहर

bhṛguruvāca divyauṣadhīḥ samānīya droṇādreraṁgirāḥ surān jīvayatyeṣa vai śīghraṁ droṇādriṁ samapāhara

Bhrigu said: 'Angiras (Brihaspati) brings divine herbs from the Drona mountain and swiftly revives the gods. Take away the Drona mountain itself.'

Verse 26 (padma.6.97.26)

नारद उवाच । इत्युक्तः स तु दैत्येंद्रो नीत्वा द्रोणाचलं तदा । प्राक्षिपत्सागरे तूर्णं पुनरागान्महाहवम्

nārada uvāca ityuktaḥ sa tu daityeṁdro nītvā droṇācalaṁ tadā prākṣipatsāgare tūrṇaṁ punarāgānmahāhavam

Narada said: Thus advised, that lord of the demons lifted up the Drona mountain and swiftly cast it into the ocean, and then returned to the great battle.

Verse 27 (padma.6.97.27)

अथ देवान्हतान्दृष्ट्वा द्रोणाद्रिमगमद्गुरुः । तावत्तत्र गिरींद्रं तं न ददर्श सुरार्चितः

atha devānhatāndṛṣṭvā droṇādrimagamadguruḥ tāvattatra girīṁdraṁ taṁ na dadarśa surārcitaḥ

Then, seeing the gods slain, the teacher of the gods went toward the Drona mountain, but there he did not find that king of mountains, honored by the gods.

Verse 28 (padma.6.97.28)

ज्ञात्वा दैत्यहृतं द्रोणं विषण्णो भयविह्वलः । आगत्य दूराद्व्याजह्रे श्वासाकुलितविग्रहः

jñātvā daityahṛtaṁ droṇaṁ viṣaṇṇo bhayavihvalaḥ āgatya dūrādvyājahre śvāsākulitavigrahaḥ

Learning that the Drona mountain had been carried off by the demon, he became dejected and overwhelmed with fear. Coming from a distance, his body agitated with heavy breathing, he cried out —

Verse 29 (padma.6.97.29)

पलायध्वं पलायध्वं नायं जेतुं हि शक्यते । रुद्रांशसंभवो ह्येष स्मरध्वं शक्रचेष्टितम्

palāyadhvaṁ palāyadhvaṁ nāyaṁ jetuṁ hi śakyate rudrāṁśasaṁbhavo hyeṣa smaradhvaṁ śakraceṣṭitam

'Flee! Flee! This one cannot be conquered. He is born of a portion of Rudra himself. O Indra, remember your own deed that brought this about!'

Verse 30 (padma.6.97.30)

श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं देवा भयविह्वलितास्तदा । दैत्यैस्तैर्वध्यमानास्ते पलायंत दिशो दश

śrutvā tadvacanaṁ devā bhayavihvalitāstadā daityaistairvadhyamānāste palāyaṁta diśo daśa

Hearing these words, the gods became overwhelmed with fear, and, being struck down by those demons, they fled in all ten directions.

Verse 31 (padma.6.97.31)

देवान्विदारितान्दृष्ट्वा दैत्यः सागरनंदनः । शंखभेरीजयरवैः प्रविवेशामरावतीम्

devānvidāritāndṛṣṭvā daityaḥ sāgaranaṁdanaḥ śaṁkhabherījayaravaiḥ praviveśāmarāvatīm

Seeing the gods thus scattered, the demon, the ocean's son, entered Amaravati amid the sounds of conches, war-drums, and cries of victory.

Verse 32 (padma.6.97.32)

प्रविष्टे नगरं दैत्ये देवाःशक्रपुरोगमाः । सुवर्णाद्रिगुहां प्राप्य न्यवसन्दैत्यतापिताः

praviṣṭe nagaraṁ daitye devāḥśakrapurogamāḥ suvarṇādriguhāṁ prāpya nyavasandaityatāpitāḥ

When the demon had entered the city, the gods, led by Indra, harried by the demon, went and dwelt in the cave of the golden mountain.

Verse 33 (padma.6.97.33)

ततश्च सर्वेष्वसुराधिकारेष्विंद्रादिकानां विनिवेशयत्तदा । शुंभादिकान्दैत्यवरान्पृथक्पृथक्स्वयं सुवर्णाद्रिगुहामगात्पुनः

tataśca sarveṣvasurādhikāreṣviṁdrādikānāṁ viniveśayattadā śuṁbhādikāndaityavarānpṛthakpṛthaksvayaṁ suvarṇādriguhāmagātpunaḥ

Then, in all the places over which Indra and the other gods had formerly held authority, he installed Shumbha and the other excellent demons, each in his own place, and he himself again set out toward the cave of the golden mountain.