The Burning of Tripura

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.148.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ शम्भुर्महादेवो रथस्थः सर्वसंयुतः । त्रिपुरं सकलं दग्धुमुद्यतोऽभूत्सुरद्विषाम्

sanatkumāra uvāca atha śambhurmahādevo rathasthaḥ sarvasaṁyutaḥ tripuraṁ sakalaṁ dagdhumudyato'bhūtsuradviṣām

Sanatkumara said: "Then Shambhu Mahadeva, stationed on the chariot with all his retinue, became intent on burning entirely that Tripura, the stronghold of the gods' enemies."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.148.2)

शीर्षं स्थानकमास्थाय सन्धाय च शरोत्तमम् । सज्जं तत्कार्मुकं कृत्वा प्रत्यालीढं महाद्भुतम्

śīrṣaṁ sthānakamāsthāya sandhāya ca śarottamam sajjaṁ tatkārmukaṁ kṛtvā pratyālīḍhaṁ mahādbhutam

Taking his stand in the shirsha posture, fitting the finest of arrows, readying the bow, in the wondrous pratyalidha stance —

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.148.3)

निवेश्य दृढमुष्टौ च दृष्टिं दृष्टौ निवेश्य च । अतिष्ठन्निश्चलस्तत्र शतं वर्षसहस्रकम्

niveśya dṛḍhamuṣṭau ca dṛṣṭiṁ dṛṣṭau niveśya ca atiṣṭhanniścalastatra śataṁ varṣasahasrakam

Fixing the arrow firm in his grip, and setting his gaze upon the target, he stood there motionless for a hundred thousand years.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.148.4)

ततोऽङ्गुष्ठे गणाध्यक्षः स तुदत्यनिशं स्थितः । न लक्ष्यं विविशुस्तानि पुराण्यस्य त्रिशूलिनः

tato'ṅguṣṭhe gaṇādhyakṣaḥ sa tudatyaniśaṁ sthitaḥ na lakṣyaṁ viviśustāni purāṇyasya triśūlinaḥ

But because Ganadhyaksha [Ganesha] stood there, ceaselessly pricking at his toe, those cities would not come into the trident-bearer's aim.

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.148.5)

ततोऽन्तरिक्षादशृणोद्धनुर्बाणधरो हरः । मुञ्जकेशो विरूपाक्षो वाचं परमशोभनाम्

tato'ntarikṣādaśṛṇoddhanurbāṇadharo haraḥ muñjakeśo virūpākṣo vācaṁ paramaśobhanām

Then Hara — the bow-and-arrow bearer, Munjakesha, Virupaksha — heard from the sky a voice of surpassing beauty.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.148.6)

भो भो न यावद्भगवन्नर्चितोऽसौ विनायकः । पुराणि जगदीशेश साम्प्रतं न हनिष्यति

bho bho na yāvadbhagavannarcito'sau vināyakaḥ purāṇi jagadīśeśa sāmprataṁ na haniṣyati

"O Lord, O Lord! Until that Vinayaka has been duly worshipped, O ruler of the world's ruler, you shall not now be able to destroy these cities."

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.148.7)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं गजवक्त्रमपूजयत् । भद्रकालीं समाहूय ततोऽन्धकनिषूदनः

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṁ gajavaktramapūjayat bhadrakālīṁ samāhūya tato'ndhakaniṣūdanaḥ

Hearing this word, the slayer of Andhaka, summoning Bhadrakali, then worshipped the elephant-faced one.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.148.8)

तस्मिन् सम्पूजिते हर्षात्परितुष्टे पुरस्सरे । विनायके ततो व्योम्नि ददर्श भगवान्हरः

tasmin sampūjite harṣātparituṣṭe purassare vināyake tato vyomni dadarśa bhagavānharaḥ

When Vinayaka, that foremost one, was thus worshipped and gladly satisfied, Lord Hara then beheld the cities in the sky.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.148.9)

पुराणि त्रीणि दैत्यानां तारकाणां महात्मनाम् । यथातथं हि युक्तानि केचिदित्थं वदन्ति ह

purāṇi trīṇi daityānāṁ tārakāṇāṁ mahātmanām yathātathaṁ hi yuktāni keciditthaṁ vadanti ha

The three cities of Taraka's great-souled sons — some say they were, in truth, aligned just so.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.148.10)

परब्रह्मणि देवेश सर्वोपास्ये महेश्वरे । अन्यप्रसादतः कार्यसिद्धिर्घटति नेति हि

parabrahmaṇi deveśa sarvopāsye maheśvare anyaprasādataḥ kāryasiddhirghaṭati neti hi

[Some ask:] "In the Supreme Brahman, the Lord of gods, Maheshvara worshipped by all — does it befit him that his task's success should come through another's grace, or does it not?"

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.148.11)

स स्वतन्त्रः परं ब्रह्म सगुणो निर्गुणोऽपि ह । अलक्ष्यः सकलैः स्वामी परमात्मा निरञ्जनः

sa svatantraḥ paraṁ brahma saguṇo nirguṇo'pi ha alakṣyaḥ sakalaiḥ svāmī paramātmā nirañjanaḥ

He is independent, the supreme Brahman, both with attributes and beyond them; imperceptible to all, the Lord, the Supreme Self, the stainless one.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.148.12)

पञ्चदेवात्मकः पञ्चदेवोपास्यः परः प्रभुः । तस्योपास्यो न कोऽप्यस्ति स एवोपास्य आलयम्

pañcadevātmakaḥ pañcadevopāsyaḥ paraḥ prabhuḥ tasyopāsyo na ko'pyasti sa evopāsya ālayam

Himself the essence of the five deities, worshipped through the five deities, the supreme Lord — for him there exists no other object of worship; he alone is worthy of worship, the true abode.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.148.13)

अथवा लीलया तस्य सर्वं सङ्घटते मुने । चरितं देवदेवस्य वरदातुर्महेशितुः

athavā līlayā tasya sarvaṁ saṅghaṭate mune caritaṁ devadevasya varadāturmaheśituḥ

Or rather, O sage, all this comes to pass simply through his own divine play — such is the very nature of the God of gods, the boon-bestowing great Lord.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.148.14)

तस्मिंस्थिते महादेवे पूजयित्वा गणाधिपम् । पुराणि तत्र कालेन जग्मुरेकत्वमाशु वै

tasmiṁsthite mahādeve pūjayitvā gaṇādhipam purāṇi tatra kālena jagmurekatvamāśu vai

As Mahadeva, having worshipped the lord of the ganas, stood there waiting, those cities, in due course, swiftly came into alignment as one.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.148.15)

एकीभावं मुने तत्र त्रिपुरे समुपागते । बभूव तुमुलो हर्षो देवादीनां महात्मनाम्

ekībhāvaṁ mune tatra tripure samupāgate babhūva tumulo harṣo devādīnāṁ mahātmanām

O sage, when Tripura had thus come into that alignment, tumultuous joy arose among the gods and the other great souls.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.148.16)

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । जयेति वाचो मुमुचुः स्तुवन्तश्चाष्टमूर्तिकम्

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ jayeti vāco mumucuḥ stuvantaścāṣṭamūrtikam

Then all the hosts of gods, the siddhas, and the great sages raised cries of 'Victory!', praising the eight-formed one.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.148.17)

अथाहेति तदा ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च जगतां पतिः । समयोऽपि समायातो दैत्यानां वधकर्मणः

athāheti tadā brahmā viṣṇuśca jagatāṁ patiḥ samayo'pi samāyāto daityānāṁ vadhakarmaṇaḥ

Then Brahma and Vishnu, lord of the worlds, said: "Now the very moment for the deed of slaying the daityas has arrived."

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.148.18)

तेषां तारकपुत्राणां त्रिपुराणां महेश्वर । देवकार्यं कुरु विभो एकत्वमपि चागतम्

teṣāṁ tārakaputrāṇāṁ tripurāṇāṁ maheśvara devakāryaṁ kuru vibho ekatvamapi cāgatam

"O Maheshvara, O mighty Lord, now accomplish the gods' work upon those three cities of Taraka's sons — for their alignment as one has come to pass."

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.148.19)

यावन्न यान्ति देवेश विप्रयोगं पुराणि वै । तावद्बाणं विमुञ्चस्व त्रिपुरं भस्मसात्कुरु

yāvanna yānti deveśa viprayogaṁ purāṇi vai tāvadbāṇaṁ vimuñcasva tripuraṁ bhasmasātkuru

"O Lord of gods, before those cities separate again, loose your arrow now and burn Tripura to ash."

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.148.20)

अथ सज्यं धनुः कृत्वा शर्वः सन्धाय तं शरम् । पूज्यं पाशुपतास्त्रं स त्रिपुरं समचिन्तयत्

atha sajyaṁ dhanuḥ kṛtvā śarvaḥ sandhāya taṁ śaram pūjyaṁ pāśupatāstraṁ sa tripuraṁ samacintayat

Then Sharva, stringing his bow and fitting that revered Pashupata weapon, fixed his mind upon Tripura.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.148.21)

अथ देवो महादेवो वरलीलाविशारदः । केनापि कारणेनात्र सावज्ञं तदवैक्षत

atha devo mahādevo varalīlāviśāradaḥ kenāpi kāraṇenātra sāvajñaṁ tadavaikṣata

Then the god Mahadeva, adept in his own sublime play, for some reason gazed upon it there with a touch of disdain.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.148.22)

पुरत्रयं विरूपाक्षः कर्तुं तद्भस्मसात्क्षणात् । समर्थः परमेशानो जानातु च सतां गतिः

puratrayaṁ virūpākṣaḥ kartuṁ tadbhasmasātkṣaṇāt samarthaḥ parameśāno jānātu ca satāṁ gatiḥ

Virupaksha, the supreme ruler, the refuge of the virtuous, is well able to reduce the three cities to ashes in a single instant — let all know this.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.148.23)

दग्धुं समर्थो देवेशो वीक्षणेन जगत्त्रयम् । अस्मद्यशो विवृद्ध्यर्थं शरं मोक्तुमिहार्हसि

dagdhuṁ samartho deveśo vīkṣaṇena jagattrayam asmadyaśo vivṛddhyarthaṁ śaraṁ moktumihārhasi

[The gods said:] "The Lord of gods is able to burn the three worlds by a mere glance — yet, for the increase of our own glory, may you be pleased to loose the arrow here."

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.148.24)

इति स्तुतोऽमरैः सर्वैर्विष्ण्वादिविधिभिस्तदा । दग्धुं पुरत्रयं तद्वै बाणेनैच्छन्महेश्वरः

iti stuto'maraiḥ sarvairviṣṇvādividhibhistadā dagdhuṁ puratrayaṁ tadvai bāṇenaicchanmaheśvaraḥ

Thus praised by all the immortals — Vishnu, Brahma, and the rest — Maheshvara resolved to burn the three cities with his arrow.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.148.25)

मुहूर्तेऽभिजिदाख्ये तु विकृष्य धनुरद्भुतम् । कृत्वा ज्यातलनिर्घोषं नादमत्यन्तदुस्सहम्

muhūrte'bhijidākhye tu vikṛṣya dhanuradbhutam kṛtvā jyātalanirghoṣaṁ nādamatyantadussaham

In the auspicious moment called Abhijit, drawing back that wondrous bow, he made the bowstring's twang against his palm resound — a sound utterly unbearable.

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.148.26)

आत्मनो नाम विश्राव्य समाभाष्य महासुरान् । मार्तण्डकोटिवपुषं काण्डमुग्रो मुमोच ह

ātmano nāma viśrāvya samābhāṣya mahāsurān mārtaṇḍakoṭivapuṣaṁ kāṇḍamugro mumoca ha

Proclaiming his own name aloud and addressing the great asuras, the fierce one loosed an arrow whose form blazed like ten million suns.

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.148.27)

ददाह त्रिपुरस्थांस्तान्दैत्याँस्त्रीन्विमलापहः । स आशुगो विष्णुमयो वह्निशल्यो महाज्वलन्

dadāha tripurasthāṁstāndaityā~strīnvimalāpahaḥ sa āśugo viṣṇumayo vahniśalyo mahājvalan

That swift-flying arrow — formed of Vishnu, tipped with fire, blazing mightily, the remover of all impurity — burned those daityas dwelling in the three cities of Tripura.

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.148.28)

ततः पुराणि दग्धानि चतुर्जलधिमेखलाम् । गतानि युगपद्भूमिं त्रीणि दग्धानि भस्मशः

tataḥ purāṇi dagdhāni caturjaladhimekhalām gatāni yugapadbhūmiṁ trīṇi dagdhāni bhasmaśaḥ

Then the burning cities fell together, all at once, upon the earth girdled by the four oceans — the three of them reduced entirely to ashes.

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.148.29)

दैत्यास्तु शतशो दग्धास्तस्य बाणस्थवह्निना । हाहाकारं प्रकुर्वन्तश्शिवपूजाव्यतिक्रमात्

daityāstu śataśo dagdhāstasya bāṇasthavahninā hāhākāraṁ prakurvantaśśivapūjāvyatikramāt

The daityas, by the hundreds, were consumed by the fire lodged within that arrow, crying out in anguish for their transgression against the worship of Shiva.

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.148.30)

तारकाक्षस्तु निर्दग्धो भ्रातृभ्यां सहितोऽभवत् । सस्मार स्वप्रभुं देवं शङ्करं भक्तवत्सलम्

tārakākṣastu nirdagdho bhrātṛbhyāṁ sahito'bhavat sasmāra svaprabhuṁ devaṁ śaṅkaraṁ bhaktavatsalam

Tarakaksha, burning there together with his two brothers, called to mind his own Lord, the god Shankara, ever tender toward his devotees.

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.148.31)

भक्त्या परमया युक्तः प्रलपन् विविधा गिरः । महादेवं समुद्वीक्ष्य मनसा तमुवाच सः

bhaktyā paramayā yuktaḥ pralapan vividhā giraḥ mahādevaṁ samudvīkṣya manasā tamuvāca saḥ

Filled with supreme devotion, murmuring various words, gazing upon Mahadeva, he addressed him within his own mind.

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.148.32)

तारकाक्ष उवाच । भव ज्ञातोऽसि तुष्टोऽसि यद्यस्मान् सह बन्धुभिः । तेन सत्येन भूयोऽपि कदा त्वं प्रदहिष्यसि

tārakākṣa uvāca bhava jñāto'si tuṣṭo'si yadyasmān saha bandhubhiḥ tena satyena bhūyo'pi kadā tvaṁ pradahiṣyasi

Tarakaksha said: "O Bhava, in that you burn us here together with our kinsmen, we know you are pleased with us. By that very truth, when again shall you burn us once more?"

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.148.33)

दुर्लभं लब्धमस्माभिर्यदप्राप्यं सुरासुरैः । त्वद्भावभाविता बुद्धिर्जाते जाते भवत्विति

durlabhaṁ labdhamasmābhiryadaprāpyaṁ surāsuraiḥ tvadbhāvabhāvitā buddhirjāte jāte bhavatviti

"We have obtained that rare thing unattainable even by gods and asuras — may our minds, ever absorbed in thought of you, remain so in every birth to come."

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.148.34)

इत्येवं विब्रुवन्तस्ते दानवास्तेन वह्निना । शिवाज्ञयाद्भुतं दग्धा भस्मसादभवन्मुने

ityevaṁ vibruvantaste dānavāstena vahninā śivājñayādbhutaṁ dagdhā bhasmasādabhavanmune

O sage, thus speaking, those danavas, by that fire, at Shiva's own command, were wondrously consumed and reduced to ashes.

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.148.35)

अन्येऽपि बाला वृद्धाश्च दानवास्तेन वह्निना । शिवाज्ञया द्रुतं व्यास निर्दग्धा भस्मसात्कृताः

anye'pi bālā vṛddhāśca dānavāstena vahninā śivājñayā drutaṁ vyāsa nirdagdhā bhasmasātkṛtāḥ

O Vyasa, the other danavas too — the young and the old alike — were, by that same fire, at Shiva's command, swiftly consumed and reduced to ashes.

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.148.36)

स्त्रियो वा पुरुषा वापि वाहनानि च तत्र ये । सर्वे तेनाग्निना दग्धाः कल्पान्ते तु जगद्यथा

striyo vā puruṣā vāpi vāhanāni ca tatra ye sarve tenāgninā dagdhāḥ kalpānte tu jagadyathā

Whether women or men, and whatever mounts were there, all were consumed by that fire, just as the world is consumed at the end of an age.

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.148.37)

भर्तृन्कण्ठगतान्हित्वा काश्चिद्दग्धा वरस्त्रियः । काश्चित्सुप्ताः प्रमत्ताश्च रतिश्रान्ताश्च योषितः

bhartṛnkaṇṭhagatānhitvā kāściddagdhā varastriyaḥ kāścitsuptāḥ pramattāśca ratiśrāntāśca yoṣitaḥ

Some fair women, their arms clasped about their husbands' necks, were burned even so; others, asleep, or careless, or wearied from love's embrace, perished likewise.

Verse 38 (shiva.rudra.148.38)

अर्द्धदग्धा विबुद्धाश्च बभ्रमुर्मोहमूर्च्छिताः । तेन नासीत्सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि घोरत्रिपुरवह्निना

arddhadagdhā vibuddhāśca babhramurmohamūrcchitāḥ tena nāsītsusūkṣmo'pi ghoratripuravahninā

Half-burned, roused from sleep, they wandered in bewildered daze, near fainting; not even the subtlest thing escaped that terrible fire of Tripura.

Verse 39 (shiva.rudra.148.39)

अविदग्धो विनिर्मुक्तः स्थावरो जङ्गमोऽपि वा । वर्जयित्वा मयं दैत्यं विश्वकर्माणमव्ययम्

avidagdho vinirmuktaḥ sthāvaro jaṅgamo'pi vā varjayitvā mayaṁ daityaṁ viśvakarmāṇamavyayam

Nothing remained unburned or spared, whether unmoving or moving — save only the daitya Maya, the imperishable architect of the asuras.

Verse 40 (shiva.rudra.148.40)

अविरुद्धं तु देवानां रक्षितं शम्भुतेजसा । विपत्कालेऽपि सद्भक्तं महेशशरणागतम्

aviruddhaṁ tu devānāṁ rakṣitaṁ śambhutejasā vipatkāle'pi sadbhaktaṁ maheśaśaraṇāgatam

He bore no enmity toward the gods, and was shielded by Shambhu's own power — a true devotee who, even in that hour of calamity, had taken refuge in Mahesha.

Verse 41 (shiva.rudra.148.41)

सन्निपातो हि येषां नो विद्यते नाशकारकः । दैत्यानामन्यसत्त्वानां भावाभावे कृताकृते

sannipāto hi yeṣāṁ no vidyate nāśakārakaḥ daityānāmanyasattvānāṁ bhāvābhāve kṛtākṛte

For those — whether daityas or other beings — in whom no ruinous taint of wrongdoing truly dwells, whether present or absent, whether the deed was done or left undone —

Verse 42 (shiva.rudra.148.42)

तस्माद्यत्नः सुसम्भाव्यः सद्भिः कर्तव्य एव हि । गर्हणात्क्षीयते लोको न तत्कर्म समाचरेत्

tasmādyatnaḥ susambhāvyaḥ sadbhiḥ kartavya eva hi garhaṇātkṣīyate loko na tatkarma samācaret

Therefore the virtuous must always act with careful, well-considered effort; the world is diminished by rash censure — such conduct should never be practiced.

Verse 43 (shiva.rudra.148.43)

न संयोगो यथा तेषां भूयात् त्रिपुरवासिनाम् । मतमेतद्धि सर्वेषां दैवाद्यदि यतो भवेत्

na saṁyogo yathā teṣāṁ bhūyāt tripuravāsinām matametaddhi sarveṣāṁ daivādyadi yato bhavet

That those dwellers of Tripura should never again come together as one — this was the resolve of all, should fate so permit.

Verse 44 (shiva.rudra.148.44)

ये पूजयन्तस्तत्रापि दैत्या रुद्रं सबान्धवाः । गाणपत्यं ययुः सर्वे शिवपूजाविधेर्बलात्

ye pūjayantastatrāpi daityā rudraṁ sabāndhavāḥ gāṇapatyaṁ yayuḥ sarve śivapūjāvidherbalāt

Those daityas there who, together with their kinsmen, worshipped Rudra — all of them, by the power of their rite of Shiva-worship, attained the estate of his own ganas.