Shankhachuda's March to War

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.172.1)

व्यास उवाच । विधितात महाबुद्धे मुने जीव चिरं समाः । कथितं सुमहच्चित्रं चरितं चन्द्रमौलिनः

vyāsa uvāca vidhitāta mahābuddhe mune jīva ciraṁ samāḥ kathitaṁ sumahaccitraṁ caritaṁ candramaulinaḥ

Vyasa said: "O dear one, O sage of great wisdom, may you live long! You have told a truly wondrous and mighty tale of Chandramauli's deeds."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.172.2)

शिवदूते गते तत्र शङ्खचूडश्च दानवः । किं चकार प्रतापी स तत्त्वं वद सुविस्तरम्

śivadūte gate tatra śaṅkhacūḍaśca dānavaḥ kiṁ cakāra pratāpī sa tattvaṁ vada suvistaram

When Shiva's messenger had gone there, what did the mighty danava Shankhachuda then do? Tell me the truth of it, in full detail.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.172.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ दूते गते तत्र शङ्खचूडः प्रतापवान् । उवाच तुलसीं वार्तां गत्वाभ्यन्तरमेव ताम्

sanatkumāra uvāca atha dūte gate tatra śaṅkhacūḍaḥ pratāpavān uvāca tulasīṁ vārtāṁ gatvābhyantarameva tām

Sanatkumara said: "Then, after the messenger had left, the mighty Shankhachuda went within to Tulasi and told her all the news."

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.172.4)

शङ्खचूड उवाच । शम्भुदूतमुखाद्देवि युद्धायाहं समुद्यतः । तेन गच्छाम्यहं योद्धुं शासनं कुरु मे ध्रुवम्

śaṅkhacūḍa uvāca śambhudūtamukhāddevi yuddhāyāhaṁ samudyataḥ tena gacchāmyahaṁ yoddhuṁ śāsanaṁ kuru me dhruvam

Shankhachuda said: "O goddess, through the mouth of Shambhu's messenger I have been summoned to war. Therefore I now go forth to fight — grant me, with certainty, your leave."

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.172.5)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा स ज्ञानी नानाबोधनतः प्रियाम् । क्रीडां चकार हर्षेण तमनादृत्य शङ्करम्

ityevamuktvā sa jñānī nānābodhanataḥ priyām krīḍāṁ cakāra harṣeṇa tamanādṛtya śaṅkaram

Having spoken thus, that wise one, having reassured his beloved in many ways, then made love to her joyfully, paying no heed at all to Shankara.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.172.6)

तौ दम्पती चिक्रीडाते निमग्नौ सुखसागरे । नानाकामकलाभिश्च निशि चाटुशतैरपि

tau dampatī cikrīḍāte nimagnau sukhasāgare nānākāmakalābhiśca niśi cāṭuśatairapi

That couple sported through the night, immersed in an ocean of delight, through many arts of love and with a hundred tender, coaxing words.

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.172.7)

ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते चोत्थाय प्रातःकृत्यं विधाय च । नित्यकार्यं च कृत्वादौ ददौ दानमनन्तकम्

brāhme muhūrte cotthāya prātaḥkṛtyaṁ vidhāya ca nityakāryaṁ ca kṛtvādau dadau dānamanantakam

Rising at the Brahma-muhurta and performing his morning rites, and having first completed his daily duties, he then gave boundless gifts in charity.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.172.8)

पुत्रं कृत्वा च राजेन्द्रं सर्वेषु दानवेषु च । पुत्रे समर्प्य भार्यां च स राज्यं सर्वसम्पदम्

putraṁ kṛtvā ca rājendraṁ sarveṣu dānaveṣu ca putre samarpya bhāryāṁ ca sa rājyaṁ sarvasampadam

Then, making his son sovereign king over all the danavas, he entrusted his wife, and the kingdom with all its wealth, to that son.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.172.9)

प्रियामाश्वासयामास स राजा रुदतीं पुनः । निषेधन्तीं च गमनं नाना वार्तां प्रकथ्य च

priyāmāśvāsayāmāsa sa rājā rudatīṁ punaḥ niṣedhantīṁ ca gamanaṁ nānā vārtāṁ prakathya ca

The king then once more consoled his weeping beloved, who begged him not to go, speaking to her of many things.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.172.10)

निजसेनापतिं वीरं समाहूय समादृतः । आदिदेश स सनद्धः सङ्ग्रामं कर्तुमुद्यतः

nijasenāpatiṁ vīraṁ samāhūya samādṛtaḥ ādideśa sa sanaddhaḥ saṅgrāmaṁ kartumudyataḥ

Then, with due honor, he summoned his own valiant commander-in-chief; and, himself armed and ready for the fight, he gave him his command.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.172.11)

शङ्खचूड उवाच । अद्य सेनापते वीराः सर्वे समरशालिनः । सन्नद्धाखिलकर्माणो निर्गच्छन्तु रणाय च

śaṅkhacūḍa uvāca adya senāpate vīrāḥ sarve samaraśālinaḥ sannaddhākhilakarmāṇo nirgacchantu raṇāya ca

Shankhachuda said: "O commander, today let all the heroes skilled in battle, their every preparation complete, march forth to war."

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.172.12)

दैत्याश्च दानवाः शूरा षडशीतिरुदायुधाः । कङ्कानां बलिनां शीघ्रं सेना निर्यान्तु निर्भयाः

daityāśca dānavāḥ śūrā ṣaḍaśītirudāyudhāḥ kaṅkānāṁ balināṁ śīghraṁ senā niryāntu nirbhayāḥ

Let the eighty-six brave daityas and danavas, weapons raised, and the mighty army of the Kankas go forth swiftly and without fear.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.172.13)

पञ्चाशदसुराणां हि निर्गच्छन्तु कुलानि वै । कोटिवीर्याणि युद्धार्थं शम्भुना देवपक्षिणा

pañcāśadasurāṇāṁ hi nirgacchantu kulāni vai koṭivīryāṇi yuddhārthaṁ śambhunā devapakṣiṇā

Let the fifty clans of asuras, each possessed of crore-fold might, go forth to war against Shambhu, the champion of the gods.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.172.14)

सन्नद्धानि च धौम्राणां कुलानि च शतं द्रुतम् । निर्गच्छन्तु रणार्थं हि शम्भुना मम शासनात्

sannaddhāni ca dhaumrāṇāṁ kulāni ca śataṁ drutam nirgacchantu raṇārthaṁ hi śambhunā mama śāsanāt

Let the hundred armed clans of the Dhaumras likewise march out swiftly to war against Shambhu, by my command.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.172.15)

कालकेयाश्च मौर्याश्च दौर्हृदाः कालकास्तथा । सज्जा निर्यान्तु युद्धाय रुद्रेण मम शासनात्

kālakeyāśca mauryāśca daurhṛdāḥ kālakāstathā sajjā niryāntu yuddhāya rudreṇa mama śāsanāt

Let the Kalakeyas, the Mauryas, the Daurhridas, and the Kalakas likewise go forth, ready, to war against Rudra, by my command.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.172.16)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इत्याज्ञाप्यासुरपतिर्दानवेन्द्रो महाबलः । निर्जगाम महासैन्यः सहस्रैर्बहुभिर्वृतः

sanatkumāra uvāca ityājñāpyāsurapatirdānavendro mahābalaḥ nirjagāma mahāsainyaḥ sahasrairbahubhirvṛtaḥ

Sanatkumara said: "Having given this command, the mighty lord of the asuras, the great king of the danavas, set out with his vast army, surrounded by many thousands."

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.172.17)

तस्य सेनापतिश्चैव युद्धशास्त्रविशारदः । महारथो महावीरो रथिनां प्रवरो रणे

tasya senāpatiścaiva yuddhaśāstraviśāradaḥ mahāratho mahāvīro rathināṁ pravaro raṇe

His commander-in-chief, learned in the science of war, a mighty charioteer and great hero, foremost among charioteers in battle —

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.172.18)

त्रिलक्षाक्षौहिणीयुक्तो माण्डल्यं च चकार ह । बहिर्बभूव शिविराद्रणे वीरभयङ्करः

trilakṣākṣauhiṇīyukto māṇḍalyaṁ ca cakāra ha bahirbabhūva śivirādraṇe vīrabhayaṅkaraḥ

— equipped with three hundred thousand akshauhinis, he arrayed the army in a circular formation, and, striking terror into the bravest, marched out of the encampment.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.172.19)

रत्नेन्द्रसारनिर्माणं विमानमभिरुह्य सः । गुरुवर्गं पुरस्कृत्य रणार्थं प्रययौ किल

ratnendrasāranirmāṇaṁ vimānamabhiruhya saḥ guruvargaṁ puraskṛtya raṇārthaṁ prayayau kila

Mounting a celestial chariot fashioned from the finest gems, and placing his elders at the fore, he indeed set out for battle.

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.172.20)

पुष्पभद्रानदीतीरे यत्राक्षयवटः शुभः । सिद्धाश्रमे च सिद्धानां सिद्धिक्षेत्रं सुसिद्धिदम्

puṣpabhadrānadītīre yatrākṣayavaṭaḥ śubhaḥ siddhāśrame ca siddhānāṁ siddhikṣetraṁ susiddhidam

He came to the bank of the river Pushpabhadra, where stands the auspicious Akshayavata, the imperishable banyan, in the Siddhashrama — that field of the Siddhas which grants the highest accomplishment.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.172.21)

कपिलस्य ततःस्थानं पुण्यक्षेत्रे च भारते । पश्चिमोदधिपूर्वे च मलयस्य हि पश्चिमे

kapilasya tataḥsthānaṁ puṇyakṣetre ca bhārate paścimodadhipūrve ca malayasya hi paścime

There too, in that sacred land of Bharata, lies the abode of Kapila, east of the western ocean and west of the Malaya mountain.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.172.22)

श्रीशैलोत्तरभागे च गन्धमादनदक्षिणे । पञ्चयोजनविस्तीर्णे दैर्घ्ये शतगुणस्तथा

śrīśailottarabhāge ca gandhamādanadakṣiṇe pañcayojanavistīrṇe dairghye śataguṇastathā

North of Shrishaila and south of Gandhamadana — a region five yojanas in breadth, and a hundred times that in length.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.172.23)

शुद्धस्फटिकसङ्काशा भारते च सुपुण्यदा । पुष्पभद्रा नदी रम्या जलपूर्णा सरस्वती

śuddhasphaṭikasaṅkāśā bhārate ca supuṇyadā puṣpabhadrā nadī ramyā jalapūrṇā sarasvatī

Clear as pure crystal, and bestowing great merit throughout Bharata, the lovely, water-filled river Pushpabhadra is none other than the Sarasvati.

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.172.24)

लवणोदधिप्रिया भार्या शश्वत्सौभाग्यसंयुता । सरस्वतीसंश्रिता च निर्गता सा हिमालयात्

lavaṇodadhipriyā bhāryā śaśvatsaubhāgyasaṁyutā sarasvatīsaṁśritā ca nirgatā sā himālayāt

Ever blessed with good fortune, beloved as a wife to the salt ocean, and united with the Sarasvati, she issues forth from the Himalaya.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.172.25)

गोमन्तं वामतः कृत्वा प्रविष्टा पश्चिमोदधौ । तत्र गत्वा शङ्खचूडः शिवसेनां ददर्श ह

gomantaṁ vāmataḥ kṛtvā praviṣṭā paścimodadhau tatra gatvā śaṅkhacūḍaḥ śivasenāṁ dadarśa ha

Keeping Mount Gomanta to her left, she flows into the western ocean. Having arrived there, Shankhachuda beheld the army of Shiva.