The Punishment of the Gods

Verse 1 (shiva.vayaviya.21.1)

वायुरुवाच । ततस्त्रिदशमुख्यास्ते विष्णुशक्रपुरोगमाः । सर्वे भयपरित्रस्ता दुद्रुवुर्भयविह्वलाः

vāyuruvāca | tatastridaśamukhyāste viṣṇuśakrapurogamāḥ | sarve bhayaparitrastā dudruvurbhayavihvalāḥ

Vayu said: Then those foremost gods, headed by Vishnu and Indra, all terrified with fear, fled in helpless panic.

Verse 2 (shiva.vayaviya.21.2)

निजैरदूषितैरङ्गैर्दृष्ट्वा देवानुपद्रुतान् । दण्ड्यानदण्डितान् मत्वा चुकोप गणपुङ्गवः

nijairadūṣitairaṅgairdṛṣṭvā devānupadrutān | daṇḍyānadaṇḍitān matvā cukopa gaṇapuṅgavaḥ

Seeing that the gods, though deserving punishment, remained unpunished, their bodies still unmarred by his own limbs, that foremost of the ganas grew enraged.

Verse 3 (shiva.vayaviya.21.3)

ततस्त्रिशूलमादाय शर्वशक्तिनिबर्हणम् । ऊर्ध्वदृष्टिर्महाबाहुर्मुखाज्ज्वालाः समुत्सृजन्

tatastriśūlamādāya śarvaśaktinibarhaṇam | ūrdhvadṛṣṭirmahābāhurmukhājjvālāḥ samutsṛjan

Then, taking up the trident, destructive as Sharva's own power, that mighty-armed one, gazing upward, hurling flames from his mouth —

Verse 4 (shiva.vayaviya.21.4)

अमरानपि दुद्राव द्विरदानिव केसरी । तानभिद्रवतस्तस्य गमनं सुमनोहरम्

amarānapi dudrāva dviradāniva kesarī | tānabhidravatastasya gamanaṁ sumanoharam

— charged even at the immortals, as a lion charges at elephants; and as he rushed toward them, his very motion was exquisitely graceful.

Verse 5 (shiva.vayaviya.21.5)

वारणस्येव मत्तस्य जगाम प्रेक्षणीयताम् । ततस्तत्क्षोभयामास महत्सुरबलं बली

vāraṇasyeva mattasya jagāma prekṣaṇīyatām | tatastatkṣobhayāmāsa mahatsurabalaṁ balī

He became a sight to behold, like a rutting elephant. Then that mighty one threw the vast army of the gods into utter turmoil.

Verse 6 (shiva.vayaviya.21.6)

महासरोवरं यद्वन्मत्तो वारणयूथपः । विकुर्वन्बहुधा वर्णान्नीलपाण्डुरलोहितान्

mahāsarovaraṁ yadvanmatto vāraṇayūthapaḥ | vikurvanbahudhā varṇānnīlapāṇḍuralohitān

Just as a rutting lord of elephants churns a great lake, so did he churn that host; assuming manifold hues — dark blue, pale white, and blood-red,

Verse 7 (shiva.vayaviya.21.7)

बिभ्रद् व्याघ्राजिनं वासो हेमप्रवरतारकम् । छिन्दन् भिन्दन्नुदन् क्लिन्दन्दारयन्प्रमथन्नपि

bibhrad vyāghrājinaṁ vāso hemapravaratārakam | chindan bhindannudan klindandārayanpramathannapi

wearing a garment of tiger-hide adorned with the finest golden stars, cutting, piercing, uprooting, drenching, rending, and crushing —

Verse 8 (shiva.vayaviya.21.8)

व्यचरद्देवसङ्घेषु भद्रोऽग्निरिव कक्षगः । यत्र तत्र महावेगाच्चरन्तं शूलधारिणम्

vyacaraddevasaṅgheṣu bhadro'gniriva kakṣagaḥ | yatra tatra mahāvegāccarantaṁ śūladhāriṇam

— Bhadra ranged through the ranks of the gods, like a fire raging through dry brush; that trident-bearer moved everywhere with tremendous speed.

Verse 9 (shiva.vayaviya.21.9)

तमेकं त्रिदशाः सर्वे सहस्रमिव मेनिरे । भद्रकाली च सङ्क्रुद्धा युद्धवृद्धमदोद्धता

tamekaṁ tridaśāḥ sarve sahasramiva menire | bhadrakālī ca saṅkruddhā yuddhavṛddhamadoddhatā

All the gods perceived that one alone as though he were a thousand. And Bhadrakali, also greatly enraged, elated with the mounting frenzy of battle —

Verse 10 (shiva.vayaviya.21.10)

मुक्तज्वालेन शूलेन निर्बिभेद रणे सुरान् । स तया रुरुचे भद्रो रुद्रकोपसमुद्भवः

muktajvālena śūlena nirbibheda raṇe surān | sa tayā ruruce bhadro rudrakopasamudbhavaḥ

— pierced through the gods in battle with her flame-shooting trident. Together with her, Bhadra, born of Rudra's own wrath, shone forth.

Verse 11 (shiva.vayaviya.21.11)

प्रभयेव युगान्ताग्निश्चलया धूमधूम्रया । भद्रकाली तदा युद्धे विद्रुतत्रिदशा बभौ

prabhayeva yugāntāgniścalayā dhūmadhūmrayā | bhadrakālī tadā yuddhe vidrutatridaśā babhau

At that time, Bhadrakali, with her flickering, smoke-grey radiance, like the very glow of the fire of the world's dissolution, shone in battle, routing the gods.

Verse 12 (shiva.vayaviya.21.12)

कल्पे शेषानलज्वाला दग्धाविश्वजगद्यथा । तदा सवाजिनं सूर्यं रुद्रान् रुद्रगणाग्रणीः

kalpe śeṣānalajvālā dagdhāviśvajagadyathā | tadā savājinaṁ sūryaṁ rudrān rudragaṇāgraṇīḥ

— like the flame of Shesha's fire that consumes the whole universe at the end of the aeon. Then Bhadra, foremost of Rudra's hosts, struck the sun together with his horses, and struck the Rudras themselves —

Verse 13 (shiva.vayaviya.21.13)

भद्रो मूर्ध्नि जघानाशु वामपादेन लीलया । असिभिः पावकं भद्रः पट्टिशैस्तु यमं यमीम्

bhadro mūrdhni jaghānāśu vāmapādena līlayā | asibhiḥ pāvakaṁ bhadraḥ paṭṭiśaistu yamaṁ yamīm

— striking them swiftly on the head with his left foot, as though in mere sport. With swords Bhadra struck Pavaka, and with spears he struck Yama and Yami —

Verse 14 (shiva.vayaviya.21.14)

रुद्रान् दृढेन शूलेन मुद्गरैर्वरुणं दृढैः । परिघैर्निरृतिं वायुं टङ्कैष्टङ्कधरः स्वयम्

rudrān dṛḍhena śūlena mudgarairvaruṇaṁ dṛḍhaiḥ | parighairnirṛtiṁ vāyuṁ ṭaṅkaiṣṭaṅkadharaḥ svayam

— with a firm trident he struck the Rudras, with sturdy maces Varuna, with iron bars Nirriti, and, himself wielding the chisel-axe, with chisel-axes he struck Vayu —

Verse 15 (shiva.vayaviya.21.15)

निर्बिभेद रणे वीरो लीलयैव गणेश्वरः । सर्वान्देवगणान्सद्यो मुनीन् शम्भोर्विरोधिनः

nirbibheda raṇe vīro līlayaiva gaṇeśvaraḥ | sarvāndevagaṇānsadyo munīn śambhorvirodhinaḥ

— that heroic lord of the ganas pierced through, in mere play, all the hosts of gods and sages who stood opposed to Shambhu, in the very instant of battle.

Verse 16 (shiva.vayaviya.21.16)

ततो देवः सरस्वत्या नासिकाग्रं सुशोभनम् । चिच्छेद करजाग्रेण देवमातुस्तथैव च

tato devaḥ sarasvatyā nāsikāgraṁ suśobhanam | ciccheda karajāgreṇa devamātustathaiva ca

Then that god severed with the tip of his nail the beautiful tip of Sarasvati's nose, and likewise that of the mother of the gods, Aditi.

Verse 17 (shiva.vayaviya.21.17)

चिच्छेद च कुठारेण बाहुदण्डं विभावसोः । अग्रतो द्व्यङ्गुलां जिह्वामात्तहव्यां लुलाव च

ciccheda ca kuṭhāreṇa bāhudaṇḍaṁ vibhāvasoḥ | agrato dvyaṅgulāṁ jihvāmāttahavyāṁ lulāva ca

With an axe he cut off the arm of Vibhavasu, Agni, and tore away, from its tip, his two-finger-long tongue that received the oblations.

Verse 18 (shiva.vayaviya.21.18)

स्वाहादेव्यास्तथा देवो दक्षिणं नासिकापुटम् । चकर्त करजाग्रेण वामं च स्तनचूचुकम्

svāhādevyāstathā devo dakṣiṇaṁ nāsikāpuṭam | cakarta karajāgreṇa vāmaṁ ca stanacūcukam

That god cut off, with the tip of his nail, the right nostril of the goddess Svaha, and likewise the tip of her left breast.

Verse 19 (shiva.vayaviya.21.19)

भगस्य विपुले नेत्रे शतपत्रसमप्रभे । प्रसह्योत्पाटयामास भद्रः परमवेगवान्

bhagasya vipule netre śatapatrasamaprabhe | prasahyotpāṭayāmāsa bhadraḥ paramavegavān

The exceedingly swift Bhadra forcibly tore out both of Bhaga's large eyes, radiant as lotus petals.

Verse 20 (shiva.vayaviya.21.20)

पूष्णो दशनरेखां च दीप्तां मुक्तावलीमिव । जघान धनुषः कोट्या स तेनास्पष्टवागभूत्

pūṣṇo daśanarekhāṁ ca dīptāṁ muktāvalīmiva | jaghāna dhanuṣaḥ koṭyā sa tenāspaṣṭavāgabhūt

With the tip of his bow he shattered Pushan's row of teeth, gleaming like a string of pearls, so that his speech became indistinct.

Verse 21 (shiva.vayaviya.21.21)

ततश्चन्द्रमसं देवः पादाङ्गुष्ठेन लीलया । क्षणं कृमिवदाक्रम्य घर्षयामास भूतले

tataścandramasaṁ devaḥ pādāṅguṣṭhena līlayā | kṣaṇaṁ kṛmivadākramya gharṣayāmāsa bhūtale

Then that god, with the toe of his foot, in mere sport, pinned the moon down for an instant like a worm and ground him against the earth.

Verse 22 (shiva.vayaviya.21.22)

शिरश्चिच्छेद दक्षस्य भद्रः परमकोपतः । क्रोशन्त्यामेव वैरिण्यां भद्रकाल्यै ददौ च तत्

śiraściccheda dakṣasya bhadraḥ paramakopataḥ | krośantyāmeva vairiṇyāṁ bhadrakālyai dadau ca tat

In extreme wrath Bhadra severed Daksha's head, and, even as it shrieked in enmity, gave that head to Bhadrakali.

Verse 23 (shiva.vayaviya.21.23)

तत्प्रहृष्टा समादाय शिरस्तालफलोपमम् । सा देवी कन्दुकक्रीडां चकार समराङ्गणे

tatprahṛṣṭā samādāya śirastālaphalopamam | sā devī kandukakrīḍāṁ cakāra samarāṅgaṇe

Taking it up with delight, that head resembling a palm-fruit, the Goddess played a game of ball with it upon the battlefield.

Verse 24 (shiva.vayaviya.21.24)

ततो दक्षस्य यज्ञस्त्री कुशीला भर्तृभिर्यथा । पादाभ्यां चैव हस्ताभ्यां हन्यते स्म गणेश्वरैः

tato dakṣasya yajñastrī kuśīlā bhartṛbhiryathā | pādābhyāṁ caiva hastābhyāṁ hanyate sma gaṇeśvaraiḥ

Then, just as an unchaste woman is beaten by her husbands, so was Daksha's sacrifice, in its feminine form, beaten by the lords of the ganas with their hands and feet.

Verse 25 (shiva.vayaviya.21.25)

अरिष्टनेमिनं सोमं धर्मं चैव प्रजापतिम् । बहुपुत्रं चाङ्गिरसं कृशाश्वं काश्यपं तथा

ariṣṭaneminaṁ somaṁ dharmaṁ caiva prajāpatim | bahuputraṁ cāṅgirasaṁ kṛśāśvaṁ kāśyapaṁ tathā

Arishtanemi, Soma, Dharma the Prajapati, Bahuputra, Angiras, Krishashva, and Kashyapa —

Verse 26 (shiva.vayaviya.21.26)

गले प्रगृह्य बलिनो गणपाः सिंहविक्रमाः । भर्त्सयन्तो भृशं वाग्भिर्निजघ्नुर्मूर्ध्नि मुष्टिभिः

gale pragṛhya balino gaṇapāḥ siṁhavikramāḥ | bhartsayanto bhṛśaṁ vāgbhirnijaghnurmūrdhni muṣṭibhiḥ

— all these were seized by the throat by the powerful lords of the ganas, mighty as lions, who, hurling harsh threats, struck them upon the head with their fists.

Verse 27 (shiva.vayaviya.21.27)

धर्षिता भूतवेतालैर्दाराः सुतपरिग्रहाः । यथा कलियुगे जारैर्बलेन कुलयोषितः

dharṣitā bhūtavetālairdārāḥ sutaparigrahāḥ | yathā kaliyuge jārairbalena kulayoṣitaḥ

Their wives and daughters-in-law were violated by ghosts and demons, just as, in the Kali age, adulterers violate women of good family by force.

Verse 28 (shiva.vayaviya.21.28)

तच्च विध्वस्तकलशं भग्नयूपं गतोत्सवम् । प्रदीपितमहाशालं प्रभिन्नद्वारतोरणम्

tacca vidhvastakalaśaṁ bhagnayūpaṁ gatotsavam | pradīpitamahāśālaṁ prabhinnadvāratoraṇam

That enclosure now had its jars shattered, its sacrificial post broken, its festivity extinguished, its great hall set ablaze, and its gates and archways broken apart.

Verse 29 (shiva.vayaviya.21.29)

उत्पाटितसुरानीकं हन्यमानतपोधनम् । प्रशान्तब्रह्मनिर्घोषं प्रक्षीणजनसञ्चयम्

utpāṭitasurānīkaṁ hanyamānatapodhanam | praśāntabrahmanirghoṣaṁ prakṣīṇajanasañcayam

The army of the gods was routed, the ascetics were being slain, the resounding of Vedic chant had fallen silent, and the gathered multitude had dwindled away.

Verse 30 (shiva.vayaviya.21.30)

क्रन्दमानातुरस्त्रीकं हताशेषपरिच्छदम् । शून्यारण्यनिभं जज्ञे यज्ञवाटं तदार्दितम्

krandamānāturastrīkaṁ hatāśeṣaparicchadam | śūnyāraṇyanibhaṁ jajñe yajñavāṭaṁ tadārditam

The women wailed in anguish, all its equipment lay destroyed; that tormented sacrificial enclosure came to resemble a desolate forest.

Verse 31 (shiva.vayaviya.21.31)

शूलवेगप्ररुग्णाश्च भिन्नबाहूरुवक्षसः । विनिकृत्तोत्तमाङ्गाश्च पेतुरुर्व्यां सुरोत्तमाः

śūlavegaprarugṇāśca bhinnabāhūruvakṣasaḥ | vinikṛttottamāṅgāśca petururvyāṁ surottamāḥ

Shattered by the force of tridents, their arms, thighs, and chests broken, their heads sheared off, those foremost gods fell to the earth.

Verse 32 (shiva.vayaviya.21.32)

हतेषु तेषु देवेषु पतितेषु सहस्रशः । प्रविवेश गणेशानः क्षणादाहवनीयकम्

hateṣu teṣu deveṣu patiteṣu sahasraśaḥ | praviveśa gaṇeśānaḥ kṣaṇādāhavanīyakam

When those thousands of gods had been slain and had fallen, the lord of the ganas, in an instant, entered the sacred oblation-fire itself.

Verse 33 (shiva.vayaviya.21.33)

प्रविष्टमथ तं दृष्ट्वा भद्रं कालाग्निसन्निभम् । दुद्राव मरणाद्भीतो यज्ञो मृगवपुर्धरः

praviṣṭamatha taṁ dṛṣṭvā bhadraṁ kālāgnisannibham | dudrāva maraṇādbhīto yajño mṛgavapurdharaḥ

Seeing Bhadra, resembling the fire of doomsday, entering thus, the Sacrifice itself, bearing the form of a deer, fled in terror of death.

Verse 34 (shiva.vayaviya.21.34)

स विस्फार्य महच्चापं दृढज्याघोषणभीषणम् । भद्रस्तमभिदुद्राव विक्षिपन्नेव सायकान्

sa visphārya mahaccāpaṁ dṛḍhajyāghoṣaṇabhīṣaṇam | bhadrastamabhidudrāva vikṣipanneva sāyakān

Bhadra, drawing his great bow, terrifying with the twang of its taut string, chased after him, loosing his arrows.

Verse 35 (shiva.vayaviya.21.35)

आकर्णपूर्णमाकृष्टं धनुरम्बुदसन्निभम् । नादयामास च ज्यां द्यां खं च भूमिं च सर्वशः

ākarṇapūrṇamākṛṣṭaṁ dhanurambudasannibham | nādayāmāsa ca jyāṁ dyāṁ khaṁ ca bhūmiṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

Drawing his bow, dark as a rain-cloud, back to his ear, he made the twang of the bowstring resound through heaven, sky, and earth on every side.

Verse 36 (shiva.vayaviya.21.36)

तमुपश्रुत्य सन्नादं हतोऽस्मीत्येव विह्वलम् । शरेणार्धेन वक्रेण स वीरोऽध्वरपूरुषम्

tamupaśrutya sannādaṁ hato'smītyeva vihvalam | śareṇārdhena vakreṇa sa vīro'dhvarapūruṣam

Hearing that resounding twang, and thinking "I am slain," that yajna-being became overwhelmed with terror; and that hero, with a single crescent-tipped arrow —

Verse 37 (shiva.vayaviya.21.37)

महाभयस्खलत्पादं वेपन्तं विगतत्विषम् । मृगरूपेण धावन्तं विशिरस्कं तदाकरोत्

mahābhayaskhalatpādaṁ vepantaṁ vigatatviṣam | mṛgarūpeṇa dhāvantaṁ viśiraskaṁ tadākarot

— beheaded that deer-formed fleeing being, his feet stumbling with terror, trembling, his radiance gone.

Verse 38 (shiva.vayaviya.21.38)

तमीदृशमवज्ञातं दृष्ट्वा वै सूर्यसम्भवम् । विष्णुः परमसङ्क्रुद्धो युद्धायाभवदुद्यतः

tamīdṛśamavajñātaṁ dṛṣṭvā vai sūryasambhavam | viṣṇuḥ paramasaṅkruddho yuddhāyābhavadudyataḥ

Seeing that being, born of the sun, thus disgraced, Vishnu, in the utmost fury, rose up, ready for battle.

Verse 39 (shiva.vayaviya.21.39)

तमुवाह महावेगात्स्कन्धेन नतसन्धिना । सर्वेषां वयसां राजा गरुडः पन्नगाशनः

tamuvāha mahāvegātskandhena natasandhinā | sarveṣāṁ vayasāṁ rājā garuḍaḥ pannagāśanaḥ

Garuda, king of all birds, devourer of serpents, bore him up with great speed upon his own bowed shoulder.

Verse 40 (shiva.vayaviya.21.40)

देवाश्च हतशिष्टा ये देवराजपुरोगमाः । प्रचक्रुस्तस्य साहाय्यं प्राणांस्त्यक्तुमिवोद्यताः

devāśca hataśiṣṭā ye devarājapurogamāḥ | pracakrustasya sāhāyyaṁ prāṇāṁstyaktumivodyatāḥ

Those gods who had survived the slaughter, headed by Indra, came to his aid, as if ready to give up their very lives.

Verse 41 (shiva.vayaviya.21.41)

विष्णुना सहितान् देवान् मृगेन्द्रः क्रोष्टुकानिव । दृष्ट्वा जहास भूतेन्द्रो मृगेन्द्र इव विव्यथः

viṣṇunā sahitān devān mṛgendraḥ kroṣṭukāniva | dṛṣṭvā jahāsa bhūtendro mṛgendra iva vivyathaḥ

Seeing the gods, together with Vishnu, the lord of the spirits laughed at them as a lion laughs at jackals; and he, though himself lion-like among them, was filled with anguish.