Shukracharya Revives the Fallen Demons

Verse 1 (skanda.1.14.1)

॥लोमश उवाच॥ ततो युद्धमतीवासीदसुरैर्विष्णुना सह॥ ततः सिंहाः सपक्षास्ते दंशिताः परमाद्भुताः

||lomaśa uvāca|| tato yuddhamatīvāsīdasurairviṣṇunā saha|| tataḥ siṃhāḥ sapakṣāste daṃśitāḥ paramādbhutāḥ

Lomasha said: Then a most fierce battle raged between the asuras and Vishnu; and those winged, most wondrous lions stood there, clad in armour.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.14.2)

असुरैरुह्यमानास्ते रहुत्मंतं व्यदारयन्॥ सिंहास्ते दारितास्तेन खंडशश्च विदारिताः

asurairuhyamānāste rahutmaṃtaṃ vyadārayan|| siṃhāste dāritāstena khaṃḍaśaśca vidāritāḥ

Borne along by the asuras, they set upon Garuda to rend him; but Garuda tore those lions apart and cut them to pieces.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.14.3)

विष्णुना च तदा दैत्याश्चक्रेण शकलीकृताः॥ हतांस्तानसुरान्दृष्ट्वा कालनेमिः प्रतापवान्

viṣṇunā ca tadā daityāścakreṇa śakalīkṛtāḥ|| hatāṃstānasurāndṛṣṭvā kālanemiḥ pratāpavān

Then, by Vishnu's discus, the daityas too were cut to pieces; and seeing those asuras slain, the mighty Kalanemi —

Verse 4 (skanda.1.14.4)

त्रिशूलेनाहनद्विष्णुं रोषपर्याकुलेक्षणः॥ तमायांतं च जगृहे मुकुंदोऽनाथसंश्रयः

triśūlenāhanadviṣṇuṃ roṣaparyākulekṣaṇaḥ|| tamāyāṃtaṃ ca jagṛhe mukuṃdo'nāthasaṃśrayaḥ

his eyes wild with fury, struck at Vishnu with his trident; but Mukunda, refuge of the helpless, seized that oncoming trident in his hand.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.14.5)

करेण वामेन जघान लीलया तं कालनेमिं ह्यसुरं महाबलम्॥ तेनैव शूलेन समाहतोऽसौ मूर्च्छान्वितोऽसौ सहसा पपात

kareṇa vāmena jaghāna līlayā taṃ kālanemiṃ hyasuraṃ mahābalam|| tenaiva śūlena samāhato'sau mūrcchānvito'sau sahasā papāta

With his own left hand, in mere sport, he struck that mighty asura Kalanemi; struck by his own trident, Kalanemi fell senseless at once.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.14.6)

पतितः पुनरुत्थाय शनैरुन्मील्य लोचने॥ पुरतः स्थितमालोक्य विष्णुं सर्वगुहाशयम्

patitaḥ punarutthāya śanairunmīlya locane|| purataḥ sthitamālokya viṣṇuṃ sarvaguhāśayam

Falling and then rising again, he slowly opened his eyes, and beheld before him Vishnu, who dwells in the cave of every heart.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.14.7)

लब्धसंज्ञोऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं कालनेमिर्महाबलः॥ तव युद्धं न दास्यामि नास्ति लोके स्पृहा मम

labdhasaṃjño'bravīdvākyaṃ kālanemirmahābalaḥ|| tava yuddhaṃ na dāsyāmi nāsti loke spṛhā mama

Regaining his senses, the mighty Kalanemi spoke: "I shall not fight you; I have no more desire for this world."

Verse 8 (skanda.1.14.8)

ये येऽसुरा हता युद्धे अक्षयं लोकमाप्नुयुः॥ ब्रह्मणो वचनात्सद्य इंद्रेण सह संगताः

ye ye'surā hatā yuddhe akṣayaṃ lokamāpnuyuḥ|| brahmaṇo vacanātsadya iṃdreṇa saha saṃgatāḥ

"Whatever asuras are slain in battle attain an imperishable world; by Brahma's own word they join Indra's company at once —"

Verse 9 (skanda.1.14.9)

भुंजतो विविधान्भोगान्देववद्विचरंति ते॥ इंद्रेण सहिताः सर्वे संसारे च पतंत्यथ

bhuṃjato vividhānbhogāndevavadvicaraṃti te|| iṃdreṇa sahitāḥ sarve saṃsāre ca pataṃtyatha

"and, enjoying manifold pleasures, roam about like the gods themselves; then, together with Indra, all of them fall back once more into the cycle of rebirth."

Verse 10 (skanda.1.14.10)

तस्माद्युद्धेन मरणं न कांक्षे क्षणभंगुरम्॥ अन्यजन्मनि मे वीर वैरभावान्न संशयः॥ दातुमर्हसि मे नाथ कैवल्यं केवलं परम्

tasmādyuddhena maraṇaṃ na kāṃkṣe kṣaṇabhaṃguram|| anyajanmani me vīra vairabhāvānna saṃśayaḥ|| dātumarhasi me nātha kaivalyaṃ kevalaṃ param

"Therefore I do not desire that fleeting death which comes through battle; O hero, let there be no enmity toward you in my next birth — of this there is no doubt. O lord, grant me only supreme, absolute liberation."

Verse 11 (skanda.1.14.11)

तथेति दैत्यप्रवरो निपातितः परेण पुंसा परमार्थदेन॥ दत्त्वाऽभयं देवतानां तदानीं तथा सुधां देवताभ्यः प्रदत्त्वा

tatheti daityapravaro nipātitaḥ pareṇa puṃsā paramārthadena|| dattvā'bhayaṃ devatānāṃ tadānīṃ tathā sudhāṃ devatābhyaḥ pradattvā

"So be it," said that supreme being, the giver of ultimate truth, and thus laid low that foremost of daityas; and then he granted the gods both freedom from fear and the nectar itself.

Verse 12 (skanda.1.14.12)

कालनेमिर्हतो दैत्यो देवा जाता ह्यकटकाः॥ शल्यरूपो महान्सद्यो विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना

kālanemirhato daityo devā jātā hyakaṭakāḥ|| śalyarūpo mahānsadyo viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā

Thus the daitya Kalanemi was slain, and the gods, through the might of Vishnu, were at once freed of that great thorn in their side.

Verse 13 (skanda.1.14.13)

तिरोधानं गतः सद्यो भगवान्कमलेक्षणः॥ इंद्रोऽपि कदनं कृत्वा दैत्यानां परमाद्भुतम्

tirodhānaṃ gataḥ sadyo bhagavānkamalekṣaṇaḥ|| iṃdro'pi kadanaṃ kṛtvā daityānāṃ paramādbhutam

The lotus-eyed Lord vanished from sight at once; and Indra too, having wrought that most wondrous destruction of the daityas —

Verse 14 (skanda.1.14.14)

पतितानां क्लीबरूपाणां भग्नानां भीतचेतसाम्॥ मुक्तकच्छशिखानां च चक्रे स कदनक्रियाम्

patitānāṃ klībarūpāṇāṃ bhagnānāṃ bhītacetasām|| muktakacchaśikhānāṃ ca cakre sa kadanakriyām

continued to slaughter those demons who had fallen, become powerless, broken, terrified in heart, their garments and topknots come undone.

Verse 15 (skanda.1.14.15)

अर्थशास्त्रपरो भूत्वा महेंद्रो दुरातिक्रमः॥ दैत्यानां कालरूपोऽसौ शचीपतिरुदारधीः

arthaśāstraparo bhūtvā maheṃdro durātikramaḥ|| daityānāṃ kālarūpo'sau śacīpatirudāradhīḥ

Unassailable and of noble mind, Shachi's lord, Mahendra, skilled in statecraft, became for the daityas the very embodiment of death.

Verse 16 (skanda.1.14.16)

एवं निहन्य्मानानामसुराणां शचीपतेः॥ निवारणार्थं भगवानागतो नारदस्तदा

evaṃ nihanymānānāmasurāṇāṃ śacīpateḥ|| nivāraṇārthaṃ bhagavānāgato nāradastadā

Seeing the daityas thus being slaughtered by Shachi's lord, the blessed sage Narada arrived there at that very moment to put a stop to it.

Verse 17 (skanda.1.14.17)

॥ नारद उवाच॥ युद्धहताश्च ये वीरा ह्यसुरा रणमण्डले॥ तेषामनु कथं कर्ता भीतानां च विहिंसनम्

|| nārada uvāca|| yuddhahatāśca ye vīrā hyasurā raṇamaṇḍale|| teṣāmanu kathaṃ kartā bhītānāṃ ca vihiṃsanam

Narada said: "Those heroic asuras already slain in battle have met their fate — why, then, do you go on slaying the remaining ones, who are already terrified?"

Verse 18 (skanda.1.14.18)

ये भीतांश्च प्रपन्नांश्चघातयंति मदोद्धताः॥ ब्रह्मघ्नास्तेऽपि विज्ञेया महापातकसंयुताः

ye bhītāṃśca prapannāṃścaghātayaṃti madoddhatāḥ|| brahmaghnāste'pi vijñeyā mahāpātakasaṃyutāḥ

"Those who, maddened by pride, slay the terrified and those who have surrendered are to be known as guilty of a great sin, equal to the killing of a brahmin."

Verse 19 (skanda.1.14.19)

तस्मात्त्वया न कर्त्तव्यं मनसापि विहिंसनम्॥ एवमुक्तस्तदा शक्रो नारदेन महात्मना

tasmāttvayā na karttavyaṃ manasāpi vihiṃsanam|| evamuktastadā śakro nāradena mahātmanā

"Therefore you should not commit such violence even in thought." Thus addressed by the great-souled Narada, Indra then —

Verse 20 (skanda.1.14.20)

सुरसेनान्वितः सद्य आगतो हि त्रिविष्टपम्॥ तदा सर्वे सुरगणाः सुहृद्भ्यश्च परस्परम्॥ बभूवुर्मुदिताः सर्वे यक्षगंधर्वकिंनराः

surasenānvitaḥ sadya āgato hi triviṣṭapam|| tadā sarve suragaṇāḥ suhṛdbhyaśca parasparam|| babhūvurmuditāḥ sarve yakṣagaṃdharvakiṃnarāḥ

returned at once to heaven with his host of gods; then all the divine hosts, meeting one another in friendship, rejoiced together with the yakshas, gandharvas and kinnaras.

Verse 21 (skanda.1.14.21)

तदा इंद्रोऽमरावत्यां हस शच्याऽभिषेचितः

tadā iṃdro'marāvatyāṃ hasa śacyā'bhiṣecitaḥ

Then, in Amaravati, Indra was joyfully anointed once more by Shachi.

Verse 22 (skanda.1.14.22)

देवर्षिप्रमुखैश्चैव ब्रह्मर्षिप्रमुखैस्तथा॥ शक्रोऽपि विजयं प्राप्तः प्रसादाच्छंकरस्य च

devarṣipramukhaiścaiva brahmarṣipramukhaistathā|| śakro'pi vijayaṃ prāptaḥ prasādācchaṃkarasya ca

By the foremost of the divine sages and the brahmin sages, and by Shankara's own grace, Indra attained this victory.

Verse 23 (skanda.1.14.23)

तदा महोत्सवो विप्रा देवलोके महानभूत्॥ शंखाश्च पटहाश्चैव मृदंगा मुरजा अपि॥ तथानकाश्च भेर्यश्च नेदुर्दुंदुभयः समम्

tadā mahotsavo viprā devaloke mahānabhūt|| śaṃkhāśca paṭahāścaiva mṛdaṃgā murajā api|| tathānakāśca bheryaśca nedurduṃdubhayaḥ samam

O brahmins, then a great festival arose in the world of the gods; conches, kettledrums, mridangas and murajas, together with anakas, bheris and dundubhis, resounded all at once.

Verse 24 (skanda.1.14.24)

गायकाश्चैव गंधर्वाः किन्नराश्चाप्सपोगणाः॥ ननृतुर्जगुस्तुष्टुवुश्च सिद्धचारणगुह्यकाः

gāyakāścaiva gaṃdharvāḥ kinnarāścāpsapogaṇāḥ|| nanṛturjagustuṣṭuvuśca siddhacāraṇaguhyakāḥ

Singers, gandharvas, kinnaras and troupes of apsaras danced, sang and offered praise, together with the siddhas, charanas and guhyakas.

Verse 25 (skanda.1.14.25)

एवं विजयमापन्नः शक्रो देवेस्वरस्तदा॥ देवैर्हतास्तदा दैत्याः पतितास्ते महीतले

evaṃ vijayamāpannaḥ śakro devesvarastadā|| devairhatāstadā daityāḥ patitāste mahītale

Thus the lord of the gods, Indra, achieved victory; and the daityas slain by the gods in that battle lay fallen upon the earth.

Verse 26 (skanda.1.14.26)

गतासवो महात्मानो बलिप्रमुखतो ह्यमी॥ तपस्तप्तुं पुरा विप्रो भार्गवो मानसोत्तरम्

gatāsavo mahātmāno balipramukhato hyamī|| tapastaptuṃ purā vipro bhārgavo mānasottaram

Those great-souled ones, Bali and the rest, had lost their lives; but before this, the brahmin Bhargava, Shukracharya, had gone to Mount Manasottara to perform austerities.

Verse 27 (skanda.1.14.27)

गतः शिष्यैः परिवृतस्तस्माद्युद्धं न वेद तत्॥ अवशेषाश्च ये दैत्यास्ते गता भार्गवं प्रति

gataḥ śiṣyaiḥ parivṛtastasmādyuddhaṃ na veda tat|| avaśeṣāśca ye daityāste gatā bhārgavaṃ prati

Having gone there surrounded by his disciples, he had no knowledge of that battle; and those daityas who survived went to Bhargava.

Verse 28 (skanda.1.14.28)

कथितं वै महद्धृत्तमसुराणां क्षयावहम्॥ निशम्य मन्युमाविष्टो ह्यागतो भृगुनंदनः

kathitaṃ vai mahaddhṛttamasurāṇāṃ kṣayāvaham|| niśamya manyumāviṣṭo hyāgato bhṛgunaṃdanaḥ

They told him the whole account of that great destruction of the asuras; hearing it, the son of Bhrigu was filled with grief and rage, and came there at once.

Verse 29 (skanda.1.14.29)

शिष्यैः परिवृतो भूत्वा मृतांस्तानसुरानपि॥ विद्यया मृतजीविन्या पतितान्समजीवयत्

śiṣyaiḥ parivṛto bhūtvā mṛtāṃstānasurānapi|| vidyayā mṛtajīvinyā patitānsamajīvayat

Surrounded by his disciples, he brought those slain asuras back to life through the Mritasanjivani lore, right where they had fallen.

Verse 30 (skanda.1.14.30)

निद्रापायगता यद्वदुत्थितास्ते तदाऽसुराः॥ उत्थितः स बलिः प्राह भार्गवं ह्यमितद्युतिम्

nidrāpāyagatā yadvadutthitāste tadā'surāḥ|| utthitaḥ sa baliḥ prāha bhārgavaṃ hyamitadyutim

Just as one rises from sleep, so all those asuras rose up at once; and rising, Bali spoke to the boundlessly radiant Bhargava —

Verse 31 (skanda.1.14.31)

जीवितेन किमद्यैव मम नास्ति प्रयोजनम्॥ पातितस्त्रिदशेंद्रेण यथा कापुरुषस्तथा

jīvitena kimadyaiva mama nāsti prayojanam|| pātitastridaśeṃdreṇa yathā kāpuruṣastathā

"I have no more use for life now; Indra has felled me as one fells a coward."

Verse 32 (skanda.1.14.32)

बलिनोक्तं वचः श्रुत्वा शुक्रो वचनमब्रवीत्॥ मनस्विनो हि ये शूराः पतंति समरे बुधा

balinoktaṃ vacaḥ śrutvā śukro vacanamabravīt|| manasvino hi ye śūrāḥ pataṃti samare budhā

Hearing Bali's words, Shukracharya said: "Wise and heroic men who fall in battle —"

Verse 33 (skanda.1.14.33)

ये शस्त्रेण हताः सद्यो म्रियमाणा व्रजंति वै॥ त्रिविष्टपं न संदेह इति वेदानुशासनम्

ye śastreṇa hatāḥ sadyo mriyamāṇā vrajaṃti vai|| triviṣṭapaṃ na saṃdeha iti vedānuśāsanam

"those who, struck by weapons, die at once, certainly attain heaven — this is the teaching of the Veda, and there is no doubt in it."

Verse 34 (skanda.1.14.34)

एवमाश्वासयामास बलिनं भृगुनंदनः॥ तपस्तताप विविधं दैत्यानां सिद्धिदायकम्

evamāśvāsayāmāsa balinaṃ bhṛgunaṃdanaḥ|| tapastatāpa vividhaṃ daityānāṃ siddhidāyakam

Thus the son of Bhrigu comforted Bali; and then he performed manifold austerities that would grant the daityas success.

Verse 35 (skanda.1.14.35)

तथा दैत्य गताः सर्वे भृगुणा च प्रचोदिताः॥ पातालमवसन्सर्वे बलिमुख्याः सुखेन वै

tathā daitya gatāḥ sarve bhṛguṇā ca pracoditāḥ|| pātālamavasansarve balimukhyāḥ sukhena vai

Urged on by Bhrigu, all the daityas then departed for the netherworld; and Bali and the rest dwelt there thereafter in peace.