The Loss of Vishnu's Head

Verse 1 (skanda.3.66.1)

।। युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।। कृपासिंधो महाभाग सर्वव्यापिन्सुरेश्वर । कदा ह्यत्र तपस्तप्तं विष्णुनामिततेजसा ।

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca kṛpāsiṁdho mahābhāga sarvavyāpinsureśvara kadā hyatra tapastaptaṁ viṣṇunāmitatejasā

Yudhishthira said: O ocean of compassion, illustrious and all-pervading lord of gods, when did the boundlessly radiant Vishnu perform austerities here?

Verse 2 (skanda.3.66.2)

स्कंदाय कथितं चैव शर्वेण च महात्मना । आनुपूर्व्येण सर्वं हि कथयस्व त्वमेव हि ।

skaṁdāya kathitaṁ caiva śarveṇa ca mahātmanā ānupūrvyeṇa sarvaṁ hi kathayasva tvameva hi

That very tale which the great soul Sharva (Shiva) related to Skanda — please tell me all of it, in proper order.

Verse 3 (skanda.3.66.3)

।। व्यास उवाच ।। शृणु वत्स प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्म्मारण्ये नृपोत्तम । एकदात्र तपस्तप्तं विष्णुनाऽमिततेजसा ।

vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu vatsa pravakṣyāmi dharmāraṇye nṛpottama ekadātra tapastaptaṁ viṣṇunāmitatejasā

Vyasa said: Listen, my child, O best of kings, I shall tell you. Once, the boundlessly radiant Vishnu performed austerities here, in Dharmaranya.

Verse 4 (skanda.3.66.4)

।। स्कंद उवाच ।। कथं देवसरोनाम पंपा चंपा गया तथा । वाराणस्यधिका चैव कथमश्वमुखो हरिः ।

skaṁda uvāca kathaṁ devasaronāma paṁpā caṁpā gayā tathā vārāṇasyadhikā caiva kathamaśvamukho hariḥ

Skanda said: How is this tirtha called Devasara greater even than Pampa, Champa, Gaya, and Varanasi — and how did Hari become horse-faced?

Verse 5 (skanda.3.66.5)

।। ईश्वर उवाच ।। अत्र नारायणो देवस्तपस्तेपे सुदुष्करम् । दिव्यवर्षशतं त्रीणि जातः सुष्ठ्वाननश्च सः ।

īśvara uvāca atra nārāyaṇo devastapastepe suduṣkaram divyavarṣaśataṁ trīṇi jātaḥ suṣṭhvānanaśca saḥ

Ishvara said: Here the god Narayana performed the most rigorous austerities for three hundred divine years, and his countenance became exceedingly radiant.

Verse 6 (skanda.3.66.6)

तपस्तेपे महाविष्णुः सुरूपार्थं च पुत्रक । वाजिमुखो हरिस्तत्र सिद्धस्थाने महाद्युते ।

tapastepe mahāviṣṇuḥ surūpārthaṁ ca putraka vājimukho haristatra siddhasthāne mahādyute

My child, Mahavishnu performed austerities there for the sake of a beautiful form, and it was there, in that radiant place of accomplishment, that Hari became horse-faced.

Verse 7 (skanda.3.66.7)

।। स्कंद उवाच ।। कारणं ब्रूहि नोद्य त्वमश्वाननः कथं हरिः । महारिपोश्च हंता च देवदेवो जगत्पतिः ।

skaṁda uvāca kāraṇaṁ brūhi nodya tvamaśvānanaḥ kathaṁ hariḥ mahāripośca haṁtā ca devadevo jagatpatiḥ

Skanda said: Now tell me the reason — how did Hari, the god of gods, lord of the world and slayer of great foes, become horse-faced?

Verse 8 (skanda.3.66.8)

यस्य नाम्ना महाभाग पातकानि बहून्यपि । विलीयंते तु वेगेन तमः सूर्योदये यथा ।

yasya nāmnā mahābhāga pātakāni bahūnyapi vilīyaṁte tu vegena tamaḥ sūryodaye yathā

O illustrious one, by whose very name manifold sins dissolve as swiftly as darkness vanishes at sunrise —

Verse 9 (skanda.3.66.9)

श्रूयंते यस्य कर्माणि अद्भुतान्यद्भुतानि वै । सर्वेषामेव जीवानां कारणं परमेश्वरः ।

śrūyaṁte yasya karmāṇi adbhutānyadbhutāni vai sarveṣāmeva jīvānāṁ kāraṇaṁ parameśvaraḥ

— whose deeds, when heard, are wonder upon wonder, and who is the supreme cause of all living beings, the highest Lord —

Verse 10 (skanda.3.66.10)

प्राणरूपेण यो देवो हयरूपः कधं भवेत् । सर्वेषामपि तंत्राणामेकरूपः प्रकीर्तितः ।

prāṇarūpeṇa yo devo hayarūpaḥ kathaṁ bhavet sarveṣāmapi taṁtrāṇāmekarūpaḥ prakīrtitaḥ

— that god who, as the very essence of life-breath, is declared in every tantra to be of a single, unchanging form — how could he take on the face of a horse?

Verse 11 (skanda.3.66.11)

भक्तिगम्यो धर्मभाजां सुखरूपः सदा शुचिः । गुणातीतोऽपि नित्योऽसौ सर्वगो निर्गुणस्तथा ।

bhaktigamyo dharmabhājāṁ sukharūpaḥ sadā śuciḥ guṇātīto'pi nityo'sau sarvago nirguṇastathā

— he who is accessible through devotion alone to the righteous, who is bliss itself, ever pure, beyond the gunas yet eternal, all-pervading, and attributeless —

Verse 12 (skanda.3.66.12)

स्रष्टासौ पालको हंता अव्यक्तः सर्वदेहिनाम् । अनुकूलो महातेजाः कस्मादश्वमुखोऽभवत् ।

sraṣṭāsau pālako haṁtā avyaktaḥ sarvadehinām anukūlo mahātejāḥ kasmādaśvamukho'bhavat

— he who is creator, sustainer, and destroyer, unmanifest to all embodied beings, benevolent and mighty in splendor — for what reason did he become horse-faced?

Verse 13 (skanda.3.66.13)

यस्य रोमोद्भवा देवा वृक्षाद्याः पन्नगा नगाः । कल्पेकल्पे जगत्सर्वं जायते यस्य देहतः ।

yasya romodbhavā devā vṛkṣādyāḥ pannagā nagāḥ kalpekalpe jagatsarvaṁ jāyate yasya dehataḥ

— he from whose very pores arise gods, trees, serpents, and mountains, and from whose body this entire universe is born, kalpa after kalpa —

Verse 14 (skanda.3.66.14)

स एव विश्वप्रभवः स एवात्यंतकारणम् । येनानीताः पुनर्विद्या यज्ञाश्च प्रलयं गताः ।

sa eva viśvaprabhavaḥ sa evātyaṁtakāraṇam yenānītāḥ punarvidyā yajñāśca pralayaṁ gatāḥ

— he alone is the origin of the universe, he alone the ultimate cause, by whom the scriptures were brought back when the sacrifices had lapsed into dissolution.

Verse 15 (skanda.3.66.15)

घातितो दुष्टदैत्योऽसौ वेदार्थं कृत उद्यमः । एवमासीन्महाविष्णुः कथमश्वमुखोऽभवत् ।

ghātito duṣṭadaityo'sau vedārthaṁ kṛta udyamaḥ evamāsīnmahāviṣṇuḥ kathamaśvamukho'bhavat

That wicked demon he slew, striving to recover the meaning of the Vedas. Such being Mahavishnu, how did he become horse-faced?

Verse 16 (skanda.3.66.16)

रत्नगर्भा धृता येन पृष्ठदेशे च लीलया । कृत्या व्यवस्थितं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् ।

ratnagarbhā dhṛtā yena pṛṣṭhadeśe ca līlayā kṛtyā vyavasthitaṁ sarvaṁ jagatsthāvarajaṁgamam

— he who playfully bore the jewel-laden earth upon his back, and by whose act the whole moving and unmoving world was set in order —

Verse 17 (skanda.3.66.17)

स देवो विश्वरूपो वै कथं वाजिमुखोऽभवत् । हिरण्याक्षस्य हंता यो रूपं कृत्वा वराहजम् ।

sa devo viśvarūpo vai kathaṁ vājimukho'bhavat hiraṇyākṣasya haṁtā yo rūpaṁ kṛtvā varāhajam

How did that god of universal form become horse-faced — he who, taking the form of a boar, slew Hiranyaksha?

Verse 18 (skanda.3.66.18)

सुपवित्रं महातेजाः प्रविश्य जलसा गरे । उद्धृता च मही सर्वा ससागरमहीधरा ।

supavitraṁ mahātejāḥ praviśya jalasāgare uddhṛtā ca mahī sarvā sasāgaramahīdharā

That most pure, mighty being entered the ocean of waters and raised up the entire earth, together with its seas and mountains.

Verse 19 (skanda.3.66.19)

उद्धृता च मही नूनं दंष्ट्राग्रे येन लीलया । कृत्वा रूपं वराहं च कपिलं शोकनाशनम् ।

uddhṛtā ca mahī nūnaṁ daṁṣṭrāgre yena līlayā kṛtvā rūpaṁ varāhaṁ ca kapilaṁ śokanāśanam

— he who indeed, taking the tawny, sorrow-dispelling form of a boar, playfully raised the earth upon the tip of his tusk —

Verse 20 (skanda.3.66.20)

स देवः कथमीशानो हयग्रीवत्वमागतः । प्रह्लादार्थे स चेशानो रूपं कृत्वा भयावहम् ।

sa devaḥ kathamīśāno hayagrīvatvamāgataḥ prahlādārthe sa ceśāno rūpaṁ kṛtvā bhayāvaham

How did that lord attain the form of Hayagriva? That same lord, for Prahlada's sake, took on a terrifying form —

Verse 21 (skanda.3.66.21)

नारसिंहं महादेवं सर्वदुष्टनिवारणम् । पर्वताग्निसमुद्रस्थं ररक्ष भक्तसत्तमम् ।

nārasiṁhaṁ mahādevaṁ sarvaduṣṭanivāraṇam parvatāgnisamudrasthaṁ raraksha bhaktasattamam

— the form of Narasimha, mighty and warding off all evil, and protected that supreme devotee whether cast into mountain, fire, or ocean.

Verse 22 (skanda.3.66.22)

हिरण्यकशिपुं दुष्टं जघान रजनीमुखे । इंद्रासने च संस्थाप्य प्रह्लादस्य सुखप्रदम् ।

hiraṇyakaśipuṁ duṣṭaṁ jaghāna rajanīmukhe iṁdrāsane ca saṁsthāpya prahlādasya sukhapradam

He slew the wicked Hiranyakashipu at the twilight hour, and, for Prahlada's happiness, seated him upon Indra's throne.

Verse 23 (skanda.3.66.23)

प्रह्लादार्थे च वै नूनं नृसिंहत्वमुपागतः । विरोचनसुतस्याग्रे याचकोऽसौ भवेत्तदा ।

prahlādārthe ca vai nūnaṁ nṛsiṁhatvamupāgataḥ virocanasutasyāgre yācako'sau bhavettadā

It was indeed for Prahlada's sake that he took the form of Narasimha. And afterward, before that same Prahlada's grandson, Virochana's son Bali, he came as a mere beggar.

Verse 24 (skanda.3.66.24)

यज्ञे चैवाश्वमेधे वै बलिना यः समर्चितः । हृता वसुमती तस्य त्रिपदीकृतरोदसी ।

yajñe caivāśvamedhe vai balinā yaḥ samarcitaḥ hṛtā vasumatī tasya tripadīkṛtarodasī

He who was worshipped by Bali at his Ashvamedha sacrifice — he it was who, measuring both worlds in three strides, took away Bali's kingdom.

Verse 25 (skanda.3.66.25)

विश्वरूपेण वै येन पाताले क्षपितो बलिः । त्रिःसप्तवारं येनैव क्षत्रियानवनीतले ।

viśvarūpeṇa vai yena pātāle kṣapito baliḥ triḥsaptavāraṁ yenaiva kṣatriyānavanītale

By whom, in his form of the cosmos, Bali was consigned to the netherworld; by whom, twenty-one times over, the kshatriyas of the earth were —

Verse 26 (skanda.3.66.26)

हत्वाऽददाच्च विप्रेभ्यो महीमतिमहौजसा । घातितो हैहयो राजा येनैव जननी हता ।

hatvā'dadācca viprebhyo mahīmatimahaujasā ghātito haihayo rājā yenaiva jananī hatā

— slain, and the earth then given by his mighty power to the brahmins; by whom the Haihaya king was killed, that same king who had slain his own mother.

Verse 27 (skanda.3.66.27)

येन वै शिशुनोर्व्यां हि घातिता दुष्टचारिणी । राक्षसी ताडका नाम्नी कौशिकस्य प्रसादतः ।

yena vai śiśunorvyāṁ hi ghātitā duṣṭacāriṇī rākṣasī tāḍakā nāmnī kauśikasya prasādataḥ

By whom, still a mere child, through the grace of Kaushika (Vishvamitra), the wicked rakshasi named Tadaka was slain upon the earth —

Verse 28 (skanda.3.66.28)

विश्वामित्रस्य यज्ञे तु येन लीलानृदेहिना । चतुर्दशसहस्राणि घातिता राक्षसा वलात् ।

viśvāmitrasya yajñe tu yena līlānṛdehinā caturdaśasahasrāṇi ghātitā rākṣasā valāt

— and at Vishvamitra's sacrifice, taking a human form as mere sport, he slew fourteen thousand rakshasas by force.

Verse 29 (skanda.3.66.29)

हता शूर्पणखा येन त्रिशिराश्च निपातितः । सुग्रीवं वालिनं हत्वा सुग्रीवेण सहायवान् ।

hatā śūrpaṇakhā yena triśirāśca nipātitaḥ sugrīvaṁ vālinaṁ hatvā sugrīveṇa sahāyavān

By whom Shurpanakha was maimed and Trishira felled; who, taking Sugriva as ally, slew Vali.

Verse 30 (skanda.3.66.30)

कृत्वा सेतुं समुद्रस्य रणे हत्वा दशाननम् । धर्म्मारण्यं समासाद्य ब्राह्मणानन्वपूजयत् ।

kṛtvā setuṁ samudrasya raṇe hatvā daśānanam dharmāraṇyaṁ samāsādya brāhmaṇānanvapūjayat

Who built a bridge across the ocean and slew the ten-headed Ravana in battle; and, coming to Dharmaranya, duly honored the brahmins there.

Verse 31 (skanda.3.66.31)

शासनं द्विजवर्येभ्यो दत्त्वा ग्रामान्बहूंस्तथा । स्नात्वा चैव धर्म्मवाप्यां सुदानान्यददाद्गवाम् ।

śāsanaṁ dvijavaryebhyo dattvā grāmānbahūṁstathā snātvā caiva dharmavāpyāṁ sudānānyadadādgavām

Having granted many villages to the finest of the brahmins, and having bathed in the Dharmavapi, he made splendid gifts of cattle.

Verse 32 (skanda.3.66.32)

साधूनां पालनं कृत्वा निग्रहाय दुरात्मनाम् । एवमन्यानि कर्म्माणि श्रुतानि च धरातले ।

sādhūnāṁ pālanaṁ kṛtvā nigrahāya durātmanām evamanyāni karmāṇi śrutāni ca dharātale

Protecting the virtuous and restraining the wicked — thus have many other of his deeds been heard of on this earth.

Verse 33 (skanda.3.66.33)

स देवो लीलया कृत्वा कथं चाश्वमुखोऽभवत् । यो जातो यादवे वंशे पूतनाशकटादिकम् ।

sa devo līlayā kṛtvā kathaṁ cāśvamukho'bhavat yo jāto yādave vaṁśe pūtanāśakaṭādikam

How did that god, having performed all this playfully, become horse-faced — he who was born in the Yadava lineage, and who slew Putana, the demon of the cart, and others —

Verse 34 (skanda.3.66.34)

अरिष्टदैत्यः केशी च वृकासुरबकासुरौ । शकटासुरो महासुर स्तृणावर्तश्च धेनुकः ।

ariṣṭadaityaḥ keśī ca vṛkāsurabakāsurau śakaṭāsuro mahāsuras tṛṇāvartaśca dhenukaḥ

— the demon Arishta, Keshi, Vrikasura and Bakasura, the great demon Shakatasura, Trinavarta, and Dhenuka —

Verse 35 (skanda.3.66.35)

मल्लश्चैव तथा कंसो जरासंधस्तथैव च । कालयवनस्य हंता च कथं वै स हयाननः । तारकासुरं रणे जित्वा अयुतषट्पुरं तथा ।

mallaścaiva tathā kaṁso jarāsaṁdhastathaiva ca kālayavanasya haṁtā ca kathaṁ vai sa hayānanaḥ tārakāsuraṁ raṇe jitvā ayutaṣaṭpuraṁ tathā

— the wrestlers, Kamsa, Jarasandha, and the slayer of Kalayavana — how did he become horse-faced? He who conquered Tarakasura in battle, and sixty thousand cities besides —

Verse 36 (skanda.3.66.36)

कन्याश्चोद्वाहिता येन सहस्राणि च षड् दश । अमानुषाणि कृत्वेत्थं कथं सोऽश्वमुखोऽभवत् ।

kanyāścodvāhitā yena sahasrāṇi ca ṣaḍ daśa amānuṣāṇi kṛtvettthaṁ kathaṁ so'śvamukho'bhavat

— he who married sixteen thousand maidens — having done such superhuman deeds, how did he become horse-faced?

Verse 37 (skanda.3.66.37)

त्राता यः सर्वभक्तानां हंता सर्वदुरात्मनाम् । धर्मस्थापनकृत्सोऽपि कल्किर्विष्णुपदे स्थितः ।

trātā yaḥ sarvabhaktānāṁ haṁtā sarvadurātmanām dharmasthāpanakṛtso'pi kalkirviṣṇupade sthitaḥ

— he who is protector of all devotees and destroyer of all the wicked, who as Kalki shall re-establish dharma and abides ever in the state of Vishnu —

Verse 38 (skanda.3.66.38)

एतद्वै महदाश्चर्य्यं भवता यत्प्रकाशितम् । एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं कारणं त्रिपुरांतक ।

etadvai mahadāścaryaṁ bhavatā yatprakāśitam etadācakṣva me sarvaṁ kāraṇaṁ tripurāṁtaka

— this that you have revealed is indeed a great wonder. O destroyer of Tripura, now tell me the entire cause of it.

Verse 39 (skanda.3.66.39)

।। श्रीरुद्र उवाच ।। साधुपृष्टं महाबाहो कारणं तस्य वच्म्यहम् । हयग्रीवस्य कृष्णस्य शृणुष्वेकाग्रमानसः ।

śrīrudra uvāca sādhupṛṣṭaṁ mahābāho kāraṇaṁ tasya vacmyaham hayagrīvasya kṛṣṇasya śṛṇuṣvaikāgramānasaḥ

Shri Rudra said: Well have you asked, O mighty-armed one; I shall tell you its cause. Listen with a single-pointed mind to the story of Krishna's Hayagriva form.

Verse 40 (skanda.3.66.40)

।। व्यास उवाच ।। पुरा देवैः समारब्धो यज्ञो नूनं धरातले । वेदमंत्रैराह्वयितुं सर्वे रुद्रपुरोगमाः ।

vyāsa uvāca purā devaiḥ samārabdho yajño nūnaṁ dharātale vedamaṁtrairāhvayituṁ sarve rudrapurogamāḥ

Vyasa said: Long ago the gods, with Rudra at their head, began a sacrifice upon the earth, and set about summoning Vishnu with Vedic mantras.

Verse 41 (skanda.3.66.41)

वैकुण्ठे च गताः सर्वे क्षीराब्धौ च निजालये । पातालेऽपि पुनर्गत्वा न विदुः कृष्णदर्शनम् ।

vaikuṇṭhe ca gatāḥ sarve kṣīrābdhau ca nijālaye pātāle'pi punargatvā na viduḥ kṛṣṇadarśanam

They went to Vaikuntha, and to his own abode in the ocean of milk, and again to the netherworld — yet nowhere did they find sight of Krishna.

Verse 42 (skanda.3.66.42)

मोहाविष्टास्ततः सर्वे इतश्चेतश्च धाविताः । नैव दृष्टस्तदा तैस्तु ब्रह्मरूपो जनार्दनः ।

mohāviṣṭāstataḥ sarve itaścetaśca dhāvitāḥ naiva dṛṣṭastadā taistu brahmarūpo janārdanaḥ

Overcome with bewilderment, they all rushed about here and there, but nowhere could they find Janardana, who is Brahman itself.

Verse 43 (skanda.3.66.43)

विचारयंति ते सर्वे देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः । क्व गतोऽसौ महाविष्णुः केनोपायेन दृश्यते ।

vicārayaṁti te sarve devā indrapurogamāḥ kva gato'sau mahāviṣṇuḥ kenopāyena dṛśyate

All the gods, with Indra foremost among them, deliberated: 'Where has Mahavishnu gone? By what means might he be found?'

Verse 44 (skanda.3.66.44)

प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं वागीशं प्रोचुरादरात् । देवदेव महाविष्णुं कथयस्व प्रसादतः ।

praṇamya śirasā devaṁ vāgīśaṁ procurādarāt devadeva mahāviṣṇuṁ kathayasva prasādataḥ

Bowing their heads to Brihaspati, lord of speech, they addressed him with reverence: 'O god of gods, tell us, of your grace, where Mahavishnu is.'

Verse 45 (skanda.3.66.45)

।। बृहस्पतिरुवाच ।। न जाने केन कार्येण योगारूढो महात्मवान् । योगरूपोऽभवद्विष्णुर्योगीशो हरिरच्युतः ।

bṛhaspatiruvāca na jāne kena kāryeṇa yogārūḍho mahātmavān yogarūpo'bhavadviṣṇuryogīśo harirachyutaḥ

Brihaspati said: I do not know for what purpose the great-souled Vishnu has entered into yoga and become yoga itself — that lord of yogis, the unfallen Hari.

Verse 46 (skanda.3.66.46)

क्षणं ध्यात्वा स्वमात्मानं धिषणेन ख्यापितो हरिः । तत्र सर्वे गता देवा यत्र देवो जगत्पतिः ।

kṣaṇaṁ dhyātvā svamātmānaṁ dhiṣaṇena khyāpito hariḥ tatra sarve gatā devā yatra devo jagatpatiḥ

Meditating for a moment with his own intellect, Brihaspati revealed where Hari was; and all the gods went there, to where the lord of the world abode.

Verse 47 (skanda.3.66.47)

तदा दृष्टो महाविष्णुर्ध्यानस्थोऽसौ जनार्दनः । ध्यात्वा कृत्यसमाकारं सशरं दैत्यसूदनम् ।

tadā dṛṣṭo mahāviṣṇurdhyānastho'sau janārdanaḥ dhyātvā kṛtyasamākāraṁ saśaraṁ daityasūdanam

Then they saw Mahavishnu Janardana absorbed in meditation, contemplating a form suited to the task at hand, bow in hand, the slayer of demons.

Verse 48 (skanda.3.66.48)

समास्थानं ततो दृष्ट्वा बोधोपायं प्रचक्रमे । आह तांश्च तदा वम्र्यो धनुर्गुणं प्रयत्नतः । छेत्स्यंति चेत्तच्छब्देन प्रबुध्येत हरिः स्वयम् ।

samāsthānaṁ tato dṛṣṭvā bodhopāyaṁ pracakrame āha tāṁśca tadā vamryo dhanurguṇaṁ prayatnataḥ chetsyaṁti cettacchabdena prabudhyeta hariḥ svayam

Seeing him thus absorbed, they set about devising a means to rouse him. They then said to the termites: If you diligently gnaw through the bowstring, the sound of its snapping will itself wake Hari.

Verse 49 (skanda.3.66.49)

।। देवा ऊचुः ।। गुणभक्षं कुरुध्वं वै येनासौ बुध्यते हरिः । क्रत्वर्थिनो वयं वम्र्यः प्रभुं विज्ञापयामहे ।

devā ūcuḥ guṇabhakṣaṁ kurudhvaṁ vai yenāsau budhyate hariḥ kratvarthino vayaṁ vamryaḥ prabhuṁ vijñāpayāmahe

The gods said: Gnaw through the bowstring, so that Hari may awaken. O termites, we desire the completion of this sacrifice; we make this plea, as your masters.

Verse 50 (skanda.3.66.50)

।। वम्र्यः ऊचुः ।। निद्राभंगं कथाच्छेदं दम्पत्योर्मैत्रभेदनम् । शिशुमातृविभेदं वा कुर्वाणो नरकं व्रजेत् ।

vamryaḥ ūcuḥ nidrābhaṁgaṁ kathācchedaṁ dampatyormaitrabhedanam śiśumātṛvibhedaṁ vā kurvāṇo narakaṁ vrajet

The termites said: Whoever breaks another's sleep, interrupts a conversation, sows discord between husband and wife, or causes a rift between child and mother, goes to hell.

Verse 51 (skanda.3.66.51)

योगारूढो जगन्नाथः समाधिस्थो महाबलः । तस्य श्रीजगदीशस्य विघ्नं नैव तु कुर्महे ।

yogārūḍho jagannāthaḥ samādhistho mahābalaḥ tasya śrījagadīśasya vighnaṁ naiva tu kurmahe

The lord of the world, mighty in strength, is absorbed in yoga and meditation; we shall never create an obstacle for that glorious lord of the universe.

Verse 52 (skanda.3.66.52)

।। ब्रह्मोवाच ।। भवतां सर्वभक्षत्वं देवकार्यं क्रियेत चेत् । कर्त्तव्यं च ततो वम्र्यो यज्ञसिद्धिर्यथा भवेत् । वम्रीशा सा तदा वत्स पुनरेवमुवाच ह ।

brahmovāca bhavatāṁ sarvabhakṣatvaṁ devakāryaṁ kriyeta cet karttavyaṁ ca tato vamryo yajñasiddhiryathā bhavet vamrīśā sā tadā vatsa punarevamuvāca ha

Brahma said: If your all-devouring nature would this once be turned to the gods' purpose, then, O termites, you must do this, so that the sacrifice may be accomplished. Then, my child, the queen of the termites spoke again.

Verse 53 (skanda.3.66.53)

।। वम्र्युवाच ।। दुःखसाध्यो जगन्नाथो मलयानिलसंनिभः । कथं वा बोध्यतां बह्मन्नस्माभिः सुरपूजितः ।

vamryuvāca duḥkhasādhyo jagannātho malayānilasaṁnibhaḥ kathaṁ vā bodhyatāṁ brahmannasmābhiḥ surapūjitaḥ

The termite queen said: The lord of the world, gentle as the breeze from the Malaya mountains, is hard indeed to disturb. O Brahma, how could we possibly awaken him, worshipped as he is by the gods?

Verse 54 (skanda.3.66.54)

नैव यज्ञेन मे कार्यं सुरैश्चैव तथैव च । सर्वेषु यज्ञकार्येषु भागं ददतु मे सुराः ।

naiva yajñena me kāryaṁ suraiścaiva tathaiva ca sarveṣu yajñakāryeṣu bhāgaṁ dadatu me surāḥ

I have no need of your sacrifice, nor of the gods themselves. If this is to be done, let the gods grant me a share in every sacrificial rite hereafter.

Verse 55 (skanda.3.66.55)

।। देवा ऊचुः ।। प्रदास्यामो वयं वम्र्यै भागं यज्ञेषु सर्वदा । यज्ञाय दत्तमस्माभिः कुरुष्वैवं वचो हि नः ।

devā ūcuḥ pradāsyāmo vayaṁ vamryai bhāgaṁ yajñeṣu sarvadā yajñāya dattamasmābhiḥ kuruṣvaivaṁ vaco hi naḥ

The gods said: We shall grant the termites a share in sacrifices forever. This is our promise, given for the sake of the sacrifice — now do as we ask.

Verse 56 (skanda.3.66.56)

तथेति विधिनाप्युक्तं वम्री चोद्यममाश्रिता । गुणभक्षादिकं कर्म तया सर्वं कृतं नृप ।

tatheti vidhināpyuktaṁ vamrī codyamamāśritā guṇabhakṣādikaṁ karma tayā sarvaṁ kṛtaṁ nṛpa

Saying 'so be it,' and thus accepting it even from Brahma himself, the termite queen set to work, and, O king, accomplished the entire task of gnawing through the bowstring and all else needed.

Verse 57 (skanda.3.66.57)

।। युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।। अस्य वा बोधने देवा गुणभंगे समाधिषु । एतदाश्चर्यं विप्रर्षे सत्यं सत्यवतीसुत ।

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca asya vā bodhane devā guṇabhaṁge samādhiṣu etadāścaryaṁ viprarṣe satyaṁ satyavatīsuta

Yudhishthira said: O sage among brahmins, son of Satyavati, that the gods should thus rouse him from his meditation by the snapping of the bowstring — this is indeed a great wonder.

Verse 58 (skanda.3.66.58)

।। व्यास उवाच ।। व्यग्रचित्ताः सुराः सर्वे आकृष्टं हरिकार्मु कम् । न जाने केन कार्येण विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः ।

vyāsa uvāca vyagracittāḥ surāḥ sarve ākṛṣṭaṁ harikārmukam na jāne kena kāryeṇa viṣṇumāyāvimohitāḥ

Vyasa said: All the gods, their minds in disarray, found Hari's bow drawn taut. I do not know for what reason they were so bewildered by Vishnu's maya.

Verse 59 (skanda.3.66.59)

मुदितास्ताः प्रमुञ्चंति वल्मीकं चाग्रतो हरेः । कोटिपार्श्वे ततो नीतं वल्मीकं पर्वतोपमम् ।

muditāstāḥ pramuñcaṁti valmīkaṁ cāgrato hareḥ koṭipārśve tato nītaṁ valmīkaṁ parvatopamam

Rejoicing, they set the termites loose before Hari. A mound of termite-earth, vast as a mountain, was raised beside the bow, its countless mounds heaped there.

Verse 60 (skanda.3.66.60)

गुणे च भक्षिते तस्मिंस्तक्षणादेव दूषिते । ज्याघातकोटिभिः सार्द्धं शीर्षं छित्त्वा दिवं गतम् ।

guṇe ca bhakṣite tasmiṁstakṣaṇādeva dūṣite jyāghātakoṭibhiḥ sārddhaṁ śīrṣaṁ chittvā divaṁ gatam

The moment the bowstring, thus gnawed, gave way and snapped, the recoiling string struck with tremendous force, and Hari's head, severed, flew up into the sky.

Verse 61 (skanda.3.66.61)

गते शीर्षे च ते देवा भृशमुद्विग्नमानसाः । धावंति सर्वतः सर्वे शिरआलोकनाय ते ।

gate śīrṣe ca te devā bhṛśamudvignamānasāḥ dhāvaṁti sarvataḥ sarve śira ālokanāya te

When the head vanished, the gods, their minds thrown into utter turmoil, all ran about in every direction, searching for it.