The Gods Go Forth Seeking Aid

Verse 1 (skanda.5.202.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। गीर्वाणाश्च ततः सर्वे ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः। गजैर्गिरिवराकारैर्हयैश्चैव गजोपमैः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| gīrvāṇāśca tataḥ sarve brahmāṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ gatāḥ| gajairgirivarākārairhayaiścaiva gajopamaiḥ

Shri Markandeya said: Then all the gods, mounted on elephants as huge as mountains and horses as massive as elephants, went for refuge to Brahma.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.202.2)

स्यन्दनैर्नगराकारैः सिंहशार्दूलयोजितैः। कच्छपैर्महिषैश्चान्यैर्मकरैश्च तथापरे

syandanairnagarākāraiḥ siṁhaśārdūlayojitaiḥ| kacchapairmahiṣaiścānyairmakaraiśca tathāpare

on chariots as vast as cities, drawn by lions and tigers, and some others mounted upon tortoises, buffaloes, and crocodiles,

Verse 3 (skanda.5.202.3)

ब्रह्मलोकमनुप्राप्ता देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः। दृष्ट्वा पद्मोद्भवं देवं साष्टाङ्गं प्रणताः सुराः

brahmalokamanuprāptā devāḥ śakrapurogamāḥ| dṛṣṭvā padmodbhavaṁ devaṁ sāṣṭāṅgaṁ praṇatāḥ surāḥ

The gods, with Shakra at their head, arrived at Brahmaloka; and seeing the lotus-born god, the gods bowed down with all eight limbs touching the ground.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.202.4)

देवा ऊचुः। जय देव जगद्वन्द्य जय संसृतिकारक। पद्मयोने सुरश्रेष्ठ त्वामेव शरणं गताः

devā ūcuḥ| jaya deva jagadvandya jaya saṁsṛtikāraka| padmayone suraśreṣṭha tvāmeva śaraṇaṁ gatāḥ

The gods said: Victory to you, O god, worshipped by the universe! Victory to you, maker of all creation! O lotus-born one, foremost of the gods, we have come to you alone for refuge.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.202.5)

सोद्वेगं भाषितं श्रुत्वा देवानां भावितात्मनाम्। मेघगम्भीरया वाचा देवराजमुवाच ह

sodvegaṁ bhāṣitaṁ śrutvā devānāṁ bhāvitātmanām| meghagambhīrayā vācā devarājamuvāca ha

Hearing the anxious speech of those purified-souled gods, Brahma, in a voice deep as a thundercloud, addressed the king of gods.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.202.6)

किमत्रागमनं देवाः सर्वेषां वै विवर्णता। केनापमानिताः सर्वे शीघ्रं मे कथ्यतां स्वयम्

kimatrāgamanaṁ devāḥ sarveṣāṁ vai vivarṇatā| kenāpamānitāḥ sarve śīghraṁ me kathyatāṁ svayam

O gods, why have you all come here? Why have all your faces turned so pale? Who has insulted all of you? Tell me at once, yourselves.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.202.7)

देवा ऊचुः। अन्धकाख्यो महादैत्यो बलवान् पद्मसम्भव। तेन देवगणाः सर्वे धनरत्नैर्वियोजिताः

devā ūcuḥ| andhakākhyo mahādaityo balavān padmasambhava| tena devagaṇāḥ sarve dhanaratnairviyojitāḥ

The gods said: O lotus-born one, the mighty great daitya named Andhaka has stripped all the hosts of gods of their wealth and jewels.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.202.8)

हत्वा देवगणांस्तावदसिचक्रपरद्द्विश्वधैः। गृहीत्वा शक्रभार्यां स दानवोऽपि गतो बलात्

hatvā devagaṇāṁstāvadasicakraparaddviśvadhaiḥ| gṛhītvā śakrabhāryāṁ sa dānavo'pi gato balāt

Having slain the hosts of gods with sword, discus, and various other weapons, that danava forcibly seized Shakra's wife and carried her off.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.202.9)

देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। चिन्तयामास राजेन्द्र वधार्थं दानवस्य ह

devānāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ| cintayāmāsa rājendra vadhārthaṁ dānavasya ha

O Rajendra, hearing the words of the gods, Brahma, grandsire of the worlds, began to consider a means for the destruction of that danava.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.202.10)

अवध्यो दानवः पापः सर्वेषां वो दिवौकसाम्। स त्राता सर्वजगतां नान्यो विद्येत कुत्रचित्

avadhyo dānavaḥ pāpaḥ sarveṣāṁ vo divaukasām| sa trātā sarvajagatāṁ nānyo vidyeta kutracit

That sinful danava is unslayable by all of you gods; the protector of all the worlds is that one alone — no other exists anywhere.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.202.11)

एवमुक्ताः सुराः सर्वे ब्रह्मणा तदनन्तरम्। ब्रह्माणं ते पुरस्कृत्य गता यत्र स केशवः। तुष्टुवुर्विविधैः स्तोत्रैर्ब्रह्माद्याश्चक्रपाणिनम्

evamuktāḥ surāḥ sarve brahmaṇā tadanantaram| brahmāṇaṁ te puraskṛtya gatā yatra sa keśavaḥ| tuṣṭuvurvividhaiḥ stotrairbrahmādyāścakrapāṇinam

Thus addressed by Brahma, all the gods then, placing Brahma at their head, went to where Keshava was; and Brahma and the others praised the discus-bearing lord with various hymns.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.202.12)

देवा ऊचुः। जय त्वं देवदेवेश लक्ष्म्या वक्षःस्थलाश्रितः। असुरक्षय देवेश वयं ते शरणं गताः

devā ūcuḥ| jaya tvaṁ devadeveśa lakṣmyā vakṣaḥsthalāśritaḥ| asurakṣaya deveśa vayaṁ te śaraṇaṁ gatāḥ

The gods said: Victory to you, O lord of the gods of gods, who bears Lakshmi upon your breast! O lord of gods, destroyer of asuras, we have come to you for refuge.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.202.13)

स्तूयमानः सुरैः सर्वैर्ब्रह्माद्यैश्च जनार्दनः। सम्प्रहृष्टमना भूत्वा सुरसङ्घमुवाच ह

stūyamānaḥ suraiḥ sarvairbrahmādyaiśca janārdanaḥ| samprahṛṣṭamanā bhūtvā surasaṅghamuvāca ha

Being praised by all the gods, including Brahma and the rest, Janardana, his heart filled with delight, spoke to the assembly of gods.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.202.14)

श्रीवासुदेव उवाच। स्वागतं देवविप्राणां सुप्रभाताद्य शर्वरी। किं कार्यं प्रोच्यतां क्षिप्रं कस्य रुष्टा दिवौकसः

śrīvāsudeva uvāca| svāgataṁ devaviprāṇāṁ suprabhātādya śarvarī| kiṁ kāryaṁ procyatāṁ kṣipraṁ kasya ruṣṭā divaukasaḥ

Shri Vasudeva said: Welcome, O gods and brahmins; this night has become a good dawn today. Tell me quickly what business brings you, and with whom are the dwellers of heaven displeased?

Verse 15 (skanda.5.202.15)

किं दुःखं कश्च संतापः कुतो वा भयमागतम्। कथयन्तु महाभागाः कारणं यन्मनोगतम्

kiṁ duḥkhaṁ kaśca saṁtāpaḥ kuto vā bhayamāgatam| kathayantu mahābhāgāḥ kāraṇaṁ yanmanogatam

What is your sorrow, what is your anguish, and from where has this fear come? O illustrious ones, tell me the cause that is on your mind.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.202.16)

पराभवः कृतो येन सोऽद्य यातु यमालयम्। एवमुक्तास्तु कृष्णेन कथयामासुरस्य तत्

parābhavaḥ kṛto yena so'dya yātu yamālayam| evamuktāstu kṛṣṇena kathayāmāsurasya tat

Whoever has brought about your defeat shall today go to the abode of Yama. Thus addressed by Krishna, they related the matter to him.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.202.17)

दर्शयन्तः स्वकान्देहान् लज्जमाना ह्यधोमुखाः। हृतराज्या ह्यन्धकेन कृता निस्तेजसः प्रभो

darśayantaḥ svakāndehān lajjamānā hyadhomukhāḥ| hṛtarājyā hyandhakena kṛtā nistejasaḥ prabho

Displaying their own bodies, ashamed, with faces cast down, they said: O lord, Andhaka has seized our kingdom and rendered us powerless.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.202.18)

पितेव पुत्रं परिरक्ष देव जहीन्द्रशत्रुं सह पुत्रपौत्रैः। तथेति चोक्तः कमलासनेन सुरासुरैर्वन्दितपादपद्मः

piteva putraṁ parirakṣa deva jahīndraśatruṁ saha putrapautraiḥ| tatheti coktaḥ kamalāsanena surāsurairvanditapādapadmaḥ

O god, protect us as a father protects his son, and destroy this enemy of Indra together with his sons and grandsons. Thus addressed by the lotus-seated Brahma, he whose lotus feet are venerated by gods and asuras alike said, 'So be it.'

Verse 19 (skanda.5.202.19)

शङ्खं चक्रं गदां चापं संगृह्य परमेश्वरः। उत्थितो भोगपर्यङ्काद्देवानां पुरतस्तदा

śaṅkhaṁ cakraṁ gadāṁ cāpaṁ saṁgṛhya parameśvaraḥ| utthito bhogaparyaṅkāddevānāṁ puratastadā

Taking up the conch, discus, mace, and bow, the supreme lord then rose from his serpent-couch before the gods.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.202.20)

श्रीवासुदेव उवाच। पाताले यदि वा मर्त्ये नाके वा यदि तिष्ठति। तं हनिष्याम्यहं पापं येन संतापिताः सुराः

śrīvāsudeva uvāca| pātāle yadi vā martye nāke vā yadi tiṣṭhati| taṁ haniṣyāmyahaṁ pāpaṁ yena santāpitāḥ surāḥ

Shri Vasudeva said: Whether he be in the netherworld, in the mortal realm, or in heaven, I shall slay that sinner who has tormented the gods.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.202.21)

स्वं स्थानं यान्तु गीर्वाणाः संतुष्टा भावितौजसः। विष्णोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्माद्यास्ते सवासवाः। स्वयानैस्तु हरिं नत्वा हृदि तुष्टा दिवं ययुः

svaṁ sthānaṁ yāntu gīrvāṇāḥ saṁtuṣṭā bhāvitaujasaḥ| viṣṇostadvacanaṁ śrutvā brahmādyāste savāsavāḥ| svayānaistu hariṁ natvā hṛdi tuṣṭā divaṁ yayuḥ

Let the gods, now satisfied and restored to their vigour, return to their own abodes. Hearing these words of Vishnu, Brahma and the rest, together with Vasava, bowing to Hari, mounted their own vehicles and, content at heart, departed for heaven.