The Battle Between the Gods and the Demons

Verse 1 (skanda.6.34.1)

ऋषयः उवाच । यदेतद्भवता प्रोक्तं तं मुनिं प्रति सूतज । त्वया पुरा सुरार्थाय प्रपीतः पयसांनिधिः

ṛṣayaḥ uvāca | yadetadbhavatā proktaṁ taṁ muniṁ prati sūtaja | tvayā purā surārthāya prapītaḥ payasāṁnidhiḥ

The sages said: O son of Suta, as for what you said regarding that sage -- that he once, for the sake of the gods, drank up the ocean --

Verse 2 (skanda.6.34.2)

तत्त्वं सूतज नो ब्रूहि विस्तरेण महामते । यथा तेन पुरा पीतो मुनिना पयसांनिधिः

tattvaṁ sūtaja no brūhi vistareṇa mahāmate | yathā tena purā pīto muninā payasāṁnidhiḥ

-- tell us that in full detail, O wise son of Suta, how that sage once drank up the ocean.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.34.3)

सूत उवाच । कालेया इति विख्याताः पुरा दानवसत्तमाः । संभूताः सर्वदेवानां वीर्योत्साहप्रणाशकाः

sūta uvāca | kāleyā iti vikhyātāḥ purā dānavasattamāḥ | saṁbhūtāḥ sarvadevānāṁ vīryotsāhapraṇāśakāḥ

Suta said: Long ago there arose foremost demons known as the Kaleyas, destroyers of the strength and vigor of all the gods.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.34.4)

ततस्तैः पीडितं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । त्रैलोक्यं शक्तियोगेन प्रोक्तो देवो महेश्वरः

tatastaiḥ pīḍitaṁ dṛṣṭvā viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | trailokyaṁ śaktiyogena prokto devo maheśvaraḥ

Then, seeing the three worlds tormented by them, the mighty Vishnu, through the power of yogic union, spoke to the great god Maheshvara --

Verse 5 (skanda.6.34.5)

एतदीशान दैतेयैस्त्रैलोक्यं परिपीडितम् । कालिकेयैर्महावीर्येस्तस्मात्कार्यो महाहवः । अद्यैव तैः समं देव समासाद्य धरातलम्

etadīśāna daiteyaistrailokyaṁ paripīḍitam | kālikeyairmahāvīryestasmātkāryo mahāhavaḥ | adyaiva taiḥ samaṁ deva samāsādya dharātalam

"O Ishana, these three worlds have been utterly tormented by the mighty Kalikeya demons; therefore, O god, this very day we must go down to the earth and wage great battle against them."

Verse 6 (skanda.6.34.6)

ततो विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च सहस्राक्षः सुरैः सह । शितशस्त्रधराः सर्वे संप्राप्ता धरणीतलम्

tato viṣṇuśca rudraśca sahasrākṣaḥ suraiḥ saha | śitaśastradharāḥ sarve saṁprāptā dharaṇītalam

Then Vishnu, Rudra, and thousand-eyed Indra, together with the gods, all bearing sharpened weapons, arrived upon the surface of the earth.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.34.7)

अथ ते दानवाः सर्वे श्रुत्वा देवान्समागतान् । युद्धार्थं सहसा जग्मुः संमुखाः कोपसंयुताः

atha te dānavāḥ sarve śrutvā devānsamāgatān | yuddhārthaṁ sahasā jagmuḥ saṁmukhāḥ kopasaṁyutāḥ

Then, hearing that the gods had arrived, all those demons, filled with rage, rushed at once to confront them for battle.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.34.8)

ततोऽभवन्महायुद्धं देवानां दानवैः सह । त्रैलोक्यं कंपितं येन समस्तं भयविह्वलम्

tato'bhavanmahāyuddhaṁ devānāṁ dānavaiḥ saha | trailokyaṁ kaṁpitaṁ yena samastaṁ bhayavihvalam

Then there arose so great a battle between gods and demons that the entire three worlds trembled and were thrown into terror.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.34.9)

अथ कालप्रभोनाम दानवो बलगर्वितः । स शक्रं पुरतो दृष्ट्वा वज्रोच्छ्रितकरं स्थितम् । प्रोवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं मेघगम्भीरनिःस्वनः

atha kālaprabhonāma dānavo balagarvitaḥ | sa śakraṁ purato dṛṣṭvā vajrocchritakaraṁ sthitam | provāca prahasanvākyaṁ meghagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ

Then the demon named Kalaprabha, swollen with pride in his strength, seeing Indra standing before him, thunderbolt raised, spoke laughing, his voice deep as a thundercloud --

Verse 10 (skanda.6.34.10)

मुंच वज्र सहस्राक्ष पश्यामि तव पौरुषम् । चिरात्प्राप्तोऽसि मे दृष्टिं दिष्ट्या त्वं त्रिदिवेश्वरः

muṁca vajra sahasrākṣa paśyāmi tava pauruṣam | cirātprāpto'si me dṛṣṭiṁ diṣṭyā tvaṁ tridiveśvaraḥ

"Loose your thunderbolt, thousand-eyed one, let me see your manhood! O lord of the third heaven, by good fortune you have at last, after so long, come within my sight."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.34.11)

ततश्चिक्षेप संक्रुद्धस्तस्य वज्रं शतक्रतुः । सोऽपि तल्लीलया धृत्वा जगृहे सव्यपाणिना

tataścikṣepa saṁkruddhastasya vajraṁ śatakratuḥ | so'pi tallīlayā dhṛtvā jagṛhe savyapāṇinā

Then Shatakratu, filled with fury, hurled his thunderbolt at him, but he, with effortless ease, caught it in his left hand.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.34.12)

ततः शक्रं समुद्दिश्य गदां गुर्वीं मुमोच सः । सर्वायसमयीं रौद्रां यमजिह्वामिवापराम्

tataḥ śakraṁ samuddiśya gadāṁ gurvīṁ mumoca saḥ | sarvāyasamayīṁ raudrāṁ yamajihvāmivāparām

Then, aiming at Indra, he hurled a heavy and terrible mace, made wholly of iron, like another tongue of Death himself.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.34.13)

तया हतः सहस्राक्षो विसंज्ञो रुधिरप्लुतः । ध्वजयष्टिं समाश्रित्य संनिविष्टो रथोपरि

tayā hataḥ sahasrākṣo visaṁjño rudhiraplutaḥ | dhvajayaṣṭiṁ samāśritya saṁniviṣṭo rathopari

Struck by it, thousand-eyed Indra lost consciousness, drenched in blood, and, clinging to his chariot's flagstaff, sank down upon his chariot.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.34.14)

अथ तं मातलिर्दृष्ट्वा विसंज्ञं वलघातिनम् । प्राङ्मुखं च रथं चक्रे संस्मरन्सारथेर्नयम्

atha taṁ mātalirdṛṣṭvā visaṁjñaṁ valaghātinam | prāṅmukhaṁ ca rathaṁ cakre saṁsmaransārathernayam

Seeing him, the slayer of Vala, thus unconscious, Matali, recalling the duties of a charioteer, turned the chariot away, its face forward toward retreat.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.34.15)

ततः पराङ्मुखीभूते रथे शक्रस्य संगरे । दुद्रुवुर्भयसंत्रस्ताः सर्वे देवाः समंततः

tataḥ parāṅmukhībhūte rathe śakrasya saṁgare | dudruvurbhayasaṁtrastāḥ sarve devāḥ samaṁtataḥ

Then, as Indra's chariot turned back in the midst of battle, all the gods, stricken with terror, fled in every direction.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.34.16)

आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा विश्वेदेवा मरुद्गणाः । व्रीडां विहाय विध्वस्ताः पृष्ठदेशे शितैः शरैः

ādityā vasavo rudrā viśvedevā marudgaṇāḥ | vrīḍāṁ vihāya vidhvastāḥ pṛṣṭhadeśe śitaiḥ śaraiḥ

The Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Vishvadevas, the troop of Maruts -- all, abandoning all shame, fled, wounded on their backs by sharp arrows.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.34.17)

अथ भग्नं बलं दृष्ट्वा दानवैर्मधुसूदनः । आरुह्य गरुडं तूर्णं कालप्रभमुपाद्रवत्

atha bhagnaṁ balaṁ dṛṣṭvā dānavairmadhusūdanaḥ | āruhya garuḍaṁ tūrṇaṁ kālaprabhamupādravat

Seeing the army routed by the demons, Madhusudana, mounting Garuda, swiftly rushed at Kalaprabha.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.34.18)

ततस्ते दानवाः सर्वे परिवार्य शितैः शरैः । सम्यगाच्छादयामासुर्गर्जमाना मुहुर्मुहुः

tataste dānavāḥ sarve parivārya śitaiḥ śaraiḥ | samyagācchādayāmāsurgarjamānā muhurmuhuḥ

Then all those demons, surrounding him on every side, roaring again and again, began to cover him entirely with their sharp arrows.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.34.19)

स तैराच्छादितो विष्णुः शुशुभे च समंततः । सम्यक्पुलकितांगश्च रक्ताचल इवापरः

sa tairācchādito viṣṇuḥ śuśubhe ca samaṁtataḥ | samyakpulakitāṁgaśca raktācala ivāparaḥ

Covered thus by them, Vishnu, his body thrilling with delight, shone forth on every side like some other crimson mountain.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.34.20)

ततः शार्ङ्गविनिर्मुक्तैः शरैः कंकपतत्रिभिः । छेदयित्वेषुजालानि दैतेयान्निजघान सः

tataḥ śārṅgavinirmuktaiḥ śaraiḥ kaṁkapatatribhiḥ | chedayitveṣujālāni daiteyānnijaghāna saḥ

Then, with arrows fletched with vulture feathers loosed from his bow Sharnga, he cut through the mass of enemy shafts and slew the demons.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.34.21)

ततो दैत्यगणाः सर्वे हन्यमाना सुरारिणा । त्रातारं नाभ्यगच्छंत मृगाः सिंहार्दिता इव

tato daityagaṇāḥ sarve hanyamānā surāriṇā | trātāraṁ nābhyagacchaṁta mṛgāḥ siṁhārditā iva

Then all the hosts of demons, being slain by the enemy of the gods' foes, found no protector, like deer harried by a lion.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.34.22)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे दैत्यः कालखंज इति स्मृतः । स कोपवशमापन्नो वासुदेवमुपाद्रवत्

etasminnaṁtare daityaḥ kālakhaṁja iti smṛtaḥ | sa kopavaśamāpanno vāsudevamupādravat

Meanwhile, a demon named Kalakhanja, overcome by rage, rushed at Vasudeva.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.34.23)

स हत्वा पञ्चभिर्बाणैर्वासुदेवं शिलाशितैः । जघान गरुडं क्रुद्धो दशभिर्नतपर्वभिः

sa hatvā pañcabhirbāṇairvāsudevaṁ śilāśitaiḥ | jaghāna garuḍaṁ kruddho daśabhirnataparvabhiḥ

He struck Vasudeva with five arrows sharpened on stone, and, in his fury, wounded Garuda too with ten shafts of smooth-jointed reed.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.34.24)

ततः सुदर्शनं चक्रं तस्य दैत्यस्य माधवः । प्रमुमोच वधार्थाय ज्वालामालासमावृतम्

tataḥ sudarśanaṁ cakraṁ tasya daityasya mādhavaḥ | pramumoca vadhārthāya jvālāmālāsamāvṛtam

Then Madhava loosed his discus Sudarshana at that demon to slay him, a discus wreathed all about with garlands of flame.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.34.25)

सोऽपि तच्चक्रमालोक्य वासुदेवकराच्च्युतम् । आगच्छंतं प्रसार्यास्यं ग्रस्तुं तत्संमुखो ययौ

so'pi taccakramālokya vāsudevakarāccyutam | āgacchaṁtaṁ prasāryāsyaṁ grastuṁ tatsaṁmukho yayau

That demon, too, seeing the discus loosed from Vasudeva's hand come flying toward him, opened wide his mouth and advanced to swallow it.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.34.26)

अग्रसच्च महादैत्यस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् । वासुदेवं समुद्दिश्य ततश्चिक्षेप सायकान्

agrasacca mahādaityastiṣṭhatiṣṭheti cābravīt | vāsudevaṁ samuddiśya tataścikṣepa sāyakān

That great demon swallowed the discus whole, and, crying "Stand, stand!", began loosing his arrows at Vasudeva.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.34.27)

ततश्चक्री स दैत्येन ग्रस्तचक्रेण ताडितः । सुपर्णेन समायुक्तो जगाम विषमां व्यथाम्

tataścakrī sa daityena grastacakreṇa tāḍitaḥ | suparṇena samāyukto jagāma viṣamāṁ vyathām

Then that wielder of the discus, struck by the blows of the demon who had swallowed his own weapon, together with his eagle Suparna, was plunged into severe distress.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.34.28)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे क्रुद्धो भगवांस्त्रिपुरांतकः । दृष्ट्वा हरिं तथाभूतं शक्रं चापि पराङ्मुखम्

etasminnaṁtare kruddho bhagavāṁstripurāṁtakaḥ | dṛṣṭvā hariṁ tathābhūtaṁ śakraṁ cāpi parāṅmukham

Meanwhile, the blessed destroyer of Tripura, seeing Hari brought to such a state, and Indra too turned in retreat, grew wrathful.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.34.29)

ततः शूलप्रहारेण तं निहत्य दनोः सुतम् । शरैः पिनाकनिर्मुक्तैर्जघानोच्चैस्तथा परान्

tataḥ śūlaprahāreṇa taṁ nihatya danoḥ sutam | śaraiḥ pinākanirmuktairjaghānoccaistathā parān

Then, with a blow of his trident, he slew that son of Danu, and with arrows loosed from his bow Pinaka struck down the other demons as well, mightily.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.34.30)

कालप्रभं प्रकालं च कालास्यं कालविग्रहम् । जघान भगवाञ्छंभुस्तथान्यानपि नायकान्

kālaprabhaṁ prakālaṁ ca kālāsyaṁ kālavigraham | jaghāna bhagavāñchaṁbhustathānyānapi nāyakān

The blessed Shambhu slew Kalaprabha, Prakala, Kalasya, and Kalavigraha, and the other leaders as well.

Verse 31 (skanda.6.34.31)

ततः प्रधानास्ते सर्वे दानवा अपिदारुणाः । पलायनपरा जाता निरुत्साहा द्विषज्जये

tataḥ pradhānāste sarve dānavā apidāruṇāḥ | palāyanaparā jātā nirutsāhā dviṣajjaye

Then all those chief and formidable demons, losing all heart, gave up hope of victory over their foe and took to flight.

Verse 32 (skanda.6.34.32)

ततः शक्रश्च विष्णुश्च लब्धसंज्ञौ धृतायुधौ । श्लाघयंतौ महादेवं संस्थितौ रणमूर्धनि

tataḥ śakraśca viṣṇuśca labdhasaṁjñau dhṛtāyudhau | ślāghayaṁtau mahādevaṁ saṁsthitau raṇamūrdhani

Then Indra and Vishnu, having regained their senses, weapons in hand, stood at the forefront of the battlefield, praising the great god.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.34.33)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे भग्नान्समुद्वीक्ष्य दनोः सुतान् । जघ्नुः शरशतैः शस्त्रैः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः

etasminnaṁtare bhagnānsamudvīkṣya danoḥ sutān | jaghnuḥ śaraśataiḥ śastraiḥ sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ

Meanwhile, seeing the sons of Danu routed, all the gods, together with Indra, struck them down with hundreds of arrows and weapons.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.34.34)

अथ ते हतभूयिष्ठा दानवा बलवत्तराः । हन्यमानाः शितैर्बाणैस्त्रिदशैर्जितकाशिभिः

atha te hatabhūyiṣṭhā dānavā balavattarāḥ | hanyamānāḥ śitairbāṇaistridaśairjitakāśibhiḥ

Then those very powerful demons, most of them already slain, being struck down by the sharp arrows of the triumphant gods,

Verse 35 (skanda.6.34.35)

अगम्यं मनसा तेषां प्रविष्टा वरुणालयम् । शस्त्रैश्च क्षतसर्वांगा हतनाथाः सुदुःखिताः

agamyaṁ manasā teṣāṁ praviṣṭā varuṇālayam | śastraiśca kṣatasarvāṁgā hatanāthāḥ suduḥkhitāḥ

-- their every limb wounded by weapons, bereft of their leaders, and utterly wretched, entered the abode of Varuna, the ocean, a place beyond the reach even of thought.