The Glory of Chyavaneshvara: The Birth of the Demon Mada

Verse 1 (skanda.7.282.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततः श्रुत्वा च शर्यातिर्वलभीस्थान संस्थितः। वयस्थं च्यवनं श्रुत्वा आनन्दोद्गतमानसः

īśvara uvāca| tataḥ śrutvā ca śaryātirvalabhīsthāna saṁsthitaḥ| vayasthaṁ cyavanaṁ śrutvā ānandodgatamānasaḥ

Ishvara said: Then, hearing that Chyavana had regained his youthful age, Sharyati, who resided at Valabhisthana, his heart welling up with joy —

Verse 2 (skanda.7.282.2)

प्रहृष्टः सेनया सार्द्धं स प्रायाद्भार्गवाश्रमम्। च्यवनं च सुकन्यां च हृष्टां देव सुतामिव

prahṛṣṭaḥ senayā sārddhaṁ sa prāyādbhārgavāśramam| cyavanaṁ ca sukanyāṁ ca hṛṣṭāṁ deva sutāmiva

— greatly delighted, went together with his army to the hermitage of the descendant of Bhrigu, to see Chyavana and the joyful Sukanya, who looked like the daughter of a god.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.282.3)

गतो महीपः शर्यातिः कृत्स्नानंदमहोदधिः। ऋषिणा सत्कृतस्तेन सभार्यः पृथिवीपतिः। तत्रोपविष्टः कल्याणीः कथाश्चक्रे महामनाः

gato mahīpaḥ śaryātiḥ kṛtsnānaṁdamahodadhiḥ| ṛṣiṇā satkṛtastena sabhāryaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ| tatropaviṣṭaḥ kalyāṇīḥ kathāścakre mahāmanāḥ

King Sharyati arrived there, as if plunged into a whole ocean of delight; honored by that sage, the lord of the earth, together with his wife, sat there, and that great-minded one engaged in auspicious conversation.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.282.4)

अथैनं भार्गवो देवि ह्युवाच परिसांत्वयन्। याजयिष्यामि राजंस्त्वां संभारानुपकल्पय

athainaṁ bhārgavo devi hyuvāca parisāṁtvayan| yājayiṣyāmi rājaṁstvāṁ saṁbhārānupakalpaya

Then, O Goddess, the descendant of Bhrigu, consoling him, said: 'O king, I shall perform a sacrifice for you; prepare the materials.'

Verse 5 (skanda.7.282.5)

ततः परमसंहृष्टः शर्यातिः पृथिवीपतिः। च्यवनस्य महादेवि तद्वाक्यं प्रत्यपूजयत्

tataḥ paramasaṁhṛṣṭaḥ śaryātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ| cyavanasya mahādevi tadvākyaṁ pratyapūjayat

Then, greatly delighted, Sharyati, lord of the earth, O great Goddess, honored and accepted Chyavana's words.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.282.6)

प्रशस्तेऽहनि याज्ञीये सर्वकामसमृद्धिमत्। कारयामास शर्यातिर्यज्ञायतनमुत्तमम्

praśaste'hani yājñīye sarvakāmasamṛddhimat| kārayāmāsa śaryātiryajñāyatanamuttamam

On an auspicious day fit for sacrifice, Sharyati had a supreme sacrificial precinct constructed, abounding in every requisite.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.282.7)

तत्रैव च्यवनो देवि याजयामास भार्गवम्। अद्भुतानि च तत्रासन्यानि तानि महेश्वरि

tatraiva cyavano devi yājayāmāsa bhārgavam| adbhutāni ca tatrāsanyāni tāni maheśvari

There indeed, O Goddess, Chyavana, the descendant of Bhrigu, performed the sacrifice; and there occurred wondrous things, O great Goddess.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.282.8)

अगृह्णाच्च्यवनः सोममश्विनोर्देवयोस्तदा। तमिन्द्रो वारयामास मा गृहाण तयोर्ग्रहम्

agṛhṇāccyavanaḥ somamaśvinordevayostadā| tamindro vārayāmāsa mā gṛhāṇa tayorgraham

Chyavana then took up the Soma-cup for the two divine Ashvins; Indra stopped him: 'Do not take up their share of the libation.'

Verse 9 (skanda.7.282.9)

इन्द्र उवाच। उभावेतौ न सोमार्हौ नासत्याविति मे मतिः। भिषजौ देवतानां हि कर्मणा तेन गर्हितौ

indra uvāca| ubhāvetau na somārhau nāsatyāviti me matiḥ| bhiṣajau devatānāṁ hi karmaṇā tena garhitau

Indra said: 'In my opinion, both these Nasatyas are not worthy of Soma; for, being the physicians of the gods, they are held in contempt on account of that work.'

Verse 10 (skanda.7.282.10)

च्यवन उवाच। माऽवमंस्था महात्मानौ रूपद्रविणवर्चसौ। यौ चक्रतुश्च मामद्य वृंदारकमिवाजरम्

cyavana uvāca| mā'vamaṁsthā mahātmānau rūpadraviṇavarcasau| yau cakratuśca māmadya vṛṁdārakamivājaram

Chyavana said: 'Do not disrespect those two great souls, endowed with beauty, wealth, and splendor, who today made me ageless, like a god.'

Verse 11 (skanda.7.282.11)

समत्वेनान्यदेवानां कथं वै नेक्षते भवान्। अश्विनावपि देवेन्द्र देवौ विद्धि परंतप

samatvenānyadevānāṁ kathaṁ vai nekṣate bhavān| aśvināvapi devendra devau viddhi paraṁtapa

'How is it that you do not regard them as equal to the other gods? O Indra, O scorcher of foes, know that the two Ashvins are gods too.'

Verse 12 (skanda.7.282.12)

इन्द्र उवाच। चिकित्सकौ कर्मकरौ कामरूपसमन्वितौ। लोके चरंतौ मर्त्यानां कथं सोममिहार्हतः

indra uvāca| cikitsakau karmakarau kāmarūpasamanvitau| loke caraṁtau martyānāṁ kathaṁ somamihārhataḥ

Indra said: 'They are physicians, laborers, though endowed with the power to take any form at will, who wander in the world among mortals — how are they worthy of Soma here?'

Verse 13 (skanda.7.282.13)

ईश्वर उवाच। एतदेव यदा वाक्यमाम्रेडयति वासवः। अनादृत्य ततः शक्रं ग्रहं जग्राह भार्गवः

īśvara uvāca| etadeva yadā vākyamāmreḍayati vāsavaḥ| anādṛtya tataḥ śakraṁ grahaṁ jagrāha bhārgavaḥ

Ishvara said: When Vasava kept repeating this very statement, the descendant of Bhrigu, disregarding Shakra, took up the Soma-cup.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.282.14)

ग्रहीष्यंतं ततः सोममश्विनोः सत्तमं तदा। समीक्ष्य बलभिद्देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

grahīṣyaṁtaṁ tataḥ somamaśvinoḥ sattamaṁ tadā| samīkṣya balabhiddeva idaṁ vacanamabravīt

Then, seeing that most excellent one about to take the Soma-cup for the two Ashvins, the god who split Bala (Indra) spoke these words:

Verse 15 (skanda.7.282.15)

आभ्यामर्थाय सोमं त्वं ग्रहीष्यसि यदि स्वयम्। वज्रं ते प्रहरिष्यामि घोररूपमनुत्तमम्

ābhyāmarthāya somaṁ tvaṁ grahīṣyasi yadi svayam| vajraṁ te prahariṣyāmi ghorarūpamanuttamam

'If you yourself take up the Soma for the sake of these two, I shall hurl at you my thunderbolt, terrible in form and unsurpassed.'

Verse 16 (skanda.7.282.16)

एवमुक्तः स्वयमिन्द्रमभिवीक्ष्य स भार्गवः। जग्राह विधिवत्सोममश्विभ्यामुत्तमं ग्रहम्

evamuktaḥ svayamindramabhivīkṣya sa bhārgavaḥ| jagrāha vidhivatsomamaśvibhyāmuttamaṁ graham

Thus addressed, that descendant of Bhrigu, looking directly at Indra himself, took up, according to rule, the supreme Soma-cup for the two Ashvins.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.282.17)

ततोऽस्मै प्राहरत्कोपाद्वज्रमिंद्रः शचीपतिः। तस्य प्रहरतो बाहुं स्तंभयामास भार्गवः

tato'smai prāharatkopādvajramiṁdraḥ śacīpatiḥ| tasya praharato bāhuṁ staṁbhayāmāsa bhārgavaḥ

Then Indra, husband of Shachi, in anger, hurled his thunderbolt at him; but the descendant of Bhrigu paralyzed the arm of that one who was striking.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.282.18)

स्तंभयित्वाथ च्यवनो जुहुवे मन्त्रतोऽनलम्। कृत्यार्थी सुमहातेजा देवं हिंसितुमुद्यतः

staṁbhayitvātha cyavano juhuve mantrato'nalam| kṛtyārthī sumahātejā devaṁ hiṁsitumudyataḥ

Having paralyzed the arm, Chyavana, of very great splendor, then made an oblation into the fire with mantras, desiring to create a kritya, intent upon harming the god.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.282.19)

तत्र कृत्योद्भवो यज्ञे मुनेस्तस्य तपोबलात्। मदोनाम महावीर्यो महाकायो महासुरः

tatra kṛtyodbhavo yajñe munestasya tapobalāt| madonāma mahāvīryo mahākāyo mahāsuraḥ

There, in that sacrifice, by the power of that sage's austerity, from the kritya-rite there arose a great demon of immense might and immense body, named Mada.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.282.20)

शरीरं यस्य निर्देष्टुमशक्यं च सुरासुरैः। तस्य प्रमाणं वपुषा न तुल्यमिह विद्यते

śarīraṁ yasya nirdeṣṭumaśakyaṁ ca surāsuraiḥ| tasya pramāṇaṁ vapuṣā na tulyamiha vidyate

His body could not even be described by gods and demons; there existed nothing here equal in size to his form.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.282.21)

तस्यास्यं चाभवेद्घोरं दंष्ट्रा दुर्दर्शनं महत्। हनुरेकः स्थितस्तस्य भूमावेको दिवं गतः

tasyāsyaṁ cābhavedghoraṁ daṁṣṭrā durdarśanaṁ mahat| hanurekaḥ sthitastasya bhūmāveko divaṁ gataḥ

His mouth was terrible, huge, and dreadful to behold, with great fangs; one of his jaws rested upon the earth, and the other reached to the sky.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.282.22)

चतस्रश्चापि ता दंष्ट्रा योजनानां शतंशतम्। इतरे त्वस्य दशना बभूबुर्दशयोजनाः

catasraścāpi tā daṁṣṭrā yojanānāṁ śataṁśatam| itare tvasya daśanā babhūburdaśayojanāḥ

Those four fangs of his were each a hundred hundred yojanas long, while his other teeth were ten yojanas each.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.282.23)

प्राकारसदृशाकारा मूलाग्रसमदर्शनाः। नाम्ना पर्वतसंकाशाश्चायुतायुतयोजनाः

prākārasadṛśākārā mūlāgrasamadarśanāḥ| nāmnā parvatasaṁkāśāścāyutāyutayojanāḥ

They were shaped like ramparts, appearing uniform from base to tip, veritably resembling mountains, each ten thousand times ten thousand yojanas in extent.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.282.24)

नेत्रे रविशशिप्रख्ये भ्रुवावंतकसन्निभे। लेलिहज्जिह्वया वक्त्रं विद्युच्चलितलोलया। व्यात्ताननो घोरदृष्टिर्ग्रसन्निव जगद्बलात्

netre raviśaśiprakhye bhruvāvaṁtakasannibhe| lelihajjihvayā vaktraṁ vidyuccalitalolayā| vyāttānano ghoradṛṣṭirgrasanniva jagadbalāt

His two eyes resembled the sun and moon, his eyebrows resembled Death; with a tongue flickering and darting like lightning, his mouth gaping, with a terrible gaze, as if forcibly swallowing the whole world,

Verse 25 (skanda.7.282.25)

स भक्षयिष्यन्संक्रुद्धः शतक्रतुमुपाद्रवत्। महता घोरनादेन लोकाञ्छब्देन छादयन्

sa bhakṣayiṣyansaṁkruddhaḥ śatakratumupādravat| mahatā ghoranādena lokāñchabdena chādayan

he, enraged and intent on devouring him, rushed at Shatakratu (Indra), covering all the worlds with the sound of his tremendous, terrible roar.