The Battle with Varaha

Verse 1 (skanda.8.103.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ व्यास समां भूमिं संप्राप्तान्दानवर्षभान् । उवाच सर्वान् गम्भीरं मृगान्सिंह इवाजने

sanatkumāra uvāca | atha vyāsa samāṁ bhūmiṁ saṁprāptāndānavarṣabhān | uvāca sarvān gambhīraṁ mṛgānsiṁha ivājane

Sanatkumara said: Then, O Vyasa, he spoke gravely to all those bulls among the Danavas who had reached level ground, as a lion speaks to deer in an open field.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.103.2)

भवन्तो दानवाः सर्वे दैत्याश्च सुमहाबलाः । मया मृगेण समरे युध्यतां तु पुनर्भृशम्

bhavanto dānavāḥ sarve daityāśca sumahābalāḥ | mayā mṛgeṇa samare yudhyatāṁ tu punarbhṛśam

"You, all the Danavas, and the exceedingly mighty Daityas - fight again, with all your might, against me, a mere deer, in this battle."

Verse 3 (skanda.8.103.3)

न लज्जा समरेभ्येत्य युष्माकं दानवेश्वराः । अथवा न बलं वोस्ति मिथ्या देवा हि वो जिताः

na lajjā samarebhyetya yuṣmākaṁ dānaveśvarāḥ | athavā na balaṁ vosti mithyā devā hi vo jitāḥ

"Have you no shame, O lords of the Danavas, in coming to this battle against a mere beast? Or else you have no strength at all - false, then, was your claim of conquering the gods."

Verse 4 (skanda.8.103.4)

बहवो बलवन्तश्च मृगश्चाहं वनेचरः । न मन्ये धर्मयुद्धे वो मतिर्दानवसत्तमाः

bahavo balavantaśca mṛgaścāhaṁ vanecaraḥ | na manye dharmayuddhe vo matirdānavasattamāḥ

"You are many and mighty, while I am but a deer roaming the forest; I do not think, O best of the Danavas, that your mind is set on a righteous battle."

Verse 5 (skanda.8.103.5)

न ममास्ति धनुः किञ्चिन्न शस्त्रं च तथाविधम् । सशस्त्रैर्बहुभिर्येन युद्धेयमसुरेश्वराः

na mamāsti dhanuḥ kiñcinna śastraṁ ca tathāvidham | saśastrairbahubhiryena yuddheyamasureśvarāḥ

"I have no bow at all, O lords of the Asuras, nor any weapon of that kind, with which I might fight your many armed men."

Verse 6 (skanda.8.103.6)

ते यूयं यदि मन्यध्वं शस्त्राणि त्यजताधुना । मया चैकैकशः सर्वे युध्यध्वं न्यायमास्थिताः

te yūyaṁ yadi manyadhvaṁ śastrāṇi tyajatādhunā | mayā caikaikaśaḥ sarve yudhyadhvaṁ nyāyamāsthitāḥ

"If you agree, then cast aside your weapons now, and, standing upon fairness, fight with me, all of you, one at a time."

Verse 7 (skanda.8.103.7)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सोन्धको दानवेश्वरः । उवाच सर्वान्दैत्येन्द्रान् युगान्ताम्बुदवन्नदन्

sanatkumāra uvāca | tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā sondhako dānaveśvaraḥ | uvāca sarvāndaityendrān yugāntāmbudavannadan

Sanatkumara said: Having heard those words, Andhaka, lord of the Danavas, roaring like the clouds at the end of an age, said to all the lords of the Daityas:

Verse 8 (skanda.8.103.8)

एवमेतद्यथाहायं मृगोसुरमहारथाः । सन्त्यजामाद्य शस्त्राणि योधामैकैकशस्तथा

evametadyathāhāyaṁ mṛgosuramahārathāḥ | santyajāmādya śastrāṇi yodhāmaikaikaśastathā

"So be it, just as this deer has said, O great chariot-warriors of the Asuras; let us cast aside our weapons today, and fight one by one."

Verse 9 (skanda.8.103.9)

प्रह्लाद उवाच । अबुद्धिरेषा दैत्येन्द्रा यथाहायं मृगाधमः । समानानां समैस्सार्धमेतद्युद्धं प्रशस्यते

prahlāda uvāca | abuddhireṣā daityendrā yathāhāyaṁ mṛgādhamaḥ | samānānāṁ samaissārdhametadyuddhaṁ praśasyate

Prahlada said: "This is folly, O lords of the Daityas, this thing that the vile deer has said. Battle is praised only between equals matched with equals."

Verse 10 (skanda.8.103.10)

न मृगाणाञ्च शस्त्राणि न बाहुबलमित्युत । वध्यन्ते च सदा शस्त्रैरेष धर्मः सतां मतः

na mṛgāṇāñca śastrāṇi na bāhubalamityuta | vadhyante ca sadā śastraireṣa dharmaḥ satāṁ mataḥ

"Deer have neither weapons nor strength of arm; they are always slain with weapons - this is the dharma held by the virtuous."

Verse 11 (skanda.8.103.11)

ते वयं कथमुत्मृज्य स्वधर्मं दानवेश्वराः । मृगधर्मं समास्थाय युध्येम पशवो यथा

te vayaṁ kathamutmṛjya svadharmaṁ dānaveśvarāḥ | mṛgadharmaṁ samāsthāya yudhyema paśavo yathā

"How, then, O lords of the Danavas, should we abandon our own proper conduct and, adopting the way of a beast, fight as though we were animals?"

Verse 12 (skanda.8.103.12)

मृगाधमोयं दुर्वृत्त अवध्यो नास्मदादिभिः । मा विचारो वो मृगे भवतु सर्वशः

mṛgādhamoyaṁ durvṛtta avadhyo nāsmadādibhiḥ | mā vicāro vo mṛge bhavatu sarvaśaḥ

"This vile beast of evil conduct is not one to be slain by the likes of us" - part of this line is lost in the source manuscript - "let there be no further deliberation among you about this deer at all."

Verse 13 (skanda.8.103.13)

मायामास्थाय दुष्टात्मा कोप्ययं सुरपांसनः । अस्मान् वञ्चयितुं दैत्याः कांक्षते सुदुरात्मवान्

māyāmāsthāya duṣṭātmā kopyayaṁ surapāṁsanaḥ | asmān vañcayituṁ daityāḥ kāṁkṣate sudurātmavān

"O Daityas, resorting to illusion, this evil-souled, exceedingly wicked defiler of the gods desires only to deceive us."

Verse 14 (skanda.8.103.14)

क्व च श्रुतं वा दृष्टं वा मृगाणामसुरेश्वराः । मनुष्यवद्बाहुयुद्धं पुरुषैस्सह संयुगे

kva ca śrutaṁ vā dṛṣṭaṁ vā mṛgāṇāmasureśvarāḥ | manuṣyavadbāhuyuddhaṁ puruṣaissaha saṁyuge

"Where, O lords of the Asuras, has it ever been heard or seen that deer engage in hand-to-hand combat with men, like human beings, in battle?"

Verse 15 (skanda.8.103.15)

एष विष्णुर्दुराचारो दुरात्मा दैत्यकण्टकः । अशक्तः स्वेन वीर्येण मायामास्थाय संस्थितः

eṣa viṣṇurdurācāro durātmā daityakaṇṭakaḥ | aśaktaḥ svena vīryeṇa māyāmāsthāya saṁsthitaḥ

"This is Vishnu himself, of evil conduct, evil-souled, a thorn to the Daityas; unable to prevail by his own valour, he stands here resorting to illusion."

Verse 16 (skanda.8.103.16)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । ततस्तं बलवान् क्रुद्धो धनुषा सोसुरेश्वरः । शरैरवाकिरद् व्यास बहुभिर्विररास च

sanatkumāra uvāca | tatastaṁ balavān kruddho dhanuṣā sosureśvaraḥ | śarairavākirad vyāsa bahubhirvirarāsa ca

Sanatkumara said: Then that powerful lord of the Asuras, enraged, with his bow, showered him, O Vyasa, with many arrows, and roared loudly.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.103.17)

अन्धको विप्रचित्तिश्च सर्वे ते दैत्यदानवाः । अवाकिरन् शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः शतशोथ सहस्रशः

andhako vipracittiśca sarve te daityadānavāḥ | avākiran śaraistīkṣṇaiḥ śataśotha sahasraśaḥ

Andhaka, and Vipracitti, and all those Daityas and Danavas, showered him with sharp arrows by the hundreds and the thousands.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.103.18)

अथ दैवः सुसंरब्धैर्विद्धस्तैर्दानवैर्भृशम् । शुशुभे भास्करकरैः संविद्धो हिमवानिव

atha daivaḥ susaṁrabdhairviddhastairdānavairbhṛśam | śuśubhe bhāskarakaraiḥ saṁviddho himavāniva

Then that divine one, pierced violently by those furious Danavas, shone forth like the Himalaya struck all over by the sun's rays.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.103.19)

स वेगं बलवत् कृत्वा विधुन्वानः शरान् शितान् । सलीलं प्रययौ देवः प्रह्लादं प्रति दानवम्

sa vegaṁ balavat kṛtvā vidhunvānaḥ śarān śitān | salīlaṁ prayayau devaḥ prahlādaṁ prati dānavam

Gathering great force, and shaking off the sharpened arrows, that god advanced with ease toward the Danava Prahlada.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.103.20)

स गत्वा तस्य सहसा सारथिं रथमेव च । दंष्ट्राभिश्च कराभ्याञ्च नामशेषं चकार ह

sa gatvā tasya sahasā sārathiṁ rathameva ca | daṁṣṭrābhiśca karābhyāñca nāmaśeṣaṁ cakāra ha

Having gone there, he suddenly, with his tusks and with his hands, reduced his charioteer and his very chariot to nothing but a name.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.103.21)

ततो रथादवप्लुत्य हन्यमानोपि दानवैः । रथध्वजेन तं दैत्यं मूर्ध्नि देवोभिजघ्निवान्

tato rathādavaplutya hanyamānopi dānavaiḥ | rathadhvajena taṁ daityaṁ mūrdhni devobhijaghnivān

Then, leaping down from the chariot, though being struck by the Danavas, that god struck that Daitya on the head with the chariot's own banner-staff.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.103.22)

प्रह्लादोपि ततोत्पत्य गदया भीमरूपया । आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धं विघ्नो धर्मे यथा स्थितम्

prahlādopi tatotpatya gadayā bhīmarūpayā | ājaghānorasi kruddhaṁ vighno dharme yathā sthitam

Prahlada too, then leaping up, struck with his fearsome mace upon the chest of that enraged one, like an obstacle set against dharma itself.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.103.23)

स तेनाभिहतो देवो मुक्त्वा तस्य रथं तदा । तमेव देशमायातः पूर्वं यत्राभवत् स्थितः

sa tenābhihato devo muktvā tasya rathaṁ tadā | tameva deśamāyātaḥ pūrvaṁ yatrābhavat sthitaḥ

Struck by him, that god then let go of his opponent's chariot and returned to that very spot where he had stood before.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.103.24)

ततोन्धको विप्रचित्तिः शम्बरः कालशम्बरः । शरैराशीविषाकारैर्बिभिदुर्नन्दिवर्धनम्

tatondhako vipracittiḥ śambaraḥ kālaśambaraḥ | śarairāśīviṣākārairbibhidurnandivardhanam

Then Andhaka, Vipracitti, Shambara, and Kalashambara pierced Nandivardhana with arrows shaped like venomous serpents.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.103.25)

स विद्धस्तैस्तदा व्यास शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । भिद्यमानश्च बहुधा मण्डलानि चचार ह

sa viddhastaistadā vyāsa śaraiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ | bhidyamānaśca bahudhā maṇḍalāni cacāra ha

Pierced by them then, O Vyasa, with smooth-jointed arrows, and wounded in many places, he moved about in wheeling, circling patterns.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.103.26)

कदाचित् सिंहवच्चापि प्लवते नर्दतेपि च । शार्दूलवत् कदाचिच्च भूमावात्मानमाहवे

kadācit siṁhavaccāpi plavate nardatepi ca | śārdūlavat kadācicca bhūmāvātmānamāhave

Sometimes he would leap like a lion and roar; sometimes, like a tiger, he would fling himself down upon the ground in that battle.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.103.27)

वितत्य स महावीर्यस्तिष्ठते सायकान् सहन् । पादेन तत उत्थाय अवकीर्य वृषो यथा

vitatya sa mahāvīryastiṣṭhate sāyakān sahan | pādena tata utthāya avakīrya vṛṣo yathā

That being of great valour would stand still with his limbs outstretched, enduring the arrows; then, rising up on his feet, he would paw the ground, like a bull.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.103.28)

पक्षिवत्स तदाकाशे मण्डलानि मृगेश्वरः । भ्रमित्वा निश्चलस्तस्थौ वराहः पर्वतो यथा

pakṣivatsa tadākāśe maṇḍalāni mṛgeśvaraḥ | bhramitvā niścalastasthau varāhaḥ parvato yathā

Then, like a bird, that lord of beasts circled through the sky in wheeling patterns; and then that Boar stood motionless, like a mountain.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.103.29)

एवं बहुविधान् मार्गान् विचरित्वा महाबलः । वेगेनैव कराभ्यां स रथौ जग्राह नादयन्

evaṁ bahuvidhān mārgān vicaritvā mahābalaḥ | vegenaiva karābhyāṁ sa rathau jagrāha nādayan

Thus, having moved through many kinds of manoeuvres, that mighty one, roaring, swiftly seized two chariots with his two hands -

Verse 30 (skanda.8.103.30)

विप्रचित्तेश्च बलवानन्धकस्य च सुप्रभः । भ्रामयित्वा मुहूर्त्तं तौ सहाश्वैः सहसारथी

vipracitteśca balavānandhakasya ca suprabhaḥ | bhrāmayitvā muhūrttaṁ tau sahāśvaiḥ sahasārathī

- those of Vipracitti and of Andhaka - and that mighty, radiant one, having whirled those two, together with their horses and charioteers, for a moment,

Verse 31 (skanda.8.103.31)

भूमावुत्क्षिप्य चिक्षेप बभञ्ज च पुनः पदा । रथास्थितौ च तौ दैत्यौ पुनर्मूर्धन्यताडयत्

bhūmāvutkṣipya cikṣepa babhañja ca punaḥ padā | rathāsthitau ca tau daityau punarmūrdhanyatāḍayat

lifted them up, hurled them to the ground, and shattered them again with his foot; and those two Daityas, still standing there, he struck again upon the head.

Verse 32 (skanda.8.103.32)

तौ हतावतिसंक्रुद्धौ गदे चोद्यम्य वेगितौ । वराहं मूर्ध्नि युगपत्समाहत्य विनेदतुः

tau hatāvatisaṁkruddhau gade codyamya vegitau | varāhaṁ mūrdhni yugapatsamāhatya vinedatuḥ

Those two, thus struck, exceedingly enraged, swiftly raising their maces, struck the Boar simultaneously on the head, and roared.

Verse 33 (skanda.8.103.33)

ताभ्यां स बलवान् क्रुद्धो हस्ताभ्यां रक्तलोचनः । गदे जग्राह यत्ताभ्यां बलादेव मृगेश्वरः

tābhyāṁ sa balavān kruddho hastābhyāṁ raktalocanaḥ | gade jagrāha yattābhyāṁ balādeva mṛgeśvaraḥ

That powerful lord of beasts, enraged, his eyes red, alertly seized both those maces from their hands by sheer force, with his own two hands.

Verse 34 (skanda.8.103.34)

ततोचरन्मण्डलानि विविधानि जनार्दनः । गदाविशारदः सम्यग् विचित्राणि बहून्यपि

tatocaranmaṇḍalāni vividhāni janārdanaḥ | gadāviśāradaḥ samyag vicitrāṇi bahūnyapi

Then Janardana, truly skilled in mace-fighting, moved through many varied and wondrous circling strokes,

Verse 35 (skanda.8.103.35)

आक्षिप्तमथ विक्षिप्तमवाक्षिप्तञ्च मण्डलम् । उत्क्षिप्तमथ विक्षिप्तं विसृष्टं धावितं तथा

ākṣiptamatha vikṣiptamavākṣiptañca maṇḍalam | utkṣiptamatha vikṣiptaṁ visṛṣṭaṁ dhāvitaṁ tathā

the Akshipta, then the Vikshipta and the Avakshipta strokes; the Utkshipta, then the Vikshipta again, the Visrishta, and likewise the Dhavita -

Verse 36 (skanda.8.103.36)

परावृत्तं निवृत्तं च अर्धचन्द्रमथापि च । विष्टब्धं चोद्यतञ्चैव हंसोद्भ्रमितमेव च

parāvṛttaṁ nivṛttaṁ ca ardhacandramathāpi ca | viṣṭabdhaṁ codyatañcaiva haṁsodbhramitameva ca

- the Paravritta, the Nivritta, and also the Ardhachandra; the Vishtabdha, the Udyata, and likewise the Hamsodbhramita mace-strokes -

Verse 37 (skanda.8.103.37)

गदाविशारदः सम्यग् भ्रमित्वा मण्डलानि सः । गदामुपरि चिक्षेप सोन्धकस्य विनादयन्

gadāviśāradaḥ samyag bhramitvā maṇḍalāni saḥ | gadāmupari cikṣepa sondhakasya vinādayan

- having thus expertly circled through all these mace-strokes, he, skilled in mace-fighting, roaring, then hurled his mace down upon Andhaka.

Verse 38 (skanda.8.103.38)

अपरां विप्रचित्तेश्च बलवान्नन्दिवर्धनः । ते गदे तौ महावेगे दानवौ सुदुरासदौ

aparāṁ vipracitteśca balavānnandivardhanaḥ | te gade tau mahāvege dānavau sudurāsadau

And that powerful Nandivardhana hurled another mace at Vipracitti; those two maces, of tremendous force, struck those two Danavas, hard to approach though they were.

Verse 39 (skanda.8.103.39)

वञ्चयित्वा रणे भूयो वराहं प्रति दानवौ । आधावितौ यथा देशमुत्पातौ वेगिताविव

vañcayitvā raṇe bhūyo varāhaṁ prati dānavau | ādhāvitau yathā deśamutpātau vegitāviva

Having evaded that blow once more in battle, those two Danavas charged again at the Boar, like two swift portents rushing toward their mark.

Verse 40 (skanda.8.103.40)

तयोरापततोरेव वराहोसौ महाबलः । मुष्टिनान्धकमाहत्य विप्रचित्तिं पदावधीत्

tayorāpatatoreva varāhosau mahābalaḥ | muṣṭināndhakamāhatya vipracittiṁ padāvadhīt

As those two charged at him, that mighty Boar struck Andhaka with his fist, and struck down Vipracitti with his foot.

Verse 41 (skanda.8.103.41)

अन्धकस्तस्य मुष्टिं तं विप्रचित्तिः पदञ्च ह । क्रुद्धौ जगृहतुर्दैत्यौ हतस्त्वमिति वादिनौ

andhakastasya muṣṭiṁ taṁ vipracittiḥ padañca ha | kruddhau jagṛhaturdaityau hatastvamiti vādinau

Enraged, Andhaka seized that fist of his, and Vipracitti seized his foot, and those two Daityas, crying, "You are slain!" -

Verse 42 (skanda.8.103.42)

नादयानौ यथा काले कृष्णाविव बलाहकौ । स गृहीतस्तदा ताभ्यां महात्मा सुरसत्तमः

nādayānau yathā kāle kṛṣṇāviva balāhakau | sa gṛhītastadā tābhyāṁ mahātmā surasattamaḥ

- roared, like two dark storm-clouds in the rainy season. Then that great-souled, best of gods, seized by those two,

Verse 43 (skanda.8.103.43)

उत्पपात वियद् वेगात् पक्षिराडिव काश्यपः । वियत्स्थो विबभौ दैत्यावुद्वहन् स मृगेश्वरः

utpapāta viyad vegāt pakṣirāḍiva kāśyapaḥ | viyatstho vibabhau daityāvudvahan sa mṛgeśvaraḥ

leapt up into the sky with the speed of Kashyapa's son, the king of birds; that lord of beasts, standing in the sky, shone forth, bearing those two Daityas aloft.

Verse 44 (skanda.8.103.44)

गरुत्मानिव पक्षीशो भक्षार्थं गजकच्छपौ । विनद्य स तदाकाशे विधूय च करौ बली

garutmāniva pakṣīśo bhakṣārthaṁ gajakacchapau | vinadya sa tadākāśe vidhūya ca karau balī

Like Garutmat, lord of birds, bearing off an elephant and a tortoise for food, that mighty one, roaring there in the sky, and shaking his two hands -

Verse 45 (skanda.8.103.45)

पादञ्चैवाभिचिक्षेप तौ दैत्यौ भुजगाविव । तौ क्षिप्तौ प्रेक्ष्य तु व्यास दानवौ युद्धदुर्मदौ

pādañcaivābhicikṣepa tau daityau bhujagāviva | tau kṣiptau prekṣya tu vyāsa dānavau yuddhadurmadau

- and his foot too, flung those two Daityas away, like two serpents. Seeing those two Danavas, so intoxicated with battle, thus hurled away, O Vyasa -

Verse 46 (skanda.8.103.46)

अभियातौ महीं घोरावशनी खाच्च्युताविव । असावपि च देवेशो वराहो नन्दिवर्धनः । रथान्वै सर्वदैत्यानां चूर्णयामास वीर्यवान्

abhiyātau mahīṁ ghorāvaśanī khāccyutāviva | asāvapi ca deveśo varāho nandivardhanaḥ | rathānvai sarvadaityānāṁ cūrṇayāmāsa vīryavān

- they fell terrifyingly to earth, like two thunderbolts dropped from the sky. And that valorous lord of the gods, the Boar Nandivardhana, then crushed to powder the chariots of all the Daityas.

Verse 47 (skanda.8.103.47)

गृहीत्वा कूबरे कञ्चित् सोच्चिक्षेप महार्णवे । कञ्चित्पदा समाहत्य पांसुसायुज्यमानयत्

gṛhītvā kūbare kañcit soccikṣepa mahārṇave | kañcitpadā samāhatya pāṁsusāyujyamānayat

Seizing one by the chariot-pole, he flung him into the great ocean; another he struck with his foot and reduced to a union with dust.

Verse 48 (skanda.8.103.48)

कञ्चिद्रथं रथेनैव पदातिञ्च पदातिना । गजं गजेन चाहत्य स निन्ये यमसादनम्

kañcidrathaṁ rathenaiva padātiñca padātinā | gajaṁ gajena cāhatya sa ninye yamasādanam

Striking one chariot-warrior with a chariot itself, one footman with a footman, and one elephant with an elephant, he sent them all to the abode of Yama.

Verse 49 (skanda.8.103.49)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । तेपि विद्राविताः सर्वे लज्जां परमिकां गताः । दैत्यदानवशार्दूला विनिवृत्ता यथाबलाः

sanatkumāra uvāca | tepi vidrāvitāḥ sarve lajjāṁ paramikāṁ gatāḥ | daityadānavaśārdūlā vinivṛttā yathābalāḥ

Sanatkumara said: Those tigers among the Daityas and Danavas too, all put to flight, overcome with the deepest shame, turned back, each according to what strength remained to him.

Verse 50 (skanda.8.103.50)

एकेन सर्वे विजितासुरेन्द्राः परस्परं वीक्ष्य मुखानि शूराः । व्रीडान्वितास्ते पुनरेव देवं वराह

ekena sarve vijitāsurendrāḥ parasparaṁ vīkṣya mukhāni śūrāḥ | vrīḍānvitāste punareva devaṁ varāha

All those heroic lords of the Asuras, conquered by that one alone, looked upon one another's faces, and, overwhelmed with shame, turned once more toward that god, the Boar - the remainder of this verse is lost in the source manuscript.