Shankukarna Wrestles Vritra

Verse 1 (skanda.8.140.1)

शंकुकर्ण तु धावन्तं जम्भं प्रति महाबलः । वृत्रोऽभ्यधावत्तं हन्तुं पंचानन इव द्विपम् ।।

śaṁkukarṇa tu dhāvantaṁ jambhaṁ prati mahābalaḥ | vṛtro'bhyadhāvattaṁ hantuṁ paṁcānana iva dvipam ||

As mighty Shankukarna charged toward Jambha, Vritra rushed at him to slay him, as a lion charges an elephant.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.140.2)

उत्सृज्य शंकुकर्णोऽपि जम्भं गणपपुंगवः । वृत्रमेवाभिदुद्राव विघातो वै दमं यथा ।।

utsṛjya śaṁkukarṇo'pi jambhaṁ gaṇapapuṁgavaḥ | vṛtramevābhidudrāva vighāto vai damaṁ yathā ||

Shankukarna, bull among the gana-lords, likewise let Jambha be and charged straight at Vritra, as an obstacle rushes upon self-restraint.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.140.3)

परिघेणाहनच्चैनं शंकुकर्णो गणेश्वरः । महागिरिं यथा शक्रो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ।।

parigheṇāhanaccainaṁ śaṁkukarṇo gaṇeśvaraḥ | mahāgiriṁ yathā śakro vajreṇa śataparvaṇā ||

The gana-lord Shankukarna struck him with that iron mace, as Indra strikes a great mountain with his hundred-jointed thunderbolt.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.140.4)

वृत्रोऽपि चाथ दैत्येन्द्रः परिघेणायसेन वै । ब्रभ्राम ताडितोऽत्यर्थं वायुनुन्न इव द्रुमः ।।

vṛtro'pi cātha daityendraḥ parigheṇāyasena vai | brabhrāma tāḍito'tyarthaṁ vāyununna iva drumaḥ ||

And Vritra, lord of the daityas, struck hard by that iron mace, reeled about like a tree shaken by the wind.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.140.5)

स तेन सुप्रहारेण रुधिरस्रावचित्रितः । स्वर्णधातुरसोद्गारी नीलाचल इवाबभौ ।।

sa tena suprahāreṇa rudhirasrāvacitritaḥ | svarṇadhāturasodgārī nīlācala ivābabhau ||

Streaked with blood from that great blow, he shone like a dark blue mountain oozing streams of golden ore.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.140.6)

वृत्रे घूर्णति दैत्येन्द्रे परिघाभिहते भृशम् । विनेदुर्देवगन्धर्वाः पूजयन्तो गणेश्वरम् ।।

vṛtre ghūrṇati daityendre parighābhihate bhṛśam | vinedurdevagandharvāḥ pūjayanto gaṇeśvaram ||

As the daitya-lord Vritra, sorely battered by the mace, reeled, the gods and gandharvas raised a shout of triumph, praising the gana-lord.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.140.7)

ततश्चिरात्समाश्वस्य वृत्रो दानवपुङ्गवः । गिरेः शृङ्गं समुत्पाट्य शंकुकर्णमधावत ।।

tataścirātsamāśvasya vṛtro dānavapuṅgavaḥ | gireḥ śṛṅgaṁ samutpāṭya śaṁkukarṇamadhāvata ||

After a long while, recovering his senses, Vritra, foremost of demons, tore up a mountain peak and charged at Shankukarna.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.140.8)

स तस्य तत्सवृक्षर्क्षं सधातूपलपन्नगम् । गणेश्वरायाचलाग्रं चिक्षेप च ररास च ।।

sa tasya tatsavṛkṣarkṣaṁ sadhātūpalapannagam | gaṇeśvarāyācalāgraṁ cikṣepa ca rarāsa ca ||

That mountain-peak, with its trees and bears, its ores, rocks and serpents, he hurled at the gana-lord, roaring as he threw.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.140.9)

तद्वृत्रभुजनिर्मुक्तं गिर्यग्रशिखरं महत् । बिभेद नन्दी वज्रेण केशरीव मतङ्गजम् ।।

tadvṛtrabhujanirmuktaṁ giryagraśikharaṁ mahat | bibheda nandī vajreṇa keśarīva mataṅgajam ||

That huge mountain-peak, hurled from Vritra's arm, Nandi split apart with his thunderbolt, as a lion rends an elephant.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.140.10)

अथ तौ गणदैत्येन्द्रौ भुजैर्भुजगकोपनौ । समेतौ घोरसंह्रादौ नियुद्धकुशलावुभौ ।।

atha tau gaṇadaityendrau bhujairbhujagakopanau | sametau ghorasaṁhrādau niyuddhakuśalāvubhau ||

Then those two — the lord of the ganas and the lord of the daityas, their arms coiling in fury like serpents, both skilled in wrestling — closed together with a terrible roar.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.140.11)

निष्टनन्ताविवादित्यौ दीप्यमानाविवानलौ । गर्जमानाविव घनौ बृहन्ताविव कुञ्जरौ ।।

niṣṭanantāvivādityau dīpyamānāvivānalau | garjamānāviva ghanau bṛhantāviva kuñjarau ||

Like two roaring suns, like two blazing fires, like two thundering clouds, like two towering elephants —

Verse 12 (skanda.8.140.12)

मत्ताविव च शार्दूलौ निःश्वसन्ताविवोरगौ । नर्दमानौ यथा सिंहौ वल्गमानौ वृषाविव ।।

mattāviva ca śārdūlau niḥśvasantāvivoragau | nardamānau yathā siṁhau valgamānau vṛṣāviva ||

like two furious tigers, like two hissing serpents, like two roaring lions, like two leaping bulls —

Verse 13 (skanda.8.140.13)

चलन्ताविव शैलेन्द्रौ घूर्णमानाविवार्णवौ । पूरयन्तौ यथा मेघौ स्पर्धन्तौ मकराविव ।।

calantāviva śailendrau ghūrṇamānāvivārṇavau | pūrayantau yathā meghau spardhantau makarāviva ||

like two great mountains on the move, like two heaving oceans, like two clouds swelling with rain, like two crocodiles vying with one another —

Verse 14 (skanda.8.140.14)

इत्येवं शंकुकर्णश्च वृत्रश्चासुरपुंगवः । प्रयुद्धौ युद्धकुशलौ परस्परजिघांसया ।।

ityevaṁ śaṁkukarṇaśca vṛtraścāsurapuṁgavaḥ | prayuddhau yuddhakuśalau parasparajighāṁsayā ||

— so Shankukarna and Vritra, bull among the asuras, both masters of combat, grappled with each other, each bent on the other's death.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.140.15)

मुष्टिभिर्वज्रकल्पैश्च तलैश्चाशनिसन्निभैः । पादप्रहारैर्घोरैश्च ऊर्ध्वमुत्क्षेपणैस्तथा ।।

muṣṭibhirvajrakalpaiśca talaiścāśanisannibhaiḥ | pādaprahārairghoraiśca ūrdhvamutkṣepaṇaistathā ||

With fists hard as thunderbolts, with slaps fierce as lightning, with terrible kicks, and with throws that hurled each other aloft —

Verse 16 (skanda.8.140.16)

आक्षेपैरथ विक्षेपैः कर्षणैरपकर्षणैः । पौरुषाख्यापनैरुग्रैर्नामसंश्रावणैरपि ।।

ākṣepairatha vikṣepaiḥ karṣaṇairapakarṣaṇaiḥ | pauruṣākhyāpanairugrairnāmasaṁśrāvaṇairapi ||

with grapples and throws, with hauling and wrenching, with fierce boasts of manhood, and with taunting cries of their own names —

Verse 17 (skanda.8.140.17)

करजाग्रप्रतुदनैर्गलग्रहणनिग्रहैः । सिंहनादैः सवादित्रैर्वृक्षशैलशिलोपलैः ।।

karajāgrapratudanairgalagrahaṇanigrahaiḥ | siṁhanādaiḥ savāditrairvṛkṣaśailaśilopalaiḥ ||

with jabbing fingernails, with throttling grips upon the throat, with lion-roars amid the din of instruments, and with trees, mountain-crags, rocks and boulders besides — thus they fought on.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.140.18)

शंकुकर्णो गणाध्यक्षः स च वृत्रो दनोस्सुतः । जघ्नतुस्तावथान्योन्यमन्योन्यस्यान्तरैषिणौ ।।

śaṁkukarṇo gaṇādhyakṣaḥ sa ca vṛtro danossutaḥ | jaghnatustāvathānyonyamanyonyasyāntaraiṣiṇau ||

Shankukarna, chief of the ganas, and Vritra, son of Danu, each seeking an opening in the other, struck at one another again and again.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.140.19)

शंकुकर्णेन वृत्रस्तु दृढमूल इव द्रुमः । हस्तावबन्धनोत्क्षिप्तः सहसा पातितः क्षितौ ।।

śaṁkukarṇena vṛtrastu dṛḍhamūla iva drumaḥ | hastāvabandhanotkṣiptaḥ sahasā pātitaḥ kṣitau ||

Shankukarna gripped Vritra with both hands, lifted him up as though he were a deep-rooted tree, and suddenly flung him to the ground.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.140.20)

ततो गणेश्वरबले दानवानां तथा बले । साधुशब्दो बभूवोच्चैर्वृत्रे तु विनिपातिते ।।

tato gaṇeśvarabale dānavānāṁ tathā bale | sādhuśabdo babhūvoccairvṛtre tu vinipātite ||

When Vritra fell thus, a loud cry of 'well done!' rose both from the army of the gana-lords and from the army of the demons.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.140.21)

मुष्टिना तमथाहत्य वृत्रं भुवि निपात्य च । शंकुकर्णो ह्यपक्रान्तो देहाज्जीव इवाशुगः ।।

muṣṭinā tamathāhatya vṛtraṁ bhuvi nipātya ca | śaṁkukarṇo hyapakrānto dehājjīva ivāśugaḥ ||

Having struck him with his fist and cast Vritra to the ground, Shankukarna swiftly withdrew, as swiftly as the life-breath departs the body.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.140.22)

वृत्रस्तु सुमहावीर्यो मुष्टिताडनविह्वलः । इन्द्रकेतुरिवोत्तस्थौ दुद्राव च गणेश्वरम् ।।

vṛtrastu sumahāvīryo muṣṭitāḍanavihvalaḥ | indraketurivottasthau dudrāva ca gaṇeśvaram ||

Vritra, of tremendous might, though dazed by the fist-blow, rose again like Indra's own standard and charged at the gana-lord.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.140.23)

तमापतन्तं वृक्षेण शंकुकर्णो गणेश्वरः । शालेन ताडयामास इत एहीति चाब्रवीत् ।।

tamāpatantaṁ vṛkṣeṇa śaṁkukarṇo gaṇeśvaraḥ | śālena tāḍayāmāsa ita ehīti cābravīt ||

As Vritra charged, the gana-lord Shankukarna struck him with a sal-tree and cried, 'Come on, then!'

Verse 24 (skanda.8.140.24)

क्रुद्धेन शंकुकर्णेन वृत्रो वै शालताडितः । उपेत्य पादे जग्राह शंकुकर्णं बली बलात् ।।

kruddhena śaṁkukarṇena vṛtro vai śālatāḍitaḥ | upetya pāde jagrāha śaṁkukarṇaṁ balī balāt ||

Struck by the sal-tree of enraged Shankukarna, mighty Vritra closed in and seized him by the foot with all his force.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.140.25)

शंकुकर्णं गृहीत्वा तु वृत्रो नाग इवाण्डजम् । भ्रामयामास विवशं लोकं मोह इवोद्यतः ।।

śaṁkukarṇaṁ gṛhītvā tu vṛtro nāga ivāṇḍajam | bhrāmayāmāsa vivaśaṁ lokaṁ moha ivodyataḥ ||

Seizing Shankukarna thus, Vritra whirled him about helplessly, as a serpent whirls a bird in its coils, or as rising delusion whirls the mind.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.140.26)

शंकुकर्णस्य वृत्रेण भ्राम्यमाणस्य सर्वशः । शरीरात्समदीर्यन्त भूषणानि सहस्रशः ।।

śaṁkukarṇasya vṛtreṇa bhrāmyamāṇasya sarvaśaḥ | śarīrātsamadīryanta bhūṣaṇāni sahasraśaḥ ||

As Shankukarna was whirled about on every side by Vritra, his ornaments scattered in their thousands from his body.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.140.27)

तं भ्राम्यमाणं प्रसमीक्ष्य देवा वृत्रेण सर्वे च तदा गणेशाः । हाहेति कृत्वा धृतशस्त्रबाणाः प्रदुद्रुवुस्तस्य विमोक्षणार्थम् ।।

taṁ bhrāmyamāṇaṁ prasamīkṣya devā vṛtreṇa sarve ca tadā gaṇeśāḥ | hāheti kṛtvā dhṛtaśastrabāṇāḥ pradudruvustasya vimokṣaṇārtham ||

Seeing him whirled about by Vritra, the gods and all the gana-lords cried out in alarm, and, weapons and arrows in hand, rushed forward to free him.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.140.28)

आगच्छतस्तान् प्रसमीक्ष्य वृत्रः सर्वान् गणेशान् शितशस्त्रहस्तान् । मुमोच तं संसदि शंकुकर्णं नागं गरुत्मानिव पक्षिराजः ।।

āgacchatastān prasamīkṣya vṛtraḥ sarvān gaṇeśān śitaśastrahastān | mumoca taṁ saṁsadi śaṁkukarṇaṁ nāgaṁ garutmāniva pakṣirājaḥ ||

Seeing all those gana-lords advancing, sharp weapons in hand, Vritra let Shankukarna drop there in the field, as Garuda, king of birds, lets fall a serpent.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.140.29)

वृत्रमुक्तस्तु गणपः शंकुकर्णो महाबलः । योद्धुकामः पुनर्वृत्रं निवृत्तो हस्तिराडिव ।।

vṛtramuktastu gaṇapaḥ śaṁkukarṇo mahābalaḥ | yoddhukāmaḥ punarvṛtraṁ nivṛtto hastirāḍiva ||

Released by Vritra, the mighty gana-lord Shankukarna, still eager to fight, turned back toward Vritra once more, like a returning elephant-king.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.140.30)

ततः पुनः सिंहरवाः समन्तात् तस्मिन्बले दुन्दुभिनिस्वनाश्च । हे शंकुकर्णेति च साधुवादो मनोहरस्तस्य रणे बभूव ।।

tataḥ punaḥ siṁharavāḥ samantāt tasminbale dundubhinisvanāśca | he śaṁkukarṇeti ca sādhuvādo manoharastasya raṇe babhūva ||

Then once more lion-roars and the boom of war-drums resounded on every side through that army, and a sweet chorus of acclaim — 'O Shankukarna!' — rose up for him upon the battlefield.