Vinayaka Battles Jambha's War-Elephant

Verse 1 (skanda.8.148.1)

शुक्रे त्वथ शुक्रपतिना गीर्णे नागेनेव भुजङ्गिना । बभूवुर्दानवाः सर्वे दरिद्रा इव निष्क्रियाः ।।

śukre tvatha śukrapatinā gīrṇe nāgeneva bhujaṅginā | babhūvurdānavāḥ sarve daridrā iva niṣkriyāḥ ||

Now, when Shukra had been swallowed by the serpent-adorned Lord, as a great serpent swallows its prey, all the demons became inert, like paupers stripped of all resource.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.148.2)

विशरीरा यथा जीवा गरुडा विरया इव । विहस्ता इव मातङ्गा विशृङ्गा इव गोवृषाः ।।

viśarīrā yathā jīvā garuḍā virayā iva | vihastā iva mātaṅgā viśṛṅgā iva govṛṣāḥ ||

Like disembodied souls, like wingless garudas, like trunkless elephants, like hornless bulls —

Verse 3 (skanda.8.148.3)

निर्विषा इव नागेन्द्राः निर्विद्या इव च द्विजाः । सागरा इव निस्तोया विवेगा इव मारुताः ।।

nirviṣā iva nāgendrāḥ nirvidyā iva ca dvijāḥ | sāgarā iva nistoyā vivegā iva mārutāḥ ||

— like venomless serpent-kings, like knowledge-less brahmins, like waterless oceans, like windless breezes,

Verse 4 (skanda.8.148.4)

पयोदा इव निश्शब्दा विशिखा इव चाग्नयः । गतोत्सवा इव दिवसा विपुष्पा इव पादपाः ।।

payodā iva niśśabdā viśikhā iva cāgnayaḥ | gatotsavā iva divasā vipuṣpā iva pādapāḥ ||

— like thunderless clouds, like flameless fires, like festival-less days, like flowerless trees,

Verse 5 (skanda.8.148.5)

हरिणा इव संत्रस्ता विपक्षा इव पक्षिणः । ग्रहा इव प्रशान्ताभा ग्राहा इव जलोद्धृताः ।।

hariṇā iva saṁtrastā vipakṣā iva pakṣiṇaḥ | grahā iva praśāntābhā grāhā iva jaloddhṛtāḥ ||

— like frightened deer, like wingless birds, like planets whose light has faded, like crocodiles dragged from the water —

Verse 6 (skanda.8.148.6)

नन्दिनापहृते शुक्रे गीर्णे चापि कपर्दिना । दानवा जज्ञिरे शूरा दीनमानपराक्रमाः ।।

nandināpahṛte śukre gīrṇe cāpi kapardinā | dānavā jajñire śūrā dīnamānaparākramāḥ ||

— so, with Shukra snatched away by Nandi and swallowed by Shiva, even the heroic demons became reduced in pride and power.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.148.7)

वैमनस्यं परं प्राप्तो दानवानां रणेन्धकः । उवाच मेघनिनदः संयुगस्थः स दानवः ।।

vaimanasyaṁ paraṁ prāpto dānavānāṁ raṇendhakaḥ | uvāca meghaninadaḥ saṁyugasthaḥ sa dānavaḥ ||

As the demons sank into deep dejection, Andhaka, thundering like a cloud, standing on the battlefield, spoke:

Verse 8 (skanda.8.148.8)

विक्रम्य नन्दिना शुक्रं नयता नयिनां वरम् । हृतानि नोऽद्य सर्वेषां जीवितानि न संशयः ।।

vikramya nandinā śukraṁ nayatā nayināṁ varam | hṛtāni no'dya sarveṣāṁ jīvitāni na saṁśayaḥ ||

'By boldly carrying off Shukra, foremost of the wise, Nandi has today, without doubt, robbed us all of our very lives.'

Verse 9 (skanda.8.148.9)

प्रमथैर्निहतान्दैत्यान् कः पुनर्जीवयिष्यति । भार्गवं तमृते शुक्रं कोऽन्यो नो धारयिष्यति ।।

pramathairnihatāndaityān kaḥ punarjīvayiṣyati | bhārgavaṁ tamṛte śukraṁ ko'nyo no dhārayiṣyati ||

'Who now will revive the daityas slain by the pramathas? Who but that Bhargava Shukra will ever sustain us again?'

Verse 10 (skanda.8.148.10)

धैर्यञ्च विक्रमस्तेजः सत्वं वीर्यं बलं धृतिः । शत्रुभिर्नो हृतं सर्वं देवे शुक्रेऽपवाहिते ।।

dhairyañca vikramastejaḥ satvaṁ vīryaṁ balaṁ dhṛtiḥ | śatrubhirno hṛtaṁ sarvaṁ deve śukre'pavāhite ||

'With the god Shukra carried off, our foes have stripped us of our courage, prowess, brilliance, fortitude, vigour, strength, and steadiness alike.'

Verse 11 (skanda.8.148.11)

भार्गवेऽपहृते देवे ममापि व्यथितं मनः । न त्वहं संयुगं जह्यां प्रमथैस्समभिद्रुतः ।।

bhārgave'pahṛte deve mamāpi vyathitaṁ manaḥ | na tvahaṁ saṁyugaṁ jahyāṁ pramathaissamabhidrutaḥ ||

'With the god Bhargava taken away, my own heart too is troubled — yet even beset by the pramathas, I shall never abandon this fight.'

Verse 12 (skanda.8.148.12)

संस्तम्भयत माभैष्ट युध्यध्वमरिभिः सह । सूदयिष्याम्यहं सर्वान् प्रमथान् सह नन्दिना ।।

saṁstambhayata mābhaiṣṭa yudhyadhvamaribhiḥ saha | sūdayiṣyāmyahaṁ sarvān pramathān saha nandinā ||

'Steady yourselves — do not fear! Fight on against the foe; I myself shall slaughter all the pramathas, Nandi included!'

Verse 13 (skanda.8.148.13)

अद्यैतान्विवशान्कृत्वा हत्वा च त्रिदशानपि । भार्गवं मोक्षयिष्यामि पञ्जरस्थं यथा हरिम् ।।

adyaitānvivaśānkṛtvā hatvā ca tridaśānapi | bhārgavaṁ mokṣayiṣyāmi pañjarasthaṁ yathā harim ||

'Today, having overpowered these foes and slain even the gods, I shall free Bhargava, as one frees a caged lion.'

Verse 14 (skanda.8.148.14)

स चापि योगी योगेन यदि नाम स्वयं प्रभुः । शरीरान्निष्क्रमेत्तस्य अस्माकं शेषपालितः ।।

sa cāpi yogī yogena yadi nāma svayaṁ prabhuḥ | śarīrānniṣkramettasya asmākaṁ śeṣapālitaḥ ||

'And if he, being a master yogi, is able of his own power to escape that body by the strength of his yoga, then what remains of our lives will be preserved.'

Verse 15 (skanda.8.148.15)

इत्यन्धकवचः श्रुत्वा दानवा मेघनर्दनाः । प्रमथानर्दयामासुर्मर्त्तव्यकृतनिश्चयाः ।।

ityandhakavacaḥ śrutvā dānavā meghanardanāḥ | pramathānardayāmāsurmarttavyakṛtaniścayāḥ ||

Hearing these words of Andhaka, the demons, thundering like clouds and resolved now to die, roared their challenge at the pramathas.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.148.16)

तत्र षाणासिवज्रौघैः कटङ्ककटशिलोपलैः । अन्योन्यमवकृन्तन्तस्ते चक्रुः कदनं महत् ।।

tatra ṣāṇāsivajraughaiḥ kaṭaṅkakaṭaśilopalaiḥ | anyonyamavakṛntantaste cakruḥ kadanaṁ mahat ||

There, hacking at one another with volleys of arrows, swords, thunderbolts, hatchets, rocks and boulders, they wrought a great carnage.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.148.17)

कार्मुकाणां विकृष्टानां विसृष्टानां च पत्रिणाम् । निपात्यतामसीनां च शब्दोऽभूद्भृशदारुणः ।।

kārmukāṇāṁ vikṛṣṭānāṁ visṛṣṭānāṁ ca patriṇām | nipātyatāmasīnāṁ ca śabdo'bhūdbhṛśadāruṇaḥ ||

A most terrible sound arose from bows being drawn, feathered arrows loosed, and swords crashing down.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.148.18)

भग्नध्वजपताकानि क्षीणप्रहरणानि च । रुधिरास्रावचित्राणि व्रणाकुसुमितानि च ।।

bhagnadhvajapatākāni kṣīṇapraharaṇāni ca | rudhirāsrāvacitrāṇi vraṇākusumitāni ca ||

Banners and standards broken, weapons spent, bodies streaked with flowing blood and blossoming with wounds —

Verse 19 (skanda.8.148.19)

पिपासितानि श्रान्तानि हतवाजिगजानि च । समुद्राम्बरकल्पानि बलान्यासन्समन्ततः ।।

pipāsitāni śrāntāni hatavājigajāni ca | samudrāmbarakalpāni balānyāsansamantataḥ ||

— thirsty, exhausted, their horses and elephants slain, the armies lay strewn on every side, vast as the ocean and the sky.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.148.20)

अथ भूयो गजेन्द्रेण चतुर्दन्तेन गर्जता । अञ्जनाचलकल्पेन अञ्जनद्विपवर्चसा ।।

atha bhūyo gajendreṇa caturdantena garjatā | añjanācalakalpena añjanadvipavarcasā ||

Then, mounted once more on a four-tusked, trumpeting elephant, huge as Mount Anjana, splendid as Anjana's own elephant —

Verse 21 (skanda.8.148.21)

सतूणीरपताकेन अंकुशारोषितेन च । जम्भो दानवशार्दूल अभिदुद्राव नन्दिनम् ।।

satūṇīrapatākena aṁkuśāroṣitena ca | jambho dānavaśārdūla abhidudrāva nandinam ||

— fitted with quiver and banner, goaded to fury by the elephant-hook, Jambha, tiger among demons, charged at Nandi.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.148.22)

गजस्कन्धगतो दैत्यो बभौ जम्भः सतोमरः । कृष्णापर्वतशृंगस्थस्सबलाक इवाम्बुदः ।।

gajaskandhagato daityo babhau jambhaḥ satomaraḥ | kṛṣṇāparvataśṛṁgasthassabalāka ivāmbudaḥ ||

Perched on the elephant's shoulder, spear in hand, the daitya Jambha shone like a cloud, flecked with white cranes, resting upon the peak of a dark mountain.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.148.23)

स्तब्धलाडत्गूलदृक्कर्णः प्रसारितमहाकरः । चोदितो दानवेन्द्रेण समधावन्महागजः ।।

stabdhalāḍatgūladṛkkarṇaḥ prasāritamahākaraḥ | codito dānavendreṇa samadhāvanmahāgajaḥ ||

Tail, gaze and ears held rigid, its great trunk stretched wide, that mighty elephant, urged on by the demon-lord, rushed forward at full speed.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.148.24)

युगान्ते नववातस्य अनौपम्यो यथा जवः । अनौपम्यस्तथा तस्य जवो नागस्य धावतः ।।

yugānte navavātasya anaupamyo yathā javaḥ | anaupamyastathā tasya javo nāgasya dhāvataḥ ||

As the fury of a fresh gale rising at the end of an age is beyond compare, so was the speed of that charging elephant beyond compare.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.148.25)

तुरङ्गा ये च मातङ्गा प्रमथा ये च दानवाः । तस्य मार्गादपक्रान्ता मृत्योरिव यथा नराः ।।

turaṅgā ye ca mātaṅgā pramathā ye ca dānavāḥ | tasya mārgādapakrāntā mṛtyoriva yathā narāḥ ||

Horses, elephants, pramathas and demons all cleared out of its path, as men step aside from the path of Death.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.148.26)

तं मत्तनागं धावन्तं नदन्तमिव नीरदम् । वारयामास बलवान् विक्रम्य स विनायकः ।।

taṁ mattanāgaṁ dhāvantaṁ nadantamiva nīradam | vārayāmāsa balavān vikramya sa vināyakaḥ ||

That mighty, charging, rutting elephant, roaring like a cloud, was boldly checked by strong Vinayaka.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.148.27)

स तं देववरो दन्ती करिणं पर्वतोपमम् । प्रकीर्णेन कराग्रेण प्रमुखेऽभिजघान ह ।।

sa taṁ devavaro dantī kariṇaṁ parvatopamam | prakīrṇena karāgreṇa pramukhe'bhijaghāna ha ||

That best of elephant-gods struck at the mountain-huge tusker's face with the outstretched tip of his own trunk.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.148.28)

विनायकेनाभिहतो नायकः सर्वहस्तिनाम् । स रुजा घोरया नुन्नो मुहूर्तमभवज्जडः ।।

vināyakenābhihato nāyakaḥ sarvahastinām | sa rujā ghorayā nunno muhūrtamabhavajjaḍaḥ ||

Struck thus by Vinayaka, that leader of all elephants, racked by terrible pain, stood stunned and motionless for a moment.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.148.29)

अथाश्वस्य च विश्रम्य संवर्त्यात्मकरं करी । विनायकमुरोदेशे ताडयामास नर्दयन् ।।

athāśvasya ca viśramya saṁvartyātmakaraṁ karī | vināyakamurodeśe tāḍayāmāsa nardayan ||

Then, recovering and pausing to gather himself, that tusker curled back his own trunk and, trumpeting, struck at Vinayaka's chest.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.148.30)

स विन्ध्यकूटकल्पेन तेन नागेन ताडितः । पदात्पदं न चलितो महासत्वो विनायकः ।।

sa vindhyakūṭakalpena tena nāgena tāḍitaḥ | padātpadaṁ na calito mahāsatvo vināyakaḥ ||

Struck by that elephant, huge as a peak of the Vindhyas, great-souled Vinayaka did not budge a single step.

Verse 31 (skanda.8.148.31)

नासया स गृहीत्वा तं नासायां दानवद्विपम् । आक्षिप्य पातयामास गिरिवर्ष्मा विनायकः ।।

nāsayā sa gṛhītvā taṁ nāsāyāṁ dānavadvipam | ākṣipya pātayāmāsa girivarṣmā vināyakaḥ ||

Vinayaka, mountainous in build, seized the demon-elephant's trunk with his own, wrenched it, and cast the beast to the ground.

Verse 32 (skanda.8.148.32)

स सिंह इव सिंहेन वनमध्ये निपातितः । ररास विस्फुरन्नागो मेघो वाय्वाहतो यथा ।।

sa siṁha iva siṁhena vanamadhye nipātitaḥ | rarāsa visphurannāgo megho vāyvāhato yathā ||

Felled like a lion brought down by another lion in the forest, that thrashing elephant roared like a cloud buffeted by the wind.

Verse 33 (skanda.8.148.33)

तं नागं पातययानं तु नागवक्त्रमसृक्स्रवम् । बिभेद तोमरेणाशु करेणार्क इवाम्बुदम् ।।

taṁ nāgaṁ pātayayānaṁ tu nāgavaktramasṛksravam | bibheda tomareṇāśu kareṇārka ivāmbudam ||

As the elephant fell, the elephant-faced god pierced its bleeding face at once with the javelin in his hand, as the sun pierces a cloud with its rays.

Verse 34 (skanda.8.148.34)

मोचयन्तं तु चरणौ ग्रीवायां दानवोत्तमम् । तेनैव तोमरेणाथ आजघान विनायकः ।।

mocayantaṁ tu caraṇau grīvāyāṁ dānavottamam | tenaiva tomareṇātha ājaghāna vināyakaḥ ||

As that noble demon-elephant struggled to free its legs, Vinayaka struck it again on the neck with that same javelin.

Verse 35 (skanda.8.148.35)

स सुप्रहाराभिहतो गजवक्त्रेण दानवः । चक्षार रुधिरं जम्भो निर्ज्जराम्भो गिरिर्यथा ।।

sa suprahārābhihato gajavaktreṇa dānavaḥ | cakṣāra rudhiraṁ jambho nirjjarāmbho giriryathā ||

Struck by that heavy blow from the elephant-faced one, Jambha vomited blood, as a mountain streams water from its springs.

Verse 36 (skanda.8.148.36)

पुनश्चास्य वधाकांक्षी असिं जग्राह वीर्यवान् । तस्योद्यतासेर्नदतश्चिच्छित्सोर्जम्भकन्धराम् ।।

punaścāsya vadhākāṁkṣī asiṁ jagrāha vīryavān | tasyodyatāsernadataścicchitsorjambhakandharām ||

Bent once more on killing him, mighty Jambha seized a sword, and, roaring, raised it aloft to sever Vinayaka's neck —

Verse 37 (skanda.8.148.37)

असिं कुजम्भश्चिच्छेद गरुडः पन्नगं यथा । तञ्चापि सुविकृष्टेन शरेणासृग्भुजा तदा ।।

asiṁ kujambhaściccheda garuḍaḥ pannagaṁ yathā | tañcāpi suvikṛṣṭena śareṇāsṛgbhujā tadā ||

— but Vinayaka cut that sword down as Garuda cuts down a serpent, and then, with a shaft drawn taut, pierced his blood-smeared arm as well.

Verse 38 (skanda.8.148.38)

कुजम्भो ह्यहनद्बाहौ वज्रेणेन्द्र इवाचलम् । स दृढाभिहतस्तेन घूर्णितस्सालवृक्षवत् ।।

kujambho hyahanadbāhau vajreṇendra ivācalam | sa dṛḍhābhihatastena ghūrṇitassālavṛkṣavat ||

Wounded in the arm, Jambha reeled like a mountain struck by Indra's thunderbolt; battered by that hard blow, he swayed like a felled sal tree.

Verse 39 (skanda.8.148.39)

कुजम्भमभिदुद्राव केसरी कुञ्जरं यथा । समुच्छ्रितकरो देवस्तं दानवमभिद्रवन् ।।

kujambhamabhidudrāva kesarī kuñjaraṁ yathā | samucchritakaro devastaṁ dānavamabhidravan ||

Then the god, trunk raised high, charged at the demon Kujambha, as a lion charges an elephant.

Verse 40 (skanda.8.148.40)

ऐरावत इवाभाति बलोद्वृत्तो विनायकः । व्यंसस्तं धावमानं तु कुजम्भवधकांक्षिणम् ।।

airāvata ivābhāti balodvṛtto vināyakaḥ | vyaṁsastaṁ dhāvamānaṁ tu kujambhavadhakāṁkṣiṇam ||

Vinayaka, swelling with strength, shone forth like Airavata himself. As he charged, intent on killing Kujambha —

Verse 41 (skanda.8.148.41)

ववार स गतोंसेन पातयामास तं क्षितौ । व्यंसमंसेन हत्वा तु नागवक्त्रो महाबलः ।।

vavāra sa gatoṁsena pātayāmāsa taṁ kṣitau | vyaṁsamaṁsena hatvā tu nāgavaktro mahābalaḥ ||

— the demon Vyamsa blocked him shoulder to shoulder. But mighty, elephant-faced Vinayaka struck Vyamsa down with his own shoulder and felled him to the ground.

Verse 42 (skanda.8.148.42)

कुजम्भस्यान्तिकं प्राप सिंहस्य शरभो यथा । कुजम्भस्तस्य भित्वा तु शरेण करमुद्यतम् ।।

kujambhasyāntikaṁ prāpa siṁhasya śarabho yathā | kujambhastasya bhitvā tu śareṇa karamudyatam ||

He then closed on Kujambha, as a sharabha closes on a lion. Kujambha pierced his raised trunk with an arrow,

Verse 43 (skanda.8.148.43)

गदयाभ्यहनन्मूर्ध्नि मुद्गरेण च वक्षसि । त्रिभिः प्रहारैः स बभौ शोणिताक्तो विनायकः । नागायुतसहस्रौजास्त्रिप्रभिन्न इव द्विपः ।।

gadayābhyahananmūrdhni mudgareṇa ca vakṣasi | tribhiḥ prahāraiḥ sa babhau śoṇitākto vināyakaḥ | nāgāyutasahasraujāstriprabhinna iva dvipaḥ ||

then struck him on the head with a mace and on the chest with a mallet. Bloodied by these three blows, Vinayaka shone forth like a tusker of ten-thousand-elephant strength, streaming blood from three wounds.

Verse 44 (skanda.8.148.44)

धरायां नासयादाय कुजम्भं तु विनायकः । प्रचिक्षेप महावीर्यो यथा भूतबलिं नरः ।।

dharāyāṁ nāsayādāya kujambhaṁ tu vināyakaḥ | pracikṣepa mahāvīryo yathā bhūtabaliṁ naraḥ ||

Then mighty Vinayaka seized Kujambha with his trunk and flung him down to earth, as a man tosses out an offering to the spirits.

Verse 45 (skanda.8.148.45)

कुजम्भे मन्दरप्रख्ये विनायकभुजेरिते । चुक्रुधुर्दानवाः सर्वे तेऽर्दयंश्च विनायकम् ।।

kujambhe mandaraprakhye vināyakabhujerite | cukrudhurdānavāḥ sarve te'rdayaṁśca vināyakam ||

When Kujambha, huge as Mount Mandara, was thus flung down by Vinayaka's arm, all the demons flew into a rage and set upon Vinayaka to torment him.

Verse 46 (skanda.8.148.46)

सोऽर्दितो दानवशतैर्नानायुधवितक्षितः । चचार देवो दैत्येषु पृषतेषु यथा हरिः ।।

so'rdito dānavaśatairnānāyudhavitakṣitaḥ | cacāra devo daityeṣu pṛṣateṣu yathā hariḥ ||

Though wounded by hundreds of demons wielding weapons of every kind, the god moved among the daityas as a lion moves among a herd of deer.

Verse 47 (skanda.8.148.47)

स दन्तैश्चरणैश्चापि शुण्डयाततयापि च । ममर्द दानवान् क्रुद्धः कुञ्जरो नड्वलानिव ।।

sa dantaiścaraṇaiścāpi śuṇḍayātatayāpi ca | mamarda dānavān kruddhaḥ kuñjaro naḍvalāniva ||

In fury he trampled the demons with tusks, feet and outstretched trunk, as an elephant tramples a reed-thicket.

Verse 48 (skanda.8.148.48)

ततो गणेशा ह्यपि वीक्ष्य दानवैर्विनायकं शस्त्रशतैः परिक्षतम् । गृहीतशस्त्रा गजसिंहविक्रमा विमुक्तरावाः शतशोऽभिदुद्रुवुः ।।

tato gaṇeśā hyapi vīkṣya dānavairvināyakaṁ śastraśataiḥ parikṣatam | gṛhītaśastrā gajasiṁhavikramā vimuktarāvāḥ śataśo'bhidudruvuḥ ||

Then the gana-lords too, seeing Vinayaka wounded by hundreds of demon weapons, seized their arms and, valiant as elephants and lions, rushed forward by the hundred, roaring loudly.

Verse 49 (skanda.8.148.49)

ततः पुनः शस्त्रसहस्रवेजितं शरासिशक्त्यृष्टिनिपातदुःसहम् । गणासुराणामसुनाशनं महद्बभूव युद्धं हतवाजिकुञ्जरम् ।।

tataḥ punaḥ śastrasahasravejitaṁ śarāsiśaktyṛṣṭinipātaduḥsaham | gaṇāsurāṇāmasunāśanaṁ mahadbabhūva yuddhaṁ hatavājikuñjaram ||

Then once more a great battle broke out between the ganas and the demons, driven by a thousand weapons, unbearable with the fall of arrows, swords, spears and lances, life-destroying, strewn with slaughtered horses and elephants.