The Rebuke of the Asuras

Verse 1 (skanda.8.82.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । तांस्तथांशेन दैत्येन्द्रान् काल्यमानानितस्ततः । दृष्ट्वा बलो महामायो यन्तारमिदमब्रवीत् ।

sanatkumāra uvāca | tāṁstathāṁśena daityendrān kālyamānānitastataḥ | dṛṣṭvā balo mahāmāyo yantāramidamabravīt |

Sanatkumara said: Seeing those lords of the Daityas being driven here and there by Amsha, Bala, mighty in illusion, said this to his charioteer:

Verse 2 (skanda.8.82.2)

नयस्व मां यतोंशोयं दुरात्मा दहते बलम् । यावदेनं शितैर्बाणैर्नयामि यमसादनम् ।

nayasva māṁ yatoṁśoyaṁ durātmā dahate balam | yāvadenaṁ śitairbāṇairnayāmi yamasādanam |

"Take me to where this evil-souled Amsha is burning up our army, that I may with sharp arrows send him to the abode of Yama."

Verse 3 (skanda.8.82.3)

तस्यापतत एवांशस्तदा प्रहरतां वरः । ध्वजं चिच्छेद बाणेन हयाँश्चैकैकशस्तदा ।

tasyāpatata evāṁśastadā praharatāṁ varaḥ | dhvajaṁ ciccheda bāṇena hayā~ścaikaikaśastadā |

As he charged, Amsha, foremost of strikers, then severed his banner with an arrow, and struck down his horses one by one.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.82.4)

भल्लेन च शिरः कायाद्यन्तुराशु न्यपातयत् । तञ्चैव पञ्चभिर्बाणैर्ललाटे समविध्यत ।

bhallena ca śiraḥ kāyādyanturāśu nyapātayat | tañcaiva pañcabhirbāṇairlalāṭe samavidhyata |

With a broad-headed arrow he swiftly severed the charioteer's head from his body, and pierced him too - Bala - with five arrows in the forehead.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.82.5)

तस्य दैत्यस्य ते भान्ति ललाटे पञ्च सायकाः । घनोदरविनिष्क्रान्ता भास्करस्येव रश्मयः ।

tasya daityasya te bhānti lalāṭe pañca sāyakāḥ | ghanodaraviniṣkrāntā bhāskarasyeva raśmayaḥ |

Those five shafts shone on that Daitya's forehead, like the sun's rays breaking forth from within a cloud.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.82.6)

दैत्योपि हि तदा धन्वी वियदुत्पत्य रोषितः । सायकैर्बहुभिर्व्यास सोंशं समकिरद्बली ।

daityopi hi tadā dhanvī viyadutpatya roṣitaḥ | sāyakairbahubhirvyāsa soṁśaṁ samakiradbalī |

That bow-bearing Daitya too, leaping up into the sky in fury, O Vyasa - that mighty Bala then covered Amsha with a multitude of shafts.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.82.7)

सुवृष्टिमिव जीमूतः इवाशनिम् । करान् दिवाकरो यद्वत् तुषारं चन्द्रमा यथा ।

suvṛṣṭimiva jīmūtaḥ ivāśanim | karān divākaro yadvat tuṣāraṁ candramā yathā |

As a raincloud pours forth a heavy shower... (a portion in the middle of this verse is illegible in the source manuscript) ...like a thunderbolt; as the sun covers with its rays, as the moon covers the frost - (so did he cover Amsha with arrows).

Verse 8 (skanda.8.82.8)

तथा स दानवो दर्पाद्बलः प्रहरतां वरः । अंशमेवाकिरत्तीक्ष्णैः सायकैर्मर्मभेदिभिः ।

tathā sa dānavo darpādbalaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ | aṁśamevākirattīkṣṇaiḥ sāyakairmarmabhedibhiḥ |

Thus that Danava Bala, foremost of strikers, in his pride, covered Amsha alone with sharp, vital-organ-piercing shafts.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.82.9)

ध्वजं चैवास्य चिच्छेद बहुधा दानवेश्वरः । हयान् वेगहतान् कृत्वा सारथिं चाप्यसारथिम् ।

dhvajaṁ caivāsya ciccheda bahudhā dānaveśvaraḥ | hayān vegahatān kṛtvā sārathiṁ cāpyasārathim |

That lord of the Danavas cut Amsha's banner into many pieces, struck down his horses with great speed, and made his charioteer a charioteer no more.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.82.10)

कार्मुकं बहुभिर्बाणैर्व्यधम । यथांशं स चकारोग्रस्थान्यानपि दैवतान् ।

kārmukaṁ bahubhirbāṇairvyadhama | yathāṁśaṁ sa cakārograsthānyānapi daivatān |

With many arrows he struck at the bow... (part of this verse is illegible in the source manuscript) ...and he made the other terrible gods suffer just as he had made Amsha suffer.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.82.11)

निरुद्यमान् महामायश्चकार विररास च । क्वचिद् गीष्पतिसंकाशः क्वचिद् भास्करसंनिभः ।

nirudyamān mahāmāyaścakāra virarāsa ca | kvacid gīṣpatisaṁkāśaḥ kvacid bhāskarasaṁnibhaḥ |

That great sorcerer made them cease their efforts, and roared aloud. Now he appeared like Brihaspati, now like the sun,

Verse 12 (skanda.8.82.12)

क्वचित्सोमाग्निकल्पश्च क्वचित्ताराग्रहैस्समः । क्वचित्पर्वतसंकाशः क्वचिद् गृध्रवपुर्धरः ।

kvacitsomāgnikalpaśca kvacittārāgrahaissamaḥ | kvacitparvatasaṁkāśaḥ kvacid gṛdhravapurdharaḥ |

now like the moon or fire, now equal to the stars and planets, now like a mountain, now taking the form of a vulture,

Verse 13 (skanda.8.82.13)

क्वचिच्चाकाशमाविश्य अदृश्यः सोसृजच्छरान् । शरोपचितगात्रं तच्छिन्नं भिन्नं विदारितम् ।

kvaciccākāśamāviśya adṛśyaḥ sosṛjaccharān | śaropacitagātraṁ tacchinnaṁ bhinnaṁ vidāritam |

and now, entering the sky, invisible, he loosed his arrows. That army, its limbs studded with shafts, cut, pierced, and torn asunder,

Verse 14 (skanda.8.82.14)

विष्टब्धं मूकवत्सर्वं देवानां बलमाबभौ । नष्टवादित्रनिनदं हयहेषितवर्जितम् ।

viṣṭabdhaṁ mūkavatsarvaṁ devānāṁ balamābabhau | naṣṭavāditraninadaṁ hayaheṣitavarjitam |

stood paralyzed, as if struck dumb - the whole army of the gods appeared thus, its instruments' sound vanished, without even the neighing of horses,

Verse 15 (skanda.8.82.15)

गजबृंहितविभ्रष्टं श्रान्तयोधोग्रनादितम् । निष्पन्दं तद्बलं भाति चित्रप्रत्यर्पितं यथा ।

gajabṛṁhitavibhraṣṭaṁ śrāntayodhogranāditam | niṣpandaṁ tadbalaṁ bhāti citrapratyarpitaṁ yathā |

bereft of elephants' trumpeting, echoing only with the fierce cries of exhausted warriors; that motionless army appeared as if painted in a picture.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.82.16)

ऊर्ध्वं निरीक्षते तत्र यः कश्चिद्विबुधो बले । बलस्तस्य शरैर्वक्त्रमकरोद्विरूपवद्बली ।

ūrdhvaṁ nirīkṣate tatra yaḥ kaścidvibudho bale | balastasya śarairvaktramakarodvirūpavadbalī |

Whatever god in that army looked upward, the mighty Bala, with his arrows, disfigured that one's face (one word in this line is illegible in the source) - so great was his might.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.82.17)

चेष्टाविराहिताश्चासन् यथा मोक्षपथि स्थिताः ।

ceṣṭāvirāhitāścāsan yathā mokṣapathi sthitāḥ |

(the first line of this verse is wholly lost in the source manuscript) ...they became devoid of all movement, as though standing motionless upon the path to final liberation.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.82.18)

तांस्तथा सीदतः सर्वान् दृष्ट्वा बलमहार्णवे । वायुर्जयन्तः पूषा च भगश्च सुमहाबलाः ।

tāṁstathā sīdataḥ sarvān dṛṣṭvā balamahārṇave | vāyurjayantaḥ pūṣā ca bhagaśca sumahābalāḥ |

Seeing all of them thus sinking as if in the great ocean of Bala's onslaught, Vayu, Jayanta, Pusha, and Bhaga, exceedingly mighty,

Verse 19 (skanda.8.82.19)

नदन्तस्ताञ्छराँस्तस्य बलस्य समवारयन् । वायुस्तस्य महाभाग शरान्मेघादिवोदितान् ।

nadantastāñcharā~stasya balasya samavārayan | vāyustasya mahābhāga śarānmeghādivoditān |

roared and held back the arrows of that Bala. O illustrious one, Vayu held back his arrows, which rose like rain from a cloud,

Verse 20 (skanda.8.82.20)

मुञ्चतो मुच्यमानाँश्च मुक्ताँश्चैवाहरद्बली । भगोस्य कार्मुकं दिव्यमच्छिनत्प्रहसन्निव ।

muñcato mucyamānā~śca muktā~ścaivāharadbalī | bhagosya kārmukaṁ divyamacchinatprahasanniva |

seizing them as he loosed them, as they were being loosed, and even after they were loosed - so mighty was he. Bhaga, as if laughing, severed his divine bow.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.82.21)

देहत्राणं तथा पूषा जयन्तश्चेषुधी तथा ।

dehatrāṇaṁ tathā pūṣā jayantaśceṣudhī tathā |

Likewise Pusha severed his body-armor, and Jayanta his two quivers... (the remainder of this verse is lost in the source manuscript).

Verse 22 (skanda.8.82.22)

समार्दयन् शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्देवा रविसमप्रभाः । सोर्द्यमानस्तदा देवैर्बली दनावपुंगवः ।

samārdayan śaraistīkṣṇairdevā ravisamaprabhāḥ | sordyamānastadā devairbalī danāvapuṁgavaḥ |

The gods, radiant as the sun, crushed him with sharp arrows. Thus afflicted by the gods, that mighty foremost of Danavas, Bala,

Verse 23 (skanda.8.82.23)

वृक्षैः काननजैर्व्यास युयुधे भीमविक्रमः । तान्द्रुमाँस्ते तदाक्षिप्तान् बलेन बहुधा शुभान् ।

vṛkṣaiḥ kānanajairvyāsa yuyudhe bhīmavikramaḥ | tāndrumā~ste tadākṣiptān balena bahudhā śubhān |

of terrible prowess, O Vyasa, fought on with forest trees. Those many fine trees, hurled by Bala,

Verse 24 (skanda.8.82.24)

क्रचुःशरैर्देवतेन्द्रास्ततः स गिरिमाव्रजत् । गृहीत्वा स महच्छृङ्गं समृगव्यालकिन्नरम् ।

kracuḥśarairdevatendrāstataḥ sa girimāvrajat | gṛhītvā sa mahacchṛṅgaṁ samṛgavyālakinnaram |

the foremost of the gods cut down with their arrows. Then he went to a mountain, and, seizing a great peak teeming with deer, serpents, and Kinnaras,

Verse 25 (skanda.8.82.25)

चिक्षेप सुमहानादं प्रकुर्वाणोतिदारुणम् । तथा पतन् स वेगेन पवनो बलवान् बलात् ।

cikṣepa sumahānādaṁ prakurvāṇotidāruṇam | tathā patan sa vegena pavano balavān balāt |

hurled it, roaring most terribly as he did so. As it fell with great speed, the mighty Vayu, by force,

Verse 26 (skanda.8.82.26)

जहार शृङ्गं तच्चापि पपातासुरमूर्धनि । दानवानां तदा कोटिमेकां वीर्यवतां युधि ।

jahāra śṛṅgaṁ taccāpi papātāsuramūrdhani | dānavānāṁ tadā koṭimekāṁ vīryavatāṁ yudhi |

snatched away, and it fell instead upon the heads of the Asuras. It slew, then, a full crore of mighty Danavas in that battle -

Verse 27 (skanda.8.82.27)

जघान बलमुक्तं तद् गिरिशृङ्गं महास्वनम् । तान् हतान् दानवास्तेन शृंगेण दितिनन्दनान् ।

jaghāna balamuktaṁ tad giriśṛṅgaṁ mahāsvanam | tān hatān dānavāstena śṛṁgeṇa ditinandanān |

that mighty, thunderous mountain-peak, loosed by Bala but sent back, slew them. Seeing those sons of Diti slain by that peak,

Verse 28 (skanda.8.82.28)

दृष्ट्वा देवांश्च तानुग्रानभज्यन्त सहस्रशः । रथैरश्वैर्गजैश्चैव तथा चैव पदातयः ।

dṛṣṭvā devāṁśca tānugrānabhajyanta sahasraśaḥ | rathairaśvairgajaiścaiva tathā caiva padātayaḥ |

and seeing those terrible gods, they fled in their thousands, on chariots, horses, and elephants, and on foot as well.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.82.29)

उत्सृज्य वाहनान्यन्ये जीविताभ्यर्थिनस्तदा । प्रमुञ्चन्तो महानादान् पलायन्त सहस्रशः ।

utsṛjya vāhanānyanye jīvitābhyarthinastadā | pramuñcanto mahānādān palāyanta sahasraśaḥ |

Others, abandoning their mounts, desiring only to live, fled in their thousands, uttering great cries.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.82.30)

द्रबतस्तान् तदाभ्येत्य हिरण्याक्षः स दानवः । विप्रचित्तिश्च दनुजः प्रह्लादश्च महाबलः । मयश्चान्धको दैत्यस्तारकः शक्रतापनः ।

drabatastān tadābhyetya hiraṇyākṣaḥ sa dānavaḥ | vipracittiśca danujaḥ prahlādaśca mahābalaḥ | mayaścāndhako daityastārakaḥ śakratāpanaḥ |

As they fled, the Danava Hiranyaksha came to them, and the Danava Vipracitti, and the mighty Prahrada, and Maya, and the Daitya Andhaka, and Taraka, the tormentor of Indra -

Verse 31 (skanda.8.82.31)

ऊचिरे दानवान् सर्वान् दैत्यांश्च भयविह्वलान् ।

ūcire dānavān sarvān daityāṁśca bhayavihvalān |

these all said to the Danavas and Daityas, who were overcome with fear:

Verse 32 (skanda.8.82.32)

भो भो दानवशार्दूला दैत्याश्च सुरशत्रवः । किं पलायथ तिष्ठध्वं मा भयं वोस्तु दानवाः ।

bho bho dānavaśārdūlā daityāśca suraśatravaḥ | kiṁ palāyatha tiṣṭhadhvaṁ mā bhayaṁ vostu dānavāḥ |

"Ho, ho, you tiger-like Danavas, and Daityas, enemies of the gods! Why do you flee? Stand fast! Let there be no fear among you, O Danavas!"

Verse 33 (skanda.8.82.33)

क्व गता दानवा यूयं सुखं लप्स्यथ वा न वा । एते बलमजानन्तो देवाः पूर्वं महाबलाः ।

kva gatā dānavā yūyaṁ sukhaṁ lapsyatha vā na vā | ete balamajānanto devāḥ pūrvaṁ mahābalāḥ |

"Where are you Danavas going? Will you find happiness this way, or not? These gods, not knowing our true strength, were once accounted mighty."

Verse 34 (skanda.8.82.34)

न प्रमर्दन्ति पाताले स्थितान्नाप्यसुरोत्तमाः । निःशेषान् प्रमथिष्यन्ति पातालेपि कुलाधमाः ।

na pramardanti pātāle sthitānnāpyasurottamāḥ | niḥśeṣān pramathiṣyanti pātālepi kulādhamāḥ |

"They do not crush even the foremost of Asuras who stay in Patala. Will these vile ones utterly destroy us even in Patala?"

Verse 35 (skanda.8.82.35)

मा यात विनिवर्तध्वं रिरक्षिषत सर्वशः । सुयुद्धेनात्मनो दैत्या मा भयं वोत्र जीविते ।

mā yāta vinivartadhvaṁ rirakṣiṣata sarvaśaḥ | suyuddhenātmano daityā mā bhayaṁ votra jīvite |

"Do not go - turn back! Protect yourselves in every way. Through fair battle, O Daityas, have no fear here for your lives."

Verse 36 (skanda.8.82.36)

क्व गतं दनुजत्वं वः क्व गता दैत्यता च वः । क्व च वैरं सुरैः सार्धं क्व राज्यहरणं गतम् ।

kva gataṁ danujatvaṁ vaḥ kva gatā daityatā ca vaḥ | kva ca vairaṁ suraiḥ sārdhaṁ kva rājyaharaṇaṁ gatam |

"Where has your Danava-nature gone? Where has your Daitya-nature gone? Where is your enmity with the gods, and where has the memory of your stolen kingdom gone?"

Verse 37 (skanda.8.82.37)

यद् धैर्यं यश्च वो दर्पः कुलं जन्म च यद्धि वः । यच्च वो गर्जितं पूर्वं तस्य कालोयमागतः ।

yad dhairyaṁ yaśca vo darpaḥ kulaṁ janma ca yaddhi vaḥ | yacca vo garjitaṁ pūrvaṁ tasya kāloyamāgataḥ |

"Whatever courage, whatever pride you had, your lineage and your birth, and your former boasting - the time to prove it all has come."

Verse 38 (skanda.8.82.38)

तदा ब्रुवत यद दैत्या न बाला वयमित्युत । वयमेकैकशो योग्या देवानां नाशनेपि च ।

tadā bruvata yada daityā na bālā vayamityuta | vayamekaikaśo yogyā devānāṁ nāśanepi ca |

"Then declare, O Daityas, that we are not children - that each one of us alone is capable of destroying the gods!"

Verse 39 (skanda.8.82.39)

तस्य कालोयमद्येह प्राप्तः किं विपलायथ । तत् सर्वं गर्जितं वोद्य जानाम्यहमतः परम् ।

tasya kāloyamadyeha prāptaḥ kiṁ vipalāyatha | tat sarvaṁ garjitaṁ vodya jānāmyahamataḥ param |

"That very time has come today - why do you flee? All that boasting of yours - I shall now put it to the test."

Verse 40 (skanda.8.82.40)

शरदम्बुदवद् दैत्या व्यर्थं मा यात भीरिह । निवर्तध्वमधर्मज्ञा युध्यध्वं कृतनिश्चयाः ।

śaradambudavad daityā vyarthaṁ mā yāta bhīriha | nivartadhvamadharmajñā yudhyadhvaṁ kṛtaniścayāḥ |

"Like autumn clouds that promise but give nothing, do not flee in vain out of fear, O Daityas! Turn back, you who forget righteousness - fight with firm resolve."

Verse 41 (skanda.8.82.41)

वीक्षध्वं मे सपुत्रस्य महत् कर्म कुलाधमाः । कश्यपस्य सुतः श्रीमान् हिरण्याक्षोस्मि दानवाः ।

vīkṣadhvaṁ me saputrasya mahat karma kulādhamāḥ | kaśyapasya sutaḥ śrīmān hiraṇyākṣosmi dānavāḥ |

"Behold my great deed, together with my son's, you vilest of the lineage! I am glorious Hiranyaksha, son of Kashyapa, O Danavas,"

Verse 42 (skanda.8.82.42)

अन्धकश्च सुतोयं मे ब्रह्मदत्तवरः शुभः । हिरण्यकशिपोर्वीर्यं यदभूदसुरोत्तमाः ।

andhakaśca sutoyaṁ me brahmadattavaraḥ śubhaḥ | hiraṇyakaśiporvīryaṁ yadabhūdasurottamāḥ |

"and this is my son Andhaka, blessed with an auspicious boon from Brahma. Whatever valor Hiranyakashipu possessed, O foremost of Asuras,"

Verse 43 (skanda.8.82.43)

द्विगुणं तन्ममाप्यस्ति वीक्षध्वं तदशंकिताः । अद्य चैतान् मया सर्वान् हतान् पश्यत दानवाः ।

dviguṇaṁ tanmamāpyasti vīkṣadhvaṁ tadaśaṁkitāḥ | adya caitān mayā sarvān hatān paśyata dānavāḥ |

"twice that is mine as well - behold it without doubt. And today, O Danavas, see all these gods slain by me!"

Verse 44 (skanda.8.82.44)

संग्रामे यदि तिष्ठन्ति सर्वे देवा ममाग्रतः । अद्य त्रैलोक्यमव्यग्रं हतेष्वसुरशत्रुषु ।

saṁgrāme yadi tiṣṭhanti sarve devā mamāgrataḥ | adya trailokyamavyagraṁ hateṣvasuraśatruṣu |

"If all the gods stand before me in this battle, today, once the enemies of the Asuras are slain, the triple world will be at peace,"

Verse 45 (skanda.8.82.45)

विज्वरा भोक्ष्यथ सुखं मयेन्द्रेणासुरोत्तमाः । मा वोस्तु भयमद्येह यथा तिष्ठन्ति साधवः । सपुत्रं मां युधि यथा वीक्षमाणास्तु तिष्ठत ।

vijvarā bhokṣyatha sukhaṁ mayendreṇāsurottamāḥ | mā vostu bhayamadyeha yathā tiṣṭhanti sādhavaḥ | saputraṁ māṁ yudhi yathā vīkṣamāṇāstu tiṣṭhata |

"and you, O foremost of Asuras, with me as your Indra, shall enjoy happiness free of anguish. Let there be no fear in you here today - stand fast, as good men do, watching me together with my son in this battle."

Verse 46 (skanda.8.82.46)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । त एवमुक्ता विप्रेन्द्र गजास्तोत्रार्दिता इव । विनिवृत्ताः पुनः सर्वे लज्जयातिसमावृताः ।

sanatkumāra uvāca | ta evamuktā viprendra gajāstotrārditā iva | vinivṛttāḥ punaḥ sarve lajjayātisamāvṛtāḥ |

Sanatkumara said: O foremost of sages, thus addressed, they all, like elephants goaded by the driver's hook, turned back once more, overcome with deep shame.

Verse 47 (skanda.8.82.47)

ते छत्रसंछादितवक्त्रपद्मा लज्जासमाविष्टविरागवक्त्राः । न तस्य राज्ञो मुखतोवतस्थुस्तिमेरिवार्त्ताः सलिलेल्पमीनाः ।

te chatrasaṁchāditavaktrapadmā lajjāsamāviṣṭavirāgavaktrāḥ | na tasya rājño mukhatovatasthustimerivārttāḥ salilelpamīnāḥ |

Their lotus-faces hidden beneath their parasols, their faces pale and downcast with shame, they could not stand before that king's presence, like small, distressed fish unable to stand before large ones in the water.