The Battle in Pairs

Verse 1 (skanda.8.85.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । विप्रचित्तिर्महामायो वायुं बहुभिराशुगैः । अवाकिरद्दनुसुतो वृष्ट्येव हि जलप्रदः ।

sanatkumāra uvāca | vipracittirmahāmāyo vāyuṁ bahubhirāśugaiḥ | avākiraddanusuto vṛṣṭyeva hi jalapradaḥ |

Sanatkumara said: Vipracitti, mighty in illusion, the son of Danu, showered Vayu with many swift arrows, like a rain-giving cloud pouring down its water.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.85.2)

संछादयन् तदा व्यास मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकः । इषूँश्चिक्षेप तीक्ष्णाग्राञ्छलभान् सागरो यथा ।

saṁchādayan tadā vyāsa maṇḍalīkṛtakārmukaḥ | iṣū~ścikṣepa tīkṣṇāgrāñchalabhān sāgaro yathā |

Covering him thus, O Vyasa, his bow bent into a circle, he hurled sharp-tipped shafts, as the ocean casts up swarms of locusts.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.85.3)

धारा बलाहकाद्यद्वज्ज्योत्स्नाश्चन्द्रमसो यथा । रश्मयो भास्कराद्यद्वद्धिमं हिमगिरेरिव ।

dhārā balāhakādyadvajjyotsnāścandramaso yathā | raśmayo bhāskarādyadvaddhimaṁ himagireriva |

As a stream falls from a raincloud, as moonlight streams from the moon, as rays stream from the sun, as snow streams from the Himalaya,

Verse 4 (skanda.8.85.4)

तथा ते शरसंघाता धनुषो मण्डलीकृतात् । विप्रचित्तेर्विनिष्पेतु ।

tathā te śarasaṁghātā dhanuṣo maṇḍalīkṛtāt | vipracitterviniṣpetu |

so did those masses of arrows fly forth from Vipracitti's circle-bent bow... (the remainder of this verse is lost in the source manuscript).

Verse 5 (skanda.8.85.5)

भास्करं छादयानाँस्ताञ्छरानापततो बली । भगवाननिलो वेगादसुरेषु न्यपातयत् ।

bhāskaraṁ chādayānā~stāñcharānāpatato balī | bhagavānanilo vegādasureṣu nyapātayat |

The mighty and blessed Vayu, with great speed, struck down among the Asuras those arrows that came covering the sun.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.85.6)

तैः शरैस्तस्य दैत्यस्य दानवा बहवो हताः । छिन्नाश्च निष्टनन्त्युर्व्यां निरयस्था यथा नराः ।

taiḥ śaraistasya daityasya dānavā bahavo hatāḥ | chinnāśca niṣṭanantyurvyāṁ nirayasthā yathā narāḥ |

By those very arrows of that Daitya, many Danavas were slain; cut down, they howled upon the ground like men in hell.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.85.7)

तांस्तथा निहतान् दृष्ट्वा विप्रचित्तिर्महासुरः । अवप्लुत्य रथाद् वायोर्बाहुयुद्धमयुध्यत ।

tāṁstathā nihatān dṛṣṭvā vipracittirmahāsuraḥ | avaplutya rathād vāyorbāhuyuddhamayudhyata |

Seeing them thus slain, the great Asura Vipracitti leapt down from his chariot and fought Vayu hand to hand.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.85.8)

तस्य युद्धप्रसक्तस्य वायोर्बलमवर्धत । अमन्यन्त सुराश्चैव निगृहीतं दनोः सुतम् ।

tasya yuddhaprasaktasya vāyorbalamavardhata | amanyanta surāścaiva nigṛhītaṁ danoḥ sutam |

As he remained engaged in that combat, Vayu's strength grew; and the gods came to believe that the son of Danu had been overpowered.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.85.9)

अथोत्पत्य तदा वेगाद् गदया पवनं दृढम् । अताडयत् हिरण्याक्षो गण्डदेशे महाबलः ।

athotpatya tadā vegād gadayā pavanaṁ dṛḍham | atāḍayat hiraṇyākṣo gaṇḍadeśe mahābalaḥ |

Then, leaping up with great speed, the mighty Hiranyaksha struck Vayu forcefully on the cheek with his mace.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.85.10)

स तेन सुप्रहारेण हिरण्याक्षस्य । न किञ्चिच्च तत एव स दानवम् ।

sa tena suprahāreṇa hiraṇyākṣasya | na kiñcicca tata eva sa dānavam |

By that heavy blow, of Hiranyaksha's... (most of both lines of this verse is illegible in the source manuscript) ...nothing at all [happened] to that Danava.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.85.11)

परित्यज्य ययौ तूर्णमन्यदेशं महाबलः । अंशसंवरयोश्चापि सुमहन्मुनिसत्तम ।

parityajya yayau tūrṇamanyadeśaṁ mahābalaḥ | aṁśasaṁvarayoścāpi sumahanmunisattama |

That mighty one then quickly abandoned him and went to another quarter; and, O foremost of sages, between Amsha and Sambara too, a very great,

Verse 12 (skanda.8.85.12)

युद्धं समभवद् घोरं द्रष्टॄणां तुष्टिवर्धनम् । अंशोस्यापततस्तूर्णँ संवरस्य महाबलः ।

yuddhaṁ samabhavad ghoraṁ draṣṭṝṇāṁ tuṣṭivardhanam | aṁśosyāpatatastūrṇa~ saṁvarasya mahābalaḥ |

terrible battle broke out, one that delighted those who watched. As mighty Sambara charged swiftly at him,

Verse 13 (skanda.8.85.13)

दर्शयँल्लाघवं सम्यग् ध्वजं चिच्छेद कांचनम् । धनुश्च पंचधा कृत्वा ह्यान्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ।

darśaya~llāghavaṁ samyag dhvajaṁ ciccheda kāṁcanam | dhanuśca paṁcadhā kṛtvā hyānninye yamakṣayam |

Amsha, displaying his skillful swiftness, severed his golden banner, and, splitting his bow into five, sent his opponent's charioteer to death at Yama's hands.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.85.14)

ततोस्य सारथेः कायाच्छिरो भूमावपातयत् । भूय एनं चतुःषष्ट्या सायकानामविध्यत ।

tatosya sāratheḥ kāyācchiro bhūmāvapātayat | bhūya enaṁ catuḥṣaṣṭyā sāyakānāmavidhyata |

Then he felled the head of his (Sambara's) charioteer's body to the ground, and once more pierced him with sixty-four arrows.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.85.15)

स मायां तामसीं घोरां समाविश्याशु दानवः । उपलैश्चापि वज्रैश्च गदाभिः परिघैरपि ।

sa māyāṁ tāmasīṁ ghorāṁ samāviśyāśu dānavaḥ | upalaiścāpi vajraiśca gadābhiḥ parighairapi |

That Danava, swiftly resorting to a dreadful, dark illusion, with stones and thunderbolts, with maces and iron bars as well,

Verse 16 (skanda.8.85.16)

कंकटैः करवालैश्च भिन्दिपालैरयोघनैः । जघान सरथं देवमंशं व्यास रणाजिरे ।

kaṁkaṭaiḥ karavālaiśca bhindipālairayoghanaiḥ | jaghāna sarathaṁ devamaṁśaṁ vyāsa raṇājire |

with coats of mail, swords, javelins, and iron mallets, struck down the god Amsha together with his chariot on that battlefield, O Vyasa.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.85.17)

स संदृश्य समन्ताच्च पात्यमानं महाभयम् । अंशो मूढो रणं त्यक्त्वा प्रययावन्यतो भयात् ।

sa saṁdṛśya samantācca pātyamānaṁ mahābhayam | aṁśo mūḍho raṇaṁ tyaktvā prayayāvanyato bhayāt |

Seeing that most terrifying rain of blows falling upon him from every side, Amsha, bewildered, abandoned the fight and fled elsewhere out of fear.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.85.18)

भगो बलं समासाद्य रथेनाम्बुदनादिना । तिष्ठतिष्ठेति तं दैत्यमुक्त्वा विव्याध पत्रिणा ।

bhago balaṁ samāsādya rathenāmbudanādinā | tiṣṭhatiṣṭheti taṁ daityamuktvā vivyādha patriṇā |

Bhaga, coming upon Bala in his chariot thundering like a cloud, said to that Daitya, "Stand, stand!" and pierced him with a feathered arrow.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.85.19)

स सायकं समादाय बलोसुरमहारथः । भगं हस्ततले तूर्णँ निर्बिभेद ररास च ।

sa sāyakaṁ samādāya balosuramahārathaḥ | bhagaṁ hastatale tūrṇa~ nirbibheda rarāsa ca |

Bala, that great Asura charioteer, taking up a shaft, swiftly pierced Bhaga's palm and roared aloud.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.85.20)

तत एनं समासाद्य मायया प्रहसन्निव । आहत्योरसि पादेन स्वरथं पुनराव्रजत् ।

tata enaṁ samāsādya māyayā prahasanniva | āhatyorasi pādena svarathaṁ punarāvrajat |

Then, coming upon him and, as if laughing through his power of illusion, striking him on the chest with his foot, he returned again to his own chariot.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.85.21)

तस्य तल्लाघवं शौर्यममूढत्वं सवीर्यताम् । दृष्ट्वा देवासुराः सर्वे साधुसाध्वित्यपूजयन् ।

tasya tallāghavaṁ śauryamamūḍhatvaṁ savīryatām | dṛṣṭvā devāsurāḥ sarve sādhusādhvityapūjayan |

Seeing his skill, his heroism, his presence of mind, and his valor, all the gods and Asuras alike honored him, crying "Well done, well done!"

Verse 22 (skanda.8.85.22)

भगोपि लज्जयाविष्टः पदा तेनाहतस्तदा । मुशलेन ह्याश्वांस्तस्य रथञ्चैव ससारथिम् ।

bhagopi lajjayāviṣṭaḥ padā tenāhatastadā | muśalena hyāśvāṁstasya rathañcaiva sasārathim |

Bhaga too, overcome with shame at being thus struck by his foot, with his mace shattered Bala's horses, his chariot, and his charioteer together,

Verse 23 (skanda.8.85.23)

नामशेषाँस्तदा कृत्वा विननाद यथाम्बुदः । स्यन्दनं तु बलस्त्यक्त्वा चूर्णितं सहयं तदा ।

nāmaśeṣā~stadā kṛtvā vinanāda yathāmbudaḥ | syandanaṁ tu balastyaktvā cūrṇitaṁ sahayaṁ tadā |

leaving them mere nameless remnants, and roared like a thundercloud. Bala, then abandoning his shattered chariot together with its horses,

Verse 24 (skanda.8.85.24)

भगस्य कार्मुक दिव्यं भूमिस्थश्चाच्छिनद्बली । तत एनं पृषत्केन ललाटे समताडयत् ।

bhagasya kārmuka divyaṁ bhūmisthaścācchinadbalī | tata enaṁ pṛṣatkena lalāṭe samatāḍayat |

himself standing on the ground, that mighty one severed Bhaga's divine bow; and then struck him on the forehead with a barbed shaft.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.85.25)

हस्तयोश्च पुनर्व्यास शरैर्विव्याध सप्तभिः । गृह्णतः कार्मुकं चास्य पृष्ठदेशे बलोच्छिनत् ।

hastayośca punarvyāsa śarairvivyādha saptabhiḥ | gṛhṇataḥ kārmukaṁ cāsya pṛṣṭhadeśe balocchinat |

Again, O Vyasa, he pierced both his hands with seven arrows; and as Bhaga was reaching for another bow, Bala cut it away from behind.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.85.26)

पुनश्चान्यत् पुनश्चान्यत् स जग्राह ततो भगः । मुशलं कालमूलं तत् सर्वघात्यनलप्रभम् ।

punaścānyat punaścānyat sa jagrāha tato bhagaḥ | muśalaṁ kālamūlaṁ tat sarvaghātyanalaprabham |

Again and again he took up yet another bow; then Bhaga seized that mace, rooted in Death, all-destroying, blazing like fire,

Verse 27 (skanda.8.85.27)

हतोसीति तमुक्त्वैव चिक्षेप बलनाशनम् । तमापतन्तं मुशलं बलो दानवपुंगवः ।

hatosīti tamuktvaiva cikṣepa balanāśanam | tamāpatantaṁ muśalaṁ balo dānavapuṁgavaḥ |

and, saying "You are slain!", hurled that Bala-destroying weapon. As that mace came hurtling at him, Bala, foremost of the Danavas,

Verse 28 (skanda.8.85.28)

शरैर्विष्टम्भयामास नन्दी मृत्युं यथात्मनः । अथ प्रतिह्तं मत्वा मुशलं सोसुरः पुनः ।

śarairviṣṭambhayāmāsa nandī mṛtyuṁ yathātmanaḥ | atha pratihtaṁ matvā muśalaṁ sosuraḥ punaḥ |

checked with his arrows, as Nandi checks Death itself. Then, thinking his mace had been repelled, that Asura (Bhaga) once more

Verse 29 (skanda.8.85.29)

धनुष्कोटया भगं मूर्ध्नि बलवान् समताडयत् । रथश्च सह सूतेन गृहीत्वा कूबरे पुनः ।

dhanuṣkoṭayā bhagaṁ mūrdhni balavān samatāḍayat | rathaśca saha sūtena gṛhītvā kūbare punaḥ |

struck mighty Bala on the head with the tip of his bow; and then, seizing his chariot together with his charioteer by the chariot-pole,

Verse 30 (skanda.8.85.30)

चिक्षेप दक्षिणस्यां स वायुर्गिरिमिवार्णवे । पूषा विरोचनं देवः शरैर्बहुभिराशुगैः ।

cikṣepa dakṣiṇasyāṁ sa vāyurgirimivārṇave | pūṣā virocanaṁ devaḥ śarairbahubhirāśugaiḥ |

hurled it toward the south, as Vayu hurls a mountain into the ocean. The god Pusha, meanwhile, with many swift arrows,

Verse 31 (skanda.8.85.31)

विव्याध समरे क्रुद्धः स च तं प्रत्यविध्यत । सप्तभिर्निशितैर्बाणैरिषुभिर्मर्मभेदिभिः ।

vivyādha samare kruddhaḥ sa ca taṁ pratyavidhyata | saptabhirniśitairbāṇairiṣubhirmarmabhedibhiḥ |

pierced Virochana in fury in that battle; and he in turn pierced Pusha back with seven sharp, vital-organ-piercing shafts.

Verse 32 (skanda.8.85.32)

क्रुद्धः पूषा तथाकृष्य बलवान् कार्मुकं महत् ।

kruddhaḥ pūṣā tathākṛṣya balavān kārmukaṁ mahat |

Enraged, mighty Pusha, likewise drawing his great bow... (the remainder of this verse is wholly lost in the source manuscript).

Verse 33 (skanda.8.85.33)

जीवितान्तकरं घोरं युगान्तादित्यवर्चसम् । मुमोच रिपुमुद्दिश्य हृतस्त्वमिति चोचिवान् ।

jīvitāntakaraṁ ghoraṁ yugāntādityavarcasam | mumoca ripumuddiśya hṛtastvamiti cocivān |

he loosed, aimed at his enemy, a terrible weapon that ends life, blazing like the sun at the end of an aeon, saying, "You are defeated!"

Verse 34 (skanda.8.85.34)

तमापतन्तं बहुधा नदन्तं दिशश्च सर्वा अवभासयन्तम् । उल्काः स्फुलिंगाश्च समुद्गिरन्तं ययौ रिपून् वेगवदुत्पतन्तम् ।

tamāpatantaṁ bahudhā nadantaṁ diśaśca sarvā avabhāsayantam | ulkāḥ sphuliṁgāśca samudgirantaṁ yayau ripūn vegavadutpatantam |

Roaring in many ways as it came hurtling on, lighting up all the directions, belching forth meteors and sparks, it went rising up swiftly toward the enemy.

Verse 35 (skanda.8.85.35)

स चाप्यवप्लुत्य महासुरेन्द्रो दृष्ट्वा तमादित्यसमानभासम् । मत्वाविषह्यं स्वरथं विहाय वियत् समाविश्य ततोवतस्थे ।

sa cāpyavaplutya mahāsurendro dṛṣṭvā tamādityasamānabhāsam | matvāviṣahyaṁ svarathaṁ vihāya viyat samāviśya tatovatasthe |

That great lord of the Asuras (Virochana) too, seeing that weapon blazing like the sun, leapt up; thinking it unbearable, he abandoned his chariot, took to the sky, and there took his stand.

Verse 36 (skanda.8.85.36)

तत्तस्य सूतञ्च ह्योपपन्नं महारथं सर्वगमस्त्रवर्यम् । कृत्वाशु भस्मेव यथा हुताशो जगाम खं दिव्यमदृश्यरूपम् ।

tattasya sūtañca hyopapannaṁ mahārathaṁ sarvagamastravaryam | kṛtvāśu bhasmeva yathā hutāśo jagāma khaṁ divyamadṛśyarūpam |

That weapon, having in an instant reduced his charioteer and his splendid, all-going great chariot, foremost among vehicles, to ashes like a blazing fire, then vanished into the divine sky, its form unseen.