The Speech of Brahma

Verse 1 (skanda.8.96.1)

व्यास उवाच । तथा राजनि दैत्येन्द्रे त्रैलोक्याधिपतौ शुभे । धरण्याञ्चैव बद्धायां सुखितासु प्रजासु च

vyāsa uvāca | tathā rājani daityendre trailokyādhipatau śubhe | dharaṇyāñcaiva baddhāyāṁ sukhitāsu prajāsu ca

Vyasa said: Thus, while that fair lord of the Daityas reigned as sovereign of the three worlds, and the Earth lay bound, and his subjects were happy -

Verse 2 (skanda.8.96.2)

स्थानेभ्यश्च्याविता देवा ह्यप्रतिष्ठा महाबलाः । किमकुर्वत दुःखार्त्ता एतन्मे शंस सर्वशः

sthānebhyaścyāvitā devā hyapratiṣṭhā mahābalāḥ | kimakurvata duḥkhārttā etanme śaṁsa sarvaśaḥ

- what did the mighty gods, driven from their posts and left without any footing, do then, afflicted with grief? Tell me this fully.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.96.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणुष्व धर्म देवानामवस्था या बभूव ह । यदकुर्वत दुःखार्त्तास्तत्र सर्वे यथाक्रमम्

sanatkumāra uvāca | śṛṇuṣva dharma devānāmavasthā yā babhūva ha | yadakurvata duḥkhārttāstatra sarve yathākramam

Sanatkumara said: Listen, O righteous one, to what condition then befell the gods, and to what they, afflicted with grief, all did there, each in turn.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.96.4)

हव्यवाहोग्निरभवद्देवानां भागवर्द्धनः । तं निरस्य तदा दैत्यो वह्निमन्यं चकार ह

havyavāhognirabhavaddevānāṁ bhāgavarddhanaḥ | taṁ nirasya tadā daityo vahnimanyaṁ cakāra ha

Fire, the carrier of oblations, was the one who increased the gods' share in sacrifice; casting him aside, the Daitya then made another into Fire in his place.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.96.5)

तस्मिन्कर्मणि विप्रेन्द्र मन्त्रास्तदनुगाभवन् । दैत्यदानवभागानां वक्तारः शुभसाधकाः

tasminkarmaṇi viprendra mantrāstadanugābhavan | daityadānavabhāgānāṁ vaktāraḥ śubhasādhakāḥ

In that rite, O foremost of brahmins, the sacred formulas too followed suit, becoming the auspicious proclaimers of the shares of the Daityas and Danavas.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.96.6)

ततो यज्ञः स्वयं दैत्यानुपतस्थे महात्मनः । यज्ञे गते च दैत्येन्द्रान्देवाः सर्वे मृता इव

tato yajñaḥ svayaṁ daityānupatasthe mahātmanaḥ | yajñe gate ca daityendrāndevāḥ sarve mṛtā iva

Then the Sacrifice itself came in person to attend upon that great-souled lord of the Daityas; and when the Sacrifice had passed over to the Daitya lords, all the gods became as though dead.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.96.7)

अभवन्नष्टसंज्ञाश्च मन्दवीर्यपराक्रमाः । निःश्रीकाश्च निरुद्योगा निराक्रन्दा समुत्सुकाः

abhavannaṣṭasaṁjñāśca mandavīryaparākramāḥ | niḥśrīkāśca nirudyogā nirākrandā samutsukāḥ

They lost their senses; their might and valour grew feeble; they became bereft of splendour, without energy, without anyone to cry out to, and full of restless longing.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.96.8)

मन्त्रदग्धा यथा सर्पा वज्रपिष्टा यथाचलाः । गरुत्मताभिसन्दष्टाः पन्नगा इव निर्विषाः

mantradagdhā yathā sarpā vajrapiṣṭā yathācalāḥ | garutmatābhisandaṣṭāḥ pannagā iva nirviṣāḥ

Like serpents scorched by counter-spells, like mountains pulverised by the thunderbolt, like serpents bitten by Garutmat (Garuda) and rendered venomless -

Verse 9 (skanda.8.96.9)

विहीना अद्भिर्यथा वृक्षा बान्धवैर्वापि योषितः । तथा ते दैवता व्यास हृतराज्या हृतश्रियः

vihīnā adbhiryathā vṛkṣā bāndhavairvāpi yoṣitaḥ | tathā te daivatā vyāsa hṛtarājyā hṛtaśriyaḥ

- like trees deprived of water, or like women deprived of their kinsmen - even so, O Vyasa, were those gods, stripped of their kingdom and stripped of their glory.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.96.10)

चिन्तयन्ति हृदा चैव शुष्यन्ति विलपन्ति च । अथ देवः स्वयम्भूस्तान् ज्ञात्वा देवाँस्तथाविधान्

cintayanti hṛdā caiva śuṣyanti vilapanti ca | atha devaḥ svayambhūstān jñātvā devā~stathāvidhān

They brooded with anguished hearts, and withered away, and wept. Then the self-born god (Brahma), learning of the gods in such a state -

Verse 11 (skanda.8.96.11)

विमानेनार्कवर्णेन प्रोवाचेदं पितामहः । भो देवा नष्टसंज्ञा स्थ किमर्थं दुःखिता भृशम् । तपोयोगबलं वोद्य ददामि सुरपुङ्गवाः

vimānenārkavarṇena provācedaṁ pitāmahaḥ | bho devā naṣṭasaṁjñā stha kimarthaṁ duḥkhitā bhṛśam | tapoyogabalaṁ vodya dadāmi surapuṅgavāḥ

- came in his sun-hued celestial chariot, and the Grandsire spoke thus: "O gods, why have you lost your senses? Why are you so grievously afflicted? Today I shall grant you the power of austerity and yoga, O bulls among the gods."

Verse 12 (skanda.8.96.12)

यूयं लोकस्य कर्तारो हर्तारश्चैव सर्वशः । न युक्तं भवतामेतत् क्लीबवत् स्थातुमद्य वै

yūyaṁ lokasya kartāro hartāraścaiva sarvaśaḥ | na yuktaṁ bhavatāmetat klībavat sthātumadya vai

"'You are the makers of the world, and likewise its destroyers, in every way; it is not fitting for you to stand today like helpless, powerless men.'"

Verse 13 (skanda.8.96.13)

स्वीयं योगं मदीयञ्च त्यक्त्वा दुःखं महाबलाः । प्रतिपद्यत मा शोके स्वयं देवाः प्रवर्तत

svīyaṁ yogaṁ madīyañca tyaktvā duḥkhaṁ mahābalāḥ | pratipadyata mā śoke svayaṁ devāḥ pravartata

"'Cast off your sorrow, O mighty ones, and take up your own power of yoga, and mine as well; do not remain in grief - rouse yourselves, O gods, by your own effort.'"

Verse 14 (skanda.8.96.14)

न तमो भास्कराद्युक्तं न सोमादुष्णता यथा । नाग्नेर्यथा तुषारश्च नामृतं भुजगादपि

na tamo bhāskarādyuktaṁ na somāduṣṇatā yathā | nāgneryathā tuṣāraśca nāmṛtaṁ bhujagādapi

"'As darkness does not befit the sun, as heat does not befit the moon, as frost does not befit fire, nor nectar a serpent -'"

Verse 15 (skanda.8.96.15)

नासाधोः साधुभावश्च न कुलीनादशोभनम् । नाधर्मो नियमेभ्यश्च न वेदेभ्यश्च दुर्मतिः

nāsādhoḥ sādhubhāvaśca na kulīnādaśobhanam | nādharmo niyamebhyaśca na vedebhyaśca durmatiḥ

"'- as goodness does not befit the wicked, as unseemliness does not befit the noble-born, as unrighteousness does not befit sacred observances, nor folly the Vedas -'"

Verse 16 (skanda.8.96.16)

तथा न युक्तं युष्माकमिदं देवा महात्मनाम् । आपत्सु न विषीदन्ति ये केचित्तेजसा स्थिताः

tathā na yuktaṁ yuṣmākamidaṁ devā mahātmanām | āpatsu na viṣīdanti ye kecittejasā sthitāḥ

"'- so too, O gods, this despair does not befit you, great souls that you are; those who stand firm in their own splendour do not despair amid calamity.'"

Verse 17 (skanda.8.96.17)

ते यूयमापदं प्राप्य न शोकं कर्तुमर्हथ । मा भवन्तोवसीदन्तु राज्यं भूयो भविष्यति

te yūyamāpadaṁ prāpya na śokaṁ kartumarhatha | mā bhavantovasīdantu rājyaṁ bhūyo bhaviṣyati

"'Such being so, having fallen into calamity, you ought not to grieve; let none of you despair - the kingdom shall be yours once again.'"

Verse 18 (skanda.8.96.18)

महायोगबलोपेतो हिरण्याक्षोद्य देवताः । अशक्यो हन्तुमल्पेन तेजसा दितिनन्दनः

mahāyogabalopeto hiraṇyākṣodya devatāḥ | aśakyo hantumalpena tejasā ditinandanaḥ

"'O gods, Hiranyaksha today is endowed with the power of great yoga; that son of Diti cannot be slain by any lesser splendour.'"

Verse 19 (skanda.8.96.19)

प्रतीक्षन्तु भवन्तोस्य तपसः क्षयमव्ययाः । क्षीणे तपसि दैत्येन्द्रं युद्धे विष्णुर्वधिष्यति

pratīkṣantu bhavantosya tapasaḥ kṣayamavyayāḥ | kṣīṇe tapasi daityendraṁ yuddhe viṣṇurvadhiṣyati

"'Wait, O imperishable ones, for the waning of his austerity; when his austerity has declined, Vishnu will slay that lord of the Daityas in battle.'"

Verse 20 (skanda.8.96.20)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । त एवं ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्ता लब्धयोगाः सुरेश्वराः । प्रणम्य सर्वभूतानां स्रष्टारमिदमब्रुवन्

sanatkumāra uvāca | ta evaṁ brahmaṇā proktā labdhayogāḥ sureśvarāḥ | praṇamya sarvabhūtānāṁ sraṣṭāramidamabruvan

Sanatkumara said: Thus addressed by Brahma, those lords of the gods, having regained their power of yoga, bowed to the creator of all beings and said this:

Verse 21 (skanda.8.96.21)

हृतानि नो महायोगस्थानानि दितिनन्दनैः । क्व तिष्ठाम वयं ब्रूहि दिश नः स्थानमव्ययम्

hṛtāni no mahāyogasthānāni ditinandanaiḥ | kva tiṣṭhāma vayaṁ brūhi diśa naḥ sthānamavyayam

"Our great yogic seats have been seized by the sons of Diti; where shall we dwell? Tell us - point out to us some imperishable abode."

Verse 22 (skanda.8.96.22)

ब्रह्मोवाच । हृतानि सर्वस्थानानि युष्माकं विदितञ्च मे । शृणुध्वं यत्र वस्तव्यं युष्माभिर्योगमायया

brahmovāca | hṛtāni sarvasthānāni yuṣmākaṁ viditañca me | śṛṇudhvaṁ yatra vastavyaṁ yuṣmābhiryogamāyayā

Brahma said: "That all your abodes have been seized is known to me as well. Hear now where, by the power of yogic illusion, you must dwell."

Verse 23 (skanda.8.96.23)

यूयं सर्वे शरीरेषु योगाद् विशत सत्तमाः । प्रजानां सर्वतो देवास्ततो वृत्तिमवाप्स्यथ

yūyaṁ sarve śarīreṣu yogād viśata sattamāḥ | prajānāṁ sarvato devāstato vṛttimavāpsyatha

"'Enter, all of you, O most excellent ones, by the power of yoga into the bodies of creatures on every side; from there, O gods, you shall obtain your sustenance.'"

Verse 24 (skanda.8.96.24)

तेषामशितपीतैश्च संस्कारैश्च पृथग्विधैः । पृथिवी नागबद्धापि युष्मानाप्याययिष्यति

teṣāmaśitapītaiśca saṁskāraiśca pṛthagvidhaiḥ | pṛthivī nāgabaddhāpi yuṣmānāpyāyayiṣyati

"'Through their eating and drinking, and through the many various rites they perform, the Earth, though bound with the serpent-nooses, shall still nourish and satisfy you.'"

Verse 25 (skanda.8.96.25)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । त एवमुक्ता देवेन देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः । तथा चक्रुर्यथोवाच ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः

sanatkumāra uvāca | ta evamuktā devena devāḥ sarve savāsavāḥ | tathā cakruryathovāca brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ

Sanatkumara said: Thus addressed by that god, all the gods, together with Vasava (Indra), did exactly as Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, had told them.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.96.26)

तेवर्तयन्त सततं तत्रस्थाः सुरसत्तमाः । चतुर्युगमुपासन्तो लोकधातुर्मते स्थिताः

tevartayanta satataṁ tatrasthāḥ surasattamāḥ | caturyugamupāsanto lokadhāturmate sthitāḥ

Those most excellent gods, remaining there, sustained themselves continually, abiding by the will of the Ordainer of the worlds, and awaited their time thus through the four ages.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.96.27)

अथ योगाद् हिरण्याक्षः प्रजासु समवास्थितान् । सुरानपश्यद्योगात्मा चुक्रोध च स तान्प्रति

atha yogād hiraṇyākṣaḥ prajāsu samavāsthitān | surānapaśyadyogātmā cukrodha ca sa tānprati

Then Hiranyaksha, himself possessed of yogic power, perceived by yoga the gods thus dwelling within creatures, and grew furious against them.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.96.28)

यस्मिन्यस्मिन्नपश्यच्च सुरं स समवस्थितम् । अवधीत्तं तमभ्येत्य तदा दानवसत्तमः

yasminyasminnapaśyacca suraṁ sa samavasthitam | avadhīttaṁ tamabhyetya tadā dānavasattamaḥ

In whatever creature that most excellent Danava perceived a god thus dwelling, he would go to it at once and slay it.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.96.29)

अहं प्रजाः सदोद्युक्तो रक्षामि सततं भयात् । ममैव ता दुराचारा विद्विषो वर्धयन्त्युत

ahaṁ prajāḥ sadodyukto rakṣāmi satataṁ bhayāt | mamaiva tā durācārā vidviṣo vardhayantyuta

"I, ever diligent, constantly protect my subjects from every fear; and yet these ill-behaved ones nourish my very own enemies!"

Verse 30 (skanda.8.96.30)

कृतघ्नाः स्वामिघातिन्यो दुष्पूरा दुष्टचेतसः । मम शत्रूनिमा दुष्टा अन्नपानादिभिस्सदा

kṛtaghnāḥ svāmighātinyo duṣpūrā duṣṭacetasaḥ | mama śatrūnimā duṣṭā annapānādibhissadā

"'Ungrateful, treacherous to their own lord, insatiable, evil-minded - these wicked ones ever nourish my enemies with food, drink, and the like -'"

Verse 31 (skanda.8.96.31)

आप्याययन्ति दुर्वृत्ता दण्डार्हा मे ततस्तु ताः । यत्र तत्र गताः सर्वाः प्रजाः सर्वत्र सोवधीत्

āpyāyayanti durvṛttā daṇḍārhā me tatastu tāḥ | yatra tatra gatāḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ sarvatra sovadhīt

"'- these evil-natured ones thus nourish [my enemies], and are therefore fit for my punishment.'" - a line of this verse is lost in the source manuscript - Thus, wherever those creatures went, everywhere, he slew them all.

Verse 32 (skanda.8.96.32)

पल्वलानि तडागानि नदीः प्रस्रवणानि च । सर्वाण्येव तदा योगादशोषयत दानवः

palvalāni taḍāgāni nadīḥ prasravaṇāni ca | sarvāṇyeva tadā yogādaśoṣayata dānavaḥ

Ponds, lakes, rivers and springs - all of these the Danava then dried up entirely by his power of yoga.

Verse 33 (skanda.8.96.33)

ओषध्योकृष्टपच्याश्च या ह्यासँस्तस्य सुव्रत । व्यनाशयत् स ताश्चापि वृक्षवल्लीरपोथयत्

oṣadhyokṛṣṭapacyāśca yā hyāsa~stasya suvrata | vyanāśayat sa tāścāpi vṛkṣavallīrapothayat

O man of good vows, those herbs of his that ripened without any tilling - those too he destroyed, and he trampled down the trees and creepers as well.

Verse 34 (skanda.8.96.34)

तन्नष्टवृक्षक्षुपवल्लिपल्लवं तृणौषधीप्रस्रवणोदकाशयम् । सरित्तडागावटशुष्कपल्वलं जगद् बभौ कच्छपपृष्ठसन्निभम् । प्रणष्टवर्णाश्रमधर्मसंयमं विनष्टघोषव्रजपक्षिमानुषम् । द्विपाश्वपत्यादिगणैर्विनादितं युगान्तकालाग्निमुदग्रवज्जगत्

tannaṣṭavṛkṣakṣupavallipallavaṁ tṛṇauṣadhīprasravaṇodakāśayam | sarittaḍāgāvaṭaśuṣkapalvalaṁ jagad babhau kacchapapṛṣṭhasannibham | praṇaṣṭavarṇāśramadharmasaṁyamaṁ vinaṣṭaghoṣavrajapakṣimānuṣam | dvipāśvapatyādigaṇairvināditaṁ yugāntakālāgnimudagravajjagat

That world, its trees, shrubs, creepers and sprouts destroyed, its grasses, herbs, springs and reservoirs of water gone, its rivers, lakes, wells and pools all dried up, appeared like the back of a tortoise; its order and discipline of varna and ashrama utterly ruined, its cowherd-settlements, birds, and people destroyed - yet still resounding with herds of elephants, horses and the like, the world blazed forth like the raging fire of universal dissolution at the end of an age.