Bhagavatapurana 3.18: athāṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ

3.18.1

/0 maitreya uvāca
tad evam ākarṇya jaleśa-bhāṣitaṃ mahā-manās tad vigaṇayya durmadaḥ /
harer viditvā gatim aṅga nāradād rasātalaṃ nirviviśe tvarānvitaḥ //

1. Maitreya said:—O Vidura, having heard the reply (as stated above) of Varuna, the Lord of waters, the high-spirited and haughty Daitya (Hiranyaksha) did not mind the threat; and having from Narada learnt the coming of Hari, he entered Rasatala in great impatience (haste).

3.18.2

dadarśa tatrābhijitaṃ dharā-dharaṃ pronnīyamānāvanim agra-daṃṣṭrayā /
muṣṇantam akṣṇā sva-ruco 'ruṇa-śriyā jahāsa cāho vana-gocaro mṛgaḥ //

2. There he saw the victorious Hari of Dhara (the earth), who was bearing the earth upwards on the ends of his tusks and depriving him (Asura) of his splendour by His fiery eyes; and he laughed out saying "Oh! it is the wild beast"

3.18.3

āhainam ehy ajña mahīṃ vimuñca no rasaukasāṃ viśva-sṛjeyam arpitā /
na svasti yāsyasy anayā mamekṣataḥ surādhamāsādita-sūkarākṛte //

3. He says (said) to him, "Come on, O dull creature; leave the earth; it has been given to us, the dwellers in Rasatala, by the creator of the universe. Thou canst (wilt) not go unscathed with the earth, while I am witnessing with my eyes wide open, O worst of the gods that hast assumed the form of a boar.

3.18.4

tvaṃ naḥ sapatnair abhavāya kiṃ bhṛto yo māyayā hanty asurān parokṣa-jit /
tvāṃ yogamāyā-balam alpa-pauruṣaṃ saṃsthāpya mūḍha pramṛje suhṛc-chucaḥ //

4. "Art thou maintained by our enemies (only) to be destroyed—thou who by Maya killedst the Asuras, thou who conquerest by covert means. By putting an end to thee who art strong in yoga maya but possessed of little prowess, O ignorant one, I shall remove the sorrows of my friends.

[Really Thou art resorted to for the sake of Moksha; Thou destroyest Asuras by Thy supreme power, vanquishing them even from a distance, O comforter of the ignorant. I shall establish

that Thou art of incomprehensible strength, in the form of yoga-maya, and that compared with Thee all others are of little prowess, and I shall (thereby) wipe out the tears of my friends the gods]

3.18.5

tvayi saṃsthite gadayā śīrṇa-śīrṣaṇy asmad-bhuja-cyutayā ye ca tubhyam /
baliṃ haranty ṛṣayo ye ca devāḥ svayaṃ sarve na bhaviṣyanty amūlāḥ //

5. “When Thou standest with Thy head broken by the gada falling from my arms, all those Rishis and gods who worship Thee with offering will naturally cease to be (when) deprived of their roots.

[When Thou standest firm in perfect ease with Thy head unhurt even by the gada falling from my arms, all those Rishis and gods that ever bear Thee the tribute of their offerings will not be without their roots *i.e.*, will be firmly rooted or established.]

3.18.6

sa tudyamāno 'ri-durukta-tomarair daṃṣṭrāgra-gāṃ gām upalakṣya bhītām /
todaṃ mṛṣan niragād ambu-madhyād grāhāhataḥ sa-kareṇur yathebhaḥ //

6. Being pierced with the sharp words of his enemy which were like the *tomara* (a sharp pointed arrow,) and seeing the Earth on his tusks affrighted He patiently bore all that trouble and rose out of the water, like an elephant with his female companion when assailed by a crocodile.

[Being pained to see Brahma and others put to the rack with the *Tomaras* of bad expressions *i.e.*, with the wrong superficial interpretations put upon the Vedic words, and for the moment patiently putting up with the pain He rose out of the water etc.]

3.18.7

taṃ niḥsarantaṃ salilād anudruto hiraṇya-keśo dviradaṃ yathā jhaṣaḥ /
karāla-daṃṣṭro 'śani-nisvano 'bravīd gata-hriyāṃ kiṃ tv asatāṃ vigarhitam //

7. The Daitya of golden hair and of fearful tusks, roaring like thunder, pursued like the *makara* fish, Him who was rising out of the water, and said “Is there anything reproachful in the view of the shameless wicked?”

[He said, “What reproachful thing could be found in those who are ashamed to do anything wrong and than whom none are more righteous and merciful? *Note:* It may also bear this meaning—The Asura blames himself for pursuing one who lifts up the earth for the good of the world and says what reproachful thing would not be done by the wicked who are like himself shamelessly following their own purpose.]

3.18.8

sa gām udastāt salilasya gocare vinyasya tasyām adadhāt sva-sattvam /
abhiṣṭuto viśva-sṛjā prasūnair āpūryamāṇo vibudhaiḥ paśyato 'reḥ //

8. While being praised by Brahma (the creator of the world) and showered over with flowers by the gods, the glorious

Lord placed the earth on the water and in it His own power of supporting heavy burdens, while the enemy stood gazing.

3.18.9

parānuṣaktaṃ tapanīyopakalpaṃ mahā-gadaṃ kāñcana-citra-daṃśam /
marmāṇy abhīkṣṇaṃ pratudantaṃ duruktaiḥ pracaṇḍa-manyuḥ prahasaṃs taṃ babhāṣe //

9. The Lord, as if extremely angry, laughed outright and spoke to the Daitya who had closely pursued Him wearing ornaments and a wonderful armour of gold and wielding a huge gada and every moment insulting Him with bad words.

3.18.10

/0 śrī-bhagavān uvāca
satyaṃ vayaṃ bho vana-gocarā mṛgā yuṣmad-vidhān mṛgaye grāma-siṃhān /
na mṛtyu-pāśaiḥ pratimuktasya vīrā vikatthanaṃ tava gṛhṇanty abhadra //

10. The Lord said: True, we are brutes of the forest and I am in search of domestic lions like you; warriors, O inauspicious one, are not gratified with thy brag and thou art fast bound with the cords of Death.

3.18.11

ete vayaṃ nyāsa-harā rasaukasāṃ gata-hriyo gadayā drāvitās te /
tiṣṭhāmahe 'thāpi kathañcid ājau stheyaṃ kva yāmo balinotpādya vairam //

11. Here, we are taking away the trust property of the dwellers in Rasatala; we are not ashamed; and we are put to flight by thee with the Gada; we shall somehow make a stand in the field; for we cannot but do so: and where should we go having brought about enmity with the strong?

3.18.12

tvaṃ pad-rathānāṃ kila yūthapādhipo ghaṭasva no 'svastaya āśv anūhaḥ /
saṃsthāpya cāsmān pramṛjāśru svakānāṃ yaḥ svāṃ pratijñāṃ nātipiparty asabhyaḥ //

12. Thou art indeed the leader of leaders of those that fight on foot! Soon and unhesitatingly endeavour to overthrow us; having put us down wipe the tears of Thy own people! for he who does not carry out what he resolves upon is not worthy of society.

3.18.13

/0 maitreya uvāca
so 'dhikṣipto bhagavatā pralabdhaś ca ruṣā bhṛśam /
ājahārolbaṇaṃ krodhaṃ krīḍyamāno 'hi-rāḍ iva //

13. Maitreya said:—Being (thus) severely taunted and ridiculed by the Lord in anger, he waxed violently angry like the serpent which is made to dance.

3.18.14

sṛjann amarṣitaḥ śvāsān manyu-pracalitendriyaḥ /
āsādya tarasā daityo gadayā nyahanad dharim //

14. Fierce with rage, breathing violently and with his senses agitated by anger, the Daitya rushed at Hari and struck him with his *Gada*.

3.18.15

bhagavāṃs tu gadā-vegaṃ visṛṣṭaṃ ripuṇorasi /
avañcayat tiraścīno yogārūḍha ivāntakam //

15. But by moving aside, the Supreme Lord evaded the violent blow with the gada aimed by the enemy at his chest just as a person accomplished in yoga avoids the god of death.

3.18.16

punar gadāṃ svām ādāya bhrāmayantam abhīkṣṇaśaḥ /
abhyadhāvad dhariḥ kruddhaḥ saṃrambhād daṣṭa-dacchadam //

16. Then he again took up his *gada* and constantly brandished it biting his lips in great wrath, and towards him, Hari rushed in rage.

3.18.17

tataś ca gadayārātiṃ dakṣiṇasyāṃ bhruvi prabhuḥ /
ājaghne sa tu tāṃ saumya gadayā kovido 'hanat //

17. And then the Lord struck the enemy on the right brow with His *gada*; but, o gentle one, he struck it with his *gada* being a skilful soldier.

3.18.18

evaṃ gadābhyāṃ gurvībhyāṃ haryakṣo harir eva ca /
jigīṣayā susaṃrabdhāv anyonyam abhijaghnatuḥ //

18. Thus with their two mighty gadas Hiranyaksha and Hari in great rage struck each other, each desirous of victory over the other.

3.18.19

tayoḥ spṛdhos tigma-gadāhatāṅgayoḥ kṣatāsrava-ghrāṇa-vivṛddha-manyvoḥ /
vicitra-mārgāṃś carator jigīṣayā vyabhād ilāyām iva śuṣmiṇor mṛdhaḥ //

19. When these two vied with each other, hitting each other's body with their formidable gadas and grew more and more enraged at the smell of the blood flowing from their body and being eager for victory displayed various and wonderful courses, the combat shone like a fight between two strong bulls on the earth.

3.18.20

daityasya yajñāvayavasya māyā- gṛhīta-vārāha-tanor mahātmanaḥ /
kauravya mahyāṃ dviṣator vimardanaṃ didṛkṣur āgād ṛṣibhir vṛtaḥ svarāṭ //

20. O descendant of the Kurus, Brahma surrounded by Rishis came thither to witness the combat between the two who hated each other and fought for the earth—the two, Hiranyaksha the son of Diti and the Supreme Being who had through Maya assumed the Varaha form the members of which are all yagnas (sacrifices).

3.18.21

āsanna-śauṇḍīram apeta-sādhvasaṃ kṛta-pratīkāram ahārya-vikramam /
vilakṣya daityaṃ bhagavān sahasra-ṇīr jagāda nārāyaṇam ādi-sūkaram //

21. Observing the son of Diti to be full of heroic spirit and pride, and destitute of fear, and finding him capable of averting every blow aimed at him and possessed of irresistible prowess, the worshipful Brahma the leader of thousands of Rishis, said to Narayana the First Varaha.

3.18.22

/0 brahmovāca
eṣa te deva devānām aṅghri-mūlam upeyuṣām /
viprāṇāṃ saurabheyīṇāṃ bhūtānām apy anāgasām //

22—23. Brahma said :—O Lord, he is one that does wrong and causes fear and works evil to the gods, to wise Brahmans, to the offspring of Kamadhenu and also to other innocent beings who all seek shelter under Thy feet.

3.18.23

āgas-kṛd bhaya-kṛd duṣkṛd asmad-rāddha-varo 'suraḥ /
anveṣann apratiratho lokān aṭati kaṇṭakaḥ //

The Asura has obtained boons from me; (though) he is going in search of a rival hero, he has met none; and he wanders about the worlds afflicting them.

3.18.24

mainaṃ māyāvinaṃ dṛptaṃ niraṅkuśam asattamam /
ākrīḍa bālavad deva yathāśīviṣam utthitam //

24. O Lord, do not play with him as a child does with an enraged cobra—him who is crafty, insolent and unrestrained and who is the foremost among the unrighteous.

3.18.25

na yāvad eṣa vardheta svāṃ velāṃ prāpya dāruṇaḥ /
svāṃ deva māyām āsthāya tāvaj jahy agham acyuta //

25. O Lord, slay him before the hour favourable to him arrives and he grows fierce and unconquerable by assuming his Asura Maya (in the form of sin.)

3.18.26

eṣā ghoratamā sandhyā loka-cchambaṭ-karī prabho /
upasarpati sarvātman surāṇāṃ jayam āvaha //

26. It is now the most horrible hour of the evening ruinous to the world; O Lord, it is fast approaching; O Ruler of all, may You bring victory to the celestials.

3.18.27

adhunaiṣo 'bhijin nāma yogo mauhūrtiko hy agāt /
śivāya nas tvaṃ suhṛdām āśu nistara dustaram //

27. Now it is the auspicious hour called Abhijit, it is almost passing; for the sake of thy friends, the gods, soon slay him, the unconquerable.

3.18.28

diṣṭyā tvāṃ vihitaṃ mṛtyum ayam āsāditaḥ svayam /
vikramyainaṃ mṛdhe hatvā lokān ādhehi śarmaṇi //

28. Providentially, he has directly come to face the death appointed by Thee, which is none but "Thyself"! Display Thy power, kill him in battle and establish the world (Thy creatures) in (peace and) happiness.