Bhagavatapurana 8.11: athaikadaśo'dhyāyaḥ

8.11.1

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
atho surāḥ pratyupalabdhacetasaḥ parasya puṃsaḥ parayānukampayā /
jaghnurbhṛśaṃ śakrasamīraṇādayas tāṃstān raṇe yairabhisaṃhatāḥ purā //

1. Sri Suka said:—Then having recovered their senses through the great mercy of the supreme Person, Indra, Vayu, and other celestials severely beat back those by whom they had been formerly beaten in battle.

8.11.2

vairocanāya saṃrabdho bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ /
udayacchadyadā vajraṃ prajā hā heti cukruśuḥ //

2. When the blessed Indra enraged at Bali raised his Vajra, all people cried “ha, ha” (fearing that it would prove deadly to Bali).

8.11.3

vajrapāṇistamāhedaṃ tiraskṛtya puraḥsthitam /
manasvinaṃ susampannaṃ vicarantaṃ mahāmṛdhe //

3. Indra, weilder of Vajra (armed with Vajra) said (spoke as follows) derisively to Bali who stood before him and who was a thoughtful and noble opponent, and heroically moving in front of the great battle.

8.11.4

naṭavan mūḍha māyābhirmāyeśān no jigīṣasi /
jitvā bālān nibaddhākṣān naṭo harati taddhanam //

4. O Ignorant one, thou hopest like a knave by means of

Mayas to overcome us who are controllers of Maya, just as a rogue overcomes blindfolded children and deprives them of their wealth.

8.11.5

ārurukṣanti māyābhirutsisṛpsanti ye divam /
tān dasyūn vidhunomy ajñān pūrvasmāc ca padādadhaḥ //

5. Those rogues who by their Mayas, cunning ways, desire to rise high (to heaven) and even to attain beyond (to Moksha), I throw down far below the position they had previously held.

8.11.6

so 'haṃ durmāyinaste 'dya vajreṇa śataparvaṇā /
śiro hariṣye mandātmanghaṭasva jñātibhiḥ saha //

6. And I, that same Indra, shall to-day chop off your head from you capable of bad (Maya) practices, O dull-headed one. (To-day before death) hie to the company of all your kith and kin.

8.11.7

/0 śrībaliruvāca
saṅgrāme vartamānānāṃ kālacoditakarmaṇām /
kīrtirjayo 'jayo mṛtyuḥ sarveṣāṃ syuranukramāt //

7. Bali said:—To those who driven by Karma meet on the battle-field as directed by Time, do fame, success, failure, death happen in due course.

8.11.8

tadidaṃ kālaraśanaṃ jagat paśyanti sūrayaḥ /
na hṛṣyanti na śocanti tatra yūyamapaṇḍitāḥ //

8. So this brought on by Time, wise men do realise; they are not rejoiced at them or grieve for them; and there you betray your unwisdom.

8.11.9

na vayaṃ manyamānānāmātmānaṃ tatra sādhanam /
giro vaḥ sādhuśocyānāṃ gṛhṇīmo marmatāḍanāḥ //

9. We are not prepared to accept your words though intended to cut the vitals. For you believe yourself to be the agent (in respect of fame, success etc): you are therefore most fit to be pitied.

8.11.10

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
ity ākṣipya vibhuṃ vīro nārācairvīramardanaḥ /
ākarṇapūrṇairahanadākṣepairāha taṃ punaḥ //

10. Sri Suka said:—Having thus retorted, the heroic Bali, Vanquisher of warriors, hit, with Narachas drawn to the ear, Indra, the lord who was already struck with his reproachful retort.

8.11.11

evaṃ nirākṛto devo vairiṇā tathyavādinā /
nāmṛṣyat tadadhikṣepaṃ totrāhata iva dvipaḥ //

11. Thus reproached by his enemy who spoke the truth, the god Indra could not bear his condemnation like an elephant struck with the goad.

8.11.12

prāharat kuliśaṃ tasmā amoghaṃ paramardanaḥ /
sayāno nyapatadbhūmau chinnapakṣa ivācalaḥ //

12. Indra able to subdue the enemy threw his unfailing weapon Vajra at him (Bali); with his car he fell to the ground like a mountain whose wings are cut off.

8.11.13

sakhāyaṃ patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā jambho balisakhaḥ suhṛt /
abhyayāt sauhṛdaṃ sakhyurhatasyāpi samācaran //

13. Seeing his friend's fall Jambha the friend of Bali and his well-wisher rushed in to perform his friendly act to the friend even in his fallen state.

8.11.14

sa siṃhavāha āsādya gadāmudyamya raṃhasā /
jatrāvatāḍayac chakraṃ gajaṃ ca sumahābalaḥ //

14. Riding on a lion the powerful Jambha quickly raised his gada, and struck Indra and his elephant on the neck.

8.11.15

gadāprahāravyathito bhṛśaṃ vihvalito gajaḥ /
jānubhyāṃ dharaṇīṃ spṛṣṭvā kaśmalaṃ paramaṃ yayau //

15. Under severe pain from the stroke of the Gada, the elephant became bewildered, knelt down and was in a wretched condition.

8.11.16

tato ratho mātalinā haribhirdaśaśatairvṛtaḥ /
ānīto dvipamutsṛjya rathamāruruhe vibhuḥ //

16. Thereupon was brought by Matali, a chariot surrounded by a thousand horses; the Lord Indra left the elephant and mounted the chariot.

8.11.17

tasya tat pūjayan karma yanturdānavasattamaḥ /
śūlena jvalatā taṃ tu smayamāno 'hanan mṛdhe //

17. Jambha, the foremost among Danavas, expressed his approbation of that service done by Matali the driver; then putting on a smile he struck him (Matali) in battle with a burning Sula.

8.11.18

sehe rujaṃ sudurmarṣāṃ sattvamālambya mātaliḥ /
indro jambhasya saṅkruddho vajreṇāpāharac chiraḥ //

18. Gathering up his strength Matali bore the very unbearable pain; Indra much enraged cut off Jambha's head with his Vajra.

8.11.19

jambhaṃ śrutvā hataṃ tasya jñātayo nāradādṛṣeḥ /
namuciśca balaḥ pākastatrāpetustvarānvitāḥ //

19. Hearing from the sage Narada of the fall of Jambha, his kinsmen, Namuchi, Kala and Paka sped to the battle-field in great haste.

8.11.20

vacobhiḥ paruṣairindramardayanto 'sya marmasu /
śarairavākiran meghā dhārābhiriva parvatam //

20. Cutting Indra to the quick with harsh words, they showered on Indra their arrows just as clouds cover the mountain with volleys of rain.

8.11.21

harīn daśaśatāny ājau haryaśvasya balaḥ śaraiḥ /
tāvadbhirardayāmāsa yugapal laghuhastavān //

21. The swift-handed Bala simultaneously struck in battle all the thousand horses of Indra with as many arrows.

8.11.22

śatābhyāṃ mātaliṃ pāko rathaṃ sāvayavaṃ pṛthak /
sakṛt sandhānamokṣeṇa tadadbhutamabhūdraṇe //

22. With two hundred arrows Paka struck Matali and separately the chariot also in every part; all that by a single act of drawing the bow and discharging the arrows and it caused great wonder on the field.

8.11.23

namuciḥ pañcadaśabhiḥ svarṇapuṅkhairmaheṣubhiḥ /
āhatya vyanadat saṅkhye satoya iva toyadaḥ //

23. With fifteen very powerful arrows furnished with golden hilts, Namuchi struck Indra in battle and roared like a rain-charged cloud.

8.11.24

sarvataḥ śarakūṭena śakraṃ sarathasārathim /
chādayāmāsurasurāḥ prāvṛṭsūryamivāmbudāḥ //

24. Thus the Asuras covered with arrows Indra, his charioteer and chariot on every side, just as clouds obscure the sun in the rainy season.

8.11.25

alakṣayantastamatīva vihvalā vicukruśurdevagaṇāḥ sahānugāḥ /
anāyakāḥ śatrubalena nirjitā vaṇikpathā bhinnanavo yathārṇave //

25. Not finding Indra the hosts of the Gods and their followers shrieked in great bewilderment, being without their leader, and vanquished by the enemies' forces just as merchants do in a wrecked broken vessel on the sea.

8.11.26

tatasturāṣāḍ iṣubaddhapañjarād vinirgataḥ sāśvarathadhvajāgraṇīḥ /
babhau diśaḥ khaṃ pṛthivīṃ ca rocayan svatejasā sūrya iva kṣapātyaye //

26. Then with his horses, chariot, flag and driver issued Indra from the cage of arrows and by his splendour illuminated the directions, heaven and earth and shone like the sun at the close of night.

8.11.27

nirīkṣya pṛtanāṃ devaḥ parairabhyarditāṃ raṇe /
udayacchadripuṃ hantuṃ vajraṃ vajradharo ruṣā //

27. Observing his army severely beaten by the enemies in battle, the Lord Indra weilder of *Vajra* raised (took up) Vajra in great rage to slay the enemy.

8.11.28

sa tenaivāṣṭadhāreṇa śirasī balapākayoḥ /
jñātīnāṃ paśyatāṃ rājan jahāra janayan bhayam //

28. And with that very weapon of eight nebs (Indra) he chopped off the head of *Bala and Paka*, O king, filling their kith and kin with fear.

8.11.29

namucistadvadhaṃ dṛṣṭvā śokāmarṣaruṣānvitaḥ /
jighāṃsurindraṃ nṛpate cakāra paramodyamam //

29. Perceiving the slaughter of the two and oppressed with grief, revenge, and rage, Namuchi grew impatient to slay Indra, O king, and exerted himself to the utmost.

8.11.30

aśmasāramayaṃ śūlaṃ ghaṇṭāvaddhemabhūṣaṇam /
pragṛhyābhyadravat kruddho hato 'sīti vitarjayan /
prāhiṇoddevarājāya ninadan mṛgarāḍ iva //

30. He took up a Sula made of iron, furnished with a bell and chased with gold. Greatly enraged and threatening with the words, "Now thou art slain", roared like a lion and rushing towards Indra discharged the weapon at him.

8.11.31

tadāpatadgaganatale mahājavaṃ vicicchide haririṣubhiḥ sahasradhā /
tamāhanan nṛpa kuliśena kandhare ruṣānvitastridaśapatiḥ śiro haran //

31. It flew through the air in great speed; but Indra cut it off into a thousand pieces with his arrows and further, O king, the Lord of the celestial region, in great anger to sever his head with his vajra, struck him on the neck with it.

8.11.32

na tasya hi tvacamapi vajra ūrjito bibheda yaḥ surapatinaujaseritaḥ /
tadadbhutaṃ paramativīryavṛtrabhit tiraskṛto namuciśirodharatvacā //

32. But that strong vajra aimed indeed with great force by Indra did not injure even his (Namuchi's) skin; it was indeed most astonishing that the slayer of the very powerful *Vritra* was rendered ineffectual by the skin on the neck of Namuchi.

8.11.33

tasmādindro 'bibhec chatrorvajraḥ pratihato yataḥ /
kimidaṃ daivayogena bhūtaṃ lokavimohanam //

33. Therefore, afraid of his enemy on whom his vajra had proved powerless, Indra wondered, "what is this that has happened through the power of Providence, so as to delude the world?

8.11.34

yena me pūrvamadrīṇāṃ pakṣacchedaḥ prajātyaye /
kṛto niviśatāṃ bhāraiḥ patattraiḥ patatāṃ bhuvi //

34. That *Vajra*, by which formerly, when the people were in peril, I cut off the wings of mountains which flew with wings and settled down on the earth here and there with their weight;

8.11.35

tapaḥsāramayaṃ tvāṣṭraṃ vṛtro yena vipāṭitaḥ /
anye cāpi balopetāḥ sarvāstrairakṣatatvacaḥ //

35. That *Vajra* by which *Vritra* who was the essence of the mighty Tapas of Twashta was split, as well as many others of formidable strength even the skin of whose bodies was not at all injured by all the other weapons;

8.11.36

so 'yaṃ pratihato vajro mayā mukto 'sure 'lpake /
nāhaṃ tadādade daṇḍaṃ brahmatejo 'py akāraṇam //

36. That *Vajra* is rendered futile when aimed by me at a feeble Asura; I shall not any more handle it which is like a stick. Even the Brahmin's energy has turned out to be useless."

8.11.37

iti śakraṃ viṣīdantamāha vāg aśarīriṇī /
nāyaṃ śuṣkairatho nārdrairvadhamarhati dānavaḥ //

37. To Indra who was thus pondering in anxiety, a heavenly voice spoke thus, ‘this Danava is not to be slain with either dry or wet things.’

8.11.38

mayāsmai yadvaro datto mṛtyurnaivārdraśuṣkayoḥ /
ato 'nyaścintanīyaste upāyo maghavan ripoḥ //

38. ‘For a boon has been by me given him that he should find his death neither from a dry nor a wet weapon; so, O Indra, some other expedient should be thought of for (killing) your enemy.

8.11.39

tāṃ daivīṃ giramākarṇya maghavān susamāhitaḥ /
dhyāyan phenamathāpaśyadupāyamubhayātmakam //

39. On hearing that divine voice, Indra steadied his mind and contemplated, when he thought of foam to be the expedient fulfilling both the conditions.

8.11.40

na śuṣkeṇa na cārdreṇa jahāra namuceḥ śiraḥ /
taṃ tuṣṭuvurmunigaṇā mālyaiścāvākiran vibhum //

40. And he cut down the head of Namuchi with foam which was neither merely wet nor merly dry (for it was both dry and wet at once); crowds of sages sang in praise of the Lordly Indra and showered flowers on him.

8.11.41

gandharvamukhyau jagaturviśvāvasuparāvasū /
devadundubhayo nedurnartakyo nanṛturmudā //

41. The two chief Gandharwas, Viswavasu and Paravasu, the celestial songsters, sang; the celestial drums were beaten and the celestial damsels danced in great joy.

8.11.42

anye 'py evaṃ pratidvandvān vāyvagnivaruṇādayaḥ /
sūdayāmāsurasurān mṛgān kesariṇo yathā //

42. Similarly Vayu, Agni, Varuna and others slew their respective opponents, with volleys of arrows and missles, just as lions vanquish deer.

8.11.43

brahmaṇā preṣito devān devarṣirnārado nṛpa /
vārayāmāsa vibudhān dṛṣṭvā dānavasaṅkṣayam //

43. O king, Narada whom Brahma, noting the destruction of the Danavas, sent to the Gods, prevented the Gods (from continuing the slaughter).

8.11.44

/0 śrīnārada uvāca
bhavadbhiramṛtaṃ prāptaṃ nārāyaṇabhujāśrayaiḥ /
śriyā samedhitāḥ sarva upāramata vigrahāt //

44. Narada said:—With the support of Sri Narayana’s arms you have secured amrita, and you have been more blessed with good fortune. Do you hence cease to fight.

8.11.45

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
saṃyamya manyusaṃrambhaṃ mānayanto munervacaḥ /
upagīyamānānucarairyayuḥ sarve triviṣṭapam //

45. Sri Suka said:—Controlling the force of revenge and in due deference to the sage’s word, they, being praised by their attendants, returned to Swarga Loka.

8.11.46

ye 'vaśiṣṭā raṇe tasmin nāradānumatena te /
baliṃ vipannamādāya astaṃ girimupāgaman //

46. Those that were left alive in the battle took the distressed Bali as directed by Narada to the mountain where the sun sets.

8.11.47

tatrāvinaṣṭāvayavān vidyamānaśirodharān /
uśanā jīvayāmāsa saṃjīvanyā svavidyayā //

47. There Sukracharya restored back to life and healthy condition those who yet held all their limbs intact or necks unbroken, by virtue of his secret knowledge of sanjivinee (reviving the dead).

8.11.48

baliścośanasā spṛṣṭaḥ pratyāpannendriyasmṛtiḥ /
parājito 'pi nākhidyal lokatattvavicakṣaṇaḥ //

48. Touched by the hand of Sukra Bali came back to his senses and though defeated he was not grieved; for he was fully endowed with the knowledge of the truth of the world (on account of his philosophic conviction of the true nature of the world).